text:
Sign up to receive e-newsletters, discounts and promotions
Missouri is home to the oldest continually owned and operated winery and more than 120 others.
wine and beer festivals
Missouri has plenty of events all year-round to enjoy your favorite wine or beer. Dance to the oompa bands at Oktoberfest or tour a brewery or winery any time.
The Branson Hills Golf Villa is located in 1,200 wooded acres in Branson. Beautifully landscaped and maintained, spacious and luxurious interiors plus easy access allow you to enjoy each other and enjoy everything that Branson, has to offer.
This is a handicapped accessible unit with features such as a ramp in, lower sinks and a roll-in shower. The luxurious four-bedroom, four-bath golf villa offers a fully equipped kitchen, an outdoor deck with grill, and four spacious bedrooms, each with its own full-size luxury bathroom. There is plenty of room to gather and to dine all together, whether in the comfortable living area, the outdoor covered deck, the dining room or the breakfast bar.
The on-site Payne Stewart Golf Club has tee times from 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. daily and offers a full restaurant and lounge for your convenience. You will also enjoy the club house, tennis courts, outdoor swimming pool and hot tub.
The villas are conveniently located just across the main drive from the Branson RecPlex and its hiking trails, playgrounds, and fitness and recreation facilities. You are 1.5 miles from the new Convention Center and the Branson Landing shopping center and within 15 minutes, of the 76 Strip, shopping and dining options, theme parks, and live shows.
Hank's Haven is a four-bedroom waterfront home featuring two master suites, each with a king bed and private bath. A third bedroom features two extra-long twins that can be combined to form a king, and the fourth bedroom features twin bunk beds with a full bed on the bottom and a twin on the top. These two bedrooms share a Jack and Jill bathroom.
The kitchen, living and dining area are all located on the lower level, as is one of the master suites. There is a half-bath and laundry on the lower level. You will enjoy the large deck located off the lower level; small private decks for two of the upstairs bedrooms; and a private, two-well covered dock with swim platform.
Good place to fish, swim or just relax on a raft. Two golf courses, several restaurants and shopping options, including the Bagnell Dam Strip, are within 20 minutes of this home.
Harbor Heights Hideaway is located in Osage Beach across from the outlet mall and by water at the 17.5-Mile-Marker. You will enjoy a great main channel view from either of two decks overlooking the water. Features include two master bedrooms, each with a queen bed, semi-private bath and deck access, a third bedroom with two twin beds and a family room with a queen sleeper and futon.
Other features include a full kitchen, breakfast bar, wet bar and game room with a foosball table and a large deck with a gas grill. Located within 15 minutes of golf, restaurants, attractions (such as Miner Mikes indoor amusement park) and shopping including the 110-store outlet mall with a five-screen movie theater. Home also comes with a covered 12-foot by 28-foot dock with one slip and swim platform.
Rates vary by season and a minimum stay is required. Please see our website for more details.
Fabulous views of the water from this seven-bedroom, four-bath home, featuring an open floor plan with floor-to-ceiling windows on the main floor, two living rooms, recreation room with wet bar, air hockey and foosball tables, and two fireplaces. Two sofas and a loveseat on the top floor living room and three sofas and two loveseats on the main floor give you plenty of room to spread out. Three connected decks are equipped with gates for the safety of small children.
All linens, cookware, soaps, some spices and condiments provided. Iron, ironing board and hairdryer in each bathroom. Home features 152 feet of natural rock shoreline, a private dock with cable TV, a fire pit, wading pools, parking for six cars; trailer parking available. Located in a deep-water cove, at the 4-Mile-Marker by water. A 21-foot pontoon boat is available to rent; advance reservations required.
Poco Risco invites you and your family to experience a vacation getaway at the Lake of the Ozarks in one of our lakefront log homes. We offer lodging for people looking for everything from solitude to family time to natural beauty and amazing sunsets. The vacation rental log homes at Poco Risco combine modern conveniences with a rustic feel. The warmth and beauty of natural wood creates a unique personal environment for you and your family or friends. Poco Risco offers lakefront log homes that are three- or four-bedroom, with two baths and private covered boat docks, all in a quiet setting. From the third week of June through the third week of August, we only rent for full weeks (Saturday to Saturday). Any other time of year, we have a minimum two-night stay required.
Poco Risco log homes are nestled between the shores of the Little Niangua channel and the edge of nature's raw beauty. Discover the Lake of the Ozarks from this quiet area where you are able to navigate the entire lake and return to peaceful still waters to unwind. The Lake area has much to offer, rich forests, native flowers, prairie plants, and abundant wildlife. It's a bird watcher's paradise with hundreds of species from yellow finches to the majestic Bald Eagle.
Enjoy the calm, glassy waters found on the Little Niangua Arm of the Lake, where the conditions for water-skiing, tubing, personal watercrafts, and swimming are ideal. It's no secret these waters boast some of the best bass fishing in the Midwest. These are also fine waters for crappie, walleye, channel catfish and paddlefish. By water or by land, Poco Risco is 15 minutes from a Tom Weiskopf signature golf course and Lake Valley Golf and Country Club. Osage Beach Premium Outlets (110 store factory outlet mall), Miner Mike's Adventure Town indoor family fun center, the huge 27-acre Big Surf Water Park, go-carts, movie theatres and Ha Ha Tonka State Park are all within a half-hour's drive.
Enjoy a tremendous view from the large deck of this four-bedroom/2.5 bath waterfront home located off W-12 in a large cove just off the main channel at the 5-Mile-Marker. Amenities include two master bedrooms, each with a king bed, and one is a suite with a private bath and walk-in closet.
The third bedroom features a queen bed, and the fourth bedroom features two bunk beds, twin over full. All bedrooms are located on the main level and have windows on the lake side. On the lower level, you will find the kitchen and dining area, a living room, family room with a sofa sleeper and a four-season room with plenty of windows to enjoy the beautiful Ozarks.
This home has four TVs, two DVD/VCRs, Wi-Fi, gas grill and other amenities. The large split deck seats up to 24 people and offers a fabulous view of the lake. The large dock features two slips for guest use, a 10-foot by 24-foot and a 10-foot by 32-foot slip, plus a swim platform and is just 20 steps from the deck. This home also features a two-car garage and plenty of parking for up to four cars and two boat trailers. It is conveniently located 15-20 minutes from a variety of Lake Area attractions, shopping, golfing and dining options.
This three-bedroom, 2.5-bath waterfront home is located at the 8.5-Mile-Marker on Bittersweet Road in the Horseshoe Bend area of the Lake of the Ozarks. Offering two queen size beds, two twin beds and one sleeper sofa, this home sleeps eight people. Enjoy the beautiful view of the water from the deck. Also included is a 10-foot by 24-foot boat dock with a swim platform.
Teak Village 2 is located off Bittersweet Road on Horseshoe Bend and by water at the 8.5-Mile-Marker. You will enjoy a great view from the large deck overlooking the cove just off the main channel. Features include a master suite with a king bed, private bath and private deck, guest bedroom with a queen bed, third bedroom with two twin beds, a loft area with a double futon, two queen sleeper sofas, full kitchen, two dining areas, breakfast bar and large deck with a gas grill. Located within 25 minutes of a variety of attractions, including The Cove golf course, HK's and the Blue Heron restaurants and shopping options, including the 110-store outlet mall. Home also comes with a private dock with two slips (12-foot by 34-foot and 10-foot by 34-foot) and a swim platform.
Tree Loft 64 is a waterfront home nestled among the trees in a truly unique Four Seasons community. The octagon shaped homes have three levels: the main living level which includes the master bedroom with a king bed, bath, living room, kitchen and dining room; a downstairs bedroom complete with king bed plus a full bath; and an upstairs loft with a queen bed and a half bath.
This home also has three decks including a martini deck with a swim ladder right at the water's edge. Amenities include use of an indoor pool (year-round) complete with sauna and hot tubs, three outdoor pools (one next to the indoor pool and two overlooking the lake), tennis court and basketball court. You get condominium amenities with the privacy of your own home.Within 20 minutes of shopping, attractions, and fine dining (Ruthie D's, Blue Heron) and a great location for golfers with the Season's Ridge golf course about 10 minutes away.
Tree Loft 108 is nestled among the trees in a truly unique Four Seasons community. The octagon shaped homes have three levels: the main living level, which includes the master bedroom, bath, living room, kitchen and dining room; a downstairs bedroom complete with queen bed plus a full bath; and an upstairs loft with a queen bed and a half bath.
Amenities include use of an indoor pool (year-round) complete with sauna and hot tubs, two outdoor pools (one next to the indoor pool and one overlooking the Lake of the Ozarks), tennis court and basketball court. The indoor pool is only a few hundred feet from the home. You get condominium amenities with the privacy of your own home.
Within 20 minutes of shopping, attractions, fine dining (Ruthie D's & Lil Rizzos) and a great location for golfers with the Season's Ridge golf course about 10 minutes away. This unit has been updated over the last two years with new living room furniture, dining set, bedrooms and TVs.
Unique two-bedroom, 2.5-bath octagon-shaped home nestled among the tree tops in a small village setting. Features include three outdoor pools, an indoor pool and tennis courts. Tree Top Village is located on Horseshoe Bend/Lake Ozark and by water at the 12.5-Mile-Marker.
Features include a master suite with a king bed and private bath, guest bedroom with a queen bed, a double futon, a full kitchen, extra half-bath, and dining area.
The village offers a three outdoor pools, an indoor pool with a sauna and hot tubs, tennis courts and other amenities. We have another home located within the village to accomodate groups needing two properties.
Centrally located in Osage Beach, this four-bedroom (plus loft), two-bath home offers convenient access to a variety of attractions. It's less than 10 minutes to the 110-store outlet mall. Situated at the 19-Mile-Marker, with a cove location, a great main channel view and a one-well dock.
The home has three televisions, a spacious kitchen and formal dining area complete with a view of the lake. Enjoy the large deck overlooking the water. Features a king bed in the master bedroom, two queen beds, one double bed, three twin beds in the loft (bunk w/trundle) and a queen sleeper sofa to sleep 13 people comfortably.
Contact Us | Blog | Privacy Statement | ADA Compliance | Help Us Help You | Facebook Disclaimer
Listings of businesses and events appearing on this site are supplied by the entities themselves. All information is subject to change without notice. Listings are posted for information only. The Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or the content of individual listings or for the validity of any Web links included therein. A listing appearing on VisitMO does not imply endorsement or recommendation by MDT, the Missouri Department of Economic Development, the State of Missouri or any department/division thereof.
Web Development by SteadyRain Internet Strategy, Web Design, and Online Marketing


