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First Commentary by Adam-Troy Castro
{The} Seven Samurai (1954). Directed by Akira Kurosawa. Screenplay by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura. Various Cuts from 160 minutes to 207 minutes exist. ****
The Magnificent Seven (1960). Directed by John Sturges. Screenplay by William Roberts, Walter Newman, and Walter Bernstien (latter two uncredited), from the earlier screenplay by Kurosawa, et.al. Starring Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, Eli Wallach, others. 128 minutes. ***
Battle Beyond The Stars (1980). Not an official remake of Seven Samurai. Directed by Jimmy T. Murakami. Screenplay by John Sayles (!), from a story by Anne Dyer. Starring Richard Thomas, George Peppard, Robert Vaughn, others. 105 minutes, *
Three Amigos (1986). Not an official remake of Seven Samurai. Directed by John Landis. Screenplay by Lorne Michaels, Steve Martin and Randy Newman. Starring Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, and Martin Short. 104 minutes. **
A Bug's Life (1995). Not an official remake of Seven Samurai. Directed by John Lasseter. Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Donald McEnery, and Bob Shaw, from a story by Lasseter, Stanton, and Joe Ranft. Starring Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, others. 95 minutes. ***
Other Related Films: Multiple sequels and a TV series for The Magnificent Seven; too many homages and tributes and outright ripoffs to list.
The citizens of a tiny, isolated village eking out a living from the land suddenly find themselves threatened by bandits who plan to swoop in, just a few short months from now, and take everything they have. The villagers are bereft. They are outgunned, outnumbered, and not used to fighting. But perhaps it is possible to mount an effective defense. Perhaps they can send representatives abroad, in search of warriors willing to fight for them – warriors who will fight for little pay other than their own subsistence and a chance for a meaningful death. Hungry warriors, who just might also be great warriors, able to defend a largely ungrateful village against a far superior force.
This is the germ of what many, including myself, consider the single greatest motion picture ever made by the single greatest movie director of all time, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. (It is sometimes referred to as The Seven Samurai, but the vagaries of translation and the absence of a Japanese equivalent for the word The render both titles equally accurate for English speakers. I usually include The because it's a more natural way to say it, but omit the article when I have a second or two to think about it.)
Seven Samurai casts an enormous shadow, and not just because it was imitated by many of the action movies that followed it. It is, among other things, the first movie where a disparate team of fighting men are gathered one at a time for an impossible mission, and – given that we first see the lead samurai helping a village rescue a hungry child from a kidnapper – quite possibly the first film ever to introduce an action hero by first showing us how effective he is in an unrelated adventure. It was a key film in the careers of director Kurosawa, whose collaborations with his frequent leading man Toshiro Mifune encompass many of the greatest movies ever made; and for international star Mifune, whose performance as the clownish but effective warrior known only by the clear alias Kikuchiyo is quite possibly the best of his own career. It was the most expensive Japanese movie made up to that point, made by a studio that was also filming Godzilla at the same time and almost went under due to spiraling costs. It is so terrific a film that its first remake, the western, isn't even half as good and still emerges as a classic; so memorable that it has been remade, unofficially or otherwise, in multiple media ranging from comic books (a two-part Justice League story taking place on an Earth menaced by alien invaders, and featuring the various DC superheroes as the titular superheroes), to the Stephen King novel Wolves Of the Calla (very much a Samurai homage), episodes of Kung Fu and Star Trek (an episode of Deep Space Nine entitled "The Magnificent Ferengi"). Yet another remake, set in a backwater region of Thailand and featuring a motley crew of unemployed military contractors in the roles of the Samurai, has been announced for 2014, and the sheer awe people feel for the original film can be measured by how many people, temporarily forgetting the number of different eras and backgrounds to which the essential plot has been transplanted, angrily label the very idea as blasphemous. Seriously. C'mon. That ship has sailed, and I suspect the 2014 version might not entirely suck.
Seven Samurai (1954)
The most important thing any non-Japanese viewer need to know about the original Kurosawa film is that not all of it translates.
Oh, it's very easy to understand in its broad strokes. A village is threatened by bandits who intend to arrive at harvest time and take all their food, leaving them to starve. The villagers can muster no defense by themselves. The old man who serves as the local repository of wisdom tells a delegation of citizens that they need to find samurai warriors to protect them. The villagers protest that they don't have any money to pay samurai, except possibly in food. The old man says, simply, "Find Hungry Samurai." This the villagers do, in large part because Kambei (Takashi Shimura), a respected but impoverished samurai of many years experience, puts his own persuasive skills to the task. Counting Kambei, six samurai are varying skills agree to go; as does a mysterious, filthy, and downright clownish derelict, Kikuchiyo (Mifune), who is no samurai but claims to be one. As the battle begins, Kikuchiyo turns out to be something the others never suspected: not just an able killer and useful comrade, but also a fine leader of men and a pivotal bridge between the samurai and the villagers who fear them.
These are some of the things that don't translate.
For example, we first see Kambei, having his head shaved so he can pass for a monk and therefore get close enough to a cornered thief to kill the man and rescue the child he has taken hostage. Much is made of the shaving of his head. Westerners may not understand that this is not just an aesthetic cost but also a social one; samurai of his rank traditionally wore their hair in top knots, and Kambei's temporary sacrifice of his demonstrates among other things his willingness to descend to lower social strata if the need is urgent and the cause just. For the farmers who have traveled to the city to recruit samurai but been rebuffed by many, this is no small consideration in their decision to approach him with their life-and-death problem.
Secondly, westerners may fail to realize that samurai is not just a profession, but a social class; people were born to that exalted rank, and took deep pride in having a master to serve (one reason why being a ronin, a "masterless samurai," is considered such a despicable fate). Understand this and Mifune's character, Kikuchiyo, makes a lot more sense. Not only has he never been a samurai, but he will never be an samurai, and never could be a samurai, despite his evident skill with a sword. It is significant that he takes his name from a birth certificate that the others clearly recognize as stolen; it is also significant that – in a touch few westerners will understand – the name Kikuchiyo is mispronounced and misunderstood by him, and according to some sources might even obviously be a girl's. It is also not just splendid slapstick but a very sensible point of character that he proves hopeless when it comes to handling horses; as peasant stock, he certainly would not have had any experience as a rider. Kikuchiyo picks at lice and scratches his unclean body and both worships and disdains the samurai simultaneously, all acts of a man eager to be accepted by the class that didn't just oppress his own, but – as is revealed in one powerful scene – orphaned him.
(Kikuchiyo steals the movie outright, which here qualifies as grand theft.)
Thirdly, there's the matter of the four samurai who die in the course of the mission to save the village. None die from arrows or swords. They're all shot with one of the small handful of muskets possessed by the bandits, each one of them falling to what is – in a very real sense – the future. Even the most skilled samurai, Kyuzo, dies from a musket wound; it is profoundly powerful that when Kikuchiyo is shot and mortally wounded in the last few minutes of the film, he survives just long to stagger toward his murderer, a look of infinite rage on his face, and return the favor with a sword-thrust. There's more going on, in that moment, more resonant history than a good guy killing a bad guy, a character we love killing one we have reason to hate. It's the samurai code holding off the future for a few minutes longer, and Kikuchiyo becoming every bit what he pretended to be.
None of this is a hundred percent necessary to understand; certainly the same character notes (Kambei's compassion, Kikuchiyo's ambivalence toward his companions) are established in broad and subtle strokes, throughout. It is all so much of a piece that the 160-minute international version, for years the only one available in the United States, doesn't seem to be missing all that much from the 207-minute restoration. (It certainly moves faster, one thing to keep in mind when introducing the film to skeptical friends who've never seen it, as I recently discovered when I brought the two-disk Criterion version over to show my friends with the home theatre.)
The movie manages to juggle a great number of character threads, including among them the journey of the young Katsushiro (Isao Kimura), who comes to Kambei as an inexperienced student and is distracted during the preparations for battle by, shall we say, the concerns of the young; villager Rikichi (Yoshio Tsuchiya), who for deeply personal reasons of his own becomes angry whenever his own matrimonial status is mentioned; the timid villager Yohei, who is frightened of everything; and the supremely talented samurai Kyuzo (Seiji Miyaguchi), who is the only one of the bunch who you could really call a superhero of swordsmanship. It deals with the very real fear the villagers have for the samurai who have put their own lives on hold to save them, the very real reasons the samurai should fear them back, a love story, low comedy, great battle scenes, and deep sad reflections on the warrior's lot. It starts slowly but builds in suspense and power throughout, until we get to the final hour, which races like wildfire as the last remaining bandits – evidently a band of slow learners – continue to charge the village that has been slaughtering them. It is beautifully filmed, like all Kurosawa films, and like most of the best Kurosawa films doesn't permit depth or entertainment to rob from each other. It is considered, by many, the single greatest movie ever made. I happen to concur. Lawrence Of Arabia comes second, Casablanca third, Citizen Kane fourth. Or so goes my math. On other days I'd switch the order of numbers two through three. Nothing ever dislodges Samurai.
The Magnificent Seven (1960)
When first released in the United States, Seven Samurai went by the name The Magnificent Seven, which was cribbed for a western remake starring a bunch of then-famous or soon-to-be-famous actors whose full roll call would someday fuel any number of trivia challenges. For the record, I post the full list of gunfighters without resorting to notes: Yul Brynner (who came pre-bald, but played the Kambei part, here named "Chris"), Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Horst Bucholz, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, and (the one nobody can name) Brad Dexter.
The bandits of the original film were a bunch of faceless outsiders who were for the most part only glimpsed when they came close, but westerns of the time required a sneering villain, and so the first major alteration in the storyline is the addition of one, who styles himself the "friend" of the luckless village he loots every year and shows up in the first scene to kindly announce that he will be back in a few months, to take everything. (He also kills the one guy foolish enough to attack him, thus rendering it clear to even the stupidest member of the audience just what the stakes are.) This stretches common sense a little, as the bandits of the first film aren't aware that they've inadvertently given their group of terrified farmers advance warning and these guys all but dare theirs to get guns and shoot back, but hey: in doing so, it fulfills many of the requirements of the western, and gives us an absolutely dandy villain in the person of Eli Wallach, who gets great lines like – again, typed here without recourse to notes – "If God hadn't wanted them sheared, he wouldn't have made them sheep!" What a nice guy.
The shorter running time means that the team is collected a lot faster, which is a good thing, even a great deal of psychological acuity is sacrificed. Here, as in the first film, we get two of the gunfighters, actually two-and-a-half, introduced at once: here by the simple expedient of having the two played by Brynner and McQueen, previously unknown to one another, voluntarily team up to fight a cause no reasonable person could possibly object to – in this case, agreeing to deliver the body of an indian who dropped dead in the street to Boot Hill over the objections of local racists who believe it more proper to let the corpse continue to lie in the street and attract flies. (More nice guys.) The third member of the future band of brothers, Horst Bochner – an amalgam of the Katsushiro and Kikuchiyo characters from the prior film, in that he's BOTH the callow youth and the ex-farmer, wannabe gunfighter with the reason to hate gunfighters — follows them on their journey with a big grin on his face, enjoying the show. (There's a great exchange during this interval as well. following an exchange of lead: McQueen asks Brynner, "You elected?" Brynner examines the bullethole in his hat and says, "No, but I've been nominated real good.") The subsequent introductions of the Coburn and Bronson characters pretty much echo the introductions of their counterparts in the original film, but Robert Vaughn's Lee is a fine innovation: an icy-cold killer who has made so many enemies in so many places that a suicide mission to save a bunch of a strangers actually sounds like a form of escape, to him.
It's terrific Hollywood entertainment even at this point, but some of the changes from the original are already evident. To wit: the seven samurai included a number of guys who qualified as the best Kambei could get; these guys, even Bochner, are all prodigies, deeply dangerous men and dead shots. (Even Vaughn's Lee, who it turns out has lost his nerve, pulls it together to prove himself an extraordinary talented gunman.)
Other changes: unlike the Japanese villagers, who always knew they needed samurai, the Mexicans only go out in search of weapons and acquire their gunfighters almost by accident; the love story ends happily as the youngest of the gunfighters voluntarily gives up on his life of violence and goes to join the girl; and, most notably, a twist that has never made any sense to this viewer. In this film, the bandits actually succeed in taking over the town, taking the gunfighters hostage; and Wallach's bandit, believing that the gunfighters have learned their lesson, has them escorted out of town and released. Oh, sure, he says it's because he thinks they'll take word of his victory up north…but in that case, a guy this ruthless would simply kill most of them. Here, he lets them all go…and thus gets all his men killed stupidly when Brynner and company return for revenge. There is only one reason for this: namely, that this is a two-hour movie as opposed to a more than three-hour one, and John Sturges does not have the time to have it come down to the last few bandits, as Kurosawa did. So the screenplay gives us an unreasonable shortcut, and hopes we buy it.
It's overall just about half as good a movie as the Kurosawa one is, but that's still good enough to render it a classic of its kind, helped along by star power and some terrific dialogue I happily quote now. This is Charles Bronson's O'Reilly to some local boys who idolize him:
"Don't you ever say that again about your fathers, because they are not cowards. You think I am brave because I carry a gun; well, your fathers are much braver because they carry responsibility, for you, your brothers, your sisters, and your mothers. And this responsibility is like a big rock that weighs a ton. It bends and it twists them until finally it buries them under the ground. And there's nobody says they have to do this. They do it because they love you, and because they want to. I have never had this kind of courage. Running a farm, working like a mule every day with no guarantee anything will ever come of it. This is bravery. That's why I never even started anything like that… that's why I never will."
A dialogue between villain Calvera (Wallach) and captured hero Vin (McQueen):
Calvera: What I don't understand is why a man like you took the job in the first place, hmm? Why, huh?
Chris: I wonder myself.
Calvera: No, come on, come on, tell me why.
Vin: It's like a fellow I once knew in El Paso. One day, he just took all his clothes off and jumped in a mess of cactus. I asked him that same question, "Why?"
Calvera And?
Vin: He said, "It seemed to be a good idea at the time.
(And, finally, there's this exchange, which I cheerfully count as the best gunfighter dialogue in the history of the movies.)
Chico: Villages like this they make up a song about every big thing that happens. Sing them for years.
Chris Adams: You think it's worth it?
Chico: Don't you?
Chris Adams: It's only a matter of knowing how to shoot a gun. Nothing big about that.
Chico: Hey. How can you talk like this? Your gun has got you everything you have. Isn't that true? Hmm? Well, isn't that true?
Vin: Yeah, sure. Everything. After awhile you can call bartenders and faro dealers by their first name – maybe two hundred of 'em! Rented rooms you live in – five hundred! Meals you eat in hash houses – a thousand! Home – none! Wife – none! Kids… none! Prospects – zero. Suppose I left anything out?
Chris Adams: Yeah. Places you're tied down to – none. People with a hold on you – none. Men you step aside for – none.
Lee: Insults swallowed – none. Enemies – none.
Chris Adams: No enemies?
Lee: Alive.
Chico: Well. This is the kind of arithmetic I like.
Chris Adams: Yeah. So did I at your age.
Battle Beyond The Stars (1980)
It's embarrassing to note this, but this – not officially a remake, but come on — is the first version of the basic story that I ever saw; and back then I kind of liked it, though it has aged horribly (or I have), and it is in its 105 minutes far more interminable than the 207-minute Samurai.
It was produced by Roger Corman, who did occasionally make some commendable contributions to cinema but much more frequently – I hate to say this to his many fans, but it is true – seemed less interested in making good movies than in making movie-shaped objects that people could somehow be fooled into buying tickets for. This, a knockoff of Star Wars, is one of them: a film in which one representative of peaceful planet beset by angry world-conquering types led by a megalomaniac named Sador (b-movie fixture John Saxon) recruits warriors to fight for it.
The special effects are awful, by today's standards, but it's a given that they would be. More to the point, the screenplay (by John Sayles, of all people), is largely a collection of colorless declarative sentences. It's the kind of science fiction that uses the word "galaxy" to describe every possible unit of interplanetary distances, even when they're really only talking about solar systems. And the performances are almost all terrible, even when they come from people like Richard Thomas and George Peppard who normally can be expected to deliver better. Darlanne Fluegel, as the female lead, is particularly awful, but Sybil Danning is even worse. She wasn't always. But she was terrible, here.
We need not take up much space with it, except to note that a key scene from both prior films – in which the hired mercenaries show up in the village they've agreed to defend, only to discover everybody hiding from them – here ends pointlessly as the villagers just pop up and say, hi, whoops, we didn't realize you were the good guys. This is ludicrous. In both prior movies, the antipathy of the villagers is part of the point; here, it's a scene included only to provide the narrative parallel. We'll also give the movie reasonable credit for its few good ideas, among them representatives of a race that communicates in degrees of heat and which is seen, at one point, acting as the "campfire" the humans utilize to cook weiners. That's pretty funny. But alas, so is the alien makeup used by several others, worst of a bad lot being the pancake makeup and forehead-eyes worn by one race, of which it needs to be said that whoever thought this stuff would survive a close-up should have been shot.
Does anybody survive this mess unscathed? Well, yes…and here we get to one of the neatest bits of movie-geekery, ever. Robert Vaughn plays Gelt, a killer who we first encounter hiding in darkness, from the price on his head.
Gelt: I could buy your planet ten times over with what I've gathered in this room: plutonium, cadmium, quanine crystals… I've been very well paid for my work.
Shad: I'm sorry; I've wasted your time…
Gelt: NO… WAIT… Listen to the rest of it. I sleep with my back to the wall, when I CAN sleep. I EAT SERPENTS, seven times a week. There's not a major city in this galaxy where I can show my face, or spend my wealth. Right now, your offer looks very attractive to me… A meal, and a place to hide. Agreed?
If any of this sounds familiar at all, it is because this is the same motivation professed by his character from The Magnificent Seven, twenty years earlier. He had only sixteen lines in that first film and probably fewer here, but was memorable in both – and it started a cycle of self-reference that continued with a 1993 episode of Kung Fu: The Adventure Continues where he played a version of the same character, a third time. Nor is Vaughn finished with this. He's wrapped a UK film set for release in 2012, The Magnificent Eleven, which turns the samurai into a neighborhood soccer team and casts him as the head of the "bandit" team they are gathered to defeat. Vaughn's riffs on this one story now span more than fifty years, and counting. Impressive.
Three Amigos (1986), A Bug's Life (1995)
Neither of these films are "official" Samurai remakes either, but it's worth noting that the resemblance between their plots and the plots of the original film are very much deliberate. In the first, a Mexican village beset by a bandit called El Guapo seeks mercenaries to fight him off, and winds up with the titular idiot silent-movie stars; in the second, an animated Pixar film, a colony of ants recruits makes the same request of the seven members of a flea circus, to protect their own harvest from a swarm of predatory grasshoppers. Three Amigos is a comedy grab bag, that doesn't bother much with narrative consistency once it sets up its premise (and is funny only fitfully), but A Bug's Life owes a lot to Samurai, especially in this speech from the lead villain, Hopper: "You let one ant stand up to us, then they all might stand up! Those puny little ants outnumber us a hundred to one and if they ever figure that out there goes our way of life! It's not about food, it's about keeping those ants in line."
The Warrior's Code
Seven Samurai, a world classic and one of the greatest films ever made. The Magnificent Seven, one of the top twenty westerns. Battle Beyond The Stars, a reeking embarrassment. Three Amigos: Fitfully Amusing.A Bug's Life: Also a classic of its own kind.
And now, the wife sounds the alarm.
Second Commentary by Judi B. Castro
{The} Seven Samurai (1954). Directed by Akira Kurosawa. Screenplay by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura. Various Cuts from 160 minutes to 207 minutes exist. ***1/2
The Magnificent Seven (1960). Directed by John Sturges. Screenplay by William Roberts, Walter Newman, and Walter Bernstien (latter two uncredited), from the earlier screenplay by Kurosawa, et.al. Starring Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, Eli Wallach, others. 128 minutes. ***1/2
Battle Beyond The Stars (1980). Not an official remake of Seven Samurai. Directed by Jimmy T. Murakami. Screenplay by John Sayles (!), from a story by Anne Dyer. Starring Richard Thomas, George Peppard, Robert Vaughn, others. 105 minutes, 1/2
Three Amigos (1986). Not an official remake of Seven Samurai. Directed by John Landis. Screenplay by Lorne Michaels, Steve Martin and Randy Newman. Starring Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, and Martin Short. 104 minutes. (can't rate as I've never forced myself to watch)
A Bug's Life (1995). Not an official remake of Seven Samurai. Directed by John Lasseter. Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Donald McEnery, and Bob Shaw, from a story by Lasseter, Stanton, and Joe Ranft. Starring Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, others. 95 minutes. ***
Other Related Films: Multiple sequels and a TV series for The Magnificent Seven; too many homages and tributes and outright ripoffs to list.
I'm probably going to anger a few purists, but I happen to like both Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven about equally. Both films carry the same energy and tell the same basic tale. The transposition in time and place doesn't affect the basic story or moral codes. And, while the story presumes to play off the good versus evil, neither absolutely states that the lesser evil is better (only safer).
So, since this was so good twice, someone figured let's do it again. Only this time let's set it in outer space, and use our new special effects to make It REALLY good! (Small pause for sarcasm snarfs!) OK, breathe easy. Battle Beyond the Stars, 105 minutes of my life lost to one of the most poorly written, directed and conceived remakes ever! Were any of the actors really even trying, or was this just a quick (I know Corman schedules) paycheck? George Peppard pretty much meandered through his part, and Richard Thomas just attempted to un John-Boy himself and lost that fight. Robert Vaughn just hit replay, and I'm still not sure what the hell Sybil Danning was attempting, but porn acting is as close as she got. Seriously, this could have been so much more, but it was just pieces and ideas stuck together with dry bubble gum. No look or feel, just unending boredom, where even my bathroom break couldn't have come fast enough.
Now, back to the good stuff.
( I'm skipping Three Amigos because I haven't watched it, and recently having seen Martin Short perform live, really have no desire to see that movie.)
The achievements of Akira Kurosawa have made me a lifelong admirer. Not a fan, but I do enjoy almost all of his work that I've seen. For Seven Samurai, his clear vision is seen in every nuanced detail. From casting to sets and locations, each decision is that of a master artisan molding his clay. And, he has never gotten more out of his leading man, Toshiro Mifune, than in this film. The matching brilliance of man, part and direction proves that no film is just the actors in it. Maybe, current filmmakers could take note and try to remember how a good film will last well beyond its meager shelf life. My only problem with this classic, is that in its full length, it's a tailbone buster. The pacing of the longest version tended to slow a bit much and left me time to think of other things. The shorter lengths always kept me rapt.
As to The Magnificent Seven. Wow, what can I say. I Hate Westerns, but this is one of the group that I say isn't just a Western. This isn't a cowboys and injuns shoot out at the ranch. This film has bad men, searching for anything, worse men looking for a free ride, and good men, caught in the middle of a pincer trap. The best compliment that I can pay to any Western genre film, is to say that it really isn't one. This film is about people and good films of this type are few and far between. The characters here have become recognized as hero archetypes rather than caricatures. The Magnificent Seven paid perfect homage to its revered predecessor.
Finally, I'll touch on A Bug's Life. We included this one at my insistence. I love this film. It's a perfect introduction for anyone to the Seven Samurai mythos. The crew who worked on this are known as film buffs, and Stanton's script and Lasseter's shot direction clearly show their love of the earlier films. Both films have scenes adapted to this lighter version of a hard tale.
If there's a tween film lover in your life, get them to watch A Bug's Life, then a few days later, hit 'em with The Magnificent Seven, and a week or so later, finish the education with Seven Samurai. The discussions should prove fun.


