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COVER- And the nominees are...: Nine people we'd like to see run the Virginia Film Festival
With Virginia Film Festival director Richard Herskowitz ending his 14-year tenure and riding off into the Oregon sunset at the conclusion of this year's festival, all of Charlottesville's cinemaphiles wait with bated breath to find out who will lead the venerable institution into the future. As it turns out, this town has connections to some of the best and brightest in the movie-making business, any one of whom would make a great successor to Herskowitz.
So, to the Virginia Film Festival board, we humbly submit the following slate of nine nominees to fill the director's chair and keep our annual flick fest hopping with lights, cameras, and action.
Jeff Wadlow: The Charlottesville native, the filmmaker behind such major studio releases as Cry Wolf and Never Back Down, is a perennial contributor to the Festival, when he and frequent collaborator Beau Bauman mentor budding filmmakers in the Adrenaline Film Project– to create an entire short film from script to final cut in 24 hours.
It's always a big hit with festival-goers, so why not extend the idea to the whole festival? Can you imagine Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Quentin Tarantino running all over town trying to shoot an idea they thought of on a Red Bull binge the night before? Given the results from previous years' Adrenaline screenings, if anyone can make it happen, it's Wadlow.
Mark Johnson: He might not be a household name in Charlottesville, but this UVA alum and frequent Festival participant (he's back this year with Lake City), has the connections that could make the stars come out. Imagine the following events Johnson could program, just from movies he's produced: Robert Redford talking about what it was like to swing a bat in The Natural; Robin Williams bouncing off the Paramount Theater walls while talking about Good Morning Vietnam; Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise reuniting to discuss Rain Man; Johnny Depp opining whimsically about the experience of making Donnie Brasco. If you want star wattage, Johnson's your man.
Steven Soderbergh: Of course, the only locally connected guy with more Hollywood connections than Johnson is Steven Soderbergh. The director of such critical and commercial hits as Out of Sight, Traffic, and Erin Brockovich spent some of his formative years as a student at Buford Middle School and formative years as a filmmaker living in Charlottesville, just after his Oscar-nominated breakout Sex, Lies, and Videotape made him a much-in-demand filmmaker. The Ocean's 11 movies alone could provide enough star power to put Charlottesville in the same conversation as Cannes, Park City, and Telluride. Can't you just imagine George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon playing late-night billiards at Miller's while Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones sip martinis at the X-Lounge? Well, we can dream, can't we?
Hugh Wilson: He's best known as the creator of the '70s television classic WKRP in Cincinnati, but the man wrote some highly under-appreciated comedy classics that are begging to be unearthed at our humble Festival. Not only did he write and direct the original Police Academy– which belongs in any top-five list of law-enforcement comedies– but he was also the filmmaker behind Nicolas Cage protecting curmudgeonly First Lady Shirley MacLaine in Guarding Tess, he got Diane Keaton, Bette Midler, and Goldie Hawn to exact hilarious revenge in The First Wives Club, and you can thank him for letting Burt Reynolds crack wise and chase Loni Anderson as a NASCAR driver in Stroker Ace. November is dreary enough, and any Wilson-curated Festival is bound to have a lighter side.
Tom Shadyac: If the Crozet-based production of Evan Almighty proved anything, it was that nobody knows how to make it rain (figuratively and literally) like Tom Shadyac. This UVA alum could raise mucho moolah for the Festival, considering Evan had the biggest budget of all time for a comedy, and that the majority of his slapstick comedies, which include Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, the Eddie Murphy version of The Nutty Professor, Bruce Almighty, and Liar Liar have all grossed in the hundreds of millions at the box-office. Plus, how cool would it be to start a new tradition at the Film Fest by building a giant set piece like the ark in Evan Almighty based on that year's theme– a huge spaceship for this year's "Aliens!" for example. Hey, with the dough that Shadyac could bring in, cost will be of no object.
Sissy Spacek: Okay, we know this is an obvious choice since she's the only Academy Award-winning actor living in these parts, but forget her Oscar for a second. Forget the fact that she's one of the most respected actresses working today. Even forget the fact that she's worked with some of the greatest actors, writers, and filmmakers of all time. The Festival always coincides with Halloween, and what better way to celebrate that most horrifying of holidays than with the woman who played Carrie! Come on, you know you'd pay good money to see a live demonstration of those infamous telekinetic powers. That movie is way too scary for that to have been a special effect.
Jack Fisk: He's often marginalized as merely being Mr. Sissy Spacek, but make no mistake about it, when it comes to creating a setting that's burned-in-your-brain memorable, there is hardly any art director better suited for the job than Fisk. The scorched deserts of California oil country in There Will Be Blood? Fisk's. The tripped-out horror of a high school gym in Carrie? Fisk's. The nightmarish streets of Los Angeles in Mulholland Drive.? Fisk's again. Were he Festival director, we'd love to see him turn the Downtown Mall into a surreal dystopia once a year. Perfect for Halloween!
David Lynch: A little known fact: in the '80s, when he wasn't busy making such mind-blowingly bizarre classics as Blue Velvet, The Elephant Man, and Dune, director David Lynch lived right here in Charlottesville. Perhaps his good friends and frequent collaborators Spacek and Fisk can persuade him to come back? The promotional possibilities for a Lynch-curated Festival are endless. A Twin Peaks-themed scavenger hunt for clues to find out who killed Laura Palmer; a lecture in which he finally explains what the hell Mulholland Drive was about; outfitting Newcomb Hall with seat cushions made of Blue Velvet; and, of course, official Virginia Film Festival pencils with Eraserhead eraserheads.
Roger Ebert: Quite simply, the Virginia Film Festival would not be what it is today without the help of Roger Ebert. There was a time when the dean of American film criticism was a bi-annual Festival attraction, as he would conduct on-stage interviews with the likes of Nicolas Cage and Anthony Hopkins and do scene-by-scene breakdowns of such classics as Citizen Kane, Chinatown, and Raging Bull. His paper, the Chicago Sun-Times has fallen on some not-so-sunny times lately, so the door may be open to get the Pulitzer Prize-winner to come back to Charlottesville full-time.
Were he director, one thing would be for sure: Ebert would ensure that audiences would keep quiet during the movie. Once when he waas describing a scene from Vertigo as the most erotic in cinema history, someone from the peanut gallery asked if Ebert wanted the audience to leave so he could watch the scene by himself. Without missing a beat, Ebert deadpanned, "No, but you can leave."
Lust for Ecstasy: George Kuchar keeps the underground alive
By JUSTIN HUMPHREYS
"Everybody," says one of the Virginia Film Festival's highlighted guests, "can now make a good or bad movie look great with the equipment available today." He oughta know.
In the 1960s, alongside superstars like Andy Warhol, George Kuchar and his brother Michael, who'll join him here, were fervently producing demented epics on nonexistent budgets for midnight screenings– over 200 titles to their credit. And what titles.
George and Michael Kuchar mastered the art of the gloriously lurid moniker. Their collaborations include Lust for Ecstasy (1964), The Craven Sluck (1967), and The Devil's Cleavage (1975); but their most popular work remains Sins of the Fleshapoids (1965), a delirious science fiction thriller-cum-Roman epic.
"If I wanted to make something, I made it with the existing material at hand," Kuchar, now 66, says via email. "The financial insult fuels the energetic desperation needed to infuse the production with creative vitality."
He and his brother transformed fragments of their favorite wonderfully lowbrow movie melodramas into comic book-like cinematic pastiches. Garishly lit, with a bombastic Hollywood soundtrack, home-brewed props, and starring non-actors, a typical Kuchar movie is wildly intense, with an endearing respect for those fabulous B-movies that film snobs despise. Directors John (Hairspray) Waters and Todd (Happiness) Solondz rank among the Kuchars' devotees.
Kuchar, says he considers movies "a cheap vacation that's color-coordinated and filled with attractive people." Unlike, say, George Lucas who creates empires from studio millions, Kuchar admits he conjures an "invisible empire" by "just using our time to make what looks like maybe a big movie."
And he celebrates the advent of computer editing after years of painstakingly splicing grainy 16mm film. Today, enough time spent on iMovie can make footage "look good no matter how wretched the original material," he says. "You don't have to smell glue or sit around and wait for the splices to dry."
He maintains that a meager budget is a filmmaker's best friend, and his own films remain inexpensive, owing to his vast collection of filmmaking hardware.
"We all do it for fun, so no one gets paid, and there's no lab costs," he says. "Everything is done at home or in a motel room."
Currently teaching filmmaking part-time at the San Francisco Art Institute, he says he enjoys guiding budding cineastes through the rigors of ultra-low-budget moviemaking.
"I get to see the young generation fool around with imagery and genres that are reinterpreted with eyes different from mine," he enthuses. "It makes for a sharper depth of field that benefits us both."
With the moviemaking process so thoroughly democratized, Kuchar seems wryly delighted to see it potentially revitalize the cinematic underground that he helped establish.
"The best thing about all this is that the glut of product makes an individual more invisible," says Kuchar. "Therefore, you can pretty much make what you want as nobody will be paying attention to it anyway. This freedom is truly refreshing."
George and Mike Kuchar will host the following screenings: "Blips, Demonoids, and Ju-Ju Cults" at 9:30pm Friday, October 31, at the McCormick Observatory; "Kuchars in Space" at 1pm Saturday, November 1, at the Vinegar Hill Theater, and at 9:30pm November 1, George will introduce his Secrets of the Shadow World solo at the McCormick Observatory.
Aussie twist: Aboriginal plays Marilyn
By JUSTIN HUMPHREYS
Australian documentary filmmaker Darlene Johnson's latest film, River of No Return, began percolating when Frances Djulibing, an Aboriginal woman, was visiting Johnson in Sydney to help her with translations for Johnson's film, Crocodile Dreaming. There, Djulibing revealed that "she always wanted to be an actor, just like Marilyn Monroe," Johnson recently told the Hook.
"And I thought to myself, 'You can't get further removed from Aboriginal traditional culture than Marilyn Monroe,'" Johnson, 38, recalls.
It wasn't mere matinee idolatry, either. Djulibing "was actually saying how she connected or identified with Marilyn's spirit and sense of humor," Johnson explains. "And what I thought was really brilliant is that she never, ever saw her own skin color or her cultural background, being a tribal woman from Arnhem Land, or the fact that she came from a very remote part of Australia as being a barrier to achieving her childhood dream."
