text:
"Sam Wilson" & US Agent Clash as Spencer's "Captain America" Saga Escalates
Comic Books
Ah, comics. Is there anything they can't do?
Blue Beetle #16 by John Rogers and Rafael Albuquerque. $2.99, DC.
You know, I was going to write that if you're going to put that on your cover, you might as well go all the way at put "Total Eclipso of the Heart," but then I noticed that the story inside is actually called "Total Eclipso: The Heart." Very clever, Mr. Rogers!Â
I guess this is supposed to be a crossover with Countdown, but it's also a complete story, so I don't really mind if it is. DC certainly isn't advertising it as such. I mean, you have to know that Eclipso is Jean Loring, but other than that, this is just a story of an evil aspect of God trying to kill a baby and Jaime and some hot chick stopping her. It's nothing fancy, which means it's a good comic book that very few people will buy, even though it has everything you might want in a comic book. I know, I'm sorry for bringing it up every time there's a decent comic with no audience (and yes, I know I am late to the party with this comic), but still.
For the most part, Rogers hits all the right notes in this issue.  Traci 13 (who I'm going to assume is Dr. Thirteen's daughter, and why is her last name lettered as a number?) enlists Jaime to stop Eclipso from possessing a baby who is not only innocent, but has the potential to be super-powerful. Paco rescues the baby but is forced to fight the Blue Beetle for some reason (I'll get to it) and what ensues is hilarious and nicely appropriate. Their brief battle weakens Eclipso to the point where Traci, who was raised by the Dibnys, to blast her into oblivion (but not killing her, as she points out – Eclipso is not easily destroyed). And then Jaime gets to make out with her. Isn't that nice?
There are a few strange problems with the issue. Traci and the baby's parents appear to get the kid out of harm's way, but then Eclipso blows up their apartment building and somehow gets the kid. We can assume that she gets the kid when she blows up the building, but it's kind of unclear. In fact, Traci even tells Jaime that they got the kid away from Eclipso, but somehow she grabbed it anyway. And then, when Paco grabs the kid out of the magic circle (that keeps Traci out, 'cause she's all magic and stuff), somehow Blue Beetle becomes her champion. Um, why, exactly? How does Eclipso have influence over Jaime at this moment? I'm not sure.
Those are relatively minor points, however. For the most part, this is a fine comic. Albuquerque's art is very nice, and his Eclipso is both sexy and scary. It's an adventurous comic where good triumphs over evil and the characters are well developed. I know – DC does publish comics like that!
Criminal #7 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. $2.99, Marvel/Icon.
There's really not much to say about this issue. If you liked the first six issues, you'll like this one. Brubaker and Phillips know what they're doing, after all, and with these kinds of stories, it's all about the resolution and who gets revenge and who gets screwed by whom. So far, it's shaping up to be far better than the first arc, and that's a good thing. The only thing that bugs me is the omniscient narrator, because it's a bit strange to read what's happening in the third person, especially when so much of it could be in the first person. It's a weird choice on Brubaker's part, and if it doesn't mean something, I think it will be a poor one. We'll see.
Also, Brubaker writes that death didn't "phase" Tracy. "Phase" means "a distinct stage of development," among other things. He meant "faze," which means "to disrupt the composure of, bother, disconcert." If everyone else can nitpick over the fact that "Dreamgirl" should be two words, I can nitpick over the use of homonyms!
Daredevil #98 by Ed Brubaker, Michael Lark, and Stefano Gaudiano. $2.99, Marvel.
It's weird that you can pretty much expect what you're going to get from a lot of comic book writers these days, and Brubaker is no exception. As this is Part Four of Five, we can expect a lot more to happen than Part Three, which is the "padded" issue for most five- or six-parters (for six-parters, issues 3 and 4 are often the padded ones, which is annoying). Brubaker, not unlike many writers, has difficulty with endings, so this issue promises to be the best chapter of the story. And it works very well, from the action to Milla's intervention because she knows Melvin Potter is still a good man, to the final "cliffhanger." Lark draws the fight scenes excellently, and although I always get a bit bothered when action movie clichés filter into comics by good writers (Milla crashes through a window and isn't bleeding from several hundred cuts), it's just something we all have to accept. Another solid issue of Daredevil in a story that will probably end slightly off. Maybe it won't, and I'll be pleasantly surprised next time!
Elephantmen Pilot by Richard Starkings, Moritat, and a bunch of other people. $2.99, Image.
