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Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa
- Al Sofouh Road,
- PO Box 24970
- Dubai,
- Vereinigte Arabische Emirate
- Landkarte
- Telefon: (971)(4) 399 5555
- Kontakt
- Ankündigungen
- besuchen sie unsere website
- 04:48 hrs
Rated 4.7 out of 5 by 569 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Freya123 HEAVEN ON EARTH As usual our stay was fantastic. All the new improvments made up till now are great can't wait to see the finnished job. It was my wife's birthday while we visited and she would like to thank everyone who made it so special by giving her a cake, roses, champagne and a well appreciated gift. A big thank you to all members of staff who always make us fell like every visit is like returning home. February 13, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by MJ15 Hotel Room Our room was very comfortable and we only had to complain about one matter. The button to flush the toilet was extremely hard to push and on some occasions we hurt our thumbs. We reported this problem but the person who attended said that nothing could be done. We think that this button could cause someone some injury Otherwise it was a most excellent hotel.. February 13, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by Borisboots So relaxing We expected a great holiday in Dubai however Le Royal Meridien made our holiday amazing. The hotel and its staff are 'top draw'. The hotel's facilities , restaurants and cleanliness are a credit to the hotel. We went out of the hotel once as we felt we should see more of Dubai however after 3 hours we could not wait to get back to the relaxing atmosphere . Cannot wait until our next stay. May 18, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Hammers1 This Hotel has everything for a Coastal holiday Not only is the Hotel and its facilities exellant its location is ideal. You can walk or be taken by buggy through the lovely gardens to the Beach which is ideal. At all times whether you are by the Pools, in the Garden or on the Beach you will always receive the best service for food and drink as the staff are good and attentive.We certainly will be returning next year for a longer stay. March 6, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by Dick Excellent hotel First class hotel. The only issue that I had was the room not being ready when promised even after confirming arrival time twice prior to arrival once a few days prior in person by my daughter. Then we were told one a d a half hours that then went to two and a half and it ease t until I got annoyed thAt suddenly the room became available. A real pity because everything else was top draw. June 12, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by JJones Le Royal Meridien surpases all expectations again! All I can say is that this hotel is fantastic. The layout, the service, the rooms are all exceptional. We upgraded to a Suite in the Tower and it was worth every penny. It is our second stay here and it has gone up even further in my view and cannot recommend highly enough the quality of a 5 star resort with the boutique feel with the staff knowing what you need before you even know! November 4, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Saintsfan Luxury with a homely feel I have visited this hotel several times and for pure luxury it cannot be beaten. The staff are so well trained to meet your every need with a smile. The complex is un equalled in Dubai, and is a key feature of why I book. The food is excellent and varies from excellent pizzas to gourmet meals. I will be staying again. March 11, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by Vickster67 Excellent Dubai Holiday Simply fab hotel : location beach front, facilities, decor, staff, amenities, service food and drink. Good selection of bars and eateries in the hotel.Sister hotel's Buddha bar a must do. Only two minor negatives 20- 30 min car journey from the city centre - although taxi's very cheap and prices within the the hotel for beverages very expensive ( but so is the rest of touristy Dubai !) July 23, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Pete1090 Amazing Resort This hotel has amazing gardens, excellent facilities and exceptional staff who make your stay very pleasant indeed. April 22, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by aj22dms Flying visit March 2013 My partner and I have just returned from a very short visit at Le Royal Meridian in Dubai and i can't speak highly off all the staff at the hotel and wanted to say how much we enjoyed our stay. Our early check in was accomodated immediately and we even recieved a room upgrade - we will 100% be returning to this wonderful hotel for a longer stay hopefully in the not too distant future! March 11, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Trix Fabulous Hotel This hotel was more fab than we remembered. We were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary and they could not have done more. Flowers and special table at th Rhodes twenty 10 restaurant and then champagne & chocolates in our room before we left. Lovely, knowledgable and friendly staff. Thoroughly recommended as a base or relaxing holiday. Will definitely return and hopefully soon. September 26, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by dougal54 Excellence all the way This was the first time i had stayed in Dubai and did not know what to expect. The hotel was brilliant, the staff are a credit to the company. Nothing was to much trouble for them. The pool was very clean and the surrounding garden area well kept. If you wanted to go to the beach there on hand was the customer dune buggy waiting for you. I cannot fault my stay and would go again. June 12, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Rally Beautiful hotel - worthwhile staying there Excellent Hotel sometimes busy but never overcrowded (March 2014) with large, well cared, clean three pools park and direct beach access. Each room with balcony and beautifull see view. Brasserie Restaurant very good for Half board meals. Very dedicated staff !! Dine-Around offer seamed to be a great idea. It was but needs some improvement: participating Restaurants only offered a very delimited meal menu (Mex. Maya, Pizzeria), Food Quality was excellent but portions at Maya were extremely small. We complaint - and they appologized and delivered a second main course for free! Well responded. Arabian Travel agency located in the Hotel lobby offered great Dubai adventures. Convenient access to The Walk Boulevard and challenging (road construction in place) but possible access to the Marina Walk Boulevard - a must see. Same way to the Metro - challenging but possible and always safe. Taxis everywhere and cheap, Despite of the distance to the City it is a perfect Location for Holiday makers. We'll come back next year March 25, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by Bev1961 Fantastic Stayed here for 5 nights and had a fantastic time. I have stayed in many 5* hotels and this was the best. I could not fault a thing. We stayed in the Tower rooms with use of the Royal Club Lounge service and hospitality surpassed all expectations. Lovely hotel, friendly and helpful staff who could not do enough for you. Pools, gardens and beach beautiful. Will definitely return. April 2, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by tatayoyolyon great place there are of course plenty of great hotels in Dubaï, but this one has the best surroundings, huge garden, many pools, big private beach and lots of deckchairs and beach umbrellas, so you never have to wake up early to get one. Due to the size of the garden you don't feel you're in a crowd, there's always the possibility to be in a quiet place and this is great, we'll be back April 28, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Passiondesvoyages Wonderful stay at Royal Meridien Dubai After a one week stay with a friend from Sweden, we can highly recommend the hotel for the following reasons : - courteousness and kindness of staff, - most valuable club benefits with transfers from and to airport and specially with an excellent buffet during almost all the day, - perfect room in the Royal Club Tower with a wonderful view over the propoerty, the Palm, and the beach (12th floor), - a lot of different places to relax outside in the very nice and clean gardens and beach, - no noise at all in spite of the proximity of high buildings nearby, We spent a lot of time swimming in the sea as it was not our first time in Dubai but we also enjoyed some visits outside the hotel and outside Dubai (Abu Dhabi with a driver from the hotel). We would be happy to stay again at Royal Meridien Dubai and thank all staff for the excellent quality of service provided before (Starwood reservation) and during our stay. May 19, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by marko177 Simply The Best Of All Worlds Location, Service, Food. Everything that is good in a holiday.With its own gardens and beach you are sheilded from the city and the hectic city life. However, to step outside after dark and stroll down the nearby "Walk" or order a taxi and dip your toe into the local nightlife means you can have the Best of All Worlds. Would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone. June 17, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by poppyfield Fantastic hotel Absolutely first class hotel and staff. Was made to feel most welcome and nothing was too much trouble for anyone. Food was excellent in all of the restaurants - what more could you ask for? Am hoping to return later in the year as its the best holiday I have ever had! March 21, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by Jimbo1 Best Resort Hotel in Dubai We have just returned from 30 days at this wonderful Hotel. The reception staff are so helpful and nothing is too much trouble. The staff cannot do enough for you and treat you as friends, with a warm welcome every day. All the retaurant staff treat you with courtsey and make your stay that more enjoyable. The huge grounds, with 3 pools are well tended by the gardeners August 25, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Happycouple48 Excellent hotel. This is the best hotel in Dubai,great for families or couples.The standard of service never fails,and the hotel is immaculate. The choice of food at the brasserie is great. This was our fourth stay here, We hope to be back again in the near future.Many thanks to all the very helpfull and courteous staff. If you are looking to visit Dubai you won't find a better hotel. August 18, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by Amr78 True resort facilities Pros: *Great facilities from water sports, beach & pools. *Tasty in room dinning menu, for all meals morning to night. *Proximity from JBR is just perfect Cons: Worst Beach service ever, either under staffed or not focused staff Refurbished rooms are not complete, yet still accommodate guests in them. March 3, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by cucu1965 Great resort It is always a pleasure, time after time, to see that Royal Meridien keeps its excellence. I would recommend this resort in all aspects, the central location in Dubai Marina, the beach (one of the best in Dubai), the dining facilities, the club lounge, the service. Last but not least we were upgraded to a nice suite... Thanks - we'll be back! January 21, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by Engima Luxury at its best The hotel was fantastic with excellent customer service. The staff were attentive to all our needs and nothing was to much trouble for them. A good selection of restaurants providing a range of international cuisines. The pools were cleaning and the catering service at the pools was excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the hotel and will definitely return. June 14, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by Kevla To much building work We were told we had been upgraded and we had not. We were told we had good views and we overlooked a building site. We were not advised of what was included in our package so we missed out on what was included in our package i,e transfers from the airport etc. The tower was being refurbished directly above our suite so the room was not habitable during the day. KW November 24, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by AlisonBB Pure relaxation Just had our second stay at this excellent hotel. The facilities are fantastic including the wonderful choice of restaurants. The gardens and beach area are beautifully looked after and the staff are so positive and helpful. All this results in a truly relaxing holiday experience. Thank you. March 3, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by Grabaneck Amazing service by all staff. So many smiles Nothing can be faulted at this hotel. Nothing is too much trouble for any member of staff, they seem to know what you want before you do. the location is excellant The walk is within 2 minutes walk. The Marina can be reached by walking or a short taxi ride. Malls are not to far away hotel provides a shuttle service. I requested a softer mattress and my mattress was changed within 10 minutes all done with a smile. Smiles are in abundance from the Pool and Beach staff they cannot do enough for you helping with towels and sunbeds, of which there are plenty around all the pools and gardens. The waiting staff at the pools remember after your first day your preferences. Jose is the jewel in the crown. The immaculate gardens are a delight. We enjoyed all the food we had whilst at the hotel there was so much choice each day. Service in the restaurants was exceptional. Each day Roy the Butler came to see us to see if we needed any help and our requests were dealt with quickly. We had a fantastic holiday were so well looked after that we cannot wait to return. March 25, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by Helle The Most courteous staff This was my first visit to your hotel and both my husband and I were totally impressed with the efficiency and courteousness of your staff. Nothing was too much trouble. This included the staff who worked outside on the beach providing towels to serving drinks. We will definitely be staying again. Thank you for making our visit truly special. Mrs. H. Bond February 8, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by Johnkm12 Great expectations, a little pricey Love the hotel, the quality of service, the location and the facilities. Getting rather expensive here (and in Dubai more generally). The hotel was very quite, probably due to the new "Beach Walk" area attracting hotel guests in the evening. Meridien need to do more to attract guests & non-residents back to the hotels excellent facilities and location. December 13, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Anne01 Great Hotel. What can I say? words simply cannot describe the feeling of staying Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa Hotel everything was so good, the service was excellent which included the beach area, Food very appetizing with breakfast freshly made depending on your choice. Overall everyone did their very best to cater for us to enjoy our holiday and we did. October 6, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Phases123 Excellent choice for a place to stay while in Dubai A nice blend of Western and Arab cultures, with high level of diversity. Very friendly staff and management that cares. Great rooms and accommodations like a palace in the proximity of the tourist attractions of Dubai. Absolutely recommended for any type of visitor, tourist or business person February 26, 2014


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subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to Milverton Primary School - 'a community within a community'
Milverton Primary School is a popular, over-subscribed community school set on the north side of Leamington Spa town centre. We are very proud of our school and through this website are pleased to have the opportunity to tell you more about it.