text: Haviland, Ohio is located in Paulding County. Haviland has a population of 214 and has shown -3.2% growth since 2000. Of the 74 households in Haviland, 79.8% are owned, 8.3% are rented and 12% are not currently occupied. The median age of homes in Haviland is 48 years and 34.0% of the homes have been occupied by the same residents for more than 5 years. Learn more about Haviland, Ohio real estate at coldwellbanker.com.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This was simply delicious. My husband and I like our food spicy, but I eliminated the chile (didn't have it on hand) and it was plenty hot without it. Interestingly, the chili-lime marinade calls for no lime juice!? Probably a mistake as it calls for lemon juice. I used a combination of lemon and lime. This recipe made it to our top 10 - definitely a repeat performance.
Vietnamese-style Prawns and Hearts of Palm with Green Tea-Noodle Salad
Photo: Jean Allsopp
Marinated in a lively mixture of lemon juice, sriracha hot chilies, and savory fish sauce, these Vietnamese-style shrimp are served on a bed of soft green tea soba noodles and cooling, crunchy vegetables.
Yield: Makes 6 appetizer servings
- Chili-Lime Marinade, divided
- 18 large prawns or shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 (7-ounce) package green tea soba noodles or spaghetti
- 1 (14-ounce) can hearts of palm, drained
- 1 Maui or other sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 3 heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
- Garnish: fresh herbs
- Pour 1 cup Chili-Lime Marinade into a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; add prawns. Seal bag, turning to coat prawns. Chill 30 minutes.
- Pour remaining 1 cup marinade into a large bowl. Prepare noodles according to package directions. Add noodles to marinade in bowl, tossing to coat. Cut hearts of palm in half crosswise, then lengthwise into thin strips; add to noodles. Add onion to noodle mixture, and toss gently.
- Preheat grill. Remove prawns from marinade, discarding marinade. Grill prawns, covered with grill lid, over medium heat (350° to 400°) for 2 minutes on each side. Place noodle mixture on each of 6 individual plates, and top each with prawns and tomatoes. Garnish, if desired.
My Notes
Only you will be able to view, print, and edit this note.Add Note
Vietnamese-style Prawns and Hearts of Palm with Green Tea-Noodle Salad Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Appetizers, Hors d'Oeuvres
- CONVENIENCE: Entertaining
- CUISINE: Vietnamese
- MAIN INGREDIENT: Shellfish
- DIETARY CONSIDERATION: Gluten-Free
- COOKING METHOD: Grill, Marinate
- PUBLICATION: Coastal Living
More Recipes Like This
Arugula Avocado SaladSunset
Chayote and Hearts of Palm Cebiche SaladCooking Light
Grapefruit and Hearts of Palm SaladCooking Light
Fire up your grill
Get our best grilled recipes delivered weekly. (May-Aug.)
We Respect Your Privacy. Privacy Policy


text:
Thousands of walkers began their three-day journey Friday morning to support breast cancer research.The Susan G. Komen 3-Day kicked off at 7:30 a.m. at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. For the next three days and 60 miles, the walkers will bring their passion and perseverance to the Michigan community in hopes to end the disease.Supporters are invited to visit any of the following public stops along the Michigan 3-Day route: Friday, August 16Public Cheering Station 10:45 - 2:30 p.m. Shops at the Trail Corner of Pontiac Trail & N Beck Road Wixom, MI 48393 Saturday, August 17 Public Cheering Station 8:15 - 9:45 a.m. Downtown Northville Center Street between Dunlap Street & E Cady Street (East side) Northville, MI 48167 Public Cheering Station 9:15 - 1 p.m. Kellogg Park Ann Arbor Trail and Main Street Plymouth, MI 48170 Sunday, August 18 Public Cheering Station 7:25 - 8:10 a.m. Kennedy Elementary School 14201 Hubbard Street Livonia, MI 48154 Closing Ceremony 4:30 - 5 p.m. Ford World Headquarters One American Road Dearborn, MI 48126
KTTV FOX 111999 S. Bundy Dr.Los Angeles CA 90025Main: (310) 584-2000News Tips? (310) 584-2025


text:
Featured Article
Tips for Dating a Divorced Man
Dating Over 40: What Every Woman Should Know
After living on your own for quite some time now, you finally decided that you have to move on with your life. You finally accepted the fact that you may need to do your fair share of work if you want to finally meet som[...]
Facebook Dating Tips: How to Date Successfully on Facebook
Are you looking to improve your social life by using Facebook? Do you want to increase your chances of meeting and dating someone special by using this social media platform? If you don't want to blow your chances [...]
Follow Up Text: Should You Send One Right After the First Date?
Should you or should you not send a follow up text message after the first date? Well, a lot of people clearly have very different opinions regarding this issue. Some would definitely say that you should go for it while [...]
Online Dating Advice for Men: Should You Send a Second Email?
So, you have sent an email to a woman who has viewed your dating profile but haven't heard from her yet? And now, you're thinking of sending her another email. Should you do it or should you move on? To help [...]
Top Online Dating Lies You Should Definitely Know About
Have you ever stopped and wondered what online dating lies do people make the most? If you are one of the people who are seriously looking for love online, it may be interesting to know about these things. After all, you[...]
Interracial Dating Tips for Young People: 5 Essential Tips to Make It Work
While interracial dating and interracial marriages have been severely frowned upon several decades ago, the society's attitude toward this has greatly improved over the years. However, there are still some people w[...]
Best of Dating Tips & Reviews
All time
- The Secrets on How to Get a Girlfriend Even When You're no Brad Pitt
- Seven Tips for Using a Christian Dating Website
- Dating Men Again, Finding Love After Divorce
- The Dating Game: How to Get that Girl. 22 Tips for the Perfect First Date
- Want to Date a Stripper?
- How to Trust Men Again After a Bad Experience
- Dating Tips: Sexual Body Language of the Flirting Woman
- How to Break up with your Boyfriend
- STD Dating: Are You Up For It?
- How to Read her Body Language Gestures
- Singles Vacations and Romance Tours
- What Guys really want in a wife
- Chinese Dating
- Sexual Body Language Advice for the First Date
- Herpes Dating Tips
This Month
My Favs
- The First Message in Dating
- Tips to Keeping the Romance Alive in a New Relationship
- The Etiquette Of Modern Dating
- Lesbian Dating Tips
- UK Dating Sites and Their Value
- Classy Ideas for Dating on a Budget or Tight Budget Dating
- Dating Your Friend's Ex? Learn How To Handle It Properly
- Is Online Dating Still Alive?
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Online Dating Site Membership
- Follow Up Text: Should You Send One Right After the First Date?
- Facebook Dating Pros and Cons: Everything You Need to Know About It
- Interracial Dating Tips for Young People: 5 Essential Tips to Make It Work
- Facebook Dating Tips: How to Date Successfully on Facebook
- First Dates: It's All About Appearances
- Top Online Dating Blunders You Shouldn't Commit


text:
Image: John Crouch
6. St. Boniface Church – Chicago, IL (USA)
We love the beautiful blue colors in this shot.
This stunning if slightly ethereal looking Romanesque Revival-style church was built in 1904, to replace the initial, smaller structure, which was established in 1865. The original congregation was made up of German immigrants, and the church is named after the patron saint of Germany, St. Boniface. The wonderful architecture is the design of Henry J. Schlacks, who became known as "the master of Catholic church architecture in Chicago."