This came out a few weeks ago (or was it last week?), but I just received it in the mail, and as usual, I'd like to thank Richard Starkings for sending it my way. This is an issue that collects a bunch of stuff from way back when, when Starkings was just formulating the characters and a bunch of comics creators wrote stories featuring Hip Flask. There's also a bunch of pinups from the late 1990s, and the barest semblance of a framing story that is really unnecessary if you've been following the series. In fact, this isn't really a necessary issue, although it's full of interesting stuff. We get a Busiek/Immonen story before Immonen changed his style (I don't know when he drew it, but it resembles the look he used in Superman: Secret Identity). We also have a Joe Kelly/Peter Gross/Ryan Kelly story (Gross breaks it down, Kelly finishes) of Hip Flask on another planet, which has a nice unexpected ending. Finally, there's a Loeb/Churchill story that's exactly what you would expect from a Loeb/Churchill story – you must decide if that's a good thing or not! There are plenty of pinups, too, some good, some bad.
It's a nice comic, to be sure, but it's something more for completists than anything else. What we really need is a new issue of the regular series!
Fallen Angel #17 by Peter David, Joe Corroney, and Billy Tucci. $3.99, IDW.
The weakest issues of Fallen Angel are those that guest-star characters from other comic books, like the Sachs and Violens two-parter from the old DC series, and now this one, with Shi. I have no experience with Shi at all, except that her face is included with every package of comic bags I buy – what's up with that? Anyway, David tries to make this work, and he does a decent job, but it's still a pretty dull issue. It's basically a story about Lee and Shi showing up in a strange, dream-like Japanese city at the same time, and facing each other as the issue ends. We get half the story from Lee's point of view, and half the story (the part drawn by Tucci) from Shi's point of view. In both instances, it appears the Christian God is forcing them to that point. With Shi, Jesus actually shows up and sends her on her mission, which includes slaughtering a bunch of guards (good to know Jesus approves of that sort of thing). I'm not really sure what the point of the whole thing is, unless David really, really, really wanted to write a Shi story and Tucci thought it was a great idea. Because it's Fallen Angel and because it's David, I'm sure somehow it will make sense in the end, but this is an uninspired set-up issue.
The Nightly News #1-6 by Jonathan Hickman. $2.99, Image.
In case you were foolish enough to skip this mini-series, Hickman has a back-up story in Marvel's Legion of Monsters: Satana issue that came out this week. I didn't read it, but it looks gorgeous. But you really should get this series.
This is Hickman's first comic work, and let's hope he has a bright future. The biggest draw of this series is the distinctive look of the art, which Hickman has explained elsewhere so I'm not going into it (and, you know, I'm too stupid). The art is wonderful to behold, because Hickman does excellent stuff with not only his figures (who are all photo referenced) but with the mix of media in the book, with various charts and graphs, plus all the circles that help with transitions between different sections of the page, as Hickman eschews panels altogether. It's a fantastic book to just look at and let wash over you, and it's cool to see someone trying to do something different with comic-book art.
The story is perfectly fine, except for the ending, which Hickman botches to a certain degree, although I'm not terribly sure how he could have ended it. The series is about how the media lies to the common people, and a group of terrorists who go out and start killing reporters to make a point. This sends the media and the politicians with whom they conspire into a panic, and they try to fight back. Hickman isn't telling a story as much as grinding an axe about how people in this country have been lied to but they don't really care, as long as they're entertained. The problem with doing something like this is that ultimately, Hickman himself is part of the machinery, as are we all, and we know that this will end poorly for the "star" of the book, John Guyton (he even narrates at one point: "Exactly how did you think this was going to end for me?"), and that the status quo really won't change all that much. The book certainly gets us to think, but we should already be aware of the problems of the mass media and how very few companies own everything and how they're in bed with Washington. The very end, where the mastermind is revealed, is fine, but hollow, as Hickman simply implies that it's a "meet the old boss, same as the old boss" kind of thing, which fails to follow through on the promise of the book's premise. But, as I said, I'm not sure how you can end something like this, which posits a bleak world and offers nothing to change it except through assassination.
This is a tough series to consider, because we're all complicit in some way in the conglomerates that control what we see on television and hear on the radio. But then there's something like the Internet, which is largely anarchic. Unless it isn't!!!!!  Hickman's claims that violent overthrow is the only answer sounds good, but then we replace the power structure we have with a different power structure, because there's something I once heard about a vacuum and something abhorring it. If I say, well, I'm not being indoctrinated because I get my news from The Daily Show, someone will come along (you know who you are!) and say that Jon Stewart is indoctrinating me just as surely as the networks are. So Hickman can't end his comic satisfactorily, because no ending will be satisfactory. And although the narrative of the book is rather compelling, we don't really get a solid discussion of exactly what a viable solution to the problem – and it is a problem – is. Hickman, presumably, just wants to write a good story and not worry about the implications of what he's writing, but he's the one who brought it up in the first place, so he ought to put some more thought into it.
That's not to say this isn't worth the money.  As I mentioned, it's beautiful, and the story is interesting, even if it lacks the depth that Hickman seems to be aiming at. I look forward to his work in the future (and he has some adverts in the back of issue #6 of upcoming work, which is neat).
She-Hulk #19 by Dan Slott, Ty Templeton, Rick Burchett, and Cliff Rathburn. $2.99, Marvel.
