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September 26, 2007
2007 State of the University Address to Staff
President Barbara R. Snyder gives first State of the University address to staff
Thank you Richard. And thank you to all of the staff who have welcomed me so warmly in recent months. In my short time here at the university, I have found so many of you eager to move the university forward, and enthusiastic about its future. Your commitment to Case Western Reserve University is essential for our collective success, and I thank you for all that you do here every single day.
As many of you know, I have met with schools and departments and countless other on-campus groups since arriving in July. As a result, some of what I am about to say may be familiar. But I want to emphasize that those gatherings provided far more than a chance for you in the individual schools and departments to take my measure – I also learned much from the concerns and comments you shared. I hope you will be comparably direct and candid in the questions and observations that follow my remarks today.
Some of you may have seen the news articles last week about "Last Lectures," a series a few U.S. universities have launched that encourages faculty to consider what they might say – and then allows them to say it well in advance of that ultimate final class.
Of all the knowledge and wisdom acquired through years of study and research and just plain living, what would they choose to share with students?
Now to some this very idea might seem a bit morbid, but consider the titles of some of these addresses:
- From an engineering professor:
"Lies, Damn Lies and Undergraduate Courses"
- An economics instructor:
"Bald Eagles, Body Parts and Haunted Houses: The Many Margins of Economics"
- From a school of community development:
"Joie de Vivre: This is Not a Dress Rehearsal"
- And, from mathematics: "Is 42 really the answer?"
The occasion for last week's reports was a true "last lecture" at Carnegie Mellon University. Randy Pausch, a computer science professor there in Pittsburgh, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of liver cancer, and has been given just months to live.
Professor Pausch, known as one of the nation's most accomplished designers of videogame and virtual reality software, is a 46-year-old father of three children, ages 5, 2 and 1. But for the purposes of this lecture, Pausch focused not on loss or despair, but of dreams made, and realized.
One of the more charming examples: The man who loved Star Trek as a kid earned a visit from Captain Kirk, actor William Shatner.
"It's cool to meet your boyhood idol," he told the audience. "It's even cooler when he comes to see what you're doing in your lab."
I encourage you to watch the video of Pausch's lecture yourself – the website will be listed in the online version of this speech. But for now I want to focus on two specific elements.
First, this line, which Pausch offered as he flashed images of early rejection letters on the screen: "Brick walls are there for a reason. They let us prove how badly we want things."
Second, this fact: Four hundred people attended Pausch's lecture. Four hundred people. And they offered a standing ovation before he uttered a word.
Now I want you to consider these two points as we talk about the state of Case Western Reserve University. First, brick walls.
As many of you know, I've been meeting with deans and donors and friends and faculty since well before I arrived on campus – and then picked up the pace this summer. And if I've learned anything in these conversations, it is this: In recent years, you've done more than hit a brick wall. You've felt pummeled by falling stone and mortar and occasionally feared whole sections of the structure would topple.
And yet… and yet… again and again, you've proved just how much you wantit.
Amid staff layoffs and reduced resources and all manner of uncertainty, somehow, day after day, you continued your work. The medical and dental schools launched new curricula. The College of Arts and Sciences continued to build SAGES with faculty from throughout the university. And the Mandel School used its NEO-CANDO database to help local community organizations identify "early warning signs" of neighborhood troubles – for example, a water shut-off notice as indicator of a pending foreclosure.
Just how badly did you want it?
Our technology staff constantly innovates – this year we see Case TV Version 2.0, which will let the community upload its own videos. Last week we saw several modules – including admissions and course schedules – go live as part of the Student Information System Project. A few days earlier Computerworld named Case Western Reserve University its 2007 winner for best practices in network management. These achievements reflect coordinated efforts – and lots of long hours - by literally dozens of staff members across the university.
This summer we followed the Case Western Reserve University men's basketball team on its trip to Brazil. Not only did coach Sean McDonnell lead in organizing the trip, but he and his wife also pledged $5,000 to help students fund the effort. A few months earlier, Sports Information Director Creg Jantz received the J. Bruce Jackson award for excellence in undergraduate mentoring, an award that in the past three years had gone only to faculty members.
Or consider the efforts of our technology transfer office, which, has worked in concert with faculty and staff in individual schools to increase our industry-sponsored funding by 50 percent over the past five years. We are now ranked in the top 10 nationally in terms of technology transfer among the 102 U.S. universities with research bases of comparable size.
Yesterday I touted many of the faculty's recent accomplishments, from the $64 million CTSA grant from the NIH, to the new Great Lakes Institute for Energy Innovation, a collaborative effort launched from the School of Engineering. From fiscal year 2006 to 2007 proposal activity in the College of Arts and Sciences climbed nearly 30 percent. Those achievements all credit the faculty, but I also know none would be possible without the support many of you provide. Calculating funds, tracking funds, scheduling meetings, preparing documents – the administrative tasks behind every university effort are legion.
I could go on and on about the university's accomplishments – indeed, I cited many others in my investiture speech – but I hope you grasp my point. This university has asked so many of you, faculty and staff alike, to do so much more in recent years. At a time when it would have been understandable, even easy, for you to throw up your hands in disgust or, at the very least, coast, so many of you instead proved that you wanted it.
You wanted to expand knowledge. You wanted to serve our students. You wanted this university to move toward realizing the amazing potential we all know it has.
And for that, I say, quite simply, Thank You.
Many of these achievements I've cited may be familiar to you, but I want to mention a few more:
- First, our renewed relationship with alumni last summer, thanks to Interim President Greg Eastwood, has been matched this summer by renewed activities in alumni chapters across the country. These chapters hosted 17 summer send-offs in 2007, allowing incoming freshmen to meet current students and alumni from their own hometowns. This academic year I am meeting with alumni groups all across the country – I spent four days on the West Coast this month, and head to Minnesota and then New York in October, and Tokyo and Taiwan in November. Also, next month we host our annual Homecoming Weekend, marked this year by the Grand Opening and Dedication of the Alumni House. I want to take this opportunity to recognize and honor our alumni relations and events staff – their work is often behind-the-scenes, but their impact on our progress is incalculable.
- Second, we have seen early signs of progress in development. Some of you may have seen Friday's Plain Dealer article about the gift our College of Arts and Sciences received from L. David Baldwin, 1.6 million dollars which will help pay for a new program in cell-based therapy, faculty recruitment and renovation of existing biology labs. This generous donation is only the latest example of the strong ties alumni feel to our university, as well as their willingness to support it.
- Third, in undergraduate admissions this year, we actually exceeded our enrollment goal by 80 students, despite losing our director in 2006. Over the past four years we have witnessed 60 percent-growth in applications, and over the past two years applications from African-American students climbed 30 percent. Each of these figures is a tribute to our admissions staff. We now have a new vice president for enrollment, Randy Deike, and I look forward to even more impressive figures in years to come.
- Fourth, a recent inventory led by Latisha James, director of community partnerships, found that members of our university committed more than 160,000 hours of service with some 500 hundred organizations across greater Cleveland. Just last week we celebrated our fifth-annual Case for Community Day, and I thank the many staff, faculty and administrators who pitched in on projects ranging from landscaping homes to providing medical screenings for senior citizens. Your efforts not only demonstrate the university's commitment to its community, but the strength of your individual character as well. I encourage you to continue your participation in these events as well as with the Charity Choice campaign now seeking your support. This fund drive allows you to direct donations to any of dozens of organizations in our community, among them Community Shares and the United Way agencies.
Every single one of these achievements deserves celebration, as do so many more that often go unnoticed: the hours a staff member spends helping a troubled student, or the solitary late nights a researcher put in to ensure that an experiment stays on track. You all, collectively, have accomplished so much, amid such trying circumstances – that proverbial brick wall – that I can only imagine what pinnacles we can reach as we work together to regain momentum and build anew.
How do we begin that process? As many of you have heard me say already, we begin with a detailed strategic academic plan. Each school is assessing its own priorities and paths toward them, even as Interim Provost Jerry Goldberg leads a university-wide task force developing overarching themes. This effort will include repeated opportunities for all of you to participate – we expect to include a website devoted to the project, public forums, focus groups surveys and regular updates on the work.
This plan will do more than articulate where we're going. It will be so specific as to delineate how and when we're going to get there. It will guide how we invest limited resources and, as we prepare to launch our first capital campaign in more than a decade, help focus fundraising efforts as well.
I've said it before and will say it many times more before we conclude in June: This will not be my plan. Or Jerry Goldberg's plan. Or the deans' plan. It will be – it must be – our plan. You must believe in it. You must own it. And Jerry, and I, and everyone else involved in steering this project are committed to two broad goals: First, that the planning effort encourages your involvement, and second that the result deserves your embrace.
And what of now? Beyond the grand plans for after 2007-2008, what, you may ask, is the State of the University today? More specifically, quite a few people have pointedly asked, what is the state of the university's finances?
In truth, better than you might think. Our endowment management is excellent – returns regularly rank in the top quartile. All but one of our schools is on solid fiscal footing, or on track to be there within the next year or two. The exception is medicine, the school that, more than any other, depends financially on collaboration with outside partners.
Let me start with University Hospitals. As most of you know, we signed a 50-year affiliation agreement in 2006. As part of that arrangement, our clinical faculty this year began the transition from operating within separate practice plans to a unitary plan. It is fair to say that all has not been smooth, but it is just as important to note that the process is at its very beginning. I know that this move has posed challenges for many of you, but I urge you to keep faith as we go forward. The Model T sputtered and popped a bit back in 1908, yet Ford ultimately sold more than 15 million of these cars.. We cannot say today whether this affiliation agreement is as promising as the Model T proved to be, but know that Dean Pam Davis and I will do everything in our power to make the agreement work as well as possible for our faculty, for the university, and for UH.
Another important partner is the Cleveland Clinic: You no doubt have heard by now that the hospital is considering changing the affiliation of the Lerner College of Medicine from Case Western Reserve University to Columbia University. First, as I wrote the campus community when the news first broke, the Lerner College is important to us and we hope to maintain its ties to the School of Medicine. I am doing all I can to persuade Clinic leaders to continue the existing arrangement and even strengthen it, but I also want to remind you that we have many other strong partnerships, including the CTSA grant announced last week, and the comprehensive cancer center. Our goal is to maintain all of these collaborative programs – including the Lerner College.
Despite the largely promising signs about our long-term financial future, the fact remains that we do forecast a deficit in the coming year. Across-the-board cuts would close this hole quickly, but I strongly oppose that approach. For the sake of speed, it risks harming the very strengths needed for future gains. It's far better to invest strategically, to focus new dollars directly where they can best help the university.
But, given the state of our current finances, achieving that end will require that we reduce spending in other areas.
I'm not going to spin or sugarcoat that essential truth. Those cuts will not be easy, nor painless.
That said, we must resolve our financial issues– not only must we balance the budget, but we also have to establish reserves and a more coherent process for deciding spending priorities. These steps are required for this university to move toward the kind of future that I know – and many of you know even better – is truly possible for this great institution.
And now, let me return to the second point I mentioned involving Carnegie Mellon Professor Pausch's lecture last week. Four hundred people attended. Four hundred. They stood and applauded at the beginning and end of his remarks and, in the middle, sang "Happy Birthday" to his wife. The account reminded me of stories I heard about the response of this campus to the sudden passing of the faculty icon known here as "Doc Oc" in 2005. You never had the chance give Doc the tribute that Professor Pausch enjoyed last week, but no one could doubt the affection the entire community felt for this fine man. One shared moment in particular stands out – at the 2006 Commencement, Doc posthumously received the J. Bruce Jackson, M.D., Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Mentoring. As his sister clasped the award, the senior class rose as one to offer an ovation that lasted … and lasted … and lasted.
Keep in mind this was a full year after Doc's death, and still those he touched remembered, and wanted to show his family how much he meant to their lives here at Case Western Reserve University.
It is in such moments that we in higher education are reminded of what a privilege it is to come to work at a university campus every single day. Yes, this institution is a complicated, multi-million dollar organization – but it is no corporation. Yes, it is committed to examining all manner of life's greatest questions – but it is not a research center. And yes, we teach – and learn – every day, but this place is not simply a school.
There is something magic here, in all that we are and do. Consider this one definition from the introduction to the book, Creating Campus Community:
"It is the home of our hope, where scholars labor to solve those problems that rob men and women of their dignity, their promise, and their joy. It is conservator of the record of our nobility and our barbarism. It is the theater of our artistic impulses. . . It is a place where all in the community – students, faculty, staff – are called to ask what brings meaning to their lives and makes them glad to be alive. It is, above all, a community in which we celebrate the humanizing force of our curiosity and wonder, a place for dreamers of day."
Again, I thank you for this opportunity to speak. More, I thank you for this opportunity to serve as your president. May we go on to bring full life to those words in this community.
And now, I welcome your questions and comments.


