text:
Filipino food, Thai food: What drives the ethnic restaurant market?
- Xiao Yang Mar 10, 2008 09:13 AM
I like to think that ethnic communities create their own markets for restaurants, and tend to judge authenticity by how many Chinese dine at a Chinese restaurant, Mexicans at a given Mexican restaurant, etc. Sometimes, however, there seems to be a huge dichotomy between the size of an ethnic community and the number of restaurants it produces. Filipinos and Thais seem to represent extreme examples of this phenomenon.
The San Francisco Bay Area has an enormous Filipino community, more that 323,000 identified in the Year 2000 Census, yet there appears to be only a tiny handful of identifiable Filipino restaurants; menupix.com and menupages.com only bring up a single Filipino Restaurant for San Francisco proper (though I know there are a few more in SF and the South and East Bays). On the other hand, a tiny Thai community (less than 6,000 in 2000) generates many times more ethnic restaurants. Menupix and menupages each list more that 100 Thai restuarants in San Francisco alone, with many more elsewhere in the Bay Area.
I can understand that the enormous popularity of Thai food in the community at large, as well as the relative unfamiliarity with, and lack of appreciation for, Filipino food are large factors, but I would think that the size Filipino community (which, if a City, would be the tenth largest in California) would generate a much larger number of Filipino Restaurants than appears to be the case. Do Filipinos choose to eat at home? When they dine out, do they choose a different ethnic cuisine? Do they not sufficiently respect their own food to really elevate it to a "cuisine?"
It's like to hear any thoughts, as well as other examples. Japanese comes to mind as an over-represented cuisine generally, and in New York, Ecuadorean (80,000 Ecuadoreans in Queens alone) would appear to be an under-represented cuisine
Interesting thread! I can try to speak from a Filipino American point of view- growing up in the sizable metro DC area, there were at any given time maybe only 2 Filipino restaurants open for business. We'd try them once and they'd go out of business before we could return. Why did they go out of business so consistently? Maybe the small number of restos, combined with the very many styles of Filipino cooking... If the geography of the Philippine Islands has resulted in 170+ languages in one country, imagine how that impacts the cuisine. I bet if my family had found a restaurant with a chef from Pampangas, where my mom's family is from, we'd be there every week, and tell all our friends. Instead, it wasn't a priority and we just ate at home when we wanted Filipino food, and when we wanted to eat out, went for Thai, or Japanese.
I think Filipino restaurants haven't caught on with Americans as much because of the tendency for Flip restaurants to adopt the "turo-turo" (sp??) model, literally "point point", where there is pre-prepared food in chafing dishes rather than table service. I hear there are a few notable exceptions though - I just received "The Filipino-American Kitchen", a cookbook by a successful Filipina restauranteur from Chicago, and I can't wait to try some of her recipes.
I hope others chime in with a native Filipino perspective, because it is interesting, especially given that when I mention my heritage, 75% of the time people respond, oh my ______-in law/co-worker/neighbor is Filipino and you guys have the best food! I love adobo!
I lived in the Philippines for 14 years, but worked all over S and SE Asia.
Filipino food (and my reference point is filipino food in the Philippines) is relatively simple to prepare; and filipinos say that they could do better at home. Much of filipino food does not fit in with North American tastes--lots of salt, few spices or chili, can be greasy, often served at room temperature, few vegetables. Plating and/or presentation is not given much importance. Although adobo is liked by many non-filipinos, dinugu-an may not be as widely acceptable. If I had filipino restaraunt, I'd serve fish sinigang, bulalo, sisig, fresh lumpia, different pancit, embutido and so on--but would not be surprised if a large cusomer base didn't develop.
Thai food is more complex, more difficult to prepare well, and fits with current North American tastes--spicy, can be light, lots of vegetables, mostly not greasy nor salty, complex flavor combinations, served hot or cold depending on the dish (rather than all at near room temperature). Plating and/or presentation is important.
re: Sam Fujisaka
Gotta agree, for the most part. My Chinese wife is from the Philippines, and we have a Filipina nanny. The nanny cooks adobo and calderete at home (love 'em!), as well as a variety of noodles and lumpia. She also makes dinagu-an and sinigang soup; not my faves. But, even though there are at least four or five Filipino restaurants in the Toronto area, we never go out to eat at them, ever. We do patronize Filipino stores to get specific ingredients, like macupuno for halo-halo or Magnolia cheese ice cream, but never the restos.
It might be because none of them are conveniently located, but we've made specific trips to go to Chinese or Japanese spots. It also might be because dishes like adobo and calderete taste better on day 2 (and 3 and 4 and..) than they do when freshly made.
And, we always order a baby pig for major holidays or visits from family, which wife and nanny fuss over for a few hours before delivering a crispy lechon to the table, but we never go out to eat it.
I think part of the equation comes from the restaurant's willingness to adapt to the palate of the country they're in. For example, Chinese food is very popular in the States -- but there are more people eating things like chicken and broccoli as opposed to congee. Most Thai restaurants in the States don't make their spicy food as spicy as they serve it in Thailand.
And I do think there are some cuisines/dishes that translate better to the American (or whatever country you're in) than others.
re: Miss Needle
You are in New York, I believe. There is an noted upscale Filipino or Filipino-fusion resto in Soho, Cendrillon(?). How "Filipino" is the food, anyway? Does it have enough Filipino cuisine characteristics to educate the novice's palate and draw him or her to real Filipino food?
Another theory of mine is that there is a latent market for most unfamiliar (to Anericans) cusines that needs to be developed. As much as I dislike "fusion" (I call it the "F" word) fusion-y restaurants can take on an important role in this process.
re: Xiao Yang
I haven't been to Cendrillon but one of my friends has. She loves it, and she is not a fan of heavy food. Looking at the menu, it does seem like there are a lot of influences outside of the Phillipines.
That said, my experience with Filipino food comes from home (family used to make lumpia and pancit), a limited number of restaurant experiences (can count on one hand) and eating the foods of several Filipino friends. I wish I could say I liked it more, but I just don't think it's really my thing.
Filipinos love to be ambassadors for their native cuisine. It's small wonder that so many Americans who are even vaguely acquainted with a Filipino through church, work or a social organization have been treated to lumpia, adobo or pancit. In my case, I have capitalized on the popularity of all things fatty and porky in NYC to host numerous fiestas introducing friends to lechon kawali, binagoongan, rellenong manok and, less successfully, dinuguan. I am not alone in this habit. The ex-pat community is largely a nation of cooks. And discerning ones, at that. Too often Filipinos will go to a restaurant only to somberly proclaim, "Eh, I make this better at home." Restaurants open to acclaim in the Filipino papers and die within a year of un-met expectations. It is hard for any restaurateur to please the palates of Ilocano, Tagalog, Kampampangan, Visayan and myriad other diners all at the same time. And though it might not be PC to say so, Filipinos are a thrifty people, not prone to spending their money on eating what they can make at home. The only reason I go to Filipino restaurants now is because my housemates are frightened (literally) of the long beans, shrimp paste and fish I would otherwise keep to cook. I have taken much in the way of backhanded complimenting.
Which reminds me, Filipinos are also painfully aware of criticism of their cuisine, especially as compared to other Southeast Asian cuisines. It is said that the lack of vegetables in modern cookery stems from the criticism of native foodways by American GIs who called Filipinos grass-eaters. The prospective restaurateur has to juggle the competing interests of appealing to a broad range of American preferences and respecting the traditional cooking that attracts Filipino clientele. The task is almost impossible.
Cendrillon, the Filipino restaurant in Manhattan you mention, is one example of a successful upscale Filipino restaurant. The chef has responded to some modern preferences, but by-and-large, cooks traditionally Filipino dishes...but for Filipinos like myself (Tagalog/Pangasinense), the food seems fusiony and inauthentic. For Chef Romy Dorotan, however, at least from what his wife, a champion of Filipino cuisine, told me, the recipes are largely traditional to Romy's childhood with an occasional nod to influences from Southeast Asia. But what is native to Romy is foreign for me and while Americans and many Filipinos do indeed love Cendrillon, I am rarely there for anything other than merienda.
But if all these variables could be managed, I still don't see Filipino taking America by storm. I can see it having limited success, but traditional, homestyle cooking is often greasy, mild and stewy. But Filipinos are the ultimate adapters. My style of cooking blends in the Spanish and Indian flavors I also grew up with to develop the layered flavors I know lie dormant within the cuisine (to which end an Indian-Filipino restaurant has recently opened in NYC's Greenwich Village and a Filipino-Latin restaurant once existed in Chicago to much acclaim). My hope lies in the American-born generation, born with Filipino hospitality in their veins, craving the comforting tastes they know from home, but worldly enough to adapt it to their cosmopolitan palates.
re: JungMann
Talagang talaga! Ganda ang mga salita mo! I'll be one of your customers if you open a pinoy restaurant!
re: Sam Fujisaka
On the rare occasion that I cook for Filipinos outside my family, the reaction is usually surprise and revelation. Whereas Cendrillon pushes the envelope with chutneys or a tomatoey kare-kare, my recipes are small "evolutions" in technique or flavor. A cleaner-tasting, less greasy mechado made with brisket instead of larded beef. Binagoongan livened with the addition of sambal oelek and a not excessive amount of corn and olive oils. The sweetness and tartness of dinuguan teased out with piquillo peppers and perhaps a splash of sherry vinegar. And vegetables! Sitao at talong tossed with bagoong guisado and ample garlic in the sofrito. Espinacas a la Catalana with raisins, olive oil and roasted pili (hey, if Arroz a la Valenciana is Filipino...). Lily buds, banana hearts, kangkong (in paksiw, kare-kare and sinigang respectively).
I am a big believer that Filipino food is inherently flavorful and soulful, but those traits have been obscured by a loss of traditional techniques, excessive use of oil and pre-packaged mixes and an emphasis on quick and easy. Our recipes were developed by generations of personal cooks and wives who spent hours melding flavors in a carajay. Now we try to get dinner done after work and end up with watery sauces and sloppily salty food.
And so two of my better off friends decided we should open a restaurant. Inspired by San Miguel, we layed out our plans. But our restaurant never opened. Why? Not to trade in stereotypes, but Filipinos are not known for their business acumen. Even in the Philippines, it's the Chinese-Filipinos who are famous for their entrepreneurial spirit, not the everyday Filipinos. Perhaps there is a lack of good business education; perhaps it is a legacy of colonialism; but I would not be surprised if poor business decision-making plays a large role in the number of restaurants that open (or close) within the community.
re: JungMann
Sounds lie you cook filipino dishes much like I do--lightened up, more flavors, more vegetables, quicker cooking times.
re: Sam Fujisaka
Everything applies except the quicker cooking times. I "lighten" without purposefully trying to make food healthy. I layer flavors, without trying to mask. That's not a departure from tradition, but a more accurate interpretation of our heritage cuisine. But a simple dinner of chicken and pork adobo will take at least an hour of browning, braising and then additional caramelizing. And if there's goat or beef on the menu...well let's just say I tend to take "slow food" literally.
re: JungMann
You're right about the kambing. My chicken adobo, however, gets a long marinade but a fairly short cooking time.
I also time and serve the hot dishes hot, and do pay attention to plating and/or presentation.
re: Sam Fujisaka
I was also taught that presentation was important. Chicken legs had to be "frenched" before giving to Tita for adobo. Mostarza or banana leaf beneath fish or embutido. Pancit was a painstaking ordeal of organizing hard-boiled eggs, fish, sauce, kalamansi and crushed chicharron just so. And there are dishes prized for their visual appeal as much as for their flavor such as rellenong manok or sapin-sapin.
Christmastime for me is just another holiday during which I get nagged about how I'm not saucing and decorating my plates right...and why don't I become a nurse or accountant?
re: JungMann
"Eh, I make this better at home." That is EXACTLY what my pilipina Ama would say. Well, actually we wouldn't even get that far. She would not take us to eat in Filipino restaurant because "why we go there when I can make it at home myself". Now that we are all grown, and she lives with my auntie in L.A. "Historic Philippine Town" I believe it's called, she will pick up a turo-turo meal here or there. My theory is that the food is also so diverse- every province has its own type of food. My mom is Pampagena (sp?) so we ate a lot of fish, vegetables, clear broth, simple provincial stuff. But I love Manila style food pancit lug lug, pancit canton, the hearty meat dishes, that I have enjoyed in Filipino restaurants. When my mom cooks for my non-filipino friends, I think they are expecting to eat more hearty food than she is accustomed to preparing.
