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|Rediff India Abroad Home | All the sections
The Rediff Interview/11/7 defence lawyer Shahid Azmi
'Introspect why the educated Muslim is taking to violence'
July 27, 2007
The 29-year-old Mumbai lawyer was arrested under TADA -- even was 18 -- for harbouring Kashmiri radicals; while in Tihar jail, he befriended terrorists Omar Sheikh and Masood Azhar; both men were released in exchange for the passengers and crew abroad the Indian Airlines aircraft hijacked to Kandahar on December 31, 1999.
After dabbling in journalism, Azmi became a lawyer to espouse his convictions. Thus, it is no surprise that he has taken up for some of the accused in the July 11, 2006 train blasts in Mumbai.
In an interview with Managing Editor Sheela Bhatt and Chief Correspondent Syed Firdaus Ashraf, Azmi defends the accused -- Faisal Attaur Rehman Shaikh, his brother Muzzamil, Zameer Latifur Rahman Shaikh, Naved Hussain, Rashid Hussain and Abdul Majeed -- while strongly arguing against the investigation conducted by the Maharashtra police's Anti-Terrorist Squad.
What is your view of the ATS investigation into the 11/7 blasts?
There is no investigation as such. The primary thing on which the entire case rests is the confessional statement of the accused.
Under the special provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, their confessional statements can be used against them.
However, our basic challenge is to this provision itself, against the trial under this Act. Because, according to us the only definition under which we fall is 'promoting of insurgency'.
We have challenged this definition by way of a writ petition saying that the state government is not competent to enact any legislation on insurgency because insurgency is a threat to national security and any act or offence which poses a threat to national security, regarding that, the only government that can make law is the central government.
Our basic challenge is to this draconian law. Once this draconian law is challenged there is hardly any evidence against the accused.
The only other evidence is of an eyewitness who has been an eyewitness in three other blast cases. How is it possible that this man is always in the right place at the right time? The police claim he has seen people gathering and discussing the making of a bomb.
Who is this witness and where does he hail from?
His name is Ajmeri and he is from Mumbai. According to his earlier deposition he deals in automobile batteries. He claims he saw the accused meeting and talking about planting bombs. Basically, the attempt by the prosecution is to prove a conspiracy.
Apart from him there are no other witnesses. They have one more witness who is gullible. He says he was standing at platform number one at Churchgate station and witnessing the activities on platform number four.
Anybody who belongs to Mumbai will know it is not possible to witness such an act from such a distance and that too during rush hour. Even otherwise, one cannot see what people are doing from platform one to platform four.
What are the major objections you have against the prosecution?
The first and foremost objection is to the confessional statement itself.
Second, I don't know how can this witness (Ajmeri) always be present at the right place at the right time.
Third, how can you accept this sort of gullible witness?
Fourth, I have an objection to the circumstances of the case itself. You see, by July 22, 2006, the police had arrested all these accused but till September 2006 they never made a claim what their link to the blasts was and how it was carried out.
Now a delayed claim -- after three months -- that they have cracked the case puts a question mark on the case.
Remember the Aurangabad arms haul case? Documents prove that those people who have been arrested in the 11/7 case were first named in the Aurangabad arms haul case. The police later found a better opportunity to implicate them in the 11/7 case. They used this opportunity to involve as many people as they could who were already under the scanner.
What was the Aurangabad case about?
The police seized weapons on the Malegaon-Aurangabad highway. It was the first time the name of Faisal Shaikh came up, allegedly the kingpin in the 11/7 case. It was in May 2006. The police arrested the guys who were wanted in the Aurangabad arms haul case and implicated them in 11/7.
If so, how do you explain the Antop Hill encounter where a Pakistani was killed soon after July 11, 2006?
Let me explain. That area is an isolated and sparsely populated place. Nobody stays in that area. Why would a terrorist who wants to hide choose such an area? It is not like he is a petty thief. The police is saying he is a terrorist. Terrorists always hide in places where you find a lot of other people.
In a city like Mumbai, if you live in an isolated place you can avoid people for a day or two but on the third day someone will question your presence there.
According to the police the terrorists were staying there for a month and nobody saw them. It is impossible to stay there. This place is known for staged encounters in Mumbai.
Since you are a defence lawyer, you are expected to say these things.
It is not so. My clients have consistently said they are innocent. Here is one case where I am damn sure that the arrested people are innocent.
Their best years will be destroyed in jails and they will bear the brunt of the case in spite of being innocent.
So, you believe the police has fixed them all?
I will just give you an example. Open Secrets, a book by M K Dhar, former joint director, Intelligence Bureau, claims that they (the Intelligence Bureau) identified Muslim groups who were a potential threat or potentially militant minded.
They then planted their agent and when we see these cases and then analyse we see a common, monotonous thing happen. In every case, you hear the police claim that how Muslims go to Pakistan, take training, acquire arms and it is during the acquisition of arms that they are arrested.
The police say the missions failed. There can be failure of one mission here or there but not a consistent failure of missions since 1992. Somewhere there is a pattern to the manner in which the police works.
How can you make such a claim when actual blasts are taking place? Not all missions fail.
There are clear demarcations where cases have happened and where it has not happened. The cases where blasts have not happened you will see that the people who get caught are cadre-based, like the Students Islamic Movement of India.
Where missions have taken place they are not from organisations. So what has happened? The police have kept an eye on Muslim organisations who could be a potential threat but they have not been able to do anything. They were annihilated and eliminated before that.
Certain sectors where they were not identified, blasts are happening. It is not happening from Muslim jihadi organisation but some other elements like renegades working for the State.
In some cases the police are very lenient in the investigation. Like the Nanded blast, seizure of explosives in Jogeshwari and Ghatkopar, Mumbai. In such cases the police are lenient. But when Muslims are involved police uses different yardsticks.
Don't you think Pakistan is involved in some way?
They are involved in some disruptive activities in India. To blame everything on Pakistan is shunning our own responsibility. Somewhere justice is not being done to every section of people in society.
Do you think a large section of young Muslims are getting attracted to the global perception of jihad?
To some extent it is true that the educated or upwardly mobile section of the Muslim intelligentsia finds a ray of hope in such activities. I don't say on the whole but a miniscule segment have been fascinated by violence.
But it is for a short while. When the truth about violence emerges they get brushed aside.
It is time for the system to introspect why the educated Muslim is taking to violence and not the uneducated kind.
Educated young minds see through the layers in which the government suppresses the truth and to them this system is almost a failure and they might be doing this.
How will you describe Faisal Shaikh?
He is like the boy next door.
Is he deeply religious?
No, no. In fact, there are allegations he had a string of dalliances. He is in no way a global terrorist.
So, how did he get involved in this case?
One's involvement in such cases cannot be because of their acts. Our police, as many internal reports say, is communal. As regards Faisal, there is no evidence of his involvement in 11/7, except his confessional statement and that too, he has retracted.
But he admitted the statement in court.
No, he did not. He was taken to the house of the metropolitan magistrate.
But he could have objected to it?
Not everybody can do that. The best thing is that they can say these things freely in judicial custody. If they are hardcore terrorists, why will they repent their act?
On the one hand you say they are global terrorists and on the other you say they are repenting their act.
I meet Faisal very often. He is one accused whom I was never allowed to meet when he was in police custody.
He always told me, he had nothing to do with the blasts. He was arrested on July 22, 2006, from Mira Road (a satellite town, close to Mumbai, in Thane district). His family was conservative. He was liberal minded. He had a string of dalliances with several girls. He was asked to get married, but he was not getting married. He was an exporter. He used to import dry fruits from Iran. He was never involved in any Islamic religious organisation.
Is it not true that Faisal and his brother Muzzamil may have gone from Iran to Pakistan because he had been to Iran?
No. The Iran-Pakistan border is not as porous as the India-Nepal border. Pakistan has always seen Iran as a threat.
But didn't he go for ziyarat? He is a Sunni Muslim, why would he go to visit Shia holy places?
You see, he went but did not take any offerings, it is gairullah (doing so would mean putting faith in something other than Allah). Sunnis don't take offerings but they visit it.
Who planted the bombs on the trains, according to the police?
Had they been very sure about it, they would have named them in the chargesheet.
What devices were used in the 11/7 blasts?
According to me RDX was not used because the nature of the blast was not such.