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Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill has given his strongest hint yet he will appear in Star Wars: Episode IX
The 64-year-old star posted a video of himself on Twitter on Tuesday (30Aug16), showing him shaving off the beard he's been sporting as Luke in the new Star Wars films.
He was unshaven in his brief appearance in last year's (15) franchise rebooting sequel The Force Awakens and has been seen wearing the beard on the set of upcoming installment Episode VIII.
It was the caption below Mark's video that caught the eye of fans however, as it appeared to put to bed speculation his character, the main hero of the original Star Wars trilogy, would be killed off in the next film.
"Haven't seen my chin since May '15, so #FarewellFacialFur & #ByeByeBeard (at least til #EpisodeIX)," he wrote.
Star Wars devotees had previously been sent into a frenzy by comments from the actor which seemed to indicate he would play no part in Episode IX.
"I finish Episode VIII, and then I'm out of work," he reportedly told an audience at an event held by the Big Issue magazine in London.
The actor later clarified his comments, tweeting that he only meant filming on Episode VIII had wrapped, but didn't state whether he was still starring in the franchise.
Another one of the original trilogy's main heroes, Harrison Ford's charismatic space smuggler Han Solo, was shockingly killed off at the end of The Force Awakens
The intense secrecy around the plots of the films is one of the reasons any misplaced comments from its stars are snatched upon by fans.
Mark has also found himself frustrated by the secrecy around Star Wars but told USA Today that ultimately he agreed with its producers' attempts to closely guard plot details.
"They're not doing it to annoy you (fans), they just want the surprise to be in the movie theater, not the internet," he told USA Today. "It's for your viewing pleasure that we do this."
Star Wars: Episode VIII will hit cinemas next year (17), with Episode IX following in 2019.

