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The Man and His Titles
"This is the Order of Cordon Bleu. And that's the Order of Signum Fidei -- run by the Prince of Lippe-Biesterfeld. He is the brother or cousin of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. Prince Bernhard was the husband of Queen Juliana, who was a darling."
Antonio Adolfo Boada -- Tony to his friends -- is conducting a personal guided tour of his Brickell Key condo: in essence, a running monologue about his trove of chivalric medals, which he keeps under glass in mahogany display cases. "This is the Order of St. George in England, which I got," he says, his finger caressing a star-shape brooch of gold and ivory. "Um, this is Cordon Bleu again. That's the Order of the Garter," he continues, indicating a starburst of glass and silver the size of a man's wallet. "That's a Mother Teresa dollar, um, from the president of the Czech Republic. And it's not a dollar, it's actually a thaler, with a t."
Boada takes a sip of his bloody mary. It is three hours past noon on a Thursday, and the Cuban emigre is clothed in sweatpants and a black hockey jersey. Of average height and somewhat inclined to fat, at age 39 he exhibits the pallor of a man who spends much of his time indoors. His thinning black hair is combed over a pudgy, rectangular face whose central feature is a well-trimmed mustache. A gold pendant of indeterminate origin shines through the mesh holes of his shirt.
"This is, um, the Royal Order of St. George; I got that for, um, my services in Germany," he says, lifting the lid of a second case. "This one is for Britain -- for serving the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, who are the patrons of that order. This is the Order of the Holy Sepulchre," he offers, fingering a small white enameled cross. "I, um, got that from the Pope."
On and on he goes, through all the titles he has accumulated over the years, seemingly more titles than one man could possibly remember: the Order of St. Mary of Palestine, given by the Patriarch of Antioch. The Imperial Hispanic Order of Carlos V, bestowed by the cousin of the King of Spain. Knights of Malta, Order of the Griffon. The Order of Our Lady of Vilavicosa, given to him, Boada says, by the sister of the last king of Portugal. The Order of St. Lazarus, from the King of Spain, who also bestowed upon him the titles of Duke of Campobello and Marques de Alessio. "Those are just Viking knives," he quips as he dismisses two gilded daggers. "Viking and Roman knives. We could kill a few people with them."
The daggers and crosses, ribbons and medals, arrayed painstakingly in their cases, give the tiny two-bedroom condo the feel of a museum of European history. Boada's friends sometimes call the apartment the Gold Cave, because the medals, along with the gold frames on his dozens of paintings, overwhelm the paisley-print sofas and the red Oriental rugs that cushion his bare feet.
"I have things from the Royal Air Force in Britain, you know -- commemorative things that I have done. And over here, let's see," he goes on, padding across to a third display case and stroking a silver medallion therein, "this is the Order of St. George of the Dragon from England. Um, I've also got the Order of Ferdinand from Austria, and um, this is from the centennial of the Orthodox Church of Russia."
He roots around some more, all the while muttering modestly that there's no space left to store all his awards. "Albania awarded me these medals here. Um, I built up their diplomatic corps. Um. I got them their embassy in South Africa. I got them their embassy in London, I got them the embassy in Mexico and the consulate in Houston.
"This one I'm really proud of: I'm president of l'Europe Gastronomie. It's a festival of wine and cheese and so on for all the producers of wine and food in France. I headed that. And this one here is from Austria. That's the -- I don't even remember what order it is. I wore it, I know that!"
A Primer on Chivalry
Sometime during the Eleventh Century, the Pope went into expansion mode. Marshaling his European monarchs, he set his sights on conquering non-Christian lands in Spain and the Middle East. The warriors who took part in these Crusades worked as a team, and those whose bravery and good sportsmanship brought honor to their brethren and their leaders came to be known as knights. The code they followed came to be known as chivalry.
Though the quest for a colossal Holy Land was unsuccessful -- the last Crusade flopped in 1271 -- kings came to appreciate chivalry's utility. By granting orders of knighthood to their closest followers and public servants, they rewarded behavior that furthered the interests of the crown. As the centuries whisked by, chivalry proved to be such a good idea that knighthood remains in place today, still rooted in its Christian and military history, and still viewed as an enviable position to hold in European society.
"It's a big deal," says Guy Stair Sainty, historiographer of the British Order of St. John and a respected phaleristic scholar. "There are only 24 members in the Knights of the Garter, for instance, and they take precedence over other people at state occasions and the like. They have these beautiful robes that they wear once a year, when they meet with the Queen of England."
Sainty is not only a certified knight, he's also an expert on heraldry, the study of coats of arms. He developed a Website on chivalry, and he also runs the official Website of the Knights of Malta (of which he is one). The native of Sussex, England, who has operated an art gallery in New York City since 1979, has published more than eleven academic texts, including The Orders of Saint John, an obscure but authoritative treatise on the Knights of Malta. In that book he devotes a fair amount of attention to the "self-styled" imitators of established chivalric orders; there seems to be a healthy supply of individuals eager to hand over cash -- sometimes thousands of dollars -- for a title they can wield at cocktail parties.
"These are the sorts of people who believe, I think, that extraterrestrials have landed in Arizona," Sainty scoffs. "They are willing to suspend ordinary judgment because they want to believe. They've seen Braveheart or Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves or whatever, and from that they have some idea of European graciousness and history. They think that the title somehow makes them better than their neighbors. And they think they can be a knight by paying money to some people. They really think that's how it happens.
"Of course," he adds dryly, "that's not how it happens."
To earn membership in most legitimate chivalric orders, a person must be of noble birth. Other legitimate orders require extraordinary public service and a certain religious affiliation. What makes a title legitimate? The short answer, says Sainty, is that the order must be given by the recognized head of a sovereign state. Additionally, certain long-established dynasties that have been deposed still award legitimate honors.
And to earn membership in a "self-styled" order? Just write a check.
"It's unbelievable how easily a fool and his money are parted," Sainty muses. "People who in their ordinary lives would take the greatest of care with what they buy somehow believe this twaddle. Once they hear the truth, they don't want to believe it, because they've spent all this money and what have they got? Nothing but a piece of paper worth maybe ten cents."
K The Countess of Boca Raton K
During the 1980s Prince Henri Paleologue was a celebrated fixture in Palm Beach County society. The prince sponsored one of the season's biggest parties, the Imperial Byzantine Ball, and told everyone that he was affiliated with the Knights of Malta and that Pope John Paul II recognized him as the hereditary emperor of Byzantium and Prince of Thessaly. As grand master of the 1986 International Chivalric Congress of the Palm Beaches, Prince Henri bestowed upon eleven locals honorary titles of knight and dame.
But Prince Henri was really Enrico Vigo, Sainty writes in The Orders of Saint John. He hails from Munich, most recently lived in Cannes, and, the author dryly notes, "was reputedly once a hairdresser in Genoa." In a decimation of Vigo's bona fides, Sainty quotes a French court that found that Vigo's "evidence of his ancestry was no more than 'photocopies of passages from unnamed works whose authors and credibility could not be established.'"
Prince Alexis de Anjasou de Bourbon Conde Romanov Dolgoruky of Italy was another "monarch" who worked his way through U.S. high society. Otherwise known as Alex Brimeyer, this "prince" operated mainly out of Houston, claiming a host of titles and links to the French throne, none of which could be verified. In 1971 he was sentenced to eighteen months in prison for falsely claiming to be royalty. According to Sainty, Brimeyer awarded nearly 40 bogus titles in the twenty years before he died from AIDS in 1995.
In 1981 he sold the title of Countess of the Order of the Knights of Malta to a woman named Henrietta de Hoernle. She paid him $20,000.
The Countess de Hoernle is one of the most active and generous philanthropists in Palm Beach County. An octogenarian, she has donated millions to charities and other worthy causes, endowing, among many other things, a floor at Boca Raton Community Hospital and a gymnasium at Lynn University, a local liberal arts institution. She even has a motto: "Give while you live and know where it goes."
In 1992 a staff writer at the Boca Raton News was vilified in the community for reporting that the countess's title was bogus. Some 200 people rallied at the Count and Countess de Hoernle train depot in downtown Boca to decry the "gutter journalism" printed in the News. The countess even threatened to deny Boca charities $22 million from her will unless the reporter and the editor were fired.
The countess, who never challenged the accuracy of the story, eventually dropped her threat; she continues to give generously to Boca charities and most recently funded the construction of a new international center at Lynn. Everyone still calls her Countess.
The Press Release
On May 28, 1997, media outlets throughout South Florida received a three-page communique, printed on simple stationery engraved with the legend "Government of the Republic of Liberia."
What follows is an abbreviated version:
"The Foreign Ministry of the Government of the Republic of Liberia have [sic] the honor and pleasure to announce that Mr. Alexander Antony Boada Cartaya has been appointed Ambassador-at-Large and Minister Plenipotentiary with special responsibilities for Maritime Offshore Trade and Finance to represent the Liberian nation. The announcement was made by the Foreign Ministry in the capital, Monrovia, on 21 May 1997.
"Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines' marketing director, Annette P. Hogan, praised the decision, saying, 'We feel the appointment is timely and reflects good and sound international business sense. It's a highly competitive market and Liberia scores a first in addressing the needs of the international shipping community.' She went on to [praise] the new Ambassador's records of public service.
"The new ambassador was born in Cuba, grew up in Miami and California, attended Belen Preparatory High School, and graduated from Florida International University. [He] went on to attain Law and Economics degrees in London, Liege (Belgium), Lisbon, and the University of Biarritz. He was formerly married to Anna Maria, Princess von Schonaich-Carolath, who has congratulated her former husband with a reception held at Rotterdam, Netherlands, stating, 'Tony is a born leader and I'm delighted for him in his new position -- his career has gone from strength to strength. He has always known only one way to move: and that is forward.'
"A poolside champagne reception for the new Ambassador's installation ceremonies will take place on the evening of 14 June at the new Liberian Diplomatic Mission on Brickell Key, bayfront, where some 300 guests and dignitaries will participate.
"The Ambassador, in his additional capacity as Commander of the Knights of Malta for the Caribbean region, will be honoring his long-time friend, patron of the arts and well-known Miami publicist, Charles Cinnamon, with a knighthood of the Order of the Knights of Malta.
"Also to be honored are [sic] Mr. Anthony Lammoglia, for his services to Art and humanitarian causes. The well-known, venerated Cuban-American broadcaster and journalist, Dr. Manolo Reyes, will preside as Master of Ceremonies. Senator Daryl Jones will deliver the keynote address."
Anyone who has enjoyed one of Royal Caribbean's cruises to the Bahamas has probably limboed past the red, white, and blue Liberian flag on the way to the Lido Deck. Often referred to derisively as a "flag of convenience," Liberia might be best known for selling its pennant to cruise ship companies, which escape many of the taxes and regulatory inconveniences imposed by stricter nations.
A republic about the size of Virginia, Liberia is located on the west coast of Africa, between Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast. It was founded in 1822 by freed American slaves. The experimental expatriation served two ends: It gave many former servants control of their destiny, while it removed them from the still-segregated United States. Curiously, Liberia's founders chose to mimic the government that had oppressed them, duplicating the U.S. Constitution and adopting a nearly identical flag.
While the two nations might seem congruent on paper, Liberia never flourished as a democracy. The primary problem has been the country's majority aboriginal population, which never quite grasped a bicameral system of checks, balances, and campaign finance reform. A century's worth of education could not bring these villagers into the fold, and over the past fifteen years Liberia has descended into a morass of coups and civil war. It is estimated that more than 200,000 people have been killed or died of war-related starvation since 1989.
"Right now it's difficult to even send a phone call over," reports John Kucij of the Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group Friends of Liberia. "There has been a lot of confusion, and a lot of claims and counterclaims on who is running the country."
According to 1990 U.S. Census figures, only 248 Africans live in the City of Miami. Not one of them is Liberian. Local trade with Liberia is nonexistent. The South Florida Trade Zone, which covers all ports south of Orlando, received precisely zero imports from Liberia in 1996. Exports were only slightly higher: $2965 worth of goods were sent from here to Liberia last year, a figure exceeding shipments to only two other nations of the world: Niger and Suriname. "Jeez, that's not even a car," quips Jaap Dinoath, a researcher for the Beacon Council.
The Ambassador's Resume
On the coast of Maine, near the rocky beaches of Portland, lives a 71-year-old heraldic researcher named James J. Algrant. Guy Stair Sainty speaks well of his work, noting that Algrant is a former diplomat with broad knowledge of European traditions. For a brief time Algrant was the secretary general of the International Commission on Orders of Chivalry, a respected body that labored to authenticate chivalric orders. Like Sainty, he loves to expose the charlatans who traffic in phony titles and orders. And he knows Boada well. "I've been tracking him down for years," Algrant spits.
Around eight years ago, as he flipped through a glossy magazine about royalty, Algrant came across an ad for a book entitled Upward Nobility! How to Make It Into the Aristocratic and Royal Ranks: The Guide to How, How Much, and Where. The tome, said to have been written by a Marina Alexandrine de Feurstenzandt, cost $64. Algrant bought it.
What arrived in the mail was literally a paperback: a bound collection of photocopies. It was also thick, well researched, and, Algrant says, obviously written by Boada. (A person who knows Boada well but did not want to be identified confirms his authorship.) "It turned out to be quite worthwhile," Algrant notes with a chuckle. "He describes what he's doing, everything he's selling, and it all sounds like it is perfectly on the up-and-up. Mind you, I'm not saying he is doing anything illegal; it is just on the verge of doing something illegal."
Among the grantors of chivalric titles that the book recommended was the British-based Patriarchate of Antioch.
"Ostensibly it was an independent church of Eastern tradition and so forth and so on, which apparently felt it could dispense titles of chivalry, using as a legal basis that the Vatican does it, so why can't this church do it," explains Algrant. "Of course, when people asked where the church was located, nobody knew -- because everything came out of a P.O. box in London."
Pamphlets from the church revealed Boada's connection: The patriarch was said to be "aided by Antonio, Duke of Campobello," who was based at Queensgate Associates Ltd. -- the same firm that published Upward Nobility!
While the book has been out of print for some time, the church still appears to be open for business. The same cannot really be said for Albania, a chaotic East European nation where Boada founded the Albanian College of Arms in 1992. Not only did the college sell titles bestowed by the shaky Albanian government, it also confirmed -- for a price of $5000 or more -- the legitimacy of titles obtained from other governments. "In other words," says Algrant, "if you had a funny title from a so-called Byzantine prince and everybody who knows about titles was laughing up their sleeves because it wasn't worth the paper it was printed on, then you could have gone to the Albanian College of Arms to get a confirmation of this thing. One phony was confirming the other!"
Algrant penned a lengthy refutation of Boada's Albanian enterprise, which he posted on a Website devoted to matters of chivalry. Without directly naming Boada, Algrant's article describes the college's founder as "a foreigner, with no background in heraldry, genealogy, or in comparative nobiliary law." In a second paper, posted on a similar Website, Algrant euphemistically calls Boada "a fast Cuban-Dutch gentleman."
Algrant says he last heard of Boada about four years ago, when an internal bulletin of a private organization called the Spanish College of Arms announced Boada's resignation.
The Press Release Deconstructed
William Addams Reitwiesner, head of the European Genealogy Section of the Library of Congress, is dubious about Boada's reference to his supposed ex-wife, the Princess von Schonaich-Carolath. "Not only can I not confirm or deny the marriage, I can't confirm or deny that anybody named Princess Anna Maria von Schonaich-Carolath even exists," says Reitwiesner, who notes that of the 26 living members of the Schonaich-Carolath family alive in 1984, not one of them was named Anna Maria. "True, that's not all that recent," he muses, "but I would presume that anybody who's old enough to currently have been married would have been born by then."
The Knights of Malta, known in this country as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, is the oldest and the most prestigious of all orders of chivalry, dating back to 1070. Exclusive and highly secretive, the Knights' membership comprises rich Catholics (among them Lee Iacocca) who are committed to charity, spiritual growth, and church doctrine.
Boada says he is affiliated with "an ecumenical branch" of the Knights and that he was named commander while living in the Netherlands. "Now, when you get involved in Europe and you have a title like a dukedom, suddenly you're called to do a lot of things from all different quarters and you don't even know why," he explains. "But one begets the other. I was the Duke of Campobello, the Marques de Alessio, and um, then I was offered this and I took it because it was ecumenical.
"And then I decided to move over here and they said, 'Well, all right, we'll let you leave the, you know, commander or whatever for the Netherlands. Can you head the thing up in the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic, and so on?' So I ended up being that."
In The Orders of Saint John, Guy Stair Sainty delves into the issue of the numerous "self-styled" orders of the Knights of Malta. Boada's order, according to Sainty, is not one of the five recognized Knights of Malta orders.
In at least two cases, Sainty adds, people have been criminally prosecuted for selling bogus knighthoods in orders that they concocted themselves. The problem, he writes, seems most acute in North America: "Despite the fact that generations of impoverished Europeans bearing both genuine and false titles have come to the United States and Canada to improve their fortunes with nothing other than their social pretensions to assist them, Americans seem particularly susceptible to accepting the most bizarre and unfounded claims by pseudo-princes and dukes whose claim to such title could be verified in most major reference libraries."
The knight-to-be, Charles Cinnamon, already has a title of sorts: Around Miami he's popularly known as the Dean of PR. He is not, however, Tony Boada's "long-time friend." Back when Boada was a communications student at FIU, Cinnamon handled the press for Elizabeth Taylor's stage debut in Coconut Grove, in a play entitled The Little Foxes, and he gave Boada a chance to interview Taylor. "After that he was a very, very eager kid," Cinnamon recalls. "He did good work that kept him coming to the theaters. He was a very eager guy."
That was twenty years ago. "Literally I had this call out of nowhere," says the publicist. "I hadn't spoken to him in many years, and it took me a moment to remember him. He said he was back in town, and that he had never forgotten that I had been kind to him, which was very sweet. Other than that, I don't know anybody who really knows him."
While Boada did graduate from Belen Prep and FIU -- he earned a B.S. in communications in 1980 -- he would not produce proof of any law and economics degrees from London, Liege (Belgium), Lisbon, or the University of Biarritz. There is some question as to whether the University of Biarritz even exists: According to a University of Miami spokeswoman, there are no public universities in Biarritz, a resort town on the southeast coast of France near the Spanish border. The only private institution, structured for mature students and retirees, is the Universite du Temps Libre de Biarritz, or Leisure Time University.
The Diplomatic Mission and Activities Thereof
Boada's personal assistant Maria Camacho toils in a makeshift office just down the hall from the Gold Cave. A petite, weathered-looking woman with strands of gray invading her wavy black hair, Camacho answers the phones, faxes the press releases, and fends off inquisitive reporters. When Boada accepts a visitor, she scribbles notes on a yellow legal pad and, upon command, scurries to the kitchen to prepare a tray of biscuits and French onion dip.
Camacho refers to herself as an attache to the Liberian Diplomatic Mission. "I just transferred from the embassy in Madrid," she says. "They needed someone bilingual in Miami, someone who speaks Spanish, so I came over here." (Strangely, she cannot recall the name of the ambassador for whom she worked in Madrid, nor the names of her supervisor or any of her co-workers.)
Other staffers at the Liberian Diplomatic Mission include Special Counselor for Investment Juliana Alvarez (the realtor who sold Boada his two apartments in Brickell Key II), First Secretary Mario Lamar (a local attorney), and Vice Consul for the Palm Beaches Col. Bert Grove.
"I assist him, is what you might say," Grove clarifies. "I suppose it has to do largely somewhat with business -- helping people who want to set up businesses in Liberia, Acomprende? That's not the entire thing, but that would be number one, I suppose. I already know several people who would not be opposed to setting up in some cases quite large enterprises."
At age 81, Grove lives alone in Pompano Beach. Back when he was still working, before radiation therapy for skin cancer destroyed one eye and took his hair, he published a Palm Beach society newspaper. His passion is heraldry; he is, he says, a Knight of Malta, a Knight of St. Lazarus, and oh, one or two more that he can't recall right now. He boasts of helping Prince Henri Paleologue (a.k.a. Enrico Vigo) dole out titles in ceremonies held at Palm Beach's Flagler Museum.
Grove's consuming dream is to establish a heraldic center at Lynn University in Boca. At the fast-and-loose tip of the New World, where people pour in by the thousands aiming to reinvent themselves, he wants to set up an academic institution that documents blood ties to the old countries.
"I am what is called the curator," he says. "It hasn't been officially established yet, but the concept and my proposal have been accepted at the university. It's supposed to be established in the near future. We're going to have armor, knights, shields, and a replica of the Bayeux tapestry, a very famous thing," Grove continues. "It was the first of man's attempts to show heraldry, dating back to 1066 and the Battle of Hastings. There will be shields and swords and helmets and everything from about the Tenth to the Fifteenth centuries."
Lynn University Vice President John Gallo confirms that a heraldry center is in the works, though plans have not been finalized.
Grove hopes that primary funding for the center will come from the aforementioned Countess de Hoernle; ideally, the heraldic library will be housed within the new international center she donated. "The Countess and I have known each other for ten years, I suppose. And I know that she is very vitally interested in heraldry," he says.
Of the article that caused such an uproar on behalf of the Countess, Grove says that there "was confusion and misinformation and it was corrected." Boada, he adds, assisted in the rehabilitation of the Countess's titles: "I know that the ambassador has been working through Spain on her behalf."
Grove also says he gave Boada $10,000 to get the heraldic center rolling. "He has a vital interest in it," the colonel affirms. "Every other day, certainly, he calls me to discuss it."
The Countess is in Europe for the summer and could not be reached. When asked what he intends to do with the $10,000 given to him by Grove, Boada did not respond.
Chinks in the Armor
At New Times's request, Guy Stair Sainty conducted his own "tour" of Tony Boada's chivalric honors.
The Order of Cordon Bleu: "That is a cookery award, for being a good cook."
The Order of Signum Fidei: "It isn't given any more. It's a fantasy, a complete invention. Worthless."
The Order of the Garter: "The annual Whittaker's Almanac, published in London, lists the members of the Order of the Garter, England's highest honor. He is not listed in the almanac. He is not a member. He is lying. You can say that with absolute certainty."
The Royal Order of St. George, for services in Germany: "This is a legitimate order, limited to Bavarians who can prove that their 32 great-grandparents are all noble. And he's not a member, I guarantee it."
The Imperial Hispanic Order of Carlos V, given by the cousin of the King of Spain: "It's given out by somebody who happens to be a distant relation to the King of Spain. It's completely unrecognized. It's worthless. It's like somebody saying, 'I'm the cousin of Bill Clinton' and issuing presidential proclamations or vetoing bills from Congress."
The Order of St. Lazarus from the King of Spain: "That's a lie. That's completely false. I can say it's absolutely 100 percent a lie. First of all, I know the King of Spain perfectly well. Secondly, the Order of St. Lazarus is not given by the King of Spain."
And with that, Sainty concludes his tour. "I love to find these people," he chortles. "I love to expose them, because they are complete fantasists. You might as well call yourself a Knight of the Order of Coca-Cola, you know what I'm saying?"
All Hail the New Ambassador
At a little before eight o'clock, Liberia's newly appointed Ambassador-at-Large and Minister Plenipotentiary with special responsibilities for Maritime Offshore Trade and Finance descends to the basement of his Brickell Key II condo, where the reception in his honor is in full swing. Although a white tent has been erected poolside, heavy rains have temporarily forced everyone into a cramped foyer. A string quartet huddles in a corner near a folding table covered with liquor bottles. A Liberian flag hangs from a bookshelf, anchored by a copy of a hardcover mystery entitled The Silent Salesman.
Boada works the room. He wraps an arm of his dark blue suit around each of the dignitaries. "There's Mr. Charles," he proclaims. "He sells estate jewelry. There is Senator Daryl Jones and his wife. Would you like to meet them? And of course, there is Mr. Blackett and his deputy, Mr. Dunbar, down from Washington. Would you like to meet them?"
Konah Blackett, the highest-ranking Liberian official serving in the United States, is wearing a blue-and-gold Ghanian ceremonial robe called a kinte, and a matching cap. His deputy Abdulah Dunbar's khaki-color kinte is nicely set off by a pith helmet. Both men flew down from our nation's capital especially for the reception.
"[Boada] went through an official in Europe who came to me and said that his buddy asked me to go down to Miami to this party, so I did," explains Blackett, who is officially Liberia's trade minister. A farmer by vocation, he says he accepts virtually every invitation to speak if it means he can educate people about his forlorn country and raise money for its rebirth.
No local consuls are present. Few, if any, of the 200 other guests appear to have a connection to Liberia, though one gentleman, obviously recognizing a rare opportunity, sports a black nehru jacket with a leopard-skin collar and a matching hat.
When the squall stops and the party moves out to the tent, Daryl Jones steps onto a small stage, where a microphone is affixed to a podium draped with the Liberian flag. "This is a very significant day politically, because Liberia has now seen fit to establish diplomatic representation in the Miami area and in the South Florida area," Jones orates. "And Tony is not only the ambassador-at-large, but also a cabinet member plenipotentiary." The state senator from Florida's 40th District stumbles on the word plenipotentiary.
"It is especially significant," Jones plows on bravely, "that Liberia has recognized our position in world trade and has sought first to appoint an ambassador of Antony's caliber. Mr. Boada, I am proud that you landed here. We are pleased that you decided to come back to South Florida and be a part of our community."
("My wife and I met him around at functions like this," the senator had said earlier. "He's a social animal! Everyone says he's a great guy. Definitely.")
Konah Blackett follows with a short speech about his country's ongoing and brutal civil war. Annette Hogan relieves him with an address "on behalf of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines," where she works in the marketing department. "Tony," she says, "I hope we can continue our close relationship. You have our very best wishes."
Finally Boada himself takes center stage. Standing behind the Liberian flag, his thick hair curling in the humidity, he wipes his hands on his suit jacket. Immediately he addresses a sticking point.
"Yes, we have been called a flag of convenience," he bellows. "And I've had that hurled at me as something I should not be proud of. To which I say this: Isn't it convenient to have a flag that stands for freedom of navigation? I think it's important [to promote] freedom of the seas, freedom of commerce, and to have our flag waving in Miami and in every port of this continent, and all the other continents every day of every year for more than 100 years." Pausing to emphasize his main point, he wipes the sweat from his eyes. "A flag of convenience is convenient to have!"
As he assumes "this very powerful office," Boada says, he wants to express his gratitude to his late father (who taught him to wield "power without arrogance"), to his mother (who taught him that "defeat isn't an option"), and to Daryl Jones ("thank you for your intelligence"). Lastly, he beams, he would like to thank the person who got him started on the road to diplomatic dominance: Charles Cinnamon.
The Dean of PR twitches timidly when Boada calls him forward. "I've had basically zero opportunities given to me in life," the ambassador-at-large proclaims. "I have created my own. But then there are those few angels who come around, and Charlie was one of them."
Boada calls to Mario Lamar, his First Secretary. Rising from the front row of chairs facing the stage, Lamar brings forth a golden dagger. "Malta tells me we have to go through the formalization of the accolades," Boada intones, clasping the knife and tapping Cinnamon on each shoulder. "It gives me great pleasure to declare you, Charlie Cinnamon, Sir Charlie Cinnamon."
The End of the Party
After the musicians have packed up their instruments and the tiny Liberian flags on the hors d'oeuvres have been tossed into plastic garbage bags, the guests that remain move upstairs to Boada's apartment for an after-party. His mother scurries around the kitchen, trying to clear space for a bartender, who lugs in what's left of the champagne and beer. The kitchen sink is filled with ice to cool the liquor.
"I am very happy about it," Mrs. Boada says of her son's diplomatic appointment, "but to tell you the truth I don't want to give an interview or anything like that, because I am not authorized by anyone to give an interview."
The new ambassador sheds his blue suit in favor of a multicolor kinte and a white Muslim kufi, approximating the African headgear of Konah Blackett, who has settled onto a couch.
"He's a chap, you know? He knows people," Blackett pronounces with more than a hint of admiration. "I have never seen someone who knows so many people of substance. I have talked to some people in London, people who impress me, and he knows them personally. I don't know how he is able to penetrate in Holland as well, but he knows the highest people there, too. Those at the top! I mean, he had a senator at the party! This kind of man can be of use to us."
Two weeks later, ensconced back in Washington and speaking by telephone, Blackett will revise his assessment somewhat: "He is not the ambassador, he doesn't have documentation. Liberia doesn't have any representative in Florida. We don't have one now, and we don't have plans in the immediate future to do anything in Florida. And if we decide to have an ambassador, we will make sure it is done properly."
Such situations are not uncommon in Liberian diplomacy, Blackett will concede: "Three years ago a guy flew into Miami from Canada and said the same thing, that he was the ambassador from Liberia. Apparently Miami is the hot spot for this kind of thing."
Perhaps coincidentally, in the weeks that follow the party Boada will drastically lower his public profile. In response to phone calls, his attache will say her boss is out of the country for an indeterminate amount of time and cannot be reached. A faxed list of questions concerning his credentials and the business of selling titles will go unanswered.
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But for now, with the embers of his party gracefully dying -- a leggy model dancing a mock flamenco here, an FIU professor slumped wearily in an easy chair there -- Boada is still giddily riding his VIP high.
"I feel very little motivation to do anything right now, because I have in terms of money, in terms of achievement, very little that I haven't already done," he offers. "A friend of mine said I must be going through a midlife crisis. Now, in most midlife crises, you get to 40 and you realize that you've accomplished nothing of what you set out to do. But she said, 'Tony, the problem with you is you've accomplished everything. And now you're probably wondering, "Where do I go from here?"'"
It's past one in the morning when the guests begin scrounging up their umbrellas and kissing Boada on the cheek before hastening out to the hallway and home. A few, worn out from all the pomp and curious circumstances, move more slowly. One of the latter is Anthony Lammoglia, a long-time friend of Boada who, like Charles Cinnamon, was the recipient this evening of a knighthood. After he trudges into the elevator and presses the button for the lobby, he politely introduces himself to a fellow passenger.
"Tony Lammoglia," he says.
"You mean Sir Tony," the passenger replies.
Lammoglia turns back toward the elevator doors and glances uncomfortably up at the floor indicator, then back at the guest. "No," he says wearily. "It's Tony. It's just Tony.