I'm just thinking out loud, but I think that immigration patterns are important factors to consider here. I don't know enough about Thai immigration, but I do know that Filipinos first arrived in the US either as scholars or migrant laborers. But the real explosion of the Filipino population happened after the 1965 Immigration Act, with, I believe, a majority of those immigrants coming over as middle-class professionals (many in the healthcare industry) with their families in tact. This is important because with the families in tact, there was almost always a homemaker in the family unit, providing food for the family. Additionally, with their Catholic background (and I hope I'm not stereotyping here) Filipino families tend to be larger than the average family, creating a larger pool of home cooks. Considering this, it seems that the average Filipino immigrant had plenty of access to their native cuisine without ever having to enter a restaurant. One of my close relatives married a Filipina and I know that any one of 16 "aunties" would be cooking up a storm for a gathering on any given weekend. Another consideration is that because Filipinos are usually already fluent in English and share a Christian background, they tend to have a high rate of outmarriage. This would mean that any ethnic businesses from the previous generations will probably not be passed down. This is the typical assimilation story.
To venture a guess with the Thai community, restaurants provide obvious and instant employment for recent immigrants, who, it seems, come to the US in the more classic pattern of immigration. I'm not sure if the Thai community has used revolving credit from community credit unions to provide funding for new businesses as the Japanese and Koreans had. The temples and other community institutions may provide some economic function here as well. I'm not sure if there are other economic niches that Thais have found, but with the American fancy for Thai food, it seems that the restaurant is obvious moneymaker.
Gary, using Menupix and Menupages is hardly a barometer of a local cuisinee.
As you know, the majority of the Filipino population is in the East Bay and Peninsula which the two sites you mention don't cover. Looking at those sites it could also be said that there are no Portuguese restaurants in this area. The thing is that these populations do not live in SF for the most part ... or in sections of SF that border where the real communities live ... like Daly City. As you move up Mission toward Daly City, bakeries and restaurants increase.
While it hardly matches the 100 Thai restaurants you mention, doing a Chow search currently lists 23 ... and I've only hit SOME of the East Bay and few of the Peninsula restaurants.
re: rworange
Krys, I was illustrating a point, not crunching numbers. There are roughly 50 times as many Filipinos as Thais in the greater Bay Area (Census MSA) but indisputably only a fraction of the restaurant totals. Sure, there are Filipino restaurants scattered throughout the Bay Area, but the same true for Thai restaurants, which probably amount to multiple hundreds.
re: Xiao Yang
Gary, it seems that all you are doing is crunching numbers ... restaurants to population.
That being said, having eaten at most of those Filipino restaurants I linked to and having Filipino friends, it is not an easy cuisine to like. There is not the cross-over appeal that Thai has ... though that cuisine in the Bay Area doesn't ring my personal chow bells either.
People are intimidated by different cuisines. Even at those Thai restaurants the thing most people order is the stoplight dishes ... red, yellow, green curry. I posted a while back on this and it got a lot of hostility from even long-time chowhounds. We LOVE xxx, why should we order anything else?
I don't think it has to do with a lack of pride in the cuisine. My neighbor downstairs and the nurses at my mom's rest home were always pushing some wonderful things at me.
Come to thing of it ... that might explain some of this. Some cultures open restaurants and others dont. Most of the Filipino people I know came here to do nursing ... which was true of the friends of the downstairs neighbors.
The one thing I do love about Filipino cuisine is the bakeries. Great bread and bilbinka is up there with one of the best things I've ever eaten.
re: rworange
Krys, I'm trying to ask the broader question about what drives the market for ethnic restaurants -- how much of it is demand from within the ethnic community and how much from without. I didn't intend this to be a forum on Filipino cuisine
For example, it's fairly evident that if nobody outside of Thai people like Thai food, Thai restaurants would be scarcer that hens' teeth, there being a market of less that 6,000 in the whole bay area. It's obvious that there's a wide audience among non-Thais for Thai food, tough I'll agree with you that the appreciation seems to be a mile wide and an inch deep.
With Filipino food, even if no non-Filipino liked Filipino food (though I know that's not the case) I would expect more restaurants than there appear to be to serve 325,000 people. Why is the market so small? Is it economics? Lack of a restaurant-going culture? What factors would contribute to growing this market?
re: Xiao Yang
I guess I'm confused here, Gary.
If that is the case ... which I understand and have addressed if you re-read my posts ... of the about a dozen responses in this thread, besides myself, only miss needle initially answered the broader question you say you are asking and then you brought her back to the topic of Filipino food.
IMO, Jungman and sam have hit on a good reason that I also opined on ... and applies to all under-represented cuisines, including my own, Polish. The group doesn't have a business-driven culture. As Jungman wrote "Even in the Philippines, it's the Chinese-Filipinos who are famous for their entrepreneurial spirit, not the everyday Filipinos"
E Eto wrote "I'm not sure if the Thai community has used revolving credit from community credit unions to provide funding for new businesses as the Japanese and Koreans had."
Also these restaurants and food businesses are low profile as others have mentioned. Even with the few upscale restaurants that have recently opened in the Bay Area, they don't get press ... though I might have missed the main stream reviews ... I don't think there have been any.
From my limited time on Chowhound ... with even this food-focused group ... I don't believe there is "a latent market for most unfamiliar (to Anericans) cusines"
Not without getting the press onboard bigtime or having some personable celebrity chef bursting on the scene.
I remember a post by Melanie about a Chinese banquest thrown by Oliva Wu at the Chronicle for food writers ... and the majority of that group didn't want to eat the food or expand their ... or their readers ... horizons.
People want the familiar ... and they jump on board for the newest thing in limited ways ... the trend o'the day.
And that going back to what others have said may be one of the problems specifically to Filipino cuisine ... it is too diverse ... there may be a large population ... but if that people is segmented into small groups with diverse cooking styles ,... then someone from Pampagena is not going to a restaurant serving food from Manila.
And one cannot dismiss cross-over appeal. If the American melting pot don't like it and throw some money at it, it won't succeed.Look at the Jollibee chain which has for the most part tanked in this country.
On of the things I like about the Chow (not Chowhound) part of the site is that they do try to put out recipes that are lesser known. Yeah, they Americanized them a bit to make them look appealing, but if you can move people slowly toward trying new things ... that's big. There's even a Filipino recipe
re: rworange
Jollibee in the US? Wow. Filipinos were always proud of Jollibee because it had "ang lasang pinoy" (Filipino flavor or taste)--achieved by mixing sugar into the ground beef.
re: Sam Fujisaka
I can't speak for the rest of the chain (and I don't know how it is doing in the US) but the outlet that failed in San Francisco proper was located by a Filipino senior citizens residential area, and nowhere near younger generations of Filipinos.
re: Xiao Yang
It was located across the street from the Metreon center with a major theatre that features 9-10 movies. The Metreon itself is very youth-oriented. There was a merry-go-round across the street.
re: Sam Fujisaka
I actually like Jollibee. The one in SOMA/Union Square closed really quickly. Really didn't do much for mainstream Americans who were ordering the sorry hamburgers instead of the Filipino dishes. I'm not sure if the Daly City (large Filipino population) is still open. The one in Vallejo tanked despite the huge Filipino population there.
Didn't know about the sugar. That might explain the burgers. I'll have to check to see if Daly CIty is open and give it another try given that. I liked the garlic rice and breakfast a lot.
re: rworange
Interesting thread. I think Jungmann, Sam and rworange may have their fingers on the pulse of this one. Having lived in Asia for ten years (China, Hongkong and Taiwan) I don't ever recall seeing a Filipino restaurant. Plenty of other cuisines though. In the first wave of Chinese immigrants to California were entrepreneurs - there were 3 Chinese restaurants operating in San Francisco in 1849!
re: Xiao Yang
Some factors that might be different with immigration from the Phillipines.
Many Phillipine immigrants gained entry either through relations to Armed services personnel, or because they had skills that were declared to be needed (nursing). So they had no need to use the restaurant as a pathway to immigration.
An extended family arrives fairly quickly who can take over home cooking chores.
Popularity of potlucks at parties and churches, for a taste of home cooking.
Familiarity with American food at home.
And I'll reiterate what I said before... the food served at the majority of Filipino restaurants in the US is not appealing when you compare it to the other choices that are available in a large metropolitan area.
re: mlgb
I'm seeing things pretty much along the lines of E Eto and mlgb in that it may not be a matter of whether the food catches on here, but the types of immigrants that come from the Philippines to the US. Most that come do so under H1B-type work visas. Most are highly trained but can find no work in the Philippines (at least for a reasonable salary). In order to support their families, the no-brainer is to head over to the US and make megabucks compared to what they would back home. Nurses, architects, and some electronics-related specialists are probably representative of many of these immigrants ( at least that has been my experience). These folks have no reason to open a restaurant. They work long hours already, oftentimes six days a week minimum, and send money back to home to support their families. Opening a restaurant for this category of immigrant would be a drain on their time, money and energy.
The Philippines has to be one of the largest outsourcers of its country's work talent. Filipino laborers can be seen working side by side with other immigrant labor from India and Bangladesh in places like the Middle East. Families of upper middle class and above incomes across most of Asia's mini-dragons have one or more maids whose national origins are mostly from the Philippines, with Indonesia being second. My bro-in-law in Singapore has a live-in maid from the Philippines who takes care of him, his wife and three kids. She works all but two Sundays a month and makes the equivalent of about US$250 a month. Ironically, she has a university degree in education that she earned in the Philippines, but as I mentioned earlier, the job market in the Philippines is poor, even for those with extensive education or training.
I can only assume that the Philippines' economy is such because of a vicious cycle that is perpetuated by this outsourcing phenomenon. Because unemployment is so high in the Philippines, one is relegated to making very hard choices: live on or below the line of poverty, or go to where your skills are more marketable. Since so many families are caught in this dilemma, they are receiving financial support of various levels (sometimes from more than one overseas provider). This financial support is then pumped into the local consumer economy. Because this creates a consumer economy with no productivity or infrastructure behind it, little demand is created for other services and products that would support say, factories, offices, warehouses, etc, that should exist in a normal "healthy" economy. This scenario is very similar to what one can observe closer to home in countries like Mexico, particuarly in the rural areas.
At least one or more posters have mentioned that it could have something to do with cultural aspects that may go back to the days of European and American colonialism. There may be some truth to that, as my father who works on occasion in the Philippines, tells me that all of his business contacts are ethnic Chinese. Maybe this speaks as well for Chinese society, where the entrepreneurial spirit lies deep in the marrow of this culture. Combine this with the strong cultural and language bonds within this society and the average Filipino has been shut out. Only bureaucrats will gain as graft is supposedly rampant in this country - again, another example of a huge drawback to a successful economy.
re: bulavinaka
There were a lot of filipinos in California from the 50s on. I still think the reason for few filipino restaraunts and many Thai is the differences between the foods and because the relatively simple filipino cuisine can almost always be better prepared at home. I've lived in California, the Philippines, and elsewhere; and have worked extensively in Thailand. The skills involved in cooking, more vegetables, lightness and combinations of flavors, presentation and timing--all favor Thai (and Lao and much of Vietnamese) over filipino (and Cambodian, some of Indonesian).
re: Sam Fujisaka
I think most Filipinos, even from the 50s, spoke English far better than alot of other Asian immigrants. This gave them other options than to instantly fall back on selling food. Also, quite a number of Filipinos assimilated into the Catholic community - many of them with Latinos (these last two considerations are according to an Asian Studies professor from UCLA) - which further reduced the number of viable candidates for spreading the cuisine commercially. Another consideration which I don't know the answer to is, like other Asian communities, did/does the Filipino community have any "credit unions" or other informal savings societies?