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Weekend picks: Steely Dan goes '8 Miles to Pancake Day' at Ravinia
Steely Dan live
America's quirkiest jazz-rock icons, Steely Dan, return to Ravinia, 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, to perform their "Mood Swings Tour 2013: 8 Miles to Pancake Day" concert. Tickets cost $90-$105 reserved seats; $38 lawn. ravinia.org or (847) 266-5100. 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Aug. 1-2
Port Edward's caviar and seafood dinner
Port Edward, 20 W. Algonquin Road, Algonquin, hosts the queen of caviar, Collins Caviar founder Carolyn Collins, at a seafood and caviar dinner Friday. Begin with a Riverita cocktail and Collins Caviars on the boat deck patio. A buffet dinner features the lobster bisque, smoked salmon and trout, steamed mussels, seafood stuffed mushrooms, crab legs, paella valenciana, bouillabaisse, snapper Vera cruzana, grouper in Mango Chutney, blackened Catfish and more. $99 per person all-inclusive. (847) 658-5441 or portedward.com. 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2
Racing retitles
See if your racing rubberized reptile will win you a $500 prize at the 9th Annual Turtle Trek at Twin Lakes Golf Course and Recreation Area, 1200 E. Twin Lakes Drive, Palatine. $5 per turtle or $20 for a five-pack. (847) 934-6050 or saltcreekpd.com. 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2
Boy band bash
Fans of the 1990s boy band Backstreet Boys won't want to miss their "In a World Like This Tour," which also features Jesse McCartney and DJ Pauly D at FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, 1300 S. Lynn White Drive, Chicago. $18-$170. (312) 559-1212 or livenation.com. 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2
Walk about in Elgin
Spies, double agents, good cops, bad cops and thieves are among the characters featured in Janus Theater Company's sixth annual short theater showcase titled "Walkabout: Theater on Your Feet." Theatergoers walk from the Elgin Public House to Side Street Studio Arts to Chooch's Pizzeria to Al's Cafe. At each venue, they'll enjoy a different play, inspired by James Bond. $18 online. $20 at the door. (847) 841-1713 or elginwalkabout.com or janustheater.com. Tickets at elginwalkabout.eventbrite.com. Tours begin at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3; and 2 p.m. Sunday Aug. 4, from 219 E. Chicago St., Elgin, and continue every 15 minutes through 8 p.m.
Cinema combing
"Hair" and "Hairspray," two major motion pictures inspired by smash hit Broadway musicals with an emphasis on 1960s coiffures, receive grand movie theater screenings this weekend at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. $6; $3 seniors/students. (847) 782-2366 or geneseetheatre.com. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, for "Hair" and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, for "Hairspray"
Madrigal man
Award-winning comedian Al Madrigal ("The Daily Show With Jon Stewart") brings his standup routine to Zanies at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 584-6342, and MB Financial Park, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont. $25 plus a two-item menu purchase. (847) 813-0484 or zanies.com. 8 and 9:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, in St. Charles; and 8 and 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, in Rosemont
'Caveman' returns
"Defending the Caveman," Rob Becker's comic examination of how men and women relate to each other, returns to Fox Valley Repertory for a brief run at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. $42. (630) 584-6342 or foxvalleyrep.org. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Aug. 2-10
A long journey
Steve Augeri may not be a household name, but for nearly a decade he fronted one of the biggest American pop groups ever. In 1998, Augeri took over as the lead singer of Journey -- the band's first "official" vocalist since the departure of Steve Perry. Augeri and band toured the world and released new albums until 2006, when Augeri left and launched a solo career. The Steve Augeri Band will play at the Arcada Theater, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles, in a concert that will raise money for research into a cure for Parkinson's disease. Noah's Arcade and Fargo will also perform. Tickets start at $29. Go to oshows.com. 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2
Midwestern man
Comedian Greg Warren draws from his Midwestern roots for his brand of standup comedy this weekend at The Improv Comedy Showcase, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. $19-$22 plus a two-menu-item purchase. (847) 240-2001 or improv.com. 8 and 10:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2; 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3; and 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4
Doggie date
The Buffalo Grove Park District invites everyone to bring their dogs to "Movies Under the Stars," a free outdoor program at Willow Stream Park, 651 Old Checker Road, Buffalo Grove. Watch DreamWorks' 2012 film "Rise of the Guardians" with your family and your four-legged friend(s). Bring snacks and dog treats. Dogs must be leashed during the event. For information, call (847) 850-2100 or go to bgparkdistrict.org. Dusk Friday, Aug. 2
Time to jam
Mr. Blotto is one of Chicago's longest-running and most durable bands. Mr. Blotto's renowned live shows feature of a mix of original songs and expertly chosen covers, all displaying a jam-band aesthetic. The band performs at Durty Nellie's, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. Ethereal Groove Inc. will also perform. $5. Go to durtynellies.com. 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2
Tots & big trucks
Give little kids a chance to get their hands on some heavy machinery at the 14th Annual Big Trucks Event Saturday at Ron Beese Park, 50 Rotary Drive, Barrington. Free. (847) 381-0687 or barringtonparkdistrict.org. 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 3
Dog Days
Bring your canine friend for a day of entertainment and socializing at the annual Dog Days fest at Cantigny, Cantigny Park and First Division Museum, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. Watch dog agility demonstrations, meet representatives from dog rescue organizations and animal shelters and buy pet supplies from vendors. Dogs can mingle with other four-legged guests in the dog play area and cool off in small pools in the splash park. Free admission (with paid $5 parking fee). (630) 668-5161 or cantigny.org. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3
World of Faeries Festival
Enter a world of faeries and magical tales at the ninth annual World of Faeries Festival, Vasa Park, 35W217 Route 31, South Elgin. Festival features storytelling, arts and crafts, food and games. Guests are welcome to dress in costumes. Admission (cash only) is $11 adults; $8 for seniors; free for children ages 12 and younger. (815) 788-1630 or theworldoffaeries.com. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4
American Glass and Dinnerware Show & Sale
The Midwest Glass and Pottery Club sponsors its 19th Annual Antique American Glass and Dinnerware Show & Sale at the Players Indoor Sports Center, 1740 Quincy Ave., Naperville. Twenty-six dealers from 11 states will showcase a variety of midcentury modern glass and dinnerware. Guests can also bring in their own glass items for the experts to identify at the glass-identification services booth. Admission is $7 per person (good for both show days). For information, visit midwestglassandpottery.com or email firstname.lastname@example.com. Glass-identification services available from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4
Two from Vex
Vex Theatre's contribution to Elgin's Art & Soul on the Fox art fair includes a free children's show by Vex founder Cathleen Ann, about a plucky princess who follows her dream of piracy and adventure, at the Art & Soul on the Fox Kids Stage in downtown Elgin. The company also performs an original, one-act show for adults titled "Muse" about the humorous and harrowing moments involved in creating art at the Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., Elgin. $5. (847) 991-8081 or vextheatre.org. "Ninja Pirate Princess" is at noon, 1 and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 3-4. "Muse" is at 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, and 4 and 6 p.m. Sunday Aug. 4
Winning at Wrigley
There hasn't been much to celebrate within the friendly confines of Wrigley Field for more than 100 years, but outside the stadium things just keep rocking and rolling along. The 11th annual Wrigleyville Summerfest serves up plenty of food and beverages from local eateries, music courtesy of Hairbanger's Ball, Hey Jimmy and Too White Crew, and a kids' zone with interactive games and family-friendly activities. Come by on Sunday and worship in the middle of Seminary Street and listen to a live choir, which will perform during a free Gospel Brunch. Join the fun at 3300 N. Seminary, Chicago. Admission is $5. (773) 665-4682 or wrigleyvillesummerfest.com. Noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5
Edge Fest
This relatively new festival in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood will include live music on two stages, wares from more than 40 local artists and food from neighborhood eateries. This year Edge Fest's focus is bacon, so expect lots of goodies highlighting crispy pork at 5900 N. Broadway, Chicago. Admission is $5. (773) 665-4682 or starevents.com/festivals/edge-fest. Noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4
Celebrate the culture of Japan
Mitsuwa Marketplace's Bon-Dancing Festival, a traditional Japanese summer festival, features Japanese dancers, Taiko drummers, authentic fare, games and more. Free. Mitsuwa Marketplace is at 100 E. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights. (847) 956-6699. 2 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3
Viva Verdi
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and conductor James Conlon commemorate the bicentennial of composer Guiseppe Verdi's birth with a performance Saturday of his grand opera "Aida" starring such famed luminaries as Latonia Moore, Michelle DeYoung, Roberto Alagna, Morris Robinson, Mark Delavan and others. Experience it at the Ravinia Festival, 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park. $25-$100 reserved seating; $10 lawn seating. (847) 266-5100 or ravinia.org. 7 p.m. Saturday, July 27
Shelton sounds
Enjoy the country sounds of Blake Shelton during his "Ten Times Crazier Tour" Saturday at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, 19100 S. Ridgeland, Tinley Park. Don't miss Easton Corbin and Jana Kramer, too. Tickets cost $29.25-$59. (800) 653-8000 or livenation.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3
A little night music
The majestic 1889 opera house in Woodstock is home to the annual Mozart Festival. The intimate size of the hall means that the audience is enveloped by music performed by internationally recognized guest artists and conductors. This weekend features concerts by cellist Nazar Dzhuryn and French saxophonist Daniel Gauthier. The Woodstock Opera House is located at 121 Van Buren St. Tickets start at $33-$55. (815) 338-5300 or WoodstockOperaHouse.com. 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug, 3-4
In a pickle
Learn how preservation by pickling was crucial for 19th-century families to make their food last at the Pickling Party at the Durant House Museum in the LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve on Dean Street, one mile west of Randall Road on Route 64, St. Charles. Watch pickling demonstrations and learn why the pickling process is still important today. Donation requested: $2 for adults, $1 for kids. (630) 377-6424 or visit ppfv.org. 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4
Clown remembrance
Remember circus entertainers of the past at the 14th Annual Celebration of International Clown Week, which features performances, kids' activities and more today at the Woodlawn Cemetery, 7750 W. Cermak Road, Forest Park. No admission charge. performforthelove.com/showmensrest. 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4
1812 blasts
Real cannons are featured in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's "Tchaikovsky Spectacular," which features James Conlon as conductor with violinist Gil Shaham and soprano Oksana Dyka as guest soloists, at the Ravinia Festival, 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park. $25-$80 reserved seating; $10 lawn seating. (847) 266-5100 or ravinia.org. 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4; family events begin 3 p.m.
Blues for free
The Siegel-Schwall Band performs its blend of Chicago blues music in a free concert Sunday at the Sunset Foods Pavilion in downtown Long Grove. Free. (847) 722-8989 or lgamc.org. 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4
Suburban Chicago's Got Talent
See the top 10 finalists and vote for your favorites in the next round of Suburban Chicago's Got Talent on Sunday at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. $15. (The top 10 finalists also perform at the Taste of Arlington Heights on Saturday, Aug. 10, when the contest winner and the "Fan Favorite" will be announced). (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com. 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4
Tween heartthrobs
The tweens will be screaming when Big Time Rush and Victoria Justice take the stage at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, 19100 S. Ridgeland, Tinley Park. Tickets run $20-$105. (800) 653-8000 or livenation.com. 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4