Djulibing's wish was granted at age 44 when director Rolf (The Tracker) de Heer cast her as Nowalingu, the female lead in his Ten Canoes (which played at the Virginia Film Festival in 2006). The film was a hit. Her family already had a cinematic history: her uncle is Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil, who joined Johnson in 2003 in Charlottesville for a screening of her documentary on him, One Red Blood.
River's title alludes ironically to Monroe's film of the same name. Aside from Djulibing's deep connection with Monroe, River concentrates on how Djulibing dealt with her sudden notoriety– potentially, a river of no return. After Djulibing starred in the film, "Then she goes back to the bush where she came from," Johnson says. "How does someone like her go about getting some more acting experience or pursuing that childhood dream of hers? To gain more experience and get more work.
"So it was really looking at just how practical that was, and if a traditional Aboriginal person could actually make that transition from that cultural world to Western white culture, and to see if that was actually feasible."
Meanwhile, Djulibing remains as devoted as ever to the late screen goddess, whom she credits with inspiring her to act. "There was something about [Monroe's] vulnerability and her humor and her womanness– whatever" that first sparked that wish, Johnson says. "And she believes that Marilyn is with her in spirit."
Johnson encourages locals to turn out for this, her third Virginia Film Festival appearance.
"How often do you get to meet a traditional Aboriginal woman from Australia in Charlottesville, Virginia?" she posits. "I mean, virtually never."
Darlene Johnson and Frances Djulibing will host a screening of River of No Return at the Regal Downtown Theater #4 on Sunday, November 2, at 1 pm. There will be a Q & A session afterwards.
Aliens-ated: Herskowitz looks back– and forward
By LISA PROVENCE
Shortly after the lights go out on the 21st Virginia Film Festival, the man behind the curtain will head west. That man is Richard Herskowitz, who for 15 festivals has put together theme, programs, and guests, leaving an event that nearly went under in 1996 now firmly established in the film festival pantheon as the academically cool one where filmmakers get taken seriously for their intellect. Really. And that's no small feat.
"He's really enhanced what makes it unique," says Bob Gazzale, an early festival director.
"There are film festivals all over the world," says Gazzale, now president and CEO of the American Film Institute. "There are film festivals about red carpets. There are film festivals about skiing. I think Richard Herskowitz has enhanced that academic reputation."
The festival was the brainchild of former Governor Gerald Baliles, who was looking for a way to lure filmmakers to Virginia to drop production dollars into the local economy, and he used Charlottesville in autumn as the bait. He recruited billionaire John Kluge and his then wife, Patricia, and they launched a splashy festival in 1988. The early years starred A-listers like Jimmy Stewart, Gregory Peck, and Ann-Margret.
In fact, those early festivals were so splashy that they created some immediate problems for Herskowitz, who arrived as programming director in the summer of 1994.
He'd come from Cornell, where he'd been film programmer and adjunct curator of film and video at its Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art. In 12 years, he'd delivered just one celebrity: Christopher Reeve.
"This year– 1994– had Andre Gregory, Griffin Dunne, Roger Ebert, Jules Feiffer, and Judy Lewis," he observes of his freshman outing. "As a group of guests, they were way more stellar than I had ever had."
Guests like Charlton Heston in '91, Sidney Poitier in '92, and Robert Mitchum in '93 created the expectation that the film fest would always land major stars.
"Do you know how hard it is to get A-listers to Virginia?" asks Herskowitz. "And the media response was so shocking to me: 'Why can't this guy line up anyone?'"
The star thing has always been the bête noire for Herskowitz, because he never knows until fairly late who will come to the festival, especially among working actors. Like in 2006, when Morgan Freeman, Robert Duvall, and Liev Schreiber, William Mosely, and now red-hot January Jones created a flood of names for "Revelations: Finding God at the Movies."
"Normally, for every 25 invitations we send out," says Herskowitz, "we get one."
He attributes the stars that do come to a "powerhouse" board. "They help leverage the stars," he says, and he relates the story of Jason Robards, who was here in 1997, telling Herskowitz about being double-teamed by producer Marc Abraham in Los Angeles and then in New York, where producer Lewis Allen touted the glories of Charlottesville in autumn.
Herskowitz says high-profile guests enjoy the Festival as "an intellectual retreat where they could come and recharge their batteries."
If the stars are "the icing on the cake," Herskowitz says he's thrilled by this year's filmmakers like Guillermo Arriaga (Babel), Abderrahmane Sissako (Life on Earth), and Gregory Nava (El Norte) who are "international superstars" in the film world, even if they're not "Entertainment Weekly names." ("I hope for my successor," he adds, "there's less pressure for that superstar icing.")
Shortly after Herskowitz arrived, the name of the event, originally the Virginia Festival of American Film, dropped "American" in recognition that filmmaking is an international affair.
One thing that hasn't been dropped are the themes, a rarity in the world of festivals. Before Herskowitz's arrival, they had been devoted to genre: musicals, film noir, romance.
"I was inclined," says Herskowitz, "to take themes that were more conceptual, that were springboards."
Thus ensued "Cool" in 1998, "Wet" in drought year 2002, and in 1997, "Caged!" which also featured an exclamation point like this year's "Aliens!"
"I think the topics have grown more political over the years– 'In/Justice,' last year's 'Kin Flicks' touching on the marriage amendment," says Herskowitz. "Aliens!" came when "it was fairly obvious that immigration was going to be the theme last year after [Congressman] Virgil Goode went after illegal immigrants."
His favorite was 1995's "U.S. and Them," which, he concedes is a similar theme to Aliens! "I do think this one is a return to 'U.S. and Them' theme. I felt like I barely skimmed the surface, and the concept of aliens overlaps the fear of slimy extraterrestrials and that of people coming over the border."
Other themes, he admits, were harder for him, such as "Revelations: Finding God at the Movies." The religious theme was "really outside my areas of interest and expertise," he says. "I didn't want to offend anyone."
Another change hit the festival in 1996 when the Kluge support ended, the festival budget was slashed from $600,000 to $200,000 and along with programming the film festival, Herskowitz was saddled with teaching responsibilities. That year's theme, "Wild Spaces, Endangered Places," hit closer to home than many realized.
"He looks at topics that are topical," says Rita McClenney, head of the Virginia Film Office.
"It's a massive puzzle to put together with 80 moving parts: theme, people, programming," says McClenney. "It's not just screening films. It's thoughtful programming, building on a central theme, bringing many points of view."
One of the people who's most influenced Herskowitz while he's been here is film critic Roger Ebert, who made about half a dozen Charlottesville appearances over the years– always providing multi-day workshops on a classic film.
"I have to admit, I was a bit of a snob when I came here," says Herskowitz, "I thought Roger Ebert was one of these thumbs up, thumbs down guys. But the way he did shot-by-shot, he made me a better teacher."
His favorite Ebert story comes from 2002, right before the critic was going to interview Nicolas Cage, who'd come to the festival to screen a film he'd directed, and who'd brought an entourage that included his soon-to-be ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley.
"My publicist said a number of tabloid reporters were in the audience and were going to ask about Lisa Marie during the question and answer period," recalls Herskowitz. "Of course Ebert did it beautifully, and no one noticed he didn't open it up to questions."
Another favorite Ebert interview moment: "Anthony Hopkins was enjoying it so much, he began jumping up and acting out his parts– Hannibal Lecter, Richard Nixon," recounts Herskowitz. "It was electrifying. Ebert said, 'Tony, I've done hundreds of interviews, and I've never seen anything like this.'"
Although Ebert, struggling with medical problems, hasn't been here since 2002, Charlottesville was a place for him to recharge as it was for other special guests in the industry, says Herskowitz.
As for his dream guest, that would be Paul Newman, who died September 26. "I tried for so many years," says Herskowitz. "He was [wife] Jill [Hartz]'s favorite actor. There's a lost opportunity."
Herskowitz moves to Eugene, Oregon, to join Hartz after she lost her job as head of the University Art Museum late last year, much to the chagrin of many in the local art community who credit her with dusting off the museum's fusty image. In previous years, they collaborated, and her absence explains why there will be no multi-media art exhibit tied to this year's 'Aliens!' theme.
At University of Oregon, he'll be teaching and developing exhibition programs, and possibly a new film festival. (And he has part-time gig as curator of the newly formed Houston Cinema Arts Society, which he describes as a cross between a film fest and an art show, with mixed media performances, music, dance and more.)
"My dream film festival may be the one in Houston," says Herskowitz, who has always had a fondness for experimental film and interactive media. "As a programmer, you have to be a gatekeeper. You can't just show films you like. In Houston, the focus is primarily experimental and interactive media. I'm absolutely gleeful to be able to indulge myself."
Despite his wife's unexpected firing from Mr. Jefferson's U, "I am extremely fond of this university," he stresses. "What really made this film festival unique was its association with the university and the interaction with its faculty, students, alumni, and community. It's an absolutely great university that I cherish."
He pauses, then continues. "I feel about the university much the way I do about this country: I love this country, but I have some problem with its administration."
And his concern for the future of the Virginia Film Festival is what he sees as a trend to focus on serving the academic community at the expense of the community at large.
"I really hope the larger community that wants this festival to continue to be the Virginia Film Festival knows it's really important to maintain this public outreach," warns Herskowitz. "The art supporters in the community need to step up so it can serve a larger community."
"He's had to be a major politician," says producer and UVA alum Mark Johnson. The maker of such blockbusters as The Chronicles of Narnia and Rainman, the charter Festival board member has experience in dealing with super-sized egos.
"I think the politics alone," Johnson says, "would have done me in."
Johnson says the board was constantly impressed by Herskowitz's ability to find fresh themes and films that fit them, and fellow board member Gazzale agrees.
"Time and time again when Richard reports to the board," says Gazzale, "his ideas for the program are ideas I've never heard before. That's rare in the film festival world."
It's a rare treat for Herskowitz too. At Cornell, he programmed different movies every night but yearned for the opportunity "to be like a museum curator" and explore in-depth a topic for a year. He had that here, and now moves on to develop new festivals with Houston and maybe the University of Oregon.