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The Reynolds County Genealogy Society was organized in the fall of 1983. Friends Lee Sylcox and Roy DeJournett, who had been researching family history, saw the need for a group to gather and share genealogical material pertaining to Reynolds County. read more
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In 1987 the Society published its first hardback history and biography book, Reynolds County. Missouri 1845-1987. Biographical Sketches and in 1995 the hardback book, Reynolds County. Missouri "Sesquicentennial Year" 1845-1995. Vol. 1. These books are now available in paperback from the Society along with other publications on Reynolds County and neighboring counties. These books may be purchased in the gift shop or ordered by mail or email. read more
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October 17, 2013
LAWT Wire Service
On Friday, September 27, 2013, hundreds of notable African Americans visited schools across the United States with the united goal to encourage students to COMMIT to excellence and their education. Participating HistoryMakers recounted their own school experiences and the struggles that they encountered on their paths to success.
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan chaired the nationwide effort, with the goal of having almost 500 black leaders go "back to school" in 68 cities and 30 states. The program puts HistoryMakers in direct contact with over 25,000 students across the nation.
Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, along with Julieanna Richardson, founder and executive director of The HistoryMakers and Ernest Green, who was one of the Little Rock Nine, visited H.D. Woodson High School, on the northeastern side of Washington, D.C. The school is housed within a brand new building, with modern technology and resources, but still faces challenges such as a 40% truancy rate.
Still in D.C., Oliver McGee, professor of mechanical engineering at Howard University, visited School Without Walls Senior High School, where he met "extraordinary students." He is "now a committed partner" with the school, and will continue to work with students and provide guidance on their senior science projects. In response to a student's e-mail requesting help on his senior project on aircraft vertical stabilizer assembly design modifications, Professor McGee wrote:
"I'd be happy to assist you on your senior project at Foggy Bottom School Without Walls Senior High. Please feel free to call me to discuss your project further, so I can also give you some good topical questions about turbo machinery aerodynamics."
Other HistoryMakers have shared positive stories from their visits. Oceanographer, Evan Forde, reflected upon his experience at Brownsville Middle School in Miami, stating, "I learned how great the need is in the inner city, and how important it is for me and others like me to share myself with the community!" Chicago-based venture capitalist, Michelle Collins, added from her visit to the University of Chicago Charter School that "every child is curious, wants to know 'how', and seeks to understand."
The HistoryMakers' Founder and Executive Director, Julieanna Richardson, is encouraging those within the African American community to give back.
"By bringing these living leaders into today's educational system, we are raising awareness about the achievements of the accomplished African Americans in local communities and bringing these leaders into schools to see things firsthand, while providing important role models for today's youth."
The HistoryMakers is donating subscriptions of The HistoryMakers Digital Archive (http://www.thehistorymakers.com/digital-archive) to participating schools. The digital archive includes extensive and easy-to-access interviews with life stories of over 600 HistoryMakers.


