text:
Tagged: Fenway Park Tour
Shipp'd up to Boston
Without you, there's no us. The greatest lesson I took from these past two days.
I spent this weekend up in Boston, Mass., my first trip to Beantown since a field trip I took with my seventh grade class in either 1999 or 2000. The primary reason I was in Boston this weekend was for the WWE's annual November event, Survivor Series, which was held at Boston's TD Garden.
My best friend and main bro Brian Chaires was able to snatch incredible floor seats for the show, and we even managed to get ourselves in the line of the TV cameras during World Champion and Boston native John Cena's entrance for his title match vs. Alberto Del Rio.
Some inside jokes and infamous quotes of this trip include:
"This looks like a post office, not a rest stop."
"Dude, Zack Ryder is in the bathroom!"
"These drivers are Mass-holes."
"I'm a New York driver. … I got this."
"We are stuck in this hotel stairwell. We may need to call 911 to get us out. Help! Help!"
(Walking the TD Garden in Yankee gear) – "Where'd this guy come from???"
"Sweet home Oklahoma! Lord, I'm coming home to Normand!"
"Break me off that whole Kit-Kat bar, King!"
You had to be there to really appreciate how funny the situations were from which these quotes stemmed, but believe me, it was a riot. The wrestling event last night was just awesome, and today the baseball journey of our trip commenced.
Brian and I took a tour this morning of (you guessed it) Fenway Park, home of the reigning World Series Champions, the Boston Red Sox.
Typing that made me cringe, but the ballpark and the tour itself were absolutely marvelous. It was a little different than the Yankee Stadium tour, which I experienced last year, but overall I'd rate the tour of Fenway with a solid A+.
The tour, believe it or not, began at the Red Sox team store across Lansdowne Street. Each tour begins at the start of every hour; we missed the 10 a.m. tour and settled for the 11 a.m. go-around. We made some bad timing, arriving at Fenway only a little after 10, and had to brave the arctic freeze for a little while, but it didn't stop us from some shenanigans while we waited.
Our tour guide took notice of our obvious Yankee apparel, and joked with us about it. He went on to tell us that he doesn't know what all the Yankees-Red Sox hype is all about sometimes, and that there are teams far more hated by the Red Sox right now than the Yankees. In his words,
"I probably hate the Rays more than the Yankees, at this point!"
After everyone assembled, we journeyed from the team store into the historic Fenway Park to begin the jaunt. Our tour guide first explained (briefly) the history of the ballpark; its age (101), how many World Championships the team occupying the park has won (8), and even went on to explain that a number of movies have been filmed at Fenway, including a pair of my favorites: Ted and Field of Dreams.
The first thing I took notice of upon entry into Fenway was the "Boston Strong 617" jersey hanging from the wall, and in light of the tragedy that took place at the Boston Marathon earlier this year, I thought it was pretty neat.
From there we ventured inside and saw the field. It was quite a sight, not having seen Fenway in-person and only seeing it on TV, watching Yankees-Red Sox games. The television really doesn't do the ballpark justice; you have to see it for yourself to truly understand its glory.
They then let us into the visitor's clubhouse. With couches and HD TVs, it looked like pretty nice accommodations, for a visiting team's locker room. While we were in there, all I kept asking was, "Which one is Jeter's locker?"
We were then taken to seats along the left field line, which we were told are the oldest seats in Fenway; a section of wooden, navy blue seats. There we sat and got a more in-depth history of Fenway, with a lot of facts I didn't know – and some I already knew. Here are some of my favorite factoids spoken about today:
- Harry Frazee is the person most Red Sox fans blame for the Curse of the Bambino. Frazee, owner of the Red Sox in 1920, apparently disliked Babe Ruth so much because of his hardcore lifestyle (partying after games, etc.) that he sold him to the Yankees – that was of course after the Red Sox won five of the first 15 World Series in history. Additionally, Frazee cared more about Broadway musicals than baseball.
- The Yankees owned Fenway Park when they signed Ruth, because the pact included a $300,000 loan backed by a mortgage on the Red Sox home field.
- New England schoolteachers apparently disliked the spelling of "Sox" initially. Also, the Red Sox only started spelling their team name with an "x" because the White Sox had done it.
- The Green Monster was built to keep fans from watching the games for free behind the left field wall. Our tour guide called this "the biggest overreaction in baseball history."
- The ladder on the Green Monster: "the most pointless ladder in baseball history," according to our guide.
- Three men work the manual scoreboard inside the Green Monster. "There were four, but Manny Ramirez left," kidded our tour guide. (I'll admit, he was a knowledgeable joker). There are only three light bulbs inside the monster and no air conditioning during the summer or heat in the fall/early spring/winter. Two of the scoreboard operators have been doing their job for 20 years; the other has been there for 10. Those positions won't be opening up anytime soon.
From there we scaled our way up to the top of the Green Monster to take in the view.
I liked how "Boston Strong" was still mowed into the outfield grass.
After the view from atop the Green Monster we climbed up to the press box, which seemed like a longer ascension than going up to the monster. Not for nothing, it was a hike! On the way there, we came across an artifact that made for a great story.
The Los Angeles Angels apparently gave every team in baseball a statue of Mickey Mouse for their respective ballparks – and each statue corresponds to each team. For instance, they gave the Yankees a statue of Mickey Mouse painted with pinstripes and interlocking NYs, looking like a real Bronx Bomber.
The Red Sox were given their Mickey Mouse in poor condition; in fact, his arm was broken when they received him. They made a joke out of it though, going as far as putting a sling around his broken arm. However, they eventually fixed him– and almost immediately after they fixed their statue of Disney's lovable mouse, they started winning. And, as we know, went on to win the World Series this year.
Perhaps I should've re-broke the arm before leaving.
Once we arrived at the press box, we got some more history of the park. A cool fact about the Fenway press box is that there is a row reserved for the Baseball Writer's Association of America. It's fantastic that Fenway acknowledges that elite group of baseball writers.
We then went over a lot of things I already knew about, such as the instance of assigned seating in the press box, the names of the foul poles: the left field being the (Carlton) Fisk pole and right field being the (Johnny) Pesky pole, and the Red Sox retired numbers.
Number 42, as we all know, is retired throughout all of baseball. Our tour guide asked us, "who is this number retired for?"
In the spirit of the pinstripes I vociferously answered, "Mariano Rivera!"
"Nice try," he replied, as everyone laughed. He assured us that Boston, collectively, is relieved Rivera has hung 'em up.
Relieved. Get it?
(Of course we all know 42 is retired for Jackie Robinson).
We were also told a wonderful story in the press box – fitting, because wonderful stories are usually produced in the press box.
According to this tale, the Citgo sign is Boston's proverbial North Star; if you see the Citgo sign, you know Fenway isn't far.
A great player by the name of Joe Carter, famed for being a Toronto Blue Jays World Series hero, loved hitting at Fenway because of the Citgo sign. A reporter remarked,
"C'mon, Joe. Citgo's a gas station."
Carter replied, "When I hit, I can C-IT-GO (see it go)!"
You can't script baseball. And you have to be romantic about it.
After our time in the press box we walked down to the right field deck, where we got a good look at the famous lone red seat in the right field grandstand – denoting where the farthest-hit ball landed in Fenway's 101-year history. Ted Williams owns the blast measured at 502 feet, crushed on June 9, 1946.
The ball struck a straw hat-wearing gentleman in the head, who apparently fell asleep at the game. When the man woke up he was flanked by a medic and a reporter. The journalist asked him, "how do you feel?"
He replied, "How far away must one sit to be safe in this park?"
Poor guy.
The tour concluded in the Red Sox archive room, where a plethora of notable memorabilia is shown off. Among the hardware displayed: a bat signed by Babe Ruth, lineup cards, pictures of Red Sox teams past, ticket stubs to notable games (including the 1999 All-Star Game held at Fenway), MVP awards won by various Red Sox players, and the American League Championship trophies.
I asked for the whereabouts of the World Series trophies, as they weren't present in the archive room. They are stored in the corporate offices and there aren't any replicas of them showcased. I explained how, at the museum in Yankee Stadium, there are replicas of the 1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009 trophies for show.
Even the tour guide and personnel at the end of the tour admitted there should be replicas for Boston's trophies on display.
I would say Brian and I had a lot of guts, strutting around Boston this weekend with enemy colors. It wasn't easy; we heard some boos, received some heckling, ran into only two other Yankee fans, and we were even told the "NY" on our hats stands for "next year."
On the tour a professional photographer took our picture at Fenway. He looked at us and asked, "Yankee fans?"
We apologized. "Sorry."
But he didn't make a joke out of it. He said something that'll stick with me for the long haul:
Hey. Without you, there's no us.
I had never really considered that. Every hero needs a villain. Every team needs a nemesis. Batman needed The Joker. Superman needed Lex Luthor. And the Red Sox need the Yankees, although in our minds, the Yankees are the heroes and the Red Sox are the villains. If it weren't for the Red Sox, would the Yankees be . . . the Yankees?
I knew going to Fenway I would learn a lot I didn't know – and I did learn a lot. Harry Frazee's role in the Curse of the Bambino, the history of the Green Monster, and even an amusing anecdote about Mickey Mouse.
But I didn't think going to Fenway would teach me a lesson. I suppose that's the beauty of baseball.