Richard Herskowitz has found his medium.
May we suggest? Hook experts pick best pix
By HOOK STAFF
Four film buffs choose five films to winnow the field of 80 events at this year's Virginia Film Festival.
Lindsay Barnes
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
If you were a fan of last year's Best Picture winner No Country for Old Men, then you have to check out this other existentialist masterpiece set in the Texas desert starring Tommy Lee Jones, who turns in one of his best performances as a rancher who seeks justice by tracking down the Border Patrol agent (Barry Pepper) who shot his best worker, and taking him on an unusual journey south of the Rio Grande.
1pm Sunday, November 2, Culbreth Theatre with writer Guillermo Arriaga
King of the Corner
If you only know Peter Riegert as Boon from Animal House, check out this directorial debut of his from 2004. An anatomy of a midlife crisis, it boasts the amazing cast of Isabella Rossellini, Eli Wallach, Eric Bogosian, and Beverly D'Angelo with a score by legendary rock 'n roll keyboardist Al Kooper.
10:15am Sunday, November 2, Regal Downtown, with Peter Riegert
Sunshine Cleaning
Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, two of the funniest up-and-coming actresses today, get to play alongside a legend in Alan Arkin (fresh off his comedic turns in Little Miss Sunshine and Get Smart) in this dark comedy about a business specializing in cleaning up particularly messy crime scenes. Written and directed by promising but largely untested young filmmakers, it could be this year's Juno.
7pm Saturday, November 1, Newcomb Hall with writer Megan Holley and producer Glenn Williamson
West Side Story
Even if you've seen it before, endless imitations and parodies have obfuscated the brilliance of this Best Picture winner in the 47 years since its original theatrical release. See it on the big screen, and ask yourself if the issues of race, immigration, gang violence, and forbidden love that it took on in 1961 still aren't relevant in 2008.
1pm Friday, October 31, Culbreth Theatre
The Mark of Zorro
While it's not The Dark Knight or Iron Man, this in many ways was the original action flick, starring one of Hollywood's original box office heroes, Douglas Fairbanks, as the titular swashbuckler. For old timey fun, make the trip down to Scottsville to watch this classic with live musical accompaniment by Matt Marshall and Elizabeth Leverage of the Reel Music Ensemble, just as it was meant to be viewed when released in 1920.
1pm Sunday, November 2, Scottsville Victory Theatre
Lindsay Barnes is a reporter and the special sections editor for the Hook.
Justin Humphreys
Justin Humphreys
"Game over, man, game over!" James Cameron and his Academy Award-winning crew produced this miracle of economy in 1986 for a paltry $17 million. There's a lot to love about Aliens: the magnificent (and blessedly CGI-free) special effects; the cast (with especially high praise due for Bill Paxton's Hudson and Lance Henriksen's Bishop); its vehement dislike of corporate scum; but more than anything, Cameron's uncanny ability to manipulate his audiences' emotions like Jascha Heifetz played the violin.
4pm Sunday, November 2, Culbreth Theatre
Through this outstanding 1959 film, Luis Bunuel reminds us how thoroughly he hated everyone– the uncomprehending established church, apathetic upper and middle classes, and the belligerent lower class– with perhaps the exception of the film's titular padre. Through Father Nazarin, Bunuel posits the idea that, in a place as wretched as our modern world, a priest who attempted to truly emulate Christ's humaneness and unswerving generosity would be considered a raving lunatic, tormented, and imprisoned. And that's how Bunuel treated characters that he liked!
Friday, October 31, Regal Downtown
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Whatever qualms people have with Steven Spielberg, he deserves high praise for lovingly making science fiction films devoid of the condescension and snobbery they're so often treated with. In his 1977 hit, he makes stunning use of that most basic, primal, and effective of cinematic devices– light– in the form of the overwhelming alien Mother Ship (the handiwork of effects geniuses like Douglas Trumbull and Greg Jein).
10am Sunday, November 2, Culbreth Theatre
Cat People
RKO producer Val Lewton excelled at making sublime, gorgeous, infinitely subtle horror masterpieces christened with deceptively lurid titles. His Cat People (1942) is arguably foremost among them. The gorgeous, feline Simone Simon stars as the tortured Irina, a Serbian immigrant suffering under an ancient curse, and battling her own fierce sexual frigidity. Noir specialist cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca outdid himself with this one.
4 pm Sunday, November 2, Regal Downtown
Bad Day at Black Rock
The brilliant and underrated Robert Ryan delivers a show-stopping performance in a film chock-a-block with them. The town Black Rock's signature desolate landscape is as intense a presence as anyone portraying its cowed citizens or the redneck trash that bully them. Made in 1955, it's one of director John (The Great Escape) Sturges' finest films.
10am Friday, October 31, Culbreth Theatre with Michael Sturges
Justin Humphreys worked on the visual effects crew of the recently-released Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, appropriately under the direction of Robert Skotak, who won his first Academy Award for—appropriately enough—Aliens. His second book, Interviews Too Shocking to Print!, is due out next year, and his authorized biography of filmmaker George Pal is currently being vetted for publication.
Laura Parsons
Laura Parsons
"Space Brothers and Others" with curator Craig Baldwin
What do movies about space invaders and our current paranoia about illegal immigration have in common? More than you might think, as curator Craig Baldwin, a filmmaker best known for his masterful use of found footage, shows in this series of shorts exploring xenophobia that range from pieces by artists Bjorn Melhus, Rodney Ascher, and Bill Brown to footage from the Ford Motor Company. A highlight is Baldwin's 1991 Tribulation 99: Alien Anomalies Under America, which collages found footage into a comic story about spaceships, the CIA, and Latin America.
8:15pm Thursday, October 30, McCormick Observatory
"Desired Constellations" with curator Jeanne Liotta
Mention "Joseph Cornell," and most art aficionados immediately think of collaged boxes. But— surprise— Cornell was also among the first to create avant-garde films using found footage. Experimental filmmaker Jeanne Liotta presents a veritable history lesson in the movers and shakers who took celluloid into the realm of art with this series of 12 shorts, including rarely seen work by Cornell, James Whitney, Hollis Frampton, and others.
7pm Friday, October 31, McCormick Observatory
"Kuchars in Space" with George and Mike Kuchar
This is a collection of science-fiction-esque films by twin brothers George and Mike Kuchar, who have gone from being the infants terribles of campy underground cinema in the 1950s to being the grand old masters of wackness in the 21st century. Sins of the Fleshapoids— need I say more?
1pm Saturday, November 1, Vinegar Hill
Little White Feather and the Hunter
The last time Pocahontas was larger than life on the silver screen was in Terence Mallick's The New World. You remember the story, right? John Smith, rescue, trip to England... or do you? British artist Anna Lucas visited Virginia in 2007 and asked people here and in England to tell her what they knew about Pocahontas. From these accounts, she constructed this documentary-like film that explores the fictionalization of reality. With native son Derek Sieg's latest, Wasteland.
4pm Saturday, November 1, Vinegar Hill, with Derek Sieg
"Ancient Astronauts" with curator Ed Halter
A highly entertaining shot of nostalgia for those who lived through the 1970s and an introduction to what used to pass as "documentary" for those born later, this illustrated lecture by micro-film expert Ed Halter examines the phenomenon of Sunn International, which released pseudo-scientific films exploring Bigfoot (yours truly saw that one at the drive-in), the Bermuda Triangle, and UFOs. Not to be missed, Halter's presentation will include the kitsch classic, Chariots of the God, in its entirety.
7pm Saturday, November 1, McCormick Observatory
Laura Parsons is the Hook's art critic.
Steve Warren
Steve Warren
El Norte
One of the first immigration sagas made after the U.S. put the lid on the melting pot, El Norte (1983) was a forerunner of such recent films as The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Trade, and, yes, Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Gregory Nava, who went on to direct My Family/Mi Familia and Selena, details the difficult journey of teenage Guatemalan Indians, brother and sister, traveling to Los Angeles to escape persecution at home. Though a moving personal story, it's unusually epic in scope for an independent film.
7pm Saturday, November 1, at the Regal Downtown with director Gregory Nava
A Jihad for Love
While our government would have us fear all Muslims as potential terrorists, some of them are afraid of the governments in their own countries. They're gay men and lesbians, whom Islamic extremists would execute. A Jihad for Love introduces a few, with their friends and lovers. Documentarian Parvez Sharma visited 12 countries to find and film his subjects, sometimes accompanying them as they fled their homelands to seek asylum abroad. Most insist on having their faces blurred, fearing retaliation against their families. Aside from the blurring, the cinematography is so beautiful the film would have made a worthy travelogue without the gay content.
4pm Friday, October 31, at the Regal Downtown with director Parvez Sharma
The Wrestler
No one, except maybe Mickey Rourke, could have cared less than I did whether Rourke ever made a comeback. But reading reactions to The Wrestler from the festival circuit– including Venice, where it won the Golden Lion– you can't help but feel happy for the guy. He plays Randy "The Ram" Robinson, who is making the same kind of comeback on the pro wrestling circuit Rourke is making on the acting circuit. It's also a comeback of sorts for director Darren Aronofsky, who followed Pi and Requiem for a Dream with the atrocious The Fountain.
7pm Friday, October 31, at Culbreth Theatre
Lake City
Our own Sissy Spacek reportedly scores again in this film that sounds a bit like A History of Violence. Troy Garity plays Spacek's estranged son who returns to her Virginia farm (filming was done in the Richmond area) to hide from drug dealers who are chasing him. Of course they'll find him before the movie's over. Charlottesville's own Dave Matthews is in the supporting cast, as are Rebecca Romijn, Colin Ford, Keith Carradine, and Drea de Matteo. It's the first feature for writer-directors Hunter Hill and Perry Moore.
7pm Thursday, October 30, at Culbreth Theatre, with Sissy Spacek, Troy Garity, and producer Mark Johnson
Galaxy Quest
Tim Allen as William Shatner– what a concept! GalaxyQuest (1999) is a lightweight comedy that far exceeded critical expectations and did pretty fair business, too. Allen, Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman play the stars of an old cult TV series who are recruited at a fan convention by extraterrestrials who have seen and believed the show and think the actors can help them conquer their interplanetary enemies. It's an affectionate spoof, so don't expect edgy, but every festival should have such comic relief.
10pm Friday, October 31, at Newcomb Hall
When Steve Warren isn't portraying a zombie in the occasional indie horror flick, he reviews movies for the Hook.