text:
As most of you know, oil paints are probably the hardest style of painting to learn how to use correctly. An artist who successfully uses oils must devote years to the medium. Layering, color mixing, drying time, the use of different brushes and surfaces, so on and so forth, must all come into play. When we think of skilled oil painters, the people that come to mind are probably van Gogh, da Vinci, Dali, Munch, Rembrandt, Bob Ross, etc. All are artists who devoted their lives to the craft, and who also, without a doubt, have made their marks forever as true artists.
I bring up these things because I myself have used oils before. Personally, I'm not very good at using them at all, and if you've ever taken a high school painting class you know it's no walk in the park. I can't stress enough how talented you must be to use them, much less come up with somthing that's fun to look at. Some times I think the critic must remember that, and then look past the subject matter and a little more at the actual painting process. How else would bowls of fruit find so many walls to hang onto? There's more to art then creating ironic symbols, silly drips, pretty birds, and stuff that sells. Call me crazy, but I believe that on occasion, the brush strokes of a painting can be what really makes it interesting, (but we'll save that thought for another day...)
Anyway, I wanted you all to think about that before I went on to show you the pictures that I took at this show opening last week. The show was titled "Thug Pa$$ion," and was made up of over 20 different oil paintings that Jesse Edwards has been working on during this last year. The content can be seen as immature, callow, or juvenile, but I must say that these paintings don't at all show signs of someone who is untrained at what they do. I'm mentioning this now because I know a number of you readers out there like to leave nasty comments on fecalface about how you're tired of seeing people with the mentality of a 5 year old making art. Along with natural talent, Jesse spent along time getting to this level of painting, and he's still not satisfied.
The show took place in the back of a small salon boutique type setting in Capitol Hill, the day after the hugely anticipated BLVD opening, but to be honest, "Thug Pa$$ion" was one of the most impressive shows that I've seen in a long, long time. Much more impressive, I thought, then BLVD's show "Groundswell." I'm going to try to ease you into this as best I can, but prepare to be shocked. I'm at least prepared to be called crazy. "Figure Walking"
"Figure Male Blue" and "Standing"
"Standing" detail.
"Shrooms 1"
"Girl In Mirror," "Spam," and "Studio"
This one called "Shit Painting" has the best story ever, but I think I'm gonna save it for the future interview.
The artist, Jesse Arthur Edwards. He was so excited to see that someone from fecalface.com had come to check out his show, that he must have shook my hand at least ten times. He also told me that "it's pretty much the best art site out there."
"Vomiting Girl"
While I was at the show this guy on the right ended up buying that one of the girl throwing up. His name was Mort Baharloo, and was supposedly famous for writing a novel called "The Quince Seed Potion." I recall him saying that "there is a lot of vomiting in my book," and seeing also that he has a shirt made of Fruit Stripe Gum, he must be pretty cool... It should be noted that Jesse's stuff was very modestly priced, with an average cost of less than $300. That one sold for $125, with the more expensive ones there ranging $420 to $500. Now put into account how long the paintings take to make. What is that, like minimum wage or somthing?
"Rap Music"
I think that's probably a small self-portrait in this one called "Playgirl Masterpeice."
"Twinkies" and "Strippers"
I am not exactly comparing Jesse to any of the master painters I mentioned earlier, but I can say that Jesse seems like one of the more legitimate artists I've met since moving to Seattle. If any of you read the review I did of Seattle's new BLVD gallery, you'd probably know that I'm becoming a little bit critical over the art being shown and made here. I can't believe some of the stuff that passes...
Prior to the show I had never met Jesse. I had visited his website, jesseedwards.net, and his "myspace" profile after I noticed he left more than the usual amount of comments on the fecalface blogs. I knew he was the head honcho of the 3A crew (their tags are everywhere here) and I knew that he had been into tagging for a long, long time. At first I thought Jesse's stuff was a bit silly and I wasn't really sure it was what I was looking for, but since then I've hung out with him a bit and have already been able to hear some of his stories about where he's come from, where he wants to go, and why he's doing it all. I've been to his studio apartment, and I've seen where he works. The whole place is devoted to one thing, and that is his art. The guy is legit, and together the two of us will soon be working on an interview for y'all, as well as a photo project following the different steps, start to finish, he takes to do an oil painting. I'm stoked on the guy, and just took a painting he gave me to the framers just a few hours ago.
His show is still up and running over at the Galactic Boutique for I don't know how long, so hurry out and take a look at Jesse's works before they're gone. It helps to have Jesse around to tell you little stories about making his paintings, but I know you'll be impressed once you see them in person anyway. You'd never guess that his stuff was in there from the looks of the place (a very fruity vibe,) but it's located at 1213 Pine Street, open Tuesday through Sunday.{moscomment}
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text:
Finding God through Meditation – Mental Prayer & Centering Prayer
November 27, 2015 by Dan Burke
Filed under Centering Prayer, Dan Burke, DI Radio, Finding God Meditation, Melissa Elson, Mental Prayer, Show Notes
St Peter of Alcantara on Mental Prayer Finding God through Meditation What is "centering prayer"? What did Sts Peter of Alcántara and Teresa of Avila teach about good prayer? Dan and Melissa reflect on the differences between good prayer and false prayer, as found in St Peter of Alcántara's book Finding God through Meditation. Topics/Questions covered in the show: Are there incorrect... Read More


