text:
Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1, Page 339…
"In the matter of slavish imitation, man is the monkey's superior all the time. The average man is destitute of independence of opinion. He is not interested in contriving an opinion of his own, by study and reflection, but is only anxious to find out what his neighbor's opinion is and slavishly adopt it.
"A generation ago, I found out that the latest review of a book was pretty sure to be just a reflection of the earliest review of it; that whatever the first reviewer found to praise or censure in the book would be repeated in the latest reviewer's report, with nothing fresh added. "
Filed under: Overheard
2 Comments »
Things have changed since Twain's time. Nowadays most books worth reading, and many not, are subjected to various and sundried reviews in a variety of publications that span the gauntlet of sentiment from highly praised to undeserving of a glance.
Comment by CuriousFred — 3.03.2011 @ 11:22 am
Could also reflect on the practice of checking with others before taking a legislative position.
Comment by Managementslug — 3.03.2011 @ 6:02 pm
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text:
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has been a favorite among children and adults for generations. C.S. Lewis' fantasy tells the story of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—four children who live with a professor in the country during World War II. Through a wardrobe in his house, they discover the magical world of Narnia. They soon find that the White Witch has trapped the land in eternal winter and enslaved the Narnians. Edmund goes to her side, and his siblings must try to rescue him. But Mr. Beaver makes it clear that only Aslan can save him.
Not being Narnians, the children don't know of Aslan, so the Beavers attempt to describe him. Mr. Beaver says, "I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the Sea…. Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion."
Naturally, the children feel skittish about encountering a real lion.
Susan asks, "Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," says Mrs. Beaver, "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
Lucy asks, "Then he isn't safe?"
"Safe?" says Mr. Beaver. "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
When they meet Aslan, the children do approach with fear and trembling because he's not at all safe. But, as Mr. Beaver says, he's good—so good that he dies in Edmund's place, taking the penalty due a traitor to Narnia. But then Aslan rises from the dead and conquers the White Witch, freeing Narnia from bondage.
This story mirrors King Jesus' interaction with us. We're enslaved to sin, unable to do anything to save ourselves, but Jesus took the punishment we deserve by dying on a cross in our place. Then He rose again, breaking the power of death over us, so that we can live.
Jesus is the Son of God, the Lion of Judah. We must approach Him with reverence and awe because He's not to be trifled with. Like Aslan, He's not safe. But He's good. He's the King.
Will we dare approach Him today?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Two Peach Belt Conference teams have reached the Elite Eight, Division II's big dance.
The Lander University men, who made the 48-team Division II field much to Augusta State's displeasure, won the South Atlantic Regional last Saturday. The Senators beat Peach Belt regular-season champion Georgia College & State in the regional semifinals and Winston-Salem State, 47-46, in the final. Augusta State beat Lander twice during the regular season.
Lander (25-6) plays No. 1 seed Kentucky Wesleyan (32-2) tonight at 8:30 in the finale of the quarterfinals at Commonwealth Convention Center in Louisville, Ky.
The championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 12:45 p.m., to be televised by CBS (Channel 12 in the Augusta area).
Julius Williams, a 6-foot-4 junior, is a reserve guard from Harlem High.
The Kennesaw State women (28-3) also won the South Atlantic Regional and face North Dakota (28-1) in today's 2 p.m., quarterfinals at Pine Bluff, Ark.
Metropolitan State-Salem-Teikyo winner vs. St. Rose-Truman St. winner, 6 p.m.
Florida Southern-CS San Bernardino winner vs. Lander-Kentucky Wesleyan winner, 8:30 p.m.
Semifinal winners, 12:45 p.m. (Ch. 12)
At Pine Bluff, Ark.
North Dakota (28-1) vs. Kennesaw St. (28-3), 2 p.m.
Emporia State (29-2) vs. Bentley, Mass. (32-2), 4 p.m.
Montana State-Billings (25-5) vs. Arkansas Tech (29-6), 7:30 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. (26-5) vs. Northern Kentucky (29-2), 9:30 p.m.
North Dakota-Kennesaw St. vs. Emporia St.-Bentley, Mass., 7 p.m.
Montana State-Billings-Arkansas Tech vs. Indiana, Pa.-Northern Kentucky, 9 p.m.
Semifinal winners
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text:
Skip to comments.Detroiters Elect Ex-Con Brian Banks As State Rep
Posted on 11/07/2012 12:05:46 PM PST by Beave Meister
DETROIT (WWJ) Among the new group of state lawmakers to emerge from Election Day on Tuesday is Brian Banks, who has been convicted eight times for felonies involving bad checks and credit card fraud.
Banks, a Democrat and lifelong Detroiter, won a seat in Lansing as a state representative for the 1st District, representing the east side of Detroit, Harper Woods, and the tony Grosse Pointes. He won 68 percent of the vote to Republican Dan Schultes 32 percent.
Banks, 35, was convicted eight times between 1998 and 2004 of writing bad checks and credit card fraud.
(Excerpt) Read more at detroit.cbslocal.com ...
You know the old saying that goes "trust the voters to do the right thing"? Well, its BS. Detroit, Chicago, California, etc, etc, etc, are examples of what happens when an area is overwhelmed with ignorant voters who increasingly don't even share our culture.
This country is in deep trouble.
He's a piker and is going to have to get up to speed fast. His new colleagues steal trillions from Americans every year. Good luck, buddy. You're now running with the big boys.
It is Detroit, the model city for the Socialist movement.
HA HA HA, this is incredibly funny!!! Eight times. Unbelieveable.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
February 24, 2011
BBQ judges
The annual Kaufman County Junior Livestock Show Barbecue Cook
Off Scholarship fund-raiser needs judges at 11 a.m. Saturday,
March 12, to help judge beans, chicken, ribs and brisket. Call
Bill Thornton at (972) 452-3290 or (214) 729-4522.
Kemp PS fund-raiser
Kemp Primary School is hosting a silent auction during school
hours. Place bids in person from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday, or by calling the school between 3:30 and 4 p.m.
Bidding will extend from 5:30 to 7 p.m. during Open House
Thursday, March 10. Proceeds will be used to purchase "SMART
Boards," a computer-based learning tool.
Westside Senior Center
The Westside Senior Citizens Center meets from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Thursday (today and every Thursday), at the Cedar Creek Bible
Church activities building, 700 North Seven Points Boulevard (SH
274). Seniors 55 and older in the area are invited for
fellowship, domino and card games, other games, coffee and
snacks. A light lunch will be served. For information call (903)
Henderson County POA
The Henderson County Property Owners Association meets at 7 p.m.
Thursday (tonight) at the Indian Harbor Community Center. County
Attorney Clint Davis will discuss the Nuisance Law and how to
make it work. For a map to the location, go to
49ers Seniors Club
The 49ers Senior Citizens Club will meet for dancing to Chuck &
the 49ers from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday (tonight and every
Thursday). No smoking or alcohol. Small donation at the door.
Located off SH 334, two blocks south on Arnold Hills Road, Seven
Points. For information call or fax to (903) 432-3522.
Grief counseling meeting
Restoration House Ministry is hosting grief counseling meetings
at 6 p.m. Thursday (tonight) and March 3, 17 and 24 (first,
third and fourth Thursdays of each month). All in need of
healing are welcome, as grief comes in many forms – death,
divorce, separation or a major change. For information call
Pastor Barker at (903) 887-4881, or the Rev. Kathey Floyd at
(903) 880-9692.
Healing Through Grief
The support group, "Healing Through Grief," needs RSVP by
Friday, Feb. 25, for its lunch Wednesday, March 2. Speaker is
David Hennessee. Location is Cedar Lake Home Health and Hospice
Office, 104 S. Terry. To RSVP or for information, call Fran or
Teressa at (903) 489-2023.
Crime Watch event
The Prairieville Neighborhood Crime Watch is hosting its annual
barbecue and auction benefitting the Mabank Fire Department from
4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, at Mabank Fire Station No. 3,
17522 FM 1836, Prairieville. For information call the Mabank
Fire Station at (903) 887-4747.
Pancake breakfast
The Eustace Masonic Lodge, East Wheeler Street, located under
the water tower in Eustace, just south of U.S. 175, is hosting
its sixth annual pancake breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday,
Feb. 26. Pancakes, sausage, bacon, coffee, milk and orange juice
– all you can eat for a specified donation. For information call
Steve Bledsoe at (903) 340-9137.
Crisis Center training
The East Texas Crisis Center hosts sexual assault volunteer
training for Van Zandt and Henderson counties the next four
Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Feb. 26, at the
Mabank Fire Department. Call (903) 675-2137 or e-mail
to register for the no-cost 40-hour training.
Sweetheart Playday
The Rope, Catch & Ride for Christ Cowboy Church arena team is
hosting its Playday Series, starting at 10 a.m. Saturdays, Feb.
26 and March 5, with a rain date of March 12. Five events
offered – must make two out of three. Negative Coggins required.
Age groups – lead line 12 and under, 13-18, and 19 and over.
Concession stand open. North on SH 198, right on CR 2807. Cowboy
Church looks like a red barn on the right. For information call
(903) 880-2695.
Methodist OWLS study
Mabank First United Methodist Church OWLS (Older, Wiser, Loving
Seniors) are sponsoring "From Age-ing to Sage-ing," a study by
Zalman Schichter-Shalome and Ronald S. Miller, taught by the
Rev. Eston Williams, pastor of Aley UMC. Sessions remaining are
planned for 7 p.m. Mondays, Feb. 28, March 7 and 14, at Mabank
FUMC. Free except for study book.
CC Civic League
The Cedar Creek Civic League meets at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28,
at Tri-County Library, Mabank. Program is by Stephen Gent of
McDades Nursery. Guests are welcome. For information call (903)
CCL Literary Club
The Literary Club of Cedar Creek Lake executive board meeting is
set for 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, at The Library at Cedar Creek
Lake in Seven Points.
Tamarack Ladies
The Tamarack Ladies Club meets at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 2, at
TLC Hall. A potluck luncheon will follow the meeting. All ladies
residing in Tamarack are invited. For information call Linda at
(903) 887-8984.
GBC Beautification
The Gun Barrel Beautification Committee meets at 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 10, at Brawner Hall. All interested POA groups
are invited to enjoy Carol Morton of Keep Athens Beautiful
present a PowerPoint program. For information call GBC city hall
(903) 887-887-1087.
Composting classes
Environmental Co-op hosts Master Composting Classes from 6:30 to
9 p.m. Thursdays (basics) March 3, (organic gardening) March 10,
at 100 E. Aimiee Street, Forney, and (building a compost pile)
from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 12, at 200 E. Main
Street, Forney. For information call the Co-op office at (972)
525-0007, or e-mail
firstname.lastname@example.com to reserve your spot.
CCL Garden Club
The Cedar Creek Lake Garden Club meets at 1:30 p.m. Friday,
March 4, in the community room at Tomlinson's Funeral Home.
Donna Malik will present "Let's Visit Butchart Garden,"
describing the 55 acres of floral displays. Remember to bring
items for the March Madness White Elephant Sale and hygiene
items planned for the February meeting, canceled due to snow.
TVCC concert
The Trinity Valley Community College Music Department will
present a concert titled "WE Sing of America – Our Heritage of
Freedom," at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 6, at Dogwood Church in
Athens. The event features a variety of patriotic songs
performed by the Cardinal Singers and Cardinal Brass Ensemble.
The church is located at 6467 FM 2494, three miles west of the
college in Athens. For information call (903) 675-6327.
Basic Internet class
Navigating the Internet classes, taught by A.J. Amyx, marketing
director of A New Way to Market, are set for 6 p.m. Tuesdays,
March 1, 8 and 15, at Tri-County Library. Class fee charged. To
register or for information, call the library at (9030 887-9622.
Radiate 2011
The First Baptist Church of Malakoff is hosting "Radiate 2011,"
a chance to worship free with Godly men, at 10:30 a.m. and 6
p.m. Sunday, March 6, and at 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday,
March 7-9.
The church is located at 220 W. Mitcham, Malakoff. For
information call the church at (903) 489-0228.
AARP Driver Safety
A one-day AARP Driver safety Course is set for 1 to 5 p.m.
Thursday, March 10, at The Library at Cedar Creek Lake, 410 E.
Cedar Creek Parkway, Seven Points. Designed for drivers age 50
and over, but open to anyone. Drivers may qualify for reductions
in auto insurance.
For information, call Jean Dirks at (903) 887-3836 or the
library at (903) 432-4185.
'Unleashed youth' summit
The "Unleashed Youth" summit, featuring swimming, 3-on-3
basketball tournament, pizza, inflatables, worship services and
guest speakers, is set for 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Friday/Saturday,
March 11-12, at the Cain Center in Athens. A fee to cover the
Cain Center cost will be charged. For information, call (903)
887-5429 or visit
Sponsored by Retro Youth, a division of Christian Life Center.
KofC fish fry
The Knights of Columbus Mary Queen of Heaven Council 12253,
Malakoff, is hosting an all-you-can-eat fish fry from 5 to 7
p.m. Friday, March 11. Meal includes catfish, French fries,
hushpuppies, coleslaw, drinks and home-baked goods. Take SH 198
to Star Harbor Road (CR 3062) in Malakoff. Follow Catholic
Church sign to CR 1703.
PS Fire Rescue benefit
The annual all-you-can-eat fish fry benefitting the Payne
Springs Fire Rescue is set for 6 p.m. Saturday, April 9. A 2007
Harley Davidson FX/ST is a part of the fund-raiser. View
pictures at
www.psfirerescue.com. For information, call the fire
station at (903) 451-4511 and leave a message.
Free tax help
Free tax help is available at Tri-County Library, Mabank, with
Peggy Rogers, VITA. Rogers worked for the IRS for many years and
keeps up with current changes. Call the library at (903)
887-9622, leaving name, local phone number (calls from cells
with long distance numbers will not be returned), and the best
time for her to return your call to set up an appointment.
AARP free tax help
AARP free tax services will be available from 8 a.m. to noon
through Wednesday, April 13, at the following locations –
Fridays at the Henderson County Senior Center, Athens, Mondays
at The Library at Cedar Creek Lake, Seven Points, and Wednesdays
at the Senior Citizens Center, Malakoff. For information call
(903) 778-2423.
News in Brief policy
News in Brief is a venue in which nonprofit organizations can
promote their services and/or fund-raising events at no cost.
These articles should include only basic information – who,
what, when and where. Articles must include publishable contact
information and a phone number.
The deadline for submission is 4 p.m. Monday for each Thursday's
issue and 4 p.m. Wednesday for each Sunday's issue.
Announcements will run for four issues (two weeks).
Organizations needing to relay more information on services or
events, or who seek a longer promotion time, are encouraged to
call our advertising staff at (903) 887-4511.
MediaOne LLC considers nonprofit organizations to be groups
operating primarily on a volunteer basis providing a service for
others. Organizations with paid employees cannot use this venue
to promote their services.
main sports news obits lake life events views classifieds
Council hires utility firm
Athens firm to guide city through upcoming
state, federal inspections
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
EUSTACE–A badly-split Eustace City Council agreed Monday to hire
an Athens firm to help the city through upcoming state and
federal inspections, since the city dismissed its public works
director two weeks ago.
On a 3-2 vote Feb. 10, the council fired utility operator Tom
Acker for "loss of confidence."
Unfortunately, the city is facing a state water system
inspection, and not having a qualified water operator puts the
city in violation of federal regulations.
Mayor Laura Ward outlined the situation for the council as she
cruised through a number of agenda items Monday evening.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) had
previously scheduled an inspection of the city's water system
Thursday (today).
"I knew we were due for one, since the last one was in 2008,"
Ward said. "But I thought it would be in a couple of months from
Each day the city is without a water system operator in
possession of a Class C license or above, the city will incur
fines, Ward said.
Eustace also has a TCEQ wastewater inspection coming up, Ward
said, though the exact date is still unknown.
Not having someone with the right credentials in place also puts
the city in violation with the Environmental Protection Agency,
Ward said.
March 1, updates on the city's Emergency Response Plans (ERPs)
is due to be forwarded to the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). The USDA oversees a number of grants the city has
applied for in the past, Ward explained.
"The council was informed that this was coming up last month in
Tom's report to the council," she said.
Without these ERPs on the city's public drinking water and
wastewater system, along with a required security vulnerability
self assessment, the city will be at a disadvantage when it
comes to its next grant application, Ward said.
"No one at this table is qualified to update these ERPs," Ward
said. "I'm at a total loss."
In addition, Ward said the city had to turn away two customers
this week, who pay between $1,200 and $5,000 to dump septic
waste into the city system, because there's no one on city staff
with a wastewater Class C license to officially approve the
Ward also offered some good news from the Texas Municipal League
(TML), the city's insurer.
Some time ago, the city and its contractor dug into some optic
cabling that, according to the maps provided by Embarq,
shouldn't have been there. Nevertheless, the communications
provider pushed a claim against the city for $30,000.
Acker had made the case that if the city owed anything, it was
no more than $8,000.
Ward reported Acker had made such a tight case with supporting
paperwork that TML doesn't feel Embarq has a claim against the
TML has made a take-it-or-leave-it offer of $7,030 to Embarq,
Ward explained.
"Acker did a great job in justifying the actions of our
employees," she said.
The council entered into closed session to consider the position
of public works director.
When the council reconvened in open session two hours later, on
a 3-2 vote, it hired B&B Utility Services of Athens to take up
the task for a week, at a cost of up to $2,000.
Council members Lisa Roberts and Chuck Powers opposed the move,
citing the added costs to the city.
The firm's job will be to get the city ready for today's state
inspection and update the ERPs to meet the March 1 deadline.
B&B estimated a cost of $500 for the state inspection, $75 for
the daily test sampling and $35 per man-hour for any additional
work. The city was paying Acker $16/hour, Ward pointed out.
"Had things taken a different direction a week ago, we wouldn't
be in the fix we're in today," councilwoman Lisa Roberts said.
"I can't see spending taxpayer money on something that could
have been handled differently."
Want ads for a public works director are to be posted in the
Tyler and Dallas papers immediately, all council members agreed.
When the council meets in its next regular session, 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 3, members will revisit the hiring of a public
works director and decide whether to continue with B&B or hire
someone else, councilwoman Elicia Sanders told The Monitor
Standing on an original comment that terminating Acker's
employment was for the good of the city, Sanders said "We each
have a responsibility, in my opinion, to maintain the highest
standards in ourselves and in the employees for our city.
"Tom Acker failed to meet those standards," she said.
"Regretfully, I had to vote to let him go."
Special PSFR recognition
Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Payne Springs Fire Rescue chief Randy Harley (left) presents a
special plaque to Jimmy and Erma Reynolds Saturday, thanking
Jimmy Reynolds for his many years of service as an Emergency
Service District No. 2 board member, during the PSFR annual
awards banquet at the Malakoff Senior Citizens Center. Reynolds
already holds a plaque presented to him earlier thanking him and
Erma for their invaluable help in putting on the department's
annual "Woods of Terror" fund-raiser each Halloween. For more on
the event, see Sunday's issue of The Monitor.
Mabank firefighters recognize their own
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
MABANK–The fraternity of Mabank volunteer firefighters was in
full display Saturday night, as they gathered for the 22nd
annual awards banquet, marking the department's 87th year.
The fraternity, family and friends reviewed the year, recognized
the Top 10 call responders, honored the "cream of the crop"
among them for their leadership, service and inspiration, and
also named the 2010 Firefighter of the Year.
While fire chief Ricky Myrick and assistant chief Dameon Milton
presented certificates, annual service pins, gold watches and
handshakes, it was Robert Munden with the department for five
years who guided guests and honorees through the evening with
humor, finesse and a savvy PowerPoint presentation.
He did such a good job, one might think that's why he was named
to one of the year's top awards. However, Munden had
distinguished himself in a number of ways throughout 2010, and
according to his fellow firefighters was well deserving of the
title – Mabank Fire Department 2010 Firefighter of the Year.
"Couldn't ask for a better guy," fire marshal Mat Ewaskiw told
The Monitor. "He's always willing to help out and goes above and
beyond any task he's given."
Last year's honoree, Milton called Munden "the man with a plan."
Upon receiving the long-handled golden headed axe, Munden was
joined by his fire department cadet son, Mabank High School
sophomore and powerlifter Dreyton Munden, his wife, Davie Sue,
daughter Brooklyn and parents Gloria and Wayne Munden.
Robert received his five-year pin that night, has been certified
in basic firefighting and medical response and is on the
department's personnel committee.
He's currently studying nursing while working full time at the
Gun Barrel City emergency care center as an EMT. And he was
still able to answer 169 calls, making him one of the Top 10
call makresponders of 2010.
The one answering the most calls for the second time in a row
was Milton with 240 calls. It was noted that Milton isn't even
in town before 5 p.m. on a regular basis.
Chief Myrick and fire marshal Ewaskiw asked that their call
counts not be factored into the Top 10 to give other deserving
members recognition.
Other Top 10 firefighters making the cut (from least to highest)
were Daryl West, Wayne McKenzie, Donald Gordon, Daryl Landrum,
Kenneth "Dude" Tanner, Joey Dominque (who joined mid-April,
2010), Paul Hightower and Mike Bass.
The evening's program got off to a solemn start with the
presentation of the colors by Staff Sgt. Chris Ford and Sgt.
Elmer Sims, recently returned from Iraq. They were in their
dress uniforms and also presented two company T-shirts to the
department as a gesture of mutual respect and admiration.
Munden listed the community involvement that distinguishes the
Mabank Fire Department from other units in the area, naming the
individuals who step up to lead the various programs and
These include the annual fish fry, Mabank's Western Week, the
fire prevention clowns, the Halloween Tower of Terror, chili
supper, and new this year, a toy drive in conjunction with a
local radio station.
It was also noted that the department sends half a dozen or more
to Fire School each July at Texas A&M University in south Texas.
On a sour note, the number of fire calls were up this year,
totaling 651 calls, with slightly more than half of those
medical calls. There were 53 house fire calls, averaging one
house fire a week, far too many, Kenneth Taylor noted.
Firefighter Jim Vess read the "Firefighter's Prayer" reminding
his brothers that 800 firefighters died in 2010. Most of those
deaths were not fire related, but attributed to heart attack and
other health issues.
"We ask each one here to do what he can and should to guard his
life," Vess said.
Highlighting the proceedings was the induction of new members to
the department's "Hall of Fame" or Honorary Firefighters roll.
John Holcomb introduced the best among them Johnny Adams,
Kenneth Richman, Mike Rowan and Daryl "Old Man" West.
Each firefighter and auxiliary member was recognized with
Firefighters also received an embossed rolling travel bag with
the department's emblem, signifying honor, duty and integrity.
New this coming year is a coin, Munden showed.
Season's Restaurant catered the six-course meal at the Comfort
Suites in Mabank.
Copyright © 2011, MediaOne, L.L.C.


