text:
Unnecessary but never uninteresting, Texas Chainsaw at least tries to sharpen the long-dulled blade for this, the seventh appearance of Leatherface — wielder of power tools, wearer of skin masks and butcherer of the curvaceous and chiseled.
After this and 2010's so-so heist film Takers, director John Luessenhop is an acolyte of the inoffensively unremarkable genre picture. Here, he breaks up expected carnage with just the right amount of misdirection and distraction — an unexpected detour to a carnival, suspense that's sparked by light, clinking sound effects instead of loud clunks, leading lady Alexandra Daddario's supernaturally hypnotic midriff.
When four-fifths of the pretty people are dead by the halfway mark, that's a lot of movie left. Does the remainder predictably borrow from A Nightmare on Elm Street and later Halloween installments? Sure. But unlike most "Chainsaw" sequels and prequels, at least it's not a painful slog to the finish.
The best, and worst, aspect of Texas Chainsaw is its reclamation of the series' timeline after 39 back-and-forth years — junking films two through six and picking up hours after the conclusion of Tobe Hooper's zeitgeist-capturing original.
It's great because this installment is no longer tethered to a 2006 prequel's outhouse-Freud BS about Leatherface's lousy childhood. It's bad because it incongruously places the original's events in the era of Clinton, not Nixon. Then again, if Daddario's character is 40, she has the best ab workout DVD ever made.
The prologue presents snippets of the original (re-rendered in 3D), cameos pointless for all but franchise faithful, and, in new footage, the murderous Sawyer family's farmhouse shot and torched by redneck vigilantes a la Ruby Ridge. The only seeming survivor is a newborn baby plucked from the aftermath and parented by two hateful hayseeds who leave town. But not for nothing does the camera linger.
With a wink, the film leaps forward in time, where Heather (Daddario) is a meat-counter clerk — smuggling home animal bones with which to mount decrepit works of art at the apartment she shares with kickboxing boyfriend Ryan (rapper-turned-actor Tremaine "Trey Songz" Neverson).
Neverson's most meaningful contribution is to the soundtrack. He cops Chris "Ludacris" Bridges' preferred billing but none of his presence. Plus, the movie deprives us of a scene in which Ryan's leg is severed mid-roundhouse that it so mercilessly teases early on. More intriguing: As Songz's song goes, Ryan is more interested in the ladies and the drinks than he initially lets on.
The couple is headed to New Orleans for Halloween with vixen / bestie Nikki (Tania Raymonde, best known as Alex from Lost) and Nikki's crepe-cooking new squeeze, Kenny (Keram Malicki-Sanchez), in tow. But when Heather inherits an estate from a grandmother she never knew, they detour to tiny Newt, Texas — where the pit-pooling sweaty aesthetic is on point and the usual dumb-dumb domino effect sets events in motion.
Rule No. 1 of Home Ownership: Don't leave a handsome hitchhiker (Shaun Sipos) alone in your new house to pilfer silver and release a long-locked-away killer who's lived on turkey legs and lemonade for 20 years. Rule No. 2 of Home Ownership: If your inherited home comes with a set of rules, read them promptly as instructed.
The trashy 3D, rarely worth the upcharge, is more invasive than inventive — often augmenting cut-rate computer-generated spatter. (The best digital effect is the deletion of the "C" from the sign of a Clark gas station — a missed product-placement opportunity to be known as the place for snacks before slaughter.) But Luessenhop balances the blood and bombast with several icy compositions.
One shot strikingly overlays Daddario's face atop a wide- and crazy-eyed portrait of her birth mother. And where most would show a crashing van's glass and metal from every angle, Luessenhop opts for an iconic, distantly wide shot indicative of the helplessness inherent to the horror genre. At least he brings a bit of artistry into this abattoir of removed faces, blasted brains, sliced tendons and bisected bohunks.
The story often hangs looser than Daddario's blouses from her bosomy frame. But as it sufficiently and sinisterly outs small-town skeletons we know are lurking, it injects bits of cracker comedy as amusing as they are grisly and courteously keeps Leatherface's psychological profile low and less obvious than a Stihl to the stomach.
In such slabs of beef, there's always going to be gristle. At least Luessenhop and company cut around it and sear in enough seasoning to serve something that, as cheapie-roadside cinematic meals go, is surprisingly digestible.


text:
The religious extremist shouted, "We must take up arms to drive out the infidels from the land! They are the enemies of our faith! To die in the holy war is to be rewarded in heaven and your assurance of salvation! Your highest calling is to go to war and to kill the enemies of God! God has willed it!"
Reading these words in light of current events, we might assume they were spoken by Mullah Omar, Osama Bin Laden, or perhaps some leader from ISIS. But in this particular case to which I am referring, they were not. These words were not spoken by any Islamic leader against the west or against Christians.
They instead were spoken by the leader of the Christian church in order to raise up a great crusade to drive the Muslims out of the Holy Land. His call came at the end of the eleventh century.
Nine Hundred Years
Today we stand at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It is almost incredulous how the rhetoric has been reversed. Nine hundred years ago, it was the Christians who waged a holy war against Islam. Today, not only in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also in Palestine and in increasingly more places in the Middle East and even in the west, the Jihad has been raised against all that the Islamists see as the enemies of Islam.
The intervening years may have brought about many changes, but there is one thing that has remained constant. In all times, and on all sides of a conflict, in what are described as "holy wars," everyone claims to be fighting in the Name of God. Combatants are quick to proclaim that God is on their side.
I watched the image of a twelve year old Afghani boy on the television news a couple of years ago. His young mind had been solidly indoctrinated to believe that the Taliban, despite the fact that they had so brutally ruled his country, were building a government in Afghanistan as Allah would have it done.
"The Taliban will never fall," the young boy said, "because God is on our side!"
"You will succeed," the Pope told the crusaders of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, "because God is on your side!"
Today in the West, we do not agree with the twelve year old Afghani boy. We look on Al Qaeda, the Taliban and also as the ISIS movement as being regimes of extreme evil. Each one in succession seems to only have increased in their cruelty. The brutality of their actions against all who do not agree with them, and the violence that they have wrought in their own countries and around the world have demonstrated clearly their wickedness. We believe that in fighting them we are fighting evil.
But nine hundred years ago the same might have been said of the crusaders who marched under the Christian banner to combat what they saw as the infidels of that day. The massacre that took place by the crusaders after the taking of Jerusalem was almost beyond belief.
Whose side is God on?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Elsewhere. . .
- 4/22/08 Update: Jim Crawford, host of the essential Antinatalism blog, kicks off a series of posts in which he promises to provide chapter-by-chapter commentary on David Benatar's maligned and misunderstood monograph, Better Never to Have Been. If you have more than a passing interest in the multi-fanged case against breeding, you should know that Jim is also contributing several essays for the Hog-edited anthology, Against Life, Against Death, which will be released by Nine-Banded Books in 2009.
- Via Hit & Run comes news that John Stagliano, director of the seriously great (if unheralded) confessional documentary, Buttman Confidential, is being prosecuted for obscenity. You can follow the press links here, and you can contribute to his defense here.
- Pat Buchanan has some kind words for Nicholson Baker's Human Smoke.
- "Our rejection of polygyny brings into stark relief the persistence of shibboleths and unspoken norms," writes Razib of Gene Expression in a nuanced and historically informed post on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the bourgeois-bound limits of tolerance.
- Meanwhile, TGGP points out that David Friedman stands virtually alone in his skeptical coverage of the FDLS raid, which continues to unfold.
- Jack Malebranche, whose book Androphilia reads like something Justin Raimondo might have penned in more peaceful times, has a blog.
- The SPLC is picking on Kevin MacDonald, who apparently has a new book. In emphatically unrelated news, Sylvia Stolz is still in jail, along with this guy, this guy, and this guy. Wait for the documentary, I guess.
- And yes, Nicolas Claux is one talented cannibal.


text:
|Speech Modification American Accent Training
Gone Girl: Accent Gone
In the new film Gone Girl, Rosamund Pike adopts an American accent to play an American character with authenticity. How did she do it? She used an accent coach to help her learn the sounds and patterns she needed to change. In addition, she very likely spent a great deal of time practicing her new speech sounds. Did she lose her native accent? No, she still speaks British English, as you can see on her recent Today Show interview, but she can switch to speaking as an American if she desires. Check her out in the trailer for what is sure to be a popular new movie.
Leave a Reply.
Subscribe to this blog:
March 2021
Copyright 2020
Christine Dunbar
Have Questions?
Get A Free Consultation
We offer a free 30-minute phone consultation. Schedule yours now.


text:
Welcome to Day 1 of the Blogging from A-Z Challenge. Just a quick introduction: my name is Elissa Kane, and I am an indie author working on my first mystery novel, A Deadly Melody, which is book 1 of the Fallen Rockstar series. I am pushing for a winter 2019 release date.
If you want to find out why I chose this theme, please check out my Blogging from A-Z Challenge theme reveal post.
Now, onto the letter A and our first female rock singer. . .
Tiffany "Tiff" Alkouri
I thought I'd kick off this challenge with an amazing female singer, front woman, and probably one that many of you haven't heard of yet. Tiff is the lead singer of the band, Fire Tiger, which is an awesome classic rock/pop indie band from Los Angeles, California.
I first heard about Fire Tiger and Tiff thanks to one of my Twitter followers. Along with writers, I follow a lot of music lovers and bands on Twitter. One of them told me I had to check out this amazing indie rock band, Fire Tiger. I was instantly hooked when I listened to their debut song, "Energy."
Fire Tiger's music is so different than anything on the radio today. It reminds me of the good old days when I used to roller skate around my pool listening to my Walkman. Their music definitely has an '80s vibe, which I love, and is full of synthesizers, catchy lyrics, and strong vocals. Tiff reminds me of a cross between Pat Benatar and Teri Nunn of Berlin, platinum blonde/black hair and all!
One of the commenters on YouTube said about their song, "Energy", "Sounds like 1985. Where's my walkman, gotta tape this song off the radio so I can listen to it later."
I think that about sums it up!