We have a well-earned reputation for caring sensitively for the needs of all of our pupils who come from a wide range of backgrounds far beyond our priority area. The school is a happy and thriving place, where children and adults work and flourish together in a rewarding atmosphere, underpinned by enthusiasm and encouragement. We work hard to achieve success and enable every child to achieve his/her potential.
The school was originally built in 1887 and over its history has seen many developments. We now have over 310 children organised in 11 classes engaged in an exciting and constantly developing curriculum that goes beyond the hours of the school day.
This website has been designed with the intention of providing the school's stakeholders and prospective parents and children with accurate and up to date information.
We welcome visitors to our school at all times, so if you would like to see us in action then please do contact us to arrange a visit.
Ben Wilde
Quick Links
Milverton Primary School
Greatheed Road
Leamington Spa
Where's this? >
Telephone (01926) 424 043
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May 22, '12 07:30:00AM • Contributed by: LMP
If you do this with Keynote, you'll have access to all the graphical elements in the various themes the program contains; and with Pages, you'll be able to see all the elements from the program's templates.
[kirkmc adds: Interesting, and a good way to copy certain graphical elements, notably from Keynote themes or Pages templates. Note that there are thousands of graphic files in these programs, so it can take a while to wade through them.]


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Sex, Love, and TMI
Last week on Mommyish, I wrote about parents who whisper sweet nothings about their personal lives for all of their Facebook friends to read. It's a subject that I've posted about several times before, but the submissions never cease to make me cringe and/or stock up on contraception. And since I didn't run a Sex Edition for Valentine's Day this year, I thought I'd make up for it by posting both a round-up and a column dedicated to these filterless, emotionally-charged submissions. Sexy! RAWR.
Here are some examples that'll really get you in the mood (to throw your computer at the wall):
1. Baby-Making, Season 3, Take 2
Everyone on set! We're gonna need all hands on deck for Baby Making Season 2, Take 3. Marianne and her husband are trying to bring another little miracle into this world, and prayers are guaranteed to help speed up the process. Baby-making isn't something that just *happens,* you know. It requires community support, occasional donations, collective worship, and a whole lot of Facebooking. Danielle and Mary are both in. Who else is with Marianne on this?
It's baby season, and Marianne's not going to lie down in missionary position quietly. She's a woman who doesn't conform to society's harsh demands that married couples procreate in silence. We must all work together to lift these restrictive barriers so that no one has to engage in intentional unprotected sex without all of their friends knowing and cheering them on. Let's raise our voices and hold virtual hands, like Marianne and Erica, so that we may find relief for those people who are self-diagnosed with Baby Fever. They deserve praise for their fortitude in fighting social norms. These women are on the front lines of couples' liberation!
2. Sexual Healing
Yee-haw! I don't know about you guys, but Cindy's comment just made my whole WEEK. I'm picturing her reading through the above thread and thinking, "Oh my goodness, this is so personal. So revealing! No one should post this much information on Facebook!!", and then taking off her glasses and pausing to reflect. "Hmm. Well, she could always try straddling and riding him reverse cowgirl, in terms of practicality. Lol." Poor Kathleen. She's super pregnant and super horny. :(
3. Wait For It
"I love you, JT, for being my soulmate, my lover, my baby daddy, my Jolly Roger, my life coach, my BFF, my foot masseur, my triple dog darer, my Dirty Diaper Don Juan, my Mr. Snugglepants, my debonair Poop Patrol Sergeant on Labor Doody (…there…I said it…I shit on myself while giving birth…it happens…and it happened to me…with the pooping and the whatnots…okay I'll stop talking now). Here's to forever and ever for the rest of our lives…to quote Marilyn Monroe "Happy birthday, Mr. President"… it's been fun…"
4. Love Notes
I don't know if Seth is in the army, or if he's going on a road trip with his buddies, or perhaps doing some research out in Arizona for his upcoming novel about the Gadsden Purchase, but one thing I do know is that Cassie's vagina just got one hell of a work out. Seth put a real hurting on Cassie's nether regions, if you can pick up what he's laying down with that subtle piece of information! He really gave it to her good, because that's how much he fucking loves her and little Skye and Karsyn. Who's their daddy?? SETH'S their daddy.
5. Conception Day Keepsake
These two are *pretty sure* that this was the wine-stained evening that culminated in the conception of their daughter, but hey, who knows?! The point is, this picture represents a sex-filled night of enchantment that might have resulted in a baby and is therefore deserving of Facebook status. I mean, just look at those smushed up faces. I can't imagine going my whole life without seeing that.
6. Mom's Gold Star
After thinking that this was a little too much information, and this was definitely too much, I've temporarily loosened up (*ahem*) to posts about lube and/or sex toys as they relate to children and/or dogs. At least, with this particular submission I have. It just makes me laugh. Not to mention, how much KY do Laura and her husband keep on-hand? Do they buy the industrial size? The word "pouring" implies a more substantial amount of viscous liquid than say, "squeezing." Are they KY-wrestling? If only we could see the comments. I suppose we'll just have to use our imaginations.
To read more sex and love updates that never should've made it to Facebook, check out my column over on Mommyish!
(submitted by Anonymous)


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- By: Raging Stallion
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bolino March 23, 2014
- Inked maintenance man, Bo Dean, and warehouse manager, Angelo Marconi, can't keep their hands off of each other, making out when the other workers aren't around. Angelo loves gulping up Bo's huge cock, lapping at it with his hungry mouth and taking it deep in his throat. Angelo can't get enough cock and he takes it any way he can and Bo takes his chance to give it to his boss, every last inch jabbing into Angelo's tight, sweet hole.


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Dierks Bentley 's 1994 white Chevy truck, named Big White, has appeared in several of his videos, and he directly references the vehicle in his latest hit, "I Hold On." So, why is there a white Ford truck featured in the song's video?
It turns out Dierks wanted the guy in the video to be a younger version of himself. He wanted the guy to be on a similar journey from playing honky tonks to eventually playing arenas, but Dierks wanted to draw the line between himself and the character in the clip.
Dierks tells ABC News Radio, "We kind of went out of our way to get a different guy with dark hair, and that's why I got the Ford instead of the Chevy just to like not draw - - he's having his own experience and not me. I've had a lot of people comment on that."
In a larger sense, Dierks took pains to include elements of Americana to capture the line about "faith, love and freedom" in the song. It's a nod to all the small towns Dierks has discovered touring the country on a bus in the last 10 years.
"You drive through small towns and storefronts and cafes and barber shops and American flags," Dierks says. "I wish I had started from very beginning taking pictures of American flags in these random locations I've seen them all over the country -- on the sides of barns and in front yards and on silos."
"I Hold On" is featured on Dierks' latest album, Riser .
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio


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SOM Home > Library
EBSCO Academic E-book Package Now Available
New Oncology LibGuide Available
Steve Wilson Named Web Architect and Outreach Librarian
August New Book Lists
September Edition of CDR Library now available
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Elsevier is retiring the popular MDConsult database, so as of July 1st, 2014, the SOM Library is offering the more comprehensive product ClinicalKey.