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Oman Air has recently sponsored the third World conference of Oncology held at Hilton hotel-Salalah during the period from 15-17 August 2007. This comes inline with the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman belief in the role posed by such conferences, which aims to disseminate health awareness of cancer among various segments of society, educate citizens about the disease and the importance of early detection through such workshops and lectures, for the protection of future generations.
In this context, Mr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Amry Regional Manager Sales - Salalah said that, Oman Air is always eager to contribute in supporting such forums based on its national obligation towards the society. Sponsoring this conference was necessary, as it represents important endeavors aimed towards the great efforts against cancer in the course of public awareness and cooperation with health authorities. This conference, which was attended by many specialists, scientists, doctors and lecturers, has resulted in significant gains and new method in the treatment of cancer. On behalf of Oman Air, Mr Al Amry aspired that this conference will contribute to sustain the development of cancer scientific researches; also disseminate health awareness for the prevention of cancer causes.
Corporate Communications & Media Department of Oman Air stated that Oman, under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, has accomplished astonishing achievements and enhanced the health and well being of all the people of Oman, by ensuring the availability of comprehensive health services throughout the Sultanate by protecting and promoting the health of the people in their bid to achieve a better quality of life. They noted that the fight against cancer is a common world challenge, and the Sultanate has the same dimensions in this regard. The department also said that the National Oncology Centre at Royal Hospital built at a cost of RO 7 million, which serve as an extension of the Royal Hospital for treatment of pediatric and adult cancer patients, is an advanced quantum leap in health services in Oman. The World Health Organisation's Report 2000 placed Oman as the World Number One in terms of health system efficiency and utilisation of financial resources, and eighth in terms of overall health care.
The Department concluded saying that Omani citizens today, receive excellent service from an efficient, integrated health system that has been praised by international bodies including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the United Nations Development Fund. Sponsoring this happening is considered as recognition of the immense efforts made by the concerned bodies in Oman engaged in the development of research and provision of continuing medical education in the country, noting that health awareness and control of cancer hazards is necessary to protect current and future generations and human resources, whom are most precious factor. As a national carrier, we have realized the importance of joining hands with all bodies in the country as well as civil societies' organizations for preservation and care of the human resources at all levels. Oman Air is fully aware of the importance of such conferences, affirming its commitment to support such important trends along with the concerned bodies.