Tiffany "Tiff" Alkouri / Fire Tiger on A Deadly Melody playlist
Fire Tiger features prominently on my A Deadly Melody playlist and throughout the entire Fallen Rockstar series. Between their two albums, Energy and Suddenly Heavenly, there are seven songs on my playlist(s). "Love the Way", "Green Light", "Ice Age", "Sailing to Neverland", "You Changed Me", "The Same Old Song", and of course, "Energy" are some favorites that offer me much inspiration as I write my scenes, especially with Elle.
I hope you will check out Tiff and Fire Tiger. Their music deserves to be heard on the Top 20 charts, as they are light-years ahead of anything on the radio today.
Missed a day? Check out the entire A-Z Challenge list, here.


text:
Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Air Show Stunt Goes Wrong; Can a Soccer Match Unite Iraq?
Aired July 29, 2007 - 07:00 ET
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning everybody. Welcome. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, July 29th. You are almost to August. This year has flown by. We have a lot to tell you about. Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: I'm T.J. Holmes. It's 7:00 a.m. here in the east, 4:00 a.m. out in the west. Thank you so much for starting your day right here with us. NGUYEN: All right. Straight ahead, an air show stunt goes horribly wrong. This crash caught on camera by several of our ireporters. It's just awful and is one of several deadly crashes this weekend. HOLMES: Also we will turn to Iraq but some positive news to tell you about. The whole country has soccer fever this morning. Can a game unite this war-torn country? NGUYEN: And a little bit later this hour, cleaning up a different kind of pollution, the gooey kind. HOLMES: But we are going to start with those disasters in the air Betty was just mentioning. The search for answers on the ground going on right now. We are following several deadly air crashes. In Ohio, a stunned crowd, imagine being in the crowd and watching this happen. A veteran stunt pilot crashing during an air show. The pilot died on the way to the hospital. He was performing an aerobatic maneuver when his biplane slammed into the runway and burst into flames. A news photographer from CNN affiliate WKEF was one of the witnesses to this crash. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MATT LAWRENCE, WKEF PHOTOGRAPHER (via telephone): I didn't want to believe it, I mean, it's tragic. Everyone -- there's a sense of urgency, among the media and among the fans, like what do we do? And the P.A. guy was calm and told everybody to just look away, be calm. From that point on, security got involved and rushed the crowd and media out of there. (END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: The air show is actually going to resume this morning. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Also an ireport from the air show to show you. Sean Elliott captured this scene with his digital camera, he said he thought the low-flying plane was part of the show but it didn't take him long to realize something was terribly wrong. Another ireport to show you, Steve -- not Steve Elliott. This is Marc McNulty, this one is a shot -- this is video near the show. He was pretty close to it. He told us at first spectators couldn't believe what happened. NGUYEN: We are also getting more information about an air show crash Friday in Wisconsin. Federal investigators say it does not appear that weather or mechanical problems were factors in that accident. One pilot was killed when his plane collided with another one while landing. He's been identified as a 58-year-old North Dakota man known for rebuilding old warplanes. Well investigators in Arizona are taking a closer look at the wreckage of two local news helicopters. They're expected to remove the debris today. The NTSB is also interviewing dozens of witnesses. So far no one has given an indication that there was anything wrong before that crash. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) STEVE CHEALANDER, NTSB: There doesn't appear that there were pieces falling off any of the helicopters prior to the collision, or that there was smoke or erratic maneuvers by either helicopter, and there does not appear to be a change in sound of either helicopter until the impact. (END VIDEO CLIP) NGUYEN: Witness interviews are expected to resume today and a preliminary report could be done by the end of the week. We want to get more on the crash from CNN's Rick Sanchez. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My god. Channel 15 and Channel 3 just had a midair collision. They're in the park. Oh, man. RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The horror in his voice tells the pain of watching colleagues die. He is a chopper pilot for TV station KSAZ, a lucky one, one who survived but seems tortured by what he saw. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Collision over here at the -- two helicopters. Two helicopters down. My god. SANCHEZ: Five news choppers were tracking this police chase over Phoenix' crowded skies. They described the stolen car, the car getting ditched, and the suspect getting out. Then on live TV, the story suddenly changes. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Okay. Oh. Oh. Scott, we will have to turn back around. Get away from this. We have two helicopters down during this tragedy. SANCHEZ: Two-news helicopter crash into each other. They fall about 500 feet into a city park and explode into flames. Witnesses say one seemed to get sucked in by the other. DAVID WILSON, WITNESS: I heard like a loud gunshot. About two seconds after that, there was a real loud, like, huge bang. Two helicopters coming straight down, bursting into flame, debris all over the place. SANCHEZ: There was a pilot and photographer on board each helicopter. All four were killed. Jim Cox and Scott Bowerback work for KTVK. Craig Smith and Rick Krolak work for KNXV. On the ground, no one was killed, though it was raining helicopter parts. CHEALANDER: A rotor blade came off of one of the helicopters and hit a truck, it was a delivery truck. Hit the front windshield of the truck just in front of the driver but then embedded itself in the asphalt. SANCHEZ: Piece after piece fell into the pond in the city park. Investigators are draining it, looking for clues. (END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: A medical helicopter crash, this one in Marks, Mississippi has left two people hospitalized. They were transporting a car accident victim to a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, which is about 80 miles away. Now the original accident victim suffered no additional injuries in the helicopter crash. The FAA is investigating. HOLMES: Mr. Brown is coming to town. Specifically Camp David today, Tony Blair's successors as British Prime Minister. He will be a guest of President Bush for their first face-to-face meeting, so what should we expect? CNN's Robin Oakley takes a look. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Together formally at the White House, together casually at Camp David, bracketed together as the target of anti-Iraq war protesters. Talk of the Anglo American alliance and the image tends to be that of Tony Blair and George Bush. Now the world is starting to get used to a new face in Downing Street. This weekend President George W. Bush is, for the first time, hosting UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown at Camp David. So how different will it be? Washington gulped when Mr. Brown appointed to his government the formal U.N. official Mark Brown, a critic of the U.S. who says the two countries wouldn't be joined at the hip on foreign policy. Eyebrows lifted again when new international development minister Douglas Alexander a close Brown ally went to the U.S. and called for more multi lateralism. But Mr. Brown's chief of staff quickly sent out a memo reminding UK ministers America was still the number one ally. GORDON BROWN, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The American relationship with Britain is our strongest bilateral relationship and I'm determined to make sure it's strong and effective in the work it does. OAKLEY: U.S. officials checking key boxes have had further reassurance. On Iraq, Mr. Brown says Britain will keep promises made to the Iraqis and the U.N. The troops won't be coming home yet. On Russia, Britain's new prime minister has been firm, expelling four Russian diplomats because Moscow won't hand over a murder suspect. On defense Mr. Brown has committed to renewing the U.S. supply trident missile system for Britain's nuclear submarines. But that does not mean it will be business as before. Tony Blair in a sense was the warrior mission. The prime minister who wanted to do good in the world if necessary with armed force. Gordon Brown is much more a politician who thinks you can change things with aide, trade, and economic development with soft power. Mr. Brown and Mr. Bush will have plenty to talk about on Iran and Afghanistan. On Kosovo and on Darfur. It's likely to remain a friendly but formal relationship. As a new prime minister with strong poll ratings, Mr. Brown won't want to get too close to a president with less than 18 months left. His real interest is the next occupant of the White House. Robin Oakley, CNN, London. (END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: In our next hour, CNN White House correspondent Ed Henry is going to join us live from Washington with his insights into the meeting. That comes your way at 8:00 Eastern. NGUYEN: Let's talk now about military aide for America's friends. CNN has confirmed that the U.S. is working on a plan to sell 20 billion dollars in arms to Saudi Arabia and five other Persian Gulf countries, a senior administration official tells CNN the ten year arm sales package is aimed at offsetting aggression from Iran. The sale will be on the agenda when secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and defense secretary Robert Gates meet with Saudi officials next week. HOLMES: A rare celebrations across Iraq over the past couple of weeks. The people of a divided of a divided country coming together, so what's bringing them together? A soccer team. NGUYEN: That's right. The team is going up against Saudi Arabia in today's Asian Cup Championship. I saw this team in Bangkok last week. The hype surrounding them is huge. That game starts about 90 minutes from now. Fans can hardly wait. CNN Dan Rivers is live in Baghdad for us this morning. I imagine people are so excited about this game. DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely they are. But they are nervous as well. They know that if there is a victory, which everyone here is desperately hoping for, it could also be an excuse for insurgents to launch more attacks as they did last Wednesday when they detonated a huge car bomb which killed 51 people just as people were celebrating the victory in the semifinals of this soccer tournament. At the moment we are told a curfew has been announced which will come into force in a little under an hour now which will last right through the night. The evening and night here which will stop all cars, all vehicles throughout Baghdad. Everyone here is hoping, though, that this will be a chance for people to celebrate after so much bloodshed. Let's have a listen to what one player said about the match. KHALEF YOUNES, IRAQ TEAM CAPTAIN, (via translator): I hope we can bring some happiness to the Iraqi people. All the players face a difficult time, they are suffering. A huge number of our families have become victims. RIVERS: We are told that already the security forces here have arrested one terrorist suspect in a district in the eastern district of Baghdad. He allegedly had a detonator connected to a car bomb. We understand that a specialist team is working to defuse that car bomb right now. We heard gunshots here in central Baghdad and two mortars landed in the green zone. So no sign at the moment that this match will mean that the insurgents will lay down their arms, or that the violence will stop at all. What everyone is worried about is that if there is a victory and hundreds or thousands of people come out on to the streets what will happen? Will there be further bloodshed? NGUYEN: That's so true. That's why a curfew is in effect. There was an attack during the last game. Has security improved any sense then? RIVERS: Well certainly they decided to put the curfew in place as a direct response to that attack on Wednesday, trying to stop the car bombers. The operations are ongoing now, which is why they found this car bomb, they say in an area where they were expecting people to come out and celebrate. It's a huge city. There are a lot of insurgents out there. And people are pretty nervous about what could happen after this game. NGUYEN: All right. CNN Dan Rivers live for us in Baghdad today as we await the big game. Thank you. Stopping traffic out west. HOLMES: Hey I got some crazy pictures here to show folks. Smoke so thick that it actually shuts a major highway at the height of tourist season. We'll have that story for you in just a few minutes. But time for to us says good morning to our main man, Reynolds. REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning to you. People in Texas this morning are turning off the alarm clock if you have it on on a Sunday and they are grabbing the umbrellas. Plenty of rain in Texas and more is on the way. I will let you know how long it is going to last in just a few moments. NGUYEN: And there is a new concern about online dating. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Online dating services make it easy for sexual predators to use their sites. There can be potential victimization. NGUYEN: We are talking about sexual predators targeting children by dating their mothers. Yes, we have that story for you this morning on CNN. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: All right. Take a look; several wildfires are burning across the west this morning. Fire fighters in eight states are battling to contain the blazes that have burned more than 1 million acres. This fire that we are about to show you in Montana shut down a major highway and forced the evacuation of a lodge near Glacier National Park yesterday. Officials say another blaze north of Helena is keeping people away from their homes and recreation areas. That nearly 10 square mile fire is only about 15 percent contained. It's not over. This fire stretches across southern Idaho and into northern Nevada. It has grown to about 1,000 square miles. Officials say the wildfire is about 80 percent contained and they hope to get it fully contained later today. Officials say lightning sparked the fire. HOLMES: Reynolds Wolf joining us up here now. Good morning to you, sir. We see fires, dry conditions. NGUYEN: Rain yesterday. Fire today. WOLF: It's crazy. Maybe we can all set up some big fans on the ground in Texas and just kind of push that stuff back up there. HOLMES: Whatever works. WOLF: Right now Texas actually getting some very heavy rainfall, they got a break yesterday. But four inches of rain today just west in parts of San Antonio. Talking about flooding again. Look at this shot. Further to the north this is up in Austin. Betty is familiar with that. NGUYEN: My longhorns reside in Austin, Texas. WOLF: Great town. Wonderful place. That's a view of the capital building built back in 1888. A fantastic place to be. Further to the south, we are seeing scattered showers, nothing yet in Austin but later on today there is certainly a chance you will hear a rumble of thunder and deal with some heavy rainfall. Let's talk about what we have on radar and we are going to take you to San Antonio that is where we are seeing some heavy rainfall. Some cells just drifting slowly to the north. Rock Springs you had some rain as well. It will be an interesting situation to watch Texas. Not only will we get rain today, but for the next seven day there's will be at least a 20 to 30 percent possibility of precipitation in the lone star state. Let's hope things wash out in terms of the rain chances and we get drier air in here. Back up to the eastern seaboard. Scattered showers, a few storm this morning to the west of Philadelphia. Taking you back into parts of Wilmington, seeing rainfall this morning, just moved through Bel Air and Baltimore. In Washington, D.C. we are getting some cloud cover, some scattered showers. Heaviest rainfall back towards Frederick and into Martinsburg. If you lap to live near Charles town or back out near Sharpsburg near the Antetum Creek area, you will see rain there as well and that should continue through the morning. We have the stationary front that will remain stationary. As long as that boundary remains in place, we will see rainfall there. High pressure builds into the Great Lakes, plenty of cloud cover along much of the west coast. Central valleys should be just fantastic from places like Bakersfield to Fresno. Nice and sunny but also warm. That's your forecast. Let's send it back to you at the news desk. NGUYEN: Thank you Reynolds. HOLMES: A co-defendant in the dog fighting conspiracy case against Michael Vick is headed to court tomorrow. Vick and three other men are charged with organizing bloody dog fights in Virginia. One of them, 34-year-old Tony Taylor will have a plea agreement hearing at 9:00 a.m. Eastern tomorrow. He is expected to plead guilty. Vick and two other men pleaded not guilty on Thursday in Federal Court in Richmond. San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds gets another shot at home run 755 later today. If he gets that, he would be tied with Hank Aaron's major league record. Bonds failed to homer yesterday even though the Giants rallied to beat the Florida Marlins 4-3 in San Francisco. Bond's gets another chance to match or even break the home run record this afternoon when the Giants line up their home stand against the Marlins. NGUYEN: Well, let's talk now about divine disclosure. The minister who claims he is Jesus and the wife who wants a divorce. We will follow the money in this one. HOLMES: How are you going to divorce Jesus? NGUYEN: It could be a sin. HOLMES: It should be. All right. It's a weird story. Stick around for that one. And warning, sexual predators prowling date sites online and targeting lonely moms. The objective is to get access to the mom's kids. This is information you need to know. That's coming up. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: Sexual predators prowling around the Internet. Sounds about right. We are used to hearing stories about that but some are using adult dating websites to get closer to kids. Allan Chernoff investigates. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alone and looking 396 is looking for love on Match.com. He writes in his profile life is so wonderful, I know I am not meant to spend it alone. Adding he would like to meet a woman who has children. What he doesn't reveal is that he's a convicted child molester. His real name is Michael Bradley and five years ago he pled guilty to sodomizing a 15-year-old boy in Suffolk County, New York and was sentenced to ten years of probation, including a prohibition against socializing on the Internet. When CNN went to the gas station Bradley owns to ask him what he was doing on Match.com, his daughter Kim told us to leave. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KIM BRADLEY, DAUGHTER OF MICHAEL BRADLEY: He does not want to speak to anybody right now. His lawyer advised him to ask you to leave the premises. Please leave the premises, OK? CHERNOFF (voice over): Is he here? K. BRADLEY: No, he's not. You can leave now. (END VIDEO CLIP) CHERNOFF: Nor was Mr. Bradley at home. After getting anonymous complaints about Bradley's profile on Match.com, the Child Abuse Prevention Group parents for Megan's law set up a fictional Match.com profile, compassionate mom, a single parent of 7 and 12-year-old boys. The group says it got a quick response after contacting Bradley through the site. LAURA AHEARN, PARENTS FOR MEGAN'S LAW: Within hours he e-mailed back wanting to set up a meet to have coffee or ice cream. Online dating services make it easy for sexual predators to use their sites. They're candy store force potential victimizations. CHERNOFF: Suffolk County's Probation Office ordered Bradley off the dating site and confiscated his computer. Now forensic investigators are analyzing the hard drive to deliver evidence in court that Bradley violated his probation. DONNA VIGILANTE, FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR: We are finding more and more of our probationers online, using the Internet as a tool to say groom victims. CHERNOFF: Match.com, which declined to speak on camera, says it quickly pulled Bradley's profile after receiving a complaint. Member safety is and always will be our highest priority at Match.com a spokesperson told CNN. It's not only dating sites that present opportunity for sex offenders, 33-year-old Michael Kalis (ph) last month pled guilty to raping a 6-year-old girl in Ohio after meeting her mother through the social networking site Myspace.com. He has been sentenced to 10 1/2 years in prison. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It makes me feel so guilty because I feel like I allowed it to happen. CHERNOFF: Online dating site True.com which screens applicants, unlike most dating sites including match.com, says it blocked 30,000 convicted felons and sex offenders so far this year. HERB VEST, CEO, TRUE.COM: They will look for women with children and particularly women with children and women who have photos of those children so that the fantasy begins to build at that point. CHERNOFF: Good reason for women looking for love online to be cautious and experts say provide few details and no pictures of the kids when first meeting an online suitor. Allan Chernoff, CNN, New York. (END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: Stay here. We will talk about Pat Tillman's final moments. New details this morning from a young soldier who was at Tillman's side when he was killed by friendly fire. NGUYEN: Also this morning U.S. troop deaths, they are down this month but does that mean the surge is actually working? We'll delve into that. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: And hello again, everybody. Welcome back. I'm T.J. Holmes. NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. We want to thank you for joining us. Well, if you are just waking up, here's a quick look at what is happening right now. President Bush is getting ready for his first face-to-face meeting with Britain's new prime minister. Gordon Brown will be a guest of the president at Camp David today. And among other things, the two leaders are expected to discuss the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. HOLMES: And soccer fever in Iraq. Sunnis, Shias, Kurds all coming together to root for Iraq's soccer team. Iraq plays Saudi Arabia in the Asian Cup soccer final today. The game is in Jakarta, Indonesia, and kicks off in about an hour. Security certainly tight in Baghdad in a bid to stop attacks on partying fans. NGUYEN: Well, we do want to tell you about some disasters at two air shows. One in Ohio, and one in Wisconsin. Investigators say it does not appear that weather or mechanical problems were factors in the Wisconsin accident. A pilot died when his plane collided with another while landing in Oshkosh. Now, let's take you to Ohio. An award-winning stunt pilot crashed while performing maneuvers at the Dayton air show. His plane slammed into the runway and caught fire. You can see it right there. He did die on the way to the hospital. And we have also received several I-Reports from viewers who witnessed the air show crash in Ohio. Robert Woodward says he noticed the plane went down but never came back up. He was able to see over the crowd and take pictures of the plane on fire, and fire crews responding to the crash. Also, I-Reporter Greg Schachtschneider of Toronto was at the air show with his dad when he took these photos. The plane on the right is the one that crashed. He says the crash happened only a couple minutes into the performance and the plane seemed to head almost straight to the ground. HOLMES: Investigators cleaning up that chopper crash site in Phoenix today. They are gathering debris from that deadly collision of two local news helicopters. It happened on Friday. All four people on board those helicopters were killed. They were following a car chase. NTSB investigators say witnesses report no evidence of mechanical failure before the collision. A preliminary report from investigators is expected by the end of the week. Meanwhile, Christopher Jones may still face charges in connection to the helicopter crash. He's the guy police were chasing. Jones is being held on $1 million bond, charged with assault with a deadly weapon, theft, as well as resisting arrest. He says he doesn't remember the incident. Well, a medical helicopter crash in Marks, Mississippi, has left two people hospitalized. It crashed shortly after takeoff. They were transporting a car accident victim to a hospital in Memphis, about 80 miles away. The original accident victim suffered no additional injuries in the helicopter crash. FAA investigating this crash as well. NGUYEN: Let's take to you now to the war zone. The number two commander in Iraq says he is optimistic U.S. troops can begin pulling out next spring, but only if some positive security trends hold. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LT. GEN. RAYMOND ODIERNO, DEPUTY COMMANDER, U.S. FORCES-IRAQ: I think it's based on the trends. I'm seeing -- we are seeing some clear trends. What I have to understand, are those trends going to continue? We are seeing trends of IEDs going down, we're seeing trends of less violence, we're seeing trends of casualties going down. We're seeing trends of Iraqi security forces being able to do more operations. If those trends continue, I feel confident that we'll be able to do something in the spring. (END VIDEO CLIP) NGUYEN: Right now there are about 160,000 American troops in Iraq. And if a drawdown does happen, Lieutenant General Odierno says it could take about six months to get back to the so-called pre-surge level of 138,000 troops. Well, U.S. troop deaths in Iraq, they're down so far this month. Commanders say that is evidence that the so-called surge is working. Here is CNN Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The U.S. military says it predicted the number of combat deaths would rise in the initial phase of the surge as U.S. and Iraqi troops went into new areas to clear out insurgents. And it also predicted casualties would drop as those areas became safer and more secure. So the fact that the number of Americans dying in Iraq now is just over half of what it was two months ago is touted as progress. ODIERNO: Because this is what we thought would happen once we get control of the real key areas that are controlled by these terrorists. And so we'll see if the trend continues. It's an initial positive sign. MCINTYRE: After three months in which more than 100 U.S. troops died, July is on track to be one of the least deadly of the year, unless 15 more deaths are recorded before the end of the month, which is possible. Still, the whole point of the surge is to set the stage for Iraqi political reconciliation. And the top U.S. envoy to Iraq admitted in an interview with The Associated Press, that's still a long way off. RYAN CROCKER, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: This is a tough slog that we are involved in. There are no easy, quick, magic answers at this stage. But I think it's very important that for our own interests, that we stay with this until Iraq gets to a point of sustainable stability, because I think that can be done. MCINTYRE (on camera): Crocker told The Associated Press that while the surge is bringing down the level of violence, it's impossible to rush political reconciliation, or even predict when the U.S. could start pulling out. That's significant, because Crocker, along with General David Petraeus, will be making that vital September assessment. Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon. (END VIDEOTAPE) HOLMES: An account of Army Ranger Pat Tillman's final moments from the fellow soldier who was by his side. Tillman, of course, was the NFL-player-turned-soldier killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan. Sergeant Brian O'Neal (ph) tells The Associated Press he started praying when the bullets were flying. He recalls Tillman saying, "Why are you praying? God can't help us now." But O'Neal (ph) strongly discounts a report claiming Tillman berated him. He says Tillman was trying to keep him focused on what was happening. NGUYEN: Well, discussions, but no discussions. OK. Afghan officials say there is still no progress in talks to free nearly two dozen South Korean hostages held by the Taliban. HOLMES: Yes. The 23 South Koreans were snatched July 19th while traveling in a bus along the Kabul-Kandahar Highway. The leader of the group was killed last week. A man who claims to represent the Taliban says the militant group will kill the remaining hostages unless Afghanistan frees 23 insurgent prisoners. And for more on Afghanistan, the war in Iraq and the withdrawal timetable, you can tune in to "THIS WEEK AT WAR." That's today at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN. Well, we've got some inspiration ahead for you this morning. NGUYEN: Boy, do we need it. HOLMES: Yes. Yes. Always could use this, a story of a man who's risking his life to make the world a better place. NGUYEN: Well, we also have the ugly story, T.J., of chewing gum. HOLMES: Chewing gum. NGUYEN: That's right. It's what you do with it when you are finished that had us wondering, who cleans up all that stuff? Well, the gumbusters are ahead right here on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: There are people all around us every day who are doing extraordinary things to make our world just a little bit better. Well, today we do want to introduce to you a former gang member who is working to help build others' futures and help them build better futures for themselves after gang life. His name is Luis Ernesto Romero, and he is today's CNN Hero. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Look right into the camera. LUIS ERNESTO ROMERO, CNN HERO: I thought I was going to die at the age of 20 because somebody's going to shoot me. I was living as a gang member. And I saw other kids get into gangs because they don't have no other opportunities. UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): When you're on the street, every moment you live you live as if it were your last, because you never know how that day will end. ROMERO: Something powerful come up when my daughter was born. So I started, like, checking, hey, what am I doing? What am I going to offer to my daughter? But then I find Homies Unidos in 1997. So I started, like, educating myself. And now, you know, I have others. We teach them how to empower themselves -- not smoking weed, not to violence, not doing what they do. In El Salvador, the kids are much discriminated. If he have tattoos, (INAUDIBLE). But when he start looking for a job, they don't give opportunity for him. We teach them how to do things in other ways. (SPEAKING IN SPANISH): Here you can see some of the bread they made here. They never thought they're going to have a bakery of their own. Now they have a bakery and they're doing their own business. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You think different. I mean, we don't think going to do violence, doing killings. We do other things. Homies is saving a lot of lives. ROMERO: We come from gangs, and now we are part of the solution. So it doesn't matter how much I've got to spend, how much time I've got to be on it, but I need to do it for my kids, and for the kids of San Salvador. (END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: If you would like to make a contribution to Luis Ernesto's work or nominate your hero for special recognition later this year, you'll find more information on our Web site at CNN.com/heroes. We also want to update you on a previous CNN hero. Remember Zach Hunter? Well, he's the 15-year-old working to end modern day slavery by collecting loose change. And since CNN aired his story, at least two dozen students have contacted him to start their own loose change programs. A record label executive also has pledged his company's loose change, a portion of record sales, to Zach's organization. HOLMES: All right. How in the world are you going to divorce the divine? A guy claims he is Jesus, and people pay him plenty to spread his word. But now his wife wants half of Jesus' money. And that is opening his finances to earthly inspection. NGUYEN: Uh-oh. HOLMES: Yes, she wants to divorce Jesus. We're going to be following the money right after this, right here on CNN. Stay here. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: Well, we've got some modern troubles for the Miami man who claims he is the present day incarnation of Jesus. What's his issue? Divorce. His wife wants one. And unfortunately, for this self-appointed savior, along with divorce comes financial disclosure. Our John Zarrella follows the money in this morning's "Faces of Faith" report. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A perfect wedding. Josefina Torres Miranda says that she looks at the photos. One thousand people showed up. She was, after all, marrying the man who anointed himself... JOSE LUIS DE JESUS MIRANDA, FOUNDER, CRECIENDO EN GRACIA: You receive it, you accept it, you confide (ph) it. ZARRELLA: ... the second coming of Christ. MIRANDA: I do greater things than Jesus of Nazareth. Much greater. ZARRELLA: Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda is founder of a religious sect called Creciendo en Gracia, or Growing in Grace. The charismatic 61-year-old claims a rapidly growing church, millions of followers. Mostly in Latin America. But these days, revelations are not coming from the bible but from divorce court in Miami. After five years of marriage, Josefina Torres says she's had enough. She has accused de Jesus of verbal and physical abuse and adultery. JOSEFINA TORRES MIRANDA, MINISTER'S WIFE (through translator): The women in the church showered him with affection, and he was weak many times. He was unfaithful many times, and I forgave him many times because I loved him too much. ZARRELLA: The divorce proceedings have opened up a can of worms that go far beyond de Jesus' personal life. Court documents show gambling losses in one casino of nearly $47,000. In a deposition he is asked, "Sir, do you like casinos?" "I love casinos," de Jesus responds. His daughter, who handles the church finances, admits at her deposition the ministry pays his first wife $12,000 a month in alimony, and church money appears to have been used to buy properties in the names of de Jesus and his family. Always available to talk about his divinity, de Jesus wouldn't talk with us about these earthly tribulations. That was left to one of his deputies. Regarding the accusations of adultery... ALVARO ALBARRACIN, DE JESUS DEPUTY: Completely false. I mean, there's nothing going on. You know? ZARRELLA: If they made mistakes with their finances, those were honest mistakes, says Alvaro Albarracin. He says the church has nothing to hide and welcomes investigations by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the IRS. ALBARRACIN: We have been contacted, and all our lawyers are handling, you know, obviously the front end of the investigation. And we are providing paperwork. ZARRELLA: During one church service, de Jesus even poked fun at the gambling issue when a follower hands him a check. De Jesus: "What do you want me do with it?" The follower: "Whatever you want." De Jesus: "I'm going to the casino." In an interview with us last September, he boasted about his earthly possessions and the generosity of his flock. MIRANDA: I don't only have one, I have three Rolexes. I don't only have a car -- you know, two cars. ZARRELLA: A nice Lexus, and I think you have a BMW, right? MIRANDA: Given by my beautiful people who love me so much. This is all free. You know, gifts that they give me. I can't reject that. ZARRELLA (voice over): If you think his followers are appalled by any of this, you're dead wrong, because the church teaches there is no such thing as sin. In the eyes of his followers, de Jesus can do no wrong. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do not see Jose Luis in the flesh. To me, I see the lord. Only the lord. And when he comes through these doors, it's the lord. ZARRELLA: And he really believes he's god, his estranged wife says, but quickly adds... TORRES MIRANDA (through translator): If he were god, he wouldn't be making these mistakes. And if he were god, he wouldn't be getting divorced. ZARRELLA: And de Jesus may soon find out that hell, which he doesn't believe in either, hath no fury like a woman scorned. John Zarrella, CNN, Miami. (END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: Well, a new Da Vinci theory so popular that it actually crashes on the Web. The famous painting at the center of the crush, "The Last Supper," an amateur scholar claims Da Vinci hid something in the painting and shows it on the Web. More than 15 million tried to access the sites on Thursday alone, and the sites say they are trying to get a more powerful server to accommodate all the high demand. HOLMES: That didn't -- doesn't look like de Jesus in the middle in the picture there. NGUYEN: No, that's not the same guy, you don't think. HOLMES: I don't think it's the same dude. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (WEATHER REPORT) (COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: Washington is home to some of the nation's most famous and historic sites. And each year millions of visitors head to the nation's capital hoping for that postcard-perfect view. HOLMES: And they oftentimes get it. So when things get nasty and sticky out there, who do people call in Washington? They actually call the gumbusters. CNN's Kathleen Koch has the story. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): If you think it's a gooey mess here, once gum hits the sidewalk, it becomes a problem of, well, globular proportion. DAN NESTOR, OSPREY DEEPCLEAN: The auditoriums, movie theaters, the national zoos, the monuments. You name it. Everywhere, there's gum pollution. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't really notice it unless it's stuck on me. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think gum, like cigarette butts, should be thrown in the garbage. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Aside from being unsightly, I think it's gross. I'm sure there's germs. KOCH: Singapore residents got so tired of close encounters with chewing gum... UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I sat down, and then you've got all that stuff sticking on your pants. KOCH: ... tat for several years it was banned. Gum can be sold there now only for therapeutic purposes. It's a monumental problem in Washington. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gum left all over the sidewalks. This is probably one of the harder hit areas in the downtown area. KOCH: But at the memorial to the world war the U.S. helped end, it's a European invention winning the battle of the bulging blobs. NESTOR: It actually is European technology developed in the mid- '90s by a company based in the Netherlands, in Holland. KOCH: The gumbusters machine combines low pressure steam and environmentally safe chemical and a rotating brush. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And as you can see, it will just pop right up there. It would typically take us, if we could get it up with a plastic scraper, a good five minutes on each one of these. It will literally take seconds now. KOCH: It's not cheap. A typical city can spend $500,000 a year getting up the gooey stuff. (on camera): The gum industry, for its part, says it will keep urging consumers to chew responsibly. CHRIS PERILLE, WRIGLEY CHEWING GUM: The only way to really eliminate the problem is to stop the littering from taking place in -- at the start. KOCH (voice over): The problem now, what to do about all the clean spots on the sidewalk. Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington. (END VIDEOTAPE) HOLMES: Straight ahead this hour, air show tragedy. A tricky trick stunt, if you will, ends in a deadly crash, and the whole thing was caught on camera, just one of several air crashes we'll be telling you about more in just a moment. NGUYEN: And then there is this. Diva takes a dive. Beyonce's on-stage tumble is one of the most-watched clips -- oh, there she goes -- on the Internet. All the buzz on this in just a few minutes. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: Then there is this. Diva takes a dive. Beyonce's onstage tumble is one of the most watched clips. Oh, there she goes, on the Internet. All the buzz on this in just a few minutes. HOLMES: That was a nasty tumble. NGUYEN: But you've got to give her credit. She got right back up, right back into the dance, totally a professional. HOLMES: The hair started doing its thing. NGUYEN: Moving it! HOLMES: From the CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING for July 29th. Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes. NGUYEN: Hello everybody, I'm Betty Nguyen. We want to thank you for starting your day with us. We do want to start with an important story this morning. Important first impressions coming at Camp David a little bit later today. New British Prime Minister Gordon Brown visiting the U.S. for a face-to-face meeting with President Bush. CNN White House correspondent Ed Henry joins us now from Washington. This is going to be an exciting meeting for the both of them. ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Betty. In fact, there will be a range of big issues from Darfur to global warming. But as you know, there is really one big issue that's hanging over this entire first meeting, and that is whether or not Gordon Brown will be as close an ally on the war in Iraq as Tony Blair was to Mr. Bush. That's the big story here, and I tell you, there is a lot of anxiousness at the White House right now because they realize that President Bush has enough problems right now, enough pressure with this upcoming September progress report on Iraq, a lot of pressure building from Republicans here in the United States about whether or not the president has to change course. The last thing they need now is for Gordon Brown to shift directions, and they're concerned because of the fact that the real reason why Tony Blair ultimately fell in large part was that he was seen in Britain as being too close to Mr. Bush. You'll remember, he was infamously called Bush's poodle. And there is concern that perhaps Gordon Brown might want to split with Mr. Bush. But Mr. Brown has been showing a lot of signs that he wants to still have warm U.S./British relations and White House spokesman Tony Snow made a fair point on Friday when he pointed out that in 2001 when Bush and Blair first met at Camp David, I can remember that a lot of people were saying they'll never have as close a relationship as Bill Clinton had with Tony Blair. And in fact, as you know, the rest is history. They hit it off famously at their first meeting at Camp David in 2001, to the point that Mr. Bush made a famous joke saying, you know, one thing we found out at this long weekend is that both Bush and Blair use Colgate toothpaste, and there was this famous moment where Tony Blair laughed and said, you know, George, they're going to start to wonder, how do you know that about me? It's a little personal. And the rest really is history, because they've been close, and I guess maybe the only question hanging out there now, is Gordon Brown going to bring Colgate, or does he use Aim, or does he use Crest? NGUYEN: My question is how did he know about the Colgate toothpaste? HENRY: Well, I hope he checked on this, and I hope -- NGUYEN: Secret service working on it? HENRY: Yeah, but Mr. Bush, they were close, Bush and Blair. They spent the weekend at Camp David and maybe they were brushing their teeth together, but that's what they told the press, and it was a funny moment, it was a warm moment. But in all seriousness, it showed that they could work closely together, and they were calling each other Tony and George. And a lot of people today are going to be looking for that same warmth between Gordon Brown and President Bush, Betty. NGUYEN: And are you a Colgate fan? HENRY: I am, I absolutely am. NGUYEN: All right. Thank you Ed. We appreciate it. HOLMES: Well, a big arms deal is in the works right now. Senior Bush administration officials say they're developing a plan to sell $20 billion worth of arms to Saudi Arabia. The sales are to happen over the next ten years. The official says the sales are aimed to help counter Iranian aggression in the Persian Gulf. NGUYEN: Well a citywide vehicle ban is in effect today in Baghdad, and it's in response to suicide bombers killing dozens of people during soccer celebrations last week. HOLMES: Soccer fans are getting extra protection as they prepare to watch the Iraqi national soccer team. The team is playing Saudi Arabia in the Asian Cup Championship. That's coming up in about 30 minutes. And CNN's Arwa Damon is joining us live now from Iraq, as she's going to be watching that game with coalition troops. I know it's hard for you to hear us, so hello, take it away, Arwa. ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, T.J. I think the scene behind me really defines the mood that exists here. You've got Iraqi contractors and translators decked out. You can't really come in and show you the extent to which they have painted their faces, because of course, they fear for their own security. They all work with the U.S. military here. But in that crowd behind me, also decked out in Iraqi uniforms are the U.S. soldiers themselves. In many ways, I think the Americans are just as eager to see Iraq win, as the Iraqis here are really -- I can't remember the last time I saw a scene like this in the capital of Baghdad. This is such a rare, unique moment; really the hopes of the entire nation pinned on that upcoming game. This is the goal that propelled Iraq to the Asia cup finals. For the teammates, it was a single moment that did more than any political process could. BASSIM ABBAS, IRAQI NATL. SOCCER TEAM (Translator): This is the only game that unifies Iraq. The team includes Sunni, Shia, Kurds, and Christians. We're looking forward to achieving the victory, so we stand together, we will achieve it. DAMON: For the tenacious 25-year-old Abbas, this is about more than bringing the cup home. His father called from thousands of miles away to make a massive request. "We want you to heal the wounds of the Iraqi people," he said. It's the expectation of the entire nation. In central Baghdad, fan paraphernalia is flying off the shelves. "We can't keep up with the sales," this shop owner says, "since the semi- final win, everyone wants to buy something." This young fan is looking for the perfect outfit to wear for Sunday's final against Saudi Arabia. And Abbas's entire family is already decked out. "It's the first time that we are this happy. We only hear explosions and of death," his mother says. "We have not seen any joy for a long time." His parents are worried about their son's safety when he returns to Iraq. He has a 20-day-old baby he hasn't even see. He, in turn, fears for them. But as Abbas trains during the team's final practice, it's not the fear that defines Iraq that is on his or his team's mind. For Abbas and the others, it's more than a game. JORVAN VIEIRA, IRAQI NATL. TEAM HEAD COACH: Boys, they're good, fast. Oh, if I can use this word, they could jam all the problems to play football, to give happiness to their peoples, to give a smile on their lips. DAMON: For Abbas and the others, it's more than a game. As their coach put it, they are soldiers in a different war. And while, obviously, we are here in Baghdad in the war zone, where the actual war is playing out, although today I have to say that the violence that exists in the capital is far from everyone's mind, at least for the time being. There are, of course, security measures being put into place, should Iraq be victorious and fans pour out into the streets to celebrate. There may be attacks against the celebrations later on. But as you can see, this is incredibly upbeat, such a rare sight here in Baghdad. T.J. HOLMES: All right. Arwa, thank you so much. And absolutely right it is a rare site and really nice to see. We've gone to so many reporters for live shots out of Baghdad when there is smoke coming up out of the back. NGUYEN: Bad news. HOLMES: Grim news. What a fun, fun picture to see, a celebration. And hopefully things will be peaceful, win or lose. NGUYEN: I think that -- well, I don't want to put any predictions out there because there was violent during the last game. Hopefully, if they win, things will be upbeat because they do need good news there in Iraq, obviously. We do want to take you from that stark contrast to disasters in the air. The search for answers on the ground as well. We are following several deadly air crashes. Let's take you to Ohio now. A stunned crowd just horrified. A veteran stunt pilot crashes during an air show. That pilot died on the way to the hospital. He was performing an aerobatic maneuver when his by plane slammed into the runway and then burst into flames. A news photographer from CNN affiliate WKEF witnessed the crash. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MATT LAWRENCE, WKEF PHOTOGRAPHER: I didn't want to believe it. I mean, it's very tragic. Everyone -- there was a sense of urgency, like amongst the media and amongst the fans, like what do we do? And the p.a. guy was very calm and told everyone just to look away and be calm. And from that point on, the security got involved and rushed the crowd and media out of there. (END VIDEO CLIP) NGUYEN: The air show resumes this morning and the cause of that crash is still under investigation. Want to give you now an ireport from the air show. Steven Elliott captured this scene with his digital camera. He says he thought the low-flying plane was part of the show, but he quickly realized something was wrong when he saw flames. More information this morning about an air tragedy this time in Wisconsin. A pilot was killed when his vintage plane collided with another one while landing at the show in Oshkosh. Federal investigators say it does not appear that weather or mechanical problems were factors in that accident. HOLMES: Also, investigators cleaning up that chopper crash site in Phoenix today. They're gathering debris from the deadly collision of two local news helicopters. It happened on Friday. All four people on board those helicopters were killed. The helicopters were following a car crash. NTSB investigators say witnesses report no evidence of mechanical failure before the collision. A preliminary report from investigators is expected by the end of the week. NGUYEN: Western wildfires, they are causing traffic problems. HOLMES: Yeah, smoke so thick, drivers can't even see, and it's happening at the busiest part of the tourist season. WOLF: And it seems like in weather, all we're talking about are those fires, and of course heavy rainfall. and that rain continues throughout much of Texas and into the Gulf coast. What about New York, Boston and Washington? How long will their rain stick around? I'll let you know coming up in a few moments. NGUYEN: And right after this, one of the most important choices presidential candidates make, who they marry. And we introduce you to Mitt Romney's choice, his wife Ann. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: She married her long-time sweetheart, raised a loving family, and along the way she faced some of her own struggles. Now she's backing her husband's bid to become president. This morning meet Ann Romney. Our John King has her story in CNN's "Running Mates" series. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: With the fine people of Michigan in front of me, and with my sweetheart at my side, I declare my intention to run for president of the United States. JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): He calls her his sweetheart, but those who follow Romney's career and campaign say Ann Romney is a political partner and asset. SCOTT HELMAN, BOSTON GLOBE: It's rare to see him at a big public event without her at his side. So she's clearly, she is a major part of this campaign. KING: Their romance began 40 years ago when they were high school sweethearts. Mitt Romney was a devout Mormon. Ann wasn't, but she converted to Mormonism while her then fiance was doing his missionary work in France, and she's adamant that their faith should never have become a political issue. ANNOUNCER: ROMNEY, MITT ROMNEY'S WIFE: I'm a little more defensive, I think, than Mitt might be, and I get like, come on, he's a great guy, let's get past this. KING: In 1998, Ann received some devastating news. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. A. ROMNEY: When I was first diagnosed, and I'm not sure it was the MS or the diagnosis speaking, I think more the diagnosis, I was extremely depressed, and he really helped me get over there. KING: Ann says it facing that potentially debilitating disease hasn't altered her belief that creating new stem cell lines for research is wrong. A. ROMNEY: If there is a cure for the disease, I hope that it comes through the alternative methods of stem cell research, not creating new life to experiment on that new life. KING: That matches her husband's agenda, but other actions of Romney are a source of campaign controversy. In 1994, she donated money to the pro-choice Planned Parenthood; something cited now by social conservatives who are suspicious of candidate Romney's conservative conversion on abortion and other issues. HELMAN: Mitt Romney has long been a supporter of abortion rights and only a few years ago changed to what he calls a firmly pro-life position. KING: Before the campaign, Ann Romney spent much of her time working for charities, and in her one and only term as first lady of Massachusetts, she supported her husband's faith-based initiatives. She openly admits she doesn't always agree with her husband's politics, though she hasn't said much about those disagreements. The 56-year-old grandmother of ten, the first to help her husband go after the Democrats. A, ROMNEY: This is a great country with great people. It's been, to me, just an extraordinary experience. I've loved it. I love getting out and meeting the people. I love that about being first lady of Massachusetts, as well, to see all the different communities, what people are dealing with, what their lives are like, what we can do to make their lives better, and I have such confidence in my husband that he would make an outstanding president. (END VIDEOTAPE) HOLMES: Well, our "Running Mates" series not done yet. We have a lot more to talk to. Next week we'll be talking to Elizabeth Edwards. She's certainly been shaking things up on the campaign trail, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards. And if you want to know what touched off that war of words this week between Democratic contenders Clinton and Obama, you need to see the CNN/Youtube Democratic debate and you can catch it again in its entirety tonight at 9:00 Eastern. But that's going to be old news. You know, the Democrats, time for you to get ready for the questions for the GOP presidential candidates. You can watch their debate, the CNN/Youtube Republican debate that will be live on TV and online and only at your home for politics. It's happening September 17th in St. Petersburg, Florida. Don't want to miss that one. NGUYEN: Absolutely not. And here is what is happening right now firefighters out west are busy this weekend. One wildfire at a national park. Plus Dr. Sanjay Gupta is here with a preview of "House Call." DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, guys! Just ahead on "House Call," we're helping you stave off back pain in your 30s and beyond. It's one of the biggest reasons for visits to the doctor. Plus, we've got what you need to know for the summer before you head to the beach, pool, or just out in the sun. All that, medical headlines, and a look at biking, it helps your body and could help your relationship as well. That's on "House Call" at 8:30. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): If you spend much time on an airplane you know food and drink choices can be very limited. So if you are on a long flight or if you get stuck on the tarmac what is best for your diet? Brent Brinkmeyer (ph) of Body Design Fitness says just bring your own. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Take your own water body. Generally because of the dryness in the air, you want to consume 8 ounces of water for every hour that you are on the plane. Having your own snacks is always just a critical issue because that way you're not at the mercy of whatever they decide to serve you. COSTELLO: If you forget to pack food or drink and you're stuck with a snack cart delicacies, Brent says fruit juice is your best drink option. The best food choice? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have pretzels as far as snacks, that's going to be your best snacking option over peanuts or the little snack crackers, things like that. COSTELLO: Most plane tips are plain common sense, but a few other healthy reminders, take a walk every hour or two to prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. Finally, go easy on the alcohol while flying the friendly skies. The difference in air pressure can make you get intoxicated more quickly. Carol Costello, CNN. (END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: All right, folks -- NGUYEN: Why are you smiling? HOLMES: No, because you fly a lot and I know that was very useful information for you there. NGUYEN: Right. HOLMES: Folks -- get you another cup of coffee or a Bloody Mary, whatever you're doing this morning. NGUYEN: Yeah. HOLMES: Get ready to see something that's really not pretty. NGUYEN: When divas take a dive. Here she goes. Right there. As seen through the eyes of Jeanne Moos, that's ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: Take a look; high winds and hot weather are fueling fires across the west. Officials say this blaze in Montana jumped a fire line and forced the evacuation of a lodge near the Glaser National Park. Another wildfire near Helena is also keeping people away from their homes and recreation areas. That 10-square-mile fire is only about 15 percent contained. A lot of work still to do. HOLMES: And Reynolds Wolf has been doing a lot of work, as well, keeping an eye on all these conditions. Dry some spots and too wet in other spots. WOLF: It's one or the other. It's never both. And this deficit of rainfall they've had for many places out west, but way too much rain in parts of Texas. In fact, this morning, just to the west and southwest of San Antonio and Ubalde, back over to Freo, they've had up to 4 inches of rainfall and they're not done just yet. We could see more rainfall in parts of the lone star state, as well as much of the gulf coast, and the eastern seaboard will get in on the action as well. From New York southward to Washington, D.C. and back up to Boston, keep the umbrellas handy. You'll need them. That stationary front's going to move very little over the next couple days. Warm out in parts of the west as we mentioned. Out on the west coast, we are going to see some fog, a little bit of marine layer kicking in with the low clouds, but we could expect some drying into the afternoon, interior valleys, San Joaquin Valley very warm in Fresno. Also warm in Chicago and very beautiful. Take a look at the shots. It's a great looking morning in the windy city. Not too windy today, but highs temperatures expected to reach the upper 80s. That's the forecast. Now right back to the news desk. NGUYEN: All right Reynolds, you know it's not easy being a diva, right? WOLF: Oh, yes, I am a diva, so I'll tell you right off hand. HOLMES: You tell us, Betty. How is that working out? NGUYEN: I'll tell you, the down side of divadom happens more than you expect. And if you want a good laugh, and we're not only laughing at Beyonce, there are plenty of others to laugh it, Jeanne Moos is coming up. You don't want to miss it. HOLMES: All right. And there is something you should know about flip-flops before you end up at the doctor's office. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who is always in the office with his flip-flops on and his suits, is going to explain coming up on "House Call." NGUYEN: He is not. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: All right -- HOLMES: That's just wrong. NGUYEN: Is it? But it happened its reality. Happens to all of us, even the best of us. We fall sometimes. HOLMES: OK. I have never -- NGUYEN: You have never? HOLMES: Down the escalator here at CNN. NGUYEN: We'll catch it. HOLMES: That video is burning up the Internet, also burning up our airwaves here as well. We've been using it a lot as well. NGUYEN: We've been calling it Beyonce's bounce. Falling down on stairs, on the stage, you name it. No serious injuries, though, accept maybe a bruised ego. But you have to see this. As our Jeanne Moos reports, Beyonce's misstep is not an isolated incident. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): When's the last time you fell on your face? Or on your butt? Or off a stage? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretending I was a U.N. interpreter. Oh, good lord, oh [ bleep ] oh, damn. MOOS: It's bad enough if you're Kelsey Grammer, but how about a diva takes a dive in front of thousands of fans, many armed with cameras? That's what happened to Beyonce. A spokesperson says her hem got caught in her shoe and the moment was caught on Youtube. Her fans shooting home video of the Orlando, Florida concert, reported that Beyonce asked good-naturedly -- BEYONCE: If any one of you got video of that, please don't put it on Youtube. MOOS: Fat chance, and from Youtube, it spread. Next thing you know, Beyonce is the number one video on CNN.com, knocking "giant tumor" out of the top spot. And it takes a lot to dislodge a 33-pound tumor. Much was made of the fact that Beyonce bounced back. Her hair bounced even more. Fans posted praise like "takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'." if you think we're reveling in Beyonce's misery, we're kind compared to the news anchor who couldn't stop laughing over a model who fell. [ laughter ] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You try walking in those shoes! MOOS: But hey, plenty of falling news people were plastered on Youtube. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa! MOOS: Covering storms or stomping grapes. But don't believe every journalistic misstep you see on the web. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Last night there was a robbery about 3:30 in the morning, police -- oh, god! MOOS: Apparently, Chuck Storm is just a character dreamed up by the creator of this Website. But Chuck Storm isn't so far from the reality of Al Roker. Al is featured on a Web site called PeopleFallingOver.com. You have to love their logo. And as if falling weren't bad enough, there are all those slow- motion replays. Cheer up, Beyonce. At least you didn't end up like Carrie Bradshaw. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God, she's fashion roadkill. MOOS: It's not how far you fall, it's how fast you recover. And who says gallantry is dead? To the rescue. Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: As if that's not bad enough, the person trying to help you out can't even get there. HOLMES: That would be us. NGUYEN: Yes, it would -- it would be awful, wouldn't it? HOLMES: All right, we got headlines and hopefully more people falling still to come on this Sunday morning. NGUYEN: Stay tuned for all of that, right after this break. Sanjay Gupta is up next. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com


text:
This is the first in a series of 'How to write…' blogs. Keep an eye out for the next one! The series includes how to write the best blurb, compelling characters, opening to your novel and I'm open to more suggestions if there's anything you'd like me to tackle? You might wonder why I've decided to focus on the minutia but I've found that the seemingly small things in writing can be the most difficult. I'm not an author but I am an editor, writing coach and reviewer – so you could say that my life revolves around the written word – and more importantly supporting the writer.