Yay! The lawyering is back, and all is right in the world as Slott finishes up his run on the title! That means, of course, that this issue is pretty damned awesome after the tedious "Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." storyline.
Slott returns Jen to her law firm and gives us a doozy of a case: Mallory Book defends the Leader (I guess you could probably tell that from the cover). This allows Slott to come to terms with one of the less savory aspects of the book: She-Hulk's skankiness. Now, he's still a bit flippant about it, but at least he addresses it in a convincing manner. Add that to finding out that Stu Cicero isn't dead, he's just … elsewhere (I don't want to ruin it) and that the Leader doesn't escape when he can because he thinks he's going to win his case (after Mallory proves that She-Hulk is a skank while Jen isn't, so her personality is different when she's big and green), and we have a pretty darned decent comic book. I just figure Slott was bound by the dictates of a big crossover to hand Jen over to S.H.I.E.L.D. for a little while and didn't really care about the book that much, because it wasn't what he wanted to do. I could be wrong, but then why were those issues so dreary, and this issue is nothing but zip?
One thing bugs me. In Incredible Hulk #106, which came out before but occurs after Tony Stark injected Jen with the nanobots that suppress her powers, She-Hulk appears. Slott even references it in this comic, but we still don't know how she showed up and why everyone is acting like now she can't change to She-Hulk. What the hell?
Also, I know Slott is promising to fix Marvel continuity forever soon, but this issue did make me think about Marvel continuity: how can the law firm use old comics to prove cases when old comics often contradict each other? That would be a cool case in this book, where one side proves one thing, but the other side uses a different comic to prove another. Oh, the chaos!!!!
Back on form is She-Hulk.  It should make everyone happy!
Streets of Glory Preview by Garth Ennis and Mike Wolfer. $1.99, Avatar.
Like they did with Black Summer, Avatar gives us a preview issue of Ennis' new western. That's awfully nice of them. The guy at my comic book shoppe said I was one of three people at the store who bought Garth Ennis' "indie press crap," as he put it (I may be paraphrasing, but he was still dismissive). I laughed it off, but it ticked me off a bit. I get that Avatar used to only publish soft-core porn, but they have also published some very good comics by Ennis and Warren Ellis. If you don't like them, that's fine, but why is something like Scars (which is brilliant) worse than something like Desolation Jones? Just because it's published by Avatar instead of DC? Ennis' 303 and Chronicles of Wormwood are both excellent and both published by Avatar, and, according to me, far better than, say, The Boys (which, as we all know, was published by DC for a while). Sure, Wolfskin wasn't that good, but it wasn't absolutely horrible, either, like Jack Cross was. Even people who should know better seem to think that Avatar is nothing but a place for Brian Pulido to publish twenty Lady Death comics a month. Well, tarring Avatar with the soft-porn brush is akin to saying all DC comics suck because they publish comics with Michael Turner covers. Or all Marvel comics suck because they allow tentacle rape on their covers. Nobody does that (well, some people do, but they're idiots), yet people refuse to check out some really good work by two very good writers because Avatar likes to publish Al Rio comics. It's just stupid. If you want to be that way, be my guest. You're missing out on the Strange Killings books, which are far superior to, I don't know, newuniversal.
As for this comic, well, it's not very good. Hah! I mean, it's a western with a lot of people getting shot. Ennis does westerns and war comics very well, but as even he points out, he's done westerns before, just not a "straight" western – no supernatural stuff. That's fine, but it just doesn't look all that interesting. And Wolfer's art, when it's not bloody, is kind of dull and too clean, when a western demands grit. Oh well.
But see? I only paid 2 dollars for the preview, and it was at least something a bit different. Just because I don't like it doesn't mean I'm going to shun the next thing Ennis writes for Avatar. I'm just saying.
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #31 by Tony Bedard, Kevin Sharpe, and Robin Riggs. $2.99, DC.
I don't really mean to beat a dead horse, but did everyone notice what was on the front page of this issue? That's right – a roll call! And did the world end because Bedard and Sharpe let us know who the principals of the issue were? No, it did not. How shocking!
This is the comic I picked up based on your comments, and it's not bad. It's the first solo Bedard issue, and it's also a prologue to a story arc in which the Legion looks for Cosmic Boy, who's gone missing. Bedard does a decent job keeping the story going from the previous issues, as we get a bit of information about how the Legion defeated the Dominators (with extreme prejudice, it seems) and we lead into the election of Supergirl as the new leader of the Legion, which seems to piss a lot of people off. But why? Look at her – she's cute as a button! Brainiac 5 tells Supergirl he knows three locations where they might find Cosmic Boy, and she splits the Legion into three groups to scope them out. There is, as you might expect, trouble at all three locations. Boy, that's surprising.