text:
Image via CrunchBaseWonga.com (Wonga = English slang for cash) is a web phenomenon. It started offering small cash loans on the web 2.5 years ago, setting out to solve an important and pressing need that many have for emergency or instant cash in a very simple, clear, open WYSIWYG way - in fact, in a way which is entirely culturally compatible with the internet.
The regulations surrounding financial services are quite correctly stringent but have evolved for a very different era. They require all loans to be expressed as an effective APR (Annual Percentage Rate) - even if the loan is for 14 days - or 7 or 30.
It also includes any application fee (Bank's generally call these 'arrangement fees' - in commercial lending) and transmissions fee (for same day - or in Wonga's case, instant transfer) to be included as interest within the APR.
An example. if you borrowed £100 to tide you over for 14 days, you'd pay back £120. Wonga charges £20 to process the loan, transmit the cash, collect it and take the risk of non-payment - all for £20.
Wonga explains the APR question nicely on its website.
This APR issue has made Wonga a controversial brand - loved by many hundreds of thousands but misunderstood by some - and an easy target for those not ever likely to use the service.
I have gotten used to the visceral reaction of some on the social web to seeing the Wonga TV ads (latest version is below) and the APR in the thousands - but every now and then I notice people from the tech industry rushing for the moral high ground and shouting foul.
Why is Wonga one of the stand out successes of the internet?
[Europe's fastest growing company, according to GP Bullhound's Media Momentum Awards and still growing at around 500%]
- It solves a very real and large problem - not solved elsewhere with the speed, convenience, flexibility and honesty that Wonga does.
- Its customers really love it! With a NPS of around 79, there are very few brands that match it. I have been involved closely with some brands that elicited great loyalty and affection from its customers - none quite like this. 90% of respondents who had used another lender agreed that Wonga was a better service (30% 'better' and 60% 'significantly better').
- The product is backed up by a determined customer service ethos which strives to be open, responsive and flexible to the needs of the customers - via a multitude of channels.
- Lending decisions are made in real time referencing over 3500 data points and analysed in Wonga's proprietary risk engine.
- The technology which makes all this possible is world class.
- To be a customer of Wonga, you need to have a bank account.
- 99.7% of Wonga's customers own a mobile phone.
- 17% own an iPhone
- Wonga sponsors Blackpool FC in the Premier League
Errol Damelin, Jonty Hurwitz and the team at Wonga are building a business to be proud of. I, for one am proud to be its Chairman.
Image by Wonga.com via CrunchBase

subset: commoncrawl


text: I've seen a few different cuts of this project, but not this finished one, and I'm really curious to see how it finally came together. So much work has gone into this thing, a true labor of love on the part of those dudes from Canada. Come on -- buy a few copies! -- PL


text:
Earth Negotiations Bulletin
|. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
|A Reporting Service for Environment and Development Negotiations
[ PDF Format ] [ Text Format] [ Back to CITES]
This issue of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin � [email protected] is written and edited by Rado Dimitrov [email protected], Violette Lacloche [email protected], Nabiha Megateli [email protected], Alison Ormsby [email protected], Mark Schulman [email protected]. The Digital Editor is David Fernau [email protected]. The Editor is Pamela S. Chasek, Ph.D. [email protected] and the Director of IISD Reporting Services is Langston James "Kimo" Goree VI [email protected]. The Sustaining Donors of the Bulletin are the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government of Canada (through CIDA and DFAIT), the United States (through USAID), the Swiss Agency for Environment, Forests and Landscape (SAEFL), the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), the European Commission (DG-ENV) and the Rockefeller Foundation. General Support for the Bulletin during 2000 is provided by the German Federal Ministry of Environment (BMU) and the German Federal Ministry of Development Cooperation (BMZ), the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Austria, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Environment of Norway, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Environment of Finland, the Government of Australia, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden and BP Amoco. The Bulletin can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected] and at tel: +1-212-644-0204; fax: +1-212-644-0206. IISD can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected] and at 320 E 46th St., APT 32A, New York, NY�10017-3037, USA. The opinions expressed in the Earth Negotiations Bulletin are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IISD and other funders. Excerpts from the Earth Negotiations Bulletin may be used in non-commercial publications only and only with appropriate academic citation. For permission to use this material in commercial publications, contact the Director of IISD Reporting Services. Electronic versions of the Bulletin are sent to e-mail distribution lists and can be found on the Linkages WWW server at http://enb.iisd.org. The satellite image was taken above Shepherdstown �2000 The Living Earth, Inc. http://livingearth.com. For information on the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, send e-mail to [email protected].
This page was uploaded on 12/12/00


text:
Friday, February 21, 2014
May I Introduce "Louie"!
And this would be my grand-puppy, Louie. He is a litter mate of my little bundle of joy - still named Chewie! Having these two little guys around has given me the opportunity to laugh, really laugh from the belly! Imps they truly are. Love to chew papers, chase each other, and periodically fight like true siblings! He is suppose to go home this coming Monday and I don't know who will miss him more.....Chewie or me. Secretly I'm hoping my son finds him too much to handle when he starts work. After all he is a puppy and needs lots of loving, attention, etc. while son will need lots of sleep. Being the loving Mom (tehehe), I have suggested I could keep him during the week and son could take him on weekends and days off....at least until he is out of this adorable puppy stage. Works for me!! Don't you agree it is the perfect solution??
Still snowing and blowing here in Michigan........yikes, spring cannot be that far away....can it?
Posted by Journey at 9:16 PM 0 comments
Monday, February 17, 2014
Who Could Possibly Resist this Face?
It is snowing and blowing here......again. Just much easier to tolerate when cuddling with this furry little bundle of joy!!
Hope everyone is cozy and warm!!!
Posted by Journey at 11:26 PM 0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
by Steve Ahern
If her mother Merl would have allowed it, Stephanie Hall's bedroom growing up might have held every stray animal in her neighborhood. As it was, Hall, the 32-year-old owner of Uptown Dog Pet Salon, 7151 Germantown Ave., had at least two cages in her room at all times, holding hamsters or guinea pigs from the Petco where she worked washing dogs as a teenager.
At that time, Merl, who now owns a miniature poodle named Bingo, who now roams the interior of her home, practiced the mostly followed credo of her native Jamaica that animals belong outside. In one of their visits back to the rural areas of Jamaica, Merl recalled the time her then-12-year-old daughter befriended a rooster she named Big Joe, who was later served for supper. "She wouldn't eat it," Merl recalled.
"I kept calling and calling, but Big Joe didn't show," said Hall, who grew up in Trenton, NJ, but now lives in Mt. Airy, when reminded of the story. It did nothing to dislodge her connection to animals. Over the years, Hall's powerful longing for a cat and dog she could not have as a child drove her to the shelters where she cared for the cats and walked the dogs, and found employment at pet shops from the time she was old enough to work. And, over those years, it rubbed off on her mother.
"She taught me to love animals," Merl says. "Bingo is the apple of my eye."
Hall's devotion to animals and her work as a professional groomer through much of her 20s led to the opening in December, 2011, of Uptown Dog Pet Salon, named for Hall's connection to New York City, where some of Hall's relatives live and where she attended the New York School of Dog Grooming in 2000 when she was 19 years old. Light gushes in through the shop's large bay window amid the late morning bustle of Germantown Avenue, through which dog lovers young and old can peer in on a preening in progress or at freshly groomed dogs peering back in the hopes that their owners have arrived to collect them.
Finnegan (Hall guessed he was a terrier mix) arrived at the shop 1.5 hours ago and is now nearly done, his adorability worthy of a postcard. He wears a bandana around his neck and a few shags of hair on his head, left on at the request of the owner. Midway through Finnegan's cut, a customer came in to make an appointment for her placid yet sizable Collie/Retriever mix, and shortly after she left, a Maltese/Shih Tzu mix named Chief trotted in with a layers-thick coat of matted hair for his summer cut (or perhaps his first cut ever).
"My family thinks he's fat," the owner said. "It's all fur."
That owner's boyfriend had washed Chief's matted coat, making the knots and coils tighter, Hall explained. After a protracted bout of clamorous barking, grounds for a Tylenol commercial or a parody of one, Hall put the finishing touches on Finnegan, who scampered out to the front of the shop. Hall lifted Chief to the grooming table, where a laborious shearing ensued. "I need to find an opening," Hall said, clutching the coils and searching for a starting point. "He'll feel so much better once it's off."
Chief sought to thwart the process with crafty shifting and defensive licks, but Hall remained immersed in her task of shaving Chief to the skin that the air hadn't touched, by Hall's estimation, "in months." Hall used a spray to cool the blade grown hot from use, as Chief's coat of matted fur rolled off of him like layers of cotton insulation. Hall was concerned about the possibility of skin irritation, which she later treated during Chief's oatmeal bath. After the shearing, it was clear that Chief was all fur and weighed no more than 15 pounds. "Some dogs don't like being groomed," Hall said, "but they feel so good when it's over with."
During an interval away from full-time dog grooming, when Hall was studying psychology at Temple University, she took a part-time job as a residential counselor in Philadelphia. Here, she was confronted with clients who had serious mental health challenges: clients who would gash themselves with razors just to feel something or because a voice only they could hear told them to.
But after four years, these particularly needy clients, who would wander around to her office for some last-minute counseling that often spilled past Hall's departure time, and the emergency phone calls she would receive after she left, at times well into the night from despairing clients, left her altogether drained. And it was when she was still at this job that she decided after much trepidation and mulling, to open her dog salon in the midst of the recession. "I just felt it was the right time in my life to open up my salon," Hall said. "I said to my mom, 'What if they (customers) don't come?' She said, 'Just cut well, and they will come.'"
So far, Hall has received many word-of mouth referrals as well as unanimous rave reviews on Yelp.com. Tracy Kraemer, Hall's mentor for several years and owner of Head to Tails Grooming and Doggie Day Care in Cranbury, NJ, was delighted to hear that Hall had opened her own grooming salon and relieved it was separated from her own by the Delaware River and 56 miles. She recalled Hall's remarkable temperament for grooming and ability to calm even the most implacable of pets. "She has a lot of patience to work with dogs," Kraemer said. "If you're not patient with them, they can become neurotic."
Kraemer, 51, has been grooming for 33 years, and observed through those years how the dog grooming and boarding profession burgeoned into a $4.1 billion industry, according to the American Pet Products Association. She noted the physical toll grooming takes on the body, particularly on the wrists. Kraemer has had two carpel tunnel operations and finds massage therapy helpful in loosening the stiffness and pain that builds up in the neck, lower back and feet from so much standing. She must remind herself to sit down periodically when grooming.
Hall charges anywhere from $50 to $100 for most cuts, depending on the size and needs of the dog. Stylized cuts of standard poodles for example can run upwards of $150. Other services provided include teeth brushing, nail and face trimming, facials and ear care among others. "Some customers are surprised at how long the process takes," Hall said. "The drying takes almost an hour, and a cut can take from 45 minutes to an hour… "I have pet parents from all walks of life: artists, teachers, writers, musicians and college professors. As for the dogs, I have dogs that love everything and wag their tail for the whole grooming process, and then there are some that you have to give a little extra encouragement or go a little slower when working on a certain area. I don't mind either way."
For more information, call 215-247-2569 or visit www.uptowndogpetsalon.com


text:
A YouTube video and a collection of Instagram photos showing the blossoming friendship between a newborn baby and a pit bull puppy are making people squeal with delight across the Internet. The video and photos have been shared and liked thousands of times and Buzz Feed initially surfaced the images.
The two cuties were captured by the baby's mother Brandi Leigh Hodges, 25, of Madison, N.C.
"My fiance and I are both die hard animal lovers and adore pit bulls," Hodges told WGHP TV. "We've always said we would get a puppy when we have a baby so they can grow up together and have a special bond. We never knew it would be as sweet as this."
The baby, Eisleigh, is about 11 weeks old, and the puppy, Clyde, some 9 weeks.
"Clyde was connected to Eisleigh as soon as we picked him up," Hodges told WGHP. "Surely he wasn't aware what was happening to him. He climbed into Eisleigh's car seat and snuggled with her the whole way home. It seemed very comforting to him. To both of them really… it was love at first sight, oddly enough!"
Pit bulls are often frowned upon as dangerous dogs, unsafe for children, but it's difficult to see anything but adorableness in the photos and video.