text:
Duke women use strong 2nd half to rout Miami 82-43The Associated Press | February 01,2013DURHAM, N.C. Duke looked to be in plenty of trouble early in its game with Miami on Thursday night.
But a massive second-half run erased all of that, and the No. 5 Blue Devils won going away.
Tricia Liston scored 17 points, Chelsea Gray added 16 and freshman guard Alexis Jones had 10 points with 10 rebounds for her first career double-double in an 82-43 rout of the Hurricanes.
Miami led 33-31 following a layup from Shawnice Wilson with 18:17 left before the Blue Devils (19-1, 9-0 ACC) scored 20 straight points coming from five different players. Wilson hit two free throws with 12:14 left but thats as close as Miami got.
It was just a great second half for us, Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said. We were playing more of our game, inside and out, attacking. I didnt think the first half was necessarily bad. I just think we took too many quick shots and put ourselves in position where we were running back on defense too many times.
Our transition defense was a little suspect. But Im proud of the second half. Thats the direction we have to move.
Elizabeth Williams added 12 points and Haley Peters 10 to give the Blue Devils five players in double figures. Duke shot 57.1 percent in the second half.
I think our defense was playing well (in the second half), especially with Chelsea on the steals that started the fast break, said Liston, who came off the bench eight minutes into the game and had nine points at the half. Once we got one it kind of sparked everyone and it pretty much kept going from there.
Krystal Saunders scored 15 points, all on five first-half 3-pointers, to lead Miami (14-7, 5-5). Wilson added eight points and eight rebounds.
Duke shot 50.0 percent from the floor to Miamis 27.4, won the rebound battle 46-37 and committed 15 turnovers to the Hurricanes 22.
The Hurricanes, coached by former Duke standout Katie Meier in her eighth season at the helm, are winless in 10 tries against the Blue Devils. The 39 points were Dukes largest victory margin in the series.
I dont think we competed in the entire game, Meier said. I thought in the first half we just caught Duke flat. We had a great performance by Krystal Saunders to keep us in it, but I still didnt like how we were competing. I didnt think we were physical enough.
Duke has won 35 straight games against ACC opponents in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The win was Dukes third in a row since its only loss at Connecticut, while Miami has lost two straight.
Miami had led 8-0 and 16-8 in the early going before the Blue Devils found their rhythm.
We were being more aggressive and reading each other and talking, Gray said. That was key. If they were setting screens we had to know who was helping off. That was good.
The Blue Devils will visit No. 11 North Carolina on Sunday. Duke will travel to Miami for a return match on Feb. 28.MORE IN Wire SportsANN ARBOR, Mich. Full StorySteve Stricker never felt more alone in front of so many people. Full StoryFOXBOROUGH, Mass. The New England Patriots have been mediocre in splitting their first two games. Full Story
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: Patrick McArdle reports and the theft of an $89,000 shotgun, police release a video of the Monday Castleton robbery, O'Gorman reports a lawsuit by a local man claiming his vehicle unlawfully seized, police leave him in cold.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: Giles Corey of Salem, Mass., is pressed to death during the Salem witch trials; on this day in 1952, film comedian Charlie Chaplin, while traveling to England, is denied re-entry into the United States by U.S. attorney general.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: Dutch father of microbiology Antonie van Leeuwenhoek discovers the existence of one-celled organisms; in 1967, The Doors are booked to play the Ed Sullivan show; in 1858, freedom fighter Dred Scott dies on this day in St. Louis.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: No money this year for western rail project, Lola Aiken memorialized in Montpelier, Supreme Court Castleton murder suspect will remain in jail, Shaftbury man fires shots from his AK-47 into neighbor's home.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev arrives in U.S. for historic 13-day visit; in 1987, Secretary of State George Shultz and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze sign nuclear reduction agreement.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: City celebrates completion of its newest mural, on West Street opposite the post office, more than $2 million in federal grants will bolster Vermont's health centers, Patrick McArdle reports on pending sale of Vermont papers.


text:
GreatSchools Rating
Teacher quality
Principal leadership
Parent involvement
This school is my number one favorite! I have been to two elementary schools, the other of witch is closed, and currently attend Chavez. Excellent staff, though some rules are slightly controlling. But that is just my perspective. Healthy, organic, snack. We even had starfruit! Dedicated staff, wonderful extracurricular groups, including choice classes, peer-mediation, green team ( composting, recycling, etc. ) student leadership and more! The garden is amazing, and school food excluding meats and grains come from the garden. Earthquake proof, well built, and soaring high above standards in every area. This is truly, the school
This is an amazing school with a dedicated and positive staff and administration. My kids love to go to school every day. They really go the extra mile with both community involvement and family involvement. I am so happy to be part of the Chavez family.
Great interaction with families of students! Fun activities for the families. Caring and positive staff.
Great facility, all the teachers I've had contact with are terrific, they really focus on what each child needs, whether it's extra help or more advanced work. PE, music, computer lab, library, all are great extras.
Chavez is a great school. The Principal and the faculty is great. The environment is great.
Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.
The Community Rating is the school's average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.
1510 West 14th Ave
Eugene, OR 97402
Website: Click here
Phone: (541) 790-5300
To start a new list, click OK. Otherwise click Cancel.
Thank you! You will begin to receive newsletters from us shortly.
Great work! Only one more step. Now we just need you to verify your email address. Please click on the link in the email we just sent you to complete your registration.
Great work! Only one more step. Now we just need you to verify your email address. Please click on the link in the email we just sent you to submit your review.
Please click on the link in the verification email we just sent you to complete your change of email address.
Whoops! It looks like we still need to verify your email. To do so, please click on the link in the email we sent you. Can't find the e-mail? Click the button below and we'll send you a new one.
Thanks for registering. Welcome to GreatSchools, the largest online community committed to improving educational outcomes through parental involvement.
Thanks for verifying your updated email address.
Oops! You haven't verified your email address yet. To do so, please click on the link in the email we sent you. Can't find the email? Click the button below to receive a new one.
Oops! That email verification link has expired. Please click the button below to receive a new one.
Create an account to submit your answers.
Sign in with an existing GreatSchools account or using Facebook:
Your review has been posted to GreatSchools.
Share with friends! Post your opinion of Cesar Chavez Elementary School on Facebook.
Welcome to GreatSchools!
For principals and school officials, we offer a special Enhanced School Profile (ESP) which allows you to update and add information about your school, as well as respond to reviews. If you are a school official, click Continue to start.
Please note that it can take up to 48 hours for your comment to be posted to our site. While you're here, we'd like to invite you to fill out a survey on your school's programs, activities, and extracurriculars. It only takes a few minutes and will help parents get a full picture of your school.
Continue to compare the schools you have already selected or Edit schools to change your selection.
Get started now! You have successfully registered and can now start updating your Official School Profile. The information you provide is extremely valuable in helping parents and students learn more about your school, so thanks for taking the time!
Thank you for registering as a school leader. We just need to verify your email address. We've sent you an email - please click on the link in that message to get started editing your school's information!
Thanks! We just sent you an email – please click on the link in the email to post your answers.
Get timely updates for Cesar Chavez Elementary School, including performance data and recently posted user reviews.


text:
Martha Stewart's Dog Killed In Sudden Propane Explosion
Television lifestyle guru Martha Stewart lost her prized Chow Chow in a freak propane explosion at a kennel in Pennsylvania on Friday.
Martha's dog, Ghenghis Khan, was one of the 16 dogs lost in the explosion that rocked the Pazzazz Boarding Kennel in Carbon County, following a routine delivery of propane.
"I am deeply saddened by this story. My heart goes out to Karen Tracy and I am hoping for a speedy recovery for those (both pets and humans) injured in this terrible event," Martha wrote in a blog post on her Web site.
"Here is a tribute to my little Ghenghis Khan who perished in the blaze," Martha wrote on her blog, which included a photo gallery of Ghenghis.
In addition to the 16 animals who perished in the explosion, 13 surviving dogs were taken to two nearby animal hospitals for treatment.
According to the Associated Press, the driver of the propane truck, Timothy Kleinhagen, was critically burned and is listed in stable condition.
A spark or static electricity is believed to have caused the explosion and subsequent fire.
See more pics of Genghis Khan on Martha's Blog, here and here.
Copyright 2014 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
A link to %this page% was e-mailed
A six-arm chandelier peeks through the gable-end window, creating the illusion of second-story loft space.
We sent a note to our support staff about the glitch you just experienced. Please click the button below to reload your content.
HGTV Dream Home 2011 Car Barn Exterior
HGTV Dream Home 2011 Car Barn


text:
My shop is now fully stocked! All of your favorites plus some new ones.
Nerves, Wish you were here, Deception, and A day to remember are some of the new ones. Comfort Queen, Miss Fortune, and Deception are also now affordable 5x7s!
There's also a new sticker pack this month! (And one free sticker with each order ;)


text:
Traffic operation bears fruitApril 03,2013ST. ALBANS The Vermont State Police say a weekend operation designed to encourage safe driving during the Easter holiday weekend resulted in dozens of stops for speeding.
The operation that began Friday focused on areas along the border in Franklin, Grand Isle and Orleans counties with an emphasis on major corridors, such as interstates 89 and 91.
Vermont State Police Assistant Field Force Commander Capt. Robert Evans said highly visible aggressive traffic enforcement can reduce crashes and detect criminal activity.
Among the results of the weekend operation along the border were 94 tickets being issues, including 53 speeding violations and six criminal arrests, but no arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol.
And Vermont saw no traffic fatalities over the weekend.MORE IN Vermont NewsMONTPELIER The once-endangered loons had a record year nesting on some of Vermonts lakes and... Full StoryMONTPELIER U.S. Rep. Full StoryBURLINGTON The company that runs most of the ferries between Vermont and New York on Lake... Full Story
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: Dutch father of microbiology Antonie van Leeuwenhoek discovers the existence of one-celled organisms; in 1967, The Doors are booked to play the Ed Sullivan show; in 1858, freedom fighter Dred Scott dies on this day in St. Louis.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: No money this year for western rail project, Lola Aiken memorialized in Montpelier, Supreme Court Castleton murder suspect will remain in jail, Shaftbury man fires shots from his AK-47 into neighbor's home.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev arrives in U.S. for historic 13-day visit; in 1987, Secretary of State George Shultz and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze sign nuclear reduction agreement.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: City celebrates completion of its newest mural, on West Street opposite the post office, more than $2 million in federal grants will bolster Vermont's health centers, Patrick McArdle reports on pending sale of Vermont papers.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: Henry Hudson sails up the Hudson River as far as present-day Albany, Leo Szilard has epiphany waiting for the light to change, 3 kids report a West Virginia close encounter in 1952.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: Who will run for mayor in Rutland next year? Has Bennington overcome its fear of twerking? Documentary 'Hungry Heart' packs the Paramount, and the city's Creek Path scores another million-plus dollars.