text:
so i thought i'd try out the BMP i'd flashed, got throughly confused and ended up with 2 BMP'd pills, one of each
sussed that and re-BMP'd the red one, now it's ~/bin/write-BMP explicitly using ~/bin/BMP/st-flash from the the arduino upload log and the ~/bin/BMP/blackmagic.bin file from the first post zip file.
changed the blue pill to a blue BAITE mini, of course the photo having both red pill bmp and baite target wired together was a good reason
i set the board as maple-mini and there's no BMP upload option.
looked at the circuits and i think it can be set to be a generic stm32f103 option c8t6, which would return the BMP option
lsusb gives
and device wise it's
Code: Select all
Bus 003 Device 124: ID 1d50:6018 OpenMoko, Inc.
Bus 003 Device 115: ID 1eaf:0003
when i tried it with the original two pills i got through the gdb bit to the line
Code: Select all
$comms ## another ~/bin ls -lt /dev | egrep 'ttyA|ttyU'
crw-rw---- 1 root dialout 166, 0 Oct 8 16:15 ttyACM0
crw-rw---- 1 root dialout 166, 1 Oct 8 16:15 ttyACM1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 7 Oct 8 12:50 maple_2 -> ttyACM2
crw-rw-r-- 1 root dialout 166, 2 Oct 8 12:50 ttyACM2
as in the first post http://www.stm32duino.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=122#p989 where it froze? hence the re-arrange of pills/baite
Code: Select all
target extended-remote /dev/ttyACM0
versions arduino 1.6.5 stm32duino as of 090915 i thought, excepting that the STM32duino-bootloader and drivers directories are 220915 for some reason; but it's pretty much the latest/current github
actually that's been static for a while:-) i keep looking..
i'll re-read that thread again as i'm not quite sure which ACM port to use for upload
i think it's
acm0 is bmp/gdb
acm1 is for upload through to target
acm2 is arduino serial monitor