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Wednesday, March 07, 2012
"Venom" To Rise Again At Sony
Wait, what?
Okay, so the reason this is happening is because - despite not having been interesting once since the end of his main origin story - Venom is one of Marvel's cash-cows in terms of marketing (unless what you're trying to market are comic books, in which case everyone stopped giving a shit after Maximum Carnage.) Sony has been planning to give Venom his own movie franchise since before "Spider-Man 3," which is one of the reasons the character was forced into the movie (against director Sam Raimi's wishes) in the first place.
But... that's what makes this a head-scratcher: Sony has now re-booted Spider-Man, meaning that the Venom this new franchise was initially supposed to "start" from is kaput, right? I mean, they can't very well call "Venom" a continuation of "Spider-Man 3" at the same time that the new "Amazing Spider-Man" franchise is just getting off the ground, can they? Wouldn't that confuse the crap out of everybody? Or is this inadvertently spoiling that the "seeds" of the Venom story will be making some kind of appearance in "Amazing?" (Which, given the raging hard-on the producers have for this character, would be the least surprising thing that could happen in that movie.)
The answer, of course, is likely that the film will be "it's own thing" with no connection to the Spider-Man series and some totally new character getting infected by The Symbiote... except here's the problem with that: Spider-Man is the ONLY reason anyone cares about Venom.
The reason Venom is a great seller of t-shirts, toys and other sundry merchandising is that he looks cool; and what looks cool about him is that he's a "monster-version" of Spider-Man - right down to all of his powers being Spider-Man's powers. If this movie doesn't have any connection to Spider-Man, how do you explain the living-costume putting Spider-Man's logo on it's chest and using his web powers? I mean, you can't just leave that stuff out - take away the spider-powers and the "evil Spidey" look and this ceases to be the uber-marketable Venom that justified making the movie in the first place.
19 comments:
- Daniel R said...
My guess;
One of two things is happening or possibly both.
Sony is panicking and simply dropping all pretense thinking its just a matter of time until they lose the rights to Spidey and with him Venom. Thus, they plan on cashing in on Venom while they still can.
I'm positive this would work, Venom really is that easy of a sell. Not a good character granted but amazingly easy to get excited about. I remember when I was in grade school, just seeing the first poster for Spider-Man 3 with Spidey perched wearing the black costume made me lose my marbles with excitement.
Seriously, I was in one of my school's library computers. The moment I saw that suit I yelled so loudly I was promptly escorted out by my English teacher.
Sony is panicking at the idea that Disney/Paramount/Marvel's inter-continuity antics are finally paying dividends and want to clumsily set up a connected multi-franchise uberseries based solely on Spider-Man who is seemingly the only popular superhero they currently hold the rights to.
I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to release a Carnage film as well.
In fact, does Sony have the rights to Daredevil?
Cause if they do, that could fit easily with Spider-Man. Don't those two usually hang out in the comics?
Throw in Moon-Knight and maybe Luke Cage and you might have something worth watching.
Assuming they don't screw those characters up like they seem to have done with Spidey that is.
- Joshua the Anarchist said...
How come they never tried the solo antihero thing with the original monster-version-of-the-hero, Bizarro? Classic character, cooler name, and he already thinks he's the good guy, so turning him into a crazed vigilante wouldn't be as much of a stretch as it was for venom. Plus, who doesn't want to see a movie about a super-powered albino zombie flying around going "Me am Bizarro!!"
Then again they should probably actually put him in a Superman movie first. Whenever, if ever DC gets around to it.
- Aiddon said...
just make it stop already.
- Gabbo said...
They won't sever all connections to SpiderMan. Hell, that'd be like making a Catwoman movie where she has no connection whatsoever to Batman, has magic powers and absolutely no similarities to the 2 previous iterations of the character which the mainstream public could remember, i.e. Michelle Pfeiffer and Julie Newmar. And nobody in their right minds would do THAT, right?
- mstieler said...
I'm going to guess that yes, it will tie in to the reboot, but not as it was in the comics. I figure either part of Spidey's parents' supersekrit backstory (government black ops project or similar) or as another experiment in whatever place Spidey gets his powers in the reboot (say, a squirming black mass in the background of a laboratory).
So long as they are still keeping it connected, you can even have a billed role for whomever the current Spiderman is in the Venom movie, though the movie will hopefully revolve more around Venom (I hate to say, but like not-yet-Deadpool in the Wolverine movie).
- Chris Cesarano said...
I actually think the bigger problem is, in order to build a film around Venom and only Venom, you'd need to make him the protagonist. He has to be a character liked by the viewers, and while everyone loves an anti-hero (Wolverine), he needs the presence of clearly good people around him to make him do what is right.
The one thing I'll give the first X-Men movie is they knew how to make Wolverine a character people would like. He "plays by his own rules", but he is still good. Chaotic Good, if you will. This is basically the sort of character people can get behind, but the problem is, without the other good people giving him a cause to fight for, he'd just be doing those cage fights and living for nothing but himself because his whole view of the world would be jaded.
How can you introduce Venom faithfully while also making him an anti-hero in his own film that audiences can get behind?
That's an easier thing to screw up than a reboot.
- Blue Highwind said...
Eh, I think it sounds interesting. If this turns into some kind of dark R-rated antihero action movie, I'll be behind it. So far the only movie I know of based upon a Supervillain is "Catwoman", and... well, yeah. Unlike Catwoman whom you can just make into a hero by fiddling with the backstory, Venom is a slimey monster from space. The darkest Catwoman I know of is the Tim Burton version, she's not clearly evil, space monsters pretty much always are. I don't read the comics, but doesn't Venom eat people?
Also, if they're going to the Chronicle guys, that might mean that this is going to be a story about a person finding the Venom alien, then gaining powers, then going totally freakin' crazy. That was a cool movie before, it can be a cool movie again. Probably made cooler when you add some gruesome body horror elements. (Am I allowed to dream of Crononberg directing this?)
Also, unlike everybody else here, I think the new Spiderman doesn't look that bad. And I didn't like any of the original three. If the next movie after this is Venom vs. Spiderman, I'd be down for all three.
- BRENDAN FALCONER said...
If I had more faith in Sony to be clever when handling Venom this wouldn't be so bad.
Venom (along with The Punisher) is one of my guilty pleasures from the '90's. Anti-hero, alien, monster and man, it is an appealing combination for a movie. But a very tricky one without Spider-Man involved in the origin.
Venom can exist on his own. There are plenty of villains worse than him, so he can be the lesser of two evils, even in a fairly straight-up hero flick. Or there are other ways to take him that aren't impossible (tortured hero, unwilling killer, etc.).
But the Spider-Man connection isn't something Sony can shake off. Catwoman ought to serve as a warning.
I'm sure Sony WANTS Venom as a solo character for all the reasons discussed above, but I'm admittedly stumped as to how to do this well without Spider-Man deeply involved somehow.
- Chris Cesarano said...
They probably won't go with the space monster angle. They'll probably go with the Ultimate universe route where it is grown in a lab.
- InnerPartisan said...
As I said before: Is it so inconcievable that they want to pull an Avengers?
My theory is that Sony noticed how the other franchise holder (i.e., Marvel themselves) were pretty succesfull with establishing the classic comic continuity on the screen, so now they want their own.
I'm pretty sure it'll tie in to the reboot. Mark my words! :D
Also... I know you hate the reboot with a passion, Bob. But could you at least give them the benefit of the doubt? Sure, Venom is one of the prime examples of boringly kewl/grimdark 90's characters. But seeing as the the reboot has at least some real talent attached to it, I'll reserve my judgement till I've seen it, and the same goes for the (still hypothetical, mind you) Venom movie.
i think the venom seen in this movie adaptation would probably be the based upon the current version in the comics (not anti venom), flash thompson, because his "cool" gun wielding and stuff will probably come out being marketable to the general audience
What I wonder is how close the movie would be to Spawn, for it seems it would be fairly close with plotlines.
- kevmon1116 said...
I had that thought too. The only thing is... it'd be kinda wierd. It still has the problem of being tied into Spidey's life. Even if Flash wasn't Venom here, the character is innatley dependant on Spiderman for his aesthetic origins. Without Spidey, you loose the white Spider that made Venom more than a hulking, black monstrosity. It added style to savagry. Without it, the character would be too plain looking.
If it doesn't have a link to spiderman I hope they go with the Flash version of Venom or make a new character altogether that has to deal with the symbiote.
- jmiddle3 said...
To be honest, I think the current series of Venom, which doesn't have a lot to do with Spider-Man, is brilliant. Rather than being a mindless overly-violent death machine, Flash Thompson makes for a very tragic and relatable anti-hero, and the way the book navigates his issue with alcohol, his father, and his disability is really impressive. Not saying that a movie based on that is bound to turn out good, but there's nothing inherently wrong with the idea.
- Fishgoat said...
Its a mistake to think that this franchise needs any connection at all to any existing Spider Man Franchise. The beautiful thing about comic books is that they provide a frame but every author/artist uses that frame their own way.
You could write a brilliant Venom movie by having Spider Man always be a suggested character but never present. The shadow at the back of Venom's mind that pushes him could be the shadow at the back of the film that pushes it but is never presented. It would be incredibly appropriate for Venom because his huge involement with Spider Man wasn't the core of his life, just how he was introduced.
If you want to tell a really good Venom story tell it from his perspective and put Spider Man as just a side character at best.
Personally I look forward to this if it happens, I enjoyed Chronicle and I can see where the direction of that film would lend well to using Venom in a proper way as opposed to the clumsy way he is usually used. Venom is a tragic character whose life was incidentally ruined by someone who had no intentions towards him at all.
- Dev's Media Reviews said...
If the film's going to be separated from any of the 'Spider-Man films, it'll probably end up as being 'Catwoman' that could mark the end of the career of whoever becomes the titular character.
- Smashmatt202 said...
Everyone loves Venom... Why? Well, because he's an evil version of the main hero, that's why...
Yawn. :/
You can't judge a movie before it's even created.
Venom has already been established as an anti hero in 'Venom: Letahl Protector'.
Both Eddy and the symbiote believe they have been wronged and operate with a warped sense if justice, harming only criminals.
It should tie into spider-Man otherwise abilities that he possess don't make sense, but as maybe a living symbiote that is then introduced to spider-mans DNA (much like 'ultimate carnage') would work!
Don't jump the gun and say it will be rubbish before anything has even been confirmed, you may never bother to watch another movie ever again!