subset: commoncrawl


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This chili is for Divya who is hosting JFI-Rajma, event created By Mahanandi.
2-3 handful of goat cheese crumbled
1 handful of basil leaves (I used cilantro at home)
10-12 red cherry tomatoes - chopped
few olives chopped (I had none at home)
salt to taste
peper to taste
How To
Warm the red kidney beans in the microwave for 1 or 2 minutes to get it slightly warm. (The cafeteria chef put this salad on the flat bread and baked it for 5 minutes).
Add the goat cheese, basil leaves and cherry tomatoes and olives and toss well.
Serve with salt and pepper sprinkled on the top...


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B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: email@example.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 11, 2011) – It's another week of updates on U.S. Men's National and A2 Team players competing around the world.
The U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team will hold an inter-squad Red versus Blue scrimmage at 7 p.m. on May 21 at the JSerra High School Pavilion (26351 Junipero Serra Road) in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Players from the 2011 World League and Pan American Cup teams are expected to compete.
Tickets will cost $10 at the door. For questions, contact Tim Layton at email@example.com.
Zenit Kazan, the Russian Super League team of U.S. setter Lloy Ball (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.), won the Russian Super League championship series, 3-1 over Dinamo Moscow.
The teams were tied at 1-1 on May 6 when Kazan beat Moscow, 19-25, 25-15, 18-25, 25-22, 15-12. Priddy scored 10 points on nine kills (0.40 hitting percentage) and one ace. Ball added three points on one kill, one block and one ace and set the team to a 0.41 hitting percentage.
To view photos of the match, click here.
Kazan took the championship in May 7 with a 25-17, 25-23, 25-15 victory. Priddy scored 10 points on eight kills (0.44 hitting percentage) and two aces. He was credited with 18 receptions, 61 percent positive and 28 percent excellent. Ball six points on three kills, one block and two aces and set the team to a 0.56 hitting percentage.
To view photos of the match and victory celebration, click here.
To view an interview with Lloy Ball, click here.
VfB Friedrichshafen and U.S. middle blocker Matt Denmark (Edmond, Okla.) won the German league playoffs, defeating U.S. outside hitter Scott Touzinsky (St. Louis, Mo.) and SCC Berlin, 3-0.
The final match was played May 7. VfB Friedrichshafen won 25-14, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22. Touzinsky started the first two sets but did not score. Denmark played as a substitute and did not score.
Unicaja Almeria, the Spanish league team of U.S. middle blocker David Smith (Saugus, Calif.) fell to CAI Voleibol Teruel, 3-1 in the league championship series.
With the teams tied 1-1 on May 7, Teruel took the series lead with a 25-23, 25-14, 24-26, 25-17 victory. Smith scored six points on three kills and three blocks.
On May 8, Teruel won the series with a 25-5, 18-25, 20-25, 25-19, 15-12 victory. Smith scored nine points on seven kills and two blocks.
U.S. setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) and outside hitter Eric Vance (Camarillo, Calif.) and their French B league team Chaumont fell to Avignon 2-0 in the league playoff semifinals.
After winning the first match, 3-2, Avignon won the second match on May 7 with the same set ratio, 22-25, 19-25, 25-23, 25-19, 21-19. Vance led all scorers with 31 points on a 31 kills (0.69 kill percentage).
Tickets to see the U.S. Men play Poland at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates are available at the Sears Centre Arena Box Office (5333 Prairie Stone Parkway), online at SearsCentre.com or by calling (888) SEARSTIX (732-7784).
Tickets to see the U.S. Men take on world No. 1 Brazil in Tulsa at the Reynolds Center at the University of Tulsa are available online at TulsaHurricane.com. Tickets are available at the box office (800 South Tucker Drive) by calling (918) 631-4688 or in person (office hours 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday-Friday).
Tickets to see the U.S. Men play Puerto Rico on July 1-2 (7 p.m. PT both nights) at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach can be purchased by visiting the Long Beach State athletics web site, by calling the ticket office at (562) 985-4949 or by visiting the box office (open 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. starting June 6; the address is 1250 Bellflower Blvd.).
For more information, visit the USA Volleyball World League web site.


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Jerome Slope
Jerome Hill
This park is named after Leonard W. Jerome (1817-1891), a prominent and wealthy Brooklyn citizen. He was a successful stock speculator, making and losing several fortunes and, in the process, earning the nickname the King of Wall Street. He was also the principal owner of The New York Times for several years, the founder of the American Academy of Music, and the maternal grandfather of Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965), Great Britain's legendary World War II Prime Minister.
Jerome was an avid sportsman and enjoyed yachting and horse racing. He helped found the American Jockey Club, and he built the Jerome Park Racetrack in the Bronx, in conjunction with his brothers and the financier August Belmont (1816-1890). The track opened on September 25, 1866, and it marked the return of thoroughbred racing to the metropolitan area after a hiatus during the Civil War. The appointments were lavish, with a large dining room, a magnificent ballroom, and clubhouse accommodations comparable to a luxury hotel. In 1867, the Belmont Stakes, one of the three major horse races that constitute the Triple Crown, was held at Jerome Park, and it remained there until 1890. Jerome Park's urbane attractions came to an end in 1890, when the city condemned the property for the Jerome Park Reservoir of the New Croton Aqueduct.
Jerome's daughter Jennie Jerome (1854-1921) became the mother of Winston Churchill. Jeanette Jerome was born at 426 Henry Street in Brooklyn, and grew up in various residences in New York City. In 1867, her mother took her and her two sisters to Paris, after her father became involved in a scandal. There she mingled with the European upper classes, and in 1873 she met Lord Randolph Churchill (1849-1895), a dashing young English nobleman with an immaculate pedigree and political ambitions. They married in 1874. Beautiful, witty, and charming, Jenny was an immediate success in British society. While she did not involve herself in her husband's political career, she was an outspoken opponent of women's suffrage, and she and her son Winston were often heckled by suffragettes. After Lord Churchill died in 1895, Jennie occupied herself by editing a short-lived literary magazine and writing several books and plays. She remarried twice and died in 1921.
This parkland, located at West 165th Street and bounded by Jerome Avenue, Anderson Avenue, and P.S. 73, was acquired in 1923 by the Board of Education. After constructing P.S. 73, the Board of Education had no further need for the remaining parcel and transferred it back to the city. In 1934, Parks accepted title of the land and constructed a playground.
Jerome Avenue was originally laid out in 1874 as a plank road named Central Avenue, which connected the Central Bridge (now the Macomb's Dam Bridge) with the Jerome Park Racetrack. In 1888, it was paved and converted into a tree-lined boulevard, and the Board of Aldermen planned to name it after an alderman. Outraged upon hearing this, Kate Hall Jerome, Leonard Jerome's widow, had expensive bronze street signs cast bearing the name "Jerome Avenue." She then paid workmen to install her Jerome Avenue signs on poles along the avenue. Seeing the lengths that Mrs. Jerome went to in order to have the street named for her husband, the Board of Aldermen quietly dropped the matter, and the unknown alderman's name slipped between the cracks of history.