text: I have a Vista/Ubuntu dual boot system, and would like to install VirtualBox to use both systems, but I don't want to uninstall any of these OS. If possible, what is the best way to accomplish this? I don't care about which OS will be the main system. I'm just after the best solution.


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B.J. Hoeptner Evans, Manager, Communications, Phone: (719) 228-6800, E-Mail: email@example.com
USAV Facebook - @USA_Volleyball - @USAV Beach
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 7, 2013) – Sean Rosenthal and Phil Dalhausser along with Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson got off to strong starts in main draw pool play on Wednesday at the FIVB Beach Volleyball Berlin Grand Slam.
Rosenthal (Redondo Beach, Calif.) and Dalhausser (Ormond Beach, Calif.), seeded No. 5 in the tournament's main draw, went 2-0 on Wednesday, defeating their compatriots No. 21 Ryan Doherty (Toms River, N.J.) and Todd Rogers (Santa Barbara, Calif.), 21-13, 23-21 in 41 minutes. Rosenthal and Dalhausser then beat Spain's No. 28 Francisco Alfredo Marco and Christian García (21-15, 21-15 in 44 minutes).
No. 6 Gibb (Bountiful, Utah) and Patterson (Van Nuys, Calif.) also went 2-0, beating Austria's No. 27 Daniel Müllner and Jörg Wutzl (21-10, 18-21, 15-10 in 46 minutes) and Switzerland's No. 22 Philip Gabathuler and Jonas Weingart (21-18, 21-14 in 34 minutes).
Brad Keenan (Westminster, Calif.) and John Mayer (Thousand Oaks), seeded No. 30 after having to qualify for the main draw, went 1-1. They beat Australia's No. 14 Isaac Kapa and Christopher McHugh (23-21, 18-21, 16-18 in 54 minutes) and fell to Latvia's No. 3 Janis Smedins and Aleksandrs Samoilovs (20-22, 23-21, 15-7 in 49 minutes).
Doherty and Rogers finished the day 0-2 after losing to Rosenthal and Dalhausser and also Spain's No. 12 Pablo Herrera Allepuz and Adrián Gavira Collado (21-14, 21-18 in 34 minutes).
Men's pool play will be completed on Thursday when the women's pool play will begin. The U.S. team of Morgan (Beck) Miller (Cote de Caza, Calif.) and Heather Hughes (Fallbrook, Calif.) lost in the second round of qualifying on Wednesday.
Four U.S. women's teams are already entered into the Berlin main draw.
Jennifer Kessy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and April Ross (Costa Mesa, Calif.) would like to reach their second FIVB beach volleyball podium of the season after a second-place finish at the Moscow Grand Slam. They finished tied for ninth most recently at the Long Beach Grand Slam.
The U.S. teams of Lauren Fendrick (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Brittany Hochevar (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) along with Jennifer Fopma (Bellflower, Calif.) and Brooke Sweat (Fort Myers, Fla.) have played well this season and have finished tied for fifth, but have yet to crack an FIVB semifinal.
The new U.S. team of Emily Day (Torrance, Calif.) and Whitney Pavlik (Laguna Beach, Calif.) received a wild card into the main draw and will be looking to make a statement.
The Berlin smart Grand Slam is the seventh Grand Slam on the 2013 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, which is comprised of 10 Grand Slam events and the 2013 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships. There are also eight Open events and while they are not part of the World Tour, they still count towards the FIVB World Rankings and help open the door for development of the sport.
The tournament concludes with the women's gold and bronze medal matches on Sunday August 11, while the men's medal matches take place on Saturday August 10.
For more information on the Berlin Grand Slam, click here.


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Lecturer/Lecturer Practitioner in Musical Theatre
- Cambridge
- 33k - £39k annually
- Temporary
Production Sound Engineer
- London
- 30-32K per annum, depending on experience (circa)
- Permanent
About The Stage Jobs
The Stage Jobs has the biggest selection of theatre jobs and jobs in the performing arts including backstage theatre jobs, offstage theatre jobs and performer jobs.
Vacancies you can find on The Stage Jobs include castings, acting roles and auditions; technical theatre jobs including lighting technician jobs, sound technician jobs, stage management jobs, costume and wardrobe vacancies; and arts marketing jobs, front of house theatre jobs and theatre administrator vacancies.
The Stage Jobs includes opportunities across the UK and jobs in the international performing arts world including cruise ship jobs and cruise ship auditions.
The Stage Jobs is free to all candidates. Search for your dream job using the keyword search bar above and start finding work today.
You are advised to bear in mind the following before responding to advertisers:
- Bona fide auditions never charge to attend.
- If you decide to work abroad, contact Equity before you do so. The Union is there to advise performers and protect their interests.
- Don't pay money up front for anything unless you've weighed up the risks.
- Even if you pay to sign up with a casting agency, remember that work is never guaranteed and some agencies have few clients.
- Don't complain if photos, tapes or showreels submitted to an advertiser aren't returned - these are your promotional tools and you must expect to provide them.
- Open auditions can be very crowded - you might have to queue for a popular one and get very little time to perform. Don't go in the first place if you can't accept this.
- Don't go to a non-business address on your own for a meeting or audition. If you must, tell someone where you are going.
- Be wary of promises of work and stardom: you will usually be disappointed.
- The Stage takes care to ensure that bogus or misleading copy is not carried, however it is impossible to vet every advertiser.
Should you have concerns about an advertisement you have seen or responded to, contact us