ClinicalKey's offerings include:
• over 1000 textbooks• over 500 journals
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Access ClinicalKey through the SOM Library Databases page, E-books page or Electronic Resources page.
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7. Project Case Notes: The Lexicon of Greek Personal Names
The Lexicon of Greek Personal Names (LGPN) was established in 1972 as a Major Research Project of the British Academy. The overall objective of the LGPN project is to create a comprehensive and authoritative record of the names of all individuals attested in Greek (or with Greek names attested in Latin) in the ancient Greek-speaking world, and so provide the classical research community world-wide with a unique and fundamental resource for the study of all aspects of the ancient Greek world.
LGPN is internationally recognised as a resource which has transformed the basis on which names may be studied and used. It has done so to date primarily through its publications; so far, over a quarter of a million individuals sharing over 35,000 names have been published in six regional volumes.
OUCS has been assisting the LGPN with its database, typesetting and (most recently) web presence since the early 1980s, and the project has successfully weathered 30 years of changes in humanities computing.
In its most recent incarnation, an InfoDev project has put together a new web-based search of all the data, and enabled the Lexicon to make its data available in formats such as TEI XML, JSON, KML and RDF using the CIDOC CRM ontology (see below). The project now participates in up-to-the minute collaborations using linked data and open standards.
Up: Contents Previous: 6. Many Hands Make Light work: Harnessing the Power of the Crowd Next: 8. A Common Technology: TEI XML


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Philip Chism indicted for attempted murder of DYS worker in Dorchester
Philip Chism, the teen accused of raping and murdering his Danvers High School teacher, was indicted for attempted murder on a DYS worker in Dorchester.
Philip Chism faces new rape charge in Colleen Ritzer murder
Philip Chism, the Danvers High School teen accused of raping and killing his 24-year-old math teacher, will be in court today to answer to another charge.
Philip Chism arraigned for murder, rape of Danvers teacher Colleen Ritzer
Philip Chism, the 14-year-old former Danvers High School student, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to murdering and raping his 24-year-old teacher.
Teen accused of raping, murdering teacher to appear in court Wednesday
Philip Chism will be arraigned in Salem Superior Court on Wednesday on charges of robbery, rape and murder in the […]
Philip Chism indicted for murder, rape of Danvers teacher Colleen Ritzer
The Danvers High School student who allegedly killed his teacher was indicted on Thursday for murder, aggravated rape and armed robbery.
Funeral today for slain Danvers High teacher Colleen Ritzer
The funeral for slain Danvers High School teacher Colleen Ritzer was held Monday in Andover.
Danvers High resumes classes after murder of beloved teacher
School is back in session at Danvers High, just days after beloved math teacher Colleen Ritzer was brutally murdered and […]
Murdered Danvers teacher Colleen Ritzer mourned on Twitter
24-year-old Colleen Ritzer, the Danvers High School math teacher who was killed in an apparent murder, used her Twitter account to update her students about homework assignments just two days before her body was found.


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22 U.S. Code § 3871 - Annual report
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Until the termination of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977, the President shall report annually on the status of the exercise of the rights and responsibilities of the United States under that Treaty. Such report shall include a discussion of the following:
(1) The actions taken by the Government of the Republic of Panama with respect to the living conditions of persons who resided in the Canal Zone before October 1, 1979, and who continue to reside in those areas made available to the United States under the Agreement in Implementation of Article III of the Panama Canal Treaty.
(2) The terms, conditions, and charges for land-use licenses within the canal operating areas specified in the Agreement in Implementation of Article III of the Panama Canal Treaty.
Source(Pub. L. 96–70, title III, § 3301,Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 497.)
Delegation of Functions
Functions vested in President by this section delegated to Secretary of State who shall perform such function in coordination with Secretary of Defense pursuant to section 1–401 of Ex. Ord. No. 12215, May 27, 1980, 45 F.R. 36044, set out as a note under section 3601 of this title.
Report to Congress on Condition of Panama Canal and Canal Operations
Pub. L. 100–203, title V, § 5418,Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–271, provided that: "Out of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this part [part 1, §§ 5411 to 5418, of subtitle E of Pub. L. 100–203], the Commission shall prepare and submit to the Congress a report on—
"(1) the condition of the Panama Canal and potential adverse effects on United States shipping and commerce;
"(2) the effect on canal operations of the military forces under General Noriega; and
"(3) the Commission's evaluation of the effect on canal operations if the Panamanian Government continues to withhold its consent to major factors in the United States Senate's ratification of the Panama Canal Treaties."
The table below lists the classification updates, since Jan. 3, 2012, for this section. Updates to a broader range of sections may be found at the update page for containing chapter, title, etc.
The most recent Classification Table update that we have noticed was Tuesday, August 13, 2013
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Thinking about this Gaga episode... maybe the rapture happened already
I'm totally ready to watch Lisa Goes Gaga...
I bet it'll be so bad it's good...
I'm hoping it's like New Kids on the Blecch, where the guest star totally makes fun of themselves. I could see Gaga going with that.
Well, ya'know if you stay positive and forget about trivial things like "proper characterization," "Satire," and "emotional depth" watching new Simpsons episodes can be a seemingly enjoyable lie.
"One of the keys to life is having a sense of proportion, knowing how long to sit at a restaurant after you've eaten, or how long you should go on vacation if you go to Hawaii for a month on vacation, I guarantee you that by the end you'll hate it. So it's the same with a TV show, you want to do a certain amount of it, so that when people look back on it and they love it. I could have easily done the show for one or two or three more years, but it would have changed the way people look back at it. I think I made the right decision. Because people like the show now even more than they did in the 1990s, because it didn't get worn out." -- Jerry Seinfeld
Looks like there's a song in Sunday's episode.
Yeah as a way to blatantly tell the plot it was cute, singer was okay.
This is not fabulous but it's okay...
My Simpsons Season 24 Ratings/Reviews:
Moonshine River (2,25/5) / Treehouse Of Horror XXIII (3,5/5) / Adventures in Baby-Getting (3,25/5) / Gone Abie Gone (3,5/5) / Penny Wise-Guys (3/5) / A Tree Grows in Springfield (1,75/5) / The Day The Earth Stood Cool (3,75/5) / To Cur with Love (4/5) / Homer Goes to Prep School (3/5) / A Test Before Trying (3,5/5) / The Changing of the Guardian (1,25/5) / Love is a Many-Splintered Thing (2,75/5) / Hardly Kirk-ing (3,25/5) / Gorgeous Grampa (2,25/5) / Black-Eyed, Please (3,75/5) / Dark Knight Court (3/5) / Pulpit Friction (3,25/5)
Futurama - Season 7 :
The Bots and the Bees : 3,75/5 / A Farewell to Arms : 4/5 / Decision 3012 : 3,5/5 / The Thief of Baghead : 3,25/5 / Zapp Dingbat : 2/5 / The Butterjunk Effect : 2,5/5 / The Six Million Dollar Mon : 4/5 / Fun On A Bun : 3,75/5 / Free Will Hunting : 2,25/5 / Near-Death Wish : 3,75/5 / 31st Century Fox : 3,5/5 / Viva Mars Vegas : 4/5 / Naturama : 2,5/5
Wow...it really doesn't sound like Coogan, though maybe it's just the singing. You could tell it was him when he voiced the devil in the "Neighbours from Hell" cartoon (Ah, how I wish it had been picked up for a second season).
Maybe it needed fastest pacing? I usually love Steve Coogan in movies but yeah, it doesn't really sound like him, and I didn't like the singing voice too much.
Anyway the lyrics are ok and the shots were more dynamic than usual. It looks like a pretty decent episode, the setting is different and there seem to be some new secondary characters that could work. Looking forward to it.
My Simpsons homage!
I like that the essay the episode was named after was all about how horrible and artificial cruises are but in the simpsons they're the greatest thing in the world
Well, Bart desn't look like he's having a good time, so you never know.
Here's another preview for this Sunday's episode
I liked a lot
you are going to kill me because I am not sure how write in english
The Simpsons - Season 24:Moonshine River: B+ |Treehouse Of Horror XXIII: A- |Adventures In Baby-Getting: B+ |Gone Abie Gone: B+ |Penny-Wiseguys: C+ |A Tree Grows in Springfield: B- |The Day the Earth Stood Cool: B+ |To Cur with Love: B |Homer Goes To Prep School: A- |A Test Before Trying: B+ |The Changing Of The Guardian: B+ |Love Is A Many-Splintered Thing: B- |Hardly Kirk-ing: B+ |Gorgeous Grampa: B |Black-Eyed, Please: B- |Dark Knight Court: A- |What Animated Women Want: C |Pulpit Friction: B |Whisky Business: B+ |The Fabulous Faker Boy: C+ |The Saga Of Carl: B- |Dangers On A Train: B+
Family guy - Season 12: Finders Keepers: C+ |Vestigial Peter: B+ |Quagmire's Quagmire: C+ |A Fistful of Meg: B- |Boopa-dee Bappa-dee: C | Life of Brian: B+ | Into Harmony's Way: B | Christmas Guy: B- | Peter Problems: C | Grimm Job: C- | Brian's a Bad Father: C+ | Mom's the Word: C | 3 Acts of God: B- | Fresh Heir: D+ | Secondhand Spoke: C | Herpe the Love Sore: C- | The Most Interesting Man in the World: B-
American dad - Season 9: Steve & Snot's Test-Tubular Adventure: A- |Poltergasm: B |Buck, Wild: B |Crotchwalkers: B+ |Kung Pao Turkey: C+ |Independent Movie: A- |Faking Bad: B+ | Minstrel Krampus: B- | Vision: Impossible: B | Familyland: A- | Cock of the Sleepwalk: B | Introducing the Naughty Stewardesses: B- | I Ain't No Holodeck Boy: C+ | Stan Goes on the Pill: B | Honey, I'm Homeland: B- | She Swill Survive: A-
Bob's burgers - Season 4: A River Runs Through Bob: C+ |Fort Night: A- |Seaplane!: B- |My Big Fat Greek Bob: B |Turkey in a Can: B+ |Purple Rain-Union: B |Bob and Deliver: A- | Christmas in the Car: B+ | Slumber Party: A- | Presto Tina-o: B | Easy Com-mercial, Easy Go-mercial: B | The Frond Files: B+ | Mazel-Tina: A- | Uncle Teddy: B | The Kids Rob a Train: B- | I Get Psy-chic Out of You: B | The Equestranauts: B+
Could this clip be a reference to The Simpsons currently being shown in syndication in which the episodes being shown are mostly the two most recent seasons to enter in syndication therefore making people bored?
