text:
Think Mom's same old Thanksgiving mashed potatoes are boring? Jejune? Predictable?
Debbie Lee's are anything but. And they all started with a happy accident.
Lee is the owner and operator of the Los Angeles-based Korean-American restaurant Ahn Joo, and the author of Seoultown Kitchen: Korean Pub Grub To Share With Family And Friends. While Korean by heritage, Lee didn't grow up eating traditional Korean foods.
"When my parents came over here in the early '60s from Korea after the war, they planted in Jackson, Miss. My mother was too young at the time to really develop the understanding of cooking Korean food, so what she learned how to make was good ol' Southern food," says Lee.
"Mom would do everything from standard giblet gravy to some buttermilk mashed potatoes to sweet potato pie" for Thanksgiving.
But Lee's grandmother would bring a jar of kimchi — a Korean spicy pickle, usually cabbage, to Thanksgiving every year. And Lee had to put some on her plate, to be polite.
"For some reason I would follow my brother's suit, and so Robbie would put it right next to his mashed potatoes and I'd do the same, so the juice from the kimchi would end up going to the mashed potatoes, and I'd start stirring it. Hence where I sort of developed the recipe for my kimchi smashed potatoes," she says.
Lee's recipe has been a bit "doctored up" as she's grown up, she tells All Things Considered host Melissa Block. She now uses kimchi along with a combination of sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, garlic and onion boiled in milk and chicken broth. Lee says when she serves her kimchi smashed potatoes to friends, they just about go crazy for it.
But make no mistake, Lee says; it all started as "an accident of the melding of flavors on your plate."
Now Lee gives her Thanksgiving table an Asian twist on purpose.
What got us most excited was her description of her Fuji Apple Egg Rolls — her take on McDonald's apple pie, twice fried and served with a ginger mascarpone cream.
"It's essence of an apple pie, but what's great, too, is that if you're having a lot of people over, you can slice them in half, everybody can get a piece, and they're really easy to make ahead of time, put them in the freezer, take them out, and then bake them off afterwards."
You had us at "twice fried."
To hear the whole conversation with Lee, click on the audio link above. Below are some of the Korean-American mashup recipes she shared with us.
Kimchi Smashed Potatoes
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered
1/2 pound carrots, peeled, quartered
1 yellow onion, cut in large dice
3-4 garlic cloves
1 quart chicken broth
1 quart milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 pound butter, unsalted, cut into cubes
1 cup heavy cream, warm
2 cups kimchi, drained and cut into small dice
1. Boil potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic in chicken broth and milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain well.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add butter, cream, and potato mixture. Smash well.
3. Add kimchi and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
Yield: 8-10 portions
Fuji Apple Egg Rolls
3 Fuji apples, large, peeled, diced into 1/4 inch
1/4 pound butter, unsalted
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 large egg
1 package egg roll wrappers
1 tablespoon cold water
Shortening for deep frying
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 additional teaspoon cinnamon, ground (for garnish)
1. In a large skillet, melt butter on low heat. Do not let butter burn.
2. Once butter is melted add brown sugar. Whisk well until sugar has completely melted.
3. Toss in apples and let simmer for a few minutes, making sure to stir constantly.
4. Remove from heat, add cinnamon and fold in to incorporate.
5. Spread mixture onto a sheet tray and let cool down in refrigerator.
6. Once mixture is cool, drain mixture in a fine mesh colander so that excess liquid drains well. Mix egg with cold water in a small bowl to make egg wash.
7. Assemble egg rolls by using 1 1/2 tablespoons of mixture in each wrapper and roll like you would an eggroll. Seal with egg wash.
8. In a deep pot or fryer, heat shortening to 300 degrees. Fry egg rolls until golden brown.
9. Combine powdered sugar and additional teaspoon of cinnamon well in a shaker. Dust egg rolls and serve immediately.
Yield: 12-14 egg rolls
You can also par fry and then freeze to use at a later time. Reheat at 350 degrees on a sheet tray for 5-6 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Serve with Ginger Mascarpone Cream.
Ginger Mascarpone Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar, granulated
1 piece ginger root, peeled, 1 inch slice
3 tablespoons Canton (ginger liqueur)
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1. In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except mascarpone cheese
2. Allow to steep for about 15 minutes. Remove and cool down immediately.
3. Using an electric hand mixer, whisk together cream mixture and mascarpone cheese until light and fluffy.
4. Place in serving bowl and serve immediately.
From turkey now on to the rest of the Thanksgiving table. We're going to get some ideas today from Chef Debbie Lee. She owns the restaurant Ahn Joo in Los Angeles. She's Korean-American. Her parents immigrated to the States after the Korean War and settled in Jackson, Mississippi. And the food Debbie ate growing up was not Korean. It was Southern soul.
DEBBIE LEE: Giblet gravy, you know, buttermilk mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie, fried bird.
BLOCK: Authentic Korean food didn't even make it onto the family dinner table until her grandparents started visiting for the holidays.
LEE: I finally remember my grandmother brought a big old, you know, jar of kimchi. I'm like, what is that?
BLOCK: You didn't even know.
LEE: Well, I knew of it, but I wasn't, like, crazy about eating it because it just wasn't in, you know, our regular diet. You had to put it somewhere on your plate. And for some reason, my - I would follow my brother's suit. And so Robbie would put it right next to his mashed potatoes, and I'd do the same. And so the juice from the kimchi would end up going in the mashed potatoes, and I'd start stirring it, hence where I sort of developed the recipe for my kimchi smashed potatoes. So make no mistake. It was sort of an accident of the melding of flavors on your plate.
BLOCK: Well, let's explain kimchi here, just a little bit, Debbie. It's a Korean staple. And it has to do with cabbage, picked cabbage?
LEE: Yes. Yeah. Yes. The standard one is baechu, which is a cabbage kimchi made of Napa cabbage. However, kimchi is anything that you pickle and ferment with chilies and garlic and, you know, of course, the fish agent. There's like over, I think, like, 1,000 variations of kimchi.
BLOCK: So that's evolved into kimchi smashed potatoes.
LEE: Yes. Of course, I've doctored it up a little bit. It's part sweet potatoes, regular russets and, you know, garlic and onion that you boil with some milk and chicken broth, because my mom always used to actually boil her potatoes in milk. Of course, I add a little chicken stock, and then, you know, you just basically follow with some heavy cream, some butter and a lot of chopped kimchi. And you got yourself some really incredible unique potatoes for the holidays.
BLOCK: So it's rich and spicy at the same time.
LEE: Yes. Actually, the spice and the acid from the kimchi is a really nice balance of the richness of the potatoes. So I personally think it's great. And, you know, a lot of times, when I'm just having people over the last minute and doing, you know, whether it's pork chops or a steak, I just serve it as a side, and people go crazy over it.
BLOCK: Well, Debbie, where else does your Korean heritage appear at Thanksgiving?
LEE: Oh, well, we go through appetizers because, you know, there's a whole process with my family in Thanksgiving. You know, mom wakes up at 8. She starts putting the turkey in, but it has to cook really nice and slow. And so during that time, of course, you know, everybody's smelling the turkey, so they're getting hungry. Dad and my brother are watching sports, and whoever else comes over. So we've got to have snacks.
So one thing that my mom used to love to make when I was a kid in the '70s was rumaki, scallop-wrapped with bacon. And what I did is I actually took what my grandma used to give me as a treat, which was bacon-wrapped rice cakes that I actually serve at my restaurant. But it's always, you know, the annual infamous appetizer that I serve before we have a meal. I also think bacon is a great way to sort of get your taste buds going, get you excited about eating.
BLOCK: Bacon's good for just about everything as well as I can tell.
LEE: I completely agree.
LEE: Everything's better with bacon.
BLOCK: When you're talking about rice cakes here, you're not talking about those discs that come in the plastic bag that you...
LEE: No, no.
BLOCK: ...(unintelligible) for a while.
LEE: Yeah, no. These are completely the opposite. Think of basically enoki made of rice. It's a dumpling. But what makes these, you know, rice cake skewers so unique is they're so easy to make, and it's a matter of you just grilling like you would grill a bacon, you know, on a fry pan. And when you bite into them, you get this crispy, smoky texture and the chilliness of the rice cake, which is basically our version of a rice enoki.
BLOCK: What about for dessert, Debbie?
LEE: You'll always see some of my Fuji apple egg rolls at the table. It's my take on the fried apple pie. I was a little upset when McDonald's decided to be baking their pies.
LEE: Well, that's no fun. It's healthy now. So I basically make a mix of Fuji apples with some butter and brown sugar and spices, and I roll it up, and I twice fried it in an egg roll wrapper, and then I serve it with a ginger mascarpone cream. So, you know, it's the essence of an apple pie. But what's great, too, is if you're having a lot of people over, you can slice them in half, everybody can get a piece. And, you know, they're really easy to make ahead of time, put in the freezer and then take them out and bake them off afterwards.
BLOCK: Yum.
LEE: Yeah. We eat well at the Lee house.
BLOCK: Well, Debbie Lee, happy Thanksgiving. Thanks so much for sharing your recipes with us.
LEE: Thank you very much for having me.
BLOCK: That's Chef Debbie Lee. Her latest cookbook is "Seoultown Kitchen." That's Seoul, S-E-O-U-L. Audie, tempted by any of those recipes?
I'm totally won over by this rice cake plan.
BLOCK: OK. Well, we don't have that recipe on our food blog, The Salt, but we have two other ones: the recipes for kimchi smashed potatoes and Fuji apple egg rolls. And tomorrow, Chef Jose Garces shares how he brings the taste of Latin America to his Thanksgiving table. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text: Chanukah is here! However, the festive excitement in the air may be mixed with worry and nerves for the dieters among us—or even those of us just watching our waistlines. With all the deep-fried donuts, oily latkes, Chanukah chocolate coins, and various other mouthwatering desserts and dishes awaiting us at our Chanukah parties (likely to be loaded with heavy cream, margarine, and everything else we've been so carefully avoiding), how on earth will we survive the temptation?