text:
When Three's stories somewhat add up, Jen decides to prepare a family stye dinner fully equipped with a love triangle that plays out only in her mind. Written and based on the diary by Jennifer Dawson. PART 2
Jen played by Jennifer Dawson
Bryce Wharton Powell III "Three" played by Jake Pavelka
Majordomo played by Dennis Apergis
Director of Photography John Orphan
Episode Executive Producer Jennifer Dawson & Lyndon Chubbuck
Featuring music by Roz Cappello, Kevin MacLeod & Red Eye.


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Last week, I had my first radio interview as the Taste Arkansas blog gal. They wanted to talk holiday food, gifts, and Arkansas. So, I went a step further and curated a huge list of Arkansas products, producers, craftsmen, Etsy gals, authors, and more. I love to buy local and want others to see the beautiful things we are producing right here in the Natural State.
Hope over to Taste Arkansas for the GIGANTIC list!


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AFP Opens Simple Anniversary Rites
- Details
Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City—In solidarity with the survivors of super typhoon Yolanda, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) came up with a frugal celebration for its 78th Founding Anniversary that will also showcase the institution's legacy as protector of the people and state.
Following the theme, "Tagumpay noon, Bayanihan ngayon, Karangalan nating lahat bukas," the two-day celebration highlights the AFP's role in Philippine history; its defense of sovereignty; high standards of competency and professionalism; and its accomplishment of non-traditional roles.
Bonafos assumes as New CENTCOM Commander
- Details
CAMP GENERAL EMILIO AGUINALDO, Quezon City – Major General John S. Bonafos officially assumes as the new Commander, Central Command (CENTCOM) today in a turnover ceremony held at CENTCOM Headquarters in Cebu City, replacing Lt. Gen. Roy Deveraturda.
In the turnover ceremony, MGen Bonafos said "Visayas region will rise up. We shall see the active involvement of both citizenry and government. I accept the challenge with much hope rather than faith. Sa pagbangon Ng visayas, Mabuhay tayong lahat."
Soldier stays behind in Guiuan to help Yolanda victims
- Details
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte – Being the driver of a KM-450 troop carrier truck that brought nine other soldiers to the coastal municipality of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Pfc Jomar Jay L Rodin is literally the first soldier to reach the town that first experienced the wrath of monster typhoon Yolanda during her first landfall Friday morning, November 8, 2013.
The squad belonging to the 14th Infantry Battalion was sent to Guiuan for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR).
AFP Welcomes 140 New Officers; Female Soldiers Lead Awardees
- Details
CAMP GENERAL EMILIO AGUINALDO, Quezon City – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomes 140 new 2nd Lieutenants from the three major services; Army, Air Force and Navy as they graduate from their respective Officer Candidate Courses (OCCs) today at the AFP Theatre.
The President and AFP Commander-in-Chief, Benigno S. Aquino III attended as the Guest of Honor and Speaker. This is the first time President Aquino attended the joint graduation ceremony of the OCC. He was assisted by the AFP Chief of Staff, General Emmanuel T. Bautista, and Secretary of National Defense, Voltaire T. Gazmin in the distribution of diplomas and presentation of awards.
Gen Bautista Meets with US Marine Force General
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Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City—Commanding General of US III Marine Expeditionary Force Lieutenant General John E Wissler meets with Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Emmanuel T Bautista, following the deployment of US marine forces in Visayas for humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations.
In a brief visit yesterday, November 17, General Bautista and LtGen Wissler discussed interoperability of Philippine and US assets in on-going relief efforts to typhoon victims in primary deployment areas in Visayas.
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Hi everyone,
New to the forum! Looks pretty fun around here... well here's my latest creation. It's got some heavy parts, a couple chill parts, lots of noise. Maybe a little like KMFDM at times. What do you think?
A Nuclear Welcoming (post-industrial heavy beat)
1 post • Page 1 of 1
1 post • Page 1 of 1
Moderators: DrApostropheX, Scoops, Moderators (Main)


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Story last updated at 5/29/2013 - 2:07 pm
American Bay, across Kaigani Strait from the Native village of Howkan, was briefly the home of a Northwest Trading Company post. It chose this bay on the east coast of Dall Island in 1883 to attract the fur seal hunters of the Native villages especially Howkan and Kaigani, the latter at Cape Muzon.
When Eliza Scidmore toured Alaska in the IDAHO that year, writing for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, the ship stopped to unload the company's first load of freight. She wrote, "Only a small clearing had been made, and two buildings put up." Nearby, in the trader's home, they met "Russian Count Z...." and his pretty black-haired countess whom he had married in Sitka.
This was Count Joseph Zuboff, years later called "the best known Russian in Alaska," according to one newspaper.
He truly was from Russia and when he spoke of his earlier life, he mentioned his family descended from royalty. He said his family had rich estates in the province of Kostronis, near Moscow, and his uncle was the director of the Imperial theatres under the Czar. He spent his early manhood in the Russian military service and was given a commission as lieutenant when he served in the Imperial Artillery during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78.
In Alaska everyone knew he was in political exile. He told a reporter, "Political complications arose that made it advisable for me to leave Russia - I went rather than face persecution." Scidmore says, "exiled for Nihilistic tendencies." About that time a revolutionary movement started where some Russians believed that destruction of the existing political and social institutions would improve the future. It was dubbed Nihilism. He did not elaborate in any interviews other than to say he was an active figure in the movement. He felt it was impossible to return to his homeland and became very proud of being an American.
Scidmore thought he came across the Aleutian chain. However Zuboff said he became a traveling representative of a New York merchant once he reached America, escaping through Germany. "I was in reduced circumstances," and apparently took any job he could find. When he reached San Francisco, the company had gone bankrupt. He drifted to Alaska and Sitka.
In Sitka he met his "black-haired Countess." Her father, Colonel Vachromaeff worked for the Russian American Company, first at St. Michael post near the mouth of the Yukon River. After three years, the Vachromaeff family returned to Russia, crossing the wilds of Siberia on horseback with two small children. Mrs. Zuboff was born in Tosna. Eventually the family returned to Sitka by way of Hamburg, Germany. In Sitka, the colonel passed away, and his wife remarried a Mr. Sepiagni. By 1911, Mrs. Sepiagni still lived in Sitka, but he had passed away.
The "black-haired" woman must have been the perfect match for the Count - a woman who was familiar with his country and background.
During his time in Sitka, Count Zuboff was approached by the Northwest Trading Company. It had been incorporated in March 1880 in Portland, Ore., to go into the herring and whale oil industry and the transportation business. The next year it leased a wharf in Sitka, then bought the steamer "FAVORITE." Some of the company men sailed in search for places to build a trading post and a factory. Places mentioned were Killisnoo, Kenesnow Island, Hoonah, and Chilkat Inlet. In September 1881, it decided on Killisnoo as its base and manufacturing plant. It hired two boats to catch whales and soon after was in the herring reduction business that continued long after Northwest Trading Company ceased to exist.
Perhaps this is why the Victoria, B.C., newspaper speaks of a whaling station at American Bay, although I've not found any other mention of that. In March of 1883, Mr. Purdy, the trader at American Bay, drowned when his canoe overturned. Perhaps Zuboff was the nearest person to send to the remote bay near the southern end of Alaska.
I haven't found when the Zuboffs left except it was after 1884; nor when the trading post was abandoned. The outpost lasted only a few years. The company went out of business in 1888.
Zuboff's next adventure was with the Killisnoo operation, and he was living there by 1887. He said that he became interested in the operation run by a new company, and his obituary in the Juneau newspaper mentions he was a stockholder. He and Carl Spuhn built up a substantial fertilizer business, but Spuhn is always listed as the manager. How long Zuboff lived in Killisnoo and where he went in the off-season isn't apparent. However, he was the notary public for the village in 1902 and 1907: there was no such official in Killisnoo during the intervening years.
Zuboff apparently lived in San Francisco in later years and sometimes visited Killisnoo. On one of his trips he contracted acute asthma and soon after had a heart attack. On his last visit in 1911 he was taken seriously ill, and when he reached Juneau, he was carried to the hospital on a stretcher. After extensive treatment at Saint Ann's hospital by Dr. L. O. Sloane, he was sent to Seattle with no hope of recovering.
Count Joseph Zuboff shot himself in the Hotel Barker in Seattle in December 1911. He was 62 years old. He left a wife and daughter in San Francisco.
When Scidmore visited the American Bay trading post, she was introduced to the Zuboff's big blue-eyed baby. The infant is never mentioned in written sources again. Years ago, Gilbert McLeod , who knew Dall Island well, asked Sondra and Jim Costales of Craig if they would be the caretakers for the Zuboff baby's grave in American Bay. The pair searched but could not find it. Sondra enlisted Kathy Peavey's help. They and their Craig friends, Barbi Armstrong, Dolores Owen, Deborah Head, rode in Kathy's boat to the bay.
The women scoured the woods along the shoreline of the bay. It was Barbi who came upon the grave in a small clearing. There was a headstone with a piece of marble to mark the end of the grave. The engraving is weathered but still can be read: "Josie Zuboff, died Aug. 20, 1884." The women gently tended the grave and decorated it with shells and beach glass.
"We felt honored to have helped Gilbert McLeod with his wish," Kathy said.
Pat Roppel is the author of numerous books about mining, fishing, and man's use of the land. She lives in Wrangell. She may be reached at email@example.com.