text:
September 30, 2016
How to Reduce Noise in an Open-Plan Design
Posted in Houzz.com by Houzz.com
Open-plan living spaces have many advantages for family life and entertaining, and they increase the opportunity to bring lots of natural light into your home. But they can end up being quite noisy. You may be surprised, however, at how easy it is to reduce sound travel with a few key additions to your furnishings. There are also structural changes you can make if you're after a more robust fix.
Read More >
September 27, 2016
Keeping Up with the Joneses: The Great Paint Debate
Posted in Living by Tyler Davis Jones
The vinyl siding of the 1942 Seattle Cape Cod fixer we purchased nine months ago had been sun bleached to the point of resembling a kind of soft lemon chiffon yellow you'd see on a cake your grandmother baked. Great for dessert, bad for today's exterior home color. We wanted a charming, warm and inviting new exterior home color but were fearful about what it would cost to have a professional do it
Read More >
September 26, 2016
Selling Your Home? Go Through This Safety Checklist With Your Real Estate Agent
Posted in Windermere by Tara Sharp
Selling your home can be stressful for many reasons. One thing you can be sure of when selling your home is that there will be strangers entering your space, so it's important for you and your agent to take certain safety precautions.
Read More >
September 23, 2016
#YourStoryIsOurStory: Kicking off the School Year Right
Posted in #YourStoryIsOurStory, Community, and Windermere Foundation by Tara Sharp
Starting the school year can be nerve wracking; new friends, new classroom, and for some, a new school all together. Imagine starting the new year already behind, with shoes that don't fit, clothes that are stained or too small, and inadequate school supplies. Many Windermere offices work very hard at the start of the school year to ensure this doesn't happen for kids in our communities...
Read More >
September 22, 2016
First Day of Autumn
Posted in Living by Pattie O'Loughlin
Even though it happens year after year, the arrival of autumn is always a little surprising. Almost as if on a switch, one day late in the summer you feel it – a subtle crispness in the air. And before you know it, it's pumpkin-spice-everything everywhere. We are suddenly swathed in sweaters, wearing boots, and bombarded by shades of orange, often even before the thermometer warrants it.
Read More >
September 19, 2016
U.S. Government $10,000 Short Sale Incentive Expires December 30, 2016
Posted in Short Sales by Richard Eastern
The federal government's Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) Program is set to expire December 30, 2016. The program pays homeowners $10,000 to complete a short sale rather than go through the foreclosure process. Since the application deadline for HAFA is only a few months away, it is important for homeowners to apply as soon as possible.
Read More >
September 16, 2016
Here's Your Fall Home Maintenance Checklist:
Posted in Living by Tara Sharp
Fall is an ideal time to tackle maintenance projects both inside and outside. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Read More >
September 12, 2016
Great Design Element: Why Awnings Are Making a Comeback
Posted in Houzz.com and Living by Houzz.com
Awnings are a valuable home design element that our grandparents knew all about. In the days before air conditioning, they were used to shade interiors and help keep homes cool. With the focus on sustainable design today, there's renewed interest in the power of awnings.
Read More >
September 09, 2016
Windermere and the Seahawks partner to #TackleHomelessness
Posted in Seahawks, Community, Windermere Foundation, and Perspectives by Jill Jacobi Wood, OB Jacobi & Geoff Wood
Our partnership with the Seahawks and YouthCare fits perfectly with the mission of the Windermere Foundation which is to support low-income and homeless families in the communities where we have offices. Through the #tacklehomelessness campaign, we hope to be able to do even more.
Read More >
September 08, 2016
Do You Have 'Average' Credit? If so, Getting a Mortgage May Be Tough
Posted in Inman News and Market News by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Today, lenders require nothing short of pristine credit to obtain a mortgage. We can never return to the reckless lending policies of the past, but I believe they've gone too far, and it concerns me.
Read More >