subset: commoncrawl


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--The Waco Kid, in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" (The attribution for the quote as published has been corrected in this text.)Chicago audiences thought Gene Wilder's line in that 1974 movie was hilarious.
There's a real good chance Jim Stafford, if he saw the film, didn't laugh at all.
And let's be clear about this: Whatever Jim Stafford is--singer, songwriter, comedian, businessman, husband and father--he is not a moron.
What we're dealing with is a cultural divide that, to a degree, defines Branson. And the amiable Stafford, a man from an "itty-bitty town in Arkansas" in his 16th season headlining at his own theater here, can articulate it as well as anybody.
"A while back," he said, sipping from a bottle of water in his dressing room, "somebody came by from, I think it was [a high-profile Eastern newspaper] and said, `I'm here to do a story on what's hip in Branson.'
"And I said, `Let me tell you . . .'--I wasn't trying to be sarcastic, but I said, `What's hip about New York City? What's hip about anything?'
"I said, `I just went to see a show there called `The Producers' . . . "
Quick note: "The Producers," like "Blazing Saddles" a Mel Brooks product, was a smash hit on Broadway and won a record 12 Tony awards. I saw it with the original stars, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, in Chicago. Most outrageously funny show I've ever seen. Back to Jim.
". . . and I said, `One of the first jokes I saw was the old "Walk this way" thing' . . . "
Another quick note: In Chicago, that line--Brooks borrowed it from another of his movies, "Young Frankenstein," and yes, it's an old joke--got a huge laugh. Back to Jim.
" . . . `and the blond with the big boobs and the guys with the funny outfits, and the oldest tiredest jokes I've ever heard in my life.' I mean, guys in Branson wouldn't do some of that stuff.
"But it was `hip' in New York. It was `cool,' I guess. And I thought to myself, `I don't know what it is.'"
There are 49 theaters in Branson, with two more in the works, and more than 100 shows. Contrary to impressions carried by most folks who have never been here, the shows aren't all variations of "Hee-Haw" and the Grand Ole Opry.
Ten years ago, according to Dan Lennon, vice president of marketing for the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, maybe 75 percent of the shows were country shows. "It's about 45 percent now," he said.
"I know there are some older acts here," Stafford said, "and there are some country acts, and it has a kind of a country feel about it, but there's more diversity here than people think.
"The Shanghai Circus is terrific. And we have magicians and we have a big band [Les Brown Jr., playing his dad's hits]--that's 20 pieces up there and real excellent musicians--and we have Cirque . . . "
And Andy Williams (sharing the stage with Petula Clark) and Shoji Tabuchi and Yakov Smirnoff (both do country, but not necessarily this one).
Speaking of magicians: David Copperfield is coming.
David Brenner didn't last here. (Neither, for other reasons, did Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash or Merle Haggard.) "The Producers"--even with Garth Brooks as Max Bialystock--wouldn't work here at all.
"Presleys' Country Jubilee"--not those Presleys--has been on The Strip in Branson since 1967, longer than "Cats" did Broadway. "The Baldknobbers" have been there since '68. Andy Williams, on the same Strip that couldn't keep Wayne Newton, is in his 14th season in his own Moon River Theatre.
What do they have in common? Hard to figure.
How can a guy who loved both "Blazing Saddles" and "The Producers"--me--still look forward to every visit (this was my fourth) to Branson?
Some things defy explanation.
"There's a great commercial in England that kind of applies to this," said Stafford. "It was a beer commercial. Now, it sounds weird to compare a place like Branson to a beer commercial, but the beer commercial was this: `I haven't tried it, so I don't like it.'
"That might be how we might want to look at this town. `Don't dislike it until you tried it.'"
And after you try it, as the preacher said to the new sheriff in "Blazing Saddles":
"Son, you're on your own."


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stack the cards (against someone or something)(redirected from stacked the cards against one)
stack the cards (against someone or something)
To make surreptitious arrangements that result in an unfair advantage over someone or something else. (Likened to fixing a deck of playing cards in one's favor during a card game.) Of course, simply by virtue of his being the boss's son, Jeremy has stacked the cards against the rest of us for an early promotion. The mega corporation has been accused of trying to stack the cards with billions of dollars spent putting political pressure on members of congress.
stack the cards
If you stack the cards, you give someone or something an unfair advantage or disadvantage. The Government appears to have used the study in order to stack the cards in favour of a new runway at Heathrow. The current prime minister hates me! He stacks the cards against me. Note: A stacked deck of cards is one that has been altered before a game in order to give one player an advantage.


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'Justin Bieber: All Around the World' Part 1 Recap: Follow The Biebs During Norway Melee, Paris Concussion + More
The first of two installments of Justn Bieber's NBC special, 'Justin Bieber: All Around the World' aired last night (June 20), giving fans a keyhole view into The Biebs' crazy life leading up to the release of 'Believe.' We follow him in the studio, through the Norway melee and his show at Wembley in London, as well as his concussion in Paris. The picture above depicts The Biebs, post-concussion, where he's a bit wobbly. Through it all, though, there's a lot (and we do mean a lot) of screaming girls and chaos.
There's more interview footage with manager Scooter Braun and members of the team than there is with The Biebs himself, but it manages to shed light while shrouding him in mystery. Braun is incredibly respectful of the fans, and we see him interact with Beliebers as well.
In the early interview portion, JB explains his album title, saying "Believe in your dreams, believe in yourself." He also acknowledges his status as a teen heartthrob who makes girls faint. "I guess I am cool with being a heartthrob. I'm 18 so it's cool that a lot of girls like me," he says. Spoken like a typical teen.
Then we witness the full on spectacles — and that's putting it mildly — that follow him at every turn, with one of his handlers exacerbated by the fact that she has to swap hotels for him, since he can't get in and out safely. Girls are also waiting on live, active train tracks to get a glimpse of him, which is beyond dangerous and stupid.
He also meets with a wheelchair bound Belieber, espouses his love and smooches her, which is very sweet.
We also witness logistics, like the stress of the Norway show, which is nearly pushed, timewise, due to the panic and state of emergency Bieber's mere presence in the country caused. There is a performance of 'Never Say Never' in Norway, complete with fans who have his name scrawled on their foreheads.
Braun also serves to remind us that his charge is hard-working and dedicated — and that he wants to go hard, with no days off, all the while being chased, getting a massage, and coming down from the high of performing. Despite the chaos, we're reminded that The Biebs is still just a kid in an extraordinary situation. The teen even likens what he goes through to what Michael Jackson experienced.
Other fun stuff we witness? The Biebs stuck in an elevator and hanging out with famous friends.
The mid section of the episode is performance footage of 'Baby' at Wembley, as well as a full perf of Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Call Me Maybe.' Way to go, Biebs, getting your girl some mainstream network TV time.
He also performs acoustically on the rooftop in Paris, which is where he sustained that concussion. We see him looking woozy, post-impact. He also falls down the steps after hitting his head, and everyone is in a panic. Poor Biebs!
To be continued…
…however, watch another preview to tide you over until Part 2 airs tonite.
Watch 'Justin Bieber: All Around the World' Part 1


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Multi-Colored Cord with Silver Bead Bracelet by CLO&LOUDesigner: CLO&LOU
A harmony of colors and textures makes this bracelet that was handmade with stunning details in France standout and unique. The designer, Bénédicte, from the quaint seaside town of Cap Ferret (close to the Bordeaux region) works and reworks her designs until they are a perfect representation of fantasy, visual poetry and harmony. She employees master artisans in Bali to craft the intricate .925 silver elements of her pieces. Their work is so fine that these details look as if they are woven. We swoon over all of the delicate features of her work, and know you will too! Stack a couple of the bracelets together for an even more dramatic look!
- Combination of 3 beaded cords (cord has actual silver fleck woven into it), Adjustable from 2" to 3" in diameter
- .925 Sterling silver beads and embellishments handmade in Bali
- Designed by CLO&LOU
- Handmade in France
* The first additional picture is of the designer and creator, Bénédicte, and a symbol of one of her inspirations. The second is a pic of me during my first visit to Cap Ferret enjoying delicious fresh oysters and local white wine at the charming Le Bouchon restaurant next to the bay.


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Many people spend years playing their brass instruments and enjoying the fruits of our labor. However, many of these musicians have never seen what actually goes into the production of an instrument. While we enjoy giving tours of our factory, most customers never have the opportunity to travel to Elkhorn to see it for themselves. For them, we are providing the next best thing.
A series of video clips showing the most interesting steps in the manufacturing process. These clips are intended to give you a further appreciation of the craftsmanship that is poured into each and every Getzen instrument. You will see the skilled artisans of the Getzen crew as they transforms pieces of metal tube and sheet into some of the finest instruments available in the world today. Each video is fully downloadable and both entertaining and educational. Additional videos will be periodically added to the site so check back often for more.


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Preston pyre: Another car fire as a Yellow Cab burns
4 comments
Gasbag Self Ordained Expert February 10th, 2011 | 5:00pm
Oh shucks! Can't blame this one on improper fueling or static electrictricy.
Have to chalk this one up to worn or improper wiring. :)
Drive By February 10th, 2011 | 7:14pm
Someone left a freshly used crackpipe in the backseat, causing the fire. Got to get that burn on before court ordered region 10 yo.
Gasbag Self Ordained Expert February 12th, 2011 | 3:48pm
Another car burned up in Fashion Square Mall about 6:10 p.m. on Friday night.
Appeared as if the fire originated in the engine compartment somewhere.
James February 13th, 2011 | 8:36pm
Must have smelled like puke and old socks burning.