text:
Robotics Industry News
FANUC Robotics Announces Sale of 100,000th Robot in the Americas
FANUC America Corporation Posted 12/17/2010FANUC Robotics America announced the sale of its 100,000th robot in North and South America to Schneider Packaging, securing FANUC Robotics' position as the leading supplier of robotic automation in the Americas. (Pictured, left to right, is RIA President, Jeff Burnstein, and RIA Director of Marketing & PR, Brian Huse as the M-3iA series Delta robot is robotically lifted from its ceremonial "gift box.")
"Automation and robotics are core tools for manufacturing competitiveness," said Rick Schneider, president, FANUC Robotics America. "This accomplishment underscores the fact that more companies are using robotic technology to expand their overall operations versus transferring manufacturing overseas."
"It's exciting news to hear that we purchased the 100,000th FANUC robot in the Americas," said Richard S. Schneider, president, Schneider Packaging Equipment Co., Inc. "We are FANUC Robotics largest integrator in the case packing and palletizing segment in North America, having shipped hundreds of robots over the last three years. 2010 marks the 40th anniversary of Schneider Packaging, and this latest recognition helps us further celebrate what has been a successful year," said Schneider.
"As the economy recovers from the current recession, we've consistently maintained our leadership position, and continue our commitment to providing intelligent robots and systems that deliver the highest levels of quality, productivity and value," added FANUC Robotics' Schneider.
FANUC Robotics hosted a special event and facility tour with members of the media to celebrate the sale of its 100,000th robot in the Americas on Tuesday, December 14, 2010.
"Our skilled team of local engineers and product development resources, diverse product line, regional facilities, large integration network, and superior aftermarket services allows us to provide manufacturers with the tools they need to be more productive and globally competitive. It's safe to say that a FANUC robot is involved in the manufacturing of virtually every type of product made in North and South America, from automotive to aerospace, alternative energy, food, pharmaceuticals and many others," said FANUC Robotics' Schneider.
FANUC Robotics America Corporation designs, engineers and manufactures industrial robots and robotic systems for a wide range of applications including arc and spot welding, material handling (machine tending, picking, packing, palletizing), material removal, assembly, paint finishing and dispensing. The company also provides application-specific software, controls, vision products, and complete support services. After 28 years of success, FANUC Robotics maintains its position as the leading robotics company in the Americas. A subsidiary of FANUC CORPORATION in Japan, the company is headquartered in Detroit, and has facilities in Chicago; Los Angeles; Charlotte; Cincinnati; Toronto; Aguascalientes, Mexico; and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Over 220,000 FANUC robots are installed worldwide. Contact FANUC Robotics at www.fanucrobotics.com or by calling 1-800-iQ-ROBOT, option 5. Also visit us on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.


text:
My story in this week's Guardian about how Airbnb appears to be refusing to pay the hotel taxes it owes to the city has gotten a lot of attention. But I'm still getting stonewalled by representatives from the company and Mayor Ed Lee, who apparently refuses to take a public stand against corporate tax evasion, even when it means thousands of San Franciscans could get stuck with an unexpected tax bill.
How much money are we talking about? According to a study that Airbnb commissioned and publicized late last year, its hosts in San Francisco collect $12.7 million from their guests every year. That means that if the company was charging the 14 percent Transient Occupancy Tax – as the Tax Collector's Office last year ruled that it must – it would be paying the city nearly $1.8 million annually.
But that doesn't seem to be happening, although only Airbnb can say for sure, which is why its spokespeople have been dodging my questions for more than a week. As I reported, taxpayer privacy laws prevent city officials from disclosing how much individual businesses pay in local taxes, but we do know Airbnb doesn't add the TOT to the online transactions it facilitates or specifically encourage its San Francisco hosts to collect the taxes (even though the tax codes make the hosts and Airbnb jointly responsible for this growing debt to city coffers). And with the company charging 6-12 percent per transaction, it's a safe bet that it isn't simply paying the taxes itself.
What makes this particular case of corporate tax dodging even more interesting is the fact that Mayor Lee has a close connection to this particular San Francisco-based corporation. Venture capitalist Ron Conway is a top investor in both Airbnb and Mayor Lee's political campaigns, creating a potential conflict-of-interest in Room 200. Last year, Mayor Lee personally lobbied against the interpretation by the Tax Collector's Office, and now he appears to be silently backing Airbnb's resistance to paying its taxes.
Last week, when I was trying to get a comment for Lee spokesperson Francis Tsang on Airbnb's apparent tax dodge, he replied, "It's an incorrect assumption that Airbnb and hosts haven't been paying any transient occupancy tax.." Of course, because of the taxpayer privacy laws, Tsang can't actually support that statement and I responded by laying out the evidence that the city is getting stiffed by Airbnb.
Then, he and Airbnb simply stopped responding to my questions, even though I've made repeated inquiries and asked only whether Mayor Lee was willing to make a public statement calling for a major San Francisco corporation to meet its local tax obligations. And in the interests of fully transparency, I'll close with the email that I sent to spokespersons for Airbnb and the Mayor's Office on Wednesday as my story came out, along with their emails in case you want to push for answers yourself.
email@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com.
Dear Airbnb and mayoral spokespeople,
Since I couldn't get responsive answers from any of you about why Airbnb isn't collecting the Transient Occupancy Tax from its guests, I wanted to forward the link to my story on the topic in our latest issue (http://www.sfbg.com/2013/03/19/airbnb-isnt-sharing) and to let you know that I will continue covering this issue in the Guardian and our sister newspapers until you address it publicly.
Because of privacy laws that limit the Tax Collector's Office from addressing this directly, only Airbnb can say whether they're paying any of the hotel taxes that the city last year conclusively ruled that they owe. As I reported in my story, that tax obligation is shared jointly by Airbnb and its hosts, who don't appear to have been warned of this by the company, making this an issue of consumer protection as well as corporate greed.
Will the Mayor's Office make a public statement opposing tax evasion? Will it stand up for San Franciscans who may be unwittingly stuck with the tax bill by Airbnb? Or will Mayor Lee stick up for a tax-dodging corporation funded by the same billionaire that funds his political campaigns? And how will people feel about San Franciscans and the city treasury paying for his political ambitions?
These are all questions that I plan to air and explore in the Guardian, and I think that our readers and the general public deserve answers to those questions. If there are reasons why Airbnb guests aren't being charged the TOT, some other arrangement that has been made, or some other complex reasons why Airbnb feels it can't comply with last year's ruling by the Tax Collector's Office, I'll be happy to hear it and let you make your case to our readers. But I don't think that continuing to stonewall me is going to be a viable strategy for any of you. I hope to hear from you soon.


text:
Sun Sets on Phils
Sunday, October 7, 2007
A balmy, breezy, 81-degree day in Denver yesterday turned into a cold night for the Phillies.
Just as the game was about to begin, a cold front came busting through dropping the temps to the 50s. Unfortunately, the Phillies bats resembled the front….cold.
Now, the Rockies prepare for the Diamondbacks while the Phillies chartered home, arriving this evening as the sun was setting on Citizens Bank Park. Quite fitting.
The game included a second-inning delay when the lights went out due to a computer glitch. I swear the Phillies scored six runs during the darkness but no one saw what I saw.
It is hard to understand how or why the Phillies offense couldn't produce in the three-game series. As a team, they batted .172 or 102 points under their regular season average. The highest scoring team in the NL could must just eight runs over three games. That's baseball.
This series reminded me of the 1976 Phillies who won the East and then were swept in three by the Big Red Machine from Cincinnati. This time, it was the Kid Rocks from Denver. So, Rocktober continues in the mile high city.
This year's team got a taste of the postseason which can only help in the future. It was a learning experience same as the near misses of the previous two seasons. Just painful lessons.
Once the last out was recorded, one-by-one the Phillies trudged up the steps from the dugout to the clubhouse. Heads were down. While you could hear the roar of the crowd outside, silence ruled the Phillies clubhouse.
Players sat motionless in front of their lockers. Major League Baseball's regulations say the clubhouse of the winning team on a clinching game is opened immediately to the media. The losers, five minutes of closed time.
Charlie Manuel wanted to talk to the team and I just felt five minutes was too short. When you see the players' reactions to being eliminated, rules are replaced by common sense, in my opinion. The clubhouse was opened 11 minutes after the last out.
Slowly players began to move about and one-by-one group interviews began to take place. Aaron Rowand was the first player to face the music. That's standard for him.
So, the season is now officially over. It was a disappointing finish, disappointing to the team, the organization but most importantly, the fans.
But, it doesn't diminish that we are the National League Eastern Division champions. They can't take that away.
8:05 p.m.
1 Comment
Of course I am sad that the Phillies were swept, but it was a great season. Thank you to all the Phillies and everyone in the organization. See you in '08!


text:
The production value of Taiwan's IC testing and packaging industry is expected to grow 5.9% in 2014, higher than the 4.9% growth posted a year earlier, as well as the 4.2% growth projected for the global IC backend industry in 2014, according to Digitimes Research.
The production value generated by Taiwan's IC backend service companies reached US$14.01 billion in 2013 compared to NT$13.36 billion a year earlier, said Digitimes Research. In 2013, the global IC testing and packaging industry grew by 3.5%.
Efforts by Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) and Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL) to ramp up their bumping, flip chip (FC), wafer-level package (WLP) and SiP packaging capacity have allowed them to cash in on the fast growth of the global smartphone and tablet markets, commented Digitimes Research.
With the global IC inventory having already dropped to an 8-quarter low of US$15.88 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013 and falling further in the first quarter of 2014, major chipset suppliers are likely to begin to replenish their inventories in the second quarter of 2014, which will fuel the growth of Taiwan's IC backend service companies.
Content from this article was part of a complete Digitimes Research Chinese-language report that has not yet been translated into English. If you are interested in an English version of the report or wish to receive more information about the report, click here to contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Digitimes Research also provides quarterly tracking services for market sectors such as China Smartphone, China Smartphone AP, Taiwan ICT and Taiwan FPD. Click here for more information about Digitimes Research Tracking services.