re: bulavinaka
Halos lahat ng mga pilipino dumating sa 50s taga sa mga provinsya doon sa hindi mag-inglish sila, kasay hindi mag-tagalog rin!
Most of those coming then didn't speak English because they were from the provinces and didn't speak tagalog, let alone English.
re: Sam Fujisaka
We had two Filipino families in our neighborhood that had migrated to LA after The War. Both families' parents spoke English - not even close to perfect - but they did speak it. I believe the fathers served in The War - they always wore baseball-type caps with military insignias/jargon on them... just my personal experience...
re: bulavinaka
Sam the Man, you might find these two hits I found via Yahoo's search engine interesting. The first is short and sweet, the second a little more detailed...
re: bulavinaka
A college degree from the Philippines isnt worth much here in America. Through my wife who is from Manilla, I know of many college graduates with: degrees in medicine who are nurses here, with degrees in engineering who work in a warehouse here, etc.
re: swsidejim
But the point is, what would their alternative be if they stayed? As I mentioned, my bro-in-law's housekeeper/nanny has a colllege degree in Education. Is it worth anything in the Philippines or Singapore? Obviously not. But to my bro-in-law's family, she is a bargain. And this is her best option relative to what she has found back home.
And many of the Filipinos I come across use their educations in their fields of specialty. One is a nurse three days a week, who then works as a lab technician on two to three of her off days. She has a degree in chemistry. Her income is substantial even by middle class standards over here. Another is an architect but is working as a renderer with a high-end interior design firm. I don't know what he makes, but if his car is any indication, he is doing well too. Another whose background is computers owns a small computer consulting and sales operation. He came to own this business by first starting out as a glorified clerk, showed his skills, saved his money, and bought the company when the owner decided to move on. I know of at least four architects who are from the Philippines. What training they received once the got here, I don't know. But they are practicing.
I think that if Filipinos are to try a parallel move into what they were trained for in the Philippines, sure it's not going to happen. But many do come with the practical skills needed to succeed here and many seem to find their way into very good positions.
re: bulavinaka
I agree, no alternative, that is why we offer to sponsor any of her relatives that want to come over to the U.S., and give them a chance at the good life. My wife tells me that back in the Philippines you need a college degree to work as a store clerk.
We are looking for a nanny from the Philippines, one of my wifes relatives, but it has just not panned out yet.
With the above said the Philippines are a deifinite option as a place we are considering retiring when the time comes. It is one place the U.S. dollar is still strong. It would just take me a while to get used to the food over there.
re: swsidejim
I wish your wife's relative the best. If she is half as good as my bro-in-law's nanny, your kids will be so lucky to have two mothers!
As you probably already know, you'll be able to live like a prince there upon retiring. My dad has been a handful of times and can't believe how low the cost of living is relative to the USD. He feels guilty when he goes. He says the poverty drives him close to tears. And the affordability of domestic labor borders on silly. Not that I want to see your buying power eroded but I just hope that if and when you retire there, that things will be much better for all.
re: swsidejim
swsj, you are probably about 50% right. Many qualified filipinos I know have immigrated and done really well as professionals in the US--especially in areas like physical therapy, architecture, and information technology.
Many of the Filipino restaurants in Chicago have fairly low profiles and are not picked up by many of the restaurant listing sites. Menupages classifies seven restaurants as Filipino while metromix.com shows six with only three listed on both. Without straining I can think of six in the Lincoln Square and Albany Park neighborhoods that are in neither directory. I wouldn't infer too much about restaurant supply by cuisine by looking at directory sites as most eastern European groups have similarly poor coverage.
A place calling itself oriental in Chicago is probably Filipino.
I live near Carson, which does maintain a few Filipino restaurants and bakeries. I think those who identified the food as greasy, salty, porky and stewy (and not very spicy) are on the right track as to why it doesn't enjoy a wider audience.
I've been treated to a number of potluck festivites catered by Filipino coworkers, and used to go to a turo turo (now closed) restaurant near my work.
I'd much rather go to a Thai, Indian, Mexican or Korean restaurant because the flavors are more distinctive, I like spicy food, and also like to have some veggies with my meal (although I do remember a nice eggplant dish that I once had).
If I'm dining with someone who can't do spicy, I'd rather go to Vietnamese or Japanese which is less greasy and fresher.
re: mlgb
It is sad that Filipino Cuisine and Restaurants do not even come close to the popularity of its asian counterparts. Filipino food is so varied in its influences from all of Asia, Spain and trickles of American canned flavors creating a delicous mix of flavors. But on the whole Filipino Food is quite simple. It does not claim to be complex. It simply uses fresh everything, if it is prepared well --- just how my grandmother prepared food. She even made her own rice flour. Fish had to be fresh. Vegetables had to be fresh and cleaned to perfection before it went into the pan. There were occasional pig roast. However, we lived close to the sea.. so fish and vegetables were the staple and not necessarily rice.
Look at these very simple dishes:
Milkfish, Salmon or comparable locally available fish poached in a broth of cane vinegar in a bed of ginger, garlic and onion, jalopeno and freshly picked vegetables.
Grilled Fish on a bed of freshly picked vegetables sautéed in pate de crevettes resollee(baguung alamang), onions, garlic, and ginger.
Sticking to the simple flavors of home may help in changing the often perceived notion that Filipino food is fatty and heavy. It might also convince, a Filipino like myself to eating at a Filipino Restaurant more often because grilling fish and sauteeing fresh vegetables when I get home from work can be a task.
Not Filipino, but a friend and I were dining in an Ethiopian restaurant which was void of Ethiopian patrons while a place across the street was packed. Then we came to a theory that the owner was from the Orthodox Christian community (based on evidence from text on the menu itself describing the restaurant and how it came to be) and maybe that was shaping preferences, rather than the food (which was quite good).
So cultural associations can be as strong as regional cuisine associations, I think.
We have Jollibee in Dubai. Chowking, too. There are so many Filipinos here, too. Despite the masses of Filipinos, there are not very many pinoy restaurants. There are some, but not in comparison with Thai and certainly not Chinese. Even though the Thai population is insignificant, and the Chinese population is comparatively tiny when put against the Filipino community. The Thai and Chinese restaurants (that are more "authentic Chinese" and not Indian or beef/broccoli type Chinese) are also packed with Filipinos. I think it has to do with the familiarity of the general population with Filipino food. Thai is widely known and trendy. Much more so for Chinese, obviously. Filipino food is an unknown world to most non-Filipinos. It is too much of a business risk to open a Filipino restaurant unless you plan to depend on a solely Filipino clientele...can be done in some neighborhoods in Dubai, perhaps California and Hawaii, but in every other place, it has to be Thai or Chinese. I have noticed that some Thai restaurants here with Filipino chefs and employees and a heavily Filipino clientele keep Filipino desserts on the menu. It must be that because how can the same phenomenon be in the US and in the Arabian Gulf except that Thai is more well known, somehow "trendier," and so attracts a broader clientele, Filipino would limit the owners to the kabayan crowd and perhaps only a few adventurous others on occasion.
re: luckyfatima
lucky, again, I disagree. The two cuisines differ greatly.
re: Sam Fujisaka
Sam I did not say Thai and Filipino foods are alike. I said Thai food is more widely known to non-Filipinos, so is a better business venture for a restaurant ownder. That was my point.
re: luckyfatima
There are unique and significant stumbling blocks to opening a Filipino restaurant in the UAE that don't exist in the US: 1) the ubiquity of pork products in Filipino cuisine, 2) the spicing preferences of inhabitants of the Gulf states, 3) issues of class. I would venture to say there are more Filipino restaurants in the U.S. where Filipinos are looked upon as middle-class professionals than in countries like UAE, Greece or Italy where they form a significant underclass. Even if Juan Delacruz were able to save the money to open a turo-turo, he would be hard-pressed to achieve wide commercial success and not solely because of Filipino cooking techniques. For all the popularity of Mexican food in the U.S., you don't see most Americans eating at the same taquerias as their maids.
re: JungMann
Jungmann actually that's not true, there ARE neighborhoods such as Karama and Satwa that have multiple Filipino restaurants. It is just a fact that outside of those neighborhoods, there are dozens and dozens of Thai and Chinese but the Thai community here is tiny (there are more Chinese though). But there are sooo many Filipinos here. The Filipino restaurants attract a Filipino clientele, but the Thai and Chinese have a broader clientele...including a strong Filipino patronization. Filipinos obviously have an strong "eat out" culture. Also, the eating habits of the native UAE population is not much of a business consideration to opening a restaurant. Most restaurants cater to various types of expats. UAE nationals do eat out and I see them next to me in sushi bars, and Indian chat shops, and Thai places, and at Tex-Mex places and all. The Emiratis of Dubai have a very worldly palate and are cosmopolitan people. (oddly, there are actually NO Emirati sit-down restaurants, only local "matbakh" or catering kitchens). and The UAE Filipino population is not just maids, actually there are many Filipino professionals here, their degrees ARE useful here (unlike the US) and they work in all kinds of sectors, IT and nursing would be two, also for some reason there are loads of Filipino dentists here, for example. And the lower income Filipinos wouldn't mostly be maids (although there are a lot of Filipino maids as well), it would be people in the customer service industry like in stores, restaurants, salons, etc. Filipinos here love to eat out and you see them at all restaurants from American Chili's to the Thai and Chinese, to wherever, despite the no-pork thing. (there are so many restaurants here that serve national cuisines that are heavily porked based, that doesn't stop anyone, we have Tony Roma's, and a handful of other US chains, Mexican, sooo many regional Chinese restaurants including great dim sum places with no-pork adaptations) There are far more Filipino night clubs (that serve alcohol) here than restaurants, though. It is just a funny thing, but oddly the same thing in the US, I mean about the amount of the restaurants compared to the high population, not about the night clubs.
I recall in the 80s and early 90s in the US, you would never see a Vietnamese restaurant except for in Viet-towns in California, or a few other cities with Viet-towns like Houston. despite the huge numbers of VN people. Then, you started to see Chinese-Vietnamese restaurants...American-Chinese restaurants owned by Vietnamese families who expanded their menus to include a handful of VN dishes. I see this past VN restaurant history as the same thing as what you see now with Filipino restaurants: to attract a broader clientele and make more money, you could not serve VN food because non-VN people did not know about it. Then VN food became popular and more widely known and now there are VN restaurants all over the place and you will see them full of a very mixed clientele, not just VN patrons. Filipino food is just too unknown in the US and in the UAE. It would not be a good business investment to open a place that is too different. I see the same thing with Pakistani restaurants in the US. There are some, mostly in larger cities w/ high PK populations, however, so many Pakistanis own and operate generic Indian restaurants. Why? To the broader population. PK food is unknown. Generic Indian restaurant food is more popular (not so much with authentic regional Indian food, same like the Filipino food), so you see those kind of generic Indian restaurants that attract everyone.
I think the dollar is the bottom line here.
Hmmm, I think a people's food culture plays into the absence or presence of restaurants. And I expect there are wide variances around the world in terms of types of food eaten outside the home. Fine dining may be reserved for only very special occasions. Perhaps snack counters and roadside stands are more popular for "fill-me-ups" between home cooked meals in some cultures. Of course personal economics would also be a considerable factor.
Being a Filipino American, I absolutely love this thread and will have to read through it all.
Has anyone in the Philly/Jersey area been to Manila Bay? I hear there is another Filipino restaurant in Tom's River, called Something Delight....I forget the exact name. Manila Bay on the other hand has great, authentic food, and it's like eating in m mom's kitchen. And they always have a good crowd....and you always need to get an order of lumpia to go, to eat in the car, no matter just how full you are! <grin> -mJ