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Ol'ga (ID: 66452)
Date of birth:January 19, 1988
Height:5' 7" (172 cm)
Weight:118 lb (54 kg)
Hair color:blonde
Eyes color:aqua
Marital status:single
Education:Higher education
English language:Middle Level
Others foreign languages:No
Seeks partner:35 - 70 years old
Total photos:12
Bikini photos:7
Hobbies and interests:
I desire to learn everything new,I like listening the music, doing sports, I like nature and animals very much! In my spare time I like to go out with my friends and to eat my favourite strawberry ice-cream ;)I hope someday I will eat it with my loving person!
About me:
I am goal oriented and motivated. I have a degree in Hotel management and restaurant business and I hope to have my own restaurant someday. I have many goals for the future and am looking for a man to share with me their attainment. I want to create a strong family with a couple kids and a loving husband which will support me in any life situation.
Looking For Men Type:
I am looking for a man that is caring and loving. I wish to meet a nice healthy man who knows how to treat a lady. A man that dosen't think of ones self and wants a happy ever ending life together to the end of time. I would like him to be always honest with me and tells me what is on his mind.
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082: Cadu Medina – The Art of Reinvention
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Dr. Costes and Cadu relate on things like setting and attaining career goals.
All that and more on today's episode of the Six Figure Side Gig.
More About This Show:
In 2002 Cadu moved to California from Brazil to attend school and learn how to speak English. He was raised by parents who were entrepreneurs and small business owners. Read more


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Hear Something Christmas
- Artist: Hear Something Christmas
- Genre: Easy Listening
- Release Date: 10/28/2008
Starving Dog Records presents "Hear Something Christmas", a collection traditional and contemporary holiday songs from new and emerging artist as well as some established pros. This CD exemplifies the talent and diversity of nine artists from around the world, all converging on one dream - to share their music with as many people as possible. Christmas music reminds all that it's the most wonderful time of the year. A time for reflection and celebration of what we have achieved and overcome. We are also reminded as the New Year approaches, of the tragedies and unforeseen events that dramatically change our lives. A portion of the proceeds of "Hear Something Christmas" after expenses are recouped will benefit Cancer Research and Environmental causes which are aimed at protecting our natural resources. By purchasing this CD, you make a direct contribution to those efforts. You will also acquire some stellar holiday music performed by some of today's finest performers. Hear Somthing Music features; Sweetloop (LA) Marvin Glover (Seattle) Colin Clyne (Scotland) The Cathryn Beeks Ordeal (San Diego) Gerry Perlinski (New Jersey) Cheeky (San Diego) Amy Stouffer (LA) Saul Kaye (San Francisco) and Mark Bosnian (Portland).
|Hear Something Christmas
|Easy Listening
|CD Baby
|Release Date:
|Product Type:
|Item #:
|This product is a special order


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Second door on the left
What happens when you mix four dynamic performers with imaginative and unique compositional voices? Second Door on the Left: an album exploring the possibilities of the clarinet, from fragments of ancient melody to 21st century fusion.
What happens when you mix four dynamic performers with imaginative and unique compositional voices? Second Door on the Left: an album exploring the possibilities of the clarinet, from fragments of ancient melody to 21st century fusion. Music about cartoons and karma, a blues for the drought and Armenian melodies mixed with funk: Recorded with support from the Australia Council, the cd features works by Elena Kats-Chernin, Peter Sculthorpe, Karlin Love and Canberra composers Sandra France, Ian Blake, Ruth Lee Martin revealing a cross section of compositional creativity and the many sonic capabilities of the clarinet family of instruments featured in this recording.
Second Door on the Left is at the heart of what has earned Clarity its reputation for versatility and technical brilliance. Clarity's commitment to the performance of new Australian music has lead to the commissioning of three new works for clarinet quartet with the support of ArtsACT. Ian Blake's Starling, Sandra France's What Goes Around Comes Around, and Ruth Lee Martin's Brindabella Blues form the core of this exciting and unique program.
Added to this are special arrangements created specifically for the quartet of four pieces by Elena Kats-Chernin including the title track, Second Door on the Left, a transcription of Peter Sculthorpe's String Quartet No. 10 and Karlin Love's imaginative Vasco Pyjama based on the Michael Leunig cartoon character of the same name. The result is a distinctive recording ranging from lush melodies and quasi-electronic landscapes to wild and quirky utterances.
Clarity are delighted to be launching their latest offering at the National Library of Australia, home of the Music Australia website, dedicated to preserving and promoting music of Australian composers performed by Australian musicians. This project has been supported by the ACT Government through artsACT and the Australia Council for the Arts.
Second Door on the Left is the culmination of a long term commitment to new Australian music, not only through commissioning work, but also through Clarity's aim to present new music and make it accessible to the broader Australian public through their New Ears Initiative. Their diverse performance activities - Clarity has performed at every occasion from an all-night rock concert in outback Australia, to London's St-Martin-in-the-Fields - ensure that the Australian works in their repertoire get a wide exposure
Clarity Clarinet Quartet
Take a journey of sonority and style with Australia's unique chamber ensemble, Clarity. Celebrating 10 years of Clarity in 2006, this quartet has established itself as an entertaining, versatile and technically brilliant group.
Nicole Canham
Nicole's professional experience is extensive and varied, including orchestral work with Opera Australia, the Tasmanian and Canberra Symphony Orchestras, the Canberra Chamber Orchestra, the Canberra Choral Society and for the Australian and Kiev Ballet Canberra seasons.
Audio previews
Track Listing
Karlin Greenstreet Love
1. Vasco Pyjama
Elena Kats-Chernin
2. Burnished Silver
3. Second Door on the left
4. Kwong Song
5. Pink Breasted Robin
Ian Blake
6. Starling
Sandra France
7. What goes around comes around: Six Vignettes for Clarinet Quartet
Ruth Lee Martin
8. Brindabella Blues
Peter Sculthorpe
String Quartet No. 10
trans. Zach Clarke
9. Sun Song 1
10. Interlude
11. Sun Song III
Where to buy
Second door on the left can be purchased online through Buywell Just Classical or the Australian Music Centre which both offer secure online ordering.
This title is also available in (or can be ordered through) many fine music retailers across Australia, including Thomas' and Readings.
Product details
- List price
- Categories
- Australian, Classical
- Catalogue number
- Barcode