text:
Ask the Critic: Ordering Beyond the Signature Dish
You have restaurant questions? We have answers. Where to take a dinner date? Restaurants good for parents or picky eaters? Food etiquette? Food and restaurant writer Carey Jones answers your questions. Email [email protected] to submit.
Editor's note: Here to answer your questions is senior managing editor, former SENY editor, and frequent author of our NYC restaurant reviews Carey Jones. We'll take a few of your questions each week and give you the New York restaurant advice you're looking for. Email [email protected] with the subject line Ask the Critic to submit your question!
This piece is a response to a recent Talk question, which I found quite intriguing, about ordering beyond a restaurant's "signatures." Read on!
Ordering Beyond the Signature Dish
During a trip to NYC my sister and I went to Pearl Oyster Bar. While we loved the lobster roll, what really blew me away was the fried oysters and salt crusted shrimp! It got me thinking about dishes that are as good, if not better than the dish that a place is known for. Anything that we should order instead of the most popular/famous dish?
When I read this question, Franny's immediately came to mind—one of the original new-wave Brooklyn pizzerias whose non-pizza offerings were at least as impressive as their pies. But those smart folks realized it too, and spun out a whole new restaurant, Marco's, that highlights their non-pizza fare. (All that said, Franny's current menu is still worth a deep exploration beyond the pizza. That wood-fired oven works magic on all sorts of things.)
While we're talking pizza, the sandwiches at Best Pizza are all kinds of crazy good; the vegetable sides and pastas at Otto are, too; and as SE'r FritesandGeeks noted in the comment thread, Motorino's meatballs are superb.
Peter Luger obviously makes a formidable steak, but their surprisingly affordable lunch burger is an equally happy-making experience. When I go to the Spotted Pig, I order the haddock chowder, not the burger or the ricotta gnudi. La Churreria in Nolita is a great spot for a sugar fix—who doesn't love churros?—but their Spanish-inspired sandwiches are killer, too.
While I'd never stand in line for cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery, their macaroons (the coconut kind, not macarons) and banana cream icebox pie are both quite tasty. And need we even mention that the cronut isn't the #1 reason to visit Dominique Ansel?
Let's hear from the crowd: What are your favorite dishes at restaurants famous for something else?
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
Skip to main content
1 - 2 of 2 results
Items per page:
Directorate of Tourism and MTDC are the flagship bodies of Maharashtra tourism entrusted with destination development, marketing and promotion, regula...
Products from Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra
Boutique DMC located in Panama City expert in organizing the perfect holiday.
REED EXHIBITIONS LIMITED is a private limited company, having its registered and principal office at Gateway House, 28 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1ON, registered in England and Wales with Company No. 678540. Business activity: Activities of exhibition and fair organisers. VAT No. GB 232 4004 20. Tax ID No: 13960 00581.


text:
QuoteWerks On A Mac
QuoteWerks Desktop is a native Windows application that can run in a virtual environment on your Mac to automate your sales quoting and proposal process!
QuoteWerks Desktop runs under Virtual PC, Parallels, VMWare, and many other windows emulators or you can also establish a remote desktop (RDP) connection to a Windows computer. Of course if you have a newer Mac, you have the ability to dual boot and have the best of both worlds with a Mac and a PC.
QuoteWerks Web enables your sales reps to create, modify, and deliver quotes in a web browser. This is a great option for your Mac users because it does not require any files to be installed locally to use QuoteWerks.
QuoteWerks is specialized (CPQ) software used in every industry for creating sales quotes and proposals. Rather than using Microsoft® Word® or Excel® to create your quotes and proposals, you can benefit from a tool that is specialized for the task of creating quotes and proposals.
QuoteWerks fits into your existing software environment. It works with the software that you store your customer information in like ACT!, ACT! for Web, Autotask, ConnectWise, GoldMine, Google Contacts, Maximizer, MS Dynamics CRM, Outlook, Outlook BCM, salesforce.com, SalesLogix, and SugarCRM eliminating the need to re-type customer information. QuoteWerks also has its own built-in contact database.
You can easily import your product information into QuoteWerks. QuoteWerks can link to product database sources like external databases, Excel spreadsheets, or text files. You can also just type product information directly into the quote. If you use QuickBooks or Peachtree, QuoteWerks can even quote products that you have stored in QuickBooks or Sage 50 - US Edition / Peachtree.
Our IT Industry Solution provides an integration with Tech Data, Ingram Micro, SYNNEX, D&H and more. You can get real-time pricing and warehouse availability from your vendors and using our QuoteWerks Product Content Subscription (powered by Etilize), customer friendly product descriptions, product images, and marketing descriptions. With QuoteWerks you can also submit orders electronically to your vendors and receive order status with shipping tracking numbers, serial numbers and more.
With our QuoteValet® Add-on, you know when your customer views your quote and your customer sign electronically - no more signing and faxing, and can collect credit card payment including deposits.
It integrates with your Accounting software like QuickBooks, Sage 50 US Edition / Peachtree, or others through 3rd party Accounting add-ons so when those quotes become orders you don't have to re-enter your orders, and those orders can be submitted electronically to your vendors! All of this eliminates costly mistakes.
QuoteWerks has been empowering businesses for over 26 years - increasing their productivity and closing more sales by simplifying and speeding up their price quoting/proposal processes in the office and on the road.
If you take the time to really think about it you begin to realize what a time-consuming, daunting task it is. That's probably why most of us procrastinate getting those quotes out to our customers.
Just grazing the surface, you need to find the products, services, prices, descriptions, call your vendors for updated pricing, type it all into the quote, format the quote, e-mail it to your customer and then follow up with your customer.
QuoteWerks will make you more efficient, more consistent, more professional, and more competitive. The content of your quote and how you present your quote is important. The quote represents not only what you are selling, but is also an extension of your company brand and image.
First impressions are important; they can make or break deals. The quicker you can get that quote into your customers hands the better chance you have of winning their business.
Using QuoteWerks, you can "go the extra mile" for your customers - without all the legwork!
Bottom line; If you want to save time and money when quoting, selling, ordering, and purchasing products and services you need QuoteWerks®
How are you creating your quotes and proposals now? Are you still using Microsoft® Word®, Excel®, or your Accounting software to create your price quotes? Find out how QuoteWerks is a much better solution.
QuoteWerks is used in almost every industry by over 86,000 users worldwide in over 101 countries. We are the market leader.
Whether your company is a small 1-person company or a large Fortune 100 company, you can benefit from the increase in productivity QuoteWerks provides. Who are our customers?
This cross industry adoption of QuoteWerks is made possible by the core design of QuoteWerks which adheres to the fundamentals of the quoting process. This core design has contributed to its ability to be a useful tool for any industry that has a need to create price quotes containing itemized products or services.
Of the hundreds of industries our customers are in, customers that heavily adopt QuoteWerks are IT Solution Providers, VARs, Managed Service Providers (MSPs), AV/Security Integrators, Custom Integrators, Manufacturers, and Manufacturer Reps.
Our customers use QuoteWerks to quote a wide variety of products including clothing, office products, electronics, medical equipment, irrigation equipment, landscaping, industrial equipment, trucks, and more. Hear our customers describe in their own words what industry they are in and what they sell using QuoteWerks.
See what our customers say about their experience with QuoteWerks.
QuoteWerks Standard Edition starts at USD $199
QuoteWerks Professional Edition starts at USD $269
QuoteWerks Corporate Edition (MS SQL) starts at USD $399
and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee.
View our complete price list. View our Edition Comparison matrix.
Some customers ask "Is that price monthly?". No, it is just a one-time purchase. There are no setup fees. The price includes phone support. Our licenses are sold per concurrent user, not per named user, so if you have someone that only occasionally uses QuoteWerks, you don't have to buy a license for them.
If those prices seem too inexpensive for how robust QuoteWerks is, it is our volume of 86,000 users that makes it possible for us to keep the prices affordable for all our users.


text:
How to Have an Alphabet Easter Egg Hunt
Are your kids really excited about Easter?
Is the Easter egg hunt their favorite part?
Would you like to make your Easter egg hunt more about the adventure of hunting and less about a sugar-fest?
Hold an alphabet Easter egg hunt. It's a fun activity that uses your kids' brainpower instead of tantalizing their taste buds.
In this article I'll show you how to plan an alphabet egg hunt, a scavenger hunt that's fun for your kids at Easter or any time.
Why an Alphabet Easter Egg Hunt?
An Easter egg hunt is the most well-known (and well-loved) scavenger hunt of all. Kids love the excitement of the search and the sweet treasure found inside their plastic eggs.
An alphabet egg hunt includes all of the fun without focusing on the sugar. It will give your kids an opportunity to use their brains and burn some energy while they search for eggs that contain letters of the alphabet.
Let your kids take control of hiding the eggs, too. They'll love to "be the bunny" and think of creative places to hide lettered eggs, like a "B" egg in the bathtub or an "M" egg in the mailbox.


text:
MP3tunes Sets Your Music Free
Michael Robertson thinks people should be able to listen to their digital music anywhere on any device. That's exactly what MP3tunes sets out to do.
Robertson, the founder of MP3tunes, is a huge advocate of cloud based music services. He's no stranger to the vengeance that record labels have when it comes to protecting digital song copyright law (as they define it.) In fact, he's actually taken it on the chin before against the record companies – in the late 90's he founded MP3.com, which he eventually sold to CNET after losing an expensive legal battle with Universal. His new service MP3tunes is currently involved in a lawsuit with EMI over copyright infringement issues.
"I think ownership is critical important in the digital age and worth fighting for." said Robertson. "I think consumers should be able to choose where they want to use their digital property as they can with their physical property. I don't want a corporation to be able revoke or limit access – as we've seen happening with Apple and Amazon."
MP3tunes currently has over 500,000 registered users who upload their entire music collection to servers and access it from wherever they want. MP3tunes works on multiple smartphones platforms: Android, iPhone/iTouch, (iPad version waiting for approval) and many Internet radio devices (it's compatible with devices that use vTuner and Reciva firmware.) This week they'll introduce a deal with Roku that will enable access to music lockers on televisions.
Currently, the business model is a freemium model that offers listeners smaller sized lockers for free and charge a subscription fee for more storage space. But additional revenue sources like e-commerce and advertising may be in the cards as well.