text:
The Colts play outdoors Saturday night in New England (8:15 p.m.). But the Colts will prepare indoors this week. The Colts practice fields are covered with a foot of snow, not to mention the sub-zero temperatures in Indianapolis early this week.
"If you can clear one of those fields for me, we'd be glad to go out there," Colts head coach Chuck Pagano joked with the media. "It's like frozen tundra. It reminds me of Laramie (Wyoming), the five years I spent there."
The forecast for Foxborough, Massachusetts, Saturday is mild for this time of year, with temperatures in the 40's and a 60% chance of rain.
"Anything is mild compared to what we have here," said Colts cornerback Darius Butler, who played two seasons for the Patriots. "We're looking forward to getting up there and playing some football."
A former Patriot joined the Colts for practice just in time for the renewal of this rivalry. Veteran wide receiver Deion Branch, who won a pair of Super Bowls with Tom Brady, worked out with the Colts for the first time Tuesday.
"I've got a lot of great friends that I've been lucky enough to play with on this team that are just great people," said Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. "You're always wishing the best for those people. Certainly guys that have played receiver here are the guys that I've been closest with because that's probably where the most interaction is."
Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri played ten seasons for the Patriots before switching sides.
"Two great organizations, great coaches, great players obviously," said Vinatieri, now in his 8th season with the Colts. "It's the (Red) Sox-Yankees, if you will. That kind of thing where I think both teams respect each other and know what comes to the table. It's going to be a fun game."
The Colts have played 10 times in Foxborough since 2000, winning just twice there and never in the playoffs. Last season's 59-24 defeat at Gillette Stadium is the worst of Colts quarterback Andrew Luck's career.
"I went back and watched that game, a bunch of guys are, to re-familiarize ourselves with some of the schemes," said Luck. "Obviously, that has no bearing on this year or the game. I think they did a great job of forcing turnovers. I know they still do. They do a great job of getting at the quarterback, making it hard to get a first down, hard to get touchdowns. We know it's going to be a dogfight, and we're looking forward to it. That's what the playoffs are about."
The Patriots are undefeated at home this season, 8-0.
Links to the FCC website to view WTHR and/or WALV's on-line public inspection files:
WTHR: https://stations.fcc.gov/station-profile/WTHR || WALV: https://stations.fcc.gov/station-profile/WALV
Individuals with disabilities may contact Jill Pursell at firstname.lastname@example.com, or 317.655.5602, for assistance with access to the public inspection files.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2014 WorldNow and WTHR. All Rights Reserved. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.


text:
» Admissions Info
» Benefits & Resources
» Information on Withdrawal
» FAQs
» Important Forms
» Contact the Veterans Services Office
» News & Photos
» Other Resources
Request military records
Chapter 31 Data Sheet
Veterans Information Sheet (.pdf)
Active Duty Withdrawal Request Forms are available in the USM registar's office.
Online Admissions Application
Online Housing Application:
— Go to eSpire >> Campus Life >> Required Housing Forms Printable Housing Application
Applying for Financial Aid
VA Educational Benefits (.pdf)
Transfer of Entitlement (.pdf)
Change of Program or Place of Training (.pdf)
Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (.pdf)
Verification of Enrollment
VA Education Benefits forms are available online at the VA forms webpages. Most are in .pdf format.
Here are links to some of the more commonly used forms:
The Disability Forms homepage
VONAPP - Veterans Online Application
VA/DOD Joint Disability Evaluation Board Claim (.pdf)
Request for Employment Info (.pdf)
Auto and Adaptive Equipment (.pdf)
Increased Compensation Due to Unemployability (.pdf)
Vocational Rehabilitation (.pdf)
Enroll in Direct Deposit
Contact the VA
Enjoy a music performance from USM's masterful music faculty. Event Details »
'Pope Francis & the Future of the Church' with Dr. Rick Gaillardetz Event Details »
Come enjoy artwork from USM Art Program Director Shelby Prindaville in Goppert Gallery. Opening Reception: Oct. 10, 3-5 p.m. Event Details »
University of Saint Mary4100 South 4th StLeavenworth, KS 66048913-682-5151
USM is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission , a member of the North Central Association of Colleges & Schools (NCA), and is an AQIP Participant.


text:
Hey, the pizza here is really good! A thought-provoking piece in the Wall Street Journal yesterday by Sophia Hollander ("Economics, Sliced") bemoaned the decline of the neighborhood pizza slice, especially in Manhattan, and blamed it pretty squarely on the dollar slice joints, also fingering gourm ... More >>
Excellent tapas on Bowery
No city in the world can assemble a musical motley crew of disorderly young gents like New York, although simply forming a quartet isn't enough. Wu Tang Clan, Boot Camp Clik, The Diplomatswe're talking wolf pack numbers. The A$AP Mob's A$AP Rocky has been getting worldwide attention this ye ... More >>
In an industry that rewards greed and egocentrism, tenor saxophonist Neal Sugarman has made a career out of selflessness. On record and onstage, Sugarman plays only what is needed: a big, percussive horn blast here, a raw R&B riff there. And career-wise, he has done much the same: in 2001, when both ... More >>
This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema discovers authentic Hungarian comfort food on the Upper East Side; Lauren Shockey is bored by oodles of tartan and whiskey at Mary Queen of Scots. San Sifton is charmed by Hunan Kitchen of Grand Sichuan: "Those who recall when Chinese food first began to matt ... More >>
Top 100 Italian Restaurants
Jang Sun Woo Tops From the Bottom


text:
Q1 2004 Earnings Call - International Paper Co. - Earnings TranscriptFriday, April 23, 2004 03:00
Quick Help:
The report will be emailed to you. This is a single user license, allowing one specific user access to the product.
If you have a more general question about our products please try our


text:
I am just an ordinary guy. As I get older, I better realize that I have changed. Not all of these changes have been for the better. I am restoring my life to regain some of what I have lost from these changes. That means all the things I recognize that are not as they should be, I am working on changing. I am restoring myself physically and mentally.
One thing that has affected me is my infant circumcision. As I got older, I noticed that my favorite body part was not what it used to be. I was circumcised at birth and I do not like it. I dislike it so much that I am restoring my foreskin. WOW! What a difference a foreskin makes.
Many guys do not realize how circumcision harmed them. By the time I was in my 40s, I could tell that there was a big loss in sexual pleasure. By the time I hit my 50s, sex was no longer fun like it had been.
After restoring my foreskin I regained a lot of what I lost. I regained all my lost sensitivity. I also got the gliding action, something I never knew existed. The gliding action is GREAT!
List of good sites:
Online since Jan 15, 2011
visitors since January 15, 2011
Hospital Protest - Circumcision
Dan Strandjord is a Chicago intactivist who has protested genital mutilation of children at the University of Chicago Hospital almost every day since 2004. Here Standjord speaks of the variety of reactions his one man protest gets from passers by.
Brutal Simplicity theme by Kevin Burg


text:
Use one of these coupons at checkout and receive an additional discount. Hurry, this sale ends soon!
Please note: These coupons are not valid in our showroom.
Your online checkout process is the best! Simple, easy, no-fuss. Some of the KWC faucets I looked at were missing the tech drawings, and it would be nice to have easy acc... read more
Rivaling any showroom in New York City, Home & Stone features 4,000 square feet of showcase space, designed to help shoppers choose from an exquisite array of bath fixtures and tiles from around the world.
© Copyright 2003-2011 Home & Stone. All rights reserved.
By joining our email list, you will be the first to know about exciting new products, special events, online promotions, and much more. Enter your email address below to sign up,


text:
Sorry, Ellen DeGeneres. No thanks, Conan O'Brien. The host-picking committee for this weekend's Emmy Awards has spoken: We don't need no stinkin' funny people!
Unless you think Ryan Seacrest is funny. (We hear you snickering.) Or Jeff Probst. (OK, it's getting out of hand.) Maybe Heidi Klum? (Stop with the guffaws already.)


text:
As chief elected officer of the Society, ASSE's president promotes the advancement of the Society and the safety profession, and represents ASSE before members, other relevant professional societies and various governmental agencies. Professional Safety shares his latest thoughts on the Society, the profession and its practice.
Read past messages in the President's Message Archive.
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." —Albert Einstein
|2006-2007 ASSE President Donald S. Jones, Sr., MBA, PE, CSP
As we all know, the business of injury prevention can be confounding. We often hear that protecting workers is "the right thing to do" and that people are a company's "greatest asset." In a perfect world, that's all it would take for a company to invest in safety.
In the real world, though, things often aren't so perfect and safety doesn't always seem all that important. It may be that senior management has not clearly communicated its expectations for safety-or worse, has shown employees through its actions that safety isn't truly valued. Perhaps senior leadership has not established definitive organizational targets for safety performance or has not attached accountabilities to those targets. Maybe line supervisors are skeptical about safety, believing it competes with rather than complements their priorities. Or perhaps the SH&E staff hasn't effectively demonstrated the positive effects of workplace safety.
Whatever the causes of this breakdown, the result is a failure to create and support a managed safety system. And it's these types of failures at worksites across the country that led to the 5,702 fatal work injuries and 4.2 million nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses recorded in the U.S. in 2005. When you consider just the direct costs involved with occupational injuries and illnesses-Liberty Mutual estimates that employers spent $50.8 billion in 2003 on wage payments and medical care for workers hurt on the job-these are costly failures.
The question then is how can we as SH&E professionals lead the way to better results? How do we show business leaders that devising, implementing and maintaining an effective safety management system will reap many benefits?
Many tools exist to help us in this area. There are cooperative programs such as OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs and American Chemistry Council's Responsible Care initiative. We also have voluntary consensus standards such as ANSI/AIHA Z10, CSA Z1000-06 and OHSAS 18001, as well as proven business strategies such as six sigma, balanced scorecard and the Baldrige framework. Through ASSE, we also have access to the many resources developed and compiled by the Society's Business of Safety Committee.
Whatever model, tools and strategies we select, in order to succeed, we must identify, track and report on performance indicators. These are not easy tasks, largely because measuring safety performance differs from many areas measured by management. Unlike most areas of business where success is measured by the presence of some outcome, success in safety results in the absence of an outcome (injuries or illnesses). So, it is up to us as SH&E professionals to seek new ways to assess and report safety performance so that executives clearly see the benefits of preventing injuries and illnesses.
To do this, we must move away from reliance on reactive measures such as injury incident rates as the primary gauge of safety performance. Instead, we need to identify and track leading indicators that help us develop interventions that address hazards before they result in injury, damage or loss. Examples might include observations/audits/inspections conducted; number of safety contacts; percentage of incidents investigated; number of positive rewards and recognition given; number of near-hits reported; number of repeat incidents; or percentage of job safety analyses completed. You can probably think of many more examples specific to your site or industry. Again, ASSE is an excellent resource in this area through professional development programs such as the upcoming Measuring Performance for Safety Success symposium.
Beyond identifying and reporting these metrics, we must strive to connect them to the business priorities that our corporate leaders have identified. By doing so and by helping our leaders understand and appreciate these interrelationships, safety becomes part of the corporate culture and a key element of the leadership vision. In the long run, it will also help to prevent the tragic incidents that continue to devastate too many lives each day.
Donald S. Jones, Sr., MBA, PE, CSP