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The remains of a storm-wrecked seaside church, standing stark and dramatic like part of a film set or TV scenario, give Cwm-yr-Eglwys (Church Valley) in North Pembrokeshire its name.
Cwm-yr-Eglwys is a tiny hamlet and popular family beach at the eastern end of a little valley which runs from there to Pwllgwaelod in the west, separating the high headland called Dinas Island from the mainland by a narrow stream. Dinas Island is a misnomer as you can cross the valley without getting your feet wet. The cliffs here soar to a height of 463-feet at the triangulation station at Pen-y-fan on its northern tip overlooking Fishguard Bay and the Irish Sea.
The walk round Dinas Island on part of the 170-miles long Pembrokeshire National Park Coastal Footpath, is an exhilarating one whether you climb the steep cliff slopes from the western or eastern end. Caution is required at the western end in particular for the path, which has eroded in some places, passes very close to the cliff edge as you leave Pwllgwaelod. The worst section is near Pen Castell (Castle Head) where some people believe the embankment was an Iron age fort, but experts say is a geological feature.
Cwm-yr-Eglwys has a small sandy beach and the churchyard is a grassy area popular for picnics and children's games. The bathing is safe and its sheltered situation - except in 'Royal Charter" storms - makes it an ideal beach for launching small boats from a narrow slipway made for the purpose. There is limited parking for a modest charge. The beach has a Seaside Award and a Green Coast Award, which is similar to Blue Flag status, but for rural beaches, and dogs are permitted on the beach. During the first two weeks of August the local Boat Club provides a colourful spectacle for visitors with their annual regatta with swimming races, rowing races, sandcastle competitions and many other actvities in which anyone can join.
The little church which gives this beach it's name is dedicated to St Brynach was demolished by a violent hurricane in 1859, a storm which caused havoc all round the Welsh coast with many shipwrecks and much coastal damage.
The famous wreck of the Royal Charter off the Anglesey coast, while on passage from Melbourne to Liverpool, which resulted in the deaths of 497 people and the loss of a cargo of gold, occurred in the same storm.
During World War Two the island was farmed by the naturalist Ronald Lockley, who kept pigs and sheep there, and sheep still graze on the clifftop fields.
St Brynach, who is also celebrated at nearby Nevern, was reputedly a bit of an Irish wild boy of the 6th century, who became a priest and had a cell at Nevern where he communicated with the angels at Carn Ingli (Rock of the Angels). Most of his work centred on Nevern and his cult is associated with ancient tracks leading to Glamorgan and Brecon.


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A couple of Chicago lawyers are engaged in an unseemly scrap over a busty paralegal, which one claims the other is using in court as a jubular distraction.
Attorneys Thomas Gooch and Dmitry N Feofanov are facing off in a small claims case over a used car. Gooch has objected to the presence in court of Feofanov's assistant Daniella Atencia, who he says is there purely "to draw the attention of the jury away from the relevant proceedings".
Gooch insists Atencia isn't actually a real paralegal, and has asked Cook County Circuit Judge Anita Rivkin-Carothers to have her removed to the public gallery.
He said: "Personally, I like large breasts. However, I object to somebody I don't think is a qualified paralegal sitting at the counsel table - when there's already two lawyers there - dressed in such a fashion as to call attention to herself."
Feofanov defended that Ms Atencia is indeed a full-fat paralegal, and has been paid as such "in two court orders by Cook County judges".
Gooch countered: "That's not a qualification. That means Dmitry handed up a bill to a judge that said 'paralegal' on it."
The judge has yet to rule on the weighty matter of Atencia's assets. You can judge for yourselves just how much of a distraction she is down at the Chicago Sun-Times. ®


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Accused killer of 5 pleads not guilty
YERINGTON — The 25-year-old man accused of five murders during a Mother's Day weekend killing spree in Northern Nevada has pleaded not guilty a third time after rejecting a plea deal that would have spared him the death penalty.
Jeremiah Bean entered the plea late Monday in state district court in Yerington, where he's expected to go to trial in January. He's charged with killing two couples in two homes in Fernley and a newspaper deliveryman at an Interstate 80 exit east of Reno near the Mustang Ranch brothel.
Bean's new court-appointed defense lawyer says the case is more complicated than it appears. His previous public defender recused himself after Bean surprised him in open court in early October by rejecting a plea bargain agreement he thought Bean had agreed to.


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Live: Senate votes 68-31 to cut off gun filibuster
- Senate takes key vote at 11 a.m. to break filibuster
- Vote will set up first major gun debate in 19 years
- Debate on gun bills likely to take weeks
The Senate on Thursday voted 68-31 to move forward and start the most comprehensive debate on reducing gun violence in 19 years.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev, said the process of amending the gun legislation will begin -- and there are several proposed changes that will be introduced. The first amendment offered will be the bipartisan deal to expand background checks on gun purchases negotiated by Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa. Scroll down for highlights:
11:38 a.m. ET: Reid announces the amendment process will begin. He says it will possibly take "weeks" to legislate. Reid also says there will be a vote on an assault weapons ban, which is not expected to pass.
11:35 a.m. ET: The final vote is 68-31. The debate begins. By our count, there were 16 Republican senators who agreed to move forward.
11:23 a.m. ET: Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, another Democrat from a red state being targeted in 2014, votes "yes."
11:20 a.m. ET: Another vote with political connotations: Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, votes "no." He is also facing voters next year, but is probably not as vulnerable as Pryor.
11:17 a.m. ET: Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., votes "no." He is up for re-election next year and is a top target for defeat. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., also on the ballot in 2014, votes "yes." The key will be to watch how they vote on the bill itself.
11:16 a.m. ET: The clerk has announced the first votes. GOP Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Susan Collins of Maine, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Johnny Isakson of Georgia and John McCain of Arizona are among the "yes" votes. That means they want to start debate. Collins is the only GOP senator up for re-election next from a state that President Obama carried in 2012.
11:13 a.m. ET: A reminder: A "yes" vote Thursday means the senator wants to go ahead and start debating gun legislation. It is not an indication of support for the substance of the bill. A "no" vote means stop -- don't move forward -- and essentially would kill the bill.
11:03 a.m. ET: The clerk is starting to call the roll and the senators are coming to the Senate floor. A bit of procedure: The senators are actually voting on what is called a motion to invoke cloture, which requires 60 votes. Then the next step would be to start the clock (for 30 hours of debate) on what is called a motion to proceed.
10:49 a.m. ET: USA TODAY's Jackie Kucinich is at a news conference with families of Newtown victims. They have a statement about the bipartisan deal announced Wednesday by Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., on expanded background checks for gun purchases. "We are deeply encouraged," they say. "No one should have to experience the pain we have endured."
10:44 a.m. ET: Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 GOP leader, brings up the point that the focus should be on keeping guns away from the mentally ill. He warns about choosing "symbolism" over "solutions."
10:40 a.m. ET: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., makes reference to the National Rifle Association and its warning that it will "score" senators on their votes Thursday. "We do not need a lobby's permission to pass laws," Leahy said, before imploring his colleagues to "stand up and be counted. Have the courage."
10:26 a.m. ET: Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, one of the Republicans seeking to filibuster gun legislation, just said the Senate needs more debate on guns -- not less -- to ensure that Second Amendment rights are upheld. "Proponents say the people deserve a vote," he said. "Don't they deserve to know what they're voting on?"
10:14 a.m. ET: Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., is telling the stories of children killed at Newtown as he stands besides a poster of some of the Sandy Hook victims. Politics may be politics, but it's clear that there will be several efforts to personalize the issue.
10:12 a.m. ET: Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democratic leader, brings up Hadiya Pendleton, the 15-year-old Chicago girl who was shot and killed shortly after participating in President Obama's inauguration.
9:50 a.m. ET: A reminder that the Senate is taking up gun legislation because of the Dec. 14 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., explains that several family members who lost loved ones at Sandy Hook are in the chamber. "Today let us decide there will be no more Newtowns," Blumenthal urges.
9:30 a.m. ET: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., kicked things off by saying he wants to start debate — but whether the gun legislation passes won't be known for some time. "I hope we can ... start legislating today," he said. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell followed.