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EDITOR'S NOTE: Boris Epshteyn formerly served as a Senior Advisor to the Trump Campaign and served in the White House as Special Assistant to The President and Assistant Communications Director for Surrogate Operations.
WASHINGTON (Sinclair Broadcast Group) - Fair and free elections are absolutely key to our democracy.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in May forming a Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity.
Some consider this an effort by the administration to back up the president's claim that he would have won the popular vote in the 2016 presidential election if not for millions voting illegally.
The administration's stated goal is to fully understand the true amount of voter fraud that occurs in this country.
"The commission is looking at more than just the 2016 election, it's looking at the entire issue of voting irregularities and fraud and registration problems," Kris Kobach, Kansas secretary of state and the commission's vice chairman, said in a recent interview on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures."
It is important to note that voter fraud goes beyond stealing or miscounting ballots. Intentional improper voter registration is absolutely a type of voter fraud.
The Commission on Election Integrity has gotten to work and one of its first public actions is drawing scrutiny.
The commission sent a letter to all 50 states requesting publicly available voter roll data to verify any voter fraud that may have occurred.
The requested voter information includes:
Dozens of states, both red and blue, have pushed back.
These states say that they either cannot or will not provide all of the information requested. For many states opposing the request, they indicate it would be against their own laws to comply.
The president responded to these concerns over the weekend by simply asking: "What are they trying to hide?"
The commission has made it clear that the requested information should be provided only if it is publicly available under that state's laws.
The extent of voter fraud in our elections has been hotly debated between the left and the right.
The president's commission has been established to come up with a factual, impartial answer to that question. The states should do everything within their power to cooperate with the commission and that's the bottom line.