Secondly, when the state forensic team visited the site they were not allowed to conduct investigations. It was only when the central team visited they were allowed to investigate and then they said RDX was used.
Who could have perpetrated the blasts then?
Several people. Several people from the Indian intelligence can do it. These people can be within India or outside India who could have gained. They have it in them.
What will they gain?
To stereotype the enemies, that is Islam and Muslims.
The IB won't do it because blasts do not help India's national interests.
It helps those people who want to have stringent laws in India. They want to curb these people who want to have their own different identity, an identity different from that defined by them as national identity.
There also, you are wrong. India's intelligence agencies know that if there are communal disturbances then it is not good for the country.
This is not about profit or loss. It is a particular ideology working in India.
Are you accusing the Indian government?
No, I am not accusing the Indian government but certain elements in the Indian government are doing this.
What do you think society must do to end such problems?
You see, whenever a Muslim seeks justice he should get it. The scale of justice is not evenly balanced in India. You see the Bhagalpur riots, the manner and the way in which it was perpetuated we know but the accused got only a life sentence.
The Rediff Interviews


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Archie the anteater nestles on his mom at the LEO Zoological Conservation Center in Greenwich, Conn.
Is it a case of anteater virgin birth, a hormonal quirk or just some desperate hanky-panky? Whatever it is, Armani the anteater's surprising pregnancy has sparked a debate over what animals are capable of when it comes to sex.
The story unfolded at the LEO Zoological Conservation Center in Greenwich, Conn.: Last month, Armani gave birth to a cute baby pup named Archie. The only problem was, Archie wasn't supposed to exist.
Armani already had given birth last August to a female pup named Alice, fathered by a male anteater at the center named Alf. Anteater dads have been known to kill off their progeny, so Alf was put in a separate pen for several months. Marcella Leone, the nonprofit center's founder and director, said Armani and Alf shouldn't have had the opportunity to conceive little Archie.
"It is our protocol that that should not happen, so it's a mystery," Leone told NBC News.
NBC Connecticut: Birth of anteater has zoo staff puzzled
Leone speculated that the "virgin birth" may have been a bizarre case of delayed implantation, also known as embryonic diapause. Some species are able to hold up hormonally on having their fertilized eggs attach to the uterine wall and start developing, apparently as a stress response. That's known to happen to armadillos, which are in the same scientific superorder (Xenarthra) as anteaters. "It's been presumed that giant anteaters can do this as well," Leone said.
Could that be what happened to Armani?
"Given the paucity of literature, it wouldn't surprise me," said Bruce Murphy, director of the University of Montreal's Reseau Quebecois en Reproduction (Quebec Reproduction Network).
Diapause or desire?
Murphy is no expert on anteaters, but he is an expert on diapause. A paper on the subject that he and his colleagues published in the journal Open Biology is featured this week as an "editor's choice" in the journal Science.
A cross-species study published by a different set of researchers in PLOS ONE suggests that Armani may well have been capable of adjusting the dials on the standard six-month gestation period. "Their conclusion, and I think it's a good one, is that maybe every species has a capacity for diapause, if uterine conditions are appropriate," Murphy told NBC News.
Bob Luckey / Connecticut Post
Marcella Leone, founder and director of the LEO Zoological Conservation Center, watches over Armani and her baby, Archie, clinging to her back, on May 10. For more pictures, check out the Connecticut Post's report.
However, it may not be necessary to turn to diapause, or to a different kind of "virgin birth" known as parthenogenesis, for an explanation. Despite the best efforts of the conservation center's staff, it's conceivable that Armani and Alf found a way to couple through the enclosure's high-tensile fence. They may have even indulged in a brief encounter while they were being moved around.
Just minutes to do the deed
"I have seen anteaters breed many times, but that doesn't mean I know exactly what is going on in amongst all that hair," Marie Magnuson, a biologist at Washington's Smithsonian National Zoo, told NBC News in an email. "There is some thought that there is no actual penetration, just a lot of rubbing up together. If that is the case, then his sperm are doing all the heavy lifting on the job, and a fence would not be an insurmountable barrier — as long as it is chain-link and not solid."
It wouldn't take long for anteaters to do the deed, Magnuson said.
"If they were together, it was long enough," she said. "When doing a re-introduction between our breeding pair, we had planned on taking it slow and safe. We were going to put them together for five minutes and then separate them. At three minutes they were copulating."
Leone doesn't totally exclude the possibility that Armani and Alf had a furtive fling. "You can imagine what any man will do to get to his woman," she joked. "This is not our plan, but nature is a very strong force."
The way she sees it, the story is about much more than a couple of amorous anteaters.
"The thing to really focus on is that a plant or animal becomes extinct every 20 minutes," Leone said. "So the point is to learn as much as we can about giant anteaters out of the wild, so that we can apply that knowledge in the wild as well. Ultimately, the most important thing is to save those wild places for wildlife."
More about animal sex:
- Love and lust: Lessons from the animal kingdom
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the NBC News Science Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with NBCNews.com's stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Living in is all about immersing yourself in the English culture and way of life. If you are going to be moving to soon, then you'll want to spend some time getting to know your city and the best way to do this is by visiting some of the most famous tourist attractions and museums that has to offer. Just as soon as you are settled into your new rental, then you need to grab your A-Z and head out to experience as much of as you can.


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The purpose of the internship programme at UNITAR is to provide a framework by which individuals from diverse academic backgrounds may be assigned to UNITAR, where their educational experience can be enhanced through practical work assignment while they provide the Institute with their assistance as qualified individuals specialized in various professional fields.
Eligibility requirements:
Applicants are enrolled in a degree programme in a graduate school (university degree or higher) or post-graduate programme at the time of application and during the internship; or
Applicants are enrolled in full-time studies at a university or equivalent institution towards the completion of a degree; or
Applicants are enrolled in a post-secondary institution other than a university or equivalent institution at the time of application and during the internship; or
Applicants have completed their studies at a post-secondary institution other than a university or equivalent institution and obtained the respective certificate or diploma and are enrolled in full-time or part-time studies at the time of the application and during the internship.
Terms of internship programme:
The duration of an internship is one to six months.
The internship programme is normally on a full-time basis but part-time arrangements can be agreed upon depending on both the requirements of the department/programme and the availability of the intern. The interns are expected to work in a department/programme which has selected them, under the supervision of a staff member.
Interns are considered gratis personnel. They are not financially remunerated by UNITAR. They are not staff members and shall not represent the Institute in any official capacity.
How to apply:
Candidates are encouraged to consult the UNITAR website to familiarize themselves with the areas in which they could gain experience if they are selected for this Programme (Environment, Peace Security and Diplomacy, Governance).
A letter of motivation as well as the P11 form/ Curriculum Vitae are to be sent to: firstname.lastname@example.com


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It's amusing to think of the talent included in this set of movies: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Stewart, Carole Lombard, Jack Benny, Ginger Rogers, Lucille Ball, William Powell, Spencer Tracy, John Barrymore, Jean Harlow, and Marie Dressler, in films directed by, among others, George Cukor, Ernst Lubitsch and Howard Hawks, with material written by Edna Ferber, George S. Kaufman, Herman Mankiewicz, and lots more. Not a bad line-up of talent, eh? Or that, under Leonard Maltin's four-star rating system, only To Be or Not to Be gets less than four stars. (He gives it three-and-a-half; I'd give it four.) Some retailers are selling the whole kit and caboodle for under $50, a real bargain considering the extras, making this an absolute must for movie buffs of all ages.**
It doesn't matter whether you've seen them or not. Stage Door was the only title new to this reviewer, but I could watch To Be or Not to Be a dozen more times and never tire of it, with Bringing Up Baby and Libeled Lady running not far behind. For those less familiar with these now 70-year-old movies, the collection is a well-chosen introduction to the Best of Hollywood, a cross-section of star power, fast and funny dialogue, social and political satire, screwball and romantic comedy, everything - including the individual strengths and styles of several different studios. (To Be or Not to Be was originally a United Artists release, though its flavor is very "Paramount.") Whatever your own particular tastes, and even if that taste generally steers you clear of old, black and white movies, there's at least one comedy here you'll surely fall in love with.
One might quibble with the lean toward Hepburn and Cukor, the absence of other stars and directors important to the genre, and the somewhat odd inclusion of Stage Door, which is basically a melodrama, despite George S. Kaufman's wisecracking dialogue. For my money To Be or Not to Be, a personal favorite, gets slighted somewhat and cries out for Ernst Lubitsch and Carol Lombard documentaries more than, say, the trivial Jean Harlow piece included on Dinner at Eight. Still, it's a can't-miss collection.