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New model computers are introduced in Marana Arizona daily. You may love a certain brand and purchase it. But if you forget or be careless about repairing and maintaining them then you will face various technical problems.
Computers are machines made of electronic parts. It's a machine which includes both software and hardware. If there isn't proper maintenance your computer will fail to operate and you may end up with data loss and other critical errors.
If you need best computer repair and maintenance services in Marana , DataMetrics™ is at your service. We are world's best technicians. We provide unlimited tech support. DataMetrics™ guarantees you an outstanding experience. Register with us as a customer and we will show you the true essence of remote computer support.
Warranty Options For Laptop Repairs
Laptop repair isn't always easy, but sometimes it can be. If the laptop isn't under warranty and you dont feel comfortable replacing some of these parts yourself, youll have to find a professional to do it. If you only want to upgrade then you cant send it back to the manufacturer and you'll have to find a tech to do it. You can bring it to a well known retailer like Best Buy and have their Geek Squad work on it since they're pretty well trained and always do a good job on repairs, or you can find a professional someplace else to do it for you.
Easy to replace parts:
Wireless adapter- if your wireless stops working for some reason, you can just go out and get a USB wireless adapter or a PCMCIA wireless adapter to put in the card slot.
RAM/Memory- Memory is pretty easy to install and fairly inexpensive. In many cases, you can drastically improve the performance of your laptop just by adding some more memory. Most places that sell laptops can install it for you, or if you feel comfortable installing it yourself you can put it in. There's an enclosure on the bottom that you unscrew in order to install the memory.
Hard Drive: A hard drive can be a little more tricky to upgrade. If your hard drive gets corrupted, youll probably lose most of your data unless a professional can recover it. Then you'd just have to toss it out and buy a new one and have it installed. The #1 reason for hard drive corruption is abuse, so be careful with your laptop if you want to keep your hard drive safe. If you just want to uprgrade to have more space, first youd need to back up your data and then take the old drive out and put the new one in. A hard drive upgrade is similar to a RAM upgrade. There is an enclosure usually on the bottom that contains the hard drive. In Gateway laptops it's usually in the front for easy access.
Not so easy to replace parts:
For these repairs you'll definitely have to take it to a professional, or sometimes it'll actually be more worth it and less hassle just to junk it and buy a new one
CPU: If you want to upgrade the CPU in your laptop, you're going to have a hard time because usually the motherboard has to be changed as well. You'd be better off just buying a new laptop. On the other hand, if your processor goes bad for some strange reason and you want to install the same one or even a higher speed version of the same processor, it is doable. Youll probably have to ship it out or find a professional to do this.
Motherboard: Upgrading or replacing the motherboard can be a hassle as well, and costly. Again, you'd probably be better off just buying a new laptop unless you have a good warranty and you're willing to go through the hassle of shipping it out.
Keyboard Keys: When a key pops off the keyboard, it usually cant be put back on, so if your laptop is under warranty youll need to send it out for repair. Otherwise you can take it to a tech and have them order the keys you need.
Graphics card: Since laptops dont have as much room as a desktop computer, the graphics card is usually integrated onto the motherboard. If you really think it's worth it to spend the money and replace the guts of your laptop, go right ahead. Otherwise I'd say buy a new laptop with a very good graphics card so you'll never feel the need to upgrade.
Various other upgrades and add-ons can be done through USB or the PCMCIA card slot. For example, if you get more involved with things like sound and video, there are certain expansion cards you can buy depending on what you're trying to accomplish. They're usually plug and play and very easy to install.
Laptop Repair and Upgrade
The cyber-world is full of threats such as viruses, spyware, Trojans, Worms and etc. These can affect your PC and even steal your personal information. These cyber-threats can cause huge dilemmas to your PC. Always have an anti-virus guard installed. Upgrade the program and schedule regular updates. Your software's database should be updated for a full-protection.
Dell Laptop Repair In Marana Arizona
"Should I buy a new printer or fix the old one?" I don't know how many times I've heard this question, but I wish I had a nickel for each time. Of course, if they asked a salesperson, he'd have a ready answer for them... always "yes". But as a technician, I like to analyze the question a little before giving an answer. The standard equation was always that if the repair costs more than half the machine, then replace it. But as printer technology advances, and smaller printers last longer, that standard is changing.
Just to give you an example, a $1,000 laser printer might easily last 150,000 pages before ever breaking down. When it finally does need repairs, a $500 maintenance kit (including labor) is nothing to wince at. It's standard almost. And the $500 will most probably carry you through another 150,000 pages. In a case like that, if you'd replaced that printer, you would have wasted $500.
So once we get down to the dollar for dollar, the modern equation has changed, even though the standard answer from printer dealers hasn't.
Of course, the question of repair cost and printer cost isn't the only thing to consider anymore. You have to consider down time, technological advances, and a whole mess of other things. In the end, you won't get a short, simple answer... but you can make a list of pros and cons taking into account each of the following:
Small Consistent Repairs - If a machine breaks down every other month, it's probably time for an upgrade... even if the repairs are cheap. They aren't supposed to break often. If yours is, then either the parts are getting old and brittle, or the machine itself isn't made for the amount of work you're giving it. An acceptable 'break free' period is four months.
Parts - With smaller machines, parts availability is usually the deciding factor when trying to decide whether to replace or repair. Especially with inkjet printers. As a matter of fact, the odds of being able repair an inkjet machine is very slim, because inkjet parts are usually not manufactured--the machine was designed to be replaceable.
Down Time - Sometimes it's not the end of the world when a machine sits in the corner for a week waiting for parts. Sometimes it is the end of the world. If your business relies on your machine, then you need to consider a few things: 1-Is the machine reliable enough to go for long periods without breaking? 2-Is the machine a popular model, and are there parts readily available when the machine DOES break? 3-do you have anything for 'backup'? If you answered 'no' to any of these questions, you ought to think about buying a good, reliable, POPULAR machine.
Technology - Hey--it changes, and it changes fast. If you're still using something with a parallel port, then it might be time to switch over. Yes, they'll always have things to help you convert from USB to parallel, but there are other software and memory changes that might make it impossible to use old printers. If you're thinking about upgrading your computer systems in the next couple of years, you ought to upgrade your printer as well.
Supplies - It's really hard to let go of an old printer when you have a whole stack of unused toner cartridges. Especially if you can't sell them to recover some of your cost. If the printer is costing too much to repair, then you end up spending a dime to save a nickel. However, some of the 'old reliables' can be used for bulk printer or for back-up printers, so it's not always a total loss.
While these are all good things to consider when paying for a printer repair, sometimes the final decision comes down to a simple budget consideration. The most important question might simply be: Do we have enough money budgeted for a new printer? Your technician can't help you answer that, but his experience can usually help you foresee the price you'll pay if you hold on to your old machine.


text: I travelled around Canada during winter and spotted some of the coolest spots for skiing and snowboarding. As I love interesting sports activities, I just fell in love with Toronto. In winter, Toronto remains covered with snow, most of the times. And the best thing is that in winter you will hardly see any tourist there. If you love extreme cold weather, then you will surely enjoy in TorontoDate: 11 December 2017 11:50 Reply ➦


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Oldcastle Avondale 6 ft. 5-Burner Built-In Propane Gas Grill Island
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* This offer may contain time-sensitive information and offers. Please check with Home Depot to confirm actual price & availability.
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Asheville, NC 28803
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As his parents and sister silently wept, hacker mastermind Albert Gonzalez was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court to two concurrent 20-year stints in prison for his role in what prosecutors called the "unparalleled" theft of millions of credit and debit card numbers from major U.S. retailers.
U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris announced the concurrent sentences in two 2008 cases against Gonzalez, 28, a Cuban-American born in Miami, where he lived when the crimes were committed. According to binding terms of a plea agreement Gonzalez forged with the U.S. Department of Justice, he could have received between 15 years and 25 years for the crimes.
"I stand before you humbled by these past 24 months," Gonzalez said in court, slightly expanding the time he has been incarcerated since his arrest in May 2008. "I'm guilty not only of exploiting complicated networks, but also of exploiting personal relationships," he said. He added that he had exploited a relationship with a "government agency," a reference to a previous deal he had related to a separate criminal case in which he agreed to be an informant for the U.S. Secret Service, but provided information from that agency to one of his co-conspirators in the credit-card theft cases.
"I've impacted the lives of millions of individuals and I violated the sanctity of my parents' home," said Gonzalez, who was wearing khaki-colored jail garb and a stylish, closely shorn haircut -- quite different from the long locks he sported when he was arrested. Gonzalez stashed more than a million dollars in a hole in the backyard of his parents' Miami home, although he drew a map for investigators to find the hidden loot and forfeited it and other ill-gotten material goods after he was arrested. He urged Judge Saris to sentence him on the low end of the agreed-to spectrum, saying he hopes to some day prove to his parents that he loves them as much as they love him and that he wants upon his release to turn his life around.
Gonzalez and co-conspirators hacked into computer systems and stole credit card information from TJX, Office Max, DSW and Dave and Buster's, among other online retail outlets, in one of the largest -- if not the largest -- cybercrime operations targeting that sort of data thus far. They used some of the stolen numbers to remove cash from ATM machines and sold many of the other numbers to other criminals, including those in Eastern Europe. Gonzalez pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in two cases related to those thefts last December and the following day entered a guilty plea in a third case involving hacking into computer networks of Heartland Payment Systems and the Hannaford Supermarkets and 7-Eleven chains, also to steal credit and debit card numbers. The Heartland hacking was particularly damaging because the company processes transactions for major credit and debit card companies Visa and American Express.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in the third case Friday in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Gonzalez was indicted in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, with the cases eventually moved to the same federal court.
After reviewing the cases following established sentencing guidelines that take into account various factors, including the effects of the crimes, the DOJ sought the maximum agreed to under the plea deal in two cases and 20 years in the other. Without that agreement in place, sentencing guidelines that consider previous crimes and the severity of these crimes would call for a maximum of life in prison. However, Judge Saris said that with respect to the two cases in her court, she believes the 20-year sentences are "sufficient" to suit the crimes and also will send a message to would-be cybercriminals, who tend to be young adults, that they could spend much of their youth in prison if they are caught.
Saris was apparently moved by letters written by Gonzalez's loved ones, who described him as "interactive and loved and loving -- there is another side to your personality," she said of those accounts. "And yet when you read the [case] transcripts there's this macho glee" about the crimes he was committing, she added. Furthermore, he "two-times" the Secret Service, "almost like a double agent," she said.
Defense attorney Martin Weinberg argued in court documents and again in court Thursday that Gonzalez should be sentenced to 15 years. While the government referred to the cases as "identity theft," they were instead thefts of data that did not involve stealing victims' identities to "invade their bank accounts, withdraw money, and ruin their credit," according to a court filing, which Weinberg reiterated Thursday.
Furthermore, Gonzalez "did not hack into government computer systems, he did not crash computer systems by spreading viruses or inundating them with spam, and he did not invade the privacy of individuals' computers to steal such data as passwords to compromise their financial life and invade their personal property," Weinberg wrote in the court document.
The defense had further argued that Gonzalez was a substance-abusing Internet addict with Asperger's syndrome -- a form of autism -- at the time of his crimes, so he should merit fewer years in prison. Also, one of the three unrelated cases cited by the DOJ in making its argument for longer sentences -- because there should be parity in sentencing similar crimes -- was much worse than what Gonzalez did, Weinberg said in the filing. He added to that in court that some of the most egregious white-collar criminals in recent memory, who stole peoples' pensions and literally ruined lives, have not received sentences as long as 25 years.
At issue Thursday was the thorny subject of determining how many victims there were of Gonzalez's computer thievery. The judge interrupted arguments by the attorneys to ask if there is any way to know financial figures or anything about "individuals" who were harmed. While the companies and financial institutions that were affected are known, putting actual human faces and dollar amounts on the crimes is not something that may ever be possible, it was agreed.
Indeed, the issue of restitution was set aside for a separate hearing on June 25, to give the DOJ and others involved in the case time to come up with a total figure. Judge Saris said that she is likely to have to determine an amount of restitution and then leave the rest of the damages companies hope to recover to lawsuits. Heartland has already agreed to multimillion-dollar settlements with Visa and American Express for damages in the hacking thefts.