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Posts Tagged Ruth Anne Baumgartner
Announcing the 2013 / 2014 Westport Community Theatre Season!
Posted by AK in 2013 / 2014 Season, Arcadia, Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge, Souvenir, The Crucible, The Prisoner of Second Avenue on August 17th, 2013
WCT's new 2013 / 2014 season opens September 20 – and it promises to be one of our best seasons yet. It's truly the best entertainment value in Westport at $80 for a five-play subscription (single tickets are only $20, $18 for the Thursday performance and $2 discounts for senior citizens).
With much fanfare:
The Prisoner of Second Avenue by Neil Simon
Directed by Lester Colodny
September 20 – October 5, 2013
"Full of humor and intelligence. Fine fun."- New York Post
"Creates an atmosphere of casual cataclysm, an everyday urban purgatory of copelessness from which laughter seems to be released like vapor from the city's manholes."- Time
Mel Edison is an executive who gets laid off from his high-end Manhattan firm. His wife Edna takes a job to tide them over, then she too is sacked. Air pollution is killing his plants, the walls of his apartment are paper-thin, he's robbed, his psychiatrist dies… and when things can't seem to get worse, Mel has a nervous breakdown – and it's the best thing that ever happened to him. Starring Jeff Pliskin, Deborah Burke, Frederic Tisch, Ruth Anne Baumgartner, Jacquie Carlsen, and Maureen Cummings.
We are so pleased to have longtime WCT director Lester Colodny at the helm of this play near and dear to his heart – it is a subject matter he knows very, very well. Lester's Westport Community Theatre credits span decades, including last year's season opener "Laughter on the 23rd Floor" – but he is known nationwide as an Emmy-Award-winning writer, producer and director from the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was a co-creator of "The Munsters" and worked on television classics such as "Get Smart," "My Favorite Martian" and "Beetle Bailey." In the early 70s, he co-wrote a Broadway play, "Fun City" with Joan Rivers. Later, he went into work in advertising for famed casino chain owner Steve Wynn, winning several CLIOs for his work for the company. To finish out his career, he worked in the eighties for a well-known billionaire New York real estate tycoon. Lester spent his early career working with some of the biggest names in show business, including Frank Sinatra, Mel Brooks, Jerry Lewis, Peter Sellers, Florence Henderson, Cary Grant and many more. He was writer, producer and director of "The Baja Marimba Band" for which he won his Emmy. He was a writer on "The Today Show" with original host Dave Garroway, when the show was live and mistakes on the set were broadcast nationally. It was Lester who was ordered to get three barrels of monkeys to be opened live on television at the bequest of Garroway. The results were an instant classic and make up the first chapter of his autobiography, "A Funny Thing Happened," released summer of 2010.
Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge
by Christopher Durang
Directed by Tom Rushen
November 29 – December 15, 2013
If you think you just don't want to sit through one more production of A Christmas Carol or The Nutcracker… mark your calendars for this comedic masterpiece that has become a holiday season staple of theatres across the country. In this sendup of A Christmas Carol, Gladys Cratchit is an angry, stressed-out woman who is sick of Tiny Time, hates her twenty other children, and wants to get drunk and jump off Lnodn Bridge. She meets up with the sassy Ghost of Christmas Past and Ebenezer Scrooge and the plot morphs into parodies of Oliver Twist, The Gift of the Magi and It's a Wonderful Life. And to make matters worse, Scrooge and Mrs. Bob seem to be kindred souls falling in love. With a dénouement that is two parts Touched by an Angel and one part The Queen of Mean, Scrooge's tale of redemption and gentle grace is placed squarely on its head.
"A rollicking parody… Splendid." — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Fiendishly funny…never disappoints. Wild it most certainly is, without apologies. Send-ups are often immersed in venom, but this one wears an ear-to-ear smile." — Observer-Reporters
Director Tom Rushen is well known to WCT audiences for past productions including Sabrina and The Importance of Being Earnest, staged readings – and the friendly face you saw in the Box Office during the 2012 / 2013 season. He has directed several plays for Eastbound Theatre in Milford including The Comet of St. Loomis, Lobby Hero, Brooklyn Boy and The Complete History of America (abridged), and is the producer of annual summer one-act play festival jointly produced with Westport Community Theatre. Tom has also directed a number of short plays in the area for SquareWrights (Skeleton Boy, Unintelligent Design, Intervention) and Temple Players (Soldiers of the Lord, An Answer to Their Prayers) as well as productions at other area theatres.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Directed by Richard Mancini
February 7 – 23, 2014
A secret to no one, Arthur Miller's classic tale of the witchcraft purge in old Salem is both a gripping historical play and a timely parable of contemporary society – the McCarthy hearings. This powerful combination makes The Crucible extremely timely in 2013 – even if you feel you know it well, it's time to pay it another visit… The story focuses upon a farmer, his wife, and a young servant-girl who maliciously accuses the wife of witchcraft. The farmer brings the girl to court to admit the lie – and it is here that the monstrous course of biogtry and deceit has terrifying consequences. Featuring popular Fairfield County actors Mark Frattaroli and Lucy Babbit.
"Powerful drama…" — New York Times
Director Richard Mancini returns to the WCT stage where his numerous credits include last December's hit "Old Time Radio Christmas" ETC staged reading, The Woman in Black, The Women, Orson's Shadow and Broadway Bound among others. Both actor and director, Richard has directed numerous productions at theatres throughout Fairfield County.
Souvenir by Stephen Temperley
Director Ruth Anne Baumgartner
April 11 – 27, 2014
Wealthy eccentric Florence Foster Jenkins suffered under the delusion that she was a great coloratura soprano – when she was, in fact, incapable of producing two consecutive notes in tune. Nevertheless, she gave recitals in the ballroom of the Ritz Carlton hotel, and mobs of fans packed her recitals, stuffing handkerchiefs in their mouths to stifle their laughter. The climax of Florence Foster Jenkins' career was a single concert at Carnegie Hall in 1944…. Actress Priscilla Squires (last seen at WCT in the memorable Master Class) returns to WCT as the irrepresible Jenkins.
"There aren't many theatrical experiences as good as 'Souvenir'" — Boston Globe
"…an unexpectedly gentle and affecting comedy." – New York Times
Ruth Anne Baumgartner (Director) directed WCT productions of Mr Pim Passes By in April of 2013, The Seafarer in December of 2011, and a staged reading of The Seafarer for WCT's ETC program two years earlier; she directed the Connecticut première of Conor McPherson's The Weir in 2001 with Town Players of Newtown. For WCT she has also directed productions of Ice Glen, The Glass Menagerie, Spinning Into Butter, and Measure for Measure, as well as several other staged readings. As a director she specializes in 16th-century, other classic, and contemporary drama. She has worked with Town Players of Newtown (most recently the critically acclaimed production of A Picasso, The Retreat from Moscow, The Turn of the Screw, She Stoops to Conquer, Murderers, and The Merry Wives of Windsor); Putney Players (A Perfect Ganesh, "The Fifteen-Minute Hamlet"); Eastbound Theatre (Brilliant Traces); the Rainbow Theatre in Stamford (Equity, The Duck Variations); and, with Rob Pawlikowski, Newtown High School (The Madwoman of Chaillot). She occasionally acts, and will be seen in WCT's season opener The Prisoner of Second Avenue; prior to that, she appeared in WCT's Angel Street. She has appeared locally with Town Players (Newtown) and Putney Players (Stratford), portraying three mothers (one a tuba player), two aunts, a Polish cook, a very high priestess, and a lusty widow, and in staged readings for Square One at the Stratford Library. Films include the studio release Of Arms and Altars, student film A Work of Art, and independent film Doing Agatha, in which she plays a middle-aged actress playing a British matron. She is currently serving on the WCT Board of Directors as Editor of The Prompter and President; she is also on the Board of Directors of Town Players of Newtown. A member of the English departments of Fairfield and Central Connecticut State universities, she is also editor of Vanguard (the quarterly newsletter of the Connecticut Conference, American Association of University Professors). For eighteen years she was artistic director of Bare Bones Theater at the Pequot Library, and continues to be active with the library's annual book sale. Her undergraduate degree, in English literature, is from Dickinson; her graduate degree, also in English literature, from the University of Rochester. At Dickinson she performed and worked backstage with Mermaid Players, under the late David R. Brubaker and Marj Brubaker; she also had two seasons as a local jobber with the summer stock theater Allenberry Playhouse, on the Straw Hat circuit.
Arcadia by Tom Stoppard
Directed by Mat Young
June 6 – 22, 2013
We close next season with Arcadia, one of the must-see plays produced in the 1990s – many feel it defines the era of playwrighting. Arcadia moves back and forth between 1809 and the present at the elegant estate owned by the Coverly family. In 1809, thirteen year-old Lady Thomasina and her tutor delve into intellectual and romantic issues. Present day scenes depict the Coverly descendants and scholars who are researching a possible scandal at the estate in 1809 involving Lord Byron. This brilliant play explores the nature of truth and time, the difference between classical and romantic temperaments, and the disruptive influence of sex on our lives.
"Pure entertainment for the heart, mind, soul… it is a work shot through with fun, passion and yes, genius." — The New York Post
"'Arcadia,' the play generally regarded as Stoppard's masterpiece… sparkles – time is magically, heartbreakingly suspended…" – National Post
Director Mat Young is the Artistic Director and founder of Dessert 1st Productions, as well as a director and actor. Mat is also the Host of The Process Podcast, which can be downloaded on iTunes under the same name. Most recently he gave a memorable performance as James Reston in WCT's 2012 / 2013 season closer Frost / Nixon; he was also seen as Gaston in Piccaso at Lapin Agile (Eastbound Theatre). Last summer Mat appeared as Malvolio in Dessert 1st Production of Twelfth Night (co-produced by WCT as a special summer production). As a director, Mat is most proud of his work with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Jeffery Hatcher (Wilton Playshop), Hamlet (WHS), Romeo and Juliet (WSSP), Taming of the Shrew (WHS) Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (Eastbound), A Midsummer Night's Dream (WSSP), Picasso at Lapin Agile (BHS), Into the Woods (WHS), Guy and Dolls (WHS), Drood (WHS & WSSP), The Complete Works William Shakespeare (Abridged) (WCT). As a writer, Mat has penned Mary Potter and the Race to Nowhere, Musical the Musical, True Twilight Diaries and Suddenly There Came a Tapping. As an actor, some of his favorite roles include: Matt The Complete Works William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Dessert 1st), Aaronow in Glengarry Glen Ross (NHTC) Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Pound Ridge), Sir Toby in Twelfth Night (GSC), Bottom in A Midsummer Nights Dream (NHTC), Matt Friedman in Talley's Folly (RWU), Aldo in The Italian American Reconciliation (RWU), Jeff in Lobby Hero (Eastbound), Henry 6th in Henry VI Part Three (Marymount Theatre), and Swifty in Words Words Words (Wilton Playshop), where he met his wife. A graduate of The New Actor's Workshop, he studied under the minds of George Morrison the schools founder, and former theatre department head at Suny Purchase, and film and theater director Mike Nichols. In addition, Mat studied Volia Spolin's Improvisation for the Theatre with her son Paul Sills, co-founder of The Second City comedy troupe, and creator and original director of the Broadway show Storytheater. Mat had founded three different comedy improvisation troupes; Rhode Island's Who is Winston Churchill?!, Manhattan's Hypothetical Playground and Connecticut's Space Pockets. He has also performed in the films Bullet in the Brain by David Von Acken and A Chubby Kid, which he wrote and was the first project of Dessert 1st Productions.
Director's blog #4: "It's a Theater Miracle!"
Posted by Ruth Anne Baumgartner in In Production, On Stage, The Seafarer on November 28th, 2011
That's one of my niece's sayings. For many years in her childhood and early teens she spent a week to ten days with me in the summer, helping to get my summer show up. She learned to sew hems and buttons, to paint textures, to sponge paint on, to take rehearsal notes, to be "on book" for the actors, and to hold my hand when the amount of work remaining seemed impossible to fit into the tiny amount of time remaining. On opening night she'd smile and say, "It's a theater miracle!"
The community theater "model" depends heavily on the work of volunteers, and thus depends heavily on the existence of a supply of volunteers. In the late 'forties, 'fifties, and 'sixties, when community theater was in its heyday in the U.S., whole families participated in productions, with daddy on the building crew, the kids helping to manage the stage or run the lights, mommy in the cast…or daddy in the cast, mommy working on costumes, the kids doing gofer work…or any other of a large number of variations. Of course the company would also include retired professionals, college grads with extracurricular theater experience, and people new in town wanting to get involved in the life of the community.
Nowadays we're looking at a different picture. If the kids have time left over from the organized activities designed to get them into a good college, they want a paying job. Mommy and daddy might also need to use their "extra" time to make some extra money, or their employers may expect more than 40 hours' work a week from them. College grads and youngish adults who enjoy acting may be doing paid work as film extras or trying to break into professional theater. On top of that, there are more community theaters, at least in this part of Connecticut, than there used to be, so the people with time and energy to volunteer are hot commodities, with companies competing for their help.
That's why so many community theaters find themselves scrambling for personnel, especially backstage personnel, when production time rolls around. Good designers and crews are hard to find.
I was lucky with The Seafarer to have a truly great set designer, Al Kulcsar. He's done a lot of sets for shows of mine, and they are always genuine places of habitation for the characters in the play, inviting art works for the audience, and good working environments for the actors. He himself also acts (he's in The Seafarer!) and directs, so he knows what the needs of a cast and a show are. I also was fortunate to have an offer from Jeff Klein to design lights. Jeff is both experienced and in demand, but what I prize most are his artistic eye and collaborative grace. He was inspired by one of the moments in the play to design a special lighting effect that deepens the emotion and effectiveness of the scene in a way that we could not have otherwise accomplished. And I had a wonderful costumer, in the person of Al's sister, Mary Kulcsar. We've done more shows together than I can count, and it's always a good experience. Rob Pawlikowski, also in the cast, collected and created necessary sound effects, something he is good at and enjoys. My young neighbor Gregory was also helping me at rehearsals, following the script for the actors and helping to deal with props.
Late in the process Joan Lasprogato stepped in to serve as producer for the show. I often work in tandem with my producer, because I like some of the tasks myself, but it's great to have somebody good to oversee the whole endeavor, support the cast and me, supplement my efforts in the Props department, and sometimes just be there with a cheerful resourcefulness.
But ten days out, there we were. No Stage Manager. No one to execute Sound and Light cues. No one to run props during the show. Needless to say, those people are really important!
Cindy Hartog, who's on the WCT Board, contacted me to say she could run props for some of the performances and her husband Marc could run lights and sound for those same performances. She also gave me the name of someone who might be able to do lights and sound for the rehearsals and other performances, Kristian Correa. Paul Lenhart came in and loaded the Sound cues and merged them with the Light cues Jeff had written so that everything could be run from one board, by one operator. Ray Stephens came in for some extra help with the board. Cindy also sent me Rachel Rothman Cohen to fill in on Props at the dress/technical rehearsals. And I woke up in the middle of the night just a few days before opening and exclaimed, "Ward Whipple!" Ward has acted in a few shows with me, and I've known him for many years. He had asked, when auditions were being held for The Seafarer, if there was anything I needed help with. Aha. I flew down to the computer and sent him an e-mail. He had never done backstage work before, but he said he'd give it a try. As it turns out, he seems to be a natural Props master, and he was able to fill almost all the gaps in the schedule. And then…we got Bethany Schalow. She was another "find" of Cindy's. She has a solid theater education, good experience managing stage, and a calm and efficient demeanor. Best of all, she was available for most of our performances, plus our tech rehearsals.
So scant days before opening, I had nobody backstage, and now I have a competent and cooperative crew doing as wonderful a job backstage as my actors are doing onstage. The program had to be printed before many of these people materialized, so I wanted to be sure to celebrate them here.
Believe me, it's a Theater Miracle.
P.S. Opening weekend went smoothly, with three fine performances presented to enthusiastic audiences and me thrilled in the shadows. Seven performances remain. I really think this is a production not to be missed.
The Seafarer: Director's Blog #1, Auditions
Posted by Ruth Anne Baumgartner in In Production, On Stage, The Seafarer, WCT General News on September 30th, 2011
The next production at WCT, Conor McPherson's The Seafarer, opens Thanksgiving weekend and runs three weekends—appropriately, since the play is set on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.
. One of the most suspenseful and important phases of the production is now behind us: auditions.
. I've auditioned for roles myself, and I find them harrowing. Surely that's partly because I audition rarely, take roles rarely, and therefore feel somewhat awkward on a stage. I look around and see actors more experienced, more at ease, and more likely to get cast than I, and lose my nerve. I also have some vision alignment problems that mean I have to keep my nose directly in a script to see it, and I know the director would occasionally like to see my face…. Well, because of my own "issues" as an auditioner, as a director I do try to put auditioners at ease, and give them the same chance at a role I would like to be given if I were in their place. And then sometimes I wonder if the auditioners are more relaxed than I am.
. There's so much riding on the audition. WHO plays a role has so much influence on HOW it can be played. This is true both for the individual role and for the overall ensemble and the world they can create. I always tell auditioners that I cast to ensemble: that is, how good an actor is individually and "qua actor," so to speak, is only part of what I'm trying to find out in an audition. How good he or she is for the role, how compatible his or her potential is with my own vision for the play, and how well he or she will complement the rest of the cast and the development of the scenes—these are crucial considerations. Actors tend to feel that if they don't get a role it's because the director thought somebody else was a better actor. While that may be so, much more significant is whether somebody else seems better for the role and a better fit with the other actors being chosen for the cast.
. I directed the Connecticut première of McPherson's The Weir, and I think he really speaks to me. I have since directed staged readings of several other of his plays, including The Seafarer. I saw the production of this play directed by McPherson himself in New York, but I also see this play very clearly in my own mind, and the members of the staged-reading cast confirmed my love for it and my ideas about its direction.
. So when I went into auditions for the production of this play, I was hoping to see some of the actors who had been in the reading. For this play I didn't pre-cast anyone, but I did make sure that people I was interested in would be auditioning, and I also had some possible choices "pencilled in." David Brubaker, my brilliant and beloved director back in college, said often that a director who had no casting possibilities in mind had no business choosing a play to begin with, and I agree with him. I was interested in all the actors who auditioned, and their potential for this play, and I did my best to give everyone a fair hearing; but for several of the roles, new auditioners did have candidates to "beat."
. Most of the actors who auditioned came prepared for the evening, having read all or part of the play, having seen a production of it possibly, having read the audition notice carefully. One of the auditioners had decided only at the last minute to come, though, and since he had not prepared the required Irish accent he chose not to try it. That was a shame, because accents are necessary for this play, and I couldn't make a casting decision based on the possibility that he could do a good one. Note to anyone auditioning for anyone: come ready to do what the audition announcement has suggested is necessary.
. In the end, I wound up casting three of the five actors who had been in the staged reading of the play with me. To say the other two were also actors I'd worked with before would be somewhat misleading, because most of the auditioners were actors I'd worked with before. Actually three of the actors cast had been in my production of The Weir back in 2001, as well. For a play this intimate, this demanding, and this substantial, I was unlikely to cast someone whose work I didn't know. I did that once many years ago and nearly destroyed the show: in fact, I had to dismiss the actor from the cast just two days before we opened because he was nowhere near ready to do the part in front of an audience and, in the lead role as he was, would have brought the entire play crashing down. (Another actor went on with a script and was infinitely better. I wish I had had the courage to make the change sooner, for the sake of the other actors who had gamely been trying to develop their scenes with no help from the lead.)
. The offer of a role is the beginning of an adventure that has to be buoyed by mutual courage, mutual work, and mutual trust. I'm confident that I have a cast where that will be the case.
. We've had the read-through that begins the rehearsal process, and I enjoyed the camaraderie among the actors, the wonderful interplay of their voices, and McPherson's natural, funny, painful, beautiful dialogue. I can't wait to start rehearsals in earnest.
Auditions: The Seafarer
Posted by Paul Lenhart in 2011 / 2012 Season, Auditions, In Production, The Seafarer on September 11th, 2011
Announces AUDITIONS for
The Seafarer
By Conor McPherson
Directed by Ruth Anne Baumgartner
Auditions will be held on:
Monday, September 19 & Tuesday, September 20 at 7:00 PM
at the Westport Community Theatre
Westport Town Hall, 110 Myrtle Avenue, Westport, CT
Award-winning Irish playwright Conor McPherson's THE SEAFARER is a wonderful achievement of character, plot, and atmosphere, and is another expression of his continuing fascination with myths, legends, and the supernatural. Set on Christmas Eve in north Dublin, the play presents a boozy night and a visit from…no, not Santa, not by a long shot. Sharky Harkin, chronic knockabout, returns home to visit his brother, who has recently gone blind. Some old friends come by, the drinking starts (or, more accurately, continues), and Sharky finds himself playing poker with the Devil. The London Observer said of this play, "Succinct, startling and eerie, and the funniest McPherson play to date." McPherson has been called the outstanding playwright of his generation—The Daily Mail says "McPherson writes like a dream." Director Ruth Anne Baumgartner says of The Seafarer, "It's funny, it's suspenseful, it's moving, and at last it will fill you with a strange and triumphant joy." (The ETC staged reading of this play in December of 2009 received a standing ovation.)
Needed: 5 men. Characters, as described by McPherson:
James "Sharky" Harkin, erstwhile fisherman/van driver/chauffeur, 50s. "He is not a big man, but is wiry and strong. A very tough life is etched on his face. His eyes are quick and ready."
Richard Harkin, his older brother, blind, late 50s/60s. "He is unshaven and looks terrible. He has recently gone blind."
Ivan Curry, old friend of the Harkins, late 40s. "A big burly man with a red face and curly hair." For most of the play, he can't find his glasses, and his vision is poor, especially for reading.
Nicky Giblin, a friend of Richard's, late 40s/50s. He "has a skinny, nervy appearance. He rarely seems in bad humour."
Mr. Lockhart, an acquaintance of Nicky's, 50s. "He looks like a wealthy businessman and bon viveur."
The director will be guided by these ages and descriptions but not bound by them. Casting decisions will be made for the sake of the ensemble.
For ALL roles: a credible Irish (Dublin) accent is important, as is the ability to create and sustain the impression of functional inebriation.
Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script.
People interested in working backstage in design or execution are warmly invited to attend the auditions.
Auditions: at Westport Community Theatre. Monday 19 September and Tuesday 20 September, 7-9.
Performance dates: Nov. 25 – Dec. 11.
"Cabaret 55" – Celebrate 55 Years of WCT, Friday May 20 at 7:00 PM!
Posted by AK in Backstage Pass, In Production, On Stage, WCT General News on May 8th, 2011
Join us for a very special Gala Evening – "Cabaret 55" – celebrating Westport Community Theatre's 55th anniversary! "Cabaret 55" will be held Friday, May 20 at 7:00 PM at the Westport Woman's Club, 44 Imperial Avenue.
Tickets are $35, and include desserts by Westport's leading restaurants, bakeries and confectioners – plus a ticket to the opening of our final production of the 2010 / 2011 season, Sabrina Fair.
We've assembled some of your favorite WCT performers – Priscilla Squiers (Master Class), Fred Tisch (Angel Street), Rosanne Nelson (Mixed Couples), Kimberly Lowden (The Women), Ruth Anne Baumgartner (Angel Street), Rob Pawlikowski (The Front Page), Marguerite Foster (Orson's Shadow), Randye Kaye (Broadway Bound), Jessie Gilbert (Don't Drink the Water), Linda Gilmore (Ice Glen) David Victor (Mixed Couples), Vic Terenzio (Don't Drink the Water), Larry Greeley (A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum), Joan Barere (The Best Man), John Fatteross (The Best Man) and others for a cabaret-style evening of songs and classic comedy sketches from the 1950s, the era when Westport Community Theatre first began! The evening will be hosted by Robert Watts as Emcee.
We promise no novelty songs (!), just a fabulous musical evening of classic standards, torch songs, and old favorites, with comedy sketches celebrating that marvelous 1950s era when radio gave way to a new-fangled development called television and launched the careers of Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Jackie Gleason, Neil Simon…
Music throughout the entire evening will be provided by Bob Lasprogato's Uptown Jazz Combo – if you haven't heard them before, get ready for a sweet evening of cool jazz and then some by some of Westport's most popular musicians.
The format for the evening is Cabaret-style – in addition to the entertainment, we'll provide desserts courtesy of Great Cakes, CakeSuite, The Wild Pear, Garelick and Herbs and Nothin' But Premium Snack Bars, along with coffee, tea and bottled water. Guests are invited to bring supper or snacks; BYOB (sodas and wine only, please).
"Cabaret 55" is a true celebration of all things Westport and Westport Community Theatre's 55 years of commitment to the community by providing outstanding theatre at affordable prices. We've partnered with local businesses to underwrite this fundraising event (including Fairfield County Bank and Mutual Security), and look forward to having you join us!
Space is limited, so we encourage you to make your reservation soon by phoning the Box Office at (203) 226-1983.