text:
A photo gallery of my late July in NH, VT, ME, and the Atlantic Ocean.Continue Reading →
"Time waits for no one" someone wise once observed. Turns out, neither does the Tour. So while healing my mind, body, and soul, and as I get ready for the next round […]Continue Reading →
I launched a business! But first, a token race report. Today was stage eight of the Tour, which means, umm… it means we've raced for eight straight days. Ayup, you've just noticed […]Continue Reading →
Moooooo, says the cow. For a few moments of comic relief, I invite you to scope out the entertaining results when you Google the phrase "Maple Syrup in Spain". Such gems […]Continue Reading →
Sheesh, time flies when you're having fun! Having arrived in Taiwan seemingly just yesterday, five days zoomed by, and I'm already en route back to the Continent. People do refer to Europe […]Continue Reading →
Today's blog is a recipe. It happens to arrive with a very ample forward. Please read along… or if you're hungry then skip to the end and get cookin'! I have […]Continue Reading →
For those of you curious on the matter, I encourage you to avoid planning on going anywhere via car in downtown Dubai the day the Tour of Dubai's prologue comes to town. […]Continue Reading →

subset: commoncrawl


text:
PropertyOfZack Behind The Booth : : The Honesty
by Zack Zarrillo - Jan 27, 2011
PropertyOfZack is absolutely stoked to be posting The Honesty's first studio update for our new Behind The Booth feature. The band is currently in the studio recording their second highly anticipated EP. This update consists of Mikey Davis tracking his drums, but don't worry, there will be more to come. Hit play and enjoy!
(For Tumblr Users: Click the direct link to view the video)
- honestyrock likes this
- mikebridgett reblogged this from propertyofzack
- propertyofzack posted this


text:
Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas
Christmas is tomorrow and there is a possibility that not all of your shopping is finished. If that is the case we are open today from 9:30 till 6, and below will be a bunch of suggestions for the loved ones in your life. One of the many things I love about Duly Noted is … Continue reading
November Workshops
This November, Duly Noted is going to be offering 4 workshops on quilling, fountain pens, book binding, and cutting lino for printing. Registration is limited, so please come into the store to reserve your spot.
Miro Journal Review
Miro notebooks are relatively new on the scene of premium journals. The company started in 2012 and their focus is on producing sustainable products for the artistic community. I first heard about Miro when I came into the store and there was a new sample to take a look at. My first reaction was one … Continue reading
Faber-Castell Ambition & LOOM
Hey Duly Noted Fans, A little while ago we received some brand new pens into the store. These are completely new pens to us, and so I took the opportunity to test out the new Ambition pen. Below is a collection of all of the pens that we carry, and we should be able to … Continue reading
Father's Day Cards & Gifts
Father's Day is quickly approaching and we have lots of new items to help find the perfect gift or card for your favourite father, grandfather, or father-in-law. Here are some photos of the cards we have available: If you plan on getting a gift for your stationery-loving loved one, we have a huge selection of … Continue reading
We can't believe it already 2013! We haven't posted in a while because this year has been so awesomely busy and our busy invitation season is set to ramp up soon. We are preparing for lots of consultations and lots of files. We also have a wedding show coming up at the end of January. … Continue reading
Custom Invitations
Here at Duly Noted we all have our favourite custom invitations. That's the thing with custom is that you can make it all your own and speak to the style of your wedding exactly the way you want to. We have a few different books you can look through in the store including: Floral, Nature … Continue reading
Day Of Stationery
If you are planning a summer wedding, by now you probably already have your invitations. Another big part of wedding stationery is the day of pieces. Which would include programs, menus, seating charts, place cards, table numbers and favour tags. We recommend to start your day of stationery order a few weeks in advance, that … Continue reading
Busy Bees!
Hello Everyone, We haven't made a post in quite sometime. We have been busy little bees here at DN. Our wedding season is in full force with custom and book invitations along with day of stationery. Our manager Stephanie has gone on maternity leave with her new baby girl Sadie, who was born on April … Continue reading


text:
Log In | Register
September/October 2014 | Usher
Magazine Subscription/Gift
Digital Subscription
Customer Care
Find a Retailer
Subscribe to Cigar Aficionado and receive the digital edition of our Premier issue FREE!
[ Added Dec 12th, 2013 by john chmielewski ]
John Chmielewski of Cliffside Park, New Jersey, black fishing on the Atlantic Ocean in 24° weather. What better time to enjoy a Hoyo De Monterrey.and a brew.
- or - Zip:
Introducing a FREE newsletter from the editors of Cigar Aficionado!Sign Up Today
Copyright © 2013 Cigar Aficionado Online


text:
- Pam Posthumus Signature Auction Event Set!
The Children's Trust Fund will hold it's 13th annual Pam Posthumus Signature Auction Event on May 13, 2015 at the Lansing Center. Be sure and mark your calendars to attend this important charitable auction to help prevent child abuse in the great state of Michigan.
- Local Council of the Week - Otsego County Child Welfare Alliance Learn about the outstanding work our local council is doing to protect children in Otsego County by viewing their program page on our Website.
- CTF News Briefs - September, 2014 The September, 2014 Newsletter from the Children's Trust Fund is now available.
- Snyder makes reappointments to Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board
- Social Networking to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect Follow our partners on their social media pages.
- MSU-Children's Trust Fund Effort Aimed at Finding Volunteers for Area Non-Profits Michigan State University and Children's Trust Fund of Michigan launch Every Child is Yours, an outreach campaign intended to increase the number of Mid-Michigan Millenials volunteering and to help local organizations whose work reduces family and childhood stress.
Contact Us
Children's Trust Fund
Grand Tower Suite 1411
PO Box 30037
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: 1-800-CHILDREN or (517) 373-4320
- University of Michigan CAN Conference - October 27-28, 2014 CTF programs will receive training at the 2014 CTF Annual Training, held in conjunction with the 33rd Annual Michigan Statewide Conference on Child Abuse & Neglect ...
- CTF Board Meeting - December 9, 2014
- Key Dates