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compensate for
Also found in: Dictionary.
compensate for (something)
1. To offset (or attempt to offset) something. His sudden honesty cannot compensate for all the lies he told me over the past year.
2. To reimburse someone for something. In this usage, the recipient is named between "compensate" and "for." If you take the job, we will compensate you for all of your relocation expenses.
compensate someone for something
to pay someone [back] money for something. Don't worry. I will compensate you for your loss. Let us compensate you for your expenses.
compensate for something
to counterbalance or counteract something; to make up for something. Your present kindness will not compensate for your previous rudeness.


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Seth Rogen Almost Smoked Weed With Himself in 'An American Pickle'
What Time Will 'Work It' Be on Netflix?
Stream It or Skip It: 'An American Pickle' on HBO Max, a Culture Clash Comedy Starring Seth Rogen
How To Watch The Seth Rogen Movie 'An American Pickle' Online
Charlie Kaufman Leans Into His Strengths in Netflix's 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things' Trailer
Lifetime's Britney Spears Movie Ripped Apart By Twitter: "Worse Than I Could Have Imagined"
Amy Adams, Adam McKay Reunite for Netflix Limited Series 'Kings of America'
Stream It Or Skip It: 'Ordinary Love' on Hulu, in Which Lesley Manville and Liam Neeson Endure, Endure and Endure
Why Did Max Leave 'Catfish' and Who Is the New Host Kamie Crawford?
'Audrie & Daisy' Subject Daisy Coleman Dies at Age 23
How To Watch 'The Swamp' Online
Rep. Matt Gaetz Grew Up in 'The Truman Show' House and That Explains So Much
Janelle Monáe Horror Film 'Antebellum' to Premiere on VOD this Fall
The 25 Scariest Horror Movies on Netflix Now: Can You Handle Them?
Who is Nurse Ratched? Meet the Character Behind Netflix's New Series
'Hannibal' Creator Pushed Back When NBC Wanted to Cast John Cusack as Hannibal Lecter
Keke Palmer to Host this Year's VMAs
'Eurovision' is Getting an American Makeover with 'The American Song Contest'
Stream It or Skip It: 'Black Is King' on Disney+, The Latest Visual Album From Beyoncé
'The Go-Go's Is Richly Detailed, Warts-And-All History Of Groundbreaking Female Rock Band
'Mulan' Is Coming to Disney+ For $30, But Is It Worth the Price?
'Mulan' Is Coming To Disney+ On September 4 (For $30)
Stream It Or Skip It: 'Dora and the Lost City of Gold' on Amazon Prime and Hulu, in Which a Cartoon Kid Star Becomes a Confident Live-Action Teen
What We Know About 'Little Town,' the Disney+ 'Beauty and the Beast' Prequel
Stream It Or Skip It: 'Welcome To Chechnya' On HBO, About Activists Who Help LGBTQ People Escape From Torture In Chechnya
Stream It Or Skip It: 'Disclosure' on Netflix, an Essential Documentary About Transgender Representation in TV and Film
'A Secret Love' Is A Vital Window Into LGBTQ+ Love & History
Stream It Or Skip It: 'Work In Progress' On Showtime, Where Abby McEnany Somehow Hilariously Deals With Depression And Body Issues
'Fear City' Is the Rare Mafia Documentary That Doesn't Glorify the Mob
'Fear City' Cast Guide: Who's Who in Netflix's Mafia Docuseries
Need More After 'Fear City'? The Best Mafia Documentaries on Netflix
Stream It Or Skip It: 'Fear City: New York Vs. The Mafia' On Netflix, A Docuseries About How The Mob Ruled The Big Apple -- And How The Feds Brought It Down
Woman Crush Wednesday: Kate Walsh Takes 'The Umbrella Academy' By Storm
Diego is the Best Part of Netflix's 'Umbrella Academy'
Your Follow-Up To 'Umbrella Academy' Season 2 Should Be Hulu's '11.22.63'
'The Umbrella Academy' Season 2 Ending Explained: What Is The Sparrow Academy?
Malia White Takes to Instagram To Explain The Seriousness of Drugs on 'Below Deck Med'
Who is the New Chef on 'Below Deck Med' After Kiko's Exit?
Chef Kiko Is Living His Best Life After Leaving 'Below Deck Med' [Exclusive]
The 9 Best TV Shows Of July 2020
Who Is 'RHOBH' Star Sutton Stracke's Ex-Husband?
What Does Denise Richards Saying "Bravo Bravo Bravo" Mean?
Denise Richards Demolishes The Fourth Wall on 'RHOBH'
Maren Morris on 'Watch What Happens Live': I Think Brandi Glanville is "Being Honest"
Binge This: 'The Circle' Star Joey Sasso Recommends Netflix's 'Unsolved Mysteries' Reboot
Netflix Added Exclusive Clips, New Evidence to the 'Unsolved Mysteries' Reddit Page
Alonzo Brooks' Body Exhumed After 'Unsolved Mysteries' Draws Attention to Cold Case
Meghan McCain is Sick of "B.S." Questions About Leaving 'The View': "I Hate This"
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'The View' Heads Into Its Summer Hiatus: When Will 'The View' Return?
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- Equitable Advisors -- Milwaukee Office
- 111 E Kilbourn Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202
- 414-226-8003 | firstname.lastname@example.com
California Insurance License #: 0M18496
Securities offered through Equitable Advisors, LLC (212-314-4600), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory products and services offered through Equitable Advisors, LLC, an investment advisor registered with the SEC. Annuity and insurance products offered through Equitable Network, LLC and its insurance agency subsidiaries. Equitable Network, LLC does business in California as Equitable Network Insurance Agency of California, LLC and, in Utah, Equitable Network Insurance Agency of Utah, LLC. Equitable Advisors and its affiliates do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals may transact business and/or respond to inquiries only in state(s) in which they are properly registered and/or licensed. The information in this web site is not investment or securities advice and does not constitute an offer.
Equitable Advisors, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V
IMPORTANT: The names of all companies under the formerly-used AXA brand name have been updated under Equitable, the brand name of Equitable Holdings, Inc. and its family of companies. As we work to completely revise all of our website content, advertising, and other communications, you may occasionally see a remaining and inadvertent reference to some variation of "AXA", which should be disregarded and will be corrected as soon as possible.
Link to equitable.com


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Presse und Berichterstattung
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Parks Superior Sales - New & Pre-Owned Hearses For Sale in MA
Our inventory of new and pre-owned hearses is ready for sale in MA! Looking for a dependable and affordable hearse for your business and not sure where to start? Start with Parks! We serve all of MA and are known throughout the U.S. for our quality and with nearly 70 years in business.
Spanning three generations and nearly 70 years, Parks Superior Sales is one of the oldest and most trusted hearse and limousine dealers in the country. Both Michael and his father, Bob Parks Sr., are extremely grateful for the customer support over the years. Parks Superior Sales started off by SERVICING professional vehicles nearly 70 years ago and still today they are second to none when it comes to SERVICING what they sell. From sales to support we have what it takes to put you in the drivers seat.
View New Hearses for Sale MA
View Pre-Owned Hearses for Sale MA
If you're deciding on New or Pre-Owned vehicles for your fleet, please check out our large inventory of Hearses, Limousines, and First Call Vans. Most are in stock and ready to go. Got questions? Call our sales team today to learn more about the car of your dreams. It's never an easy decision to make when you're looking for the best car at the best price. Nearly 80% of our customers choose to lease with us due to the lowest monthly payments, the tax advantages and the flexibility available at the end of the lease term. For more information please contact one of our sales representatives today.
We take pride in being a resource to our customers offering:
Service department with factory trained technicians
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Parks Superior Sales supports funeral business to many towns in MA.
We are just a phone call away. 800-229-5008 . Dependability and Affordability is what Parks Superior Sales is all about.
No other dealer has the inventory of new and pre-owned hearses for sale to MA customers than we do. Parks Superior Sales - 70 years * Eagle Coach 30+ years * Federal Coach 40+ years and Platinum Coach/MK Coach companies brought us in at their start a few years ago.
At Parks Superior Sales, we have the experience in providing equipment financing to the funeral industry. We are experts at providing finance solutions that meet the needs of our customers through a unique combination of industry knowledge, exceptional services, tailored products and financial strength. Nearly 80% of our customers choose to lease with us due to the lowest monthly payments, the tax advantages and the flexibility available at the end of the lease term. For more information please contact one of our sales representatives today.
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Make the right choice with a call to Parks Superior Sales. Please call us at 800-229-5008 and see why over 500 customers per year choose Parks Superior Sales as their Hearse & Limousine dealer.