text: Florian Mickler <firstname.lastname@example.com> wrote:>Hi all!>>These patches get rid of on-stack dma buffers for some of the dvb-usb>drivers. >I do not own the hardware, so these are only compile tested. I would >appreciate testing and review.>They were previously sent to the list, but some error on my side>prevented (some of?) them from beeing delivered to all parties (the>lists).>>These changes are motivated by >https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=15977 .>>The patches which got tested already were submitted to Mauro (and>lkml/linux-media) yesterday seperately. Those fix this same issue for>ec168,>ce6230, au6610 and lmedm04. >>A fix for vp702x has been submitted seperately for review on the list.>I have>similiar fixes like the vp702x-fix for dib0700 (overlooked some>on-stack>buffers in there in my original submission as well) and gp8psk, but I>am>holding them back 'till I got time to recheck those and getting some>feedback>on vp702x.>>Please review and test.>>Regards,>Flo>>Florian Mickler (6):> [media] a800: get rid of on-stack dma buffers> [media v2] vp7045: get rid of on-stack dma buffers> [media] friio: get rid of on-stack dma buffers> [media] dw2102: get rid of on-stack dma buffer> [media] m920x: get rid of on-stack dma buffers> [media] opera1: get rid of on-stack dma buffer>> drivers/media/dvb/dvb-usb/a800.c | 17 ++++++++++---> drivers/media/dvb/dvb-usb/dw2102.c | 10 ++++++-> drivers/media/dvb/dvb-usb/friio.c | 23 ++++++++++++++---> drivers/media/dvb/dvb-usb/m920x.c | 33 ++++++++++++++++--------> drivers/media/dvb/dvb-usb/opera1.c | 31 +++++++++++++++-------->drivers/media/dvb/dvb-usb/vp7045.c | 47>++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------> 6 files changed, 116 insertions(+), 45 deletions(-)>>-- >18.104.22.168>>-->To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-media">in>the body of a message to email@example.com>More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.htmlFlorian,For all of these, what happens when the USB call times out and you kfree() the buffer? Can the USB DMA actually complete after this kfree(), possibly corrupting space that has been reallocated off the heap, since the kfree()?This is the scenario for which I assume allocating off the stack is bad. Do these changes simply make corruption less noticable since heap gets corrupted vs stack?Regards,Andy