text:
The past few seasons for the Bruins have proven to be somewhat disappointing for the Beantown faithful, and the tone was set the first game back from the year-long lockout. A sellout crowd, optimistic of a new era in Bruins hockey, watched their dreams of Boston being a Stanley Cup contender began to crash as the puck found its way into the back of the home team's net just a few minutes into overtime against the dreaded Montreal Canadians.
The moment the red light flicked on, a hail of miniature Stanley Cups given out before game time rained down from the stands and onto the ice. Ever since then, the goaltending situation has been up in the air for Boston. 2004 Calder Trophy winner Andrew Raycroft never quite seemed himself after his stellar first year between the pipes. Boston found temporary saviors in the likes of Tim Thomas and Hannu Toivonen, both having their ups and downs while trying to establish themselves as No. 1 goalies.
And now it seems that with the arrival of potential marquee goaltender Manny Fernandez, the coaching staff will have to decide whether to go with youth or wisdom for his backup.
The 32-year-old Fernandez looks to become the real deal between the pipes for Boston. The past few seasons have proven to the Bruins the fact that no goaltender is inhuman, but what they hope to gain in Fernandez is stable goaltending they can count on night in and night out.
Last season, Manny posted a 22-16-1 record, 2.55 goals against, and a .911 save percentage, but his season was cut short by a knee injury which left his job in the hands of Niklas Backstrom. Regardless of the injury and rumors of a sometimes ill-tempered disposition, the B's look to Fernandez as their new saving grace, and hopefully one who can do it for the long run.
Now, Fernandez is certainly no Roberto Luongo or Martin Brodeur, but he isn't a bad start. The sad truth is that the Bruins are a team that is not willing to put money into their goaltending situation, and if you look at some of the most recent teams to win the Stanley Cup, none have done it without a goaltender who was an MVP candidate.
Put simply, Fernandez gives Boston's hockey fans good reason to hope that their team may finally return to the playoffs. It may be too soon to have visions of Lord Stanley's Cup being hoisted in the TD Banknorth Garden, but it's certainly not out of the question that the Bruins could reach the postseason in 2007-08.
With a squad that has the potential on paper, newfound life in goal with Fernandez, and new coach Claude Julien, the upcoming season looks better the time than ever to try and make something happen. One of the biggest doubts in Fernandez is his ability to play behind a team that hasn't been known for its stellar defensive play. He is stable, as most goalies would be, when behind a strong defense. But Fernandez's true value will be revealed when placed behind a team that is prone to lapses from time to time. This dilemma will hopefully be solved by Julien, who is known for focusing on defense first and moving forward from there.
Though the goaltending situation in Boston seems to be solved, (at least for the time being) there is still much left to be determined. The addition of Fernandez likely means the subtraction of either Thomas or Toivonen. Though the quality of their play has been frequently questioned, Thomas and Toivonen can't be fully blamed for the last two disappointing campaigns. They have certainly been erratic at times, but the Bruins' weakness on the blue line has more often than not left the goalies hung out to dry.
Tim Thomas was never meant to be a starting goalie, but somehow fell into the role after Andrew Raycroft began to falter. Surprisingly, Thomas was a fan favorite as captured the hearts of Boston fans with his seemingly Cinderella story.
While I was growing up in Vermont, my father and I would trek to UVM games and watch Thomas put on a showcase against some of the best in college hockey. They would put on charity skills competition events where Thomas would take breakaways from the likes of his teammates such at Martin St. Louis. Thomas would take ten or fifteen breakaways and turn away every one.
After a while Thomas would throw his stick to the side, which was followed by a thunderous roar from the crowd, and take on the players without his stick, still managing to turn more away then he let in. As he graduated, I never really heard anything about him until some ten years later, no doubt wearing the same helmet, when he emerged as another cult classic goaltender in Bruins history.
Though Thomas' style isn't the crisp butterfly that most goalies practice, he seemed to always give the B's a fighting chance whether he was flying out to the hash marks for a diving poke check or on his back, arms and legs, waving frantically in the air.
Though this style of goaltending proves to be entertaining it also leaves a lot in question: How much can the B's depend upon Thomas? Sure he has nights where he makes 45 saves in a win, but other nights he makes 14 in a loss. It may be his style or his age, but the Bruins need something much more stable in their net if they hope to get on the winning side of things.
Meanwhile, Toivonen came into the picture as a very highly touted prospect. Myself, I hadn't heard of Toivonen till a friend of mine corrected me after I made a wisecrack about what I believed to be a 17-year-old girl backing up Andrew Raycroft. The longhaired Finn burst onto the scene in 2005-06, showing off his flexible and acrobatic 6'2 frame to the city of Boston.
Great potential was seen, as Bruins fans looked to Toivonen as a goalie they could see developing with the team and growing old with it. Unfortunately, an ankle injury sidelined Hannu, forcing him to go through rehab as well as a stint in Providence. Toivonen was never the same again, sometimes showing glimpses of talent, sometimes not playing to par. Making trips back and forth to the AHL affiliate in Rhode Island never seemed to help him, and the Bruins were yet again left looking into a crystal ball where goaltending was never in sight.
Enter the present situation. Three goalies, the number one slot presumably filled, and only one spot on the bench. Some may jump to the simple conclusion that the B's should send Thomas packing, as he is the older of the two and is nearing the end of his prime.
But although he may be the older of the two, it seems that Thomas is more battle tested than Toivonen. Also, though Toivonen hasn't produced the greatest numbers, he may be worth more on the open market than Thomas, as he presumably still has a decent amount of years left to play and could emerge as a bona fide NHL starter in the right situation. Indeed, Toivonen could bring in a capable player or two in return, while Thomas probably wouldn't.
Though the present goaltending situation in Boston seems to be fixed, we must also look down the road into the future. If the Bruins do find a savior in Fernandez, that leaves Tuukka Rask in a spot to move into a backup role for Boston and smoothly transition into the starting role 2-3 years down the road.
However, if Fernandez flounders, the Bruins will be left in the all-too-familiar situation of not having a legitimate number one goaltender. And this would put too much pressure on Rask, too early. In recent years, there have been too many talented young goalies who have been pushed into starting roles too early. There are exceptions, such is the case of Marc-Andre Fleury, who after being thrown to the dogs in his first season in Pittsburgh has settled into the starter for the fast-rising Penguins. But in most cases, these goalies are battered and never the same after being prematurely thrust into the NHL. It would be better to let Rask slowly acclimate to the NHL game, rather than wasting his talents as a quick fix for the short-term.
Confidence is key for a young goaltender, as even the soundest goalies can fall victim to confidence issues. A bad goal can lead to two, and a bad game can easily turn into a losing streak. Especially for a young goaltender who feels they need to prove himself at a higher level, these lapses can be easy to fall victim to.
Playing behind a strong team can often help ease a goalie in the jump to another level. A strong unit around him lets a young goalie focus on his game and the routine saves that he needs to make. But playing in a program where more scoring chances are given up on a regular basis pressures a young goalie into worrying about the five or six big saves in a game he needs to make in order for their team to win. And thinking too much about anything but his own game can mean loss of crucial concentration.
In the fastest-paced game they will ever see, a second-long break in a rookie goalie's concentration can be the difference between a reputation of being reliable and undependable.
It wouldn't be a bad idea for Rask to play a few games in the NHL this season. This would give the Bruins organization and Rask himself a gauge of where he stands. It will give Rask an idea of what he needs to work more on and what he is capable of at the present time. Just because he has a decent game or two doesn't mean Rask should be put into a starting role, as being the workhorse might put the young Finn into one of those bad streaks that could shatter his confidence for a long time to come. This, and playing behind a seasoned NHL goaltender like Fernandez, may be just what Rask needs to evolve into the goaltender the Bruins have been looking for.
As the B's prepare for the upcoming season, it will be interesting to see if Manny will become just another Boston goaltending fad or a style that's here to stay. As for Thomas and Toivonen, both will battle for their jobs come fall—if they're still around—but that might not be enough, for the Bruins need to think critically about how they want their future to unfold.
And as for Rask, it seems as if the best plan would be for him to get his feet wet in Providence before diving into the NHL too early to play behind a Bruins team in transition. It is very possible that a situation may arise where Rask may be needed to come to Boston as a back-up due to injuries, and he might play a few games here and there, but giving him the starting role in 2007-08 would most definitely not be in the long-term best interests of the young netminder.