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Group Exercise ClassesThe USI group exercise program includes TRADITIONAL & SPECIALIZED classes.
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January 20 @ 8:30 am - 9:30 am
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HUDSON VALLEY — A new campaign has been launched to help women adopt healthy habits long before pregnancy.
HUDSON VALLEY — A new campaign has been launched to help women adopt healthy habits long before pregnancy.
The "Show Your Love" campaign, developed by the Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative in partnership with Maternal-Infant Services Network, stresses that by taking up healthy habits, women are showing love to their future babies and also to themselves, according to Caren Fairweather, MISN executive director.
"While most women know that improving their health once they become pregnant is important, many women don't know that improving their health before pregnancy is beneficial to them and their babies," said Fairweather.
She added, "Every woman needs to know that taking a few steps toward becoming healthier before pregnancy, such as working with her doctor to control and treat medical conditions, quitting smoking, and avoiding alcohol if trying to get pregnant, can bring a lifetime of benefits to her and her future babies. ... Even if you are not planning to have a baby in the near future, or you don't ever plan to have a baby, taking care of yourself is a great choice."
Members of the Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative represent national, state and local organizations, including MISN, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March of Dimes, National Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition, National Healthy Start Association, state health departments and local affiliates of national organizations.
"Show Your Love" materials are available free at misn-ny.org. For more information, call 800-453-4666.


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Mumbai's largest snow theme park has come to Mumbai's biggest mall!
Tired of stuffy humidity, high temperatures, and pollution? Escape the city to the pristine snowy landscapes of Switzerland! Plan a visit to the Snow Kingdom... Mumbai's largest snow theme park!
Three times the size of its closest competitor in Mumbai, Snow Kingdom is one of Asia's finest and Mumbai's largest full-fledged indoor snow theme park. As part of the attractions in R City Mall, Ghatkopar, it is not only centrally located but also easily accessible.
Snow Kingdom's sister concern in Chennai, Snow Kingdom, is India's largest snow theme park. Change your location setting to "CHENNAI" for more about Tamil Nadu's first full-fledged snow theme park!
With exciting snow rides and the space to experience winter in a real way, Snow Kingdom is a must-visit attraction which promises a unique brand of fun. For the whole family!
Points to be noted before you go:
Not included:
Shiver with Joy
Walk in from the tropical heat and humidity of aamchi Mumbai to the bracing cold of the Arctic... without the cost and hassle of travel! Winter gear keeps you cozy and comfortable even in the sub-zero temperatures, giving you a unique way to beat the heat!
Choose a side!
What's the joy in snow if there are no snowball fights?! In our spacious facility, you have the space to launch full-fledged snowball wars with your friends and family! The gloves we provide ensure your safety – as does the soft, clean snow.
Snow is in the air
Each snowflake is unique, they say. Well, now you can find out! At Snow Kingdom, experience soft, white, fresh, clean snow. Enjoy the authentic experience of winter.
Sleds and slides
Enjoy the cold rush of wind as you fly down the slope in your snow sleds and toboggans!
Adventure beckons
Want to know how it feels when you're scaling the Himalayas? Well, prepare for your mountaineering expedition by climbing our majestic Snow Mountain! With every safety measure in place, climb the rocky cliffs to wherever your imagination takes you!
Get your groove on!
Tired of the 'typical' snow attractions? Time to get your groove on! Dance with your friends to lively numbers belted out by our resident DJ, under sparkling disco lights. Everything looks more magical in the snow!
Say cheese!
Penguins. Seals. Igloos. Polar bears. Snowmen. Not to mention a rustic log hut! These props and sets make for perfect photographs. Instantly! Pose with these typical polar motifs to add an authentic twist to your snowy expedition!
Q: What are the timings of Snow Kingdom?
A: 11 am to 9 pm. Entry for the last session every day is at 8 pm.
Q: What are Snow Kingdom's days off?
A: None! We are open on all 365 days in the year, with 10 sessions of 1 hour each, daily.
Q: Do you provide snow gear?
A: Yes, we provide sterilized snow gear on a returnable basis (socks, shoes, jerkins, and gloves). This is included in the ticket cost.
Q: What is the duration of each session?
A: Each session gives you 45 minutes inside the snow area, and 15 minutes to adapt your body to the lower temperatures.
Q: Is there any additional cost involved after purchasing the ticket?
A: No additional cost is involved for rides inside Snow Kingdom. Photos ops with a professional camera are chargeable at Rs. 15,000/- per hour. Separate tickets at Rs. 250 must be purchased for DSLRs and digital cameras. There is no charge for smartphones. They are allowed into the snow area at the customer's own risk.
Q: Where is Snow Kingdom located?
A: Snow Kingdom is located on the second floor of R City Mall, Ghatkopar West, Mumbai.
Q: What is the age limit for kids in Snow Kingdom?
A: We recommend that children above two years of age visit Snow Kingdom.
Q: Are there any refreshment stalls inside?
A: We have Chennai's famous and traditional aromatic and refreshing coffee and lip-smacking short bites from Madras Coffee House.
Q: Are there any additional attractions at the Snow Kingdom premises?
A: Click Art Museum: India's First 3D Trick Art Museum is located alongside Snow Kingdom! Tickets can be purchased at our ticket counter. We are also located inside Mumbai's largest mall, and there are plenty of other things to do nearby!


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Obama worries state races not seen as 'sexy enough'
President Obama cautioned the party faithful on Thursday not to overlook state-level midterm elections, which he lamented are not viewed as "sexy enough."
"We know how to win national elections, but all too often, it's during these midterms where we end up getting ourselves into trouble, because I guess we don't think it's sexy enough," Obama said at a Democratic Governors Association fundraising dinner. "If there's one message that I want to deliver today to every Democrat and every person who's interested in supporting Democratic policies, is that you've got to pay attention to the states."
Obama's comments come as his own former political strategist, David Axelrod, has cautioned that Democrats are too focused on the 2016 presidential race, when conservative outside groups are plowing millions of dollars into midterm races with hopes of helping Republicans win control of the Senate and House.
Democrats hold a 55-45 voting majority in the upper chamber. But 21 Democratic-controlled seats are up in 2016 compared to 15 for the Republicans.
There are also 36 gubernatorial races this year in which Republicans are defending in 22 contests.
Obama, who along with Vice President Biden is meeting again on Friday with Democratic governors, said it's crucial for Democrats to keep focused ahead of November.
"The challenge we have sometimes in politics is that the national politicians and the national races get all the attention," Obama told the governors. " But so often, the action -- how our policies are actually impacting our constituents day to day -- are being determined by governors and state legislatures. "