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Skip to comments.Obama Inauguration Committee to Replace Louie Giglio With Pro-Gay Pastor
Posted on 01/11/2013 2:18:01 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Soon after the Rev. Louie Giglio announced he would no longer deliver the benediction at President Obama's second inauguration later this month as to avoid controversy over a past sermon on homosexuality, an inaugural committee spokesperson said the evangelical pastor would be replaced with someone who has pro-homosexual beliefs.
"We were not aware of Pastor Giglio's past comments at the time of his selection and they don't reflect our desire to celebrate the strength and diversity of our country at this Inaugural," inaugural committee spokeswoman Addie Whisenant said in a statement Thursday. "Pastor Giglio was asked to deliver the benediction in large part for his leadership in combating human trafficking around the world. As we now work to select someone to deliver the benediction, we will ensure their beliefs reflect this administration's vision of inclusion and acceptance for all Americans."
The controversy began on Wednesday when Think Progress, a liberal blog, posted a sermon Giglio gave in the mid-1990s explaining how Christians should "lovingly but firmly respond to the aggressive agenda of not all, but of many in the homosexual community."
The post created a firestorm that prompted Giglio to send a letter to the president on Thursday, removing himself from the inauguration ceremony.
A Christian woman in Atlanta who asked not to be identified and who regularly attends Sunday evening services at Passion City Church in Roswell, Ga., says she was disappointed that Giglio removed himself and that his sermons rarely if ever focus on social issues.
"I believe Pastor Giglio is a fine man and his work in the areas of human trafficking has helped millions worldwide. I think he is exactly the type of person we need leading a benediction for our nation and just because he believes that homosexuality is a sin should not disqualify him. I mean, there are millions of Christians who feel the same way while recognizing we should love everyone."
Giglio's letter opened a floodgate of comments from gay rights activists.
In an email to The Christian Post, Gregory T. Angelo of the Liberty Education Forum, an arm of the Log Cabin Republicans, responded to Giglio's announcement.
"While Giglio should be commended for his humanitarian work, his decision to step down was the right thing to do and is a testament to his humility," said Angelo. "Going forward we would welcome an open dialogue with the minister on issues of gay acceptance and love of all of God's children."
Chad Griffin of the Human Rights Campaign offered similar sentiments, saying, "It was the right decision. Participants in the Inaugural festivities should unite rather than divide. Choosing an affirming and fair-minded voice as his replacement would be in keeping with the tone the president wants to set for his Inaugural." But one question Christians may be asking Obama and his committee is does a person who participates in administration festivities or is appointed by the president to a government position need to share the president's personal beliefs?
Others such as Sarah Posner, author of God's Profits: Faith, Fraud and the Republican Crusade for Values, questioned why the committee would select someone like Giglio in the first place.
"One has to wonder why, given the thousands of clergy in the United States Obama couldn't simply pick someone who didn't have a high profile at all, someone who would deliver a pleasing ecumenical prayer, someone who didn't appear to have been picked so that Obama could reach a particular constituency, or whose selection insults another," Posner wrote in Religion Dispatches on Wednesday.
"Although I said I wasn't surprised that a blogger found Giglio delivered an anti-gay sermon, it wouldn't be hard to find a clergyperson who never had."
Penny Nance, who heads up the pro-family group Concerned Women for American, feels the public is seeing the true intent of the Obama administration and that is to profile and segregate Christians who believe homosexuality is wrong and believe what the Bible teaches.
"I don't think this is anything new. This administration has very thoughtfully and carefully weeded out anyone who does not share their views," Nance told The Christian Post. "And their views are the most leftist in U.S. history. It's dangerous and it is unhealthy for any administration not to allow a counterbalance of beliefs."
Nance also pointed out that gay rights groups were constantly calling on President George W. Bush to appoint homosexuals to government positions and now that they have a president who has endorsed same-sex marriage, the reverse is unlikely to happen.
"Does President Obama go through is administration and fire people who do not share his beliefs? I would certainly hope that would never be the case."
Obama was also criticized over choosing Pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his first inaugural because of the pastor's evangelical views.
The Obama Inaugural Committee has tapped Richard Blanco, an openly gay poet, to read a poem he has written for the occasion. They have not yet announced a replacement for Giglio.
Maybe he could ask Pastor John Hagee..
Maybe he could ask Pastor John Hagee..
Maybe he could ask Pastor John Hagee..
I'm sure that Pator Gigolo will deliver an arousing sermon.
I'm sure that Pastor Gigolo will deliver an arousing sermon.
I'm sure Bishop Gene Robinson can free up his schedule.
I wonder what the homosexual lobby would have against this man.
RE: I wonder what the homosexual lobby would have against this man.
He believes that sex between people of the same gender is a sin.
What bothers me the most about this is that evidently Giglio hasn't spoken out against same sex marriage or homosexuality since the mid 90's.
The guy leads an evangelical megachurch, led Passion last week with 60,000 college age kids in attendance, yet there's not a record of him speaking out against homosexuality since 1990. I find that disturbing.
We attend a megachurch too, but when the Scripture the pastor's teaching condemns a practice whether it be adultery, abortion, or homosexuality (just to mention a few sins), he's does not shy away from the truth or take the "politically correct' approach. He speaks the truth according to the Word.
To heck with America, 0bama wants his butthole blessed.
Why doesn't Obama ask Jeremiah Wright, his own Pastor who kept him on the "down low" and introduced him to his beard Michelle.
Here is a picture from "Cultural Diversity Day".
Get in step you silly christians.
I think that for the remainder of his tenure, POTUS will stand for Poofter of the United States.
Isn't that thweet?
He believes that sex between people of the same gender is a sin.
My comment was ironic. Sorry not to be more direct. This, from today's news-blather, clarifies:
The Supreme Court agreed to consider whether the government can require groups that receive federal funding for overseas HIV/AIDS programs to have explicit policies that oppose prostitution and sex trafficking.
How in the world did this come up? Who would have brought such a case and raised the money to bring it all the way to the USSC? And what could sex trafficking and organizations that run HIV/AIDS programs have to do with each other? (Who LIKES the fact that, around the world, women and children are kidnapped and forced to become prostitutes for the entertainment of rich international travelers?)
The answer might be that a huge proportion of those organizations actually benefit from sex trafficking. Some, such as Planned Parenthood, appear to derive a portion of their business from supplying contraception, abortion, and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases to women and children who are prisoners of sex trafficking operations (James O'Keefe's sting shined a light on this). For other organizations, there's a concern for protecting their supporters' entertainment needs. I'm talking about the homosexual lobbies that run most of the charities that get Federal money to help them "fight AIDS."
That is, homosexuals are major customers of little boys who are the "product" of sex-traffickingthrough the notorious "sex tourism" businessand this pursuit is so popular among the AIDS groups' major backers that they don't dare oppose it, for fear of losing support.
It makes you wonder if any of the billions in tax dollars allocated for AIDS prevention are actually spent actively enabling, organizing, and protecting the international child prostitution business.
This is just another "in your face" stunt by obama.
Expect a lot more of these to come.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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sponsored by
Stacy Dean Stephens
VP Marketing & Sales
Stacy is a seasoned, senior executive with 20 plus years' experience in law enforcement, public safety and security technology integration. He holds several patents for autonomous robots used in security applications. He is an expert in brand development, marketing, operations, and customer service. Stacy was named Government Technology Magazine's Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers for his commitment to advancing law enforcement technology.