text:
State wildlife commissioners are set to decide Wednesday if the Florida black bear will be removed from the state's list of threatened species.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's staff advocates taking the bears off the list. The commissioners still plan to offer the bear population sufficient protection, and aim to continue the 1994 ban on hunting, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
But many environmentalists urge that the black bear should stay on the list since isolated bear populations and habitats are still vulnerable.
The most important thing, according to state biologists, is that a management plan should be approved to maintain a healthy population of black bears, unlike the estimated 300 that lived in Florida in the 1970s.
The new plan includes keeping the bear population within a healthy range, now consisting of over 3,000 living bears. The commission's staff also plan to reduce the incidents of bears breaking into yards and houses and to create corridors that would connect isolated bear populations, like those on the Gulf Coast.
The proposal follows a detailed peer review study of the health of the bear population, according to the Sun Sentinel.
The commission will take up the bear issue when it meets at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens.


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byAndrew R. Hickey on
Steady, Now! Steady!
During breaks in the general session, Kaspersky hosted challenges straight out of the TV show "Minute To Win It." Here, Curtis Jacobson, president and CEO of Corporate Technology Group, a Missoula, Mont.-based solution provider, tries to steady a toppling tower of cans. Though the tower fell, Jacobson was still rewarded with a sombrero and t-shirt.


text:
High levels of sugar in food and drink could pose a bigger threat to public health than hard drugs such as heroin, a Sheffield researcher has said.
John Mooney, from Sheffield University's School of Health and Related Research, supports proposals to bring in regulations governing sugar – ranging from guidelines on packaging to a tax on fizzy drinks.
"Sugar isn't as intrinsically dangerous as heroin, but it's to do with the level of population exposure," said John.
"Just about everyone takes sugar. It stimulates the reward centre of the brain. Eventually over exposure will cause you to need more to get the same effect."
Studies have found sugar added in large amounts to foods as unlikely as canned soup, bread and low-fat yoghurt.
A high intake is known to be a major factor in contributing to lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes and obesity, which in turn can increase the risk of some cancers.
John said bringing in a 'traffic light' system on packaging would likely cause firms to change their recipes.
"They would chase green labels by reformulating products," he said. "If we reduced levels of sugar across the board, people probably wouldn't notice."
John gave a talk as part of the university's Life Festival, a week-long series of health events and activities.


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The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com
The thing about the internet in general and twitter in particular is that it turns us all into amateur comedians. And rightfully so. Can you imagine a twitter TL or a blog that treated every single subject with somberness and gravitas. In hip-hop lately though there has been a serious lack of LOLz. That Rick Ross controversy on the heels of Lil Wayne's hospitalization have dominated the headlines and brought out all the humorless, dour naysayers, that rear their ugly heads to declare hip-hop dead every two or three years. Nobody wants to stand next to "that guy" at a party seriously. So when something obviously hilarious happens. It gets tweeted, retweeted, instagrammed, blogged and meme'd to death.
Comedy, like hip-hop, is an artform that many amateurs are now attempting because of stunning advances in technology that are destroying the barriers for entry. You don't even have to know photoshop to create a meme. JoJo Simmons is now the butt of the jokes. It's extremely easy to laugh at him though. We've been doing it for years. I'm not saying it's fair. I'm not saying its right. But its true. When your father is a hip-hop legend your struggle raps are bound to be met with derision. With the exception of Cory Gunz we don't really like the kids of rappers when they rap. That's just the way it is.
What adds to the humor for many people is that JoJo's little brother Diggy Simmons, whose hip-hop aspirations weren't really chronicled on the reality show Run's House the same way JoJo's were, became a successful artist in his own right last year (albeit for the teeny bopper set). Diggy's career only revived the sneers of those who point at JoJo and laugh. Those people may properly be referred to as haters. (Someone on twitter remarked that JoJo was the black Meg Griffin) They probably can't even fully articulate what they don't like about JoJo they just know they don't like him.
While I've never personally been able to tolerate JoJo's music long enough to determine if he's posturing about things we know he never experienced I do have a retort for people who don't like him based on that. We don't begrudge Run of Run-DMC his success so why should we begrudge his son who is the by-product of that success. Imagine yourself in a situation where you work yourself into multi-millionaire status. You can afford to give your kids everything you had to struggle for. You can shield them from the horrors of the hood without completely disconnecting them from their roots. Why wouldn't you? Sure your kids might be a little "cornier" than those who came up poor, hungry, and desperate. He may not have the same street sensibilities as those kids who had to navigate the concrete jungle with a latch key while pops was absent and mom's pulled a double shift cleaning toilets at the old folks home just to keep food on the table. But those situations while "character building" are not the ideal we should be striving towards.
JoJo and his family have all been extremely blessed. Rev Run and his brother Russell Simmons both became titans in hip-hop. JoJo probably will never be taken seriously as a rapper. And maybe someone should have sat him down and explained the harsh reality. As long as you are the child of Rev Run and the nephew of Russell Simmons any moves you make in hip-hop will ultimately be compared to those twin pillars of innovation. And those shadows are almost impossible to emerge from. Diggy's ascent was largely due to his target market and the posture he assumed. (And a little talent certainly didn't hurt). Nobody wants to quit or admit defeat. But it's hard to fight a battle you've already won by default. So what as a Rich Kid does JoJo do? Disses Juelz Santana.
Rapper Kids who Rap have this extra burden. Hip-hop more than anything else treats respect like currency to be banked, spent, or stolen. Run's House turned the Simmons children into celebrities. Hip-hop artists love to use celebrity names in their rhymes as punchlines. How many Miley Cyrus, Nene Leakes, or Paris Hilton references have you heard today? It's getting close to the thousands. JoJo Simmons by virtue of reality TV has become no more significant or worthy or respect than a pre- Kanye West Kim Kardashian. ( Watch the Kardashian references dry up from those emcees hoping for a G.O.O.D. music deal). So when an emcee like say.. Juelz Santana uses JoJo Simmons name in a verse how does JoJo react. It's a Catch-22 for him because he aspires to be respected within the world of hip-hop. Would any emcee worth his salt tolerate a negative name reference or thinly veiled diss aimed at them on wax? Certainly not. JoJo's status as Rich Kid doesn't protect him from those standards if he truly aspires to rhyme. So he thinks he has to retaliate and records a diss record.
But a wise man once said "Take twice as much choosing your enemies as you do your friends". (or did I just make that up). You see JoJo was under the false impression that he was playing the same game as Juelz Santana. I for one would never make that assumption for this simple fact. Juelz hasn't dropped an album since 2005. So A) He's Still Good after an 8 year hiatus and thus gets money in ways that can't be publicized or B) He's hungry as hell and will destroy you to avoid being the guy who got dissed by JoJo Simmons and didn't smack the shit out of him.
When JoJo grows up a little he'll realize this whole incident, the diss records, the instagramming, that damnable youtube clip he just released, could have been and should have been avoided. There are plenty of fields that require no street cred. As a rich kid uniquely positioned to take advantage of life's opportunities JoJo could have went to Yale got straight C's and been the George W. Bush of Black Presidents. (We won't truly arrive until mediocre Blacks succeed). Instead we get this double dose of insult. Whereby we root for a bully and laugh at a square, making us look like the equivalent of the kids in an 80's movie laughing at the nerd when the captain of the football team knocks the lunch tray out of his hand.
I'm going to try to change that. While I won't promise that I'll stop laughing immediately. I am going to wish much success to all the black men involved in this debacle. I hope Juelz Santana's music is great enough to make us forget this. And I hope that JoJo reinvents himself in a way that allows him to shine without cashing in on his family name.
E. Knight lives in Philadelphia. Check out his blog boxingwithgod.com. Read more of his AHH Blogs HERE. If you would like to write for AHH here's how.