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(Pocket-lint) - Music streaming is by far the most popular way for us to consume music. Where once we had to import and rip CDs to our computers, or download songs (legally we hope), we now access to the music from all over the world through our smartphones.
There's fierce competition between music streaming services too, but out of all the services available, there are four that can be considered the "big players": Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play Music and Amazon Music Unlimited.
While all four offer access to similarly large catalogues of music, each have their own unique features to help differentiate. Which means picking the service that is right for you can be tricky. Fortunately, we're here to help run down the services available and what they offer.
Apple Music vs Spotify vs Google Play Music vs Amazon Music Unlimited
Apple Music is an ideal service if you rely heavily on iTunes and have an iPhone. It combines your iTunes library on your computer, with any songs you add from Apple Music's cloud servers. The catalogue is extensive, it gives you access to music videos, along with some exclusive content from select artists. It also has the 24 hour Beats 1 radio station, which is a great place to discover new music.
Spotify is the current King of music streaming, with over 70 million paying subscribers. You can add your own music to your Spotify library, but it's not as simple and straightforward as Apple's offering. Spotify can be accessed on a wide range of speakers, soundbars and other home entertainment equipment via Spotify Connect.
Google Play Music will let you add up to 50,000 of your own songs to your online library, which you can then download for offline listening across devices, providing you pay for the Unlimited tier. It has an instant sharing platform through Google+ and is available on a wide range of devices.
Amazon Music Unlimited is the most recent service to the streaming party but has arrived with a few party tricks. It has different pricing tiers for exactly the same content, depending on if you're a Prime subscriber or if you just want to use it through an Echo device. The Music Unlimited app also now comes with Alexa Cast, enabling you to cast music to your devices from within the app: What is Alexa Cast and how does it work?
Apple Music
What is it?: Apple Music is a service with access to tens of millions of songs. It has been designed to combine music you have bought with music you've saved from Apple's cloud services in the Apple Music library. The app has five tabs/features comprising Library, For You, Browse, Radio, and Search.
The For You tab serves up a mix of handpicked albums and playlists based on the music you like, while the Browse tab presents the week's newest tracks, videos and playlists that have been selected by Apple Music editors. The Radio tab is where you'll find Beats 1, which is a 24-hour live global station led by DJs such as Zane Lowe, Ebro Darden, and Julie Adenuga, as well as other expertly-curated stations created by radio DJs.
Library is where you'll find all your music, whether it be songs you've imported from your computer, songs you've bought from iTunes or songs you've added from Apple Music's servers. And finally, Search is where you, well, search for any music you want.
Siri has been programmed to work with Apple Music so you can ask her to play the best songs from 1994... and she will do just that. Once you've started playing a song, you can swipe up to reveal the next songs in the playing queue or lyrics to the song that is currently playing (you'll only get these features if you have iOS 10 or later installed).
If the song you're listening to isn't in your library, you can add it, add it to a playlist, create a station of songs based around the one playing or share it with friends.
- £9.99/month per user
- £14.99/month for a family of six
- £99.99/year - save £19.89 over monthly membership
- £4.99/month for Student Membership
- Free to listen to Beats 1 without subscription
- iOS
- Mac
- Android
Conclusion: Apple Music is a single app that combines your music, a streaming service and a worldwide live radio station. Everything lives in one place, so you can stream anything choose or you can let Apple Music choose for you.
What is it?: Spotify boasts nearly 160 million users, 71 million of which pay for the service. The rest subscribe to Spotify's free tier, which limits music quality and plays adverts every few songs. The free tier also excludes users from using other features such as being able to use it with Sonos and Spotify Connect.
You'll be able to add your purchased music into Spotify using your computer, but you'll have to add them manually. You will be able to listen to tracks offline if you pay for the Premium version, but you can't download songs with the free tier.
Spotify gives you access to millions of tracks and ready-made playlists, along with Spotify radio. It will learn as you listen and through associations, will make recommendations based on your tastes. There is also a band merchandise store front that will give you easy access to your favourite band's T-shirt, for example. Spotify also offers Facebook integration so you can follow your friends to see what they're listening to.
Additionally, Spotify teamed up with Google to offer Chromecast and Chromecast Audio support allowing anyone to turn any speakers into smart connected players and Spotify Connect allows you to play the service through compatible speakers.
- Free tier with adverts.
- £9.99/month for Premium tier
- 50 per cent off Premium with Unidays or NUS Extra for student
- £15/month for a family of five
- Android
- BlackBerry
- Boxee
- iOS
- Linux
- MeeGo
- Microsoft Windows
- Openpandora OS X
- PlayStation
- Roku
- Samsung Smart TV
- Sonos
- Squeezebox
- Telia Digital-tv
- TiVo
- webOS
- Withings Aura
- Home entertainment systems and cars via Spotify Connect
Conclusion: Spotify is the most widely available music streaming platform that offers a huge range of songs at a reasonable price.
Google Play Music
What is it?: Google Play Music All Access has 35 million songs in its library, but also allows you to add up to 50,000 of your own locally stored tracks, to stream to your device and download it for offline playback with the Unlimited tier.
It's able to curate radio stations from artists of your choosing if you pay for the Unlimited package, but you'll get recommendations based on your tastes within the free subscription.
At the moment there is no option to expand your personal collection above the 50,000 mark but Google+ is built in so you can share your music choices with others and see what your friends are listening to for recommendations.
- £9.99/month
- Android
- Mac
- iOS
- Sonos
- Chromecast
Conclusion: Google Play Music is affordable, has a large library, allows sharing, radio and smart suggestions, plus you can keep your own music library backed up and easily accessible.
Amazon Music Unlimited
What is it?: Amazon Music Unlimited is Amazon's own fully-fledged music streaming service. It runs separate to Prime Music, which is only accessible for Prime subscribers. Prime Music has a much smaller catalogue of music.
Music Unlimited has access to "tens of millions" of songs from the major labels which can be accessed via the Amazon Music app, available for a range of devices.
Music Unlimited has just one tier, but different pricing options depending on whether you're a Prime subscriber or if you want to use it solely through one of the company's Echo devices.
- £9.99/month for non-Prime subscribers
- £7.99/month or £79/year for Prime subscribers
- £3.99/month when used through a single Echo device
- £14.99/month or £149/year for up to six family members
- Android
- iOS
- Mac
- Web Player
- Echo
- Amazon Fire devices
- Select home entertainment systems and cars
Conclusion: Amazon Music Unlimited has some ground to make up on its competitors, but with a number of pricing options that undercut them, it could certainly be a force to be reckoned with.
Liked this? Check out What is Alexa Cast and how does it work?


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Baltimore County police investigate $20K fuel theft
Warthen Fuel owner says thieves did their homework
Baltimore County police are investigating the theft of more than $20,000 worth of diesel fuel.
Police declined to discuss the case or release details, but the heist of 5,000 gallons of road-ready diesel fuel happened at Warthen Fuel on Benson Road in the Halethorpe area on Aug 4.
Warthen Fuel owner Don Warthen told 11 News he believes the thieves did their homework and that they brought their own tools and seemed to know exactly what to do.
Warthen said he believes the thieves are part of a ring that has targeted similar facilities dating back to March.
"This is not an isolated thing," he said.
Warthen said the thieves cased his place and his neighbor's place for a way to break in. The Mid-Atlantic Carpenters Training Facility captured some of the caper on video surveillance.
"We saw two individuals exit the truck and proceed from there onto the east side of our building," said Kevin Donohue, with the Mid-Atlantic Carpenters Training Facility.
The thieves cut the chain to a gate that allowed a truck with a tank inside to pull up to the back of Warthen Fuel, Donohue said. They managed to turn one surveillance camera to the ground and placed a white garbage bag over another.
The thieves brought their own hose and pump and then began transferring 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel, Warthen said.
"They knew what they what they were doing," he said.
But he said Mother Nature threw them a curve when wind dislodged the bag placed over one of the cameras, "At which point we were able to capture a box truck," Donohue said.
Police have all of the surveillance footage. As for the Warthens, they don't expect to recoup the diesel or its worth.
"It's just frustrating because it's the family business. They are taking money right out of our pockets," said Taylor Warthen, with Warthen Fuel.
Despite surveillance footage, the fact that the crime happened overnight and in an industrial park presents a challenge for investigators. The family-owned business said it will now beef up its security system.


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I don't have a full length yet, but I'll try to be better about updating. I feel like I can tell a lot in my face - just not as puffy as before, a little more elongated, not so round, and I see my jaw line again:)
B: Weight Watchers Microwaveable Oatmeal
B: Weight Watchers Microwaveable Eggs with Green/Red Bell Peppers
B: a low fat Whole Grain English muffin with 1 TBSP of peanut butter
S: Fruit - I usually take bananas, grapes, apples, pear/peaches cups with no added sugar, natural applesauce cups, pineapple cups, etc.
L: I've been taking turkey wraps with whole wheat tortillas, or a microwaveable bean/cheese burrito, Weight Watchers Smart Ones Microwaveable Meals, pretzels (love those flat ones by Snack Factory), La Croix sparkling water, more fruit, etc.
Sometimes I take a snack size candy bar - those are 2 points - just to have a little dessert:)
D: pasta with marinara sauce, red beans and brown rice, salsa chicken in the crock pot, frozen microwaveable vegetables, fruit
JELL-O is a great dessert - 0 points, and JELL - O pudding - look for the low calorie weight watcher approved ones (there's a little green triangle on the box with a number of points value)
Other things I do: I take two water bottles with me daily and it is my goal to finish both before I get out of school, along with my La Croix water. Get your water as cold as you can, it makes your body work harder to get it back to a normal temp. I also drink at least one cup of green tea a day - I like the mint green tea:) I hear it speeds up your metabolism???
As far as working out goes: I keep a set of 10lb dumbells by my bathroom mirror - while my shower warms up I do a couple of reps of curls, and a couple of reps of bicep extensions. I also love zumba, boot camp circuit training, and walking/running on the treadmill while I watch my weekly shows on TV - great way to get cardio in without thinking too much about it! Sometimes I finish up the treadmill with crunches and planks while still watching my shows:)
Please let me know if you have any questions, I'd love to share with you what works for me. If you have any other tips leave those as well! My goal in all of this is just to share my journey!!! I just want to be a healthier me, and Weight Watchers is basically teaching me how to watch portions and eat in a healthier way than I was before!