How to write the best blurb for your novel
Why start my blog series with the blurb? Simply – I think the blurb is often overlooked. I'm a member of loads of writing groups on Facebook, LinkedIn and Goodreads – they're really helpful and allow me to find authors that are looking for support. It struck me recently, that the writers all rely on a blurb, to attract beta readers, critique partners, agents, reviewers, bloggers, publishers and ultimately their target reader. Obviously, there are different types of blurb, those that are to sell your book to your reader and those to attract a publisher – a query blurb. This blog is focusing on the former, the 'back-cover blurb'. I'm going to argue though that it is in an author's best interests to write their blurb early on in the process, to attract their test readers – once it is written it will then be adaptable for other uses.
If you don't write a decent blurb to sell your book, it doesn't matter how good it is, no one is going to read it! Don't underestimate its importance, a good blurb is vital.
What should your blurb do?
Your blurb isn't meant to show your skills as an author, it is ultimately a sales pitch. Writers are often, like me, introverted types who struggle with confidence; selling ourselves and our creations doesn't always come naturally. Some writers looking for betas are almost apologetic, 'I'm looking for someone to read my book, I'm not sure if it's very good, it's a bit like Hunger Games mixed with Lord of the Rings.' That may be what they think but it isn't very attractive to a potential reader, even at the beta reading stage – you should use a good blurb to attract the right betas and ARC readers for you. We all have our favourite genres and what is attractive to one reader would be off-putting for another, in my case – I am instantly put off by the inclusion of dragons! (Sorry to all you dragon lovers out there but I'm not your target reader.)
Your blurb should be written with your target reader in mind. What is it that the reader is looking for? Well, that depends on your genre. If it is a crime thriller, it should include genre appropriate adjectives, like in the *Blurb examples here by Robert Bryndza: 'chilling', 'terrifying' or in Carole Matthews' romance or women's fiction: 'single' 'relationship' and 'emotional'. Include things that your reader expects to see in their favourite genre. Stick with the voice you have used in your novel don't repel your reader by trying to be something else.
*A read only, Word document with annotated blurb examples, please have a look!
Things to remember when writing your blurb:
- Create curiosity, possibly ask a question, so your reader is intrigued and wants to know more.
- Don't be afraid to use hyperbole, like I said earlier it might not be in your nature to say your work is "incredible" but try your best to sell its best bits. This is where the difference between a back-cover blurb and a query blurb differ the most. Publishers don't want to read your opinion about the quality of your book.
- An ideal blurb would be around 100-150 words, if it's too lengthy sites like Amazon will cut it short.
- Use brief sentences, important in a blurb as the reader is often skimming several books in a shop or on Amazon, anything too lengthy will lose their attention.
- Remember a good blurb attracts a customer – then a reader – who could become a fan.
- Write many versions, get test readers to help you chose the best, most effective one.
- Set the scene, the where and when, is really important to readers when they are choosing what to read.
What your blurb shouldn't do:
- Be written in a hurry, your blurb shouldn't be your last priority.
- No spoilers!
- Use clichés.
- Make comparisons to bestselling books or authors, this is up to the book sellers to do, don't allow anyone to think that your ideas aren't original.
What do published authors say?
In order to give the best possible advice in my series of 'how to write the best…' I've contacted lots of authors – some published, some seeking publication and some self-published. My experience since I started this new career is that the writing (and editing) community is extremely helpful and really friendly. If you aren't already on Twitter I'd encourage you to join and use #amwriting or #writingcommunity, you'll be amazed at the amount of fellow writers there and the support you'll get from them.
All of the authors I spoke to agreed that the process of writing their blurb wasn't easy. Some of the self-published writers had joined an online group for help and also relied on friends and colleagues for critique and feedback. Successful author, Conrad Jones explained that he wrote his own blurbs, until his 12th book! Now that he is more well-established, it is more of a collaboration – between him, his editors and publishers. He believes that a combined effort produces the best blurb, as what works for him isn't always what the reader is attracted to. Carmen Radtke agrees that the collaborative approach works for her – she uses another author and friend as an editor and sounding board to come up with the best possible blurb.
Get in touch if you'd like to talk about your blurb or feel free to comment with examples of blurbs that have attracted you.


text:
We are grateful to the great support and contribution from the following partners.
Atlas Copco and Plan International Hong Kong have established a close partnership since 2009. We are both committed to provide people in need with clean drinking water and better sanitation. With support from Atlas Copco, four water projects have been successfully completed in Ningxia, Shaanxi and Yunnan, which benefited more than thousands of local villagers and children in these areas.
Credit Suisse is one of our close partners. We together help improving the education of children. Credit Suisse has supported Plan's Signature Event "Because I Am A Girl – Donate A Pencil" Campaign since 2013. The support from Credit Suisse contributed to the development of girls by supporting the better education and empowering girls in Ghana, Africa and our Because I Am A Girl Campaign. With Credit Suisse's support, we aim at promoting gender equality and girls' empowerment through capacity enhancement activities like football, knowledge building and skills development in Ghana.
We have established a close partnership since 2010.Emperor Watch and Jewellery consistently supports Plan's signature events and programmes. They have been supporting Plan's "Because I am a Girl" campaign since 2010, which aims to raise the public awareness about the plights of the girls suffer in developing countries and also raise funds for girls development projects in China, Nepal, Pakistan and Ghana. They also support education project for disadvantaged girls in Pu Cheng County, China. Through the training programmes, girls became more confident and their parents are more aware of the development of children. EMJ demonstrates their belief that every child, if given a chance, will be able to shine and realise their potential.
KPMG Foundation is one of our long term partners and they have sponsored 30 underprivileged children in the province of Shaanxi in China for the last 3 years. With their longstanding support, these children' living standard and their communities' environment have improved tremendously. For example, more families have access to clean water, the children have increased their awareness towards hygiene by participating in health campaigns organised by Plan; as well as provision of school materials for them to have quality studies.
Prudence Foundation, part of Prudential Asia entered into a partnership with Plan International to address the adverse effects of disasters in the Asia Region, particularly as they impact on children. This innovative partnership supports Plan International's Disaster Response & Management Programme in selected schools in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines and Cambodia. These countries are especially prone to natural disasters like volcano eruptions, floods and earthquakes in Asia. This project educates and prepares teachers and students to respond when disaster strikes as well as building capacity amongst the nearby communities to strengthen local resilience and their ability to cope when disasters occur Thanks to Prudence Foundation's support, students and villagers are more resilient to disasters and have a safe and secure learning environment.
(By Alphabetical order)


text:
Rose Post Creative Nonfiction Competition
Submissions accepted: November 15 – January 15
The Rose Post Creative Nonfiction Competition, sponsored by the North Carolina Writers' Network, encourages the creation of lasting nonfiction that is outside the realm of conventional journalism and has relevance to North Carolinians. Subjects may include traditional categories such as reviews, travel articles, profiles or interviews, place/history pieces, or culture criticism. The first-, second-, and third-place winners will receive $1,000, $300, and $200 respectively. The winning entry will be considered for publication by Ecotone.
Eligibility and Guidelines
- The competition is open to any writer who is a legal resident of North Carolina or a member of the North Carolina Writers' Network.
- The postmark deadline is January 15.
- The entry fee is $10 for NCWN members, $12 for nonmembers.
- Entries can be submitted in one of two ways:
- Send two printed copies through the U.S. Postal Service (see guidelines and address below), along with a check for the appropriate fee, made payable to the North Carolina Writers' Network.
- Submit an electronic copy online at ncwriters.submittable.com, and pay by VISA or MasterCard.
- Simultaneous submissions ok, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
- Each entry must be an original and previously unpublished manuscript of no more than 3,500 words, typed in a 12-point standard font (i.e., Times New Roman) and double-spaced.
- Author's name should not appear on manuscripts. Instead, include a separate cover sheet with name, address, phone number, e-mail address, word count, and manuscript title. (If submitting online, do not include a cover sheet with your document; Submittable will collect and record your name and contact information.)
- An entry fee must accompany the manuscript. Multiple submissions are accepted, one manuscript per entry fee: $10 for NCWN members, $12 for nonmembers.
- You may pay the member entry fee if you join NCWN with your submission. Checks should be made payable to the North Carolina Writers' Network.
- Entries will not be returned. Winners will be announced in March.
- When you submit online at ncwriters.submittable.com/submit, Submittable will collect your entry fee via credit card ($10 NCWN members / $12 non-members). (If submitting online, do not include a cover sheet with your document; Submittable will collect and record your name and contact information. For more information about Submittable, click here.)
- To submit as a Member of NCWN ($10), click here.
- To submit as a Non-Member of NCWN ($12), click here.