My Simpsons Season 25 Ratings/Reviews:
Homerland (3.5/10) Treehouse of Horror XXIV (5.0/10) Four Regrettings and a Funeral (4.0/10) YOLO (4.5/10) Labor Pains (5.0/10) The Kid is All Right (3.0/10) Yellow Subterfuge (5.5/10) White Christmas Blues (1.5/10) Steal This Episode (7.0/10) Married to the Blob (5.5/10) Specs and the City (4.5/10)
I'm a big fan of both of those clips.
Really looking forward to this Sunday's episode.
My only concern at this point is pacing as it seems like they've got a lot to cram in to 22 minutes and the cruise material likely won't kick in until the 2nd act.
My bet is that the Monday-to-Friday clip is the beginning of the episode.
I hope the ending is the family living in an Government run Ice Station picking at a frozen toilet, or something. I know the status quoe should change every once in a great while, but that'd be stupid.
Very happy to hear Hot Chip on The Simpsons, but you can tell Al Jean just searched "boy" and "school" on Spotify to get music for his montage.
confirmation that the Lopez song in question is the one Steve Coogan is singing above. Boy they really are whoring out their work to other people now.
Originally Posted by David Mirkin, 1995
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One man is dead after officials say he fell off of a truck bed.
The Albany Rotary International Club awarded half a dozen college scholarships at their ceremony Thursday.
Here are the students who won scholarships from the civic group, and their high schools, followed by the university they plan to attend in the fall.
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Rated 5 out of 5Â by 1 reviewer.
adidas Soccer Accessories
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Rated 5 out of 5Â by MasterFC great scarf for uniqueness and leadership I really the colors of this scarf, it makes you stand out from the crowd which is something that I always want in my purchases to have. It is soft and very warm for the cold months ahead. Quality and stylish product to have in your wardrobe. Also I like the Spain national team, what else can I ask? July 17, 2014
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I have a friend who is ga-ga over tinkerbell. So I thought why give this book a shot.It gives a very pluasable explaination to how peter and the lost boys and everybody else got on the island. got on the island.I was pleasently pleased with the story and so would Mr. Berrie!
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Reports of an explosion near Charlotte over the weekend are possibly tied to some claims on social media of a planned event done by "kids."
Various folks on Twitter and Facebook were wondering about a very loud noise west of Lake Norman, which is north of Charlotte, sometime on Sunday evening.
Now, users on social media, including a Charlotte TV station weather man, say the blast was near Bandys High School, which is in Catawba County.
"So sounds like some kids set off 22lbs of Tannerite on a floating pallet on a small lake near Bandy's HS. #SMH" wrote Brad Panovich, a WCNC-TV Meteorologist.
Various folks messaged about the incident on Twitter and Facebook, some placing the explosion in Lincoln County, which is just a couple of miles from Bandys.
"Might have been the best night ever. Blew up 22 pounds of tannerite #amazing #scaredpeople22milesaway #firedeplovedit" wrote Twitter user Bennett mcdonald @bmon176.
Panovich later said the incident happened around 9:45 to 10 pm.
A fireman at Bandys Crossroads Fire Department told WBTW-TV the explosion was in a neighborhood off of Buffalo Shoals Road.
Tannerite is the brand name of a binary explosive marketed primarily for making exploding targets for firearms practice. It is a patented combination of two separate powders which are mixed and shaken to produce the explosive.
The combined explosive is relatively stable when subjected to less severe forces than a high-velocity bullet impact, such as a hammer blow, being dropped, or impact from a low-velocity bullet or shotgun blast.


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Dr. Laura Jana is a board-certified pediatrician, parenting expert, and co-author of the award-winning books, Heading Home with Your Newborn and Food Fights. Having co-founded The Dr. Spock Company in 1999, Jana currently serves as a media spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, a member of both the Pampers Parenting Network and the LLuminari/BeWell Expert Network, and on the advisory board for American Baby magazine.
A proud mother of three, Dr. Jana is a certified child passenger safety technician, the owner of a 200-student educational childcare center, and an outspoken early literacy advocate. Most recently, she authored her first children's book—Melvin the Magnificent Molar.


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These were a delicious brunch addition. Great texture with the granola. We didn't use the yogurt, the apples were good enough on their own!
Granola-Ginger Baked Apples
Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Yield: Makes 8 servings
More From Southern Living
Recipe Time
Cook Time:
Prep Time:
Bake: 45 Minutes
- 4 large Golden Delicious or Jonagold apples
- 3 (1.5-oz.) oat-and-honey granola bars, finely crushed
- 1/2 cup roasted salted almonds, chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 3/4 cups apple cider
- 1/3 cup cherry preserves
- 1 (7-oz.) container Greek yogurt
- 1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cut apples in half, cutting through stem and bottom ends. Scoop out core and pulp, leaving a 3/4-inch shell. Cut about 1/4 inch from opposite side of apple, forming a flat base.
- 2. Stir together crushed granola bars and next 4 ingredients. Spoon mixture into apple shells, pressing to gently pack. Arrange apples in a 13- x 9-inch pan. Pour cider around apples in pan.
- 3. Bake at 375° for 25 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender, basting twice with pan juices.
- 4. Place apples on a serving plate. Add preserves to pan juices, and cook, over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 5 to 6 minutes or until thickened. Serve apples with warm sauce and Greek yogurt.
- Granola-Ginger Baked Pears: Substitute 4 Bosc pears for apples. Proceed with recipe as directed.
- Note: Baking times will vary greatly due to the ripeness of your fruit. Begin testing for doneness by inserting a wooden pick directly into the fruit (not granola mixture) after 25 minutes of baking. A wooden pick should be able to pierce the fruit easily with just a little resistance. Overcooking will lead to the fruit losing its natural shape and becoming mushy. For testing purposes only, we used Nature Valley Oats 'N Honey Crunchy Granola Bars.
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Granola-Ginger Baked Apples Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Desserts
- CONVENIENCE: Entertaining
- CUISINE: American
- MAIN INGREDIENT: Fruits
- COOKING METHOD: Bake
- OCCASION: Autumn
- PUBLICATION: Southern Living
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Muere Whitney Houston a los 48 años
Story | Feb 11, 2012 | 7:41 PM
Muere Whitney Houston a los 48 años
Story | Feb 11, 2012 | 7:41 PM
Muerte de Whitney: Detalles de la llamada a servicios de emergencia
Story | Feb 11, 2012 | 7:25 PM
Everything you wanted to know about presidential inaugurals
Story | Jan 19, 2009
The Inaugural Ceremony Inaugurations are organized by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. All presidents must be sworn in, which involves taking the oath of the office. The oath is listed in Article II of the U.S. Constitution: "I...
Legendary blues singer Ray Charles dead at 73
Story | Jun 11, 2004 | 8:00 AM
Ray Charles may have been one of the most influential singer-musicians ever to grace American pop music. He may have laid the foundation for soul - an earthy blend of the secular and the spiritual, and one of the country's greatest cultural achievements....


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by Peter C. Bjarkman
One thing, if nothing else, is quite certain about the Team Cuba roster for the upcoming second edition of MLBs showcase World Baseball Classic. This latest edition of the vaunted Red Machine will most certainly feature a heavy dose of new and less-than-familiar faces, deftly mixed in with the old standbys more familiar to followers of international baseball. Pedro Lazo should once again be trekking out of the bullpen to challenge big leaguers with tense late-inning games on the line, and veteran receiver Ariel Pestano will more than likely be yet again handling the talented Cuban mound corps from behind the plate. Much coveted Yulieski Gourrielthe most highly touted unknown in the Cuban arsenal during the inaugural Clasicohas seemingly locked up a repeat berth in the infield with the quickest offensive start of his career during current National Series #48 (he stands atop the league batting race at .404). But a contingent of entirely new sluggerssome already introduced to the outside world last summer in Beijingwill also be on the scene, and the revamped Cuba outfield, in particular, will likely look nothing like the one seen in San Juan and San Diego three years back. Alfredo Despaigne, Alexei Bell and Giorvis Duvergel have now inherited the mantle from Urrutia, Tabares and Cepeda, and the result should be a good deal more power and speed that the big leaguers saw from the runner-up Cubans the last time around.