text:
Miley can't be tamed – but she still makes "mistakes."
In a new interview with Marie Claire magazine, Miley Cyrus has opened up about a leaked video from two months ago that shows her smoking the legal drug salvia from a bong and acting loopy.
"I'm not perfect, " Cyrus said of the incident, said to take place in California days after her 18th birthday party. "I made a mistake."
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
In the immediate aftermath of TMZ posting the video, Cyrus' dad Billy Ray took to Twitter to express his disapproval.
"Celebrity Rehab" host Dr. Drew Pinksy also weighed in, saying it appeared the former "Hannah Montana" star was depressed and acting out in response to her parents' split.
Pressed by Marie Claire's reporter on whether Cyrus should really cop to misbehavior when college kids are "smoking bongs with a lot more than salvia in them," the pop star said: "But they're not Miley Cyrus."
Other teens are "not role models," Cyrus said in New Orleans, where she's shooting the comedy "So Undercover."
"So for me it was a bad decision, because of my fans and because of what I stand for," the "Can't Be Tamed" singer told Marie Claire.
Selected Reading: Marie Claire, EW, MTV


text:
Fighting mainstream designOk. Now you are reading inwers profile. That's already great. You have to know that we work to bring you value through the work we do for your web-site, blog, e-newsletter or just a card. Now, I think you are asking how we do this:
- We analyze trends – because behind the trends we can find your desires.
- We conceptualize – on a round table, with some coffee or tea we think for solution to your needs.
- We are distributing tasks – in our multifunctional team. Professionals will do design, html and integration.
- We work – every day for greater works.
- We upload – our work on THEMFOREST.
- We are waiting for you to rate them and surely to buy them.
Finally follow us here, or on twitter, facebook, digg and you will find more about us. Being with us is funny.
We promise you outstanding experience with inwers.


text:
Zeus - Love Is A Drug (Viagra Pink)
Zeus - Love Is A Drug (Viagra Pink)
The pills listed online now are the last pills from this series that will be produced. The pills shown are all that is available.
This pill is hand-moulded and cast in plaster, and from an edition of 10. This comes framed and ready to hang.
Framed size is 23 x 23cm.


text:
Fremantle Dockers Men's Retro Hoodie
- Write a review
- Add to wishlist Added to Wishlist
Prove that you're AFL fandom is one for the ages with this Fremantle Dockers Men's Retro Hoodie. Constructed with a brushed fleece construction for maximum warmth and comfort, the drawstring hood with contrast lining provides you with customisable coverage. Featuring ribbed cuffs and hem to lock-in the warmth, the kangaroo pouch pocket is perfect for storing your smaller valuables or chilly hands. Complete with a classic retro team logo at the chest, bring your long-standing pride into your everyday style with this Fremantle Dockers Men's Retro Hoodie.


text:
Historian David McCullough was the commencement speaker at Boston College's 2008 Graduation. He gave a truly awesome speech that I think you all, in particular, would appreciate.
I haven't read any of David McCullough's books, but I saw him on The Daily Show and thought he sounded awesome. (I've been meaning to read more history and fill in the gaps in my education. Considering that I now work right by Borders, I will probably buy one. I'm already averaging buying 1.5 books per week.)
Here is the best quote from his speech:
And please, please, do what you can to cure the verbal virus that seems increasingly rampant among your generation. I'm talking about the relentless, wearisome use of the words, "like," and "you know," and "awesome," and "actually." Listen to yourselves as you speak.
Just imagine if in his inaugural address John F. Kennedy had said, "Ask not what your country can, you know, do for you, but what you can, like, do for your country actually."
Word, man. Word.


text:
This site best viewed at 800x600 or greater resolution.
Please support Our Advertisers. They make this site possible!
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
Tinned vs. Untinned Copper
HistoricalTrekking.com Forum Index
Trekking Tips
View previous topic
View next topic
Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 1
Location: Fort Myers,FL
Real Name: Robert Steven Abney
Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:42 am
Post subject: Tinned vs. Untinned Copper
I have a copper drinking cup and a corn boiler that are tinned. My wife recently purchased a kidney canteen for me that is not tinned. Is there any reason for the difference? I thought tinned utensils were safer to use. Then I started to think-"water lines in houses are untinned copper tubing". Can anybody enlighten me?
Robert Steven Abney
Back to top
Loyalist Dave
Joined: 21 Aug 2008
Posts: 294
Real Name: David Woolsey
Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 8:57 am
Post subject:
When one cooks acidic food, or stores acidic food, in copper or brass vessels, the acid can react over time, and produce verdigris, a very toxic substance. Luckily, it is also green in color, sometimes bright green, and so is easily seen so you may clean it off. Tinning of brass or copper eliminates the need for heavy scrubbing of the copper for the rust that forms on tin is not toxic per se. FYI apple butter and beer are both cooked or brewed in unlined copper vessels..., both are acidic, but the consumers are not made ill, for the vessels are kept very clean. Recently, say in the past few decades, the acid-food-in-copper-warning has digressed in rumor to be "it's unsafe to cook in untinned copper vessels", which is very inaccurate.
Now as for pipes..., unless the water is very soft, the hardness of the water due to minerals, deposits itself on the inside of the pipes as "scale", and this forms a barrier that prevents any contamination by corrosion of the copper. In Ancient Rome, pipes were made of very soft lead, but the water is hard, so scale prevented lead poisoning of the general population. BUT..., they also used lead or a very lead laden pewter to line the vessels used to heat wine (a popular method of consuming it), and when you have heated foods or drinks that come into direct contact with lead..., you get lots of lead into the food, and then into the people who consume it..., so rich folks like Imperial Roman Nobility, probably poisoned themselves to a great degree. Kinda explains Nero, and the rest eh?
It's not what you think you know; It's what you can prove
Back to top
iron maiden
Joined: 14 Oct 2010
Posts: 8
Location: Zanesville, OH
Real Name: David Bailey
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 8:06 pm
Post subject:
Interesting points. I have a Goose Bay Workshops copper canteen & corn boiler which are both tin lined.
I was thinking about getting a copper teapot, which is unlined, but had held off since I was concerned about verdigris....think I'll go ahead and get it since verdigris is quite obvious.
What do you guys clean your copper with? I have a copper pot I found which needs some scrubbing, and was wondering what to clean it with.
Back to top
Loyalist Dave
Joined: 21 Aug 2008
Posts: 294
Real Name: David Woolsey
Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 8:18 am
Post subject:
Well first, is it a tea pot, or tea kettle? I ask as you boil the water alone in the kettle, and brew the tea in a pot. I would not brew the actual tea in a copper vessel to avoid lots of cleaning.
You can use vinegar and salt, followed by a good rinse and then drying to clean copper or brass. It will shine but soon brown. There are lots of copper cleaners on the market that are acceptable. One could use Soft Scrub as well as the abrasive in it is chalk.
I know Peter Goebel well, and he and I discussed the tinning issue years ago. He tins much more than he needs to, because his customers are usually aware of the copper and food rumor, so they won't buy without it.
I have a brass trade kettle, unlined, and no worries so far.
I know that tomatoes have atropine in the leaves of the plant, which most folks think led to the idea that all parts of the tomato plant, fruit included, were bad, and one name for them was
Wolf Apple
. I wonder if folks who tried cooking the fruit might have used copper, and let the stuff sit in the kettle too long, got violently ill, and thus decided them bad?
It's not what you think you know; It's what you can prove
Back to top
Black Hand
Joined: 16 May 2007
Posts: 132
Real Name: Albert Grobe
Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:24 am
Post subject:
Loyalist Dave wrote:
I know that tomatoes have atropine in the leaves of the plant, which most folks think led to the idea that all parts of the tomato plant, fruit included, were bad, and one name for them was
Wolf Apple
. I wonder if folks who tried cooking the fruit might have used copper, and let the stuff sit in the kettle too long, got violently ill, and thus decided them bad?
Tomatoes are acidic and will leach the copper out if left to sit. Too much copper is toxic even though a little is necessary in our diet.
Back to top
Display posts from previous:
All Posts
1 Day
7 Days
2 Weeks
1 Month
3 Months
6 Months
1 Year
Oldest First
Newest First
HistoricalTrekking.com Forum Index
Trekking Tips
All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Jump to:
Select a forum
Message Board
The Virtual Round Robin
Resource Listing
Trail Foods
Trekking Tips
Specialized Forums
Native Reenacting
Skills and Crafts
Traditional Hunting
Traditional Gardening
Boats and Boat Building
Dealer Area
MUZZLELOADER / On The Trail
Ellerbe Knives
Contact Information
Event Schedule
You must
Log In
to post new topics in this forum
You must
Log In
to reply to topics in this forum
You must
Log In
to edit your posts in this forum
You must
Log In
to delete your posts in this forum
You must
Log In
to vote in polls in this forum
Powered by
© phpBB Group - This site created 11/24/99 by
Historical Enterprises
Photos, Text, Graphics, and Design Copyright © 1999 - Present
Historical Enterprises
. All Rights Reserved.
Exact Matches Only
Navigate This Site:
Chat Room
Event/Trek Calendar
How-to Articles
Message Board
Resource Listing
Trail Foods
Trekking Tips
Trekker's Roster
Virtual Round Robin
Contact Information
Our Event Schedule


text:
Lindsey Erin Heim holds a B.A. in English and Print Media Studies and has been published in magazines across the US from PA to Cali. She is an ultra-chic writer who loves bringing hip and hot culture to the world around her. Lindsey spent her first summer writing for a fashion/celeb magazine in New York City, and became increasingly experienced in the celebrity world while attending red carpet events in the Hamptons and Manhattan.
Lindsey now brings her expertise to you by writing for trendhunter.com. Watch for Lindsey's TrendTEACHER trend postings so that you can not only be super-impressed but also super-trendy!