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Home > Outdoors & Sports > Camping, Hunting & Fishing > Rubber Alpenstock Head Cover Pole Pin Hammers Protective Case Buffer and Tip Cover Black
Product Details
This rubber alpenstock head cover can protect your pole pin or hammers. Made of rubber, this head cover is light weighted and durable. Whenever you want to give a protection to you pole, or walk on slippery ground face, just put this head cover on it.
- Protect your mountaineering stick
- Avoid to hurt other people by the stick pin
- Fit for walking stick to protect the smooth ground
- A perfect outdoor tool
- Enjoy your exciting life with the complete mountaineering gear
- Fit for mountaineering stick, walking stick, hiking pole
- Depth of Fixing Hole: Approx. 39.6mm
- Diameter of Fixing Hole: Approx. 10mm
- Total Size: Approx. 53 x 26 x 43mm( L x W x H)
- Material: Rubber
- Color: Black
Package Inckudes
- 1 x Rubber Alpenstock Head Cover
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The Regents Candidate Advisory Council (RCAC) has presented a list of candidates to Gov. Neil Abercrombie to fill a Hawaii County seat on the UH Board of Regents.
Abercrombie must select his nominee for the Board of Regents from this list, and the appointment must be confirmed by the state Senate during the next legislative session.
Selected as finalists were:
These finalists were selected upon careful screening and thorough vetting of the applications received and were considered to have the best qualifications and experience to serve as a member of the Board of Regents.
They were also considered in light of how their appointment will enhance the collective skills of the board, given the current conditions, priorities and plans of the university system, and how their appointment will add to the diversity of the board.
This seat on the UH Board of Regents was originally vacated in late February 2010. It was subsequently filled by an interim regent appointed by former Gov. Linda Lingle after the Legislature adjourned in May 2010, and the term for this interim regent expired at the end of this past legislative session.
Abercrombie notified the RCAC of this vacancy by letter dated May 13, 2011, and the RCAC began the recruitment process immediately upon receipt of his letter on May 18. Applications were accepted through June 13.
As mandated by law, the RCAC is required to make its presentation of finalists within 60 days of notification of a vacancy by the governor.
The next recruitment process will begin in a few months to fill the seats of four members whose terms will expire June 30, 2012. These members fill one City and County of Honolulu seat, a Kauai County seat, an At Large seat, and a Student seat.
Nominations for these seats will be accepted through the application deadline, which historically has been early November. For more information, visit the RCAC website at www.hawaii.edu/rcac or call (808) 692-1218.
Members of the UH Board of Regents, as well as the Regents Candidate Advisory Council, who represent various constituent groups, serve voluntarily and are not paid.


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Black Walnut Tasting Room
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It should only take a few minutes to answer five quick questions. Just click the Launch survey button at the end of your visit to begin.
Supply chain - Overview
Supply chain
At Sony Mobile, respect for human rights and the ethical treatment of all employees is a matter of course to us. It is our policy to behave in a socially and ethically responsible way as well as to operate our business in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) requirements have been included since the start of Sony Ericsson's Supplier Handbook and are now incorporated in the Sony Mobile's Partner Handbook. In April 2013, Sony Mobile adopted the Sony Supplier Code of Conduct based on the code of conduct from EICC (Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition) and started to require our suppliers to fully comprehend and comply with it. In July 2016 the new Sony Supply Chain Code of Conduct (Supply Chain Code) was adopted fully aligning with the EICC Code of Conduct. The Supply Chain Code requires our suppliers to respect the basic human rights, provide fair working conditions and a healthy and safe workplace for their employees, and apply proper ethical standards in all their business dealings.
While evolving our approach towards supply chain (CSR) over 10 years, we have learned that both profound understanding by suppliers and long term engagement by Sony Mobile are indispensable to build continuous positive changes in our supply chain.
Sony Mobile works together with our parent company Sony Corporation to reinforce the supply chain CSR activities to effectively and efficiently manage our supply chain which largely overlaps in certain areas. Our experienced CSR auditors have also gone through the EICC-GeSI Labor & Ethics Lead Auditor course to enhance their understanding to our Supply Chain Code.
In 2014, Sony Mobile introduced the EICC's Self Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) to its suppliers. The SAQ is now being used as a tool for efficiently assessing CSR risks as well as obtaining an overview of the supplier's CSR status.
Sony Mobile continues its strategy of supply chain CSR engagement by performing focused CSR assessments and education towards components suppliers and formal CSR assessments, and corrective actions to production sites by our CSR auditors. We are continuously supporting and monitoring our suppliers and production sites for their CSR improvements.
Believing that the key to success in CSR is profound understanding by suppliers and building mutual trust in the relationship, we award our suppliers when we find their excel performance in CSR area based on their clear support of and dedication to their improvement in supplier responsibility during the year.
Every second year, all Sony Mobile employees are mandated to take the on-line training of the Sony Group Code of Conduct. The training informs our employees about our essential values as a Sony Mobile employee including basic human rights and business ethics.
Sony Supply Chain Code of Conduct
For Sony's supply chain CSR, please visit "Responsible Supply Chain" (in English only).
Sony Group Code of Conduct


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Manchester City was left facing a huge task to revive its UEFA Champions League campaign after crashing to a shock 3-1 defeat at Ajax.
Ajax responded emphatically to get its first win of the competition - and leave City still looking for its first - with goals from Siem de Jong, Niklas Moisander and, with the aid of a deflection, Christian Eriksen.
The defeat left the Barclays Premier League champion bottom of the group and staring at the possibility of failing to reach the knockout phase for a second successive season.
Ajax was supposedly the group's weakest link but it looked anything but in a game which, although City had its moments, the host dominated.
City boss Roberto Mancini had rewarded Edin Dzeko for his recent form with a starting role alongside Sergio Aguero up front.
Yet it was some time before either of them were able to get into the game as Ajax, with former Liverpool players Ryan Babel and Christian Poulsen prominent, started well.
The host dominated possession for large spells although it was surprisingly unable to test goalkeeper Joe Hart enough.
It created its first opportunity after four minutes when De Jong played a one-two with Babel outside the box but then curled his shot over.
De Jong showed more fine control as he chested down a cross and then laid off for Eriksen, but the Danish playmaker was also off-target with his effort.
There were worrying signs for City as Yaya Toure was helped to the sidelines for treatment after a Daley Blind tackle but the key midfielder was back on, albeit looking in discomfort, two minutes later.
More neat interplay from Ajax led to Eriksen releasing Babel with a sharp pass but City captain Vincent Kompany made a timely challenge.
City finally responded by breaking on 22 minutes and snatching the lead.
Micah Richards raced clear down the right and fed inside to James Milner, who in turn set up Nasri for a clinical first-time finish over the diving Kenneth Vermeer.
Aguero almost doubled the lead moments later but Toby Alderweireld got back to block for a corner.
A clever backheel by Dzeko then released Richards again. The right-back initially hesitated as he looked for a pass but with no decent options he powered on and forced a good save from Vermeer.
Ajax began to assert itself again as Ricardo van Rhijn found space and cut inside only to shoot over. Lasse Schone also missed the target and Babel fired straight at Hart.
The equaliser came on the stroke of half-time as Van Rhijn delivered a low cross along the edge of the area.
Gareth Barry was unable to cut it out and De Jong met it with a fierce low strike which gave Hart no chance.
City looked to produce a quick response after the interval and Milner charged forward but Alderweireld cut out his cross for Aguero.
Dzeko raced forward as Barry crossed to the near post but the Bosnian could not get a header on goal.
Ajax also showed some urgency as it chased the win and Poulsen almost played Eriksen in on goal but Toure crucially cut out his pass.
The Dutch side claimed the lead from a corner in the 57th minute as Moisander leapt in front of Joleon Lescott and glanced a header across Hart's goal into the bottom corner.
Nasri twice brought Vermeer into action to push away corners as City tried to hit back but Roberto Mancini decided to bring on the extra attacking threat of Aleksandar Kolarov for Lescott.
Kolarov was soon into the action and whipped in a cross but Milner headed wide and Ajax forced forward again.
Babel had a route to goal blocked by Kompany but the hosts sustained the pressure and Eriksen ran across the area and shot past Hart with the aid of a big deflection off Clichy.
Tobias Sana had a chance to bury City as he raced on to a fine pass from from Eriksen but Hart bravely and brilliantly rushed out to block his shot.
Play went straight to the other end and Dzeko found himself in on goal but Vermeer denied him.
City poured forward in the latter stages but Dzeko, after beating Vermeer was denied again as Moisander got back.
Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli came on to form a four-pronged attack but City was unable to find a way through.
Aguero headed wide and Dzeko could only find Vermeer with late efforts.