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Harry H. Bean, 81, of Albrightsville, formerly of Lititz, passed away at his residence on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013.
Born in Jackson Township, he was the son of the late Harvey and Dorothy Bean.
He is survived by a daughter, Debra A. (Cliff) Moyer of Lititz; a son, Harry H. Bean III of Lititz; five grandchildren: Erin Lamoreaux, Tanya Tuy, Renee Kaufman, Angie Bean and Andrew Moyer; and seven great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Robert "Bob" D. Bean.
Harry was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving during the Korean War. He was a machine operator and foreman at various shoe factories in the Lititz area and also was a real estate agent.
Harry was a member of American Legion Garden Spot Post 56 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1463, both of Lititz.
He enjoyed woodworking.
Harry's Life Celebration service was held Saturday, Feb. 2, at Spacht Funeral Home, 127 S. Broad St., Lititz, with the Rev. Harry T. Dow officiating. Interment took place at New Evangelical Cemetery, Lititz, Elizabeth Township. Military Honors were rendered by the Red Rose Veterans Honor Guard.
Please omit flowers; memorials may be sent to American Cancer Society, 314 Good Drive, Lancaster, PA 17603-9983.
Spacht Funeral Home
127 S. Broad St., Lititz
Harry H. Bean
Harry H. Bean, 81, of Albrightsville, formerly of Lititz, passed away at his residence on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013.


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3:30 pm
WordGirl "Cherish Is The Word/Granny's Intuition" Cherish is the Word - It's Valentines Day! All of the kids at school are making special valentines to share with their special friends. But when Victoria Best runs off with all of the cards, will she ruin Valentine's Day for everyone? It's up to WordGirl to swoop in and save the day. Granny's Intuition - According to the local news Granny May seems to be figuring out who's been committing the latest crime sprees that are sweeping the city. D
4:00 pm
Wild Kratts "Race for the Hippo Disc" When Chris and Martin accidentally lose a Power Disc on the African savannah, the Wild Kratts goes into crisis mode to find the disc before it gets into the hands of Zach Varmitech. D
4:30 pm
Cyberchase "Hugs and Witches" It's Valentine's Day, and Hacker captures Doctor Marbles and Lady Ada Lovelace (Jane Curtin), placing them inside a time machine invented by the mathematically-minded Lovelace. The kids and Digit must decipher a series of poems left behind by Lady L, and free them from the time machine before it time travels to the nether world of cyberspace - never to return! Will the kids get there in time, or will Valentine's Day bring nothing but broken hearts?. D
5:00 pm
Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman "Snoop Dog" FETCH!'s rival game show Go Get It! is produced by a mysterious organization called PURRS. Ruff sends all six kids to meet with a team of private investigators and learn how to become gumshoes. Ruff and the FETCHers then try to use their sleuthing skills to get to the bottom of who is behind PURRS. D
5:30 pm
Nightly Business Report Warren Buffett partners up to buy ketchup maker HJ Heinz in a deal worth $28 Billion dollars. NBR's Ruben Ramirez takes a look at why Buffett may have chosen Brazil's 3G Capital. The American Airlines-US Airways merger is ready for take-off and the companies say they see no turbulence ahead from Washington regulators. D
5:56 pm
NewsHour Promo NULL
6:00 pm
PBS NewsHour NULL
7:00 pm
Doc Martin "Do Not Disturb" To help solve her farm's money problems, Aunt Joan starts a small bed-and-breakfast business. Her first guest is another local farmer, also in financial difficulties but Joan soon finds he is far from the perfect guest. She also worries about Martin's future.G
8:00 pm
Outdoor Idaho "Wilderness in the 21st Century" This exploration of wilderness issues captures scenic vistas of Idaho from north to south. The show examines what wilderness means to Idahoans, pressures from wheeled vehicle advocates, collaborative efforts that include multiple sides, and how work is accomplished inside a wilderness.G
8:30 pm
This American Land "Idaho Wilderness, Loggerhead Turtles, Sandfish Lizard, Wrangling Water" The opening segment looks at wildlife in Idaho's wilderness areas and at efforts to protect the Boulder-White Clouds Mountains.G
9:00 pm
Midsomer Murders "Murder On St. Malley's Day, Part 1" After a pupil at the prestigious Devington School dies of a stab wound while competing in a race, shocked locals are sure the death can be linked to the long-running rivalry between the school and the locals. As Barnaby investigates, he encounters the Pudding Club, an elite secret society with which the murdered student had been involved. Part 1 of 2G
10:00 pm
DCI Banks "Dry Bones That Dream" DCI Alan Banks and DI Helen Morton must learn to reconcile their conflicting policing styles and personalities while trying to unravel the increasingly puzzling murder of a local accountant who has been leading a double life.G
11:30 pm
Charlie Rose NULL