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Airsoft Investments (2000-02-20)
This week I touch on a topic not usually covered in any airsoft review; a topic which has been regarded with distaste by many avid airsofters. The concept of appreciating airsoft pieces is a lesser scrutinized part of the sport but even our favorite hobby is not immune to the laws of supply and demand. To illustrate this point, let's take for example the Tokyo Marui Biohazard 2 Desert Eagle. Based on the popular Sony Playstation game Biohazard 2 written by Capcom (known as Resident Evil 2 in the USA), only a very limited number of these airsoft pistols were ever made. When they first came out, many people were impressed by the finely crafted walnut wood box, the unique styling with its elongated barrel, and the undeniable "exclusive and not everyone has one" aura surrounding it.
Despite this, sales of the Biohazard 2 Desert Eagle were slow initially with some retailers having trouble clearing their stock. But then as Playstation's game Biohazard 2 gained popularity, Tokyo Marui's own Biohazard Desert Eagle began gaining an audience and stock depleted rather quickly towards the end of 1999, almost a year after the game's release.
Towards the early part of 1999, the Desert Eagles had all but nearly disappeared from shelves and some retailers were evening holding auctions to gain the best price on remaining units. Other forward-thinking speculative private investors had already stocked up a few to sell during times of shortage and were auctioning them online. We saw the asking price go up rather quickly in 1999 and bidding prices were in some instances almost as sky-high as some of the major internet stocks of today! The most I ever personally saw one for sale was on a major online auction site for USD$520!
Of course, most seasoned airsofters will know that this same story could be about the Tokyo Marui HK51, MP5SD5 (which will be re-introduced this April), SunProject M40A1, WA Speedcomp/Prokiller, and a host of other popular yet discontinued airsoft. What made the Biohazard truly unique though was the difficulty in modifying an existing Desert Eagle to anything like the Biohazard version, thanks to the Biohazard's elongated 10" barrel. For HK51 lovers, at least slapping on a fixed stock and a longer barrel on an MC51 gave something close to the real thing!
Based on Tokyo Marui's own regular Desert Eagle Gas Blowback, the Biohazard Desert Eagle really didn't represent any new breakthroughs. With the help of the game's outstanding popularity along with the limited production scheme of the gun, it was a surprise hit. I still know of several places that have the Biohazard Desert Eagle but with the introduction of the Biohazard 3 92F, I wonder how much upside is left for the Biohazard 2. This time without the wooden box, the Biohazard 3 92F comes in the standard Biohazard styling with Racoon City Police's logo emblazoned on the imitation wood grips. Chrome silver barrel coupled with "RPD" engravings on the slide make for a complete collector's package. Whether the Biohazard's appreciative appeal will hold up in this round will largely depend, in our opinion, on 2 main factors: the ongoing success of the game Biohard/Resident Evil 3 and the speculative climate of airsoft investors.
If you're an investor and you feel both factors will hold up, pick one up for yourself now!


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Improve your liver function with VIMERSON HEALTH LIVER SUPPORT! This advanced supplement improves liver health and function. It contains MILK THISTLE, which protects the liver against alcohol-related effects. The Beetroot, Artichoke extract, Chicory root, and Jujube seed ingredients aid in CLEANSING AND DETOXIFYING THE LIVER, keeping it in great condition. This vegetarian supplement contains natural… Read More »


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Spindle moulder unit «500»
Stable and compact spindle unit for long lasting precision:
For convincing spindle moulding results
An unbeatable offer for discerning woodworkers:
The large, solid, ribbed cast Iron table, stable table extensions (F 500 MS), a professional spindle fence and height adjustable spindle aggregate with dual support, offers professional results at a great price.
... Your decision for Felder, a risk-free decision
Stable and compact spindle unit for long lasting precision:
With just a couple of turns of your hand, the spindle shaft can be swapped with varying diameters, without losing any of the settings.
"230" spindle fence for max. tooling diameter 230 mm, MULTI adjustment system for spindle fence "230" enabling parallel alignment and quick setup
The safety bar guides are great for end-grain work (optional).
The use of a power feeder ensures that standard work when moulding can be carried out cleanly and precisely
Workpieces that have larger formats can be processed in comfort using the Felder table extension and the extended front support.


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Penguins Sign Defenseman Brendan Mikkelsonby Staff Writer / Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Brendan Mikkelson to a one-year contract, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Mikkelson's contract is a two-way deal worth $550,000 at the NHL level.
Mikkelson, 26, split the 2012-13 season between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL). The blueliner registered one assist and six penalty minutes in four games with the Lightning. He appeared in 13 games with the Crunch, posting two assists and a plus-2 rating. Mikkelson scored two goals in 13 playoffs games, assisting Syracuse in their postseason run to the Calder Cup Finals.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound defenseman began the 2012-13 season in Sweden withVasteras of the Allsvenskan league. Mikkelson notched seven points (3G, 4A) and 20 penalty minutes in 17 games with Vasteras.
Mikkelson, who was originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round (31stoverall) of the 2005 NHL Draft, has played parts of five seasons in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks, tallying 10 points (1G, 9A) and 59 penalty minutes in 131 career games.
The native of Regina, Saskatchewan has played 196 games in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch, Abbotsford Heat, Toronto Marlies, Iowa Chops and Portland Pirates. Mikkelson registered 18 goals, 66 points and 150 penalty minutes from 2007-2013. He has recorded 10 points (4G, 6A) in 27 playoff appearances in the AHL.
Prior to being drafted by Anaheim, Mikkelson played four seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Portland Winter Hawks and Vancouver Giants from 2003-2007. The blueliner posted 16 goals, 70 points and 204 penalty minutes in 226 regular-season games. Mikkelson scored 14 points (5G, 9A) in 33 playoff appearances. His seven assists and 10 postseason points with the Vancouver Giants in 2007 helped his club capture the Memorial Cup as the host team.
Mikkelson's sister, Meaghan, plays on the Canadian national women's team and won a gold medal in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.


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Link: Search the Alberta government's salary and severance database
EDMONTON - Alberta's top 10-highest paid government employees earned more than $3.5 million between them in 2013, says the province's new sunshine list released Friday.
The list includes roughly 3,300 compensation records for government employees who earn more than $100,000 per year. The database details include salary, cash and non-cash benefits, severance amounts, along with contract and termination agreements whenever possible.
A Journal analysis of the data revealed the top 10-highest paid government employees, when considering base salary and cash benefits. At the top of the list was former Service Alberta deputy minister Jay Ramotar, who earned a $205,578 salary and $200,800 in cash benefits, which include vacation pay, lump-sum payouts and overtime. Ramotar left the public service in September 2013.
Most of the highest paid in 2013 are medical professionals, including the chief medical examiner, Dr. Anny Sauvageau, and the chief medical officer of health, Dr. James Talbot. The top-10 list also included Peter Watson, deputy minister of executive council, which is the highest-ranking position in the public service, and Farouk Adatia, Premier Alison Redford's chief of staff.
The highest paid Alberta diplomat in 2013 was Gary Mar, who lost to Redford for the premier's job. Mar earned $322,000 in salary and benefits as the province's trade representative in Asia.
Don Scott, associate minister for accountability, transparency and transformation, called the new policy the "gold standard."
"This, I believe, sets the standard for every other jurisdiction in Canada," Scott said Friday.
In a statement posted to her Facebook page, Redford said the policy is another step in her commitment toward greater transparency and accountability.
"For those employees whose salaries will be disclosed today, I know it is not an easy day. It's never comfortable for our salaries to be disclosed and debated publicly."
The list's release was delayed until late Friday afternoon following a last-minute application for an injunction filed by a Crown prosecutor who argued the disclosure of her name and salary could open her up to safety concerns and fraud. Her name is protected by a court-ordered publication ban.
The temporary injunction was granted, forcing government staffers to spend roughly 40 hours removing the records of about 300 prosecutors overnight Thursday.
Scott said he wasn't surprised that some were uncomfortable with the new policy.
"This is something brand new for Alberta and obviously it marks a big change," he said.
Agencies, boards and commissions won't automatically be included in the policy. Instead, the government will expect they develop their own equivalent policy.
It also doesn't apply to municipalities or Alberta Health Services employees.
Scott said no timeline has been set for other publicly funded organizations to adopt their own disclosure policies.
"I'm expecting as we got forward we are going to be working with the agencies, boards and commissioners so that they live up to the spirit of what we're doing."
The list's threshold of $100,000 will be adjusted for inflation in future years. The sunshine list will be updated twice yearly, and no later than June 30 and Dec. 31. It currently includes records for the 2012 and 2013 calendar years.
With files from The Canadian Press
Top 10 salaries for Alberta government employees in 2013
1. Jay Ramotar, deputy minister of Service Alberta: $406,379
2. Dr. Anny Sauvageau, chief medical examiner: $377,869
3. Farouk Adatia, chief of staff to Premier Alison Redford: $357,707
4. Dr. James Talbot, chief medical officer of health: $346,763
5. Dr. Graeme Dowling, assistant chief medical examiner: $343,850
6. Dr. Bernard Bannach, assistant chief medical examiner: $343,850
7. Dr. Bamidele Adeagbo, assistant chief medical examiner: $343,850
8. Dr. Elizabeth Brooks-Lim, assistant chief medical examiner: $343,850
9. Dr. Tera Jones, assistant chief medical examiner: $343,850
10. Peter Watson, deputy minister of Executive Council: $342,631
*All salaries rounded to nearest dollar, and include any cash benefits paid.