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ROCHESTER — The following items are based on 927 entries on the Rochester Police Log from April 21 to 27:
Sunday, April 21
2:03 a.m. — Bryan J. Anderson, 23, of 41 Don Whittum Road, Apt. CBU58, East Wakefield, is charged with DWI, drug possession, driving after suspension and transportation of alcoholic beverages on Milton Road.
2:20 a.m. — Joan H. Cook, 43, of 133 Oak Hill Rod, Apt. B0, Lebanon, Maine, is charged with criminal trespass.
6:56 a.m. — A debit card is found at Citizens Bank.
8:36 a.m. — David Rowe, 30, of 24B Lafayette St., is charged with stalking
8:40 a.m. — Police investigate the report of a gentleman yelling at two ladies and dumping a coffee over one of their heads. Jason Dawson, 30, of 69B Congress St., is charged with simple assault, criminal mischief and drug possession.
10:30 a.m. — A wallet is found near the high school.
11:32 a.m. — In the station lobby, someone wants to "drop off" ammo. Laying it down gingerly might be a better plan.
12:27 p.m. — Ashley Barkas, 19, of 29 Goding Road, Lebanon, Maine, is charged with shoplifting at Walgreens.
5:19 p.m. — A raccoon is hanging around Copeland Drive.
5:46 p.m. — Several people appear to be making small explosions and blowing things up in a dirt lot. A homeowner explains he is disposing of fireworks.
5:57 p.m. — There's banging and blaring on Lafayette Street.
6:09 p.m. — There's a skunk in a Charles Street yard with its mouth hanging open. It could be rabid or just very surprised.
6:11 p.m. — Haley Piche, 19, of 178 Wipple Road, Kittery, Maine, and Jessica M. Chamberlain, 33, of 7A Sarah Court, are charged with willful concealment at Kohl's.
9:27 p.m. — Someone doing construction on Jamey Drive is bugging neighbors because of the hour.
Monday, April 22
12:04 a.m. — Loud music has been "going on for months" in Amazon Park.
1:28 a.m. — Coty Joseph Wallace, 21, of 25 Jackson St., is arrested on a warrant.
3:34 a.m. — Aaron Norman Nadeau, 33, of 30 School St., Berwick, Maine, is arrested on a warrant.
4:26 a.m. — A window has been smashed at the BP station on Hancock Street.
6:12 a.m. — Breanne Lynn Hassen, 18, of 35 Tabacco, Lebanon, Maine, is arrested on a bench warrant.
7:11 a.m. — Steel pieces have been stolen from an Airport Drive jobsite.
8:18 a.m. — Richard A. Martin, 25, of 51A Summer St., is charged with a parole violation; Desiree Ann Maloy, 22, of 18 Reagan Drive, is charged with alcoholism and taken into protective custody.
11:00 a.m. — There has been a theft at the high school.
11:20 a.m. — Steven Langlois, 20, of 8 Periwinkle Drive, is charged with theft.
12:58 p.m. — Kara Grant-Moore, 20, of 28 main St., Apt. 2, East Rochester is charged with willful concealment at Walmart.
1:36 p.m. — On Continental Boulevard a dog is dumping in a yard.
1:39 p.m. — On Reagan Drive and Jamey Drive there are more loose dogs, but only in one sense.
2:18 p.m. — A Highland Street man cleaning his property finds a gun in a bush.
3:44 p.m. — A Farmington Road woman reports the theft of $500 in loose change. A suspect is named.
4:20 p.m. — Holiday Inn Express asks police to help with removing a man from the premises.
5:05 p.m. — Scott Haskins, 19, of 31 Knight St., is charged with willful concealment and two counts of receiving stolen property.
7:43 p.m. — Paul D. Corbett, 54, of 179 Chestnut Hill Road, is charged with criminal mischief, obstructing the report of a crime or injury, criminal threatening and criminal mischief.
Tuesday, April 23
8:02 a.m. — A Pine Street man reports a theft from his locked room.
11:02 a.m. — A Portland Street woman who lends her purse to a friend discovers her meds are now missing.
11:07 a.m. — A no trespass order is served on a past shoplifter at Walgreens.
12:05 p.m. — A toter is taken from Court Street.
12:17 p.m. — Arthur's Market has "video evidence" of a theft involving at least $2,000.
1:07 p.m. — An iPhone stolen from a vehicle at Walgreens has been tracked.
2:45 p.m. — Donelle L. Smith, 22, of 560 Main St., Farmington, is charged with willful concealment at Walmart.
5:53 p.m. — Diana Foley, 26, of 314 Rochester Hill Road, is charged with driving after suspension, and arrested on two warrants, after a traffic stop on Maple Street.
5:53 p.m. — Lance A. Mercier, 29, of 21 Norway Plains Road, Apt. 11, is charged with five counts of violation of a protective order.
8:19 p.m. — A woman at the station says she has tracked her stolen phone to Royal Crest MHP.
11:26 p.m. — At Stop-N-Go a woman is robbed by a "heavy seat" man in a white shirt.
Wednesday, April 24
12:02 a.m. — After a traffic stop on Hancock Street, Carrie Coull, 37, of 36 Rochester St., Berwick, Maine, is arrested on a bench warrant; Dawud, N. Seagers, 34, of 208A Front St., Quakertown, Penn., is arrested on two bench warrants.
12:15 a.m. — A man flees a taxi on Pine Street, owing $27.
12:56 a.m. — Tanya Michelle Ouellette, 24, 18 Reagan Drive, Apt. 0, is charged with driving under the influence.
8:12 a.m. — Timothy H. Newlin, 19, of 8 Harrison Ave., is charged with theft and fraudulent use of credit card.
9:28 a.m. — Northgate Apartments' washing machines have been damaged and money stolen.
1:11 p.m. — Linda Keevan, 50, of 316 Wyandotte Falls, is arrested on a warrant.
1:43 p.m. — Fred Bridges, 47, of 762 Ten Rod Road, Farmington, is charged with possession/consumption of alcohol on city property.
1:45 p.m. — The Head Start fence has been vandalized.
2:14 p.m. — A generator has been vandalized on Gagne Street.
6:19 p.m. — Joshua A. Hunt, 26, of 31 Knight St., Apt. 1, is arrested on a warrant.
6:22 p.m. — Mary E. Purgiel, 49, of an unknown address in Rochester, is charged with criminal trespass. She is transported to jail.
6:36 p.m. — Desiree Ann Maloy, 22, of 18 Reagan Drive, is charged with willful concealment.
7:01 p.m. — Meds and a camera are missing from a South Main Street apartment.
8:35 p.m. — Squibs explode on Heaton Street. People scatter when police arrive.
10:46 p.m. — Door slammers give complaint on Sarah Court.
11:20 p.m. — After a traffic stop on South Main, Tammy Jean McCue, 43, of 844 Morrells Mill Road, North Berwick, Maine, is charged with driving after suspension, and drug possession, and is arrested on a warrant; Dana B. Doucette, 53, of 20 Pleasant Ave., Sanford, Maine, is arrested on a warrant.
11:34 p.m. — An elderly gentleman reports to dispatch that "he is the most powerful person in the world." He wants a new car, and to protect the president. He also asks dispatch to send someone to talk to him. Then he activates his emergency medical button, and is conveyed to Frisbie.
Thursday, April 25
6:24 a.m. — Coty Joseph Wallace, 21, of 25 Jackson St., is charged with willful concealment.
6:26 a.m. — Robert Leeroy Vanpolen, 44, of 58 Old Wakefield St., Milton, is charged with driving after suspension (subsequent) and driving without giving proof.
7:06 a.m. — A 17-year-old is arrested on a warrant.
8:17 a.m. — Ammo is handed in at the station.
10:30 a.m. — An uncontrolled guinea fowl on Milton Road is getting in people's yards, and their hair.
2:36 p.m. — A Pine Street resident reports her ID has been stolen.
2:46 p.m. — Tanya Michelle Ouellette, 24, of 18 Reagan Drive, Apt. 0, is charged with willful concealment and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
3:41 p.m. — Someone drives over a lawn on Winter Street lawn.
4:30 p.m. — A man tries to steal an item from Walgreens.
8:20 p.m. — Stephanie A. Garcia, 38, of 2 Townsend Lane, is arrested on a warrant.
9:24 p.m. — A chummy cocker spaniel is found on Weare Street and returned to its owner.
10:48 p.m. — Someone is trying to boot a door in on Academy Street.
Friday, April 26
6:48 a.m. — Donald Tetu, 42, of 45A Pine St., is charged with unsworn falsification.
7:01 a.m. — A door at George & Ed's has been smashed with a rock.
11:23 a.m. — A Wakefield Street vehicle has been damaged overnight.
12:54 p.m. — A Grove Street bike has been stolen.
1:25 p.m. — Kmart has a theft recorded on video.
2:22 p.m. — A Limestone Lane debit card has been stolen and used at Signal Street Variety.
3:48 p.m. — A fence on Pearl Street is damaged.
3:51 p.m. — Music crankers on Portland Street agree to keep it down.
5:06 p.m. — An Olde Farm Lane man's girlfriend's stepmother refuses to stop texting him.
5:39 p.m. — Matthew G. Wilson, 19, of 62 Main St., Gonic, is charged with criminal mischief.
5:57 p.m. — A purse has been stolen from an unlocked car on Farrington Street.
11:01 p.m. — At the Highland Street Cumby's someone grabs beer and flees.
11:26 p.m. — A vehicle provides loud music on Henry Drive.
Saturday, April 27
3:27 a.m. — Folks get an early start to fighting on Myrtle Street.
8:11 a.m. — A man wakes up and hears glass breaking, and so yon piece of wood he's taking which on a neighbor's window sat. The wood's now on the log. That's that.
9:03 a.m. — A GPS has been stolen from a Gooseberry Lane car.
9:13 a.m. — On Jamey Drive there are loud screams, two ladies falling out it seems, and now, it's said, they're "throwing clothes," but why dey do dat, no one knows.
10:36 a.m. — A new business on North Main Street has graffiti and urination on the walls.
12:30 p.m. — There also graffiti on walls and the street on Raab Lane.
1:30 p.m. — A purse has been stolen from an unlocked vehicle on Farrington Street.
1:55 p.m. — Douglas E. Heath, 33, of 14 Harrison Ave., is charged with shoplifting and arrested on a warrant.
3:37 p.m. — A man argues with a couple on the Square. They try to escape his orbit.
4:45 p.m. — A panhandler steps into traffic on South Main Street. Good luck with that.
4:51 p.m. — Gunshots ring out at the Fairground. An officer runs the serial number on a Hellcat handgun. It is secured and logged at the station.
5:30 p.m. — OHRVs scud up and down Leonard Street.
9:16 p.m. — On Lincoln Street, two men are "arguing about punching each other."
11:01 p.m. — Near Walgreens two guys argue, on their feet they are unsteady. "One male has a bloody eye from being punched already."