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These menus are from Red Hot & Blue, a Memphis-style barbecue place with several restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area, and one in Chapel Hill, N.C.
This logo is from Bullock's Barbecue, a great restaurant in Durham, N.C. They serve chopped and sliced pork barbecue, as well as wonderful side dishes. Crook's Corner, a famous Southern-style restaurant in Chapel Hill, also serves Bullock's barbecue (as is duly noted on their menu).
Andy Nelson's Southern Pit Barbecue serves pulled pork, pulled chicken, and chopped beef barbecue. This range of styles is a bit suspect, especially since Andy's bills its BBQ sandwiches as "sa'm'wiches." The restaurant's motto, however, is a redeeming aspect-- "Hogs Smell Better Barbecued."
Pig-Out's delivers ribs, pulled pork and chicken wings.
If in Chapel Hill, go to Dip's. They serve good barbecue as well as carefully prepared side dishes and seafood in a wonderfully casual atmosphere. Their prices are reasonable, too.
Since Porky's Palace closed its doors, Lizzard Lick's has captured the prize for most creatively named barbecue joint in Durham, N.C. Their vegetables are canned, but the barbecue is good and plentiful.
return to
barbecue home page


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It's always an honor to receive good reviews, whether for our hotels or our wine. This spring, Walla Faces won the TripAdvisor 2014 Certificate of Excellence for the second year in a row, and today, we're excited to share two excellent reviews of our wine from Great Northwest Wine!
Great Northwest Wine is an online magazine about wine in the Pacific Northwest, featuring industry tidbits, news about wine, and wine reviews. The project of Eric Degerman and Andy Perdue, two seasoned journalists and wine writers, it updates daily with new content, and is a must-read website for wine enthusiasts, particularly those in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
We sent Great Northwest Wine two samples of our wine–a bottle of the 2012 Tempranillo and a bottle of the 2012 Estate Syrah. The reviews, we're happy to say, were sparkling.
The review of the 2012 Tempranillo compliments the choice of fruit–grapes from the "stellar" Stone Tree Vineyard in Wahluke Slope, WA. It describes the wine's dark fruit flavors and the "splash of cola and creaminess" before settling on a final rating: "Excellent." Similarly, the review of the 2012 Estate Syrah describes its aromas as "enticing" and its entry and finish as "rich", and also rates the wine as "Excellent."
We're very honored to receive such praise, and want to congratulate co-winemakers Rick Johnson and Victor de la Luz, as well as consulting winemaker Chris Camarda, for a job superbly done!


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Free roads aren't free because highway users foot the bill. The same could be said for "free" coloring books the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority is giving away.
Don't forget to pick one up for the kids next time through. It comes with crayons.
In it, you'll find Captain Tollway, the authority's own superhero mascot promoting the authority's new "Know Before You Go!" campaign. His job is to tell you where the construction is so you can plan your route accordingly. And he has a cape.
"Iron Man, Batman, the Hulk might have swell super powers or nifty crime-fighting gadgets. But when it comes to bringing Congestion Relief to drivers on the Illinois Tollway, there's only one superhero delivering the message to 'Know Before You Go!' this summer travel season – Captain Tollway," toll authority officials state on their Web site.
Earlier this year, the Indiana Toll Road unveiled its mascot by the name of i-Zoom Girl. She has appeared in ads with her red hair and flashy boots to market the i-Zoom electronic tolling system.
You likely remember "Conjunction Junction, what's your function?" from "Schoolhouse Rock." This latest promotion could be "Tollhouse Rock."
Can't you picture Captain Tollway and i-Zoom Girl breaking into song? How about "Malfunction Junction, what's your function?"
Tune in next week – same toll time, same toll channel – to see if Captain Tollway and i-Zoom Girl can leap tall toll plazas in a single bound or at least liberate a buck or two from your electronic toll account.
Tolls: Up, up and away.


text:
Cider Basted Turkey with Roasted Apple Gravy Recipe
1 cup apple cider
1/4 cup Calvados or applejack (apple brandy)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. dried rubbed sage
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
10 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, (2 cut into quarters, 8 cut into 8 slices each)
1 large onion, sliced
6 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 tsp. ground
8 large sage leaves, or 1 tsp. rubbed
1 15 to 16-lb turkey
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup (or more) water
2 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup apple cider
2 tbsp. cornstarch
For turkey:
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325ºF. Combine first 5 ingredients in small saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; bring liquid to boil. Set liquid aside.
Mix 2 quartered apples, onion, thyme, sage leaves and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon in large bowl.
Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Sprinkle main cavity with salt and pepper. Spoon apple mixture into main cavity. Tuck wing tips under turkey; tie legs together loosely. Place turkey in large roasting pan. Rub turkey breast and legs with butter. Pour half of basting liquid over turkey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast turkey 30 minutes. Pour remaining basting liquid over turkey. Roast 2 hours, basting frequently with pan juices and adding 1 cup (or more) water to pan if juices have evaporated. Add all apple slices to pan juices around turkey. Cover turkey loosely with foil to keep from browning too quickly. Continue to roast until apples are tender, turkey is deep brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175ºF, basting frequently with pan juices, about 1 hour 30 minutes longer.
Transfer turkey to platter. Tent loosely with foil; let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature of turkey will increase 5 to 10 degrees).
For gravy:
Using slotted spoon, transfer apples from pan juices to bowl. Pour pan juices into 4-cup measuring cup. Spoon off fat and discard. Add enough chicken broth to pan juices to measure 4 cups. Transfer broth mixture to large saucepan; simmer 5 minutes. Add reserved apples; simmer 2 minutes. Mix apple cider and cornstarch in small bowl. Whisk into gravy. Boil until gravy thickens, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Discard mixture from turkey cavity.
Serve turkey with gravy. Will feed a crowd of 10.
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I use a Nikon AF-105-VR almost exclusively. It has a 6-7" working distance (Distance from the end of the lens) to get 1:1. A subsee adapter will give 2.25:1 at a workind distance of about 3", somewhat less if you back up just a bit.
Here is a Bubble Coral Shrimp at more than 1:1. It is full frame. (I am not sure of the actual magnification but it is better than 1:1.) What is nice about this shot is that it is still a shot of the critter and the environment,
Thanks Tom. Nice shot! I have a Nexus CL-100 wet mount close-up lens that works fine with the 105mm when shooting objects that do not move much but limits the distance when I'm shooting skittish fish, like goby and blenny. That's why I'm thinking of getting the teleconvertor (double the magnification w/o limiting the lens distance from the object).


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The Bruins held Slap Shot Night tonight at the TD Banknorth Garden to honor what's widely regarded as the best hockey movie ever. And the Hanson Bros. own Steve Carlson was in the house for the festivities. Before the game, he recalled the one season (1987-88) that he was an assistant coach with the Baltimore Skipjacks of the American Hockey League and Bruins head coach Claude Julien was a player on the squad.
"Thank God I only had him for one year," said Carlson with his tongue firmly in his cheek. "What's good about coaching Claude is, if we needed an extra pilon, we just let him out there."
"Claude was a good hockey player, a hard-working hockey player. But I'm glad I only had him for one year. Thanks God he's telling his players, 'Do as I say not as I did' because they'd be walking around him all night."
Earlier, Carlson had some serious praise for his former pupil's job with the Bruins.
"When you have four lines that work hard, play the system, you don't have to worry about nothing because you can outwork the other team. Man for man, Boston doesn't have the best team in the league. But I guarantee you, they're going to be one of the hardest working teams in the league. And that's what's going to get them over the top."