text:
EPIDERM V.2, Cycle 1
Digital technologies ushered in a new era in human history. Nanotechnology, the science of the infinitesimal, promises to have an even greater impact. The nanotech revolution makes it possible for humans to manipulate molecular structures and individual atoms on a nanometric scale - that is, to within a millionth of a millimetre. Inspired by such technological advances, Epiderm explores that which is normally imperceptible. It is a nano-optical simulation that bridges the gap between the visible and invisible world. The performance explores a universe that expands inward, approaching extremes of reduction and complexity that are difficult to fathom.
Skoltz_Kolgen chose to interpret the dynamic of an infinitely small world in an idiosyncratic way. Their piece proposes an artistic approach that is both macrovisual and sensorial in nature. Its starting point is a virtual world-fiction that gently draws the spectator in. Starting at the surface of the skin, Epiderm delves inward to take the audience on a journey towards the infinitely small: familiar things such as hair and pores give way to cells, which in turn fade to reveal a foreign landscape of atoms. The nanoworld is a system composed of microparticles that interact with each another on a scale where all known reference points cease to be relevant.
backs, heads resting on cushions, from where they can contemplate the giant circular screen hanging from the ceiling. Spectators' horizontal positions and the 5.1 surround sound provide optimal
conditions for the perception of both sound and image, accentuating the force of attraction and repulsion among atoms and immersing users deep within the nanoworld. In this world of the infinitely small, if a human stood one nanometre tall, a red blood cell would appear to be 1,759 stories high.
- Date
June 01, 2006 19:00 - 19:45
- Venue
1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd | (514) 871-9883
Montréal, Canada
- Tickets
$10.00 at the door + tx & sc


text:
I liked this game, but I have a lot of problems to put into the field a large army to fight against Austria in 1757. It's my first AGEOD game and I don't understand how Austria does so many drafts... if the game said that we lost 3 victory points and 20% of local loyalty. (May we know how many victory points the enemy still has?)
When we draft, where the conscripts emerge?
Is draft a good strategy to rise an army in 1757? There are any other way to put a big army in the field?


text:
Too Raw: Monique Goes In On Husband In Audience For Trying To Put His Wife On Blast! (Calling Him All Kinds Of Cuss Words) "Come F*ck Shaq"
Shouts to @tonywhite123
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
So You Think You Want an Agent
I don't know about you, but it seems like I filter everything these days through my writer--and especially my querying writer--ears. So even though the speaker was talking about the differences between being single and being married, I heard a talk about the differences between having and not having an agent.
One thing stood out to me. During a particularly low period in her life, when she was struggling with her singlehood and certain she was never, ever going to achieve her goal of marrying a wonderful man, an unexpected thought occurred to her: "If you can't handle the challenges of being single, what makes you think you can handle the challenges of being married?"
Of course, the thought that came to me was, "If I can't handle the challenges of not having an agent, what makes me think I can handle the challenges of actually having one?"
We're all pretty familiar with the challenges of not having an agent. We worry that our writing isn't good enough, that we'll never live our dreams. Personally, I worry that everyone will think I'm just a hack, that I'll have this relatively interesting blog but nothing to back it up. I worry that you'll think less of me because I don't have an agent, because no one from the industry has given me some mystical seal of approval.
It's ridiculous, I know, and I've worked long and hard to root this melon-sized lump of pride out of my system. I can honestly say my friends' successes no longer feel like my failures. (Okay, maybe I feel a little jealous for, like, two minutes, but no more than two minutes, I swear!) My point is, the challenges aren't going to get any easier from here (hello, negative reviews and one-star Amazon ratings!), and if I can't master these ones, then maybe I'm not ready to take that next step. As Irv says in Cool Runnings, that old Disney movie about the Jamaican bobsled team, "If you're not enough without it, you'll never be enough with it."
I know this is one of those oft-repeated themes on writing-related blogs, but I'm going to repeat it one more time. Instead of dreaming about and wishing for the challenges of tomorrow, we'd make better use of our time by learning how to master the challenges of today. That way, when those challenges we've been dreaming about do come, we'll know just how to handle them.
28 comments:
- Sarah said...
Great post! It's all about making the best of whatever situation you find yourself in and not wasting any potential lessons and opportunities by yearning for the next step on the journey.
- September 13, 2011 at 11:43 AM
- Melanie Stanford said...
Good post. I like how you talk about dealing with the challenges of today. I find myself looking ahead and wishing for those challenges of tomorrow when I should be dealing with the ones now.
- September 13, 2011 at 11:52 AM
- Leigh Ann said...
Yeah. I'm pretty sure everyone thinks I'm a hack, and especially just really silly that someone with my day job is trying to write novels. For publication. For people to read.
This is usually the point in my WiP (about 2/3 in) that I start to bemoan the fact that these characters ever spoke to me in the first place, and now that they're annoying me just enough to not let me stop writing.
Luckily, this is my second, so I know the feeling when you type "the end" and just want to jump all over your house. And when I think about the promise of that, for that moment it *is* enough.
But I really, really, really REALLY want an agent. Like, really.
- September 13, 2011 at 12:15 PM
- Jenilyn Collings said...
This is a really great post! Thanks so much for sharing.
- September 13, 2011 at 1:05 PM
- Kelly Bryson said...
Thanks Krista- I always love your pep talks. And I also went to a fireside on Sunday (for youth), but the takeaway was "pornography is bad and nobody is bullet proof." That's applicable to books also, I suppose, but not so warm&fuzzy!
- September 13, 2011 at 1:13 PM
- A.L. Sonnichsen said...
I love that quote from Cool Runnings. That is so perfect. I need to write that out and put it above my computer screen.
Great post, Krista!
- September 13, 2011 at 2:09 PM
- Bethany Crandell said...
Well THAT hit home--and you're absolutely right. Sometimes I feel like I'm just waiting until I get "there" (wherever that is) before I start to enjoy this experience. This is a great reminder to just do today as it is given.
- September 13, 2011 at 2:16 PM
- Cassie Mae said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- September 13, 2011 at 2:46 PM
- Cassie Mae said...
Always inspiring. And I actually was just about to post about getting to the end of my WiP, and how I can't wait to start querying again, but I need to exercise that wonderful thing called 'patience'. Now I can also try to live this day by day, and be happy with the accomplishments I've made so far.
And trust me, I don't think less of you at all. In fact, I find your optimism and point of view so encouraging. I'm addicting to your blog and the way you so eloquently put things that I know that your books have the same flare, because YOU wrote them. I can't wait for you to get that agent and publisher so I can go out and buy your work. :)
- September 13, 2011 at 2:52 PM
- Krista Van Dolzer said...
Well said, Sarah! (But much easier said than done:) )
Melanie, I think we writers are just a wishful bunch:) We probably wouldn't write if we didn't have the imaginations that we do. The balance is the key - and the tricky part.
You know, Leigh Ann, you made a great point when you mentioned that our dreams can sustain us. Imagining that day if/when I finally get that Call is one of the main things that motivates me to put my butt in the chair and write. The trick is not to get lost inside our daydreams:)
And thank you, Jeni, for stopping by and commenting!
Kelly, yes, that would be a tricky subject to tackle in a blog post:) Three boos for pornography! (I hope no one finds my blog after Googling "pornography"...)
Amy, the quote from Cool Runnings is pure gold. I'm pretty sure this isn't the first time I've used it a blog post:)
Bethany, "there" is a tricky place, because "there" is always changing. (Apparently, tricky is the word of the day right now...) That reminds me of a blog post I did a while back about being content. Contentedness has nothing to do with where we're at but how we feel about it. You can be content in the middle of maelstrom if you really put your mind to it and focus on the things that matter.
- September 13, 2011 at 2:59 PM
- Krista Van Dolzer said...
Cassie Mae, thank you for your comment. I really appreciate your kind words. They mean a lot.
- September 13, 2011 at 3:01 PM
- Connie Keller said...
Great post. Thanks for the reminder.
- September 13, 2011 at 4:47 PM
- Jemi Fraser said...
Great post! I worry about being able to handle everything (especially deadlines!) - but I'm still hoping for it to happen :)
- September 13, 2011 at 5:22 PM
- Jenny S. Morris said...
This is a great post. I totally know how you feel!
- September 13, 2011 at 5:50 PM
- Aurora Smith said...
GOOD POST, I was just talkinga bout this with my husband!
- September 13, 2011 at 5:55 PM
- Marie Rearden said...
Love this post! Just what I needed to dig into my wordy, flowery MS. :)
Marie at the Cheetah
- September 13, 2011 at 6:15 PM
- Michael G-G said...
I admire your honesty, Krista. What comes across, time and time again, is what a good human being you are.
As I remind myself (in the same unagented boat as you), just keeping working, and it only takes one "yes!"
May your "yes" come soon.
- September 13, 2011 at 6:27 PM
- Adam Heine said...
I never made that connection, but it's so true. We often look at marriage to solve all our problems, but honestly we'll just bring them with us. Marriage (and agenting) doesn't change us.
But okay, agents, I'm ready! I'm whole and mature and don't need an agent to complete me. But I do need one to help me start a family, I mean sell books!
- September 13, 2011 at 7:22 PM
- Adam Heine said...
That sounded too needy, didn't it?
- September 13, 2011 at 7:22 PM
- Rebecca Gomez said...
I got married so young that I never really spent any time being single.
Not so with my writing. I've spent a long time growing and learning as a writer. Now I'm all grown up and ready for an agent/writer relationship, but if it doesn't come right away, I'm okay with it.
Great post!
- September 13, 2011 at 7:44 PM
- Krista Van Dolzer said...
You're welcome, Connie. Good to hear from you.
Jemi, that's something my newly agented friends have expressed concern about - working with a deadline for the first time in their careers. It's a good thing to think about now, while we're still freestyling it, so that when that moment comes, we'll be ready to seize that day.
Thanks, Jenny!
We must be on the same wavelength, Read my books:)
Hurray for revisions, Marie! Good luck with those!
Thank you, Michael. May your "Yes!" come soon as well.
No, Adam, not needy at all. Okay, maybe a little:) But on a more serious note, it's so easy to look at some future event and say, "I'll be happy then" or "I'll be better then," and we miss out on so much growth and happiness now.
Rebecca, I got married young as well, but I like to think I was a mature twenty-year-old:) Sometimes I can't help but wonder if I'm a mature writer and, if I am, how I'll know it. Good food for thought.
- September 13, 2011 at 9:32 PM
Wow. You're right, now I think about it. Thanks for sharing!
- September 14, 2011 at 2:46 PM
- Shallee said...
I love the way you put this. We hear a lot about the idea of being happy where you are, but the way you wrote it hit home for me. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this!
- September 14, 2011 at 4:56 PM
- Krista Van Dolzer said...
You're welcome, Esther! (And I'll answer the questions you sent by the end of the week, I promise!)
Yeah, Shallee, I didn't intend for this post to turn into a be-happy-where-you're-at kind of post, but it definitely went in that direction. It's funny how interrelated all these ideas are.
- September 15, 2011 at 8:08 AM
- Unknown said...
This is a great post. You're right. It won't get any easier, and each part of the journey prepares us for the next step. I hear agent rejections are cake compared with editors'. If I'm still falling apart with every little R, I've got a long way to go.
Thanks for the reminder... and the encouragement.
- September 19, 2011 at 10:31 AM
- Krista Van Dolzer said...
Lora, I've heard the same thing about agent versus editor rejections. In fact, one agent mentioned that editor rejections devastate her, so she can only imagine how hard they must be on the author. All the more reason to take the time to develop a thick skin now and not spend all day daydreaming about reaching the next step.
- September 19, 2011 at 12:35 PM
- Laura Barnes said...
Awesome post, Krista. I needed to hear it. Thanks for going off topic and sharing it with us.
- September 20, 2011 at 12:40 AM
- Krista Van Dolzer said...
Laura, I think we all need to hear stuff like this every now and then. That's why I write it down - so that when I'm feelng low, I can come back and read my own words, smack myself on the cheeks, and say, "Now get back in there, Krista, and get to work."
- September 20, 2011 at 8:05 AM