(The six movies, Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story in particular, have been written about so exhaustively as to cry out for a film reviewer's moratorium. Instead, let's focus on the Video, Audio, and especially the Extra Features, shall we?)
Video & Audio
All six films, from three different libraries (MGM, RKO, and UA), look good for their age, and are presented in their original full frame format. There have been some complaints about Libeled Lady, easily the most battered of the bunch, but while it definitely has its share of negative scratches and a surprising amount of wear, the image itself is clear - except for the final three minutes, which do use a greatly inferior source, possibly a 16mm print from the look of it. The Dolby Digital 2.0 mono is clean on all six titles. Each film has optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles, but no alternate language tracks. On one of this reviewer's players, a Cyberhome, the English subtitles came up all by themselves and wouldn't go away on several discs; I ended up switching to another player.
Extra Features
Even those overly familiar with the six movies will find the Classic Comedies Collection worth buying for its veritable feast of supplementary material. Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story are two-disc affairs, but even the other four films have their share of extra features.
The best extras are the five documentaries. There are two documentaries on each of the bonus discs that accompany Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story. Bringing Up Baby features The Men Who Made the Movies: Howard Hawks (1973) and Cary Grant: A Class Apart (2004). The Hawks show was revised somewhat in 2001 and its footage cleaned, the result being the lengthy interview clips of the great director, shot on color film, look as if they were filmed yesterday. Made at a time when licensing old movie excerpts was easy and inexpensive, the documentary abounds in great snippets from virtually every major studio. Unfortunately, writer-director Richard Schickel largely dismisses Hawks' Westerns and barely discusses Hawks' late career at all, favoring instead his screwball comedies. But for the clips of Hawks alone this is a must-see documentary.
Even better is Cary Grant: A Class Apart, an 87-minute program written and directed by Robert Trachtenberg, which masterfully explores the enigmatic actor, from the glamorous screen persona that seemed to consume the former acrobat from Bristol, to rumors of homosexuality and LSD use. Trachtenberg sorts through all this with great skill, making what might have been an ordinary clip show into a impressively thorough examination of the man as much as the movie star. Turning to a wide array of film clips - not just career highlights - friends and ex-wives, A Class Apart is full of surprises, including Grant's appearance in an 8mm home movie, The Killer of Fossil Gulch, directed by his stepson, and footage of the actor looking ageless well into his 80s. Also featured on this disc is Campus Cinderella (1938), a Vitaphone two-reeler about a college basketball team apparently included for no other reason than it was released the same year as Bringing Up Baby. Featuring Penny Singleton and filmed in three-strip Technicolor, the short is primitive by 1938 standards - it looks much older than it actually is - though the pre-Blondie Singleton is charming. An okay Friz Freleng cartoon, A Star is Hatched (also 1938), rounds out the disc.
Disc One of Bringing Up Baby includes an audio commentary by director Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show), an authority on Hawks who knows the picture intimately and who, of course, directed What's Up, Doc? (1973), nearly a remake of Bringing Up Baby, and one of the very few retro-screwballs to contribute favorably to the genre. The disc wraps with a smattering of Howard Hawks Trailers, though there are no surprises here: Bringing Up Baby, Sergeant York, To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep, and Rio Bravo.
The Philadelphia Story's supplements include Katharine Hepburn: All About Me - A Self Portrait an intimate video-autobiography shot in 1992, when Hepburn was 85 years old but relatively strong and not the frail recluse she'd soon become. Though her weak, tremor-filled voice isn't exactly well-suited to off-camera narration, it's more than compensated by some incredible film clips, Hepburn's frank assessment of her career highlights ("No spark there!" she declares of a 1932 screen test), and the rare glimpse into her octogenarian private life at home in New York and Connecticut: playing Parcheesi, tying her shoes, shopping at the local market, etc. Highlights include footage of the actress taken at Bryn Mar in 1928 (!), behind-the-scenes footage from many of her early films (and, briefly, a round of golf with Howard Hughes), and a revelatory 1934 Technicolor screen test of Hepburn as Joan of Arc. Though it could easily run twice its 70-minute length, All About Me is very good indeed.
The Men Who Made the Movies: George Cukor (1973) isn't as interesting as the Hawks show as it relies more on (longer) film clips, though it does have a good deal of archival interview footage with the director. This revised-in-2001 show uses What Price Hollywood? (1932) and A Star is Born (1954) to bookend its hour-long overview, and in so doing makes no mention at all of My Fair Lady (1964) and a dozen other films of varying interest. There's also a good deal of overlap from the other DVDs; those sick of the same clips from Philadelphia Story, etc., are welcome to hit the scan-forward button.
The Philadelphia Story's second disc also features a fun MGM cartoon, Rudolf Ising's The Homeless Flea (1940), and an amusing Robert Benchley short making hay of life's little truths, That Inferior Feeling (also 1940). Both seem to have been included for those wanting a "night out at the movies," circa 1940 (like Warner's ancient VHS tapes of the same name), but why not instead tack those shorts onto Disc One, with a "play all" function? This disc's supplements conclude with two radio performances of The Philadelphia Story, amazingly enough with all three stars reprising their roles both times, in a 7/20/42 performance on Victory Theater, and on 3/17/47 as part of Lady Esther Screen Guild Playhouse. Disc One of The Philadelphia Story features an Audio Commentary track by historian Jeanine Basinger (Silent Stars, American Cinema) and a George Cukor Trailer Gallery, a better collection than the Hawks one, featuring Dinner at Eight, Little Women, The Women, Gaslight, Adam's Rib, Pat and Mike, A Star is Born, Les Girls, and My Fair Lady. All the trailers are 16:9 where appropriate.
The single-disc Dinner at Eight, meanwhile, offers Harlow: The Blonde Bombshell, a 47-minute program from 1993 and hosted by Sharon Stone. By far the least interesting of the documentaries, Harlow is mostly a puff-piece, full of breathless (and not always accurate) hyperbole, though it does offer clips from more obscure pictures like Iron Man (1931), The Beast of the City (1932), and Personal Property (1937). Also included on this disc is Dinner at Eight's original Theatrical Trailer, which touts the film as only slightly less important than the Second Coming of Christ; and an amusing Vitaphone two-reeler, Come to Dinner (1933), a direct parody of the main feature with funny (and, at times, uncanny) impersonations of the stars.
Stage Door features a delightful musical two-reel short called Ups and Downs (1937), about a cheery, dancing elevator operator and his girlfriend (June Allyson, adorable in her screen debut), the daughter of a rich industrialist. Featuring Phil Silvers (with a full head of hair in what appears to have been his screen debut as well), Ups and Downs is a bouncy little mini-movie, with elaborate sets and production numbers: the big finish has the cast dancing in front of a giant tickertape machine. Also on this disc is a 2/20/39 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast and a (reissue) Theatrical Trailer.
Libeled Lady is light on extras, including only a rather pointless radio promo, Leo is On the Air, with audio excerpts from the film; and a Theatrical Trailer, notable for shots of the four principals arm-in-arm strolling about the MGM lot, much as they do over the feature film's opening titles.
The DVD of To Be or Not to Be includes an early Benny two-reeler, The Rounder (1930), with the actor uncharacteristically cast as a drunk playboy. While the short is fascinating in the historical sense of Benny's developing screen/radio persona - it's interesting how many of his familiar mannerisms are already in place - the short is decidedly unfunny, with archly jokey dialogue and static staging. Benny's co-star, Dorothy Sebastian, is not a good actress but of similar historical interest as the then mistress of Buster Keaton and concurrent wife of William "Hopalong Cassidy" Boyd. Excerpts from what is described as an Archival Newsreel is actually a pitch with Benny for stamps which can be collected and exchanged for war bonds.
Note: All of the extras are full frame format and, unfortunately, none have optional English subtitles.
Parting Thoughts
In a DVD market where many box sets offer less for more, or package movies you'll watch only once into pricier sets for collectors and gift-givers, Warner Home Video's Classic Comedies Collection is a perfect balance of laughter and Hollywood history, with movies you'll find yourself watching again and again, or loaning out to friends. Definitely an addition to DVD Talk's Collector Series.