text:
OLEAN, NY - (St. Bonaventure Press Release) The Short Story: Homecoming weekend saw another strong effort by St. Bonaventure come up short in the closing minutes as Dayton pulled out a 72-69 win on Saturday afternoon at the Reilly Center.
In a typically hard-fought Atlantic 10 Conference game that included eight lead changes and five ties, the Bonnies led 64-59 after Jordan Gathers made a driving layup with 4:40 left. The Flyers, however, scored five straight points and tied the game on a jumper by Devin Oliver with 2:59 to play. After a miss by Gathers, Matt Kavanaugh scored on a putback to give the Flyers a 66-64 lead with 2:03 remaining.
After Andell Cumberbatch missed a three-pointer, Vee Samford made a contested jumper with 1:12 left to make it 68-64 Dayton.
Charlon Kloof's three-pointer from the left corner pulled the Bonnies back within one point with 53 seconds to play, but Dayton went 4-4 at the line down the stretch. On the Bonnies' final possession, Kloof ran into several Dayton players and lost the ball momentarily before getting off a shot that was after the horn sounded.
The loss was just the second at home this season for St. Bonaventure (9-2), and it was yet another close game that didn't fall the Bonnies' way. Of the Bonnies' 10 losses, eight have been decided by six points or less.
Kloof and Youssou Ndoye led the Bonnies with 17 points each. Ndoye also snagged seven rebounds and blocked five shots.
How It Happened:
In front of a Homecoming crowd of 5,344, the Bonnies took two charges in the first 3:00 and jumped out to a 7-2 lead.
Chris Dees added a spark with two offensive rebounds and a bucket down low to make it 9-8 with 14 minutes remaining.
After two Ndoye free throws, Denzel Gregg blocked a shot that led to a Dion Wright layup to make it 19-13 with 10 minutes left.
Ndoye slammed home a missed Dion Wright layup to make it 26-20, then proceeded to black Dayton's shot at the other end with four minutes left in the half.
Dayton, however, scored eight unanswered points in the final three minutes and take a 30-28 lead on a three-pointer by Vee Sanford with 25 seconds left in the half.
Dion Wright converted a left-handed bank shot on the Bonnies' final possession of the half to lock it at 30 going into the break.
On the first possession of the second half, Charlon Kloof converted a layup to the Bonnies ahead 32-30. The Bonnies made their first three shots of the second half and used a 7-2 run in the first two minutes of the second half to go up 37-32.
Both teams traded buckets, then Matthew Wright hit a tough baseline jumper to make it a 44-38 game with 13:38 left.
At the 11:17 mark, Dion Wright converted on a three-point play to make it 50-43 – St. Bonaventure's largest lead of the second half. But Dayton answered with a three-point play of its own, a jumper by Devon Scott plus a foul.
The Bona lead remained around five points for a stretch of nearly seven minutes. After a Dayton jumper, Jordan Gathers answered with a baseline layup off a Kloof pass to make it 64-59 with 4:40 left.
From that point, Dayton scored the next nine points of the game capped by Vee Samford's jumper with 1:12 left to make it 68-64 favor the Flyers.
Charlon Kloof hit a three-pointer from in front of his own bench to bring the Bonnies back within a point at 68-67 with 53 seconds left.
With 18 seconds left, Ndoye swatted away a drive by Sanford. With :03 seconds on the shot clock, Dayton's Jordan Sibert missed a three-pointer but teammate Oliver snagged the long rebound. The Bonnies were forced to foul Oliver and he made both free throws with 12.6 remaining to make it 70-67.
Dayton committed a fouled Kloof with 9.4 seconds left and the senior made both free throws, bringing the game to 70-69.
The Bonnies sent Oliver to the line with :07 remaining and he again made a pair of free throws.
On the Bonnies' final possession, Kloof ran into several Dayton players and lost the ball momentarily. He did get off a shot but it was after the horn sounded and off the mark.
Dayton grabbed 20 offensive rebounds for the game and outrebounded the Bonnies 39-28 in all.
After the Bonnies limited Dayton to 36 percent shooting (11-30) in the first half, the Flyers made 17 of 32 shots (53 percent) in the second half.
Matthew Wright finished with 12 points while Dion Wright had nine.
Quotes from St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt:
"(Dayton) is a good team. It was a great ball game. It was disappointing that it ended the way it did. (Vee) Sanford hit and NBA shot (with 1:12 left to make it 68-64). He pulled up, and we contested it. Give him credit. He made a play. That's Atlantic 10 basketball."
"In the Atlantic 10, it's always going to come down to one or two possessions … but we can't lose hope. We have to continue to work."
On Youssou Ndoye: "He was effective, especially from a defensive standpoint. I thought he was a big presence blocking shots and on the offensive glass. I don't think we would've been in the game if it weren't for his 17 points."
Beyond the Box Score:
St. Bonaventure's bench was outscored by Dayton 28-13.
Points in the paint were even at 36-36.
Youssou Ndoye's five blocked shots were one short of his career high and the most he's ever had against an A-10 opponent. He now has 52 on the season, which is tied for seventh most in team history.
Charlon Kloof continued his improved three-point shooting by going 3-4 on Saturday; he is 11-19 over his last four games.
The Bonnies' -11 rebound deficit was their second-largest this year (-13 at Saint Louis).
The crowd of 5,344 was the largest at the Reilly Center this season.
Up Next: The Bonnies will play their next two games away from home beginning next Wednesday night when they visit Fordham. Tipoff at Rose Hill Gym will be 9 p.m. and the game will be televised on SNY.


text: Greetings -- I thought you all might be interested in this request for feedback from the Laurel Office. I've done the survey. It's not too long and asks some interesting questions about what should and should not conflict. Laurel is asking that the survey be forwarded widely so as to get plenty of feedback. And please note that the survey link in the forwarded email is incorrect. The correct version is: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GLJZDDZ Best, Gwenllian --- On Tue, 12/22/09, announcements-request at lists.sca.org <announcements-request at lists.sca.org> wrote: Message: 1 Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:51:43 -0600 From: Patrick Anderson <president at sca.org> Subject: [Announcements] Laurel Office Request for Feedback on the Rules for Submissions To: "announcements at sca.org" <announcements at sca.org> Message-ID: <85CACF89-8A6F-4798-8D91-0B95847839A7 at sca.org> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; Format="flowed"; DelSp="yes" > To those to whom these words come, greetings from Olwynn ni > Chinneidigh, > Laurel Queen of Arms and Juliana de Luna, Palimpsest Herald. > > The Laurel office is starting to review our policies and procedures > for > submissions. We expect that the eventual outcome will be a complete > rewrite of the Rules for Submissions. > > To start this process, we're asking the populace and heralds to give > us > feedback about the heraldic submissions process and how it should > work. > A survey which asks some basic questions can be found at > http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GLJZDDZ; we'd appreciate it if > interested > people would take time to answer the questions there. Anyone can > complete this; we promise to read all answers. We expect the survey > to > take fifteen to twenty minutes. Additional comments about or ideas > for > this process can be sent to rules at heraldry.sca.org. > > We have several goals for this process: > - to make the Rules for Submissions easier to use for heralds and > submitters alike > - to reduce discrepancies between the Rules as written and the > rules > as applied > - to reflect on the degree of authenticity we want for the > registration process and how best to codify rules to evaluate it > - to reconsider the level of difference we should require between > names and devices for registration > > In all areas, the Society for Creative Anachronism has moved towards > progressively better understandings of what people did in our period. > Given this, we are not interested in discussing rules changes that > would > substantially lower our standards for registration of names and > armory. > But we are interested in exploring ways to make it easier for people > register items that are in period style, whether or not they fit the > rules as they currently exist. We welcome ideas about how to do that > from all sources. > > We look forward to hearing from you! The deadline for the survey is > January 31; we will continue to accept comments by e-mail until the > review of the rules is completed. Please forward this message to > other > mailing lists, so that as many people as possible can respond. > > Juliana and Olwynn