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If you can't get it right the first time, try again. This holds true for the Vertix Silencer VX2, the followup to Vertix's earlier attempt, the VX1. This second attempt has its merits, which was evident when we put it to the test. Nonetheless, there are still some kinks to work out.
Adopting the same design as the VX1, the VX2 follows what most Bluetooth headsets do - keeping things simple. This is done with the use of just the volume buttons on the top, and a multi-function button at the side. The former is slightly raised, making it easy to locate them to adjust the call volume. More importantly, holding these buttons for two seconds will either reject an incoming call, or transfer the call from your headset to the phone and vice versa.
The multi-function button is somewhat of a mystery in design. To keep its sides smooth, the button is fully flushed with the headset. Fortunately, it has a slight outline to indicate where the button is. The only thing you'll have to be wary of, is the inscribed Vertix brand name which could be confused with the multi-function button. Though it's not hard to locate it, we realized that the button is positioned much further to the rear of the headset than we are used to.
The VX2 does have some usability improvements compared to its predecessor. Its eargels (with up to three variants) are fortunately able to create the necessary traction to hold the headset in place. This is quite subjective however, based on your own ear shape and how well the different eargels are able to fit within.
If you need a firmer hold onto the ears, there's the ear hook to set the headset in place. Using the ear hooks, however, reduces the comfort level significantly, making it less than suitable for prolonged use. Using the headset, it doesn't feel obtrusive in the ears as it sits comfortably, but yet audible enough for our ear canals.
Speaking of its audio, the focus is definitely on the VX2's usability and performance as an audio peripheral. It's not surprising to get clear audio quality when conversations are held within quieter confines. The real test lies with its noise-canceling feature, which isn't exactly new, but requires its algorithm to have the correct programming to effectively differentiate noise and filter it with the aid of its dual microphones.
On the extreme end, we took a ride in car and wound down the windows to answer calls with strong winds gushing by. While the receiving party did suffer a drop in audio quality, it did not reach the point where the audio became inaudible.
With the VX2 pared to our phones, it managed to last for nearly three days on a single charge. This is especially good news, given that the VX2 uses an old school charging port instead of the widely adopted microUSB port. As such, you won't have to fret when you don't have the charger on hand. Nonetheless, we'd prefer a microUSB option, which makes it easier to charge the VX2.
Considering the improvements seen on the VX2, and the similar price tag of S$98, we'd say Vertix is definitely onto something, with just a bit more refinement needed along the way.
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carve up(redirected from carve me up)
carve up
1. To cut or divide something into smaller pieces. A noun or pronoun can be used between "carve" and "up." It's tradition for my dad to carve up the turkey. I think the project will feel less daunting if we carve it up into sections and each work on one.
2. To injure or damage someone or something by cutting. A noun or pronoun can be used between "carve" and "up." When that guy punched me in the face, his ring really carved me up. I hope I don't need stiches! That guy really carved up the side of my car when he sideswiped me.
carve someone or something up
to damage someone or something by careless or purposeful cutting (of a person, can be figurative). Someone carved the tabletop up. Who did it and why? The boxer wanted to carve up his opponent.
carve something up
to divide something up, perhaps carelessly. The peace treaty carved the former empire up into several countries. You can't just carve up one country and give the pieces away.


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Leading Women connects you to extraordinary women of our time. Each month, we meet two women at the top of their field, exploring their careers, lives and ideas.
(CNN) -- She's been dubbed the Russian "Tsarina," a former circuit-board-equipment seller who happened to sit next to one of the world's richest business moguls on a plane -- and now heads his company.
Meet Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, the chairperson of French commodities giant Louis Dreyfus Holdings, with a net worth estimated at an eye-watering $6 billion according to Forbes.
Orphaned at seven after her parents died in a train accident, Louis-Dreyfus was raised by her grandfather in what was then the Soviet Union, studying law at Moscow State University.
She met her future husband, billionaire Robert Louis-Dreyfus, on a plane in 1988. When he died from leukemia two decades later, the mother of three was left in charge of one of the biggest commodity companies on the planet, as well as the French football club Olympique de Marseille.
You might not recognize the 160-year-old Louis Dreyfus firm, but it's the one trading 70 million tonnes of agricultural goods each year, employing 30,000 people.
And since 1851 it's been handed down from one male heir to another -- until now.
Margarita Louis-Dreyfus sat down with CNN's Leading Women to talk about the act of "fate" that sat her next to her future husband, how his illness taught her to manage "big egos," and her plans for a company which claims to feed and clothe 500 million people worldwide.
"My memories of growing up in St Petersburg are very positive. I grew up without parents, but with my grandfather. But I didn't feel that I was really abandoned -- I had enough love from him. During the week I was in the boarding school and when I came home every weekend I had fun with my friends. I was not cold in winter -- I'm telling you this because many people expected that I suffered from hunger. The Soviet Union in the 1960s and 1970s was OK. Of course I didn't have the luxury that children have today, but I had freedom. I had time to read which was very important generally for Russian children. It gave me a sense of the wide world and gave me a wish to see the world."
"I met Robert on the plane on the way from Zurich to New York. We made a stop in London where he had just started his job as CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi and I was going on vacation to Switzerland from New York. We met shortly on the plane, a short conversation, and after this when I came back from vacation we met again. He was coming to Switzerland every weekend because his dog was here. The plane was empty and the computer put us together and I was wondering why...but it was kind of fate."
"The moment I gave birth to the twins I learned Robert had leukemia. So nobody can live a normal life anymore. I had been a housewife up until the birth of the twins. Then came this big sickness that changed our lives completely. And we couldn't have a normal family vacation where everybody was happy and everybody was running around. The sickness was always there and we were traveling to different doctors But we had many hopes that he would still have many more years."
"The medical world is also a man's world. In the three years of fighting for Robert's life I had to unite five big professors from around the world at one table. Each of them had different ideas and different strategies and were used to their decision being followed. So for me, I felt the strength of the woman. Because all of these men, they have big egos and I was kind of there to absorb these egos, give them the feeling of respecting their opinion -- even if you don't take it. Later when I came to the man's world of commodities, also with big egos, I was used this experience. Nobody knows everything so the main thing is to work together."
"The Louis Dreyfus Foundation has a focus on giving back. It's a new project for us, it's now one-year-old and the whole idea was about education. For example in Israel, the youth orchestra includes Arabic children together with Jewish children who are learning through music how to love together. You know 'education' is a magic word. And this magic word also becomes important in our foundation -- educating the farmers on how to produce sustainably and to feed themselves."


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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
>Hello net, >We've had some odd results with the last batch of >SSLP primers (nga6, lot#9502) which we recently purchased >from Research Genetics. I'm just wondering if anyone >else has the same primers from the same lot-- and >whether they've had any problems. Thanks. >Jim Campanella >Case Western Reserve University >Biology Dept. >Cleveland, Ohio ------------ I've been told that my message was a bit vague as far as telling what my problem with the SSLP primers was. Here is a more specific explanation. We've been using the nga6 primers for mapping a gene on chromosome 3 near the tt5 locus of Arabidopsis. Unfortunately, we've run into an unexplained oddity. Based on analysis of limited data (19 individuals), we've found that nga6 does not show linkage to the tt5 locus. Jim Campanella Case Western Reserve University Biology Dept. Cleveland, Ohio To: Cc: Subject: -------------


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Contribute to ReadWriteThink / RSS / FAQs / Site Demonstrations / Contact Us / About Us
Learn All Year Long
Kids and teens should read and write even when they are out of school. Why is this so important?
ReadWriteThink has a variety of resources for out-of-school use. Visit our Parent & Afterschool Resources section to learn more.
Home › Parent & Afterschool Resources › Activities & Projects
Learn About Staying Safe
Activity Description
As children get older, it is important to teach them about a whole range of safety issuesthe challenge is to do this in a fun and meaningful way. Start by sharing Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann, a funny book that covers a wide range of safety do's and don'ts. After talking about different safety problems and their possible solutions, write a letter to someone in your community about an important safety issue.
Why This Is Helpful
Recognizing problems and talking about solutions are skills that help children develop awareness of themselves and their surroundings, two insights that are important to help them stay safe. In this activity children get to write a letter, which helps them practice writing and shows them a real-life purpose for writing. Writing a letter captures childrens attention because they are writing about something connected to their personal interests.
This activity was modified from the ReadWriteThink lesson plan Safety Tips With Officer Buckle and Gloria.


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Brace yourselves.
Yeah. I keep putting it in the trash,
And today is your lucky day. Tommy is looking for a new home on Ebay. All profits benefit Burgh Baby's Christmas Crazy, which helps provide toys to children in need during the holidays. Read about the success she had last year here.
Happy bidding.


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A rapper who once worked with Diddy confessed to a 17-year-old shooting to clear his conscience, then found out his victim died and that he was admitting to murder.
Trevell Coleman, aka G-Dep, told the New York Post he's been plagued by guilt since the Oct. 19, 1993 shooting and wanted to make things right when he showed up at Manhattan's 25th Precinct last week. That's when he found out his victim, John Henkel, died.
"I was surprised -- for some reason, I really didn't think that he died," Coleman told the Post in an exclusive jailhouse interview. "When they told me, I was like, 'Oh, I'm not going home after this.' "
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
Manhattan DA spokeswoman Erin Duggan said Coleman, 36, has now been charged with murder and faces life in prison.
Six years after the shooting, G-Dep, whose performing name is short for "Ghetto Dependent," signed with Diddy's Bad Boy label in 1999. He recently signed with Famous Records.
Coleman confessed over the objections of his mom and girlfriend.
"I told my mom and my girlfriend that I wanted to confess, and they both told me to leave it in the past," he said. "[My girlfriend] is pretty peeved."
He said he never knew Henkel and that he was on drugs when he committed the crime.
"That's just the life I was living back then," he said. "I started to wonder if all the bad things that happened to me in my life were karma for what I did . . . you start to think 'My happiness is because of someone else's sadness.'
"I'm just trying to get right with God," he said.
Selected Reading: New York Post, MTV, Sohh.com.