**Maybe it was too good a bargain. As a boxed set, the Classic Comedies Collection has disappeared from Amazon and several other online retailers, and reports are that it has become hard-to-find at walk-in stores as well. (Addendum: The box set finally did reappear on Amazon, shortly after this review went live.)
Stuart Galbraith IV is a Los Angeles and Kyoto-based film historian whose work includes The Emperor and the Wolf -- The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune. His new book, Cinema Nippon will be published by Taschen in 2005.


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Meet Al Qaeda's New Acting Leader, Saif Al Adel
Hey guys! Can I have everyone's attention, please? Where's Heather? Does anyone know where Heather is? Well, can you go grab her? We've got a big announcement. Yes, that's right, we've decided to appoint an acting chief of Al Qaeda.
Ah, Heather, thank you for joining us. As I was saying, we will, obviously, miss Mr. Bin Laden a great deal, but, you know, the world, well, the world keeps on turning, and it's important that we stay on track, so to speak, turn with it, and keep on, you know, keeping on. Turn with the world, that is.
So, to that effect, um, we've sort of put our heads together and decided that we're going with someone who you all — who you all know and love. Haha, no, Don. Ha. So, Saif, if you could come out...? Saif? There he is.
Saif Al Adel, everyone. Some of you probably worked with Saif at the Saudi Arabia office, back in — when was that, Saif? 2003? — back in 2003. Uh, and, obviously, some of you — Tom, I'm looking at you — know him from Afghanistan in the 1980s, back when we were just, heh, in our pre-startup days, which we think is a great, you know, asset, so to speak, for us, and for Saif. And, hey, he's on the FBI big board, so, again, asset.
We know that some of you — yes, Don, I'm getting to that — were... Well, look, Saif is Egyptian, and maybe some people hoped we would appoint someone — I'm not sure how to put this, exactly — someone from the, uh, Arabian Peninsula. And, let me just be the first to say that, obviously, we take your concerns very seriously — you know, we read everything that goes into the suggestion box right over — did we move the suggestion box? — well, you know, my door is always open, obviously.
And look, I've heard some of you say privately that you, well, have some concerns about the future of the company, and that some of you aren't, let's say, you know, enthusiastic about Ayman — sorry, Mister Al Zawahiri taking over. What's that, Don? Well, look, I don't know if it's true that he's — let's just say that, you know, regardless of personality issues, Mr. Al Zawahiri has put in terrific work as a VP, okay? And if you guys respond to Saif the way I know you will, I don't see there being any trouble working for an Egyptian like Mr. Al Zawahiri. Okay?
I mean, I think Saif will tell you, we're all one happy family, you know, Egyptian, Saudi, Moroccan, so, please, you know, give him a warm welcome, and do the terrific work I know you're capable of. As a little bit of a welcome, we put out a spread in the conference — um... Trent? Do you know? I think it's from Hale and Hearty...? We'll do Chipotle next time, okay?
Oh, and, before I forget. Is the Taliban team here today? Can you guys spare me 20 minutes? Nothing serious, I just want to see where we're at on that project.


text:
Gran'pa We Love You!, also known as Race 'N' Kidnap, is a mission in Grand Theft Auto 2 given to protagonist Claude Speed by Scientist leader Dr. LaBrat. The mission is available from the bottom of the two yellow Scientist phones in Arbo of the Residential District.
Claude Speed goes to the SRS Scientists Research Center in Dominatrix, with Dr. LaBrat explaining that The Professor is looking to experiment on some of Rednecks, one of their rivals in the district. The Professor has singled out one person in particular, Gran'pa, an old and blind man who will only come with Claude Speed in his grandson's Pickup. Claude drives to the Opry RV Park and meets Dirk, Gran'pa's grandson, who offers his Pickup to Claude if he can kill three escaped Loonies and return in under four minutes. Claude completes the task and wins Dirk's Pickup. Claude drives over to the Ol' Banjo and sounds the horn, with Gran'pa entering the Pickup. Claude then drives to the Research Center, avoiding the pursuing Rednecks.
The reward for completing this mission is $50,000.
- The mission is a reference to the song Grandma, We Love You.
- The images used for Gran'pa and Dirk are the same as Redneck leader Billy Bob Bean.


text:
For the past two days I've been working on my English and Statistics classes. The English class focuses on business communication such as how to tactfully tell an employee that their body odor is grossing everybody out in the office to how to fire someone, how to tell someone that their qualifications suck and there is no room in the company for dweebs like you...etc, etc. You say it all in a professional way, of course.
First of all, when I read in the book "Find another way to say "Your body odor is offensive", I sit there for a minute and think..."Would anyone actually say that to a person anyway?...I mean, does this actually need to be taught??" Then I sit there and have to come up with a more professional way to say it and what I come up with is GRADED.
Concerning statistics, I feel better about it all. I completed all of my homework finally and doing the homework made me actually feel a little confident. I understand and can do standard deviations, finding the mean, mode, median, range, class boundaries, class width, finding the cumulative frequency of a frequency distribution, what the empirical rules are and what Chebyshev's rule is. I am actually understanding it all now and can complete the work. *whew*
The question is if I can do well on the test that I have to take online this week. The test is due by this Sunday night. I have to work tomorrow through Sunday for 12 hours a day and I hope like hell that I can squeeze in who knows how much time it will take to complete the test. The professor said that it's approximately 30 questions. We shall see about that...
Then on Monday I go to work and back to school to take the mid-term that has about that many questions. And then I will fall to pieces to the floor in exhaustion.
I'm tired. I have so much on my mind that I want to share here. I want to really tell it like it is, but the problem I have is that I don't know where to start. I am so sick of so many things and I don't know where to begin.
I need help. I can't even help myself now.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Lost in Space
For the past two days I've been working on my English and Statistics classes. The English class focuses on business communication such as how to tactfully tell an employee that their body odor is grossing everybody out in the office to how to fire someone, how to tell someone that their qualifications suck and there is no room in the company for dweebs like you...etc, etc. You say it all in a professional way, of course.
Monday, January 28, 2008
What Have I Learned?
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 8:58 PM 3 comments
Labels: College
Saturday, January 26, 2008
I Guess That's IT!
I'm out...
I tried...
I wasn't able to post yesterday. I was at work until 1:00am. I did homework until 4:00am. Then I worked all day today until midnight and tomorrow I go back to work again to work another 12 hours.
I dedicated myself to Blog365.
I guess I'm out now.
*sigh*...It's only January and I've already failed!
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 11:59 PM 6 comments
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Gates Straps His Briefcase to His Car
I know a lot of people talk about Microsoft and Bill Gates. I've been a complete geek most of my life and though I've laughed about Gates and Microsoft and how they've taken over the world, I've always really admired the guy. I've also really liked what he's doing with his charitable foundation. He's done a lot in his life and has done very well for himself, his family, and others.
I just found the video below and LOVED IT!!! It's about his last day at Microsoft and was presented at his last Keynote speech.
Video: Bill Gates Last Day CES Clip
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 11:35 PM 1 comments
Labels: Video Clip
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Advice Needed Please!
I have been looking for a new Blogger template and can't find any that really feel like they go with my blog. Don't get me wrong, I've found quite a few beautiful, compelling, silly, crazy, boring, and OK templates out there, but can't find the one.
One template site I like is located at suckmylolly.com. This lady has a definite style that is all her own and I like quite a few of her templates. There is one called "Where's Jack". A pic of it is below:
I think the template is very cute, but maybe too kiddy for my blog.
I also like the following one called "Flower Blue Border":
But it's also too simple for what I'm looking for.
I also liked the following called "Black Scrolly":
But then again, I like the background of the following template called "Eat my Cake":
The only reason why this template doesn't really fit my blog is because I'm not really trying to "have my cake and eat it too", though the pink frosting on the cupcake sure does look scrummy (I love the color of the frosting as well on this page).
I also LOVE the following template called "Mum 'n Bub":
The only problem with this template is that I'm not pregnant and my daughter is now 15. I do have a dog, but it's a creamy toy poodle, not that it truly matters, but I'm definitely not pregnant with a baby and cruising around with another baby in a carriage.
Suckmylolly, you are AWESOME in blog design! I checked and it looks like you are booked into the next century regarding creating new blog templates, so no luck there.
Does anyone have any advice? I definitely would appreciate it! I truly don't know what to do, but am getting really sick of the look of my blog and want to change it aesthetically.