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IN HIS EULOGY at Baptist pastor, civil rights activist, and author Will D. Campbell's memorial service in late June, Campbell's close friend, journalist John Egerton, recalled their first meeting. Campbell was wearing the broad-brimmed black hat that became his signature, with jeans and cowboy boots. At the time, Egerton noted, Campbell was in the middle of "a costume change" from the tweed jacket, clerical collar, and calabash pipe he had affected as a young, Yale-educated liberal minister.
Campbell was a notoriously theatrical figure, as famous for his hats and walking sticks as for his theological pronouncements. In fact, in the 1980s Campbell became a cartoon character in the guise of Rev. Will B. Dunn in the late Doug Marlette's "Kudzu." Campbell also dramatized his own life in Brother to a Dragonfly, his National Book Award-nominated 1977 memoir, and in a 1986 sequel, Forty Acres and a Goat.
Another favorite prop in the Will Campbell show was the acoustic guitar he would strum while singing his own country compositions and old favorites like "Rednecks, White Socks, and Blue Ribbon Beer." Campbell, who was based in Nashville from 1957 on, also became a sort of chaplain to the "outlaw" element in that city's country music industry. He traveled on Waylon Jennings' tour bus, and Jennings' widow, country star Jessi Colter, sang at Campbell's memorial.
But to call Campbell "theatrical" is not to call him frivolous or trivial. Instead, he was following in the tradition of the Hebrew prophets who walked around naked or wearing a yoke, and of his beloved "Mr. Jesus," who famously entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey.
Campbell seemed to be having fun playing the role of a Mississippi Piney Woods prophet, but his eccentricities and affectations—most of them anyhow—had a profoundly serious purpose. He was trying to act out a way to be both a white Southerner of the yeoman class and a true Christian.


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ProfessorDirector of Hyperbaric Medicine
"Harry T. Whelan, MD, believes in a translational patient care philosophy of bringing the latest research discoveries from his laboratory bench to the patient's bedside."
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Harry T. Whelan, MD, believes in a translational patient care philosophy of bringing the latest research discoveries from his laboratory bench to the patient's bedside. Dr. Whelan is the Bleser Family Endowed Chair in Neurology, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Professor of Neurology (Pediatrics), director of the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit, and recipient of the Neuro-Oncology American Cancer Society Clinical Oncology Career Development Award from Vanderbilt University. He has been inducted into the NASA Space Technology Hall of Fame for his research into the use of near-infrared light for wound healing and the treatment of brain tumors and neurofibromatosis using photodynamic therapy. In a multiyear investigation approved by the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Whelan studied the use of Near-infrared Light to promote healing of mucositis from chemotherapy and radiation used to treat cancer in children. Dr. Whelan found that diabetic skin ulcers and other wounds in mice healed much faster when exposed to the special LEDs in the lab. Near-infrared light stimulates improved energy metabolism in the mitochondria, leading to treatment for mitochondrial diseases which affect the brain, eye, heart and muscle. Dr. Whelan also is funded by the National Institutes of Health in a study of neurodegenerative disease, traumatic brain injury and other childhood traumas. He also conducted a pilot study supported in part by the Clinical Translational Science Institute of near-infrared light therapy for diabetic macular edema, a form of diabetic eye disease. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is funding his research in neurological ischemia, traumatic brain injury (TBI), reperfusion and stroke, which affects many children with congenital heart disease. Dr. Whelan presented this translational bench-to-bedside research to the United States Congress at the NASA Spin-off Day on Capitol Hill as an example of how space research is helping patients.
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340 grams of butter
2/3 cup honey
1 1/2 cups malted milk powder
4 cups corn flakes
4 cups rice bubbles
1 cup ground almonds
1 cup desiccated coconut
1. Lightly grease and line 2 20x30cm baking trays. Take a sheet of baking paper and lay it along the pans, allowing the paper to extend beyond the edge of the pan.
2. Combine the malted milk powder, butter and honey in a saucepan. Stir on a low heat until the butter is melted. Pour over the dry ingredients, stir, then pour the mixture into the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate till set.


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Press Releases & Statements
6/13/17: USCIRF Elects Daniel Mark as Commission Chairman; Sandra Jolley and Kristina Arriaga as Vice Chairs
At its June 13 meeting, USCIRF commissioners elected Daniel Mark as the Commission's new chairman. Dr. Mark is an assistant professor of political science at Villanova University and battalion professor for Villanova's Navy ROTC unit. In response to his election, Chairman Mark said, "I am greatly honored by the confidence shown in me by my fellow commissioners. I look forward to enhancing USCIRF's role and voice in monitoring violations and recommending ways U.S. policy can play an even stronger role."
H.R. 390 would promote accountability for atrocities committed by ISIS and address the urgent humanitarian needs of persecuted religious and/or ethnic minorities targeted for genocide.
USCIRF was saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, one of the first Commissioners appointed to USCIRF Dr. Kazemzadeh was also a professor emeritus of history at Yale, a distinguished member of the American Baha'i community, and a tireless champion of international religious freedom.
USCIRF's new groundbreaking report, the first of its kind to involve in-person interviews with representatives of almost all religious minority groups in the KRI, notes that "the KRI remains far more welcoming and tolerant to minorities than its regional neighbors" and expresses hope that special effort will be taken to "preserve [the] freedoms and rights" of minorities.
"For more than four years, Maryam Naghash Zargaran has suffered in an Iranian prison, falsely charged with 'propagating against the Islamic regime and collusion intended to harm national security'," - Commissioner Clifford D. May.
USCIRF Vice Chairman Daniel Mark stated that he "welcomed this long-overdue step by Burma's government. Pwint Phyu Latt and Zaw Zaw Latt, both Muslim, were wrongfully imprisoned for their interfaith activities."
5/19/17: RUSSIA: Release Bagir Kazikhanov
USCIRF Commissioner John Ruskay tells the Russian Government to "stop equating peaceful religious behavior with terrorism or extremism and immediately release Bagir Kazikhanov."
5/15/17: Open Letter from USCIRF Commissioner Jackie Wolcott to Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh and Mrs. Tran Thi Hong
"Dear Pastor Chinh and Mrs. Hong: I write to you as a Commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and a person of faith who is deeply concerned about your well-being."
5/12/17: INDONESIA: USCIRF Denounces the Recent Conviction and Sentencing of Jakarta's Governor for Blasphemy
USCIRF calls for the release of those accused of or convicted of blasphemy stating that blasphemy "laws are used to intimidate and harass individuals, including religious dissenters and minorities and violate their freedom of religion and belief."
5/9/17: CUBA: USCIRF Condemns the Expulsion of Félix Yuniel Llerena López from the University of Cuba
CUBA: USCIRF Condemns the Expulsion of Félix Yuniel Llerena López from the University of Cuba. "I call on the Cuban government to immediately cease its harassment of Félix Llerena and his fellow religious freedom advocates," stated USCIRF Chair Thomas J. Reese, S.J.