text: You name it, you can probably play it on the iPad. That's the genius of the blank slate: All it takes is an app, and your iPad can be just about anything musical, such as a guitar, a keyboard, a drum machine, some sheet music or a beatbox. Heck, if you wanted to, you could replace your recording studio or create an entire rock band with nothing more than an iPad and a suite of apps. (Though you probably won't get lucky nearly as much as a traditional rock star.) And if cranking tunes out of a tablet isn't your thing, there's a host of neat, interactive apps that teach you how to play real instruments. From synthesizers to loop creators, sheet-music readers to recording tools, here are some of the coolest iPad apps for musicians we've found in the App Store. GarageBand Made by Apple, the GarageBand app is simply stunning. The app packs a virtual piano, guitar, bass guitar and drum set into an easy-to-use music suite for recording songs. Especially neat are Apple's Smart instruments, which contain preset chords and rhythms for each instrument, so anything you play can sound good. This way, people of all ages will be able to pick up an iPad and compose some cool tunes. $5 Download GarageBand.Bebot He can sometimes sound annoying, but the Bebot is too adorable to hate. Poke around on the screen to make some cool sounds, and the robot's mouth moves with your finger. The app includes nine "instruments" to choose from. This is a toy, at best, but a fun app to keep people entertained — or to annoy your coworkers. $2 Download Bebot.iElectribe KORG The hip-hop group Gorillaz created an entire album with software on iPads, and KORG's iElectribe app was one of their main weapons. The app acts as a virtual beatbox system with controls that work like a vintage analog synthesizer. You choose a loop, then add sounds such as a snare drum, percussion, synthesizer noises and other effects to build some high-quality beats. $10 Download iElectribe KORG.Seline HD Seline HD is the freshest take we've seen on a music app. It's like a keyboard that's been completely remapped into grids to create new improvisation possibilities on a touchscreen. The synthesizer includes 23 instruments, such as violins, flute, harpsichord and clarinet, and you can easily record your songs as WAV files that can be transferred to iTunes. This app is brilliant. $10 Download Seline HD.Sound Cells Sound Cells is an interactive music app that turns sound into awesome visuals on a matrix grid. You just tap the matrix to create moving "cells." When a cell hits a wall, it creates sounds; when one cell collides with another, they change directions. It's similar to the fun Tenori-On matrix-based music synthesizer, which costs $1,600. At just a buck, Sound Cells is a steal. $1 Download Sound Cells.Etude Sight-reading sheet music isn't easy: It's like learning a new language, and if you didn't start as a kid, it's only going to be harder. Here's where Etude comes in. The app displays piano scores and plays the corresponding audio in real time. Here's the kicker: On the bottom of the screen, a virtual keyboard plays along with the song, highlighting the proper keys to teach you where to position your hands on a piano. Plus, you can download additional scores and lessons. The app is a universal download that works on both the iPhone and the iPad, but it's best on the latter; it shows the iPad's potential to replace a music stand, and maybe even an instructor. $5 Download Etude.Tab Toolkit Learning to play guitar can be a real challenge if you have to read chords, so simplified guitar tablature has been a popular alternative for beginners. Tab Toolkit makes it easy to find and save guitar tabs on the web. The built-in browser lets you browse music websites, then whenever you visit a guitar tab, it automatically detects it and allows you to file it away by artist and song title. Then when you're practicing, you can easily pop open the tab and start strumming away. $10 Download Tab Toolkit.iReal B After you're done reading tabs and want to learn to read chords, iReal B is an excellent app to train your brain into memorizing complex riffs. The app allows you to create and edit chord charts, and there's a playback feature to play the music while you practice and play along. The app includes 50 exercise chord progressions, and you can purchase chord packages that include audio files to play along. $8 Download iReal B.SoundPrism Another visual treat, SoundPrism is a virtual synthesizer that visualizes pitches in an extremely intuitive grid. Bigger, darker tiles are bass notes. Brighter, smaller tiles have higher treble. You get the picture. It produces beautiful sounds, and kids especially will enjoy playing music with this app. The best part is it costs nothing. Free Download SoundPrism.See Also: - 10 Apps You Should Download for iPad 215 iPad Apps You Should Download TodayPlanetary iPad App Turns Your Music Into a UniverseiPad Sheet-Music Foot-Switch is a Real Page-TurneriPad Could Boost Interactive MusiciPad DJ Rana Sobhany Gets in Touch With Music's Future


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Now by better I don't mean a better player, but someone who better represents the type of player and the abilities that Acy possesses. Other than the fact that they both have big ugly beards, I think Acy and Evens play completely different, yet all the comparisons are Acy is an Evans clone....come on we can do better.
Evans is a much beefier player and plays well below the rim, Acy is springy and can run the floor.
Evans has no offensive touch, Acy has shown signs of being able to constantly hit a a 15 footer.
So I ask the Republic, who is a better comparison?
Tyrus Thomas
Brandon Bass with out the shoulders


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Firstly, I want to say my sadness about the man who goes to Brugge Stadium for the last day before his dead. I am very upset about his (child) daughter, too. God bless her.
I wish It would be a good match and Beşiktaş WIN!
Also, I want to say "Shame on you" to your stadium or ticket managers. They signed an unprecedented application in Europe


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Some pool drain covers that were certified as compliant with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB), a federal law that requires all public pools and spas to be fitted with anti-entrapment drain covers, may not protect against that risk, according to a government investigation.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the agency charged with enforcing the VGB Act, announced last month that it is investigating whether several laboratories had used improper testing procedures in certifying the flow ratings of the drain covers. As a result, some covers that were certified as VGB-compliant may not be, according to a statement from the CPSC.
Kathleen Reilly, who heads the CPSC's Pool Safely campaign, told Club Industry that the agency had not launched the investigation in response to any specific incident, and that the CPSC had not received any reports of recent entrapment incidents.
An investigation by the Chicago Tribune, prompted by an anonymous tip, found that the CPSC had been aware of concerns regarding testing procedures for two years before it launched its investigation last July. The newspaper reported its own investigation into the matter in February, a month before the CPSC released the statement announcing its investigation.
The CPSC statement said that the agency has issued subpoenas to three laboratories involved in testing the drain covers and that the commission's staff will hold a public meeting to discuss this issue with testing laboratories, drain cover manufacturers and other industry representatives on April 5. The CPSC aims to identify the incorrectly certified covers to the public by Memorial Day weekend.
Reilly says it is too early to speculate what CPSC's next course of action will be, what could be expected of the laboratories and manufacturers involved, or how operators whose pools and spas were fitted with the drain covers identified by the investigation will have to respond.
"The investigation is still ongoing and the public meeting will provide additional information about testing and products on the market," Reilly said. "We cannot say what the outcome will be at present."
The testing issues may not be a surprise to some in the aquatics industry who felt that the year Congress gave CPSC to implement the act was not long enough for the industry to respond.
Tom Lachocki, CEO of the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF), told Club Industry that the NSPF wrote to the CPSC in December 2008 to ask that the agency extend its deadline for implementation by 12 to 18 months. The one-year deadline, he said, not only allowed insufficient time for the drain covers to be tested and manufactured but also forced operators to comply before the CPSC had launched the bulk of its education program.
The NSPF is one of several industry associations the CPSC has contracted to help educate pool operators about their responsibilities with regards to the VGB Act. Its director of environmental health programs, Tracynda Davis, says that the CPSC has not provided information on the investigation to NSPF or other industry associations.


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Erik Johnson was the bulldog ace for California this season. He is 6'2″, 240 and is a workhorse who can run it up to 94 or 95. He has a good change and a nice breaking ball as well. His mechanics are erratic and he isn't overly athletic but at worst he will be a good set up man. He could be a #3 guy and eat 200 innings if everything works right for him and he can iron out his mechanics a little.
Jeff Soptic, a righty out of Johnson County CC in Kansas, has a rocket for an arm. He can hit triple digits but he is another raw product. He flashes a plus slider and with the velocity he has, he looks like he could be a back of the bullpen kind of guy. He could be a #2 starter if he improves his command and develops an average changeup. …
September 4, 2011
MLB Bonus Baby's 2011 White Sox draft review
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