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Claire Denis' ( I Can't Sleep, Chocolat, Trouble Every Day) tale of envy and covetousness was loosely adapted/inspired by Herman Melville's unfinished novella, Billy Budd. And, much like Melville's incomplete manuscript, the machinations behind the Denis tale are murky. Aside from the basic plot of Billy Budd (the persecution and frame-up of a handsome sailor named Billy by a cruel superior named Claggart), the only thing that I can recall learning about it was that scholars have always had a difficult time deciphering Melville's notes and revisions of the incomplete text, therefore making it a difficult to flesh out the story and perhaps even Mellvile's ultimate intentions. Denis is a film maker I have always enjoyed, yet, she takes a similarly hard to decipher pose in telling her tale, relying on only some voice over of Galoup's thoughts and, mainly, long sequences beholding the Legionaries physical training regimen.
Taking the Claggart and Billy roles are Officer Galoup and Gilles Sentain. In the place of some exposition dialogue to tell us how the men contrast each other, Denis instead casts two leads who are nearly physical opposites. Denis Lavant (Lovers on the Bridge), as Galoup, has a face like a refugee road map, a slight yet muscular frame, and, like Klaus Kinski, is capable of hard piercing looks. In contrast, Gregoire Colin (Dreamlife of Angels), as Sentain, is ungodly handsome, taller, perfectly proportioned, and as elegantly smooth and unwieldy as a still pool of water. Denis largely jumbled narrative is based on stripped-down suggestion and vivid landscapes to convey the mood. Galoup recalls the events for us, so wherein the truth lies is anyone's guess since we are being told the story though his eyes. This alleviates some of the tension, makes it anticlimactic, since from the outset we know that he was expelled from his beloved Legion because of his actions. Who Sentian is and why Galoup hates him is as much a mystery to Galoup as it is to the viewer. Recalling meeting the new recruit, Galoup puts it simply, "I felt something vague and menacing take hold of me."
Escewing typical narrative does create, for me, some obtuseness. While Denis does turn a memorizing eye on the rigid procedure and musculature of the Legionaries, as well as the arid landscape surrounding them, giving weight to the Galoup's jealous longing and the soldiers isolation, the lack of character definition and dialogue makes them a bit distant. But, the final scene, a spastic dance routine which I took to mean Galoup, sort of, transcending his disparity, letting loose of his rigid confines, may say more than words ever could.
The DVD: New Yorker Video
Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen. Good sharpness and contrast, with richness in the pale sky, the flesh, and the dusty landscapes. There was some edge enhancement and slight fogging in a few scenes. Overall an acceptable transfer.
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0, French with optional white English subtitles. Fairly simple mix, with good clarity in the dialogue. Captures the atmospheric score and the contrasting dance club music very well.
Extras: 12 Chapters--- Trailer for the film plus New Yorker info and trailer for their other releases, Fast Food, Fast Women, Taboo, The Price of Milk, and The Wind Will Carry Us
Conclusion: The abstract storytelling may be a little off-putting to many. Admittedly, I usually love such narratives, but I found it a little distancing. Still, it is a memorable film with some evocative images. The transfer is middle of the road, okay image and sound, few extras, and very pricey. Certainly a decent enough buy for fans of abstract foreign cinema and Denis particular style, but the cost may have most leaning towards a rental.


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|Episode Description
|Saturday, Feb 16, 2013 - 1:00 AM
"Workshop 7. Assessment"
In a classroom where students are actively engaged in literature, there is a need to find authentic assessment vehicles that measure their progress as readers and thinkers. In this program, teachers from around the country identify useful criteria that they have used in both formal and informal ongoing assessments. The group also talks about integrating their evaluation strategies in the milieu of traditional and highstakes assessments, while maintaining an emphasis on the individual growth of the readers in their classrooms. D
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Juan_Bottom wrote:He's been at my throat ever since I foed him for making fun of the Holocaust. My entire family, save for my grandfather, was slaughtered by the Germans. Before my grandfather finally passed on, he spent several weeks reliving the war, waking up after naps and begging us to help him find his missing sister, who was abducted in Norway. And BBS had the audacity to tell me that I would find it therapeutic to join him in making fun of my massacred relatives.
And so, BBS continues to follow me around, berating me because he knows I can't see what he's writing so long as he's foed. He's the weakest person on this website. Pathetic... Attacking me constantly because I find his insulting the victims of the Holocaust to be so revolting. He's a goddamn bully and a cad.
BigBallinStalin wrote:Nah, I pretty much criticize/joke about you when you're being stupid. Then your panties get in a twist, and since you can't respond logically, you'll resort to this story about how you don't like Holocaust jokes--regardless of how many Israelis and/or Jews joke about the Holocaust. It's a sad situation, but I can't be here to drag you out of it.
People deal with such issues in different ways, as I've already mentioned, but some of them--like you--really don't know how to recover, even though they've never experienced the traumatic experience. For some, the imagination is strong, and the humor is lacking. For others, recovery has happened, and the jokes are flowing.
See ya around, JB.
Oh do please go on, finish your thought on how to properly joke farm the Holocaust. And let my healing begin! I was ill informed before, not understanding that it was my "imagination" that was holding me back from being a fully-developed westerner. I have never met a Holocaust survivor or family member who insulted the living memory of the dead before. Certainly none of my Grandfather's children do.
There's no such thing as "recovery has already happened." That's horrifically stupid and ignorant. An entire generation or two has grown up apart from those who died in the Holocaust, an that's the "recovery" you speak of. But no, no one who has lived through the Holocaust or was raised by someone who did finds it funny to laugh at the massacred millions. Nobody who has educated themselves on these events will laugh at them either. The scars are still there marked upon more than just the land; the scars cut deep into the souls of generations of victims. Though it's not just Holocaust victims who understand this, but their experience is special. I'm sure that you can find communities of minorities of various religions, races, and sexes all over the world who bear the same wounds and mental burdens.
Humor is often found through controversy, like race or sex. And so there are people like you who feel that an extension of that controversy is to make fun of Holocaust Survivors. Worst still, is that people want to respect you, and they see you mocking Holocaust Survivors and they want to emulate you. But I'm banking that the CC community isn't so daft as all that. My grandfather was a Norwegian Patriot and an American Hero who fought against the Nazis in any army that would take him. I am terribly sad for what he went through by losing his entire family, and never even knowing their fate. And I cannot imagine what other families went through, but I would be lacking the crucial elements of humanity if I allowed you to insult any of their memories.


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Sweet Tofu Pudding (Doufu Hua/豆腐花)
Chinese doufu hua (tofu hua or taufu fa) or sweet tofu pudding recipe. Learn the step-by-step for making sweet tofu pudding at home.
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total Time:
6 cups homemade soy milk
2 teaspoons gypsum
2 teaspoons cornstarch or potato starch
1/3 cup water
Ginger Syrup:
One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and pounded
8 oz rock sugar
1 cup water
1 screwpine (pandan) leaf, knotted
In a bowl, mix together the gypsum, starch and water. Stir to combine well.
Bring the soy milk to boil. As soon as it boils, skim off the foam/bubbles. Turn off the heat.
Stir the gypsum mixture and add to a wide pot. Pour the soy milk into the pot, at about 1 foot above the pot. This will make sure that the gypsum mixture distributes well in the soy milk. DO NOT STIR.
Cover the pot with a kitchen towel and then with the lid. Let the tofu pudding set, for about 1 hour.
To serve, use a shallow ladle to scrape some of the tofu pudding into a serving bowl. Add some syrup and serve immediately.
After I published the "How to Make Soy Milk" post, many readers asked me to share the Chinese sweet tofu pudding or doufu hua (豆腐花) recipe. I will be honest, I have never made doufu hua before, as I always think of it as something very hard to do, tedious and mostly fail-prone. Oh boy, was I wrong? Now that I have made my own homemade tofu pudding, it just dawns to me why have I waited so long to try something that is so easy—and rewarding—to make!
I grew up eating a lot of doufu hua, which is a very common and popular sweet dessert in Penang, Malaysia. Walk down any streets or markets, one can always find soy milk hawkers (street vendors) selling both soy milk and doufu hua, freshly made each day. There are also hawkers who cycle their mobile stall or cart around the neighborhood, hawking "doufu hua" loudly as they peddle down the street. Both soy milk and doufu hua are excellent for the scorching hot and humid weather back home. They are my absolute favorite.
Making it at home for the first time, I did face some challenges. I consulted my friend Andrea Nguyen, author of Asian Tofu, who gave me precious tips and tricks to make the best tofu pudding at home. Her pointers are extremely useful, and they can be found at the Cook's Notes section in the recipe. Simply put, to make really good tofu pudding at home, you need a good master soy milk, which is a richer soy milk. According to Andrea, store-bought soy milk is usually thinner compared to homemade soy milk, and not the best for tofu pudding. So if you want to make the best doufu hua, you have to make soy milk. The recipe and step-by-step is here.
Next, you will need a coagulant. I use gypsum (石膏), which is used by the Chinese to make tofu. You can buy it online here. To make sweet tofu pudding (Doufu Hua/豆腐花), you also need syrup to serve with it. I like ginger and rock sugar syrup but I personally prefer gula melaka (Malaysian palm sugar), as pictured above.
Many people have questions about the choices of coagulant. Please read this resourceful guide "Tofu Coagulant Guide: What to Buy and Where to Find It" by Andrea Nguyen. If you love tofu, you have to pick up her cookbook Asian Tofu.
Chinese sweet tofu pudding is best served the same day it's made, so make a big batch and share it with friends and family. Enjoy!
Rate the Recipe:
- AVG RATINGBased on 25 Review(s)4.5
SUBSCRIBE TO RASA MALAYSIA NEWSLETTER AND GET EASY AND DELICIOUS RECIPES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. If you try my recipe, please use hashtag #rasamalaysia on social media so I can see your creations! Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter for new recipes, giveaways and more.