text:
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
-Winston Churchill
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
-Winston Churchill
So, I made it! It wasn't easy but I saw this 84-Day challenge through to the end. I have learned much about my strengths and weaknesses. I truly value all that I have learned over the past few months. I cannot wait to reward myself with my very last gift to self!! However, in someway I have won a small victory. I have stepped inside myself the past three months and witnessed the good, bad, ugly and the truth. It's been interesting to say the least.
Physical: 1 mile walk.
Physically, I find it effortless to get in some form of intentional exercise each day. As a yoga instructor and mother there is always a level of fitness involved in my day. However, I do realize how much I cheat myself by not being more adventuresome in this department.
I'm one of those individuals who does not like the monotony of going to the gym, doing lots of reps on equipment while my iPod shuffles through workout tunes. I prefer the outdoors; running, biking, hiking, and setting up the slackline.
But even these few things could be heightened. I would like to take my outdoor exercise to the next level–post-pregnancy. I'd like to see myself making it for my runs in the early morning EVEN when the weather is bad or I don't "feel like it". Yes! I'm totally guilty of staying in on cold or snowy days like a fair-weather-runner. As well as hitting the snooze button like a lazy-good-for-nothin'.
I'd also like to get into climbing for a full body workout.
Mental: Lumosity.
Out of all the exercises I found that I challenge myself the LEAST in the mental department. When free time existed in my life I was able to pleasure read, write, and make random trips to the public library to research some of my favorite topics like Ancient Egypt. Now, my mental progress is a last priority. I want to adjust this.
Of course, I'm hungry to go back to work on my Master's degree but with baby number two on his way it is not in my immediate cards. So I have come up with a few fun alternatives:
Taking some pleasure courses on Lynda.com over the next few months being one.
In doing so, I have signed up for The Skimm. If you haven't heard about this new subscription you should certainly look into it. If for whatever reason you're not a news reader (like moi) but want to stay in tune with the goings on of our country, The Skimm is a simple and FUN way to digest current events.
Also, I want for my husband and I to start doing a morning puzzle together. My in-laws do this every morning and inspired me to implement it too. In an attempt to stay sharp but also do do something mentally stimulating with my husband at the start of each day. Be it a 325 calendar with a daily riddle or puzzle, crossword, or the local newspapers Sudoku. I'm finding that it is vital to keep my mind working and not merely on auto-pilot every day.
I desperately need to invite casual reading back into my day. This way I can work on Memory Palace building in order to help with my struggle to remember a new persons name and simply allow my imagination muscles to flex again.
Emotional: Journal Entry.
Emotionally I feel I have learned to communicate better.
I always thought myself to be an excellent communicator but I have learned I have much more room to grow. It's one thing to be articulate but another to be eloquent and selective about when to speak. Journaling the past 84-Days has allotted me several benefits:
First, a capacity to talk more thoughtfully about my feelings to others. Second, I've gained a better understanding of where I'm at in any given day. Writing things down forced me to ask myself how I am REALLY feeling. I don't have to pretend in my journaling. I can be honest and explore the emotions that arise. Finally, I learned to let go of emotional baggage.
For example, in my journaling I noticed that several times I had written about things people had said to me that either hurt my feelings or irked me for an entire day. Until one day I asked myself, "Why are you still holding onto these things?"
In response, I wrote down the names and comments of the people who had offended me in some way and let it sit on my desk. For an entire day I would glance at the list every time I went entered the office for something and allowed myself to mentally work through what bothered me about each statement until I felt a resolve. Even if a resolve didn't come, at the end of the day, I threw the list away and allowed myself to be free from its bondage.
Social: Out of the blue I followed up with my aunt today on a project she asked my help on months ago. I knew she had put it on hold in order to tend to other things. In my contact with her about it, I lovingly encouraged her about her ideas and nudged her to think about the project again as I knew she was letting it slip away. It's such a great business plan that will benifit many people and I wanted to boost her confidence.
As much as I love doing things for others, it comes more naturally to do things for those I know and love versus showing random kindness to strangers. I am aware of this now and I would like to work towards being a more caring person all around.
When I started the challenge, most of my random acts of kindness were towards strangers. I found myself handwriting notes of encouragement or affirmations and sticking them on the car next to mine in a parking lot. You know, things like that. Then that became to taxing. Caring for strangers is time-consuming and a very thought-full process that, after a month, I realized I wasn't willing to invest. This is certainly a weakness that I would like to nurture into a more positive behavior.
I did enjoy the karma effects of being more socially conscious. The universe seems to reward those who care and show vulnerability towards others. Not that I was attempting to be reward seeking in my social exercises but I quickly became away of the adage; "What goes around comes around". The more positive energy I exude the more returned to me…most often, tenfold even!
'Til Next Post,
-The Real Eleven-One Girl
Physical: 1.5 mile walk and yoga.
Mental: Lumosity.
Emotional: Journal and baby journal entries.
Social: I found myself purposefully meeting new people and giving them elevator eyes. They probably thought I was nutty but I searched their persons for anything to compliment them on. Random compliments are the best. They always make me feel good. So from jewelry to a pleasant smile, I found that complimenting strangers made just about anyone smile today.
'Til Next Post,
-The Real Eleven-One Girl


text:
Average Rating
User Reviews
0 out of 15 people found this review helpful:An epic anime based on 3DS video game by Sega.The reason why I love this anime because its based on Japanese Video Game by SEGA. One thing I love is the action/comedy because u got great action and comedy humors at the same time. Like LOL. At first I'm not interesting in this anime, but now I'm interesting. Sweet anime.
5 out of 88 people found this review helpful:Very perverted, this should be bannedA very perverted first episode. I am requesting this series to be banned from Crunchyroll. The way the characters were stereotypically portrayed is vulgar, the way the battle suit was drawn is vulgar, especially the button on the groin. This entire series should be banned from airing completely.
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful:Interseting Premise; Stereotypical Execution(This review is based on the first episode. I plan to update it as the series goes on.)Read more
This anime is both unique and mind-numbingly cliche at the same time. It has a rather fascinating premise: pay off your insanely-high debt with battles. Could be interesting, but there's the danger that it could become nothing but tournaments and battles.
However, the characters are all rather generic. ...
0 out of 7 people found this review helpful:One of the best animesThis anime may need some corrections; but it's one of my favorite anime.
1st reason: It's really exciting to watch this.
2nd reason: It is detailed.
3rd reason: It has a great story line. It's not one of those confusing anime.


text:
October 2014 Issue of Ourzone Magazine...including a Mallory Knox, Modern Baseball, Steel Panther, As It Is, Set It Off, Light You Up and much more!
'Duality' by The Lounge Kittens is our Featured Video of the Week. Also, YOU decide the featured video for next week, so check out the five videos and submit your vote now.


text:
Security arrangements in place for Thursday's Udhampur poll
Airlifting security personnel to far-flung villages, deploying state police and paramilitary troopers, apart from the army manning hills and mountains, marked preparations for Thursday's poll in the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency.
Spread over six districts of Kathua, Reasi, Udhampur, Kishtwar, Ramban and Doda in Jammu and Kashmir, this constituency consists of hilly areas where militancy is still believed to be far from over.
Over 500 security personnel and polling staff have been airlifted to 37 polling stations that are inaccessible by road because of snow in the Kishtwar district.
As many as 150 companies of paramilitary troopers and nearly 10,000 state police personnel are at the disposal of the authorities to ensure free and fair balloting.
Sensitive areas would be manned by quick reaction teams, drawn jointly from the state police and the paramilitary.
Army units have moved to mountain tops and high areas to prevent any attempt by guerrillas to disrupt the election.
Defence spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta told IANS Wednesday: "People were seen moving suspiciously near Pul Doda (in Doda district) where they were challenged by civilians today (Wednesday).
"The people, wearing Pathan suits, ran away leaving behind some material, including two Chinese grenades and a suspected improvised explosive device in a pressure cooker, that was later recovered by a joint team of the army and the police.
"Security forces have covered the suspected IED with sand bags and it will be defused tomorrow (Thursday) after the polling ends. A manhunt is on to trace the suspects."
As many as 14.34 lakh voters would vote at 2,051 polling stations. Of these, 93 percent have been declared hyper-sensitive and sensitive.
There are 13 candidates in the fray. The main contest is between Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress, Jitender Singh of the BJP and Arshad Malik of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The ruling National Conference (NC) is supporting Azad, the joint candidate of the state's ruling Congress-NC coalition.
Voting will start at 7 a.m. and end at 6 p.m.
(Posted on 16-04-2014)
Information on States of India:
Andaman Nicobar | Andhra Pradesh | Arunachal Pradesh | Assam | Bihar | Chandigarh | Chhattisgarh | Dadar Nagar Haveli | Daman Diu | Delhi | Goa | Gujarat | Haryana | Himachal Pradesh | Jammu Kashmir | Jharkhand | Karnataka | Kerala | Lakshadweep | Madhya Pradesh | Maharashtra | Manipur | Meghalaya | Mizoram | Nagaland | Orissa | Pondicherry | Punjab | Rajasthan | Sikkim | Tamil Nadu | Tripura | Uttar Pradesh | Uttaranchal | West Bengal
Andhra Pradesh Travel Map | Bihar Travel Map | Goa Travel Map | Gujarat Travel Map | Haryana Travel Map | Himachal Pradesh Map | Karnataka Travel Map | Kerala Travel Map | Maharashtra Travel Map | Punjab Travel Map | Rajasthan Travel Map | Sikkim Travel Map | Tamil Nadu Travel Map | Uttar Pradesh Travel Map | West Bengal Travel Map |
Alappuzha | Ernakulam | Idukki | Kannur | Kasaragod | Kollam | Kottayam | Kozhikode | Malappuram | Palakkad | Pathanamthitta | Thiruvananthapuram | Thrissur | Wayanad |
Airports of India | Districts of India | India Pilgrim Centers | Tourism Map of India | National Highways in India | India Railway Routes |
Ahmadabad | Bangalore | Chennai | Coimbatore | Delhi | Hyderabad/Secunderabad | Kochi | Kolkata | Mumbai | Pondicherry | Pune | Surat |


text:
Elbit Systems of America Announces Reorganization of its Business
FORT WORTH, Texas , April 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Elbit Systems of America, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Elbit Systems, Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESLT), announced the reorganization of its North America operations with seven focused business units...
Forward Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) regarding Elbit Systems Ltd. and/or companies in the Elbit Systems Group, to the extent such statements do not relate to historical or current fact. Forward Looking Statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results, performance and trends may differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: scope and length of customer contracts; governmental regulations and approvals; changes in governmental budgeting priorities; general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Elbit Systems Group operates or sells, including Israel and the United States among others; differences in anticipated and actual program performance, including the ability to perform under long-term fixed-price contracts; and the outcome of legal and/or regulatory proceedings. The factors listed above are not all-inclusive, and further information is contained in Elbit Systems Ltd.'s latest annual report on Form 20-F, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Elbit Systems does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.
SOURCE Elbit Systems of America, LLC
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- Next Page »