text:
JOB TITLE: Lab Assistant (Non-Technical)
LOCATION: Geisinger Medical Center Hospital
DEPARTMENT: Lab Medicine - Receiving and Processing
WORK SCHEDULE: Days/Evenings
WORK TYPE: Part Time
Assesses, accessions, and processes patient specimens in preparation for testing in the various sections of Laboratory Medicine.
Performs duties to support the goals and objectives of the Geisinger Health System in its efforts to provide quality patient care and patient satisfaction.
Works under the general supervision of the appropriate technical specialist or trainer and administrative direction of the appropriate Supervisor.
Demonstrates effective organizational and communication skills.
Demonstrates the ability to use a personal computer and appropriate system applications.
Demonstrates the ability to maintain a high level of productivity and accuracy to achieve rapid turnaround time of ordering, processing, and delivery of specimens to testing areas.
High School diploma or equivalent required.
Previous work in a clinical laboratory setting preferred.
Up to three months on the job to reach acceptable level of performance required.
Successful completion of initial and subsequent competency exams required.
Physical demands: Subject to exposure to infectious diseases and odorous specimens. May handle hazardous chemicals. Includes work assignments that are sedentary or require standing for long periods of time.
Protective equipment (as required by particular section): eye protection, face protection, lab coat, nonsterile medical gloves.
The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria considered necessary to successfully perform the job.
Everything we do is about caring for our patients, our members, our students, our Geisinger family and our communities. KINDNESS: We strive to treat everyone as we would hope to be treated ourselves. EXCELLENCE: We treasure colleagues who humbly strive for excellence. LEARNING: We share our knowledge with the best and brightest to better prepare the caregivers for tomorrow. INNOVATION: We constantly seek new and better ways to care for our patients, our members, our community, and the nation.
GML uses cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art information systems to provide laboratory services throughout central and northeast Pennsylvania. GML offers a wide range of routine and specialized testing in clinical and anatomic pathology.
We offer the resources of a national laboratory with the convenience and personalized attention of local service. We are dedicated to service excellence, teaching, accountability, respect and teamwork, and we offer many growth opportunities. Our laboratories are accredited by the College of American Pathologists and AABB.
One of the nation's most innovative health services organizations, Geisinger serves more than 1.5 million patients in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The system includes 13 hospital campuses, a nearly 600,000-member health plan, two research centers and the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Geisinger is known for its focus on caring and innovative programs including the ProvenCare® best-practice approach to maximize quality, safety and value; ProvenHealth Navigator® advanced medical home; Springboard Health® population health program to improve the health of an entire community; ProvenExperience™ to provide refunds to patients unhappy with their care experience; and Geisinger's MyCode® Community Health Initiative, the largest healthcare system-based precision health project in the world. With more than 215,000 volunteer participants enrolled, MyCode is conducting extensive research and returning medically actionable results to participants. A physician-led organization, with approximately 32,000 employees and more than 1,800 employed physicians, Geisinger leverages an estimated $12.7 billion positive annual impact on the Pennsylvania and New Jersey economies. Repeatedly recognized nationally for integration, quality and service, Geisinger has a long-standing commitment to patient care, medical education, research and community service. For more information, visit geisinger.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
** Does not qualify for J-1 waiver. We are an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer Women and Minorities are Encouraged to Apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability or their protected veteran status.
*Domestic partner benefits not applicable at Geisinger Holy Spirit.


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Burnt biomass causes short-term global cooling, long-term warming
What is the net effect on global temperature of the gases and particles produced when biomass is burned? That long-standing question in climate change has finally been answered, according to Mark Z. Jacobson, a Stanford associate professor of civil and environmental engineering. In a study published in the Aug. 1 Journal of Climate, he concludes that the particles cause short-term global cooling, but over decades the gases overwhelm this cooling effect to cause long-term global warming.
Scientific consensus is that global warming results from an atmospheric buildup of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide. Of the carbon dioxide that we humans contribute, roughly two-thirds is from the burning of fossil fuels and one-third is from the burning of biomass, such as forests, grasslands and agricultural crops.
But biomass burning also emits particles, many of which reflect light, causing cooling. Whereas previous studies, summarized in the comprehensive Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third Assessment Report, have examined instantaneous changes in heat radiation due to the gases and particles produced by biomass burning, no study has examined the combined effects of gases and particles on temperature or climate over time.
"The control of biomass burning, particularly during permanent deforestation, is a near-certain long-term method of slowing global warming, despite the particles," Jacobson says. "In the worst case, no net [temperature] change will occur."
Biomass is sometimes burned for fuel, as when people in villages burn dung to heat homes or cook meals. In a process called "open burning," biomass is also burned to clear land, rid debris from old crops or perform rituals. Of the three main types of open burning, 32 percent occurs in forests, 60 percent in grasslands and 8 percent in croplands. By far the most carbon is tied up in trees, so burning forests has a much larger effect on climate change than does burning grasses or crops.
Of forest burning, about 80 percent results in permanent deforestation -- meaning the land is now used for some other use, such as grazing, agriculture or buildings. The remaining 20 percent of trees are regrown. When forests are permanently replaced by other plant types -- shrubs, grasses, crops, all of which contain less carbon than do trees -- the carbon difference accumulates in the atmosphere. "The total carbon dioxide emission from permanent deforestation is on the order of 7 to 10 percent of global fossil-fuel-carbon-dioxide emission," Jacobson says.
Jacobson's calculations used a model honed over 14 years and emission data from a variety of sources. He is an author of two textbooks -- Fundamentals of Atmospheric Modeling (Cambridge University Press, 1999) and Atmospheric Pollution: History, Science, and Regulation (Cambridge University Press, 2002).
Another finding of Jacobson's study is that biomass, including biofuel, is not a completely "renewable" source of energy, as many biofuel industry advocates suggest. Many people mistakenly think that when oils from soy or ethanol from corn, for example, are burned as fuel, no net carbon is added to the atmosphere because carbon from the atmosphere is required to grow the fuel. But that's not the case, Jacobson says. "Because of the time lag between burning and full regrowth, burning always results in a net accumulation of carbon."
Atmospheric carbon accumulation is greatest during forest burning and regrowth. For example, about 70 percent of a forest may regrow in, say, 25 years, but it may take 100 to 200 years for full recovery. During that period, about 20 times more carbon than is emitted annually can accumulate in the atmosphere, enhancing global warming, Jacobson says.
"The regrowth times of agricultural land and savannahs, which are one to nine years, are much shorter than are those of forests," Jacobson explains. "So the accumulation is smaller in those cases. Nevertheless, any type of burning together with regrowth results in a net accumulation of carbon dioxide."
Eliminating all biomass burning would reduce the global average temperature by 0 to 0.2 degrees F over 100 years, which is comparable to the increase in global temperature of 0.6 to 0.7 degrees F since pre-industrial times, Jacobson says. Reducing permanent deforestation, especially in tropical regions of Africa and South America, would be the most effective means of reducing the effects of biomass burning.
Jacobson says his study lays to rest a long debate about whether forest burning results in more cooling, due to particles produced, or more warming, due to gases emitted.
"With this information, policymakers are on firmer ground when they consider control of biomass burning," he says. "Such control is also beneficial from a public health point of view, since the particles from biomass burning are health hazards."
The next steps in Jacobson's research include refining the model in response to updated emission inventories and new knowledge of physical processes, and examining related issues, such as the effects of power plants and vehicles on climate.
Jacobson's research was supported by grants from NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Hewlett-Packard Company.


text:
Countrywide Visas is primarily an immigration advisory company that offers consultation for worldwide immigration options.
Countrywide Visas does not charge a client for job, placement or a recruitment fee.
Countrywide Visas only charges for consulting services for Immigration advice.
Countrywide Visas does not have any branches in Bathinda, Ludhiana and across Punjab.
Countrywide Visa's has a very smooth and effective process to get you exactly what you are looking for with the affordable fees being taken after the assisting you over an application. We consider ourselves to be a very professional company that delivers exactly what we say, we with a small fee for our services compared to most immigration agencies.
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+91-7042592446 / +91-7042390774


text:
As part of the conference this year, we're trying something new. Instead of holding just traditional speaker-and-audience sessions, we're also creating a handful of 50-minute round-table conversations that you can join. But space is limited! We're signing on an appealing list of Web 2.0 experts, each of whom will introduce a topic and then facilitate a discussion for up to 30 people—which is all the room holds. If you get into one of these sessions, you'll be expected to lean in and join the conversation, not just sit back and listen. We'll announce the moderators and specific topics in the coming weeks.
Due to limited space, these sessions will be first-come, first-serve. Please plan accordingly.
Ally Parker
Kaitlin Pike
(415) 947-6306
View a complete list of Web 2.0 Expo contacts.