Bedard does a reasonably good job with setting up the story, and the interplay between the members is well done. I will point out that in one panel, Lightning Lad and Mekt Ranzz are arguing because the second-place finisher in the election is a sore loser. I don't identify him because on one page, it's Lightning Lad, but when they're arguing, it appears Mekt is the sore loser. Lightning Lad even calls him the sore loser, but then he calls Lightning Lad "Mekt." What the hell is going on, Legion fans????? Does Tony Bedard even get the characters mixed up? I know they look alike and have similar powers, so what's the deal? See how I do research – I ask you good people!
Anyway, like a lot of books out there, this is a perfectly competent superhero comic, but it doesn't really grab me. I don't know if it's the fact that I really have never been into the Legion, or if the fact that not a lot happens (yes, I know it's a prologue, so I'm forgiving it a bit, but still) or if the fact that the Wolverine knockoff shows up (and yes, I'm saying that just to piss you Legion fans off, so chill). I'd recommend the book so you can decide for yourself, because it's not a bad comic, it's just not really my thing. But at least I knew who the characters were!
X-Factor #20 by Peter David, Khoi Pham, and Sandu Florea. $2.99, Marvel.
Brian made an offhanded remark that Khoi Pham's art really "dragged the book down" for him, and you know what? He's right. Pham has done four issues of this comic (right?) and each issue has been worse than the last. This issue features really scratchy and vague art, poorly drawn figures, a ridiculous shot of Rahne as a wolf (it's not even the head, which is the joke 'round these parts, but the whole thing) and no sense of motion or fluidity. It's an ugly book.
Of course, it's not helped by the story, which finishes the promising X-Cell storyline on a poor note, as things just happen that feel like David was just tired of writing about it and wrapped things up. I'm sure it's something that has already been established, because David isn't a sloppy writer, but since when can Quicksilver pull future versions of himself into the present? That's weird. Again, I'm sure I missed the issue where this is explained, but it's very weird when it happens. And the way Elijah Cross is dispatched with was annoying, because he seemed like a character with some potential, but it was never realized and he was just useless. I also, unfortunately, have a question about Marrow ("unfortunately" because I loathe the character): she has lost her mutant power, right? Her power was to force bones out of her body and use them as weapons, right? Don't ask me how that didn't kill her, but I assume it had something to do with her power. So if she lost her power, wouldn't all those bones on the outside of her body kill her now? Or should I not ask too many questions because I won't like the answers?
Well, we got that crappy issue out of the way and a bunch of utterly useless mutants gone (Abyss? really?). Let's just all move on and we'll be much happier.
X-Men #200 by Mike Carey, Humberto Ramos, Chris Bachalo, Carlos Cuevas, and Tim Townsend. $3.99, Marvel.
The most bizarre comic of the week goes to X-Men #200, which is a fairly straight-forward superhero epic. So why is it bizarre? Well, when it's good, it's very good. But when it's bad, it's horrible. It's a strange experience reading this comic and lurching from thinking "Wow, how cool" to "Dear Lord, that didn't just happen, did it?" and "Man, more Humberto Ramos art????" But I'd say it balances out on the good side, and is another example of Mike Carey really "getting" the X-Men.
Let's look at this. Good: the "prelude," in which a dude in New Orleans calls someone in the guild (which put a sinking feeling in my stomach, because it means someone I hate is showing up later) because something important is happening. He gets on an elevator and is killed by some freaky-looking dude. Bachalo's art is nice. Bad: the X-Men arrive at Rogue's childhood home and Rogue blasts the hell out of it. Why? Plus, Ramos art. Yuck. More bad: in the middle of this mission, in the middle of Rogue's house, Mystique and Bobby have sex. What the hell? Good: something happens to Omega Sentinel when she boots up to a computer to make repairs. If you notice the final panel of her after the computer explodes, you'll understand what just happened. Nice touch by Carey and Ramos. Good and Bad: Cable on Providence is attacked by someone, and Bachalo's art is very nice. However, he is attacked by … Gambit. Oh shit. I hate Gambit. Bad: More Ramos art. Good: Rogue and Sam talk about what has happened to her. Gambit fights Cable, and Sunfire shows up. Again, nice art. Then Ramos is back, but Emma going inside Rogue's head is pretty cool. Cable blows shit up as Gambit and Sunfire escape. Sort of bad and good: the climax, as Malice has possessed Omega Sentinel, which is awesome (Malice is a great character) and the Marauders show up and betrayals abound! Why is it bad? Well, the Marauders were cool back in the day, but as usual, the way the X-Men took them down was pretty cool too, and it's always a shame when cool stories no longer stick. I mean, I can go back and re-read them, but I'll always know the stories are irrelevant now. It's annoying. Also annoying: why are they at Rogue's house????
Still, it's a pretty good issue, except for Ramos' art. It's full of action and some nice twists, and it sets up the arc very well. Carey is really doing well, except for the inexplicable sex. And the back-up story is more chatter. Sheesh, can't something happen in this crossover?