Much has changed in the Cuban League since the previous Clasicothere have even been noteworthy developments in the five months since last summers Olympic shootout in Beijingyet none of the shifts in personnel on the island home front would suggest any weakening in the national team arsenal. Despite the constant drum roll of predictions three years back that half the Cuban roster would flee in San Juan or San Diego for the promise of big league lucre, none of that has happened. From Cubas inaugural WBC roster, only utility outfielder-infielder Alexei Ramírez and showcase hurler Yadel Martí have abandoned the island, and the impact of neither loss has been very substantial. Ramírez had already forfeited his national team second base slot to Héctor Olivera in mid-2007, before his break for the Dominican Republic that would eventually lead him to the White Sox and a sensational American League rookie season. Martí was anything but impressive with Industriales during each of the past two National Series seasons, suffering dramatic breakdowns both years in the league playoffs. And if long-time team captain Eduardo Paret, early-2000s batting phenom Osmani Urrutia, and dependable slugger Freddie Cepeda have all lost a bit of luster during league play in recent months, it is also true that Cuba still continues to clone budding superstars at a far great rate than it loses them. Big league scouts on the Olympic scene in August were duly impressed with the consistent pounding of the ball by previously uncelebrated outfielders Bell and Despaigne, as well as by the overall physical talents of flexible utility replacement Héctor Olivera. Cuban baseball continues to renew and refresh itself as rapidly as the indomitable spirit of the islands eleven million inhabitants themselves.
Biggest new headliners on the Cuban League scene are Bell and Despaigne, the former enjoying the greatest individual slugging season in league annals last winter as Cubas first 30-homer-and -100-RBI man (he also posted a .722 slugging mark), while Despaigne (pronounce Des-Spain) smacked 24 round trippers and finished seventh in the batting race (.at .364, while also tying teammate Yoennis Céspedes for third in the RBI race). Céspedes (Despaignes outfield sidekick in Granma) himself whacked 26 homers last year and was one of only four Cuban Leaguers with 200-plus total bases, and yet Céspedes could not crack last summers overloaded Olympic roster. Long-time national team third sacker Michel Enríquez (a docile quiet in the 2006 WBC, and yet owner of the third-best career BA in Cuban history, behind Urrutia and Omar Linares) has survived a year-long disciplinary suspension (mid-2007 through mid-2008) and returned with a vengeance during the Beijing Olympics. Pedro Lazoa starter back home but the bullpen ace of the national teamhas continued to remain on top of his game and is now the winningest hurler in league annals with 240 victories and counting. Cepeda is still a mainstay in the outfield in Sancti Spíritus and if he rarely stands atop the leader boards for league offensive stats, he nonetheless remains Cubas Mr. Clutch in big pressure international games, as demonstrated again last summer in China.
Urrutia and Paret, along with 2008 batting champion Yoandy Garlobo, have admittedly faded from the national team scene despite their continued relative productivity; Urrutia was left off the Beijing squad, although he hit .364 last winter and is climbing back toward that mark again this season. Héctor Oliveranormally a second baseman with defending champion Santiago, but utilized at first base in Beijing, and also a potential fill-in at the other infield slotswould get this writers vote as the islands all-around best and and most obvious superstar-in-waiting. Olivera batted .353 in National Series #47 while scoring 91 runs (second best behind teammate Bell). And the top Cuban league pitchers feature a host of new prospectsheaded by Luis Miguel Rodríguez, Yunieski Maya, and southpaw flamethrower Aroldis Chapmanall lined up to inherit the mantle of past Olympic stalwarts like Contreras, Vera, Lazo and Yadel Martí.
So where do the Cubans stand regarding their potential WBC lineup, and what can international fans expect to see from the Cubans come early March? We wont know officially, of course, until February 13, when the Cuban Baseball Federation announces its 28-man roster selections on the heels of this years All-Star Game weekend. Cuban national teams are usually in large part based on player performances during the current seasons action, though quite often slots on the squad are handed to proven performers on the international scene. A veteran like Urrutia, Cepeda or Paret is often given preference over a newcomer sensation (like Villa Clara outfielder Leonys Martin last winter) who might be burning up the National Series but is not yet trusted on the pressure-packed world tournament scene. But one thing is quite certain (despite the constant misinformation in the North American press on this issue). The Cuban Federation always picks what it believes to be the strongest roster possible; top players are never left at home on the island just because of someones fantasies that a certain star or two might opt to depart the squad once overseas. (The repeated North American press stories on the eve of WBC 2006 that Cuba had not fielded its best potential squad were utter nonsense, as the outcome in San Diego should have underscored.) There may be surprises and controversy surrounding this years WBC lineup, as there frequently is with all national team selections. But the debate will be based on baseball issues alone and never on what outsiders like to see as politics.
So let the pre-event game of speculation begin. My colleague Ray Otero and I have ventured out on a proverbial limb for readers of www.baseballdecuba.com with the first (and we believe most informed) predictions concerning a likely Team Cuba roster for the March Classic. Hopefully our selections will stir some debate back on the island, as well as raising some eyebrows among international followers of Cuban baseball. Most importantly, our articles will fill the current void of information regarding a likely Cuban WBC team. For a valuable supplement to my English-language analysis of the predicted lineup found in this article, our bilingual readers are also encouraged to examine Rays independent Spanish-language commentary also detailing our roster selections.
The roster itself is as follows. Our three catchers: Yosvany Peraza (Pinar del Río), Ariel Pestano* (Villa Clara) and Yenier Bello (Sancti Spíritus). The infield is comprised of: Yulieski Gourriel* (Sancti Spíritus), Héctor Olivera (Santiago de Cuba), Alex Malleta (Industriales), Michel Enríquez* (Isla de la Juventud), Yorelvis Charles (Ciego de Avila) and Luis Miguel Navas (Santiago de Cuba). The six outfielders comprising our lineup would be: Alexei Bell (Santiago de Cuba), Alfredo Despaigne (Granma), Frederich Cepeda* (Sancti Spíritus), Giorvis Duvergel (Guantánamo), Yoandry Urgellés (Industriales) and Yoelvis Fiss (Ciego de Avila). And finally we have settled on a 13-man pitching rotation comprised of the following hurlers: Pedro Luis Lazo* (Pinar del Río), Yunieski Maya* (Pinar del Río), Jonder Martínez* (Habana Province), Aroldis Chapman (Holguín), Miguel Lahera (Habana Province), Maikel Folich* (Ciego de Avila), Norberto González* (Cienfuegos), Yicyohandri Odelín* (Camagüey), Yulieski González* (Habana Province), Norge Luis Vera (Santiago de Cuba), Vladimir García (Ciego de Avila), Luis Miguel Rodríguez (Holguín) and Yadier Pedroso* (Habana Province).
Those paying close attention will note that this roster contains a dozen holdovers from the 2006 Classic (all marked with an asterisk), along with 16 newcomers. Returnees number one catcher (Pestano), two infielders (Gourriel and Enríquez), only one outfielder (Cepeda), and eight of the thirteen pitchers (Lazo, Maya, Martínez, Folich, Norberto and Yulieski González, Vicyohandri Odelín and Yadier Pedroso). Although we believe our selections are well-reasoned ones, we also acknowledge that there are always surprises in the final selections by the Cuban Federation brain trust. And this year the choices will prove especially difficult in light of the crowded outfield and the strong performances of several potential national team rookies. In order to hedge our bets somewhat here, we therefore also offer a half-dozen-plus (seven total) outside possibilities for roster spots. Any of these seven extras may be as easily chosen as the 28 selections tabbed above. Our extra picks include three outfieldersOsmani Urrutia* (Las Tunas), Yoennis Céspedes (Granma), Leslie Anderson* (Camagüey)as well as catcher Rolando Meriño (Santiago de Cuba), infielder Eduardo Paret* (Villa Clara), and pitchers Ismel Jiménez Cruz (Sancti Spíritus) and Reinier Roibal (Santiago de Cuba). The last-minute inclusion of any among these serious contenders would be no real surprise to the authors of this website.
The Cuban Federation has already released a 45-man list of eligibles reported on this website on Friday. There are ten players from the Federation roster that we do not include in our discussions for a simple reason: we do not believe any will actually make the team. The ten excluded from our deliberations are catcher Eriel Sánchez* (Sancti Spíritus); infielders Yoandy Garlobo* (Matanzas), Yadil Mujica (Matanzas), Rudy Reyes* (Industriales), José Daniel Abreu (Cienfuegos), and Donald Duarte (Pinar del Río); outfielder Leonys Martin (Villa Clara); and pitchers Yaumier Sánchez (Santiago de Cuba), Yolexis Ulacia (Villa Clara), and Wilber Pérez (Isla de la Juventud).
Sánchez (Pestanos backup for a half-dozen-plus years), Reyes (who can play second, third or short) and Garlobo (a first baseman) are all veterans of WBC 2006 and the latter (Garlobo) was last years league batting champ. All are still potent performers who will simply succumb to better competition. Garlobos bat is hardly a premium when so many other sluggers like Malleta, Olivera and Meriño (who can all play first) are much better fielders. Reyess value as a utility fill-in has been negated by the arrivals of Navas and Olivera. And it is hard to see Sánchez beating out Meriño or even his new teammate Bello. Mujica may well be the Paret replacement of the future, but at 24, and without a taste of international experience, his time has not yet arrived. Leonys Martin will again be eliminated, as he was on the eve of the Olympics, by the obvious surplus of good outfielders packing much more power. Among the three extra hurlers, Pérez likely has the best shot, but only if the first month of National Series #48 is given extra weight. He leads the league with a 0.93 ERA and owns an advantage of being a rare southpaw. But Yaumier Sánchez, Ulacia and Pérez all have yet to prove season-to-season consistency. None ranked in the leagues top 30 in ERA last season, and Yaumier posted a 4.94 ERA despite laboring with the league champions.