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Everyone has their favorite movies, and I'm no different. The picks below may or may not be classified as the "greatest" films of all time, but they are films I enjoy returning to again and again. I believe that the best movies are the ones we never tire of, but learn from and enjoy over and over.
This list is by no means complete, and I may change it from time to time. It is always a challenge to work within confining parameters, but these confines force creativity and thought. So here they are presented in no particular order:
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
One of several Spielberg masterpieces that could be listed here, Saving Private Ryan is an outstanding technical acheivement, and gut-wrenching visceral experience. The devastation of war has never been more graphic or touching. Tom Hanks leads a team into occupied France to retrieve the last brother of four left alive after D-day. Fine performances match the intensity of the visuals, leading up to a great ending so understated in comparison to all the violence that preceeded it, yet no less powerful.
Memento (2000)
A fascinating excursion into the damaged mind of its protagonist (a guy with no short-term memory searching for his late wife's killer), Memento is best known for its unconventional non-linear structure. One timeline moves forward, then skips back to the scene before it, while the other is a fragmented flashback. It's a credit to writer/director Christopher Nolan that he makes all of this pretty easy to grasp, while intriguing and surprising along the way. Awesome and disturbing.
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The best of all the Star Wars films, Empire maintains and deepens the tone set by the original. A fantastic script develops all the relationships (and has a lot of fun with the Han/Leia sexual tension), culminating with one of the most unexpected turns in cinema history. The effects still hold up well, and one of the aliens who was actually a puppet, became one of the most identifiable characters ever on screen. A cliffhanger ending had audiences waiting three years for the next installment.
The Spanish Prisoner (1997)
A strange, understated and vague noir, The Spanish Prisoner is only identifiable as a David Mamet film by his usual quirky, poetic (yet PG rated!) dialogue. Campbell Scott plays the creator of "the process" (which is never revealed) who is duped by a group of con men led by Steve Martin (!). Rebecca Pidgeon plays the femme fatale role (check out the super-subtle seduction scene) in a very unusual, laid back sort of way. Watch this and decide for yourself--is this the real world or a parallel universe?
Run Lola Run/Lola Rennt (1998)
My favorite foreign film, Run Lola Run is a fun, energetic trip into the results of different choices. If you could change a critical decision in your day, how would it affect the outcome? Lola (Franke Potente) gets this chance when her knuckleheaded boyfriend loses a shipment of diamonds and is marked for death. Set to a great techno score, Run Lola Run uses every cinematic gimmick available to create a compelling, dizzying storyline. Make sure you watch it in the original German with subtitles!
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
One of the greatest adventures ever, this movie introduced us to Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones and his swashbuckling exploits. Inspired by 1940's cliffhanging movie serials, Raiders follows archeologist Indy all over the world in search of the Lost Ark of the Covenant. With old flame Karen Allen in tow, he will battle hordes of natives, evil Nazis, an ancient snake pit and a giant rolling boulder. With one great action sequence after another, this could very well be the ultimate popcorn movie.
Aliens (1986)
James Cameron used to specialize in intelligent sci-fi actioners, and this film could be his best. Sigourney Weaver reprises her role as Ripley, who returns to planet LV-426 when earth loses contact with the colonists there. Accompanied by Colonial Marines and state-of-the-art weaponry, all hell breaks loose and Ripley joins the fun. Intense and thrilling with a great supporting cast (who could forget Bill Paxton's manic Hudson?), this movie spawned countless imitations. Let's rock!
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
John Frankenheimer's classic revolves around a Korean war hero returning home to much fanfare. His wicked mother (Angela Lansbury playing the devil incarnate) and her senator husband await to exploit him. Giving anything away would be a crime, but this is a tragic, satiric, mesmerizing tale of brainwashing, assassination and political intrigue that is decades ahead of its time. Watch for the famous scene when Frank Sinatra's nightmares of captivity unravel into a tea party from hell--it's an editing masterwork.
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
I had to throw a comedy in here, and few movies make me laugh as much as the first Naked Gun. Leslie Neilsen plays the wonderfully named Frank Drebbin, a blundering composite of all TV show cops from the past (co-star George Kennedy solidifies the connection). The Zucker-Abrams-Zucker (Airplane!) team sends up everything from cheesy voiceovers to shootouts to music video montages. Their targets are everybody and everything, and they hit with regularity.
Rear Window (1954)
What can I say, it's Hitchcock! The Master of Suspense creates one of his best--a story about a guy (Jimmy Stewart) confined to a wheelchair while he recovers from a broken leg. There is nothing to do but gawk at his neighbors through his large picture window in the back of his apartment. The luminous Grace Kelly co-stars as Jimmy's girl who has to practically beg him to marry her (yeah right!). A great suspense tale, but an even better comment on relationships, told with all of Hitch's trademarks.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
The Da Vinci Code
Broken Early
The 2006 summer movie season is in full swing now, with the hotly anticipated worldwide release of The Da Vinci Code now at our doorstep. Millions of people have read the book, which involves a religious conspiracy theory that disrupts the divinity of Jesus Christ and threatens to change the face of Christianity as we know it. Apparently it's a pretty gripping book (I haven't read it, maintaining my literary zero status), but this movie version, which pretends to be a thriller, just isn't.
Renowned symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is visiting Paris on the lecture circuit. He is summoned by police captain Fache (Jean Reno) to a bizarre murder scene which just occurred in the Louvre. Police cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou) soon appears, warning Langdon that he is in danger and must flee or end up in jail. After deciphering some of the murder scenes' clues, both Robert and Sophie are on the run. Aided by Langdon's friend Leigh (Ian McKellen), they learn what could be the biggest cover up in human history.
Despite the popularity of the subject matter (which I'm sure will translate into mega box office bucks), the story has some inherent flaws that trip it up before anything really gets going. At the very beginning of the film, the murder victim is found stripped naked, posed like Da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man", and has a bloody star carved in his chest. The shocker comes when we learn "he did this to himself!" Huh? Most thrillers offer preposterous developments, but it's quite a stretch to believe a man who is shot in the chest will not only write cryptic messages all over the Louvre, but still have the wherewithal to create the ultimate performance art piece out of himself.
Another problem is that we never believe that Hanks' Langdon is in any real kind of jeopardy. Supposedly he is implicated by what the dead guy wrote on the floor (and for other reasons we learn later), but it doesn't wash. As a result, there is no suspense, despite what the language of the visuals keep trying to tell us. This lack of tension causes things to drag, and for a two-and-a-half hour movie, this is not good news.
I have the feeling that with author Dan Brown acting as executive producer, he had way to much say over Akiva Goldsman's screenplay. Movies adapted from a published work should be their own animal, allowed to stretch and breathe within the medium. The Da Vinci Code feels like a long novel, complete with several epilogues that all should have been cut to tighten up the story.
What works the best, is the fascinating subject matter. The film is a clue fest, constantly weaving history, theory, and art into a support for the story's interesting conclusions. I'm not saying I believed any of it, but it was compelling nonetheless. I really liked the scene where McKellan's character dissected Da Vinci's painting "The Last Supper" in Zapruder Film style to prove his point.
The actors are all solid with Tautou (A Very Long Engagement) and McKellen (X-Men: The Last Stand) stealing most of the attention away from star Hanks (The Terminal). The waifish Tautou is always fun to watch, and always amazes how much she can emote from that teeny frame. Her best scene is where she confronts the murderous monk Silas (Paul Bettany), and practically froths at the mouth in restrained rage. McKellen is even better, bringing dignity and intelligence to yet another role. He also gets the best one-liners, and seems to really enjoy delivering them with tongue firmly in cheek.
Director Ron Howard is a good filmmaker. He's made good films before (Apollo 13 is one of my favorites) , and I have no doubt he will again. Just don't expect much from The Da Vinci Code. I didn't, and was still disappointed.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
A Pitch-Perfect Fantasy Fable
There are some books that are almost required reading as a kid. I don't know where this magical list comes from or who writes it, but it seems that certain works of fiction permeate our lives at a very young age. Whether our teachers read to us, or we pick it up ourselves (maybe so we can talk to our friends about it), some youth fiction is just a given. Such is the case with C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the most well known of his fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia.
Aptly titled, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is the most recent adaptation of this well-known story. I remember seeing an animated version once (1979) as well as the BBC version (1988), and have positive memories of both. This newest update gives us state-of-the-art special effects (using a reported $180 million budget) and an epic scope never seen before. I had high hopes for this movie, but I was cautious and prepared myself for a letdown. I shouldn't have.
During the London Blitz of World War II, the four Pevensie children are sent far into the country and out of harm's way to stay with an eccentric relative. Their new home is a huge house with many rooms and a strict set of rules. During a game of hide and seek, youngest sister Lucy (Georgie Henly) hides in an antique wardrobe and discovers the back of the old closet is actually the front of an impossible world known as Narnia. When she returns (with no loss of time) her siblings discount her experience as the imaginings of a young child. When all the kids are forced to hide in the wardrobe after breaking a window, they all become believers, and discover they are not strangers to this strange place, but pivotal figures.
I have said before that I am not a fan of fantasy films, but this movie is going to make me eat crow. Narnia is simply a wonderful film, a magical tale that is so lavish in story and visuals, and has a heart so big that you'd have to be made of stone not to be affected by it.
Much of the credit goes to the screenplay (by Ann Peacock, Andrew Adamson, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely), which nicely adapts Lewis' story, and effectively fleshes out all the main cast (not to mention the minor characters). It's well paced, exciting, and nothing ever feels padded or unnecessary. I also enjoyed some of the humorous dialogue which I know came from the minds of the writers and not Lewis.
The kids in this movie are absolutely great, and are perfectly cast. They are appropriately British, and are completely convincing (especially the radiant, scene-stealing Henly). They all get three dimensions and really develop as characters. We in the audience have no choice but to invest in their lives and hope they all survive.
The other major players in this story are more black and white, good and evil. They are Aslan, the Lion (voiced by Liam Neeson) and the White Witch (Tilda Swinton). Aslan is a beautifully rendered CGI creation, and he is magnificent. He moves like a real animal, and his mane flows in the wind. His eyes are wonderfully expressive, especially in one shot when Lucy realizes all might not be well in Narnia just yet. No less credit should be given to Neeson, who gives Aslan real depth and emotion.
Swinton (Orlando, The Deep End) makes an excellent villain, and her towering, icy presence is the focus of every scene she inhabits. She also plays the Witch as an almost alluring, motherly figure who doesn't like to be trifled with. She is tender to the rebellious Edmund (Skandar Keynes) one minute, and coldly executing her enemies the next. There is also a surprising warrior side to her character, as she doesn't just command her troops in the climactic battle, but is one of them.
This is a fantastic looking movie, with nearly flawless effects work. All the mythical creatures are spectacular (I really liked the gryphons) and the combination of breathtaking cinematography and computer imagery is seamless. The final battle scenes are really impressive, with thousands of imaginary creatures attacking each other en masse.
Narnia marks the live action directorial debut of Andrew Adamson (Shrek, Shrek 2), which may explain why the computer animation works so well. Admittedly, some of the CGI characters looked a bit cartoony, but I didn't care. Adamson had me under his spell.
Something else that works is the subtext which was inherent in the original story. It's no secret that Lewis was a devout Christian, and many of his works are rife with religious parallels, this one being no different. I enjoyed seeing this as an adult and being able to spot many of them (some are very obvious) that I was clueless about as a kid. If this bothers you, it shouldn't, no more than Neo's messiah-like character in The Matrix would. It's just one way of effectively telling a meaningful story.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is so good that it raises the bar to what every fantasy film should be--utterly fantastic.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Pixar Meets Expectations Yet Again
At the end of the animated Pixar logo (you know, the one with the hopping lamp), we are informed that Pixar Animation Studios is celebrating its twentieth anniversary. Has it really been that long? I guess it has, and the studio has built up a fine body of work that has set the standard for computer animated features. Disney has so benefited from their relationship with Pixar, that they bought them when contract negotiations stalled. Smart move.
One thing I have really liked about Pixar features (that few others seem to have a handle on) is that they focus first on the most important element of any film: the screenplay. It's obvious that loving care goes into each of these scripts before they are greenlit and sent to animators. Why doesn't anyone else get this? With the exceptions of those associated with Nick Park and Tim Burton, every other animated film seems to be rushed into production, hoping that the pretty pictures will compensate for inadequacies on the page. This is the main reason Pixar is king and will be for a long time to come.
Anyway, Cars is about a hot rookie race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) who has just managed a three-way tie for the coveted Piston Cup. A tie breaking race is scheduled a week later, and on the cross country trip, Lightning gets separated from his ride. He ends up in Radiator Springs, a small town in the middle of the desert. Here he is enlisted (against his will) by the gruff Doc Hudson (Paul Newman) to repave the main road before he is allowed to leave. Colorful car-acters fill the town, which Lighting starts to take a liking to. Will the hothead racer become grounded in something other than himself?
As expected, Cars looks breathtaking. Pixar must have the best digital artists in the world working for them, because their talent is all over the screen. The desert vistas look almost photo-realistic, and the cars themselves have unique and special personalities that perfectly mimic the actors voicing them. I was unsure how I'd take to "living" cars with big eyes in the windshield and bumpers for mouths, but my fears were quickly put to rest. Pixar has again created an alternate reality that may be far fetched, but is not beyond belief. And it's fun, too.
The actors have fun with their roles, with Larry the Cable Guy's buck-toothed Tow-Mater (he's a tow truck that just goes by "Mater") stealing every scene he's in. The addition of Newman is clever, he being a racing afficianado. Bonnie Hunt is also good as the love interest (I know that sounds weird--fortunately the relationship never gets past first gear), and Wilson is a perfect fit as the cocky Lightning.
The movie is entertaining, and has the expected car references (I liked the "Cozy Cone" hotel with its pervasive pylon motif) you'd expect from Pixar. Again, the characters are so well-drawn that you can't help but care what happens to them. It's cute and enjoyable and perfect for kids of all ages.
It has been reported that the story for Cars is basically a remake of Doc Hollywood which starred Michael J. Fox. Since I didn't like Fox in anything but Back to the Future, I never saw Doc Hollywood. Maybe that helped me like Cars more. It's charming, sweet, amusing and has a good moral. It's a kids movie that adults can enjoy. What more do you want from a family film?
P.S. Don't go running from the theater when the credits roll. Pixar has some very funny material waiting that spoofs some of it's earlier films, using the Cars universe.
Batman Begins
Return of The Dark Knight