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Jessie J + Rihanna Send Adele Baby Gifts
Turns out we weren't the only ones super happy about Adele having a baby boy! Her pop star peers are just as thrilled for the '21' singer, and they sent her some amazing swag to welcome her little man into the world.
The Sun reports that Jessie J and Rihanna are just two of the stellar slew of pals who gifted the newborn with goodies. Rihanna's outfits for the little guy are pretty cheeky and adorable. One says "My mum is a rockstar" while another reads, "Just done nine months inside." Leave it to RiRi!
That's not all she gave her, though. She also tossed in a box of lingerie for Adele with a note that said, "You gotta stay sexy, yummy mummy. Enjoy yourself. Congrats!!!" A source told The Sun, "Rihanna loves Adele and she was one of the first people to congratulate her when she found out that she was pregnant. She thought seriously hard about what to get her as she wanted to make sure no one else would get the same thing. Adele laughed out loud when she saw the words on the babygros — she loves that sort of thing. She can't wait to show all of her friends." Cute!
Adele reportedly gave birth to a healthy baby boy with boyfriend Simon Konecki three weeks ago, though it took a week for news of the famously private starlet's to hit the press. A source said, "Adele and Simon are ecstatic at their new arrival. She was over the moon that they were expecting their first child together."
Those gifts are nice, but it's probably nothing compared to what Adele already purchased herself -- she reportedly spent a whopping $50,000 on a nursery!
Watch the Adele 'Skyfall' Lyric Video


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I am going to give the option of doing an alternate recipe in lieu of the Creme Brulee. I personally do not own a butane torch, and I think its iffy putting it under the broiler. So, if you do not own a torch and would rather do a "rewind", feel free. Check out the completed TWD recipes and pick one that you have not completed. If you are brave and want to try the broiler instructions, may the force be with you.
Bake on!


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David Grossman, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, helps leaders drive productivity and get the results they want through authentic and courageous leadership and communication.
David is both a teacher and student of effective leadership and communication. He is one of America's foremost authorities on communication and leadership inside organizations, and a sought-after advisor to Fortune 500 leaders.
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He has also authored numerous e-books, such as "What the Most Successful CEOs Know: How Internal CEO Communications Shape Financial Performance," and "The Definitive Guide to Taming the Email Monster," and has been featured in numerous industry and trade publications.
Twice named PR Week's "Boutique Agency of the Year" and The Holmes Report's "Employee Communication Agency of the Year," The Grossman Group uses its unique Grossman Methodology – encompassing its award-winning proprietary tools, training and thoughtpartner approach – to deliver proven, breakthrough strategies that solve their clients' business challenges. Its work has won all the "Oscars" of communication. The Grossman Group is a certified diversity supplier.
Prior to founding The Grossman Group in 2000, David was director of communications for McDonald's. David graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an honors degree in Journalism and holds a master's in Corporate Public Relations from Northwestern University.


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Most regular readers know that the Northern Alliance, a loose affiliation of bloggers located in Minnesota, has its own radio show on AM 1280 the Patriot. Until now, our show has been available only in the Twin Cities, every Saturday from 12 to 3 (CST). We are happy to announce that the station's long-awaited internet stream is now operational, so that future Northern Alliance broadcasts will be available world-wide on the internet.
To listen to our show, go here: http://www.mainstreamnetwork.com/listen?station=taxpayersleague
If it helps, here is a link: Northern Alliance Radio Network
Clicking on the link takes you directly to the media player, but I think it might only work in Internet Explorer.
More good news: The Patriot will re-stream each Saturday's show on the following weekdays beginning at 3 p.m., central time. The show will re-play every six hours, so you can hear it at 9 p.m., etc. for a total of 20-plus broadcasts a week. We'd like to hear from readers who tune in to the show; let us know how the stream works. If there are technical problems, we can pass them on to the station.
Also, now that we are available everywhere, we will be promoting our shows and guests more heavily. On Saturday, second hour, we'll interview Professor Jeremy Rabkin of Cornell about his book, The Case for Sovereignty. A week from Saturday we'll have Peter Collier, talking about his new book on the reprehensible Noam Chomsky.
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"Arise and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time." Winston Churchill
"Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof." Inscription on the Liberty Bell


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Nearly 100 people gathered at the north side of the Huntington Beach Pier on Saturday morning for one purpose — to fly kites.
Some traveled as far as San Diego, Washington, Pennsylvania and Canada. A few even flew out from Germany and Tasmania.
These kite fliers congregate to Huntington Beach for their yearly Kite Party, now in its 11th year.
There's no flying competition or any judging of kites. These participants had only one thing in mind: a weekend of flying their kites in the beach air and having fun.
"It's kind of addictive," said John Mason, 65, of San Diego. "Once you fly with somebody else, it's even more addictive because it becomes a lot more interesting and you get to do creative maneuvers. It makes you feel like a kid again."
During the event, sponsored by Kite Connection, beachgoers stopped in their tracks as a dozen or so kites soared in the air while a group of fliers performed a choreographed routine to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody."
The days leading up to the weekend almost spelled doom for the event, with rainclouds hovering over Huntington Beach, but for the past 11 years, Kite Connection owner Dave Shenkman has never been concerned about the weather.
"You ask anybody here. We're never worried about the weather because Huntington Beach has its own weather system and it's void of Kite Party karma," he said. "The weather is never a concern."
The rain falling Thursday and Friday had Benn Huggett, 43, of Philadelphia, concerned. .
"I was looking at the weather [report for Huntington Beach] last week and it was in the 70s, and I was thinking it was going to be fantastic," he said. "Then I got up on Monday to pack and I looked at the weather again and it was in the 60s. But it's snowing in Philadelphia, so it's better here."
It took Robert Brasington 24 hours to travel from Tasmania, Australia, to Surf City for his first kite party.
"I'm used to that," he said. "To get to Europe takes me 36 hours for me and to get to New York is another 10 hours to that. So coming to L.A., to me, is relatively a quick trip."
Brasington has been flying and designing kites for the past 20 years and hasn't lost interest in the whimsical item.
"For me, it's the passion of design, but if you ask a cross-section of kiters, they would say it's incredibly relaxing and very social," he said. "Particularly on a good beach where everyone parks their stuff upstairs and everyone just sits down and talks."
Traveling almost as far as Brasington was Christoph Fokken, from Cologne, Germany.
Participating in his fifth kite party, Fokken, who runs a kite business in Germany, said he escaped the winter storms in his country for the sand and sun in Huntington Beach.
"I still like blue skies and the summer breeze," Fokken said.
Most the kiters that day were into their 40s, but Dylan Turelli, 22, of Buena Park and Sean Gurganian, 22, of Long Beach have become more involved with the hobby as the years passed.
"I used to work for Dave Shenkman and he got me into kites," said Turelli, who has about two years of flying experience. "Ever since then, he told me about the kite party and I decided to come down and help out."
Gurganian also worked for Shenkman and met Turelli at the kite store, and has been flying for almost eight years. Starting with a simple one-line kite when he was 13, Gurganian now has a collection of kites and still looks forward to seeing the latest kite designs and technology.
"There's just a lot of possibilities in the kite-flying world for all types of flying that you want to do," he said. "If you just like to fly something pretty around or something that moves really fast, there's something for everybody."
Turelli has had other outdoor hobbies, like BMX or dirt biking, but he believes that kites will be the next big thing.
"It's going little by little, but it needs to be introduced to a better and younger crowd," he said. "It could be the next new yo-yo phase."
Twitter: @acocarpio