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 8:31 PM 7 comments
Labels: Advice, Cool Stuff
Monday, January 21, 2008
No Time To Breathe
I have had no time today to do what I've wanted....not even enough time to post what I want here in this blog.
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 11:59 PM 1 comments
Saturday, January 19, 2008
HoneyBunny Hard at Work
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 8:03 PM 3 comments
Labels: HoneyBunny, Pets, Pictures, Work
Silly, Fun Tests
Tonight I visited Hope's blog and saw that she took a test at BlogThings. It looked fun and I was in a silly mood and took the following two tests:
|You Are the Index Finger
You are ambitious, driven, and capable.
You aren't afraid to take responsibility for your actions - or place the blame on whoever deserves it.
You are honest, free thinking, and objective. You see things in your own way - and you aren't afraid to let everyone know about it.
You get along well with: The Thumb
Stay away from: The Ring Finger
You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.
You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.
A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.
You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic "Type A" personality.
You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life.
You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home.
You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble.
You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out.
Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia.
Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person.
You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.
You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.
At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.
You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something.
You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense.
You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.
You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.
You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.
You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.
You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.
You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.
You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy.
You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.
Sometimes it's fun to take silly tests. I wish the statistics tests were like this!
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 3:12 AM 3 comments
Labels: Cool Stuff
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Praying to the Porcelain Gods
I was at home again today. Last night my bed was the toilet and I was sick as a dog. I started feeling better last night until after eating dinner. I didn't eat much, but it was enough to make me ill all over again.
I'll be working all weekend to make up the time. Ugh...
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 8:08 PM 5 comments
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
I am SO Sick of Bathrooms!
Last night in statistics I got sick. No, I don't mean sick of the class, I mean physically sick. I ended up going to the bathroom MANY times and then got home and was in the bathroom the rest of the night. I wasn't able to go to work today. I'm feeling a bit better as long as I don't eat.
I'm feeling a bit better emotionally. Maybe I was just getting sick yesterday which made me feel a bit down. I have no idea, but I'm better.
I'm sure most of you have heard of Lily Allen, but I just learned about her tonight. She is a musician from England and is quite artistic. If you haven't seen her, watch her latest video called, "Alfie". It made me laugh quite a bit!
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 9:49 PM 2 comments
Labels: Video Clip
Monday, January 14, 2008
Melancholic Today
I am at the university waiting for my statistics class to start. I am so very tired today. I worked, rushed to school through major traffic jams and am now waiting to start a four-hour, mind-numbing class. By the time I get home it will be 10:30pm, and I'll run to take a shower and collapse into bed in order to start another day.
I'm not very happy today. I think I'm just tired. In a way I feel a bit down. Melancholic is more the word. I wouldn't say all the way depressed, but I am down. I need to watch myself and be very aware so that I don't hurdle through the downward spiral.
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 5:57 PM 2 comments
Labels: College, Depression
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Have You Ever Cried at a Wedding?
The wedding was wonderful. I have never cried at a wedding until today. I couldn't believe that I cried because I certainly didn't expect it! I just couldn't believe that she was getting married. I had a myriad of emotions which I will post at a later date.
Have you ever cried at a wedding?
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 11:59 PM 2 comments
Friday, January 11, 2008
Fifteen Years Ago Today
This picture is my favorite picture of my daughter and I together. I am posting this picture because fifteen years ago today my daughter was born. She was born at 3:12am at 8 pounds, 12 ounces and 21 1/2 inches. I will never forget that early morning. I had been in labor for twenty-two hours and developed a fever of 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The doctors performed an emergency c-section and whisked her away to the newborn unit without letting me hold her. I never cried, screamed, or shouted obscenities during the entire labor process; however, when they whisked her away and wouldn't let me hold her, I completely had a mental meltdown.
I was shaking due to the fever and needed to be administered antibiotics. Somehow I had gotten an infection in the hospital while being in labor with her which caused the fever to spike. By that time I was completely tired and worn out. My emotions ran amuck and I started yelling for her father to come to me (he was signing paperwork in another room). He ran to me and I screamed that they wouldn't let me hold my baby. I cried and was horribly upset.
After being in the recovery room for six hours, they finally wheeled me down to my room in a gurney. They stopped in front of the newborn unit and held my daughter up for me to see her. She was screaming at the top of her lungs. I begged to hold her. Finally, they wheeled my gurney halfway into the room and gave her to me. I reached for her and held her tight. I remember staring at her with complete and utter wonder. She had been crying, but amazingly enough stopped crying while I held her. I swear to God she knew that it was me. She actually looked up into my eyes and just stared at me. I felt such an intensely strong connection. Words did not need to be spoken between us. We knew that we belonged together. I remember breaking into tears. That moment was heavy with emotion and completely defined the rest of my life.
I thank God for my daughter. I don't know where I would be without her. She is so very sweet, humorous, kind, compassionate, creative, and wise. I love her so much. As I write this I am crying at the thought that in three years she will be finished with high school. I cannot imagine life without seeing her every day. Pretty soon she will be starting the adventure of her own life. I am not ready for this.
I am writing this while at work. It's times like this that really upset me because I feel I haven't spent enough time with her. It's 6:45pm and I'm still at work. Before I know it she'll be gone and I won't remember what I was doing at work years from now. I will remember that I worked too much and didn't spend enough time with her. I feel very guilty about that. On one hand I need to work because every minute I work I get paid and we desperately need the money due to our financial situation. On the other hand I couldn't care less about the money and want to spend all of my time with her. I wish that I could home school her. I wish that I could be that Mom who has cookies ready when she gets home. I wish I could be that Mom who was there day and night.
I wish, I wish...as she grows, and grows...
Thursday, January 10, 2008
My Gawd, I'm Getting Old!
I cannot believe that my step-niece named Melanie is getting married this Saturday. It only seems like yesterday when she was born! She was born in 1986. I was a freshman in high school, which is what my daughter is now! I remember holding her tiny body in my arms and kissing and hugging her tight. Now to think that she is starting a life of her own is amazing to me.
Melanie has three siblings. Out of her siblings, she was the one who always ate very healthy as a child. Can you imagine a six year old wanting to eat salad? She didn't like Coca-Cola and always opted for water or sweet tea. She was always the quiet one and a bit moody at times. Still waters run deep with her. She just received her Bachelor's degree and is trying hard to make something of herself. I am really proud of her.
When I see her I can still see that quiet, little girl. Will that vision in my head ever disappear?
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 7:10 AM 4 comments
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
All Work and No Play...You Know the Rest
This is a very busy week for me. Not only is work busy and I need to work overtime, more needs to be done which is outlined below:
- Thursday - Want to get to work at 6:00am at the latest. Work for 12 hours and go home and do homework. Wash some clothes and clean up a bit around the house.
- Friday - It's my daughter's birthday! She will be 15. Get to work at 5:00am at the latest. Work for 12 hours. Go home and take her and her friend that is spending the night to the movies. Drop them off. They will be meeting approximately 10 friends there. After going to the movies they will walk next door to the ice cream shop for ice cream. Pick them up afterwards. While they are at the movies, get my hair cut and colored and then go to to the store to purchase an iPod Nano for her. She has been dying for one. Pick up a birthday cake. Celebrate when she gets home. Also make 600 meatballs for a wedding the next day.
- Saturday - Get up EARLY. My step-niece is getting married. As a wedding present, all of the women of the family are doing her reception. Get to the church by 11:00am. Set up the place for the reception, etc, etc. Go to the wedding at 4:00pm. Get back to help with anything needing to be done at the reception and clean up afterwards. If I have time go to work and work a few hours.
- Sunday - Get up EARLY to finish any homework for the week. Wash some clothes and clean around the house. My hair stylist is having issues with his computer. Get to his house by noon to fix his computer problems. I estimate to be there four, possibly five hours. Get back home and continue washing clothes/cleaning/homework until passing out into bed. If I can get into work for a few hours at all this day would be good.
- Monday - Get to work by 5:00am. Work 12 hours and then go to my four hour statistics class.
- Tuesday - Work for 12 hours. It is my husband and Mom's birthday. Get a birthday cake and take it home. That night my husband will be teaching an oil painting class. Make dinner for him and then celebrate when he gets home.
- Rest of the Week - Work 12 hours a day.
- The Weekend - Work 12 hours each day.