It's been eight years since we've seen the Caped Crusader on the silver screen. After four films, the franchise was all but killed with Joel Shumacher's cheesefest Batman & Robin back in 1997. Can the series be revived with this "prequel"? Warner Bros. is banking on it with a star known for dark roles, a director known for dark films, and a tone that is (you guessed it) much darker than any of the previous films. The Dark Knight is indeed back, and closer to his comic book roots than ever.
After the murder of his parents by a street thug, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) spirals into despair followed by a life of anger. When denied the revenge he feels is rightly his, he sets out on a personal quest of discovery to purge fear from himself and evil from his corrupt home, Gotham City. Eventually he ends up in an icy fortress where he is trained as an assassin by the mysterious Ducard (Liam Neeson). It is here he learns all he needs to become Gotham's avenging angel: The Batman. Will he be able to stop a plot to destroy the city from within, or is it already too late?
The first thing this movie does right is cast Christian Bale (American Psycho, The Machinist) in the lead role. Bale easily bests all of his predecessors by filling the role with charm, torment, and physical prowess (this guy is ripped!)--completely fleshing out a very complex character. He is totally believable and sympathetic as Bruce, and equally menacing and powerful in the cowl and cape.
Fine character actors surround Bale, and all are excellent. Michael Caine is fitting as butler Alfred, but we also get Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Rutger Hauer, and the aforementioned Liam Neeson (who is making quite a career out of playing mentors). A mention should also go to Cillian Murphy who makes Scarecrow a slimy villain you love to hate. Katie Holmes is okay as the love interest, but looks way too young (despite her age) to be a district attorney.
Director Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia) does a good job of creating a dark mood. Gotham City is a black, steamy, wet, noir-ish cesspool, filled with shadows and darkness. I also liked the shots that were obviously inspired by frames right from the comic book. The silhouette of our cloaked hero high on a ledge overlooking the city (among others) is a classic graphic novel image, well recreated here.
I also liked the origin of Batman's gear. It turns out Wayne Enterprises has an R&D wing that develops super-expensive gadgets that only a millionaire could afford! The Batmobile is also very cool and tank-like, which is what you'd have to have considering what it takes to get in and out of the Batcave!
While this Batman is the darkest interpretation we've seen so far, it doesn't go far enough. This may sound morose, but not enough people die in this movie. When Bruce's parents are killed, it feels pretty harsh (even though you know it's coming). That sets the dramatic bar that the movie struggles to re-attain. It's still dramatic, but you never feel that urgency or power that scene has.
All in all, this is the best Batman movie to date (Tim Burton's original comes in second, although it's an "apples and oranges" comparison), but I was hoping for more. Despite this, let's hope this Batman returns. I'd love to see some of the classic Batman villains and stories through Bale's cape and Nolan's unique lens.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Needs Another Coat of Something
I love micro budget movies. Even when they are failures, you have to admire the gumption of filmmakers who wear every hat in order to get their movie made. Some max out credit cards and dump all of their savings into realizing their vision. My favorite example of this is El Mariachi, Robert Rodriguez' $7000 action film that is still his best movie (and he sold his body to science to get his budget!).
Enter Shane Carruth. He has also spent $7000 on his movie, but perhaps should have saved it, or at least fired himself and hired someone else to rework his script. His head is covered with hats in his first movie, Primer (which won the Grand Prize at Sundance), an intriguing yet unfulfilling sci-fi tale that is ultimately crushed under the weight of its own self-importance.
The film opens with four young engineers spending all their spare time in a garage trying to invent something. We're never told what this something is, but do hear a lot of techobabble about how to make it better. Two of the engineers (Carruth and David Sullivan) stumble on something special their machine apparently does. Stop reading now if you don't want the "plot" of Primer to be spoiled for you.
What they have invented (in the ultimate of story contrivances) is a time machine. So, like anyone who would have done the same, they test it out. First to make money. Then to change events relating to a friend who was killed.
This movie has a lot of people talking, not because of the unique story, but because of the confusing narrative. The story is so fragmented, the timeline so disjointed, that any film geek (myself included) will dare themselves to watch it, to see if they can be one of the select few who "get" it. I can see how some will say this movie is brilliant, but just because you don't understand something, doesn't make it great--just, well, hard to understand.
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem will filmmakers who disturb the timeline to get us thinking. Memento and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are two recent examples of non-linear stories that are challenging, inventive, rewarding, and (most importantly) contain empathetic characters. Carruth might want to study these films.
Technically, the movie has some problems. The film is often grainy due to low light, the colors rarely match, and the sound ain't that great. The acting is pretty stiff (which I didn't mind since the characters are hardly developed), and solely exist to be pawns of the story. I suppose these could be called "artistic choices" or "documentary feel", but those seem more like excuses than anything else.
There are some great ideas floating around in this nebulous brine. I liked the idea that if you wanted to travel back six hours, you had to sit in the time machine for six hours. I liked the idea when you knew you were going to travel back, you hid somewhere for the day, so when you came back, you wouldn't run into yourself. Had these ideas been refined in a more coherent story, Carruth might really have something.
I will give Carruth credit, his film is compelling, as it had my friend and I talking in the theater for at least 10 minutes after the credits rolled. Ultimately however, Primer feels like a shell game. No matter how hard you try to follow the pea, your five bucks is still gone, and you have little to show for it.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Open Water
Watered Down
Sharks--we love to be scared of 'em. Ever since Steven Spielberg's Jaws set the cinematic bar in 1975, we can't see a shark without John Williams' famous theme throbbing in our heads. A classic, that movie will forever be the standard all other shark movies are compared to. So how does Chris Kentis' micro-budgeted shark tale compare? Well, it can't, but even without the comparison, Open Water doesn't quite work, even though I really wanted it to.
The story, based on actual events, is brilliant in its simplicity. Two yuppies on holiday (Daniel Travis and Blanchard Ryan) go on a group dive, only to be left behind due to a diver miscount (although I kept waiting for someone to say "Where's the hot blonde?"). When the couple surface, the boat has left, and they are left bobbing in the open sea to fend for themselves. At first they are calm, and then the sharks start poking around…
Shot on digital video, Open Water has gained a lot of hype due to the fact that the actors were in the water with real sharks, attracted by the crew dumping bloody tuna nearby. This makes for some great shots (one shows Ryan floating on her back while a 6-foot shark passes just beneath her), and real suspense. Still, you've to wonder, how do you make a movie about two people treading water interesting?
This is where the movie falters. Just when you get involved in the story and the tension really mounts, Kentis throws something in to totally kill it. The first time it's a completely unbelievable scene of the two trying to blame each other for their situation. It doesn't fit, the acting is awful, and it only seems to exist as the setup for a punch line ("I wanted to go skiing…"). Another time he cuts back to the mainland to show that the couple has been discovered missing. Kentis seems to lack a basic understanding of suspense: when you've got your audience in a vise, you don't let them relax--you turn the screw.
Since the story is lacking, we are not left with much. Travis and Ryan are okay as actors, but underdeveloped as characters, which doesn't let us care about them living or dying. The camerawork is of the shaky-cam variety, which may work in small doses, but feels overused here.
It's too bad the filmmakers couldn't do more with this premise, because it's a good one. Ultimately, however, the movie lacks the real bite it had the potential to deliver. The sharks sure are cool though.
Red Eye
Craven Still Has Vision Intact
When the name of director Wes Craven is uttered, two milestones in horror films come to mind: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Scream (1996). Craven cut his teeth on such creepfests as Last House on the Left (1972), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), and The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) to name a few. He knows how to scare audiences with stories that typically center around strong female characters fighting creepy villains. Red Eye, while not a horror film, stays faithful to Craven themes and is easily his best movie in nine years.
Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams), a hotel executive who is good under pressure, is traveling home from her grandmother's funeral. She's about to embark on the last flight to Miami, when she meets a smooth stranger (Cillian Murphy) who strikes up a conversation with her. As "coincidence" would have it, they end up sitting next to each other on the plane. Lisa soon discovers her newfound friend is no friend at all, as he unfolds a sinister plan in which she is involuntarily involved. Where will she find help at 30,000 feet?
Red Eye is a straight up genre piece, and for it to work you need a great villain and a heroine to root for. In her first starring role, McAdams (Mean Girls, The Notebook) makes Lisa a determined woman that we care about. Her emotional and physical performance is the center of the film and she delivers. Cillian Murphy (who has the most intense blue eyes since Meg Foster) nails the creep vibe, which he has already displayed in this year's Batman Begins. Rounding out the effective cast is Bryan Cox as McAdams' father, and Jayma Mays as a ditsy redhead who provides the film's comic relief.
I also appreciated the taut, efficient script by Carl Ellsworth. This is an 85 minute movie, which leaves little room to mess around. There is a nice setup with lots of realistic interaction by the leads, and when the plot shifts into gear, things stay believable (rare for this type of film), well paced, and exciting. There were several moments when I was thinking "If I was in this situation, I'd do this right now!"--and it happened on screen! In so many films of this type the characters act stupidly and the villain is omniscient. Not this time. Thank you Carl Ellsworth!
There are a few nitpicks I could throw out there. The fact the lavatory on the plane is freaking enormous, or the chuckle-inducing shot of McAdams' stunt double that looks nothing like her (watch where she stumbles running through the airport), or the "killer in the house" conclusion that feels recycled. These are small complaints in an otherwise strong effort by all.
Then there's Craven. With years of directing horror films, he is a natural choice for this Hitchcockian material. His camera is always interesting without being distracting, and he knows how to get good performances out of his actors. This could be the film that breaks him out of the horror genre forever (which he tried once before with Music of the Heart (1999)).
If you can't tell by now, I really liked Red Eye. It doesn't break any new ground, but the ground it's on is solid.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Sweet, but Burns Off Quickly
Why do filmmakers insist on remaking classics? It seems to be all the rage these days, especially by those who can make any movie they want. I'm not saying they always fail (I did give a good review to War of the Worlds, remember?), but can you really best what is best already? If anything, you just make the original more endearing. Tim Burton has done this before with his remake of Planet of the Apes (which I didn't like) and he ventures again into familiar territory with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, based on Roald Dahl's beloved children's story.
Recluse Willie Wonka makes the best candy in the world in his immense fortress-like factory. A contest will allow 5 children to visit his secretive plant if they can find a golden ticket in one of Wonka's candy bars. Poverty-stricken Charlie Bucket's one wish is to find a ticket and be able to visit the wonderful candy factory that he loves. He does, but so do four brats determined to win the "special prize" Wonka has promised to one of the children. As they enter the factory with the adult of their choice, what will the mysterious Wonka really be like, and how will the children react to treats beyond anything imaginable?
Of course there are going to be comparison to Mel Stuart's Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), it's just unavoidable. Fortunately, the newer version has it's charms and is worth seeing, especially if you love Burton's body of work.
Two performances are at the center of this movie, Johnny Depp as Willie Wonka and Freddie Highmore as the loveable Charlie Bucket. Highmore (Finding Neverland) is perfect casting, a cute, sweet, innocent boy who first wants his family to be happy and healthy, and then to see the inside of that wonderful factory. He really hits all of the right notes-we love him and want him to succeed and take his family with him.
Veteran (and Burton regular) Depp is always wonderful to watch, but the way he choses to play Wonka feels a bit off. Granted, Wonka is a bit off, but when Depp greets five small children with pale skin, bobbed hair, high voice and velvet suit, you start to wonder if you're really watching Michael Jackson and the Neverland Ranch. It's kinda creepy. He does grow a bit on you, but you don't want to get into his head like you did with Gene Wilder in the original. You just feel safer keeping him at a distance.
The remaining kids (and their parents) are wonderfully written and acted, but they are mostly stereotypes. The standouts here are Annasophia Robb (Because of Winn-Dixie), who seems to be channeling Dakota Fanning, and Jordan Fry who's smart, mean, and always put in his place by Wonka ("Mumbler!").
Unique production design (with a typically gothic bent) has always been artist-turned-filmmaker Burton's trademark, and the same is true here. Each room in the Chocolate Factory is a work of art in itself, with curvy lines and garish color (except for one room which is cleaner than any clean room). Also pay attention to Charlie's house, it's a classic Burton image.
Computer effects are also used well. The factory is practically a cartoon anyway, so CGI use actually benefits the look instead of taking away. I was also impressed by the seamless Oompa-Loompa reproductions, all played by one actor (Deep Roy).
This version of the book will likely please fans of Burton and the original source material (it's more faithful than the first movie), but it also leaves the mind rather soon after leaving the theater. I liked it, but too much candy makes me sleepy.
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38 x 50 cm | 14 x 19 in
Subject: Places/landscapes/interiors
Tags: Building, Architecture, Window, Rooftops
Original painting in oil on canvas presented in a simple unpainted wooden tray frame.
Working from carefully selected photographs, Thomas Cameron's 'snapshots' stop us in our tracks; that scene you've passed every day on your way to work is re-framed. The casual Polaroid snapshot is made glorious and celebrated in the style of a classic oil painting.
His subject is the stuff that surrounds us – that makes up our everyday lives. By heightening the colour and detail, so that an eerie atmospheric beauty emerges from the crumbling bricks and stained paintwork, he suggests the extraordinary within the ordinary.
We see the everyday through new eyes; we re-imagine our surroundings. A bigger story is suggested, for if these intentionally familiar 'unseen' surroundings can transcend into other worldliness and shine so brightly, what else might be possible?
Cameron works with images of the seemingly ordinary, places and situations that are often overlooked due to their familiarity. Working with a wide range of reference materials and subjects. His recent work has focused on paintings of interiors, urban scenes or simple holiday snapshots. In these a momentary expression or a glow of sunlight imbue the works with an unexpected grandeur. A keen sense of narrative and cinematic imagery inform Cameron's approach and lend an element of mystery and intrigue, inviting the viewer to question why this image was selected, what the story is behind it and around this moment in time, whilst simultaneously evoking their own shared narratives, memories and imagination. Cameron's artistic process involves carefully selecting images whether that be photographs he has taken or 'found' imagery, and subsequently merging and editing them as well as combining imagined elements. The materiality of oil paint is an inherent and important aspect of the work; the tactile quality and versatility of the medium lends itself to subtle lighting effects and realism. These slowly resolved paintings represent a balance between the controlled nature of oil paint whilst allowing its scope for chance and spontaneity during the painting process, and the careful selection of imagery by the artist alongside the happenstance and often surprising quality of a snapshot.