Well, that's it for this week. As always, your scorn is greatly appreciated! Lay it on me!
There was some confusion over Marrow, since apparently the handbook said she still had her powers, but Mike Marts said she was depowered.
Her control over her powers always varied, so the bone growth was often random. So she'd have some random bone growths sticking out, or she'd have those bones sticking out of her back as reserve weapons. When she was depowered, she lost the ability of rapid bone growth, but the deformed bones aren't going to shrink back or drop off. So they remain where they were. As long as they aren't hitting or blocking anything vital, she should be OK. I think it was the stress of growing bones and having them burst their way through the body that would kill her, but she did have a Wolverine-like healing factor.
And, bah, she's cool. She's interesting because of how gross and deforming her powers are. Some powers are kinda romanticized and not really examined beyond how they could be used in a fight. This is something random, an actual mutation screwing with the body, instead of a convienient, cool ability. Marrow's bone powers sorta forces you to think about how powers/mutant abilities make one ostracized, or how they actually affect the person with them. You can see right off the bat how Marrow's powers affect her. Not to mention she's a member of a group descriminated against by larger descriminated group.
To be honest, no one's really been consistent — not even at an individual-writer level — regarding the effects of the Decimation on the more unusual mutant physiologies out there. For everty Chamber who ends up on life support with a big hole in him, there's a Marrow who isn't in constant pain from what amounts to multiple compound fractures or a Stacy-X who isn't freezing to death because scales are lousy insulation for a warm-blooded creature.
You didn't review it, but I must admit that Thunderbolts #115 was a fun read but a very mixed bag. There are several excellent moments of payoff, but the six-issue format prompts some outside writing on Ellis's part, so that half the cast has next to nothing to do and we're robbed of a proper epilogue.
Slott can't tell us what happened to Jen in between last issue and this one because it would spoil World War Hulk.
And he does mention, in a caption, that Mastermind Excello gave Jen something that allowed her to become She-Hulk temporarily, but that it wore off.
As for the Legion thing, it was probably either a lettering or coloring error.
Streets of Glory was pretty much the most disappointing thing I read this week. The entire thing just seemed lifted directly out of the Saint of Killers miniseries, except with worse art and less investment in the characters. Also, as presented, the gunfight in the issue made very little sense and left me confused as to whether or not they had simply left about 2 pages out of the fight, since the rest of the preview seemed like a pretty uninterrupted story sequence.
The artwork in LSH made it almost unreadable to me, and I had no idea who the character is that was revealed on the last page. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Dennis Calero does on the series. He's quickly becoming a favorite.
Quicksilver got the power to move future versions of himself around int time in the Son of M Mini when he exposed himself to the Terrigan mists
how the Legion defeated the Dominators (with extreme prejudice, it seems)
Go read the previous issue, if you can find it. I won't spoil it, but if you're going to read the rest of this arc it's probably important to know the real story of the events under investigation.
Bluue Beetle: The parents ran away with the baby to a safe location. When Traci 13 went off the get Jaime, Eclipso attacked them at the safe location, webbed them up, and stole the baby. Jaime and Traci arrive to find the parents webbed, and the baby gane.
See, perfectly sensible! (Not sure why she was able to use Jaime as a champion… something to do with the "rules" of magic, no doubt.
"I will point out that in one panel, Lightning Lad and Mekt Ranzz are arguing because the second-place finisher in the election is a sore loser. I don't identify him because on one page, it's Lightning Lad, but when they're arguing, it appears Mekt is the sore loser. Lightning Lad even calls him the sore loser, but then he calls Lightning Lad "Mekt.†What the hell is going on, Legion fans?????"
I'm pretty sure this was just a production error with the word balloon switched. It took me a second to figure out what was going on as well. I was a little dissapointed with this issue, mostly because of the art. I just didn't enjoy it as much as Barry Kitson's.
If you enjoyed this issue at all, but haven't been reading, I'd say go and check out one of the earlier trades. Kitson's art is great and there's a lot of good superhero stories.
If everyone else can nitpick over the fact that "Dreamgirl†should be two words, I can nitpick over the use of homonyms!
I think I was the only one nitpicking about "Dreamgirl", but I support you in the phase/faze thing.
Anyway, like a lot of books out there, this is a perfectly competent superhero comic, but it doesn't really grab me. I don't know if it's the fact that I really have never been into the Legion, or if the fact that not a lot happens
Aah, well. It wasn't as good as I hoped it was going to be (although not bad). Believe me, Legion comics can get a lot better than that. Bringing Calero in instead of Sharpe will help (or it should, anyway), but I was hoping for something a bit snappier from Bedard. Oh well; there's still time.
I had no idea who the character is that was revealed on the last page.
He's nobody new; he's the lawyer guy from earlier in the issue.