In the following paragraphs I break down our selections, play-by-player, and also provide some of my own personal reasoning regarding the speculative choices. While Ray and I have agreed on the 35 players to be named here, we often differ a bit in our individual ballplayer analyses, which is an argument for also reading Rays analysis alongside my own. Those of you wishing to debate any of our choices, we enthusiastically await your responses.
Two of the three slots here seem to be almost gold-plated certainties. It is hard to image Ariel Pestano not being there for one more go-around. If Pestano is not hitting much this season (.288 with 3 homers), he is never there for his bat alone, despite some clutch international slugging across the years (as noted below). Pestano has been handling the top Cuban pitchers almost every inning of the way in international matches for a full decade, and doing so with big-league tools and unrivaled proficiency. He is also a clubhouse leader and will be relied on for that role even more heavily if Eduardo Paret is no longer on the scene. And the Federation bosses will also not likely repeat the mistake made last summer when Yosvany Peraza was left on the sidelines for Beijing; Peraza is a solid receiver, but more importantly a devastating threat with the bat. Rolando Meriño will be again hard to overlook, especially given the fact that he is solid as both a DH and occasional first base emergency replacement. And Eriel Sánchez (who we are not choosing this time around) has long been a national team backup standby. If there is anyone not on our roster of 28-plus-seven who sneaks under the wire, my own bet is that it could be veteran backstop Eriel Sánchez (also a DH).
Ariel Pestano (Villa Clara) is the heart and soul of the Cuban national team and also one of the best clutch performers in Cuban Olympic history. For the better part of the past decade I have been telling anyone who might listen that if I could draft three position players from the Cuban League directly into starting roles in the majors those three would be Pestano, Paret and Cepeda. Pestano, even when nearing age 40, has all the tools of any big league backstop plus the heart and confidence of a seasoned gladiator. And if he is in the lineup mainly for his receiving skills, few Cuban stars have come up bigger offensively at just the right moments. There was the unforgettable mammoth homer into the fog in Haarlem that blew open the World Cup 2005 semifinals with Panama; there was last summers game-turning late-inning Beijing semifinals smash against team USA; and Pestano simply owned the 2004 Athens Olympics with an MVP performance that included the tournament lead in BA, hits, doubles and RBI. Often, as goes Ariel Pestano, so goes Team Cuba.
Yosvany Peraza (Pinar del Río) wields as hefty a bat as anyone on the island. Over the past two seasons he has stroked some of the longest tape-measure shots in Cuban League history. And unlike Kindelán or Linares, he is doing it with wooden bats. Peraza is also a rapidly improving defensive fixture behind the plate, and a potent force in the DH role; this is no free swinger either, but a disciplined batsman who hit .336 overall (with his 25 dingers and .672 slugging mark in only 342 plate appearances). Peraza has also drawn extra motivation from being left off last summers Beijing roster, and he has now marshaled that disappointment into another fast start this winter that includes to date seven long balls, 20 RBI, and a .352 hitting mark. If Peraza isnt the teams starting receiver he probably should be the frontline DH, or at worst the first bat off the bench in crucial late-game pinch-hitting scenarios.
Yenier Bello (Sancti Spíritus) has been given the chance to play after returning to Sancti Spíritus from Camagüey for National Series #48 and has so far made the best of his opportunity. Alternating at DH and catcher with long-time national team substitute receive Eriel Sánchez, Bello has put up big numbers since the first week of the campaign. He is currently batting .313 and matching Meriño (probably his top rival for the reserve catcher post) atop the home run leader board with ten. While Yenier Bello looses out to both Eriel Sánchez and Meriño in big-game world tournament experience, he makes up for it in youth and physical explosiveness. This could be 2009s biggest surprise national team rookie. In the end Bello may lose out here simply because Pestano and Sánchez are far more experienced, Peraza is even stronger, and Meriño is much more versatile.
Rolando Meriño (Santiago de Cuba) is perhaps the most remarkable story in Cuban baseball over the past two seasons. Despite advancing age (matching Pestano at 38 years and 18 seasons in the National Series) Meriño continues to whale away as one of the most potent bats on the hit-heavy roster of the two-time defending champions. This winter he is hitting a hefty .366, slugging at a astronomical .723 clip, and has recently taken over the home run race. Last season his .361 BA (eleventh in the circuit) and his .579 slugging average were only preludes to an MVP post-season performance. Meriño nosed out Peraza for the final Beijing roster spot as number three receiver but was rarely used (four hitless pinch-batting appearances) once the Asian games began; he wont likely surpass Peraza this time around. But he could easily sneak by less-experienced Yenier Bello or the veteran Eriel Sánchez.
Is it possible that Eduardo Paret will not return to his personal post as shortstop and captain of Team Cuba after a dozen-year reign? We tend to think so, but if we are wrong (off base so to speak) anywhere, it is likely to be here. On the whole, the Cuban infield is the easiest sector to predict. Enríquez and Gourriel will assuredly be there, with the only question being who will play where. Olivera is also a must, and will likely man several infield posts before the tournament is over. Malleta has been a disappointment in international events while batting in the cleanup slot, but the question remains who might be better than the big lefty slugger. Unless, of course, it is Olivera who ultimately mans first base; he has been shifted there by Santiago for the current National Series. Like the others in this flexible contingent, Luis Navas (equally at home at either short or second) and Yorelvis Charles (a third sacker who has manned first this year in Ciego de Avila) can seemingly play almost anywhere. Outside of the batting power of Enríquez and Gourriel, the biggest plus with the current Team Cuba infield is that it is as versatile as could possibly be imagined. Malleta is the only candidate limited to a single position in the defensive alignment or in the batting order, which might in the end be the ultimate factor that leaves the giant Industriales first sacker back at home on the sidelines.
Yulieski Gourriel (Sancti Spíritus) was dubbed by this writer and numerous others on the eve of WBC I as perhaps the best player in the world nobody ever heard of and also selected by Baseball America as one of the top ten WBC prospects outside the major leagues (he ranked number three on the Baseball America listing). While Yulieski has remained solid the last several years, he has so far not taken that next big step to Cuban League superstardom, though his .400-plus batting pace so far in 2008-2009 suggests this might finally be his true breakout season. Gourriel owns significant bat speed and yet (and this is the downside) he is at the same time not a particularly disciplined hitter. MLB hurlers quickly found his weakness for outside breaking balls in the latter portions of WBC 2006. He nonetheless remains one of the biggest threats in the middle of an always-potent Cuban batting order. In the first 25 games this season he has banged out 7 homers and is hitting a robust .404 (locked in a first-place seesaw battle with Ciego de Avilas Yoelvis Fiss). Two seasons back he was the league leader in two-base-hits, and he posted a very rare double a year earlier (2006) as the circuit pacesetter in both triples (11) and homers (27).
Michel Enríquez (Isla de la Juventud), one of only two league batting champions outside of Osmani Urrutia in the 2000s (the other being Yoandy Garlobo), also owns the third highest career batting mark on the island (.363 after 11 seasons). The stocky right-handed hitting machine is also a solid hot corner defender who has proven his mettle in numerous international venues. In fact, the only major international tournament in which Enríquez flopped to any extent was ironically the first WBC, in which he batted a measly .194 and booted several routine plays at third. But he has been a stellar performer in other top venues, walking off with the batting title at the 2003 Havana World Cup and also topping all hitters at the same event two years later in The Netherlands. After an ugly incident involving an assault on a league umpire in mid-season 2007, Enríquez sat on the sidelines for nearly a year back home, immediately after capturing his first batting crown in National Series #45 (2006). But after returning to his national team slot this past summer he rebounded strongly in Beijing, where he hit .286 overall (one homer and seven RBI) and smacked a crucial two-bagger in the historic extra-inning tie-breaker-rule rally versus Team USA, plus a game-tying seventh-inning homer in the gold medal loss to South Korea.
Héctor Olivera (Santiago de Cuba) emerged on the national team scene with the Cuba B squad at the Rotterdam World Port Tournament of August 2007. During that particular event several big league scouts told this reporter that Olivera was the most impressive prospect in the tournament field (which also included a young Alexei Bell, Alfredo Despaigne and tournament MVP Yosvany Peraza). Olivera subsequently replaced Alexei Ramírez at second base for the 2007 Taipei World Cup squad and did extra duty at first base last summer in the late stages of Olympic play. There is no player more versatile in the entire Cuban arsenal, since Olivera seems at home at any infield slot and obviously could also handle himself well chasing down fly balls in the outfield. And his National Series offensive numbers just seem to get better and better: a solid .353 hitter with last years league champs (and second in the league behind teammate Bell with 91 runs scored), Olivera has upped his mark a few points this winter (.356) and is among the pacesetters in base hits (42), RBIs (23) and runs scored (also 23) at the one-third mark of the current campaign.