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Spring Heart Blooms Photo Thank You Card
Baptism Thank You Cards
Spring Heart Blooms Photo Thank You Card, Item# TYCIPH7580B
Note: Sparkles are simulated and will not light up.
Spring Heart Blooms Photo Thank You Card, Item# TYCIPH7580B
Note: Sparkles are simulated and will not light up.
Spring Heart Blooms Envelope Seals
Spring Heart Blooms Return Address Labels
Your Baby Photo Postage Stamps
Photo Gift Tag Stickers
Spring Heart Blooms Photo
Our photo Baptism Christening foldover notecard, "Spring Heart Blooms Photo" features a cluster of heart shaped flowers at the top of the card. They grow from a scalloped divider that sits above your photo. This cute, fresh design has multiple color options.
A custom message can be printed with flat printing inside the fold-over card (for an additional $0.50), to acknowledge that special gift.
*Matching items available upon request.*
You will be able to select the typestyle and ink colors to use for your personalized text during the design process. Start by clicking on the green 'Personalize and Continue' button. We recommend using the default typestyle and ink colors.
|Estimated Postage Required:
|$0.55 stamp - if other items are not added into the Envelope. Click here for additional postage information.
|Item Type:
|Foldover Notecard
|Card Dimensions:
|5 1/2" X 4 1/8" (W x H)
|Printing Process:
|Digital Press
|Paper Weight:
|Multiple Stock Options
|Typestyle Shown:
|Souvenir and Murray Hill
|Matching Ink Color:
|Your choice of White or Cream Envelopes included. Printed return address and/or Calligraphy is available for an additional cost.


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LOS ANGELES, April 7 (UPI) -- New official character posters for the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past movie have been released.
The two new posters feature Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) and Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page), and Colossus (Daniel Cudmore) and Blink (Fan Bingbing). Four other official character compilations have already been unveiled: young and old Professor Xavier (James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart), young and old Magneto (Michael Fassbender and Ian McKellan), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), and the Beast (Nicholas Hoult) and Storm (Halle Berry).
The four characters featured in the new posters have had varying degrees of screen time in past X-Men films. Bobby Drake aka Iceman has cryokinetic abilities that allow him to turn himself and other objects into ice, Kitty Pryde is able to "phase" herself intangibly through matter, and Piotr Rasputin aka Colossus possesses superhuman strength when he transforms his body into "organic steel." The new movie will mark the first appearance for Clarice Ferguson aka Blink, an X-Men member with the ability to teleport.
X-Men: Days of Future Past will debut in theaters on May 23.