text:
Eva Longoria
Tom Ford Flagship Store Opening Celebration
Beverly Hills, California – 24.02.11
Mandatory Credit: FayesVision/WENN.com
This entry was posted on Friday, March 4th, 2011 at 10:25 am and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
We'd love to hear your comment but please don't spam, we reserve the right to delete anything which is inappropriate
Name (required)
Email Address (required)
Speak your mind
Copyright © 2006 - 2011 Latest Hollywood Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News – Anything Hollywood | Site Map


text:
Bruce Misamore was Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chairman of Yukos, Russia's largest oil company, from 2001 until 2005. While there, he introduced world-class standards in corporate governance, financial transparency and accounting. However, Misamore's reforms were unwound when the company had its domestic assets seized by the Russian government after 2004 and Russia arrested its chief executive Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Misamore resigned in December 2005 and has since been instrumental in a global legal campaign to ensure that Yukos's thousands of legitimate stakeholders receive compensation from the Russian government. Before joining Yukos, Misamore held senior-level finance roles with US oil companies PennzEnergy, Pennzoil Co and Marathon Oil. Misamore taught finance at Bowling Green State University in Ohio in the 1970s and says that the winters there are even colder than in Moscow.
Why did you choose to move to Russia and become Yukos's CFO?
During my initial conversations with the CEO of Yukos, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, he made it clear that he wanted Yukos to become a transparent stakeholder-focused company. His aspiration was, in fact, to set the agenda for other Russian companies and oil companies globally, making Yukos a world leader for operational excellence, corporate governance, financial reporting, and investor relations. It seemed like a place where I would be able to make a major positive contribution, not just to the company itself, but also to the wider Russian economy.
What processes did you introduce to improve transparency and the quality of reporting and what did you find most questionable about Russian accounting practice?
Russian accounting had not really evolved since the Soviet era. It was primarily cash accounting, and they had no such thing as consolidation accounting. This meant that each individual legal entity was treated as a separate accounting entity and had to report to the government as such. This made it impossible to create a consolidated financial statement, which in turn caused a lack of sensible financial reporting and other practical problems. Michel Soublin, Yukos' former CFO, and Khodorkovsky had already recognized that Russian accounting standards were inappropriate for a company like Yukos and had made a choice between International Financial Reporting Standards or US GAAP. Before I arrived, they had chosen the latter, in view of their plan to seek a listing for Yukos on a US stock exchange.
Were there any tensions between the use of US GAAP and statutory requirements Yukos had to also report using Russian accounting?
Yes. Despite the move to US GAAP, Yukos was still required to maintain Russian books for domestic tax and financial reporting purposes. As Russian accounts could not be consolidated, the eliminations you would normally make in consolidated statements needed to be tossed out the window, and accruals to reflect the true state of the business were non-existent. Because of the lack of inter-company eliminations, no reader of the Russian financials could have been properly informed of the true situation of the group as a whole.
What about the tensions over the reporting of oil and gas reserves? Does that remain a criminal offence in Russia?
In the Soviet Union the reporting of reserves was illegal, and technically that remains the case in Russia today. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, companies like Yukos, Lukoil, and TNK-BP elected to begin reporting in either International Financial Reporting Standards or US GAAP, which compelled them to report reserves. In the early Putin years, the government turned a blind eye to the existing Soviet-era law and didn't bother to harass companies over this. The government seemed to recognize that, if Russian oil companies were going to raise capital in the international financial markets, they were going to have to comply with Western rules. However, after the Kremlin decided to renationalize a large portion of the country's oil reserves, Yukos and other companies started to be harassed by the Ministry of Natural Resources over their reporting of reserves. While we certainly did not ignore these calls, we were committed to reporting our reserves, and did not believe that we would be subject to criminal sanctions.
Was Yukos one of the first Russian companies to adopt US GAAP?
Yes. We were the first Russian oil company to publish full US GAAP financial statements, including quarterly US GAAP financials. From 2002 onwards, there emerged a movement called "Yukos-ization," in which other Russian companies sought to emulate what we had achieved in financial reporting and corporate governance. There were even seminars on it. The focus on transparent financial reporting and good corporate governance meant that Yukos had become recognized as a leader in financial reporting, corporate governance, and investor relations not just in Russia, but across the emerging markets. This was why I had gone to Russia—not only to improve Yukos but to drive forward standards across Russia's industrial base.
However, when Yukos was attacked by the Russian government, most of the other companies backed off, especially on the corporate governance aspects. A key issue was over the identity of major shareholders. No other company in Russia had done that before we did. Companies that had been considering following us down that road scrapped their plans. Once the real Putin stepped forward, there was a significant regression in terms of corporate governance in Russia.
Why do you think the Russian government singled out Yukos?
There were several factors. In April 2003, we announced a merger with Sibneft, another leading Russian oil company, with Yukos as the dominant partner. That would have created by far the dominant Russian oil company and one of the biggest oil companies in the world. While Mr Putin originally supported the deal, he may later have seen this as a threat.
He also had a growing, though not at that stage explicit, desire to renationalize the commanding heights of the Russian economy—and particularly to exert more control over the country's resources. He also may have resented the fact that Yukos had a number of Americans in senior roles and that its principal shareholder group was having talks with major Western oil companies about possible share interests and cross-shareholdings.
Another factor was that Mr Khodorkovsky was supporting reform candidates in the 2003 Duma elections. Mikhail was doing that, among other things, out of concern that Mr Putin was poised to reverse many of the reforms put in place by Boris Yeltsin during the 1990s.
Did relations between Yukos and the Russian government deteriorate thenceforth?
In December 2003, the Russian government singled out Yukos for retroactive reinterpretation of Russian tax law, and the group started to be hit with massive tax bills. Initially, there was a bill of over US$3bn, but ultimately this rose to over US$30bn. The Kremlin got court judgments against us, freezing all assets, which made it impossible for us to pay the taxes by selling assets, and started removing all cash from the company.
We continued the legal battle with the government, but by late 2004 it had become clear that they would prevail, at least with respect to Yukos' Russian assets. The most significant blow came when the Russian government auctioned off Yukos's biggest subsidiary, Yuganskneftegaz, to pay some off the alleged back taxes. The Russian government ultimately expropriated all of Yukos's Russian assets through a legally questionable bankruptcy process, and the assets ended up with the state-owned companies Rosneft and Gazprom.
Were you able to do anything about this?
In early December 2004, we appointed the Houston-based law firm Fulbright & Jaworski, who represented us in the US Federal bankruptcy court. The court issued an injunction against the Yuganskneftegaz auction. However, the Russian government totally ignored this injunction. We had intended to use the US bankruptcy as a means of protecting the assets of the entire company for the sake of its stakeholders—including employees, legitimate creditors, and the 50,000 plus shareholders who have to date received zero compensation from the Russian government.
But in March 2005 the US Bankruptcy Court determined that, since the Russian government was the largest creditor and the Russian government was not co-operating in the bankruptcy process, it would be impossible for the bankruptcy to conclude successfully. This meant the case was discontinued and we lost the protection of the US bankruptcy courts. We then started looking around for alternative ways of protecting the remaining assets, believing that while Yukos's international assets could probably be protected, its Russian domestic assets probably could not.
When and why did you leave Russia?
In late November 2004 I was at a meeting in London and received a phone call telling me that I should not go back to Russia because I risked being arrested upon my return. I never went back and, indeed, around that time virtually every member of the management committee of Yukos had left Russia never to go back. I arrived in Houston December 4 and we began the bankruptcy process in the United States.
Under the circumstances, was it hard to focus on your original mission of improving standards of corporate governance etc at Yukos?
The focus had to change. We had a major battle on our hands trying to save the company and to convince the Russian government that we were good corporate citizens. We tried all kinds of tax settlement negotiations throughout 2004, including bringing in some very high profile international political figures. These included the former prime minister of Canada, Jean Chrétien, who employed the assistance of some other prominent world leaders to try to reach a settlement. They all had conversations with Mr Putin, who made promises, which he failed to deliver.
What happened to Mr Mikhail Khodorkovsky?
In October 2003 Mikhail was arrested and charged on a personal basis for alleged crimes, primarily related to a fertilizer company that his group had acquired in the mid-1990s. Since his arrest, Mikhail has not been out of jail for a single minute. He was, of course, found guilty of all charges and was sentenced to prison in Eastern Siberia. He is now on trial again in Moscow on phony charges, primarily limited to stealing all of Yuko's oil production from 1998–2003. That trial is a political show trial and will take several months.
What are your chances of securing compensation for Yukos shareholders from the Russian government?
During 2004 and 2005 we scoured the world during for legal structures to protect Yukos's international assets and we found a structure in the Netherlands called a Stichting, a Dutch "foundation" structure. We now have formed two stichtings in which we have put all of Yukos's international assets. The Stichtings have served us extremely well.
We are still battling off attacks from Rosneft and other entities and fronts of the Russian government, which keep trying to seize those assets.
However, we have won virtually every meaningful court case outside Russia, including a key victory in October 2007, which said that the Russian bankruptcy would not be recognized in the Netherlands. There is a strong chance that sizeable verdicts will be levied against the Russian government. In January 2009, the main Yuko case was admitted to the European Court of Human Rights.
However, it is going to be years before any money is collected for the parties that have been harmed. If the cases that are currently being heard under the European Energy Charter Treaty and in the European Court of Human Rights were to rule against Russia, it would hopefully serve as a wake up call for the country.
This is the main reason I continue to be involved. The Russian public and political community need to understand that expropriation is not the way to improve the economy.
What is the outlook for the transparency of financial reporting in Russia?
Through its intimidation campaign, the Russian government has compromised the move to more transparency in Russian entities, including the disclosure of major shareholders. This has led to questionable disclosure by a lot of Russian companies. However, whenever Russian companies are seeking to raise money in international capital markets, they will have to provide reasonable financial statements. I think that even Mr Putin understands that.
What is the outlook for the Russian economy?
Russia has become an autocracy and this is bad news for the economy. It means that Russian companies will never get a consistently strong inflow of Western capital. This is very different from other economies in Eastern Europe. Few other former Soviet or Warsaw Pact republics, other than Belarus, have regressed as far as Russia has. As a result, the Western banking crisis has had a far bigger impact on Russia. There's been a massive flight of capital out of Russia and a more pronounced stock market crash there, a crash in the rouble and a significant decrease in purchasing power.
What is your advice to someone from a developed country who is considering taking on a CFO role in a Russian company right now?
I would not want to share my talents with Russia today because the situation there is far, far different from what it was like when I went there in 2001. Until the Russian government explicitly supports transparency in its businesses and gets a handle on government corruption, I don't think anyone should waste their time in Russia. There's currently no sign of that happening.
Are there lessons for transparency in other emerging markets?
The only way for emerging market companies to achieve the kind of results they want is through financial transparency and good corporate governance. This also needs to be understood by the politicians and others within those countries. In India, because of its British background, there is more transparency. However, I believe that China will achieve less economically in comparison with what it could otherwise achieve because of the country's apparent failure to encourage transparency.