Alex Malleta (Industriales) has posted big National Series numbers the last few go-rounds (he was the leagues sixth-best hitter a year ago at .365, with 17 HRs and 67 RBI); but over the past few years he has also failed time after time to come up as big as expected in international venues. A mid-tournament batting slump out of the important cleanup slot in Beijing (where he batted .167 overall and produced only a single homer and 4 RBI) caused manager Antonio Pacheco to replace the Industriales star at first base with Héctor Olivera during the medal round. Malleta can be awesome at the plate when he is hot, but he has so far not seemed to respond well under the pressures of the biggest tournament games. If either Pacheco or Higino Vélez return this March as national team manager, it is not unreasonable to speculate that Malleta may end up wasted on the bench as an occasional pinch hitter, or worst yet, back in Havana as a mere spectator.
Yorelvis Charles (Ciego de Avila) enjoyed a very brief cup of coffee with the national team at the 2003 World Cup in Havanas Latin American Stadium, but he has largely been ignored since then, despite some impressive offensive numbers. He hit .355 in 2004, .324 in 2005, and .344 in 2006, before fading the past several winters. But in National Series #48 the converted third baseman (now playing first on a regular basis) has come back with a vengeance and is currently slugging the ball at a .360-plus clip and teaming with Isaac Martínez and Yoelvis Fiss as one of the leagues most potent one-two-three middle-order offensive punches. Charles may be a test case this time around for just how seriously the Cuban National Federation committee weighs current season status when drawing lots for its national team roster.
Luis Miguel Navas (Santiago de Cuba) was the valuable (if little used) utility infielder on the 2007 Pan American Games and World Cup squads and the 2008 Beijing Olympic team (where he delivered base hits in his only two opportunities at the plate). With the rapid fade of Eduardo Paret in Villa Clara this season, Navas may now be perfectly positioned to move into the coveted starting shortstop slot that Paret has owned for a dozen years. Navas is no offensive slouch for a valued glove man, stroking the ball at a .326 clip for champion Santiago in National Series #47 and even bashing seven homers. So far he is hitting an even .300 for the current campaign, but he now already more than makes up in international experience for what he might lack in National Series attention-grabbing star quality.
Eduardo Paret (Villa Clara) has been a fixture since he took over for suspended middle infield sensation Germán Mesa at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Like Villa Clara teammate Ariel Pestano behind the plate, Paret has been out there for just about every important inning of every Cuban international game played in the decade of the 2000s. The single exception was the medal round of the 2005 World Cup in Holland when a base running injury sent him to the sidelines; ironically it was in that same tournament that hefty pool play round hitting earned the team captain MVP honors. Paret was for years the ideal leadoff hitter and stroked a homer as the opening Cuban batter in the WBC gold medal game with Japan. But fading foot speed and the emergence of Duvergel has dropped him to the bottom of the order of late. Earlier this season, Paret (slowed by minor injury) was not even starting regularly for National Series frontrunner Villa Clara. But it may be still too early to count him out of the national team picture, his days are definitely numbered. Our notion is that Luis Miguel Navas will likely be manning shortstop when the club arrives in Mexico City, but it is admittedly a very shaky call on our part at best.
It is in the outfield that we are certain to see the biggest changes since 2006 and perhaps even some surprise departures from 2008 and the Beijing silver medal lineup. It is unquestionably also with the outfield alignment that the toughest choices have to be made, since it is likely here that the competition is the most crowded. The biggest outside challenges will come from Leonys Martin (who we are not betting on being ready yet) and Yoennis Céspedes (who we consider as a challenger but not a likely breakthrough), the former having lost the batting race by a fraction of a point last winter (also barely missing out on hitting .400), and the latter a year-long contender for the home run, RBI and total base crowns. The decision regarding Urrutia will again be as difficult and controversial as it was with last summers Olympic choices: can you leave the all-time league leader in batting average at home, especially after he proved he could slug big league pitchers during the 2006 Classic? And the strong seasons this year by both Leslie Anderson and Yoelvis Fiss (now deadlocked with Gourriel in a race for the hitting crown) can only make the process of selection that more difficult. If there is always controversy on the island surrounding national team selections, this time around the complaining will likely be louder than ever. Especially in Havana, if Urgellés is overlooked, or from many of the islands knowledgeable masses, if Urrutia is once again jettisoned. And then there is the issue of Alexei Bell: what do you do with a slugger who enjoyed the best season in league history last year, continued to turn heads in Beijing as well, but this winter has been able to produce only one meager homer and bat at a .195 clip over the seasons first 25 games? You dont ever want to lose an emerging superstar like Bell, but such a loss can best be tolerated here in a jam-packed outfield.
Alexei Bell (Santiago de Cuba) is currently the biggest mystery on the island. His remarkable 2008 season has completely gone south on the heels of his thunderous Olympic debut in Beijing. During the month of December Bell wasnt even a shadow of the player who slugged so effectively only a few months back. So what happened? The trouble seemed to arise with an opening day beaning at the hands of Pinar hurler Yunieski Maya. Bell seemed shaken in a post-game television interview after the November 28 incident and hasnt been the same aggressive hitter since. Are the scars purely psychological, or were there also physical injuries (clouded vision perhaps)? And whatever it is, what happens with Bell now? At the start of the season it would have been unimaginable to think of the Cuban WBC roster without new slugging star Bell at the heart of the lineup. But now the situation is somewhat murkier at best. One strong signal has already been sent out by the Cuban Federation bosses when they put Bell on the list of 45 eligibles for final roster selection; it appears that no one in Cubas baseball hierarchy is about to throw in the towel early on one of the best island prospects of recent memory.
Alfredo Despaigne (Granma) is a new tower of strength in the Cuban lineup and he may well be the most genuine sure thing choice for this roster outside of Yulieski Gourriel and Pedro Lazo. For several years I have been tabbing Cepeda as the best all-around Cuban Leaguer (or at least the best bet among position players to step straight into a major league batting order); but after Beijing the scales seem to have tilted ever so slightly toward Despaigne. He led the Olympic squad in homers (the only man with two in pool play), RBI (11) and slugging (.667); and several of his late-game hits where huge factors in igniting victory. Last winter he paced the Cuban League in doubles (33) and would have also been a pace-setter in slugging (.717) if Alexei Bell had not performed somewhere in another universe (with a .722 mark). Add to the offensive contribution the fact that Despaigne is an excellent defender at any of the three garden posts and you have the anchor of this years Cuban outfield. If Malleta is either left home or on the bench, Alfredo Despaigne should probably be Cubas clean-up slugger this time around.
Frederich Cepeda (Sancti Spíritus) has been Cubas version of Mr. October (translate as most reliable clutch batsman in the biggest-pressure contests) for much of the decade. For several seasons many have been predicting his demise on the national team but it hasnt happened yet. Coming off a late season injury last winter, Cepeda didnt round back into shape until late-summer exhibition games in Korea on the eve of the Olympics; but his continued presence in the lineup was taken for granted by Cuban brass all along the road to Beijing. He didnt fail to deliver either, with a .316 Olympic BA, a .632 slugging mark, and a crucial deciding homer in the slim 1-0 victory over Chinese Taipei. Cepeda has awesome power from both sides of the plate (he stroked the longest homer I have ever witnessed in Latin American Stadium during the 2006 Olympic Trials tournament) and yet he is one of the most disciplined and selective batsmen this author has ever observed: annually he leads the circuit in both walks and on-base percentage. And the list of clutch at-bats in big international matches is truly unprecedented. During the 2003 World Cup gold medal victory over Panama Cepedas two solo late-inning shots were the deciding margin in a 4-2 thriller; he scored the game-winning run in the 2005 World Cup finale versus Korea; his two-out ninth-inning blast salvaged a crucial opener with Australia at the 2007 Taiwan World Cup. And when Yulieski Gourriel bounced into a game-ending bases-loaded double play that spelled 2008 Olympic gold medal defeat versus Korea, it was none other than Cepeda who was standing on second base with the games potential winning tally. Also in the gold medal WBC loss to Japan it was Cepedas late blast that temporarily lifted the Cubans back into contention. As long as he can still lift a bat Frederich Cepeda should be a firm fixture in the Cuban lineup, even though his value now seems designed to be that of a still-productive DH and not a dependable outfield defender.
Giorvis Duvergel (Guantánamo) has inherited the mantle of ideal leadoff hitter from late-1990s mainstay Luis Ulacia and early-2000s fixture Eduardo Paret. The fleet-footed and sweet-swinging lefty is perhaps so very valuable at the top of the batting order with Team Cuba precisely (and ironically) because he does not perform anything like that role for his own hometown club in Guantánamo (where he bats third as a long-ball and run-producing threat). Duvergel has plenty of pop in his bat and 12 homers last winter, plus six already a third of the way through the current Cuban campaign, might well cast him as the MLB-style modern-era prototype of a Rickey Henderson; Duvergels slugging percentage (.554 a year ago) is more impressive than his on-base percentage, and (perhaps breaking the Rickey Henderson mold) he only stole five bases during National Series #47. His base-on-balls totals a year ago were well less than a third of those posted by selective-swinging slugger Freddie Cepeda. But Duvergel is a marvelous outfield defender, and he has thus become as much of a fixture in the Cuban lineup over the last several seasons (i.e., since the last WBC) as Gourriel and Cepeda, or even Paret and Pestano.