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Today's feature is all about the Grim Reaper–and how one young lady, Ana Maria, becomes his apprentice. That's a job that I probably couldn't handle–but Ana Maria is thrust into the position when she loses her parents and siblings in a car accident. Could she truly serve under Grim knowing it's the only way to save the souls of her family members? Can she even trust him?
Cecilia Robert's Reaper's Novice is a thrilling fantasy that's sure to entertain. All of the details are below, so check 'em out!
Book Description
17- year- old Ana Maria Tei's life has always been perfect: loving parents, good grades, and a future so bright it outshone the sun. But now words like "separation" and "divorce" are sending her world plummeting to hell. Determined to keep her family intact, Ana plans a family-bonding trip from Vienna to Tuscany. Except fate has other plans. Ana's parents and siblings are killed in a car accident on their way to pick Ana up from school.
Enter Grim, aka Ernest. He promises to relinquish the four souls if Ana agrees to trade her soul for theirs and serve a lifetime as his novice. In order for Ana to graduate from her Reaper's Novice station to a Soul Collector graduate, Grim puts her to test. To her horror, she finds out becoming a Reaper's Novice didn't happen by chance. It was preordained, and she is forced to make a choice: save her family's souls or come to terms with who she really is and complete the task set for her.
Find The Reaper's Novice @Amazon
Visit Cecilia's Blog
Tweet with Cecilia
LIKE Cecilia's Facebook Page


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Ready to be real (estate).
Dear readers:
I've been a little quieter than usual, wouldn't you say? I like to maintain my posting status to at least four times a week. However, this week–for me–has been the culmination of several months of hard work.
But, I have this to prove it.
I am legal to participate in real estate dealings, due to the fact that I passed the Oklahoma Real Estate Exam.
Watch out, world. I'm coming to get ya.


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Vogue's ultimate Christmas gift guide: the homemaker edit
Hugh Stewart print, $950.
Christian Tortu candle set, from Saison, $129.95.
Smythson notebook, from Net-a-Porter, $70.
Le Jacquard tablecloth, from Outdoors on Parade, $695.
Avalon throw, from Hermes, $1,640.
Black Truffle Oil, from Simon Johnson, $28.60.
Annabel Trends Teatowel, from Peters of Kensington, $13.
Alessi kettle, from Peter's of Kensington, $247.
Riedel decanter, from Peter's of Kensington, $359.
Nougat, from Simon Johnson, $30.50.
Wedgwood bowl, from Peter's of Kensington, $56.
The Garden Book, from Phaidon, $35.
My Barcelona Kitchen, from Dymocks, $45.
Glasshouse 'Night before Christmas' candle, from Candelabra, $42.95.
The Cookbook by Philosophy, from David Jones, $49.
Laguiole steak set (12pce), from Peters of Kensington, $94.
Aesop hand wash 500ml, from Adore Beauty, $39.
Hermes drawer liners, $65.


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2015-09-08 12:07:51.0
Volkswagen is a well known name in the global car market, and at the Auto Expo 2012, the company made its presence felt by uneviling the revamped version of its Volkswagen Beetle hatch. Volkswagen has worked its heart out at this new car and made it look splendid, sleek and stylish. It might look small in size, but on the inside the car offers ample of room for the passengers and the luggage could be fit in with ease and comfort. The new Volkswagen Beetle will soon be launched in India.
It will help us serve you better content and best deals


text:
Eco Sketchbook Landscape
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Recycled cartridge paper in a hardback ringbound cover. Acid-free, chlorine-free. Sized for extra wet strength. 50 sheets. 130gsm.


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"I also had my tubal when I was 27. I regretted every bit of it. I am 40 yrs old and in my 2nd marriage, my husband and I really don't plan to have a baby because we both have two sets of children! But I still feel guilty for having the t..."
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Perfectly Imperfect Hinge Wallet
Keep your essential cards and cash organized in style! This lovely hinged wallet features a [pretty in pink image of tree lined mountains with the message "Perfectly Imperfect" printed in glittering gold at the front and back.
- Measures 4 in. high x 7 in. wide
- Press-and-release lock closure
- ID sleeve, credit card sleeves, pocket and zip compartment
- Woven vinyl interior
- Man-made materials
- Imported


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13 Sep
Unrivalled Traits Of An Impeccable Event Planner!
Do you know what it takes to be a great event planner?
Not just patience or organization or creativity. There's so much more than this because event management today, demands high professional standards from event experts.
In order to be a great event planner in today's era, you need to possess or inculcate certain personality traits and professional aptitudes.


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Victoria Ballet Theatre leaps toward new season (video)
Aug. 28, 2012 at 3:28 a.m.
Updated Aug. 29, 2012 at 3:29 a.m.
Dancers exude grace and agility as they practice at the Victoria Ballet Theatre.
"It's like training for the Olympics. You need that kind of focus," said Brenda Serrata Tally, artistic director.
Membership in the Victoria dance company has leaped from 40 to 60 members for the 2012-13 season.
Tally said the young ladies and gentlemen serve as exemplary ambassadors for the troupe as well as the community. Their drive and positive attitudes transcend beyond the center stage.
Some of the new dancers have joined based on their experience with the members, she added.
The company is made up of dancers ages 10 through adult. Dancers are divided into one of four groups based on skills and ages from junior apprentice to senior company. Upper level dancers train daily and rehearse on the weekend.
This motivated ensemble keeps on the ball preparing for the productions.
They have begun preparing for this season's performances
Artistic Director Dominic Walsh will work with the dancers on Sept. 28 and 29 to help choreograph an original piece for them.
Tally said she's excited to have the Houston-based dancer work with them.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our dancers to work with a choreographer of his caliber," she said.
Walsh's dance theater will visit Victoria on Nov. 3 for a concert.
Other performances include "The Nutcracker," on Dec. 6-9 and the Spring Gala, "Don Quixote Suite" on March 23.
Community and city support gives the members and supporters the opportunity to be exposed to acclaimed professionals, Tally said.
The group was allocated $67,565 in hotel occupancy tax funds by the city council for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
To help prepare for the season, internationally known choreographers Deanna Carter and Susan Trevino worked with the dancers in early August.
Carter, an assistant professor at the University of Iowa, has trained with dance companies in Europe and Mexico.
Trevino and her husband have been the co-directors of The Joffrey Workshop in San Antonio since 1978.
Her tour credits include the involvement with more than 100 original works and various theater productions throughout the United States, Canada and Japan.
"They are a wonderful group of kids who love to dance," Trevino said.
Dancer Haley Grantland described the visiting choreographer as helpful and entertaining.
"I like her sense of humor," Haley said.
The 12-year-old Industrial student said the rehearsals allow her to learn and spend time with friends.
Paisley Humpert, 11, said she creates new goals to keep improving her skills.
"I try to think of the good and get there," she said.
Tally, who studied with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, encourages the students to develop their skills through practice.
She compared the dancers to human instruments who need fine-tuning.
"It's not about where you begin, but where you land when you take the journey," Tally said.


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Pew Asks: Is President Obama Anti-Religion?
Despite what you may have been hearing from the right, the majority of Americans don't perceive President Obama as hostile toward religion. At least, that's what a new poll from Pew Research suggests:
Opinions about whether the Obama administration is friendly toward religion have shifted modestly since 2009. Currently, 39% say the administration is friendly to religion, 32% say it is neutral and 23% say it is unfriendly. The balance of opinion was comparable in August 2009, although somewhat fewer (17%) said the administration was unfriendly to religion.
However, there has been a noticeable shift in opinions among white Catholics, perhaps reflecting effects from the controversy over the administration's policies on contraception coverage. The percentage of white Catholics who say the administration is unfriendly to religion has nearly doubled — from 17% to 31% — since 2009.
There are some other interesting results, too — 54% believe the GOP is friendly to religion, and only 35% say that about the Democratic Party. But 51% also believe that religious conservatives have too much control over the GOP. Only 41% believe that secular liberals have too much control over the Democrats. Not only that, but 46% of Democrats, 42% of Independents, and even 24% of Republicans say they're uncomfortable with the amount of current religious talk from politicians.
So even while the Republicans are perceived as defenders of religious values, about half of Americans think they're a little too defensive – even a quarter of Republicans themselves. This is good news – it goes to show that the backlash against President Obama's contraceptive policy is not widespread among most voters.
There's a lot to this study – too much to break down in a single blog post. This study explores the theme of religion in politics in much more detail, comparing attitudes to past years, so you can see the changes over time. It's fascinating stuff. You can find out more about Pew's findings on their website.
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Photo credit: photosteve101