text:
A Segmented Homeless Support Network
AbstractHomeless shelters and hot meal distribution services, which are concentrated in large cities, welcome close to 55,000 homeless people per day during winter. Whilst one in ten homeless people sleep rough or in shanty housing, the large majority is housed by local government or charities. This group of homeless people is diverse. In order to accommodate these people in their diversity, the homeless housing sector is segmented. Homeless shelters accessible throughout the day, hotel accommodation, independent dwellings and work communities are favoured over collective shelters which are closed during the day to residents. The accommodation centres which offer the best services select their residents according to their financial means and family situation. Therefore, people living alone with low incomes have little chance of receiving a personalised accommodation service, with the centres favouring people who live with their partner and/or children or those with the financial means to pay for the services.
Download InfoIf you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
Bibliographic InfoArticle provided by Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques in its journal Economie et Statistique.
Volume (Year): 391-392 (2006)
Issue (Month): (October)
Pages: 15-34
Contact details of provider:
Postal: 18 Boulevard Adolphe Pinard, 75675 Paris Cedex 14
Phone: 01 41 17 50 50
Web page: http://www.insee.fr
More information through EDIRC
Related researchKeywords: Homeless; Poverty; Housing Conditions; Income Distribution;
Find related papers by JEL classification:
- I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
- I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
- I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
ReferencesNo references listed on IDEAS
You can help add them by filling out this form.
ListsThis item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.
StatisticsAccess and download statistics
CorrectionsWhen requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:crs:ecosta:es391-392b. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (D3E).
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.
If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link to it, you can help with this form.
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.


text:
Text size:
Press release submitted by Narveen Aryaputri
" Women of Greece and Rome" Part II will be presented at 7 p.m. Oct. 4 by Michael Rosenthal. I.S.E.
Continuation of the previous presentation on Sept. 13 by Michael Rosenthal
Sarah Pomeroy helped bring about a revolutionary turn of perspective in which the old adage, "history is written by and about men," no longer holds true.
We will revisit her classic –
" Goddesses , Whores, Wives, and Slaves " - with supplemental material on some dynastic mothers, to see how women lived in ancient Greece and Rome.
Please bring handouts and material to share if you wish.
Presenter Michael Rosenthal has completed extensive graduate work in theology, philosophy and psychology at the St. Paul Seminary and the University of Iowa and Western Illinois University.
1530 Fifth Avenue. Moline. Illinois
Doors open at 6.30 p.m.
Free and open to the public.
Dress code: business casual.
Elevators are located through the 16th Street entrance.
East moline, IL Details
Chewy Pecan Pie Bars
(More recipes)
|(More Print Ads)


text:
Look!: "Clotheslines" for Art
Fresh, fluid and at your fingertips.
Parents use clotheslines to display their kids' creations. Screenwriters use them to organize scenes that have been summarized, one to an index card. HGTV suggests them for photos you want to keep in constant rotation.this pic on flickr (top), and a similar idea in Victoria's photostream (directly above) we thought of how beautifully the line lends itself to all kinds of visual media.
If you like to tear inspiring images from magazines or frequently update the art and photos in your midst, if you just can't commit to frames, a "clothesline" devoted solely to eye candy might be the answer to your prayers.
2 Comments
love this concept - been using it since dorm room days & growing with it ever since! puts the fun back in functional!
I keep meaning to use this fabulous idea, but never seem to get around to it. Maybe these pictures will inspire.


text:
tyler dean. twenty three. michigan, usa. pop culture enthusiast. i am obsessed and in love with britney jean spears and buffy the vampire slayer. always have been, always will be. i also love veronica mars, lana del rey, lindsay lohan, josh hutcherson, nicki minaj and one direction. this blog is occasionally inappropriate. you've been warned. 18+
the indestructible cheerleader
the indestructible cheerleader
Parks and Recreation Re-Watch2x01 Pawnee Zoo
Part of Hillary Clinton's speech to the UN on LGBT rights