text:
Events for August 20, 2019 › Location
Events Search and Views Navigation
All Day
LakeHouse- Lake Villa- Tuesday Specials
Join us on Tuesdays for our specials: 1/2 Rotisserie Chicken Dinner $14 | Kids Meals $0.99 | $5 House Wines www.lakehouselv.com Ph: 847-838-2700Find out more »
LakeHouse- Lake Bluff- Tuesday Specials
Join us on Tuesday for our specials: All-You-Can-Eat Jumbo Shrimp $22.95. Buckets of 4 Domestic Bottles of Beer $11. Reservations suggested: http://bit.ly/lakehouselb-reservations PH: (847) 295 – 7140 www.lakehouserestaurants.comFind out more »
Tuesday's Specials: All-You-Can-Eat Jumbo Shrimp in Lake Bluff
Join us on Tuesday for our specials: All-You-Can-Eat jumbo shrimp $22.95 Buckets of 4 Domestic bottles of beer $11 Reservations suggested: http://bit.ly/lakehouselv-reservationsFind out more »
11:00 am
LakeHouse- Lake Villa- Daily Lunch Specials
Join us for our daily lunch specials at LakeHouse- Lake Villa Lunch Specials Served Daily From 11am to 3pm $12 Half Sandwich with bowl of soup or small salad (Choose from: turkey & cheddar, corn beef & swiss, ham & swiss, BLT, or pulled pork on white bread) $12 Chopped Salad $13 Roasted Turkey Lunch: […]Find out more »


text:
Check out these exciting videos straight from RCX, the ultimate RC experience. And, check back often as even more videos get added throughout the show.
RCX is the country's largest and most dynamic consumer event for RC and diecast.
Since its launch in 2003, it has expanded to over 200,000 square feet of the Pomona Fairplex, home to the Los Angeles County Fair, and now includes three exciting shows in one location:
RCX, Model Airplane News Expo and the International DieCast X Collector's Expo.
[kaltura-playlist-widget entryid=0_cf0ai6yc size=regular sort=preset /]


text:
margin(redirected from thickened bone margin)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial.
1. Commerce the profit on a transaction
2. Economics the minimum return below which an enterprise becomes unprofitable
The boundary around a body of water.
(graphic arts)
The blank area at the vertical and horizontal edges of a printed page.
(science and technology)
An outside limit.
1. The exposed flat surface of the stiles and rails which form the framing around a panel.
2. The projecting surface above the stair nosings in a close string.
3. The mitered border around a hearth.
4. The exposed surface of a slate or tile which is not covered by the one above.


text:
Review: AKG K 490 NC and K 495 NC Noise-Canceling Headphones
I love the form factor of on-ear, or "supra-aural" headphones — the kind where the ear pads press against your ears' pinnae instead of surrounding them — because they usually fit easily into my laptop computer case. But I've had a problem finding a model comfortable enough to wear for more than an hour. What's more, I've found no on-ears whose performance compares to that of a good over-ear (or circumaural) headphone — until now.
I was excited to see at the most recent CES show that a company known for audiophile-grade headphones was putting serious effort into some on-ear models. And I could tell right away when I heard AKG's new $249 K 490 NC and $349 K 495 NC that these were the result of a serious design effort in which performance was a priority.
Officially certified for business travel
The K 490 NC and K 495 NC conform to the general aesthetic of headphones worn by the average road warrior, a standard maintained by such ultra-popular headphones as the Bose QC3. The AKGs have active noise-canceling circuitry to minimize airplane noise. They have detachable cables for times when you want just noise cancellation and not music. Their understated, black-and-silver design goes well with anything from an Armani suit to a Three Wolf Moon T-shirt.
Both headphones have internal batteries that recharge through a supplied USB-to-2.5mm stereo cable. The K 490 NC doesn't include a charger, but you can plug its charging cable into your computer and you're probably got plenty of USB chargers sitting around by now. Unlike many headphones with active noise cancellation, the K 490 NC and K 495 NC work with the noise cancellation switched off, so if the battery runs down you're not stuck with silence.
The smaller K 490 NC has 40mm drivers, mounted in earpieces that swivel 90° in one direction so the headphone folds flat. (They also swivel about 30° in the other direction for better fit on your ears.) Hinges on the headband let the earpieces fold in so the headphone forms a crescent-moon shape and can slip into the supplied neoprene carrying case. A sliding switch on the side of the left earpiece activates the NC circuit, and a green LED tells you it's on.
The larger K 495 NC also has 40mm drivers, mounted in larger earpieces that swivel a little more than 90° in either direction. The earpieces are attached by hinges that allow folding so the K 495 NC fits into its semi-hard pleatherette case. Turning the silver ring surrounding the left earpiece activates the NC circuit and the green power LED.
On the road with on-ears
My first longer-than-a-minute-or-two experience with the K 490 NC and K 495 NC was promising. I brought both with me on a bus/subway/bus trip into town for one of my frequent guest spots on Sound+Vision Radio, a Saturday morning national program available on an AM station near you or through iTunes as a podcast.
Co-host Ted Cohen and entertainment correspondent Deborah Sass were blown away by the sound of both AKGs. Deborah remarked that she couldn't believe the spaciousness and 3-D imaging when I played jazz vocalist Sue Matthews' take on "I Fall In Love Too Easily" through the K 490 NC. Ted's eyes opened wide when he put on the K 490 NC and he immediately asked for a contact at the PR firm so he could score a loaner. Ted and Deborah enjoyed both headphones in their brief listen, but preferred the K 495 NC for its fuller sound.
I wore the K 490 NC for the roughly 100-minute trip to the studio, and the K 495 NC for the trip back. The K 490 NC stayed pretty comfortable all the way to the studio, although it was starting to irritate my ears ever so slightly by the time I arrived. The K 495 NC stayed extremely comfortable for the whole trip back; I'm confident I could wear it through an entire L.A.-to-Houston nonstop.
The noise cancellation proved pretty effective for both models, although the K 495 NC has an edge partly because of the better seal afforded by its larger earpieces and plusher ear pads, and partly because its NC function seems to work a little better. When I played a recording I made of noise inside an airplane through my home theater system, the K 490 NC did a good job of blocking out the low-frequency rumble, but the K 495 NC did an even better job. However, the K 495 NC's noise cancellation did produce a slight amount of audible hiss, which I could hear during very quiet music passages.
Most noise-canceling headphones I've tried that offer a passive mode sound awful with the noise-canceling switched off. Not these. The K 490 sounds almost identical in passive and NC modes, just a little louder in the latter. The K 495 loses some bass extension in passive mode, but I think it actually sounds a bit better that way than it does in the fat-sounding, bass-boosted NC mode.


text:
Refine your search
Add to shortlist button.
In light of COVID-19, the Government is advising attractions can reopen from 4 July.
Special Offers
Reopening TBC - awaiting more Government guidance.
***SUMMER SPECTACULAR 8th July – 20th September 2020 The Hippodrome's Brand New Circus and Water Summer blockbuster with amazing International Circus Artists, Dancers, Show Swimmers, Acrobats plus comedians Jack Jay and Johnny Mac. The mind blowing Finale Water Spectacular is one of only three in the world and the only place in Europe that stages such a show with Swimmers, Aerialists and special effects when the ring turns into a giant pool - an unforgettable experience.
***HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR 22nd October – 1st November 2020 This ultimate spooky experience has a whole new adventure written by comedy partnership and the Hippodrome's favourites Jack Jay and Johnny Mac. They will be joined by an amazing cast of international acts as they look to throw the biggest Halloween party ever.
***CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR 5th December 2020 – 10th January 2021 the Hippodrome's brand new Christmas show is a fast moving alternative to the family visit to a pantomime. With your No1 host Jack Jay's hilarious interludes, local comedy legend Ben Langley, amazing circus artists from all over the world and to add to this Swimmers, Dancers and a large children's dance troupe from the local legendary Dance Estelle School. The amazing Water Spectacle has all the Christmas spirit you need set in the unique atmosphere of the Edwardian Hippodrome that has so much to see at Christmas with all its yuletide decorations. It's a blockbuster show not to miss that has become a local must see Christmas attraction.
Opening details
Prices vary please contact directly for further information.
Also at this Venue
Events at this Venue
|Tue 14 Jul
|Summer Spectacular & Water Show 2020
|Wed 15 - Thu 16 Jul
|Summer Spectacular & Water Show 2020
|Fri 17 Jul
|Summer Spectacular & Water Show 2020
|Sat 18 Jul
|Summer Spectacular & Water Show 2020
|Sun 19 Jul
|Summer Spectacular & Water Show 2020
|Mon 20 Jul
|Summer Spectacular & Water Show 2020
St Georges Road,
Great Yarmouth,
- Coach parties accepted
- Credit cards accepted (no fee)
- Gift shop
- On-site light refreshments
- Accepts groups
- Children welcome
- Disabled access
- Dogs not accepted (except guidedogs)
- Smoking not allowed
By Road:
Just behind the 'Circus Circus Arcade' on Marine Parade.
with charge
: 0 miles from Great Yarmouth station
Self-Assessed Accessibility Details
- The surface of the car park and pathway leading to entrance:
- is solid
- Drop-off point for guests outside entrance
- The route from the parking area to the entrance:
- Is flat (i.e. without steps)
Public Areas
- Level access (no steps/thresholds) or access by ramp or lift:
- From the entrance to reception / ticket area
- To a specially adapted public toilet suitable for wheelchair users
- To the gift shop
- Good contrast between the floor and walls
- Baby changing facilities
- Hearing loop installed in public areas
- Entrance is well lit
- Level access (no steps/thresholds) or access by ramp or lift to cafeteria
- Good contrast between the floor and walls