(Longtime Legion fans will recognize him (his name's Tenzil Kem) easily; in the original Legion he called himself Matter-Eater Lad and was a Legionnaire himself. He had the power of being able to eat anything. He also appeared in the reboot Legion with the same power but wasn't a superhero. But you don't really need to know that for this issue.)
Michael – yeah, I went back and checked, and didn't realize that referred to the issue of Incredible Hulk. Some sort of "grape soda." I know we'll find out everything eventually, but it bugs me.
jlg wrote: "I think it was the stress of growing bones and having them burst their way through the body that would kill her, but she did have a Wolverine-like healing factor."
There's actually a real disease which causes continual bone growth and the conversion of soft tissue to bone. Joints freeze up, the body gets contorted, and the person dies young.
Not so much with the giant bone spikes projecting from the body, though.
"(Longtime Legion fans will recognize him (his name's Tenzil Kem) easily; in the original Legion he called himself Matter-Eater Lad and was a Legionnaire himself. He had the power of being able to eat anything. He also appeared in the reboot Legion with the same power but wasn't a superhero. But you don't really need to know that for this issue.)"
He also has one of the coolest super powers in the entire world of comics. Super strength? Flight? Super speed? Bah, Tenzil can EAT ANYTHING. It's hard to get cooler than that.
Return of Tenzil aside, though, Bedard's opening issue left me fairly lukewarm. It wasn't bad, but it didn't really stand out. And we already have a blatant error with the Waid run in the Legion handing out extra flight rings, when it had always been a major point that the rings are so expensive it's insanely hard to get more. Still, it's not terrible.
Meanwhile, Blue Beetle continues to be one of my favorite books out there right now. Jaime's ultimate power fantasy… I can't remember the last time I laughed so loud when I was reading a comic book. I actually got some weird looks. This book deserves to be around far longer than a fringe title with a new character replacing an obscure hero likely will.
Hey. Just thought I'd pipe in to agree that Blue Beetle was fun. (Loved the twist of Jaime's ultimate power fantasy! Almost as laugh-out-loud funny as Jaime's mom yelling at him and Guy Gardner a couple issues back.)
But the best thing I read this week was the Crossing Midnight trade from Vertigo. First five issues for just ten bucks. Intriguing stuff! I like the characters and find the new (to me) mythology really captivating. Check it out.
I bought it, Rebis. I haven't read it yet, but it's in my possession!
Greg — Good catch on the "phase" typo. I will have it fixed for the trade. As for the narrative voice, third person is a completely valid and common narrative voice for any kind of fiction. I don't know why you would be bothered by it, or why the choice of using it will somehow indicate whether the story is good or not. Kind of a bizarre comment, really.
Ed: It's not that third person is bad or anything, it's just that it seems an odd choice for this kind of fiction, because so much of "hard-boiled noir pulp crime" stuff is in first person, and a lot of the narration in this story feels like it's in first person, and then suddenly we read "Tracy did …" or something that lets us know it's in third. I know it's more of a "me" problem than anything else, but when I said it could turn out to be a poor choice, I meant more that if we get deeper into Tracy's head, it might feel forced.  Given your track record with these kind of stories, I doubt if it will, but it's a possibility.Â
Actually, much of crime fiction, maybe even most of it, is written in third person subjective, which is what this is. All the Parker novels are third person, for example, as are most of the Jack Reacher or Lucas Davenport novels. More detective fiction is in first person, though, which is where you might be getting confused. But if you grabbed ten popular crime novels off a shelf, more than half would be written in third person subjective, probably.
For this story, I didn't feel like Tracy was a guy who would narrate his own story, as such, so I went with third person, because it creates a slight distance.
Yes, but Persuader was one of the best Jack Reacher novels to date (not that they haven't all been good – but that one certainly stands out). There's definitely something to be said for having a first person narrative, even if that means that you know the character will come out alright…or will he? I've read examples – and even seen films – where the narration was being done from beyond the grave. Can't think of any particular examples right now.
Consider, weren't all of the Mike Hammer books written in first person? Weren't many of Dashiell Hammett's novels likewise writtten in that manner?
Even though the narration IS in third person, couldn't it possibly make sense to introduce a character who, it turns out, has BEEN the narrator the whole time?
Greg is correct about first person narration giving a more noirish feel to a book. However, that's not to say that regardless of the choice of narrator, Criminal is not an excellent work. It is.
The Maltese Falcon is written in third person, and that's Hammett's most famous novel and possibly the most famous noir novel of all time. So are the Glass Key and some of his short stories. Jim Thompson and David Goodis both wrote in third person sometimes. It's simply a different choice. It's certainly not less noir to write in third, and thinking it is implies a lack of knowledge of the genre, honestly. It just depends on what kind of noir you're going for.
And again, I'm glad you guys dig our book, honestly. And it's always nice to talk about noir and writing, too.