text:
Sign Finds | San Francisco
1. Surf Motel, Marina/Cow Hollow
2. Super Duper Burgers, Marina/Cow Hollow - Nice handy-work here from New Bohemia
3. Queens Shoes, The Mission
Original Content. © All images copyright The Fold.
1. Surf Motel, Marina/Cow Hollow
2. Super Duper Burgers, Marina/Cow Hollow - Nice handy-work here from New Bohemia
3. Queens Shoes, The Mission
Original Content. © All images copyright The Fold.
There is a seemingly endless supply of Mid Century modern shopping to be had in California and San Fransisco is no exception. In The Mission alone there is enough to keep you busy, from high-end, hand picked Danish design to old school thrift store digging. Reading this post here makes me feel like I barely scratched below the (teak veneer) surface in the short time I was there. It's a bittersweet affair when passing through a city like San Fran, there's only so much you can pack into a suitcase. That said, there's always room for a mint condition, anodized atomic style electric skillet no matter where in the world you are.
Walking down the Mission District end of Mission Street it's hard not to notice the number of vacant theatres peppered along the strip. As far as sign finds go, old theatre marquees are among some of the biggest, boldest and most extravagant examples you're likely to see, so finding five early 20th century marquees on the one street was teetering on a signage overload. Seeing so many in such a concentrated strip was almost eerie. They're huge structures and have some real presence, especially in the case of the Cine Latino and the New Mission Theatre which are set on opposing sides of the road, the two huge signs towering over the relatively small street below. I ran out of light and time to photograph all of them as thoroughly as I would have liked, but what I did shoot has gone some way to capturing that walk through the Mission.
A little miffed by the state of all five theatres I set out to find some background to their current condition, turning up some great archive shots and history in the process. Over time as in other cities, the popularity of TV and home entertainment in the 50's started the decline of the boom years of America's cinemas with these grand theatres gradually becoming redundant, unprofitable and as attendance declined were inevitably forced to call it a day. Understandable that as times change, a city and its businesses have to adapt and evolve to suit, it's just a shame these showy examples of a Golden Age for both cinema and signage haven't been put to better use - be it restored, respectfully re-purposed or at the very least maintained the for the sake of the city's local history. Having now survived to an era that should recognise their historic value, it's madness to not preserve what's left. A quick look at the list of closed cinemas (not counting demolished) in San Francisco alone is mind blowing.
My rabbit-hole of Googling took me to a wide range of websites, blogs, archives and library sites, with Cinema Treasures again proving to be an invaluable (and impressively well ordered) resource for digging into the fading face of America's booming cinema years. I've included a list of links and references at the end of the post if you're keen for a dig.
From 19th to 23rd and Mission we have what's left of the El Capitan, Tower, Cine Latino, New Mission and The Grand. Between them represents a period of cinema spanning from as early as 1913 to as recent as 1998. All are shown below with all archive shots courtesy the SFPL.
At one time the second biggest movie theatre in San Francisco, the El Capitan Theatre was demolished in 1961, with only the Mexican Baroque facade left standing. The 2000+ seat auditorium was completely levelled with a budget outdoor parking lot now left in its place. With the huge facade and only the shell of the foyer still in tact, the El Capitan is the grandest and as equally depressing entrances to a crappy car park you're likely to find. Peep your head in and check out what remains of the foyer interior.
First opening as The Majestic Theater in 1912, the Tower Theater was remodelled in a Streamline Moderne style in 1937, majority of which can be seen decaying away today. I'm not sure at what point the vertical TOWER typeface changed to the serif style seen today but from the photos I have found you can see the original style was in use at least until 1975. After closing in 1996, the theatre was used as a church up until 2005 and is currently up for lease. Let's hope those interior murals are still in tact.
What now stands as the Cine Latino originally opened as the Wigwam Theatre 1913. With two name changes in between (New Rialoto Theatre in 1935 and the Crown Theatre 1947-74) this workhorse of a movie house has paid its dues, playing host to Latin and Mexican cinema throughout the 70's until its closure in 1987. With humble beginnings and origins dating back to the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, the Wigwam deserves more than to be left to rot. Hidden amongst the the Cinema Treasures listing for the Cine Latino, a visitor comment outlines the origins of the Wigwam as starting literally as a wigwam to entertain the displaced people of San Francisco in the wake of the massive earthquake that shook majority of the city to the ground. From this small canvas tent grew a bigger tent, then a wooden theatre and then finally the building that now stands on Mission Ave. I'm keen find out more about that evolution from tent to theatre and dig up some more shots of the Wigwam as it grew. If that account checks out it's an amazing story and in itself a huge reason to revive or at the very least preserve or restore what is left of the signage/facade. The Cine Latino sign is still an eye catcher and with the New Misson directly across the road it's an interesting pocket of the Mission.
The Grand Theater opened in 1940, operating primarily as "unpretentious third run neighbourhood house" up until its closure in 1988. Described as a mecca for b-grade, horror and sci-fi movies, the Grand Theater in the late 60's/70's sounds like my kind of place. With triple features the norm, no doubt a few Corman masterpieces would have graced the big screen here.
Some more Googling turned up some some slightly off topic but interesting info on the cult horror cinema scene in SF. Outlining the horror movie history of the Grand on Cinema Treasures, August Ragone is also the author of a killer book on Eiji Tsuburaya (creator of Godzilla and Ultra Man among a mirrade other things) and a purveyor of underground film events in San Francisco. With the Grand now a cheap import store there's little chance of the 'gory' years of the Grand making a rise from the dead, but it's great to see the spirit and impact of its years as a gore and sci-fi haunt still kicking in some shape or from. More on August at http://shock-it-to-me.com and http://augustragone.blogspot.com
Built in 1916 and fully renovated in a balls-out Art Deco style in 1932, the New Mission Theatre with its sky high marquee is impressive even in its present day state. Like many of these theatres, the New Mission has seen its share of controversy and proposed plans since its closure as a theatre in 1993. Playing horror flicks throughout the 80's and finally closing in the 90's due in most part to dwindling attendance, The New Misson's closure and deterioration is a familiar story. Maybe in part due to the fact the impressive theatre interior is relatively in tact, the New Mission seems to be the most likely of the theatres in the area to have any hope of a complete and deserved restoration. Overcoming the San Francisco City College plans to redevelop/demolish the building as campus space in the late 90's, preservationists have been working to give the New Mission Theatre a new lease on life for over 10 years. Finally achieving landmark status in 2004, plans for a redevelopment of the theatre for a re-purposed/mixed-use space have been off and off since.
While putting this post together, new info on the New Mission's future has been made public and from a brief read it's looking like good news for once. Alamo Drafthouse, an Austin-based cinema chain (with a theatre etiquette policy and public relations approach that should be given a standing ovation) - have prosed a restoration and reopening of the theatre in 2013. More details here. Amazing if all goes to plan. Hopefully next time I'm back in San Fran that towering marquee will be up in lights. With this news, I also came across some recent pics of the theatre interior posted up on the Alamo Facebook page and some Flickr shots here. Great to see the level of detail and fairly in-tact state of the interior.
As a flip side to historical value and preservation, I've always had an interest in abandoned buildings and spaces and looking at the those Flickr pics it's no wonder the Mission Theatre has played host to a free party two in its time. Possibly the ideal progression for America's grand theatres - the Golden Years, the decline, the non-damaging free party era and the all important restoration. As much as it would be amazing if all of these theatres were still thriving and cared for, the fact is they've been left behind and left neglected due to lack of funds, lack of profitably and changing times. It's the free market that built them, and seemingly the free market that will destroy them. The decline, the free parties, the rotting signs as they stand today as are much a part of the history as the ornate foyers an lavish entrances. In the case of the New Mission at least, history, present day commercial interests and nostalgia may find a workable balance.
What started out as some casual research into the background of this epic strip of busted out signage soon spiralled into a knee-deep dig into the fact and fiction behind San Fransisco's old school movie houses. This post couldn't have come together without the below reference and resources. Some great stuff in there if you have a spare week or two. Enjoy!
Cinema Treasures
The Friends of 1800
The San Francisco Neighbourhood Theater Foundation
The San Francisco Public Library
The San Francisco Chronicle
Cinema Tour
The Fold Instagram is up and running so get on board for your dose of signage, found type, work snapshots and other design-eye related 'grams. Keeping in-line with my Sign Finds posts, I'm tagging all my Instagram signage shots with #signfinds - which seems to be catching on! Get snapping and keep tagging #signfinds!
Last week Levi's opened their London-based Print Workshop in the Regent Street store, the fifth of its kind for Levi's following previous workshops in San Fransisco, Los Angeles, New York and Berlin. The Levi's Print Workshop is an ongoing series celebrating the craft and process of hands-on printmaking and print techniques. This latest instalment is in partnership with renowned graphic artist, Anthony Burrill, with a series of exclusive Print Workshop-centric statement tees available to either buy pre-printed or print fresh in-store.
In addition to the Burrill prints, Levi's are running a daily challenge to Tweet through your London inspired slogans and quotes to the Levi's UK Twitter with the chosen quote printed and sold in-store the following day. I shot through a few pithy quips with my "Black Cabs & Blue Jeans" statement making the cut for day six. Keen to see the in-store screen printing setup I head in to Regent St to check out the workshop and print up a few of my own tees for the folks back home. All the typefaces, typesetting and screens were all handled by the Levi's Workshop team, with the printing carousel setup in the front half of the store inked up and ready to go. Stumbling across both People of Print and Wicked Printing in the process was an added bonus, putting me a little closer to finding somewhere in London to get my massive A0 silk screens exposed. It was cool to see a few photos of my tee popping up on my the Levi's feed and flex my squeegee skills for the first time since leaving Aus. Having designed a tee or two(thousand) in the past, it would have been extra rad to see the daily slogans set in the same lockup as the Burrill prints to give them a little more clout - but all in all, Tweet to tee in 24 hours ain't half bad. Original Content. © All images copyright The Fold.
This Polly Waffle flavoured illustration was a little something I put together for an interview I did with the guys at Heaps Good, a space dedicated to supporting and promoting Aussie creativity throughout the UK. Check out my interview here along with loads of other Australian/UK creative news and info. Original Content. © All images copyright The Fold.
Inspired by an article in the back pages of Los Angeles magazine, I set out to capture a similar photo-in-a-photo style shot during my time in L.A. A bit of trawling through the archives struck gold, turning up a great shot from 1960 of 'The Owl Barber Shop' Downtown on E 6th. The photo itself is great - classic car, old school barbershop and vintage shop signage all together in one hit. After finding that little gem I was pretty set on making it happen. With a bit more research I managed to pinpoint the area and exact address of the shop, you can see the Google map shot here. Amazingly, still a salon to this day. Not a barber shop, but was cool to see the history of the shop carried on in some way.
I'm happy with the result for a first attempt and managed to sneak in another location shot while I was in the States. Big thanks to Holly for helping with the shoot and fending off the Downtown traffic (both car and pedestrian) and to Eric Mercado and Duston Snipes for triggering the idea.
Edit: Some more digging turned up a great photo of the shop in 2003, and a typically Hollywood side note detailing the use of the shop for a small scene in Se7en. In a noir-esque game of shadows, the sandwich deli next door was used in L.A Confidential, providing the location for the 'The Nite Owl Coffee Shop' - home of the pivitol shit-hits-the-fan Nite Owl Massacre. For those playing along at home, you can get a quick glimpse of the barber shop at the start of the Nite Owl scene here. Original Content.© All images copyright The Fold.
The coffee scene in London is no doubt on the up since I was last in town. There's a caffeine induced buzz around 'good coffee' that is going some way to undo decades of chain coffee dominance. It's great to see more awareness and appreciation of coffee in general and even better to see the variety of independent and dedicated businesses popping up across London. That said, these coffee-centric cafes are the exception not the standard so finding a good coffee can still be a challenge.
Without a local go-to for my morning fix, what started out as casual research into home espresso machines grew quickly into hours of trawling coffee forums and blogs, late night BableFish translations and ended with a purchase on Italian eBay. Once I stumbled across the 60's Italian lever machines there really wasn't any going back. The Microcimbali, the Arrarex Caravel, the Baby Faema and the Zerowatt Express are all great looking examples of atomic age product design. Having left my classic car resto back in Melbourne, a vintage espresso machine rebuild seemed vaguely justifiable. The Microcimbali narrowly edged out the Caravel through the handy inclusion of a steam wand for foamy milk drinks… although, with the Caravels coming up fairly frequently on eBay the Mirco may have to share some bench space at some point down the line.
These single group hand lever machines were primarily intended for the home espresso market, the commercial machines of that era are in a whole 'nother rare and expensive world of design. With the espresso machine taking a jukebox-like pride of place in cafes across Italy, the manufacturers understood the importance of good design. Beautifully crafted and unique in style. Notable product designers were often enlisted, the Microcimbali for example was designed by acclaimed product designer Joe Colombo. Look up the game changing Faema E61 or 50s-60's Gaggia machines to get a snapshot of what I'm talking about. Earlier periods of machine design are equally as impressive and reflective of design trends of the time. Evolving from the ornate almost Baroque style of the early 20th century to a more streamlined Deco style through to the atomic chic of the 50's and 60's.
With the going price for an E61 at around the £1,500 mark (and way beyond) I'm happy to start off with my modest Microcimbali. It's in good shape for a fixer-upper - operational but far from usable. Before it comes anywhere near a ground bean I'll be stripping the whole machine down, cleaning every nook and cranny, seeing to the wiring, removing the years of limescale and replacing all seals from top to bottom. From what I have read and pulled apart so so far it's a reasonably straight forward and compact unit to restore. Provided I can score myself a bargain on a suitable grinder I'll be pumping out the home espressos soon enough. Original Content.© All images copyright The Fold.
© Original Content. All images copyright The Fold.
Echo Park is a hotspot for signage. Plenty of old school relics, oddities and hand painted work to keep things interesting. Kicking myself I didn't get a chance to shoot the LA Popular shopfront… any fellow sign obsessives in LA get on the case and post up your find!
© Original Content. All images copyright The Fold.
A few happy snaps from Mission Ave and beyond. From the look of the signage I assumed Foxy Lady had closed long ago… but that's just how they roll in the Mission, the high-style boutique is still kicking with glowing praise ("Really good prices and a great selection of hot ho wear.") and a respectable 4 stars on Yelp. Wowza. Great looking shopfront, proving once again you can can never go wrong with porthole windows.
© Original Content. All images copyright The Fold.
© Original Content. All images copyright The Fold.
Killer veggie sandwich at Rhea's… seriously good munch. Finding a decent veggie sandwich is a real hit an miss affair so finding a hole-in-the-wall corner deli that has taken the time to do a veggie roll proper is a treat. Rhea's deserves the praise it gets for going the extra mile to make that happen. It's a well known spot in SF and I'm not surprised… these are close to the best deli style lunch rolls I've had not only in Cali but the States and beyond. For the veggos out there, if you're ever in the area be sure to duck in and put your name down for the veggie chicken BBQ, medium chilli or hot if you're a spice fiend… that thing was hot as hell. Just don't call them 'sandos'. © Original Content. All images copyright The Fold.
© Original Content. All images copyright The Fold.
To find out more or
to get in touch regarding
your next project,
contact The Fold on