Yoandry Urgellés (Industriales) is our long-shot choice to unseat Urrutia once again, just as he didnt last summer in Beijing. The fleet southpaw basher barely missed out on a batting title of couple of years back (when he was runner-up to Urrutia in 2005 with a .360 mark) and hasnt slowed much since (sixth at .362 in 2006 and fourth last winter at .374). Urgellés has many plusses: included are his portside hitting (ideal for spot pinch-hitting assignments), plenty of speed on the base paths (where his productive hitting obviously often places him), and a rifle arm and glue-like glove at any of the three outfield positions. He also packs some legitimate power with home run totals of 17 (2008), 8 (2007), 5 (2006), 14 (2005) in recent seasons. It is a stretch to see Urgellés replacing either Bell, Duvergel or Despaigne (if all remain healthy) in the currently crowded Red Machine regular outfield. On the other hand, there are few first-rate backups quite as versatile: he is a far better defender that either Urrutia or Céspedes, he outstrips both Fiss and Anderson in international experience, and he can run better than Cepeda.
Yoelvis Fiss (Ciego de Avila) for a couple of years now has played a roll similar to that once occupied by 1980s-era slugger Lázaro Junco. Junco is the only man in league history (outside of Kindelán and Linares) to boast 400-plus homers and yet the Matanzas basher was rarely ever considered for national team status. Fiss also puts up huge numbers consistently, but few on the island ever talk about him in the same breath with the rest of the top island fly chasers when talk turns to national team candidates. A year ago he blasted 22 round trippers (fifth place), collected 208 total bases (third behind only Bell and Despaigne), rang up a .350 average, drove home 64, and slugged at a .632 clip (eighth in the league), but nonetheless he was not among the half-dozen or so outfielders selected for the first stage of Olympic squad selection during the José Huelga Tournament competitions in Havana. The big problem here was that three outfielders hit more long balls, a half dozen owned more RBIs, and three were statistically more robust sluggers. But this year Fiss seemingly is stronger than ever, and his nagging presence may be somewhat more difficult to deny. For one thing, he has at least narrowed the statistical gab significantly on his competitors. He trails only Yulieski Gourriel in the batting race (where he is hitting .398 at the moment), only Gourriel and three catchers outpace him in homers, and the recent slumps of Despaigne, Bell and Céspedes (all now dipping well below .300) may have cracked a small wedge in the door for Cubas most underestimated outfielder.
Osmani Urrutia (Las Tunas) is the modern-day island version of legendary MLB Cooperstown fixture Rógers Hornsby. From 2000 through 2007 Urrutia was a veritable hitting machine, and he has long since obliterated all the marks on the island when it comes to proficient hitting: he owns the best lifetime (.370) and single-season (.469) averages in National Series play. But he also has his critics among big league observers (who say his lofty averages are merely a product of feeble Cuban League pitching which is AA-caliber at best) and among the Cuban brain trust itself, which left him off last years Olympic squad. The downside to Urrutia is that he has now evolved with increasing age from average as a fielder and base runner to something far less in those departments. It is admittedly a great luxury to have an exceptional hitter of Urrutias quality coming off the bench when someone in desperately needed to put the ball in play during crucial late-game situations. Even against top MLB arms in the first WBC Urrutia stroked the ball at a .345 clip (but then Garlobo, another weak defender, hit .480 in the same tournament). With Despaigne, Bell, Cepeda, Gourriel, Duvergel, Malleta, etc. to rely upon, however, Urrutias one-dimensional offensive contributions may be just too much of a luxury to risk in the long run.
Yoennis Céspedes (Granma) (the first name is also often spelled Yohenis in island publications) combined with Alfredo Despaigne last winter to provide the most impressive pair of home-run clubbing teammates in Cuban League history: Despaigne socked 24 while Céspedes launched 26 for the last-place Granma Stallions. He has posted other eye-catching offensive numbers as well (last season he was fourth in runs scored, fourth in total bases, and third in RBI) and has been one of the islands top young outfield prospects for at least four full seasons and his still only 22 years of age. But on the heels of last winters strong showing he was nonetheless unable to supplant Bell, Cepeda, Duvergel, and teammate Despaigne on the Olympic roster. And a .244 BA and only five round trippers during the first third of National Series #48 are not very good indicators that Céspedes has anything more going for him this time around. Perhaps the only hope for seeing two Granma outfielders during the WBC (assuming that Despaigne is already a lock to be there) would be a decision by Higinio Vélez and company that Alexei Bell is simply not the same player he once was before this years early-season bean ball incident.
Leslie Anderson (Camagüey) was perhaps the least visible member of the last Cuban WBC roster (if you dont count Róger Machado, who never caught a single inning), and he also has been all but invisible on the Cuban League scene during the several seasons that have followed. That is until this current winter (and perhaps last) when he has again exploded on the scene as one of the circuits top hitting wizards. The Camagüey lefty is currently hovering around the leagues top ten hitters with a robust .361 mark; in last years National Series he blasted 19 homers and hit .364 to boot. Anderson admittedly has loads of raw physical talent and he has been a most consistent performer over the years on a largely unheralded and also-ran ball club. But these are rarely guarantees of national team status, especially when your chief rivals are such league stalwarts as Cepeda, Urrutia, Despaigne, Bell and Duvergel. As with Fiss, his numbers are enough to turn heads; but at the same time he just doesnt quite measure up to the level of the considerable competition. It would likely be much easier for either Anderson or Fiss to find a slot in some big field outfield than to make the final cut on the Cuban national team. It is a scenario already proven during the last twelve months by sensational Chicago White Sox rookie Alexei Ramírez who (at the hour of his 2008 defection) had already fallen out of the mix as a Cuban league all-star.
Peter C. Bjarkman, author of A History of Cuban Baseball, 1864-2006 will cover the 2009 WBC II for www.baseballdecuba.com and the New York Times. His latest books entitled Baseballs Other Big Red Machine: The History of the Cuban National Team and Whos Who in Cuban Baseball, 1962-2007 will also both appear during the coming year.
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Stonewall's Workplace Conference features 15 focused breakout sessions covering a wide selection of CPD accredited training and topics. Breakout sessions are categorised into five key themes that are exclusive to this year's conference.
The themed sessions cover; introductory, practical, innovation, inspirational and global content and aim to support your organisation on its individual journey towards advancing sexual orientation equality in the workplace.
These sessions are aimed at new and non-Diversity Champions who are on the first stages of their journey towards advancing equality for LGB people in the workplace.
These sessions are typically workshops involving facilitated activities and discussions around the main issues. They offer practical top tips for you to take away and implement in your organisation.
These sessions are for global organisations that have made significant progress in creating inclusive workplaces in Britain and are now eager to learn and share best practice on how they extend their work to fulfil a global commitment to equality.
These sessions are for organisations which have been part of the Diversity Champions programme for more than three years and provide an opportunity to share best practice, new ideas and crucially 'next steps' from leading Diversity Champions.
These sessions take the format of an interview focusing on real stories and insight from individual LGB people in the workplace – they aim to explore the individual challenges LGB role models have overcome, and provide evidence of the impact they have made.


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Listen now 30 mins
Pharmaceutical companies have recently begun to market drugs specifically targeted at people from different ethnic backgrounds. Connie St Louis investigates.
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The Mode Of Almodóvar - Harper's Bazaar March 2010 (via).
I must admit, this gave me a bit of a chuckle.
The Mode Of Almodóvar - Harper's Bazaar March 2010 (via).
(via here-and-now) I spot Rodarte and Nicholas Kirkwood in here.
My favorite Rodarte x Maggie Cheung piece, inspired by the character Flying Snow from the film Hero.
rodarte, joyce and unicef have partnered to raise some money for charity, nice.
for every click of the short film from now to 31 March 2010, JOYCE will donate HK$1 to UNICEF.
re-blog like you've never re-blogged before. raise some cash, kids.
Wow, this is beautiful! I thought it had a Wong Kar Wai feel, and after clicking the link found that all the pieces were inspired by one of my favorite actresses, Maggie Cheung:
"JOYCE is delighted to announce a truly unique charity programme in aid of UNICEF, a collaboration with critically-acclaimed fashion label Rodarte, luxury brand SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, and famous actress Maggie Cheung. Rodarte designers, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, have handmade four one-of-a-kind creations specifically for this charitable initiative. Each piece is inspired by Maggie Cheung and references one of her films: In the Mood for Love, Hero, Clean, and Heroic Trio. The four stunning pieces have been captured in a short film by Wing Shya with music by Peter Kam. For every click of the short film on YouTube from now to 31 March 2010, JOYCE will donate HK$1 to UNICEF."
Cool! More background info on the pieces via Susie Bubble.
La Dolce Vita, dir. Federico Fellini, 1960
(via byronic)
Um, ballet, Aronofsky, Natalie Portman, and Rodarte? These are a few of my favorite things…
My Blueberry Nights, dir. Wong Kar Wai (2007).
Ok, this just made me lol.
Oh god, lol. But hey, it's Jude Law's second highest rated film on RT (tied with Road to Perdition and Talented Mr. Ripley). Not that that's the be-all-end-all of indicators (AI is sixth, not my fav) BUT it also has Uma Thurman in it! Being glamorous AND amazing! If that's not a selling point, I don't know what is! How's that for enthusiastic? ;D
Oh, and My Blueberry Nights isn't the best Wong Kar Wai film, but it's very beautifully shot and features pretty cool use of typography, something you'd probably appreciate. I remember really liking the international poster design, too.
Portrait Of a Lady
Nicole Kidman, I adore you.
Christian Bale & Todd Haynes - Velvet Goldmine Promo
If you have not seen this movie, you do not fully comprehend the phrase "made of awesome."
Jim Jarmusch
Wow, amazing design for a program of the filmography of one of my favorite directors. I'm rather in awe.