I'm possibly a little too touchy about this because I've actually seen comic reviewers say they don't understand third person narration because they don't know who the narrator is supposed to be. As an avid reader most of my life, seeing statements like that makes me a little sick to my stomach. Not saying Greg is on that level, but it's things like that that made me feel I should chime in here to answer his curiosity.
Actually, Ed, the more I think about it, the more I was surprised by the narration not because I expected noir to be in first person (I haven't read noir-ish fiction on the level that you have, so I accept your expertise on the subject) but because it's kind of strange to see comic books in third person these days. So much is first person, and when it is third person (which is rare) it feels far more detached than what we're getting here, to the extent it that it doesn't rise above a "meanwhile" here and there. I was wondering why the third person stood out to me when I read plenty of books in third person, and I think that's it. It's a bit weird to see a comic book with such a strong omniscient narrator, and it took me off-guard. I'll deal with it!
You're probably right on that one, Greg. Most comics third person is REALLY removed, like an alien looking down at earth and commenting or something.
I don't think about other comics at all when I write Criminal, so it never occurred to me that it might be jarring at all.
Greg, it might also be the fact that caption boxes have replaced thought balloons for the most part, so we've become conditioned to think of captions as narration from the main character. So it's an adjustment (for superhero readers, at least) to switch to third-person narration. Just one of those weird comic things, I think.
This exchange has made me more interested in Criminal than I ever have been before, since I don't ordinarily enjoy crime comics. I am the sort of person to go "third-person subjective narration in a modern book?! I gotta see that!", though. I don't know what this says about me, but there you have it.
Criminal is, along with Kabuki, easily one of my favorite comics. It's just masterfully done, and the Brubaker/Phillips pairing is pretty awesome. The first arc was great and had a genuinely surprising twist.
Well, I'm fighting a guy on e-bay for a copy of the first trade now. Wish me luck!
Kabuki I've never managed to get interested in. Nice art, no hints of a story I would particularly enjoy, heavy whiffs of Weeaboo Syndrome.
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High Efficiency Radar Transmit Module
Award Information
Small Business Information
77 Vermont Avenue Fort Ethan Allen, Colchester, VT, 05446
Principal Investigator:
Frederick Raab
Chief Engineer
(802) 655-9670
Chief Engineer
(802) 655-9670
Business Contact:
Frederick Raab
(802) 655-9670
(802) 655-9670
Research Institution:
AbstractUHF radar is used for surveillance from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A typical transmitter must produce multi-kilowatt pulses, but the efficiency of existing transmitters is only 20 to 30 percent. Low efficiency results in transmitters that are unnecessarily large and heavy. It also taxes the limited power available on a UAV and limits the capabilities of the UAV payloads. GMRR proposes to develop a new, high-efficiency transmitter for UHF radar. Efficiency is achieved through a combination of high-efficiency power amplifiers (class D, E, or F), RF-power transistors (GaN or LDMOS), electronic tuning, optimized combiners, and signal processing and control. The efficiency of this architecture is expected to be in the range of 60 to 70 percent. BENEFITS: This technology can be applied directly to UHF radars used for wind profiling and ground penetration (mine detection). With the addition of a wide-band modulator, it can be used in emerging UHF land-mobile and HDTV transmitters. With modification of the power amplifier for operation at higher frequencies, it can be used in cellular base stations. In all of these applications, the new transmitter will offer efficiencies that are double to triple those of the currently available transmitters. Other military applications include the JTRS, manpacks, and hand-held transmitters.
* information listed above is at the time of submission.
An Official Website of the United States Government

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Teens charged with mischief, trespassSeptember 25,2013Teens accused of
mischief, trespass
HARTLAND Two Windsor teenagers face multiple charges for allegedly causing damage to a Hartland laundry mat.
According to police, Timothy Murphy, 18, and Makenzie Delaney, 17, caused $2,000 worth of damage to two coin-operated machines Thursday at the Itty Bitty Laundry Mat on Route 5 in Hartland.
Murphy and Delaney were located by police and charged with unlawful mischief, unlawful trespass and providing false information to a police officer.
Arraignments for both suspects are scheduled for Nov. 5 in criminal court in White River Junction.MORE IN This Just InNORTH BENNINGTON Two public meetings, in North Bennington and Shaftsbury, have been set for... Full StoryThe Board of Aldermen has endorsed a major jump in city pension funding. Full StoryHUBBARDTON The annual celebration of Hubbardton has been moved to Sunday due to the weather... Full Story
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In this photo taken Saturday, April 18, 2009, released by Dutch defense ministry on April 21, 2009, Dutch marines board a fishing boat in the Gulf of Aden and free two dozen Yemenis from the clutches of nine pirates. They seized and destroyed AK-47 assault rifles and a rocket launcher but then put the pirates back in their skiff and set them free. (AP Photo/ Defense Ministry Netherlands/)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- A team of specialized American sailors apprehended 17 suspected pirates who attacked an Egyptian merchant ship in the dangerous waters off Yemen, the U.S. Navy said Thursday.