I have a t-shirt that says "After viewing her calendar for the week, she went ahead and pre-medicated." I think I need to wear it.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Wasn't That Bad
I went to the Statistics class and it wasn't that bad for the first night. We got out early, which is good due to it being a four-hour class from 6:00pm - 10:00pm. The professor is from Ethiopia, very soft-spoken and is only interested in the students understanding and being proficient. It seems like he will be quite good. He has a Ph.D. in Statistics and another Ph.D. in Macrobiotics. All I can say is "WOW!".
I am tired now and going to bed. It's already Tuesday and I haven't slept yet!
Good night!
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 12:31 AM 5 comments
Labels: College
Monday, January 7, 2008
Will I Ever Use This Knowledge?
Reality: Who really gives a damn?
As you read this I am most likely suffering in my statistics class. Please pray for me. I feel my brain turning to mush already.
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 6:30 PM 3 comments
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Oh Help Me, God!!
School starts back this Monday night. My first class is Statistics. All I can say is OH MY GOD!
The class is every Monday night from 6:00pm to 10:00pm. Do you know how much material a professor can go through in four hours?
Please pray for me.
I have a 4.0 GPA and I am TERRIFIED that this class will drag it down to the depths of Hell.
I hope that I can make it. I am so scared.
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 11:14 PM 4 comments
Labels: College
Friday, January 4, 2008
The Picture is NOT What You Think!
Tonight was a great dinner filled with fabulous food and incredible conversations with sweet people. The talk centered around art, art, art while our taste buds focused on stuffed grape leaves (as pictured...the picture actually reminds me of something else like...fecal matter...but it certainly tasted good!), shrimp with rice, French bread with hummus and a cheesy spinach dip. The meal was then finished off with Moroccan mint tea.
My daughter is in a club that backpacks once a month to different areas around and outside the state and two members of this club and their mother visited us this evening. The two members are siblings named Ian and Marian. Ian is a senior in high school while Marian is a sophomore. They are both very artistic and we enjoyed viewing their sketches and portfolios. Since my husband is an artist they had many things to talk about and it was a night filled with three artists sharing their thoughts, ideas, and experiences. It was nice to see my husband chatting with them because I could tell they really looked up to him and got excited about their work. They couldn't wait to get home and work on their art after talking with him. He really got them juiced up!
My husband is about to go through the selection process at the university for the MFA (Master of Fine Arts) program. He is in the midst of getting his application completed along with readying his portfolio and other required documentation. I know that he will be selected to attend in the fall. He will also apply to be in the assistantship program and I truly hope that he gets it. He has been trying for so long to make money and it's been difficult for him to find work. His skills and experience are so highly specialized towards the art field. A few months ago he was looking everywhere for a job and even the Olive Garden turned him down! They said that he didn't have any experience and my first thought was, "Do you have to work at the Waffle House first"?
All of this just kills me when I think about how highly educated and talented he is and not only that he knows six languages! This area hasn't been very sparing with jobs for him. He is going to start January 15 in giving oil painting classes two nights a week. In February he will give watercolor classes and then acrylic painting classes in March. He is quite excited about that. Finding a full-time job has been difficult, though.
He wants to be a professor, which is why he is pursuing a MFA. He is a natural teacher and I know will be a good one. By the way, (and on another note!) he has been much better. He hasn't yelled or screamed lately. He has been treating me very well. I was sick the other day and he made lunch and completely took care of me. I am so very thankful. Things have been getting better. I can tell that it definitely helps my mental mood and attitude. I continue to feel better and better. I have to also say that it was rough when he got back from Morocco. I didn't talk about it much here, but we were even talking about divorce at one point. For the first time in my life I did a very good job of not getting caught up in his moods. I also didn't hold myself accountable for his unhappiness. I also told him that I won't put up with it anymore. I told him that I deserved to be treated better. All of this definitely seemed to help. It can still be difficult at times.
It's just...I refuse to ride the roller coaster anymore. Thank you, God!
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 11:55 PM 6 comments
Labels: Artist, Drama, Feeling Better, Friends, Gratitude, Happy, Husband
Thursday, January 3, 2008
HoneyBunny Going Wild on New Year's Eve
The above video was taken at 3:14am on New Year's Day. We had gotten back from going out for New Year's Eve and HoneyBunny was SO HAPPY we were home. We piled in the bed with HoneyBunny between us and she decided that she wanted to play. I couldn't help but take the opportunity to capture the moment. The video quality is a bit poor due to it being taken from a cell phone, but it's good nonetheless.
My Dad has a Yorkshire Terrier named Cajun. Years ago I purchased him from a breeder in Louisiana and his actual name is "Ragin' Cajun". The dog was supposed to be ours, but he became very attached to my Dad. After awhile I gave Cajun to my Dad and they have been inseparable ever since. Watching Cajun and my Dad is just sickening. They are so very close and Cajun is so very spoiled. I could never understand what it felt like to love a dog like that. Everywhere you see Daddy you see Cajun and vice versa. Daddy holds him all the time and will at times have a silly grin on his face as he holds him. The grin comes from the love he feels for that old dog.
Last year I bought a toy poodle named HoneyBunny for my daughter's birthday. I made sure not to show any attention to HoneyBunny because I wanted my daughter and her to form a bond. The dog followed me around everywhere. I couldn't seem to get away from her. My daughter didn't spend as much time with her as she should and finally I broke down and started petting her. Before I knew it the love bug bit me.
I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this dog. She is my daughter as well. HoneyBunny follows me everywhere I go and we are now inseparable. I love holding her and I find myself wishing she could go everywhere with me. I was even thinking that I wish she could be out with us on New Year's Eve. (Now remember that this is coming from someone who would get sickened watching Daddy spoil Cajun absolutely rotten.)
I finally understand it now and wouldn't have it any other way.
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 10:12 PM 6 comments
Labels: Happy, HoneyBunny, Pets, Video Clip
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
How Did You Ring in the New Year?
I can't believe it, but we actually went out for New Year's Eve. We haven't done that in YEARS!! Physically and mentally I have been feeling better and better over the past month and didn't want to sit home this year. The past two years I don't think I was even awake at midnight. What a joy it was last night to be out and about.
I worked yesterday and didn't get home until 8:00pm. I jumped in the shower and got ready. My daughter was at my parents house. My husband and I got ready and left around 10:00pm. Yes, it was a bit late to go out, but around here things don't even get started until around then. It was VERY difficult to find a parking spot downtown, which is amazing to me because the town is so very small. After finally finding a spot, we went to a new bar and found ourselves squashed between too many people inhibiting too little space. Soon after getting there a fight broke out and we left because it started to get a bit too rowdy. We then paced the streets looking to be somewhere else at midnight. Every place we found either had a private party or required tickets that we didn't purchase beforehand to enter.
We haven't been out in years. We stood in the middle of the cold street racking our brains trying to figure out where to go. We finally had the idea to go to a little bar that we knew would be a fun night, no fights and filled with nice, respectful and fun people. We headed there and found what we were looking for.
The place was introduced to me years ago by a dear friend. For years I thought that my friend was gay. I never asked and he never said. Two years into the friendship I finally asked. He said, "No". I didn't believe him. Six months later we went out together and as we were driving he stopped the car and told me that he was. He said that he was 35 years old and "had always kept his straight and gay world separate". He never let the worlds collide due to fear. If you knew him you would have been so proud of him that he finally told someone. After telling me he took me to a bar and said, "I'm taking you to a bar that I go to. I want you to see what it's like. I don't want you to be shocked because there are guy dancers." I looked into his eyes with a big grin and said "LET'S GO!".
We went inside and I had the time of my life. What got me the most was how peaceful the environment was and how nice the people were. I felt like I was home. At this bar you are accepted no matter what. It doesn't matter what age, race, gender, or religion, you are part of the family and are surrounded by wonderfully nice, respectful, compassionate and fun people. Years ago I took my husband there when we were first dating. He didn't know what to expect and went anyway. He had a lot of fun and we went back several times afterwards. It's been five years now and last night was the first time in a long time. We had a great time again. I didn't see the regulars that I used to see, but other people were there and we had a nice time.
No fights, no problems, nice conversations, great dancing, cheap drinks, and great fun...what a way to ring in the New Year!
How did you ring in the New Year?