text:
Aamir Hussain (Aamir Khan, and Hussain is his real middle name) and his college friends are returning from a night out when they are stopped by typical evil, drunk, rowdy, and influential gangsters. Neeta (Supriya Pathak), the woman in Aamir's life, is gang-raped. She handles the event much better than he does, the difference between silent withdrawal and uncontrolled youthful exuberance evident in the two.
In his quest to do something, Aamir seeks help from law enforcement, but learns quickly of the strong mafia connections that run the show there. If the police aren't aiding the mafia, they're hapless against them. To top it off, Aamir must leave his home because of his parents' opposition of his willingness to report the crime -- he has an unmarried sister after all, and bringing a bad name to their family would wreck her chances of receiving a good proposal. (Is this sounding like typical 80s stuff yet?)
Once out in the real world, his two best friends are a street urchin, and a cop named P.K. (Pankaj Kapoor). P.K. is fed up of his reliance on his job, which, over time, has forced him to lose his innocence and stop being a protector of the innocent. They share common goals, and must unite to exact revenge because they're the only ones who can. The big question is, as it always seems to be: At what cost?
I have a love-hate relationship with Raakh.
For one, it is atypical of its era in many ways, and unlike anything I have seen from the 1980s. In a weird way, it almost lives up to Aamir's brand promise. Its stylish presentation (cinematography by Santosh Sivan (Asoka (2001), Before the Rains (2007), Tahaan (2008)), who debuted with the film) is one reason. Its socially conscious foundations with an issue chronologically relevant to the history of the city is remarkably striking, and the National Awards it won are for good reason. The performances are what one would expect from a young Aamir and especially Pankaj, who is by far the best actor in the film. The dialogue (Nuzhat Khan, that's Imran's mom) is the most effective element, and the sounds that accompany it only add to its credibility. There's even a fair amount of comic relief, in what is a very serious film.
Disconcerting bit is, there's often comic relief where it was hardly intended. That might be because the film has not aged well. But it's only a minor issue in the bigger picture. The background score (no playback singing in this film) is sheer torture, and given the emphasis on dialogue and sound, one expects the music to be much less intrusive.
The biggest issue I have with Raakh is its lethargic pace. Sure, white space can be used to convey trauma, but this latest edit of the film, despite having been condensed to just over two hours, is still painfully long. If the film were to be made today -- and Bhattacharya's directing an English remake of Raakh in Los Angeles this summer -- it could last around 45 minutes and still be plenty. The unforgivable bit is, despite its length, it leaves out several interesting plot lines, forcing the audience to try to fill in the very wide blanks, and dwells instead on redundant themes, putting to shame all the good work that makes Raakh worth at least one watch.
Raakh was filmed before Aamir's big debut film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), and was released after QSQT. It was never released on DVD, and a dispute around an attempted release last year meant it was tabled for a while. But it's almost here, and per the director, it should release to the public in July or August of this year.
If not for Pankaj Kapoor's fine performance, watch it if you're a fan of Aamir, if only to appreciate how far he has come from his Raakh days. This is one of the more unconvincing performances I've seen from Aamir, but given the demands of this complex role, it isn't at all bad for a first. Of course, there's a case to be made for the many different shades of the character affecting the perceived convictions of the performance. Regardless, there's plenty of room to contrast with his character in Ghajini (2008), which works for the film aficionado in me.
Film rating: 2.5/5 (Average)
Music rating: 1/5 (No songs, and an annoying background score)
Watch the trailer at this YouTube link
All one needs to say about Aatank Hi Aatank (Nothing but Terror) is that it is essentially a remake of The Godfather, and stars Aamir and Juhi Chawla (haaye Allah!) in one of their more forgettable pairings. But that doesn't mean it is an entirely bad film. In fact, if you enjoy the idea of Mafia Wars on Facebook, or the equivalent elsewhere, I'd recommend you check this out, especially because Rajnikanth and Aamir in the same film can be fun to watch in a film with such intensity.
Too much violence and too many revenge killings in this, as one would expect -- so how about we skip all of that and discuss some screenshots? Let's begin with Rajnikanth, who's made this style his over the years.
Nothing quite like a woman turning her back to her parents to walk away with a gangster amid all sorts of artillery, and earning support of the masses in the process, believe it or not (that's Mumbai for you).
Aamir too has a style quotient to live up to, of course. Contrast the hair style with that of characters in The Godfather.
Helps to have the sign reading 'Gentle men' inside the mens room. Anyone have any idea of its purposefulness?
Juhi is a teacher! Can't get any better, really. Fun personality.
Certainly not fun to need security wherever you go.
They even have a song in the rain, and yes, Juhi's in a wet saree for most of it. Song's titled 'We are together, love is forever,' (view at this YouTube link) and its choreography is at the intersection of Kaate Nahin Katte from Mr. India (1987), the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) SRK-Kajol almost-making out while it rained scene (okay, you surely know which one I'm referring to), and Mitwa from Lagaan (2001).
A bad, bad item number with playback singing is a trademark of 1990s gangster films. 'Goonda Rap' (gotta love the song title!) even has several moonwalkers, complete with hats and white or blue jackets!
By far my favorite bit in the film involves a bout of arm-wrestling triggered by none other than by far my favorite 'other woman' of Hindi film. (Contrast with the motivation behind the race against the train scene --Rani Mukherji in the film that made her a household name -- in Ghulam (1998).)
Yes, it's Her Hotness, Pooja Bedi! (The specific scene and setting belong to a Western, but we can overlook that. ;)
For ye Kabir Bedi fans:
Don't watch this for Aamir -- he's in about 30% of the film at the most. Watch it if you're a fan of gangster films and ridiculous, often pointless, violence. Any film that reduces Juhi Chawla to a commodity, I have major issues with.


text:
Could there be another "Sex and the City" movie?
The franchise's leading lady, Sarah Jessica Parker, said a storyline is in the works for a third film about the sex columnist and her three best gals from New York.
When asked if Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda had any chance of returning to the big screen or the small screen, Parker said it could -— and should.
"There is. I know what the story is," she told Parade magazine, in an issue hitting newsstands on Sunday. "It's a small story, but I think it should be told. The question is, what's the right time to tell it?"
SJP's rep had shot down tabloid reports that television execs were working to resurrect the HBO series on television, MSNBC.com reported. But the actress' quote makes it sound like some producers out there are up to something.
It's not clear if the original actresses — now into their 40s and 50s — would play the roles in this hypothetical plot. Rumors of a prequel about Carrie Bradshaw in her 20s had fans buzzing, but writer and executive producer Michael Patrick King said on Aug. 3, "I'm not working on any 'Sex and the City' prequel at all."
Selected Stories: MSNBC.com, Parade, The Huffington Post
SJP Teases "Sex and the City 3"
Could there be another "Sex and the City" movie?


text:
Join Our Email List Today
Latest Blogs
Filter Blogs
- Benin Apply Benin filter
- Cambodia Apply Cambodia filter
- East and Central Africa Apply East and Central Africa filter
- Ecuador Apply Ecuador filter
- Georgia Apply Georgia filter
- Haiti Apply Haiti filter
- India Apply India filter
- Jordan Apply Jordan filter
- Nepal Apply Nepal filter
- Pakistan Apply Pakistan filter
- Philippines Apply Philippines filter
- Syria Apply Syria filter
- (-) Remove United States filter United States
- Zambia Apply Zambia filter
No Options Available
Reset All Filters
A Powerful Effect: Addressing Gender-Based Violence in South Sudan
In solidarity with 16 Days of Activism, Dan Alder, CARE International in South Sudan's recently-arrived advocacy and communications officer, set out to understand the circumstances of women Read More
Why Activism? How "16 Days" Highlights Tools to End Gender-Based Violence
by Milkah Kihunah
Milkah Kihunah is a Senior Policy Adviser on Gender and Empowerment with CARE USA. In this role she conducts policy analysis and advocacy on issues of women's Read More
South Sudan: A slippery journey to prosperity and security
Aimee Ansari, CARE South Sudan's new Country Director, shares her first impressions of her new home country.
It's raining heavily as we trundle down the road from Mabior to Bor Read More
Venus Williams' Kenya Trip Diary
Nov. 5, 2012During her first trip to Africa, Venus Williams, right, and Dr. Greg Allgood of Procter & Gamble's Children's Safe Drinking Water Program, left, Read More
CARE's Learning Tours program, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is a strategic entry point for education and engagement of policymakers and those who can influence policy. The Read More


text:
Best books for boy readers, reluctant or otherwise, ages 6-14. This is Part 3 of 3: Non-Fiction.
Tag: Ice Mummy
Best Books for Boy Readers, Reluctant or Otherwise (ages 7-14)
Reading list for boys, grades 1-6. I love to find books that excite reluctant readers. The key is to find that magic intersection that marries your child's just-right level with content that matches their interest and a layout that is visually appealing (small chunks of text broken by pictures, larger font size, etc.). Alas, this is a moving target. I have an actual person that I select these books for, my youngest son's best friend's older brother who is a 4th grader with my oldest. My mom friends have had success with these books for their reluctant boy readers and suggests you try them. If you want to purchase a book, click on the image of the book to buy at Amazon.com.


text:
Math Hoffa, D. Champerz, Liasion & Hanz At The Same Studio T-Rex Was At! (Speaks On Upcoming Rap Battle Between Math & T-Rex) Plus Airs Out All Tight Jean Wearing Mofos Showing Their Draws! "Free Tight Jeans"
Chino reports "math liaison d chamberz at same studio where rex issues challenge to math................its a small world.................."
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.