text:
AoA Video Joiner is a free utility that lets you easily join multiple video clips of AVI, MPEG, MOV, WMV, Flash Vieo (FLV), MP4 and 3GP together into one large movie. You can take the vacation, wedding, and family movies that you have scattered on your hard drive, and combine them creatively into a single movie file. Your movies will be much more. Freeware download of AoA Video Joiner 3.0.3, size 5.89 Mb.
WinX Free AVI to 3GP Converter is a free AVI to 3GP video conversion solution, which provides you faster AVI video to 3GP video converting speed, compared with same AVI to 3GP video converters in market. This AVI to 3GP converter freeware is easy-to-use. With one simple click, you can free convert AVI to 3GP phone video without quality loss.
WinX Free 3GP to iPod Converter is the best free 3GP to iPod converting solution that aids you to free convert 3GP videos to iPod player. It comes as your first choice to freely enjoy 3GP video clips on your fashionable iPod. Moreover, this free 3GP to iPod converter allows you to extract 3GP video scenes to make PNG pictures.
Besides,. Freeware download of WinX Free 3GP to iPod Converter 5.0.2, size 29.45 Mb.
Leawo Free DVD to 3GP Converter is a completely clean and free DVD converter. This free DVD to 3GP converter can easily convert DVD to 3GP and 3G2 formats for DVD enjoyment on cell phones. This free DVD to 3GP Converter also free convert DVD to MP3, WAV, M4A, etc. for music playing on 3G mobiles, like Nokia N810, Sony Ericsson W800i, LG Shine. Freeware download of Leawo Free DVD to 3GP Converter 126.96.36.199, size 9.13 Mb.
ABC 3GP/MP4 Converter is software for 3GP/3GP2/MP4 file conversion of portable device. It can convert almost all video formats, for e.g., DivX, XviD, MOV, rm, rmvb, mkv, MPEG, VOB, DVD, WMV, AVI, AVS, ASF, H264, to 3GP/3GPP2/MP4 format for playing on mobile phone such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola or PSP, iPhone, iPod and other portable video. Freeware download of ABC 3GP/MP4 Converter 3.0, size 4.50 Mb.
Free DVD to 3GP Converter, a top DVD to 3GP convertor software, can fast rip and convert DVD to 3GP video format and audio formats MP3, AAC, and M4A fast with perfect output quality.And rip DVD to music MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC for playing on popular mobile phones like Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG.It is also a BlackBerry DVD ripper to. Freeware download of Free GMT DVD to 3GP Converter 4 6, size 12.33 Mb.
CloneDVD Studio Free 3GP Converter is a smart 3GP video converter freeware which can freely convert common videos to 3GP format for playback videos on mobiles like Nokia N810, Sony Ericsson W800i, LG Shine KU970, etc. Designed with an intuitive interface, users can easily convert videos to 3GP and get a better video enjoyment.
Featured. Freeware download of CloneDVD Studio Free 3GP Converter 184.108.40.206, size 47.88 Mb.
AVI to 3GP is one freeware for converting AVI video to 3GP video format, it is one totally free software form www.avito3gp.com, it can decode AVI video data and convert to 3GP video format quickly, it can support batch conversion, and the supported AVI video formats include: MPEG1/2, MPEG4, DivX, Xvid and more. This software has one friendly. Freeware download of AVI to 3GP 1.3, size 4.30 Mb.
Job Search Toolbar that allows you to search thousands of jobs.Search Term HighlightingEasy Uninstall, no spy ware!. Freeware download of DreamJob.com.au Job Search Toolbar 1.01, size 263.59 Kb.
DoremiSoft released a free MPG to 3GP Converter recently!Doremisoft Free MPG to 3GP Converter is a flexible and easy to use converter. It is a perfect MPG to 3GP converter that can convert MPG to 3GP files completely. Also, it is totally free. What you only need to do is download it and enjoy the wonderful functions.We provide you free technical. Freeware download of Free MPG to 3GP Converter 1.0, size 4.33 Mb.
Need4 Free 3GP Converter - is a free 3gp converter as it allows to save any unprotected DVD files and video to 3gp with the settings for best preview on your cell phone! Convert dvd, mp4, mpeg, mov, wmv, avi to 3gp. With Need4 Free 3GP Converter you will quickly save any part of a longer movie and extract audio tracks and photos to share on your. Freeware download of Need4 3GP Converter 126.96.36.199, size 22.05 Mb.
Free Speedy 3GP Video Converter is freeware, it's an easy to use 3GP video converter for mobile phone users. It supports all popular video and audio such as AVI, MPEG, MOV, RM, RMVB, DivX, VOB, MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG, WMV, APE, CDA to 3GP and 3G2 movie. The conversion speed of Free Speedy 3GP Video Converter is very quick, and it supports batch. Freeware download of Free Speedy 3GP Video Converter 3.6, size 4.05 Mb.
Free FLV to 3GP Converter for Mac is a powerful and versatile Mac FLV to 3GP converter which helps you convert FLV files to 3GP on Mac, WAV, MP3. With very efficient codes, Free FLV to 3GP Converter for Mac enables the smooth playback of the converted files on your Nokia, Motorola, BlackBerry, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and other cell phones.
Free. Freeware download of Free FLV to 3GP Converter for Mac 1.1.18, size 9.96 Mb.
A-one 3GP Video Converter is a powerful video converter for creating 3GP video. This 3GP Converter can convert all popular formats such as DivX , XviD , AVI , WMV , MPG, MPEG , ASF , MOV , ASX , SVCD , VCD stream formats into 3GP format. It provides faster conversion speed and better 3GP video quality than other 3GP converters.You can set the video. Freeware download of A-one 3GP Video Converter 6.9.32, size 3.91 Mb.
3GP Player is a free 3gp player for your PC. Play all of your phone 3GP videos on your Pc supports 3GP, 3GPP2 MP4, MOV, AVI .. Freeware download of 3GP Player 2010 1.1, size 13.51 Mb.
Free 3GP Video Converter Factory is a 3GP converting software for mobile phone users. With the free 3GP video converter, you can convert batch of video files to 3gp and 3g2 formats to be played on your mobile phones include Nokia, BlackBerry, Palm, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Samsung, Philips, LG, NEC etc.Free 3GP Video Converter Factory supports. Freeware download of Free 3GP Video Converter Factory 2.0, size 7.94 Mb.
You input video, the converter gets it playable on iPad. ANY video resource you can get - Yes, ANY, can be input to our converter: downloaded video clips, MTVs, homemade video created by digital camcorder, 3GP files shared from your friends' mobile phone, HD SD movie collection ripped from DVDs... You get your videos from various resources, in. Freeware download of Free AVI/WMV/MP4/FLV/3GP to iPad Converter 3.8.8, size 4.97 Mb.
Download WinX Free DVD to 3GP Ripper, Free Get DVD Video Software Holiday Gift
WinX Free DVD to 3GP Ripper is a professional and free DVD to 3GP converter to convert DVD to 3GP video format for playing on Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and any other mobile phones with brilliant effects, stable process and fast speed. Depending on this free DVD. Freeware download of WinX Free DVD to 3GP Ripper 7.6, size 7.66 Mb.
Download WinX Free MP4 to 3GP Converter, Free Get DVD Video Software Holiday Gift
WinX Free MP4 to 3GP Video Converter is a FREE video converter for converting MP4 video to 3GP format. This free MP4 to 3GP video converter provides you fast MP4 to 3GP video converting speed while keeping original video quality. Besides, this free MP4 to. Freeware download of WinX Free MP4 to 3GP Converter 5.0.4, size 30.49 Mb.
Extra Video to 3GP Converter Free is a powerful, universal video-conversion and video-split 3GP freeware that converts a video file to 3GP video formats. It can convert video from AVI, DIVX, XVID, MPEG, MPG, WMV, ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MOV, SWF, FLV, VOB and NSV to Mobile 3GP.
Extra Video to 3GP Converter Free is simple and easy to use.. Freeware download of Extra Video to 3GP Converter Free 7.16, size 6.99 Mb.


text: I have a 2005 Martin Cougar with Nitrous "B" Cams. I have had a few people ask how much I would sell it for, and I really have no idea as to how much it's worth. Its in good condition, a few "normal" wear spots from hunting. I hunt with it in rain, snow, sun, etc. It has 3 pin tru-glo sights, a 6-arrow Kwik Kee quiver, and a drop away rest. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.


text:
1.To provide professional logistics services 2.Advantage of price 3.quality of service
Goods on Taobao Agent We are your shopping agent Only 5% Commission No MOQ limited 1 pcs acceptable western union accept
all kinds of electronic pruchasing agent.
Yiwu Sine Star is your assistant! Provide you good agent service! agent,yiwu agent,china agent,fashion jewelry agent,yiwu
1.Excellent adaptability to different types of press. 2.Applicable water quality range.
Cool and refreshing agent is intensively processed by physical methods using the imported extractions of natural ingredients. Th
chemical DMDBH for silicone rubber Appearance:clear liquid Assay:92.0% min ISO certificate
FUKKOL EDM Oil Electronic Conduction Agent -High Electronic Conduct -non - toxic -potentiation
professional service team favourable price perfect chain of trade&logistics advantaged location powerful parent company


text:
Let it snowTuesday, November 13, 2012
After temps in the mid-high 60s on Sunday, we're back down to the 30s and in the mornings it's "felt like" it was in the 20s (stupid wind chill). We actually had our first very light snow late last night. My computer is in front of three windows, but I somehow managed to miss the first snow. #idiot
Winter is officially on its way, and I trying to brace myself for months of freezing weather. Now that it's cold and windy, I find myself walking down the street with tears streaming down my face. My eyes are very sensitive, and I look like I just went through a breakup. It is ridiculous, and I actually considered buying a pair of ski goggles to keep this from happening. Because ski goggles are cool. And I walked a mile to the dentist today–I swear I almost developed frostbite.
Now that it's too cold to go outside without my fingers freezing and falling off, it is time to winterize. I love these striped glittens and this puffy coat from J. Crew. both on sale + an extra 30% off.
1. cashmere sweater 2. bow ski hat 3. wonderland puffer 4. fair isle socks 5. glittensimage via
6 comments
I have the same problem with my eyes. Chicago winters are brutal!ReplyDelete
That sweater looks perfect for a snowy cold day! haha I love how you were sitting in front of the window and missed the snow fall ;)ReplyDelete
-Michelle {LiveLoudly}
Health & Wellness Blog
My eyes water in the cold as well! I love winter (and snow!) but I do have to get myself ready for it, that coat looks perfect!ReplyDelete
Love all of this! If it would just scow in Miami I would be a happy camper :)I have a J.Crew giveaway on my blog today to celebrate my 2 year blog anniversary! Stop by and join in on the fun! XOReplyDelete
That's horrible!! My eyes are really sensitive too and I'm very intolerant to the cold. Ski goggles sound like the way to go;)!ReplyDelete
Love everything!ReplyDelete


text:
WICHITA — IFurn.com, a company that CEO Tracy Norris last year said was poised for growth, is going out of business.
"iFurn has proudly served customers across the nation for 17 years and delivered quality home and office furniture right to your door," Norris wrote in an e-mailed response to Have You Heard?
In that e-mail and in one he sent to customers on Feb. 27, Norris wrote:
"Regrettably, iFurn.com, Inc. has been forced to cease day-to-day business activity. This has been caused by deteriorating sales activity and increased competition within the internet."
Norris started iFurn.com in 1998 to sell home and office furniture. Last year, he told The Eagle the company had sales of more than $12.5 million in 2012.
Norris also reported sales of about $2.5 million for his other main company, PainReliever.com, which sells a variety of medical products to consumers and businesses.
It's not clear if or how that company may be affected by iFurn's struggles.
A former chiropractor, Norris sold his practice and began devoting his work full time to Internet companies in 2007.
Both of Norris' companies have been named to Inc's 5,000 fastest-growing companies list: iFurn.com in 2008 and Pain Reliever in 2010.
Norris is letting iFurn customers know what to do about money they've already paid for furniture they have not received.
"The company has attempted to issue a full or partial credit (whichever is applicable in your case) to you through our credit card processor in an amount equal to your deposit or payment, less, any applicable fees based on our policies (http://www.ifurn.com/support.html). Please allow 7-10 business days for the refund to appear on your statement. In the event that the credit card processor does not honor the credit memo we have issued, we urge you to contact your credit card company and seek to challenge the original debit (charge) to your account on your monthly statement.
"If you are unsuccessful in either obtaining the credit that has been initiated by Ifurn.com, Inc. or in challenging the debit to your account and inclusion of the charge on your monthly statement, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com for further instructions and the potential of a direct refund. We will need confirmation that you have not received funds from other sources prior to our attempt to separately reimburse you."