Posted by Chunks of Reality at 9:34 PM 4 comments
Labels: Feeling Better, Happy, Holidays, Husband, Video Clip


text:
Hi all,
I am looking for a parser tool for dota2 dem files. I am looking to extract as much info as possible from a game, this can be on a very atomic level.
i've seen the github projects about dota2 parsers, but my development skills have faded after 13 years of non-developing...
I was wondering if
1) such a tool already exists, perhaps
2) if this doesn't exist, is there someone who can help me with that?


text:
Moderators: psexypsychic, colopam
Kris wrote:I usually just pick a quit date and make up my mind to do it!! Willpower... your right is the issue!! The "last" time I quit, that very day I had a fire in my lab (One week after a complete remodel) I looked at the firemen and said.... "This probably wasn't a good day to quit smoking...huh?" We both laughed, but I continued not to smoke for two years after that and then stupidly started again after a very stressful day and out having a drink with friends! I had set my quit date for September 13th and plan to execute it come this Saturday!!
If i can get through this ........ I hope to NEVER put myself through this again!! No more lame excuses for me!
... if you tell yourself this is NOT the hardest thing you've ever done, it's the SMARTEST thing you've ever done, you will find yourself BELIEVING IT and it will be done!!
Brighid Moon wrote::D I hadn't seen your post before! Thank you, Shelby! I'm going to write all those down.
I noticed since I've moved that my smoking has gone down by about 1/3. So today I limited myself to 10 cigarettes (a half of what I used to normally smoke) and it was great! I didn't go past it at all! I figure if I'm not in a place to quit quite yet, at least I can cut back. It's a start!
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By Mark Jewell
AP Personal Finance Writer
BOSTON (AP) -- The more informed you are, the better. Yet there's so much information about mutual funds available, from performance data to legal disclosures, that it's understandable to wonder what you really need to know.
For the past few weeks, many investors have been able to check out new information that falls into this category. On a fund company's website, they can click on list of available money-market funds to see daily updates showing tiny changes in the market value of a money fund's portfolio.
Average investors and institutions use these safe-harbor investments as parking places for cash that's temporarily kept out of stocks or higher-yielding segments of the bond market.
Goldman Sachs on Jan. 9 became the first to post daily values of its money funds. More than a half-dozen other companies have since followed suit or announced similar plans. They include the largest money fund provider, Fidelity Investments, as well as such names as Federated Investors, BlackRock, JPMorgan and Charles Schwab.
There's minimal practical value for average investors to review these numbers. Money funds get relatively little attention because they're low-risk investments, and their portfolios of short-term bonds generate tiny returns even in the best of times.
But by voluntarily making these daily disclosures, the money fund industry is doing more than just serving investors. It's trying to convince regulators that it's open to some degree of change, in hopes of heading off more far-reaching rules that are under consideration to stabilize money funds.
"All of a sudden, the industry got religion on transparency," says Peter Crane of money fund researcher Crane Data. "It's throwing a bone to regulators."
With its leadership in transition, it's too early to say how the Securities and Exchange Commission will react to the industry's increased openness. But the step could convince regulators that there's no need to require funds to hold loss reserves -- there are none currently -- or that there's no need to set limits on how quickly investors can withdraw cash.
Generating even more industry opposition is a proposal that the value of money fund shares float, rather than be kept at the current fixed $1 per share. Allowing money funds to be priced slightly above or below $1 would reflect the market value of the fund's holdings at a given time.
With nearly $2.7 trillion in assets, money funds' critical role in the financial system became clear during the financial crisis. In September 2008, a large money fund collapsed and investors pulled more than $300 billion from money funds in a matter of days. Short-term credit markets froze and the government rescued money funds by extending temporary guarantees. This created headaches for corporate and local government treasurers, who use cash invested by money fund shareholders to cover short-term needs such as payroll and purchasing.
After the crisis, the industry largely embraced new SEC rules to stabilize money funds. But some regulators say additional changes are needed. The industry says that proposals such as withdrawal restrictions and floating asset values would make money funds so unattractive that investors would pull out of them altogether.
Restrictions backed by former SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro stalled last summer when she couldn't secure backing from a majority of the five-member panel. President Obama has nominated Mary Jo White to replace Schapiro. The week after Obama's re-election, the Financial Stability Oversight Council urged the SEC to adopt stricter rules, putting pressure on White to act if her appointment is approved.
In anticipation, the industry has rolled out the new daily public disclosures on money fund values. They provide far more information than the monthly updates that fund companies began providing to regulators a couple years ago.
So far, money funds are making daily disclosures covering more than half of the industry's assets, according to Crane Data. But there are some holdouts. One is Vanguard, which argues that the majority of its money fund investors are individuals, rather than institutions that might have greater interest in frequent disclosures.
Daily changes in the values of Vanguard's largest money fund, with $122 billion in assets, have been minimal, a Vanguard spokeswoman said.
Indeed, there's been little alarming information from the daily disclosures so far. If that keeps up, it could show that there's no need for tighter money fund rules, says Lance Pan, research director at Capital Advisors Group, which assesses risks for investment clients such as corporate treasurers.
Each of the more than 200 funds that Crane Data tracked through Jan. 22 posted net asset values above $1 a share. On average, the funds published market values of $1.0002, or a dollar and two-hundredths of a penny. Typically, values are rounded off to four decimal places.
"Anyone tracking this should expect to see a lot of zeros," Crane says. "So far, there have been no nines, and that's good."
For example, a fund reporting a value of 99.9999 cents means there was temporarily a slip below the $1-a-share benchmark, measured by the latest value. However, investors withdrawing cash from the fund could still get back $1 for each dollar they invested, because the disclosures reflect the market's latest asset pricing, rather than how much investors get when they redeem.
A fund with a value slightly below $1 wouldn't "break the buck" unless it fell below 99 and a half cents. That's what happened with the Reserve Primary Fund, which collapsed during the financial crisis.
It's not surprising that the new daily asset value disclosures haven't revealed any funds to be at risk of breaking the buck. Markets aren't currently under stress, as they were in 2008.
The next time there's trouble, Crane will check to see whether any funds appear to be at the risk of breaking the buck. For now, however, average investors have little need to pay attention to the new disclosures.
"Anything happening in the world that's important enough to noticeably move a fund's net asset value is probably something that's important enough to be in the newspapers," Crane says. "So you can just stay alert that way, rather than watching all these zeros."
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Published: Thu, Feb 7, 2013


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CBBC is researching families for a potential new series where kids take control of a family holiday, deciding where to stay and what to do. We want families who are up for a change, an adventure, a holiday to remember!
To be eligible the children must be aged between 5 and 15 years old, with at least one child in the family aged between 7 and 13 years old.
If you are interested in taking part in this programme, you need to fill in an application form. To download the form, please go to CBBC Gimme A Break.
Good luck!
Extended deadline 30th November 2007
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B.J. Upton wears glasses for first time in career
ATLANTA -- Braves center fielder B.J. Upton assumed a studious look as he wore glasses for the first time in his career during Friday night's 5-4 win over the Reds. He exited the victory with some confidence that the prescription lenses will help him escape the struggles he has experienced since coming to Atlanta last year.
Upton has been told he should wear glasses while driving at night dating back to his high-school days. But it was not until the conclusion of Wednesday afternoon's game against the Marlins that he decided he would spend a portion of Thursday's off-day getting a pair of glasses that he could wear during games.
"I noticed a difference [in my vision] over last year and some of this year," Upton said. "It wasn't anything big. But I think it was enough for me to not really pick up spin on the ball. So I just figured we should try something."
Upton was pleased with the results that he garnered as he went 1-for-4 during Friday's win. He hit a sharp infield single that Reds third baseman Todd Frazier prevented from going down the left-field line in the first inning. In his next at-bat, he lined out to center field.
"The first one I thought he rolled over," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "It looked like he was going to make the turn thinking it was going to be a double. He made it closer than it should have been at first. The next one he hit, he hit it right on the nose. That's a good [at-bat]."
Upton has shown some signs of encouragement as he has batted .244 with a .358 on-base percentage in his past 12 games. This is certainly an improvement given what he provided last year, when he hit .184 with a .268 on-base percentage.
"I definitely noticed a difference tonight," Upton said. "We'll see how it goes."


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The Serendipity Experiment
After a chance meeting inside the hallway of Gilbert Science Center last fall, Augustana's Dr. Jenny Gubbels and alumnus Dan Roesler, class of 1982, are working together to find new ways to fight ovarian cancer.