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New Car Review Video
2014 Ford Fusion: 5 Reasons to Buy -- Joey Logano Edition
The Ford Fusion is one of our favorite family sedans because it's practical, good-looking and comes in a variety of flavors including hybrid, plug-in hybrid and turbocharged gasoline-powered models. It's a little-known fact, however, that the Fusion has a wild side.
Turbocharged Power
If you want a high-performance, V8 powered Fusion like the one they race in NASCAR... you might be out of luck, but the Fusion does give you a choice of excellent turbocharged engines. The 1.6-liter EcoBoost is a nice place to start; it makes about 180 hp and comes with a sporty 6-speed manual transmission. The 1.5-liter EcoBoost gives you the same engine hooked to a 6-speed automatic, but our favorite is the Titanium model's responsive 2.0-liter turbo with 240 hp.
Athletic Handling
The Fusion is one of those cars that just feels athletic and ready to go. The steering is quick and direct, and you can really toss this thing around in tight corners. Not bad for a spacious sedan.
Available All-Wheel Drive
The Ford Fusion is one of the only cars in its class to offer all-wheel drive (AWD). Whether you need AWD for winter driving or you just like the added security all year long, the Fusion's ready to oblige. Best part? If you specify AWD, you automatically get that 240-hp engine, too.
Sporty Cockpit
Race cars don't really have interiors; they have a bunch of gauges and safety equipment. Street-ready sports cars tend to have intimate, well-designed cabins like the Fusion's. It's got a smooth-looking dashboard, with a graceful center portion that tilts toward the driver. It's not often that a family sedan feels this dialed in from behind the wheel.
Singular Styling
One thing Logano's race car and the street-ready Fusion have in common is the slick look, especially the Aston Martin-looking grille. That alone is worth the price of admission. Most family sedans aren't nearly as memorable as the Fusion. But the Fusion keeps going with a long, sleek profile and upscale-looking taillights.
AutoTrader.com sponsors Joey Logano and the number 22 Penske Racing Ford Fusion NASCAR race car.
Ford is a sponsor of Penske Racing


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GAUTIER, MS (WLOX) - Harold Robins and his girlfriend lost their home Monday night. And to make matters worse they didn't have insurance. Still the traveling pipe fitter says he would live in an RV again because of how convenient they are.
RV technician Tommy Jones believes most of the damaged RVs at Santa Maria RV Park are a loss.
"I have no doubt that these units aren't repairable. It's just the way they are constructed. And then the damage that I saw you couldn't do anything with that," said Reliable RV Center technician Tommy Jones.
Jimmy Bankston with Reliable RV Center says RVs and campers are meant to withstand the elements and if the weather conditions get bad enough the homes on wheels can be moved.
"There are risks with everything, in a boat. You can hit a rough wave and flip over very easily. A car blow out can flip over. Anything can be damaged by the right circumstances," said Bankston.
As Robins tries to pick up what remains of his home he says damage like this is never something you want, but something you should be prepared for.
"It's like a boat you always got to fix something, but it's the nature of the beast. It's the same with a home," said Robins.
Copyright 2014 WLOX. All rights reserved.


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I think we should talk more about this issue, one day it will be helpful
I think we should talk more about this issue, one day it will be helpful
any progress report on this, i've actually used this emulator quite a bit last few days, working on sml (had all the sprites anyway) did you ever come up with anchor points or similar solution to be able to expand on customizing? and any windows build coming soon
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HD NES packs for hdnes and mesen
Well, as you can see here, there's always progress. My philosophy is that every day, something has to improve. Been doing that for almost 2 years now; haven't gone a day without at least 1 commit added to the code base
More specifically, most of the progress has been in other areas of the emulator. To name a few:
- Netplay support for DMG/GBC games
- GB Printer support
- GB Mobile adapter support (GBE+ is the first GB emulator to offer native support for this device).
- Limited GBC IR support
- Lots of bug fixes for games
- Vastly improved GBA sound quality and finally tackled a number of long-standing graphical issues (scaling/rotation for BGs and sprites).
- Moved to SDL 2.0 and OpenGL 3.3. Scaling filters like xBR are available as shaders.
So, that's basically what I've been doing since April of last year. Nearly all of my efforts have been towards the core emulation, but I have devoted some time to Custom Graphics. A lot of little bugs in the GUI were crushed, and after some feedback, the UI was changed to be more user-friendly. Unfortunately, a small part of the hashing algorithm was changed, so some graphics dumped and edited with 1.0 won't be compatible with 1.1 (which will come out... on April 1st, 2017, as usual).
Rather than anchor points, I've decided to go with using the address of a tile in VRAM to optionally distinguish two separate tiles. Some tiles have the same graphics, but are simply located in two different memory locations. It works in practice, and for SML, it would allow the sky and the ground to be replaced separately.
Also in the works, the NDS core is up and running, although it's pretty much restricted to homebrew at this point, but at least it can do a few test ROMs correctly.
Last edited by Shonumi; January 11th, 2017 at 02:41.
i've definitely played with it, and hope to really push its abilities with its modding, is there much restrictions to vram, as interesting how this can work in practice but as you can see still not really much joy there lol
However yeah i've been following each day practically, and is my go to gameboy/gba emulator lol
And any further graphic modding abilities i'll certainly try out, hopefully i can make some games very pretty.
But in the mean time i might as well actually do a full mario land pack in hd (6x) (hopefully be even better than what i did for super mario )
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HD NES packs for hdnes and mesen
Oh, that looks very nice! Pretty impressive!
Unfortunately, some of the tiles in the "SUPER MARIO LAND" text are the same on the Game Boy (e.g. the right part of "M" is the same as the right part of "I"). There's not much I can do to get around this because it's a limit that was from the original hardware. That is to say, GBE+ can't replace "new" tiles that never existed. That's going to be a challenge for artists because you can't just copy+paste HD images into a game; it has to follow the tiling patterns the game actually uses. One solution here would be to make "M" and "I" the same color, and try to position M in such a way that lines up correctly.
Another issue I hope to tackle in the future for Custom Graphics is performance. Currently, all of the graphics a user wants to load up are stored in a big list, and searching that list can take a while if it gets too large. I'd like to see some multithreading applied some day to look up items in the list, also it'd be nice to pre-sort the list into smaller lists (hashes stored alphabetically).
Thanks! I thought I was probably the only one who used it on a day-to-day basis; I'm glad you like it. IMO, GBA games only really just got playable since I added scaling/rotating sprites. Many missing or broken effects are now taken care of. And the sound used to be horrible, but 48KHz does the job. Now I can comfortably play a lot of games without noticing 10 or 20 bugs that ruin the experience. One area for the GBA that I'm still not happy about is performance; the GBA core takes up a lot of CPU resources (mostly from trying to emulate the LCD). I'll have to rewrite most of the LCD code to optimize everything.Originally Posted by LyonHrt
Last edited by Shonumi; January 11th, 2017 at 04:34.
thanks for the quick reply, and yeah i'll get past the tile restrictions when i can, i'll still come up with a pretty logo, and yeah i can get the performance issues, not come up against it yet but then this pc isnt a slow coach, roll on the next release
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HD NES packs for hdnes and mesen
definitely going somewhere now, although can't seem to get tiles and have custom graphics enabled at the same time, however the metas do help a great deal.
Oh and if you want to have a look at this pack for marioland, feel free to check it out https://github.com/lyonhrt/GBE-Plus-Projects
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HD NES packs for hdnes and mesen
That's amazing!
We are in the process of archiving all qualifying texture packs!
Contact me via PM to have your N64 texture pack hosted on Emulation64.com!
Having a hard time loading Large packs? Be sure to patch your emulator.
Can't load .DAT or .HTC archives? Look no further then this shiny Tutorial, Android users may use this Tutorial.
I know some people dislike the idea of modding retro games, and being an old git myself, i actually consider retro, not to be graphics but gameplay, if nintendo brought out a 4k completely modernized marioland, but kept the classic gameplay i'd probably get it!
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HD NES packs for hdnes and mesen
That's crazy and amazing. I'm glad that someone was able to actually make use of the features I added (and understand how they work. I haven't updated the PDF manual in a while). Great job!
It's funny to think that this only exists now because someone on the Dolphin forums suggested such a feature, but only in passing. So, thanks to a brief comment, my curiosity was sparked, and here we are
Yeah, that's something I haven't changed yet since GBE became GBE+. It's a remnant from when GBE didn't have a GUI, so when you ran it on the command-line, you either gave it the option to dump graphics or load graphics. Additionally, hashes for dumped graphics and loaded graphics come from the same list in C++, so when you dump graphics, this would have some weird effects on the ones currently loaded. However, that's not a big issue to workaround. I think I'll see what I can do about that in the next few days. Currently debugging tons of broken GBA games, so working on Custom Graphics again will be a nice change of paceOriginally Posted by LyonHrt
Just imagine if I could pull off the same features to replace the graphics on the GBA... Eventually that's where I plan on taking GBE+. We'll see what happens when we get there, I guess.


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Last Modified : June 22, 2015
Anna University offers M.E. Product Design and Development (PDD) under the university department and its affiliated colleges. M.E. in Product Design and Development (PDD) is offered in Full Time and Part Time Mode. The admission to this course is done through TANCET.
|Starting Date for Registration
|April 1, 2015
|Last date for Registration
|April 20, 2015
|Last Date of receiving Application
|April 22, 2015
|Exam held on
|May 17, 2015
|June 13, 2015
|August, 2015
Candidate must have completed his B.E. / B.Tech. in Mechanical/ Automobile/ Manufacturing/ Production/ Mechatronics/Aeronautical from recognized University with 50% marks (45% marks for SC/ST)
Candidate can apply for TANCET 2015 for getting Admission into M.E. in Product Design and Development (PDD) Programme.
Check Out Complete Application Procedure of TANCET 2015
The selection of the candidate is done on the basis of Marks Obtained in the Anna University TANCET or GATE 2015. A merit list will be prepared which displays all the candidate names that are selected for the counselling.
Students can check out all the fee structure of the M.E. Programme.
M.E. is offered on Anna University Campus in College of Engineering, Guindy , Vel Tech High Tech Dr Rangarajan Dr Sakunthala Engineering College,Madras Institute Technology etc.
Category: COLLEGE


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Update: Dec. 18
The last two bikes have arrived. Let the games begin!!
Intense Carbine 275
Foes 275
Update: Nov. 12
Bikes are rolling in every week for the Mtbr 650b All Mountain Bike Round Up.
We've been riding the snot out of them are really stoked on this platform. We are now convinced that consumers will love them and these will dominate the All Mountain bike category in a couple of years. They are just so fun and capable. With a great frame, big Schwalbe Hans Dampf tubeless tires, Fox 160mm Kashima fork and Fox rear, we have merely scratched the surface of these bikes' capabilities.
Early favorites so far are the Norco Sight and the Intense Tracer 275. The Norco is a fun, low-to-the ground climber and jumper. The Intense Tracer 275 is a burly beast that can climb rock walls and tame rocky descents.
Bikes arriving for the Round Up are:
Norco Range and Sight 650b


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Browsing Department of Educational Psychology by Subject "Hispanic American college students -- Social networks --- Southwestern States."
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
The role of social capital and mediating factors in Hispanic student college retention. (2008-08-12)This dissertation study describes the characteristics of Hispanic students who were and were not retained at the university level. Two-hundred and forty-five undergraduate Hispanic students answered survey and assessment ...