- If submitting by mail, send submission to:
North Carolina Writers' Network
ATTN: Rose Post
PO Box 21591
Winston-Salem, NC 27120
Past Winners
First Place: Diane Milhan, Mount Airy, NC
Second Place: Allison Kirkland, Durham, NC
Third Place: Andrea Hunter, Greensboro, NC
First Place: Jasmin Morrell, Asheville, NC
Second Place: Ashley Memory, Randolph County, NC
Third Place: Dianne Fecteau, Asheville, NC
First Place: Heather Bell Adams, Raleigh, NC
Second Place: Emily Dunlap Carter, Beaufort, NC
Third Place: Lucinda Trew, Raleigh, NC
First Place: Jeannette Cabanis-Brewin, Cullowhee, NC
Second Place: Judy Goldman, Charlotte, NC
Third Place: Patricia Poteat, Asheville, NC
First Place: Pam Van Dyk, Raleigh, NC
Second Place: Ashley Memory, Pittsboro, NC
Third Place: Barbara Furr, Corrales, NM
First Place: Elaine Thomas, Wilmington, NC
Second Place: Virginia Ewing Hudson, Raleigh, NC
Third Place: Jane Shlensky, Bahama, NC
First Place: Joseph Mills, Winston-Salem, NC
Second Place: Beth Browne, Garner, NC
Third Place: Jessica Jacobs, Asheville, NC
First Place: Karen Smith Linehan, Carolina Beach, NC
Second Place: Amy Rowland, Princeton, NJ
Third Place: Agnes Stevens, Raleigh, NC
First Place: Jillian Weiss, Wilmington, NC
Second Place: Beth Browne, Garner, NC
Third Place: Robert Wallace, Durham, NC
First Place: Laura Herbst, Pittsboro, NC
Second Place: Jason Hess, Wilmington, NC
Third Place: Joanna Catherine Scott, Chapel Hill, NC
First Place: Jennifer Bringle, Greensboro, NC
Second Place: Jane Andrews, Raleigh, NC
Third Place: Helen Aitken, Swansboro, NC
First Place: Anthony S. Abbott, Davidson, NC
Second Place: Terri Sherrill, Hillsborough, NC
Third Place: Jeannette Cabanis-Brewin, Cullowhee, NC
First Place: Pepper Capps Hill, Rocky Point, NC
Second Place: Cynthia Lewis, Davidson, NC
Third Place: Cynthia Lewis, Davidson, NC
First Place: John Picard, Greensboro, NC
Second Place: Rachel E. Pollock, Durham, NC
Third Place: Deborah Gold
First Place: Stephanie Whetstone, Durham, NC
Second Place: Cynthia Lewis, Davidson, NC
Third Place: Sheilah Zimpel, Denver, CO
First Place: Bob Mustin, Asheville, NC
Second Place: Lynne Tanner, Rutherfordton, NC
Third Place: David Frauenfelder, Durham, NC


text:
Petit Livarot Cheese 250g
Named after a village in Normandy, Livarot is one of Frances oldest Cheeses. During production, Livarot is circled by five straps of rush leaves or paper that prevent the cheese from collapsing during maturing. The straps of Livarot are reminiscent of a uniform's stripes, giving the cheese its nickname "The Colonel".
Product Code: 3252950033011
This item can be either Collected or Delivered
(Be the first to write a review)Ask a question about this product
Tell a friend about this site or product
Each cheese is made with a mixture of skimmed evening and whole morning milk (unpasteurised cows' milk) giving a fat content of 40-45% (as opposed to 48% for whole fat milk). The curds and whey are scooped into round moulds and the whey is allowed to drain off. The cheeses are then turned and washed with brine which has been coloured with annatto. Maturing takes place in warm, humid cellars for up to two months. Livarot has a full and assertive flavour, a supple texture and a pungent aroma. The rind is brown-orange due to the annatto washings.
Livarot is excellent on the cheese board although it is best tasted after milder cheeses. It is best enjoyed with a full-bodied red wine, a glass of Normandy cider or Calvados.Serve as an appetizer with crusty bread, or serve as a dessert cheese and enjoy with fruits such as apples, grapes or pears. Pairs well with a Cheese and Wine Shop Pommerol.
Area of origin;
Soft, Washed Rind
Shelf Life;
Min 5 days
Fat content;
4-8 weeks
2-5 days
Drink with;
Word Cloud for This Product
what is a word cloud?
250g cheese cheeses circled collapsing Colonel during Frances leaves Livarot maturing nickname Normandy oldest paper Petit prevent production reminiscent rush straps stripes uniform's village
We want you to be completely satisfied with our goods. However, despite our best efforts, things do go wrong, parcels do go astray, or perhaps its not the right colour. Regardless, we want to make sure we put them right as quickly as possible. So to return goods, we need to give you a Return Merchandise Authorisation (RMA); please dont send anything back without contacting us, and obtaining an RMA.
To Return Goods, and get a RMA
If you want to return goods to us ...
- please log in to your account
- under Orders, select the Previous Orders tab.
- from there, select the relevant order number
- click on the RMA link, which is towards the right hand side
- Please provide as much information as possible as to why the product/s are unstaisfactory
- await our reply (if we havent replied within 48 hours, please call to ensure we have received your request)
Refunds ... The Cheese and Wine Shop of Wellington offers a full refund on all goods that you may be dissatisfied with (this includes Sale items). Customers who send back unwanted goods that are not damaged will receive the value of the item purchased less the delivery costs.
Unsuitable or defective items may be returned for refund or exchange providing they are received within 7 working days of the original delivery date in brand new, unused condition, in the original undamaged packaging (with labels intact, including hygiene strips)
Please ensure that your return is accompanied by a note stating your name, address, email address, contact telephone number, order number, RMA and the reason for the return and what refund/exchange you require. (As agreed in the RMA)
We will consider the overall condition of the product being returned when making a refund. As soon as we receive your goods we will process your request for a replacement item or refund. We will notify you via email as soon as your request has been processed.
You will need to pay the cost of returning goods to us, unless the goods are defective in which case you will receive a full refund including your postage and packaging costs. Proof of return and postage will be required should an item be lost in transit. Neither refunds nor replacements can be made until such proof is provided. We strongly suggest you get a Certificate of Posting from the Post Office when you send an item back.
All refunds are applied to the credit/debit card used to make the original purchase unless otherwise notified. Refunds will be furnished within 30 days of the agreement to refund.
If you have requested a refund, or replacements of a lower value than the returned goods, a refund will be credited back to the card used to pay for the original order. We will let you know as soon as the refund has been processed.
If you have requested replacements of a higher value, you will need to contact us to make the additional payment.
Sending Goods back..
Once you have a return number from us, and you need to return the goods ... please enclose your order number and ensure all items are well packaged to prevent damage. We recommend using a tracked service to ensure they reach us.
Please send them to;
Customers Also Bought...
Alex James Farleigh Wallop No2
1.2kg Dorset Red
Gjetost 250g


text:
With all the attention deservedly going to the new iPad, it can be easy to forget that Apple also launched a third-gen Apple TV set-top box at its March 7th media event. The little hockey puck included 1080p HD video support and a faster processor, but that's basically it. Not much has changed since the last Apple TV.
Apple has given early review units of the new Apple TV to certain publications to review. Here's what they have to say:
Macworld's Jason Snell likes the addition of 1080p, but cautions current Apple TV owners:
At $99, the third-generation Apple TV continues to be as excellent a value as the previous model—and now it supports higher-quality video too. That's a good thing. For those with the previous generation, however, the decision to upgrade comes down to whether the difference in quality between two high-definition formats is important (and noticeable) enough to you.
Joshua Topolsky of The Verge has a good writeup with an excellent video review:
This year's Apple TV is a strange little device. Nearly everything it did before, it now does better — it streams 1080p content, is easier than ever to navigate, and remains one of the simplest devices to set up and use that we've seen. But when I reviewed the 2010 Apple TV, my biggest concerns were all about the content: the available content on a device like the Boxee Box or the Roku positively dwarfed the Apple TV. That's still true, though the iTunes integration with Netflix is a solid sign that Apple's thinking the right way.
MG Siegler of TechCrunch takes a stronger stance by saying that the new Apple TV will kill off disks:
There's no reason why every person with an iOS device (and soon a Mac) shouldn't get an Apple TV. And that's a problem for the makers of Blu-ray players. Again, just slightly better quality will no longer be enough. Apple's latest Apple TV is going to continue the trend they began with the MacBook Air —the killing off of optical discs.
The Loop's Jim Dalrymple writes a simple, experience-focused review for the average consumer:
The Apple TV is the epitome of convenience. With iCloud, I have access to all of my iTunes Match music and videos, so I don't need to connect to a computer anymore. I can purchase movies, TV shows and I can watch content from Netflix. That's perfect.
The new Apple TV will be available in-store alongside the new iPad this Friday. Pre-orders will also be arriving to doorsteps on March 16th. What do you think of the new Apple TV? Is it worth the upgrade? Sound off in the comments below!


text:
Question: What is the name of this skin finding, which classically erupts a few weeks after a bacterial or viral upper respiratory tract infection (such as strep throat)?
Answer: This is guttate psoriasis. It presents as small, tear-drop shaped papules that classically erupt after URTIs or other illnesses (e.g., strep throat, tonsillitis) and generally self-resolve.


text:
Amenities & Services
- WiFi
- Cable
- Beauty Salon
- Laundry and housekeeping services
- Large outdoor deck
- Pet therapy
- 24-hour skilled nursing care
- Alzheimer's and dementia care
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
- Fall prevention program
- Recreation therapy
- Incontinence care
- Respite care
- Hospice care
- Counseling services
- Pain management
Apply For Admission
Print and complete the admission application to apply for admission to Valley View.
Monthly Events
Click the image above to enlarge
Join Our Team
Learn about Valley View and see what positions are available.
Residential Care
Rehabilitative Care
Interdisciplinary Team
Visit Us
When the need arises for residential care or rehabilitative care, Valley View Rehabilitation and Health Care Center is working to redefine healthcare in Sussex County to meet the needs of our community.