text:
By Abby Garnett
By Amy Nicholson
By Alan Scherstuhl
By Inkoo Kang
Life of Crime Can't Take Itself Seriously
By Alan Scherstuhl
By Amy Nicholson
By Mood Indigo, reviewed
Guardians of the Galaxy is a little too cute
By Stephanie Zacharek
Lars von Trier's doggedly outrageous, fearsomely ambitious two-hander is so desperate to make you feel something — if only a terrible sensation of nothingness — that it's almost poignant. Most simply put, Antichrist revels in the gruesome ordeal of a bereaved couple (Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg) who lose their toddler because they were too sexually engrossed to notice him climbing out of the nursery window. Unsympathetic as they are, the unnamed protagonists offer little emotional guidance: He's a smugly rational psychotherapist; she's a researcher with an interest in the occult, driven mad by guilt and her husband's attempts at treatment. The pair retreat to the woodland cabin they call Eden, where, rather than finding solace, they wind up destroying each other. Although a chronic over-reacher, von Trier has twice achieved greatness — first with The Idiots (1997) and then with Dogville (2005). Both movies are showy stunts that shrewdly address the assumptions of cinematic real-ness.
Antichrist, which, above all, wants to make pain visceral, is less successful at projecting authentic experience. The filmmaker strains his enterprise past the breaking point with grotesque torture and two types of castration, shown as money shots in mega close-up. The shock tactics are ultimately numbing. Antichrist opens November 6.
Find capsule reviews, showtimes & tickets for all films in town.
Join My Voice Nation for free stuff, film info & more!


text:
1 recommendation
Hello all,I get my bandwidth from a large nationwide provider. I have for a few years now under contract. For the last year, I have been asking monthly or so about getting fiber to my building (their building is a block from me). They consistantly told me "sorry, not available". During this time, I had at least two fiber cable digs go under my office driveway and down the street next to my office, one going to our hospital and another going to an educational co-op building. I still would call and get the same answer.So, in late July I finally got a "yes" answer. I was told that 20MB and faster services would be available. Was also told that it would be at least a 90 to 120 day wait time. I promptly signed the contract for the 20 service, which was about the same price as my multilinked T1 bundle.I was given an install date in early Feb. I got my site requirements ready for them before this date arrived. The fiber was buried, brought in to my office, and terminated in their lock box a few weeks before the installation date. However, the install is not complete, because there is nothing as of yet for me to hook up to.The install day came and went, with nobody showing up to finish the job. I called the next day and was told that it was still in process. Every day I checked and was given various answers about it being delayed, or the circuit was being engineered, or other answers like that. I was not given any kind of firm installation date.So, today I am finally given an install date six weeks past the original. Needless to say, I am a little upset. Who knows if it will be completed when that day gets here? They gave themselves ample time to allow for any problems, right? (90-120 days)I have already signed the contract, so I guess I am locked in. There are no other providers in this area that offer fiber as far as I know...What are my rights here? Am I in a situation where I can make demands? Such as a reduced monthly rate, or a faster package for less?Very frustrated.
We had a 12-18 month lead time when we signed on with our previous provider. We were able to skip the fiber buildout by installing in one of their buildings and back-hauling it into our network--lead time was 2 weeks! To this day I think we were able to do that only because of two reasons: our rep was the district manager and she needed to meet her quota. We've stayed in touch with her over the years(she is no longer with the company--neither are we) and she said that what we did had been the only time it was allowed, more than likely because the higher ups didn't know about it.
I've had three different fiber drops installed - all of them exceeded the original expected installation time by 1-2 months. I know its not what you want to hear, but you are kinda at their mercy.
You can try emailing:Bill Dennistelephone (at) psc.state.ar.usThe Arkansas PSC has no authority over internet data services, so it may not help much. What they may be able to do is get you in touch with the AT&T executive complaints (appeals) group.This is the old number for AT&T executive appeals, I don't know if it is still valid 1-877-385-9945.Call every AT&T contact you have and bother them. They'll get the hint. AT&T is a very reactive company (as opposed to proactive). They devote resources to noisy customers while the rest suffer in silence.--If someone refers to herself / himself as a "guru", they probably aren't.
We've had a number of fiber builds delayed this season due to permit delays with the cities. 1-2 month delays.Depending on where you are, it very well could be the case, and it's really not the carrier's fault.
I do not think anything or anyone in my town is holding up finishing the installation. As I said, the fiber is buried and terminated in my office, there is just no network interface on it(yet).
Sounds to me as if it's okay for them not to hold up to their end of the contract... But let you slip on one thing in that contract and I'm sure they'll shove it right in your face..Gotta love those one sided agreements...
Who is the provider?
I'm gonna take a stab at AT&T..Not sure why but this just screams AT&T to me...
Yes, you guessed it correctly.
Ive had at&t take over 4 months and the fiber was already in our single tennant building, just had to connect some jumpers around town! Had another take around 9 months.If it is AT&T i hope you arent paying more than $999 for 20mbps, as ACC business (ATT subsidiary with agent only sales force) has it for that price on a 2 year contract with no install, 50mbps is $1300, and 100mb is $1800 and this is anywhere where ATT has ethernet. No one should go ATT direct anymore.
That is the exact deal I am getting, and to get that deal was like pulling a tooth (from a hungry tiger).I am just going on them saying it would be a 90 to 120 day lead time (that time frame is what I was prepared for). When it is all said and done, its gonna be around 200 days....
That is the exact deal I am getting, and to get that deal was like pulling a tooth (from a hungry tiger).I am just going on them saying it would be a 90 to 120 day lead time (that time frame is what I was prepared for). When it is all said and done, its gonna be around 200 days....
I have some contacts within side AT&T and can see if I can pass their contact information out to you. I have email addresses and phone numbers. If you are interested that is.
Yeehaw. Thought I would visit this post again. My installation completion was rescheduled from early Feb to today, March 19. A six week reschedule. Well, once again, no tech showed up, nor did I get any phone call saying "sorry, we won't be showing up today".Shouldn't six more weeks (in addition to the original 90-120 day lead time) be enough time to get this right?I am extremely ticked at ATT right now. Pretty shoddy small-business support.
No customer should be treated like that, big or small.When I left AT&T, it was a major "relief" to finally be able to handle customers the way I wanted to, and not have to deal with some bureaucracy.At this point, I'd be tearing into somebody.--If someone refers to herself / himself as a "guru", they probably aren't.
They are busy lamenting the loss of the t1 cash cow.0$ for the install aye? Looks like you are getting your moneys worth.--Let them eat FIBER!
Revisit - ATT missed my second installation of March 19th. After contacting someone about it, apparently there was some confusion on their part as to what type of demarc/termination it was supposed to be (Ethernet hand off is what I ordered, but as of now there is no Ethernet jack for me to plug into). B/C of this, I find out Thursday that it has been "escalated". Come to find out, escalation allows another 48 to 96 hours for everyone to respond and get their ducks in a row. Talk about non-efficient.So, I am tired of this crap. I found a contact for ATT Executive Appeal and submitted all my information. He told me he would create a case....So this is now 45 days past my first scheduled installation date, and 3 days past my second scheduled installation date!
Revisit -The saga continues. Early last week I was given a THIRD installation date of 4-5. Well, that day came and went, just like the previous ones....I get word today that it will be at least another 7 working days until my FOURTH installation date. Their reason for the miss - "Our order was issued with an incorrect detail, forcing delay in access delivery, and is in process of being reissued."So...I am and have been up a creek with maxed out bandwidth. I am currently limping along on one circuit from this areas cable company (yes, I have permission to resell it). What I am trying to do is setup my Mikrotik to load balance both the cable circuit and my original 4.5 circuit from ATT (this will be replaced by the fiber, someday). This will give me a little more bandwidth to get by.I have the code for PCC load balancing in the router, but something is still just not right about the config. It is very close.If there is anyone out there that can assist me, I would welcome your help.
I'm I a similar boat. I had a 30 meg fibre installed but it always worked at 100mb anyways. The company got bought out and now it's throttled.We did get a sweet deal on a full 100mb but we have to wait for them to provision it.--OptionsDSL Wireless Internet»www.optionsdsl.ca
So, this fiber actually got installed yesterday. My contract says 20MB up/down.Question is, how close to 20MB should I deem acceptable? Closest I've gotten so far is about 18.4 up/down using speedtest.net at the location closest to my tracert up my interface.The router I am attached to is not in production, so there is no traffic on it.Is this normal?
yea I would consider that acceptable.
OK, thanks.Do you know of a better way I can test it?
Use iperf, best way to test it.
Throw some multi threaded traffic at it. NNTP if you have that, or download a few big files from a few places at once.
Congrats! finally huh did you have to beat up the management group to get the thing installed?
Yep, I went straight to the top and filed an executive appeal. It eventually got to level 5 and then presidential escalation.They actually beat their fourth installation date by a few hours!That is how it "got done".Now I get to change out my PTP so it can handle the extra load. I have been running on some old Tranzeo TR5 units - never have seen them go above 13Mb on throughput....(is that right?)
Man last time I played with any of those was like 5-6 years ago..
Congrats! Been through a similar hell with Verizon...Our 20 Mbps fiber usually gets about 19.5 Mbps at speakeasy.net. 18.4 would be at the very bottom of acceptable to us.Your Speed Result:Download Speed: 19440 kbps (2430 KB/sec transfer rate)Upload Speed: 19107 kbps (2388.4 KB/sec transfer rate)


text:
Our Favorite Photos of 2009: Dan Auerbach
Dan Auerbach (with Hacienda) ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth
Last night between abbreviated sets at our local alternative rock station's holiday mega-show at the WAMU Theater, the house music featured some Animal Collective, but most often some choice Black Keys cuts. Black Keys guitarist and singer Dan Auerbach was in the early running for one of my favorite albums of the year with his all analog solo effort Keep It Hid, and it still remains high on my list. Backed by Hacienda, his set at the Showbox in March was without question one my set's of the year. The material is incredibly strong, and he and his band's musical skill not only did justice to the musical influences, but set a standard in my mind that I doubt few bands in my future (if any bands at all) will ever be able match.