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Continued from 7 Tips for Everyday Outdoor Gardening, Part 1.
Also read 7 Tips for Everyday Outdoor Gardening, Part 3.
8. Use Newspaper to Line Garden Beds – Unlike plastic tarps or cloth weed killers, newspaper is a great solution for lining garden beds.
Resolution: When the paper is wet, it mats down grass and weeds, killing them in a few short days. This gives you a fresh canvas in which to plant, and it breaks down quickly, to assure you aren't harming nature in the process. Lay down newspaper and attach to the ground using garden staples (or dry-wall nails - see the next tip!), wet with your hose, wait a week, cover with top soil and begin planting your new, weed-free garden.
9. Think Outside the Garden Box – However, funnily enough, if you ever HAVE used garden staples, you know what a pain they can be: one side goes in, the other bends out of shape and you push and push with all your might, but your efforts fail.
Resolution: I've discovered that, where possible, using dry-wall nails is an excellent substitute. The nails come in boxes of hundreds (compared with the 30 or so that come in a box of garden staples), puncture the soil more easily than garden staples and keep your weed-cover down more securely because you can use more of them per square foot than with a garden staple. Tada!
10. Bring Back Healthy Tulips, Lilies and Daffodils – When spring flowers fade and fall, it can be tempting to cut back the green foliage nature left behind, but don't. A plant invests a lot of energy building greenery before it blooms, and it needs that energy restored in its roots to come back at full strength next year.
Resolution: Wait until the leaves of the plant begin to yellow, and then snip away.
11. Water in the Morning or the Evening – During warm summer months, you may have to obey certain city water ordinances, especially daytime "curfews" allowing you to water only during designated time slots.
Resolution: Watering early in the morning and early in the evening assures your plant absorbs the maximum amount of water before it evaporates off, meaning you'll use less water for the same plants than watering in the heat of the day.
12. Know Your Mulches – Mulching is an essential part of any garden. It prevents weeds, retains moisture, deters some pests and can add a finishing touch to any pleasant garden.
Resolution: Say you have a flower garden you want to garnish with a beautiful mulch: Choose un-dyed cedar. The warm brown hue creates a palette from which your flowers will pop – plus, insects hate it. Cedar mulch also lasts longer than other mulches, and smells amazing, making it an investment for any long-time flower garden.
Now let's say you have a vegetable garden, and you want to add as much organic matter to the soil as possible. Here, you should choose pine mulch, which breaks down much quicker than cedar, inhibits weeds and also helps to insulate the soil from extreme heat or cold, protecting your plants.
13. Easy Pesticides – You have animals you'd like to keep, and bugs you'd like to … sleep. (Sorry, best I could do.)
Resolution: Ants hate cinnamon. Sprinkle it around infected plants, under potters, along the side of your house. It is easy, safe and healthy to use around family members of all ages and breaks down easily in rain without infecting our water sources – reapply as needed.
Spiders hate cinnamon oil. Mix a little cinnamon oil with water and spray on annoyingly placed webs. While some spiders are dangerous and others just scary-looking, killing them off could make other, more annoying, pests worse. Just divert them where possible.
Aphids on the other hand, should die, and at the hands of rubbing alcohol. Mix 1 part rubbing alcohol with 2 parts water, spray directly on the plant, around the plant and make sure to spray the undersides of leaves. Reapply twice a day for two weeks, then taper off over the next three. (read more about killing aphids, in my blog post: When Aphid's Attack)
14. Mulch your Grass Clippings as Often as Possible – It is very tempting to want a "Brady Bunch lawn," but there is a smarter solution.
Resolutin: Your grass and your back will be happier if you use a mower-plug to shoot clippings out the side of the mower instead of collecting them. The residual grass clippings are rich in nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, breaking down to add a quarter of your lawn's fertilizer needs and a wealth of moisture back into your soil.
Stay tuned for part 3! UPDATE: Also read 7 Tips for Everyday Outdoor Gardening, Part 1 and 7 Tips for Everyday Outdoor Gardening, Part 3.
If you've got a question, I've got your answer! Shoot an email over to firstname.lastname@example.com


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Security Screens & Security Doors in Edmond, OK
Security screens are specialized screens for windows and doors that provide superior protection against intruders, outside heat UV rays, flies, mosquitos and other unwanted pests without compromising on appearance. Security screens are not security bars, although they perform the same duty, without diminishing the curb appeal of your home or business.
Security screens are non-moving steel mesh screen panels that can be face-fitted or inside fitted using a mounting frame. The screens are custom made to match your existing window style, color, and type. In case of emergency, they are made to give the homeowner easy access through the window to the outside.
- Visibility
- No Bars
- Protection and Peace of Mind
- Better Air-Flow Circulation
- Architectural Design and Appeal
- Energy Saving
Keep bugs and burglars out with security screens for windows and doors. Our estimators and installers are security screen experts and are familiar with all types and options. Whether you need security screens at your home or business, no one knows security screens in Edmond, OK like The Glass Guru.
Contact The Glass Guru today to schedule your Security Screen estimate!
Services vary by market, Call Us for availability.
Contact Us
1321 Fretz Drive Ste 140
Edmond, OK. 73003
Edmond, OK. 73003
Quick Contact Form


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Holographic Skirted Dance Leotard
This dress is made of stretchy Deep Lilac Nylon Lycra with the skirt decorated in silver holographic splash foil. Fully Lined front with finger loops. By Tappers and Pointers in the UK
Choose Size:
Child 3-5yrs
Child 6-8yrs
Child 9-10yrs
Child 11-12yrs
Adult Small (+5.00)
There are currently no reviews for this product. Be the first to review by clicking below!


text:
moboho needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 147 designs submitted by 32 freelance designers.
My Home My Terms
This is a new web site project for real estate buyers where the buyer is encouraged to post their purchasing requirements for a house, condo, apartment after which their "terms" are sent to vendors who have the option to submit proposals to users.
Real estate buyers.
Need a professional looking logo that will work on both the web and in print.
Please refrain from using script fonts - need something clean and clear.
No special effects (via Photoshop or anything), please on any elements in the logo. Just for prudence (don't mean to insult the community), but no photo (real) images please in any elements.
Should be vector-based. Will need to work effectively in a reverse format - i.e. text reversed to white.
Many thanks.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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100 Studies of the Figure
Rawlings, John
AbeBooks Seller Since August 3, 1997Quantity Available: 1
AbeBooks Seller Since August 3, 1997Quantity Available: 1
About this Item
Bibliographic Details
Title: 100 Studies of the Figure
Publisher: The Studio Publications, Inc., New York
Publication Date: 1951
Binding: Hard Cover
Book Condition: Very Good
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
Edition: First Edition/First Printing.
Store Description
Feel free to call 972-271-6329 or email email@example.com. PayPal,cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, American Express,or money order. Returnable within 14 days. Texas residents add 8.25% sales tax.
Fine is my highest grade. Over fifteen years experience buying and selling Modern Firsts, including participation in 60 or so Book Shows.
Media Rate shipping is $2.50. Priority is $7.50 AND UP depending on weight (currently offering free media rate shipping.) Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.
Payment Methods
accepted by seller
Check Money Order Cash PayPal


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Available Options:
This exclusive piece of stoneware has been designed and handmade by Rosa Luis Elordui. It has been fired at high temperatures in a gas kiln.
Size; 12,5 x 3 x 15 cm
Any variation in color, size or shapes is a result of the handcrafted nature of this item and are not to be considered defects but proof of the uniqueness of each one.
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