Cancer Research by Augustana Grad Featured in National Journal
A new study on therapeutic targets for breast cancer co-authored by Allison (Eslinger) Watson, class of 2007, is the cover story of the February 2013 issue of Molecular Cancer Research, a national journal published by the American Association for Cancer Research.
BBC Features Research with Augustana Ties
In a recent news segment, "Dark Matter: Experiment to Shed Light on Dark Particles," BBC Science Reporter Rebecca Morelle explores research being gathered at Italy's Gran Sasso National Laboratory for the DarkSide-50 experiment, a project with ties to the Augustana Physics department.
Article by Senior Published in Financial History Magazine
An article by senior Sara Kohles investigating the origins of matrimonial diamond rings and the diamond industry's evolving response to changing social trends and economic pressures appears in the winter 2013 issue of Financial History, the magazine of the Museum of Finance.
Augustana Society of Physics Student Chapter Recognized
Augustana's Society of Physics Student Chapter has been recognized as an "Outstanding Chapter" by the national Society of Physics Students (SPS). The honor recognizes chapters who show a commitment to community outreach and service, contributions related to student recruitment and retention, and interaction with alumni.
Students Named to Fall 2012 Dean's List
Augustana recognizes students named to the Dean's List for the fall semester of the 2012-2013 academic year. The Dean's List recognizes full-time students who have a minimum of 12 credit hours with grade point averages at 3.5 or above.
Augustana Records Blood Donation No. 3,000
Earlier this week, Augustana recorded its 3,000th donation to the Sioux Falls Community Blood Bank, a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring a safe, reliable supply of blood in Sioux Falls and the region.
Explore. Discover. Create. Go Viking.
At Augustana, we believe certain individuals are called to "Go Viking." They understand that in order to create an even better tomorrow, they must explore and discover bold concepts and important ideas today. Check out this video and learn why your decision to "Go Viking" is so significant.
Anonymous Gift Paves the Way for Study in Belgium
Fifteen Augustana students have been awarded scholarships to participate in "Topics in French: La Belgique: du Passé au Présent," the 2013 spring break course in Belgium. Thanks to an anonymous donation, the students will share a scholarship fund of $15,000 to help cover costs.
Augustana Announces Second Phillip Phillips Concert
Augustana will host a second concert for "American Idol" winner and top-10 Billboard Hot 100 artist Phillip Phillips at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, at the Washington Pavilion. Tickets for the public are on sale at the Washington Pavilion box office.


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Sunny Citrine has a joyful vibration that transmits outward to those nearby, making it ideal for any setting. Working with Citrine can help one to overcome depression, release anger, and learn effective communication skills. Citrine can activate one's imagination, bringing more creative visions to a clearer mind. It can enhance one's optimism in any situation, bringing a more positive outlook into the conscious and subconscious mind, which allows one to step into the flow of things with better results. Citrine is often credited with attracting synchronicity by opening the mind to new ideas, discerning which are most likely to succeed, allowing those to develop, and following through with them to their happy conclusion.
You Are Infinite! See the beauty that is your 'Self' in communion with Divinity. Light the path of your spiritual growth and the steps of deepening Oneness. Wearing this pendant helps to maintain your personal connection with your Higher Self, accelerating spiritual growth. The Infinity Eye celebrates the geometry of the ancient symbol of the Infinite.
This extraordinary pendant was designed to be an evolutionary tool for storing, amplifying, and transmitting subtle energies. Wearing stones which have been cut and faceted in accordance to the principles of sacred geometry can strengthen the aura and unlock the barrier to our Higher Mind which offers inner spiritual guidance to Unity Consciousness. The stone has been set within a sterling silver setting which allows it to breathe. We also provide a sterling silver chain so that it will hang between the heart and the thymus where it will create the most beneficial resonance through the compassionate heart. The radiant design and energetic purpose of this necklace make it perfect for any outfit or situation.
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versión impresa ISSN 1414-3283
RAMOS, Flávia Regina Souza y O, Jorge Ramos Do. Bioethics and professional identity: the healthcare worker's construction of the experience of him/herself1. Interface (Botucatu) [online]. 2010, vol.5Selected edition, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1414-3283.
This study approaches bioethics as discourse inside broad cultural changes and also in its growing impacts on the constitution of the healthcare professional's identity. Two theses, based on Giddens' theoretical framework, are presented. The first is that bioethics potentially is an abstract system that is capable of producing reflection and of organizing the experience and the subjective identity project of the healthcare worker; the second states that the ethical/bioethical education of the healthcare worker is inseparable from a set of pedagogical devices that relate work and formal education in "modes of being professional". Professional identity is discussed in the context of the decentralization of the modern subject and new notions of personal identities, as well as within pedagogical devices that are strongly aligned with the political and technical demands and configurations of concrete work scenarios, capable of defining the moral/ethical potential of the formal education offered.
Palabras clave : Identity; Health personnel; Education and work; Bioethics.


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"Love hears, Love knows, Love answers him across the silent miles and goes..."
But as Scottish Opera stages The Rake's Progress for the first time in 40 years (opening night was yesterday), I had a bit of a ponder about why operatic rakes are so damned irresistible. Short version in The Independent the other day. Full-length director's cut below.
Things do not look good for Anne Truelove. "No word from Tom," she sings, while her beloved vanishes to London, led astray by the sinister Nick Shadow. That is just the start of her problems. Stravinsky's neoclassical masterpiece, The Rake's Progress, concludes with a heartbreaking scene in which Anne sings her Tom a lullaby as he dies by inches in the lunatic asylum of Bedlam.
What does Anne see in this wastrel anyway? David McVicar's new production for Scottish Opera – the company's first staging of the work for 40 years – will no doubt offer insights of its own. But in general, women in operas do love their rakes too much. And so do we. From Monteverdi's Renaissance glories onwards, through centuries of operatic drama, it's not the devil who gets the best tunes: it's the cads, the bounders, the nogoodniks.
They cause heartbreak at best, multiple deaths at worst. Some redeem themselves musically, like Monteverdi's Nero in L'incoronazione di Poppea. Having murdered and executed in order to secure a throne for his mistress, he finally sings with her such a heavenly duet that we forgive them everything.
Others get their come-uppance. Mozart's Don Giovanni is dragged away to hell by a ghost, and good riddance to him. Puccini's Lieutenant Pinkerton has to witness the suicide of his former beloved, Madame Butterfly. Perhaps we enjoy their punishments vicariously, for in real life there is usually no such satisfaction, unless it lies in watching news reports of the fall of Silvio Berlusconi.
But even in opera it doesn't always happen. The Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto is awarded one of Verdi's most memorable melodies – and he gets away with everything, blithely unaware that the heroine has given her life to save his, while he sashays on towards his next victim. Typical tenor, some would say.
Yes, the good guys are left standing while the rakes loop the loop around our hearts. Don Ottavio, the kind, upstanding fiancé of Donna Anna and possessor of a pair of fine arias, is a wimp of the first order beside Don Giovanni and his sidekick Leporello; he is way too nice to be interesting.
Tom Rakewell manages to remain hero rather than villain, since his fate is not really his fault: Nick Shadow – the devil in disguise – has planned it all. Tom's decline and fall is not punishment, but tragedy. His secret is nevertheless quite clear. He is that great operatic rarity, a well-rounded character.
That may explain the appeal of those stage rakes: we see more sides of them, especially their human frailties, and perhaps that inspires their composers to greater heights than a bland, single-facet 'hero' could.
Wotan of Wagner's Ring Cycle is the ultimate example. If it were not for his philandering and the punishment meted out for it in Die Walküre by his wife, the rest of the saga would not happen at all.
Wotan is the most fascinating figure of the Ring, his tortured self-questioning making him more human than superhuman. His anguished farewell to his daughter as he puts her to sleep in a circle of fire is, IMHO, the most beautiful passage in all four operas. Meanwhile, Siegfried, touted as a great hero, is a brawny dolt whom it is hard to empathise with, let alone like.
But in the end, this is all about human nature. Many are the women who have fallen for the irresistible rogue rather than his sensible brother with a faithful heart and a proper job. It's always been that way and probably always will; and if opera reflects this, that makes it all the more true to life.
Bring on the Rake, then – and the great music that goes with him.
The Rake's Progress, Scottish Opera, opens at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, on 17 March. Box office: 0844 871 7677