The sailors from the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg also seized eight assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher when they boarded the pirates' vessel Wednesday in the Gulf of Aden, said the Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet.
The Gettysburg launched the operation with the help of the Korean Destroyer ROKS Munmu the Great after the pirates fired at the Egyptian-flagged Motor Vessel Amira about 75 miles south of Yemen's al-Mukalla port, the Navy said. Both ships dispatched helicopters during the mission.
The Gulf of Aden is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, connecting Europe and Asia via the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is used by 20,000 ships a year and has become the world's hot spot for pirate attacks.
The 17 pirates seized were taken aboard the Gettysburg for further questioning, said the Navy. They were operating from a "mothership" - a larger vessel pirates often use to resupply the small speedboats that attack ships far offshore. The Navy did not say what happened to the mothership after the operation.
Also Thursday, Iranian state television said the country will send two warships to join an international flotilla protecting cargo ships from pirates off the Somali coast.
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazaei, made the commitment in a letter he sent to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday, according to a report on the Web site of Iran's press TV.
The ships will leave within the next two days for a five-month assignment and will join vessels from the U.S., Denmark, Italy, Russia, China and other countries.
Somali pirates have significantly stepped up their attacks in recent years. They hijacked a cargo ship operated by Iran off the Somali coast in November, the second in the past six months.
At least 19 ships and over 250 sailors are now being held hostage by Somali pirates. Last year, 42 ships were seized and pirates earned an estimated $1 million or more in ransom each time they freed a ship.
The pirates operate freely because Somalia has had no effective central government in nearly 20 years. Nearly every public institution has crumbled, and the U.N.-backed government controls only limited territory and is fighting an Islamic insurgency.
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I want my Windows Embedded Compact 7 Device to start an Application after boot without the OS showing at any time. For the time that windows is booting I'd like to show some Fullscreen Logo image. Any way to do this?
A Solution without the need for Platform Builder would be preferred. When the Application terminates the normal Windows EC7 Desktop shall be shown.


text: Russell Westbrook Thunder Star Westbrook Will Sit Out Tonight's Game By Associated Press • Mar 20, 2014 Keith Allison / Flickr.com Oklahoma City All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook will sit out tonight's game against the Cavaliers to rest his right knee. Westbrook had surgery earlier this season, and the team is being careful with one of its star players. Oklahoma City plays Friday night in Toronto, and coach Scott Brooks said part of Westbrook's post-surgery protocol is to occasionally sit out when the team has back-to-back games. Reggie Jackson will start at point for Westbrook, who averages 21.4 points and 7.2 rebounds. Jackson will make his 32nd start this season. Thunder's Westbrook Out Until After All-Star Break By Associated Press • Dec 27, 2013 Keith Allison / Flickr Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has undergone arthroscopic knee surgery and won't return until after the All-Star break. General manager Sam Presti says in a statement Friday that Westbrook has been playing pain free, but "recently had experienced increased swelling" in his right knee. Presti says the team consulted with a surgeon in Los Angeles and an MRI determined there was "an area of concern that had not previously existed." OKC Thunder Will Have To Do Without Westbrook By Associated Press • Oct 1, 2013 Bryan Horowitz / Flickr.com Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook will miss the first 4-6 weeks of the NBA season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Tuesday. General Manager Sam Presti said Westbrook had knee swelling that would not subside, and the procedure was intended to solve the problem once and for all. He said doctors found that the source of swelling was due to a loose stitch and Westbrook's meniscus has healed properly. The team said the procedure was successful. Hobbled Westbrook Still Tries To Help Team From OKC By Brian Hardzinski • May 9, 2013 Keith Allison / Flickr Oklahoma City Thunder star point guard Russell Westbrook says he expects to be on crutches for at least four weeks after knee surgery that forced him to sit for the remainder of the NBA Playoffs. "For now, I can't travel," Westbrook says. "When I get off crutches, we'll sit down and see what the timetable is for me." Westbrook told reporters Thursday morning he's still trying to find ways to help his team by offering input during halftime, practices, and in the film room. "The group of guys we have, I think we have enough to get a ring," Westbrook says.


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© Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The Information contained herein is subject to change without notice. Warranties for HP products and services are set out in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. In addition, our products and services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the New Zealand Consumer Law. Subject to the foregoing, nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
* Recommended NZ retail price. Actual prices may vary. Not all models not available in all stores.
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Here's a link to over 25 FREEBIES I have listed on Teacherspayteachers.com
Fun Freebies
Here are the links to my blog posts that offer FREEBIES!!
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I am searching same kind of thanksgiving 2014 poems . thank you so much sharing with us. please upload more poems for us.ReplyDelete
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Confirmed: Geoff Johns Is the New President of DC Entertainment
Comic Books, Film, TV
We continue a MONTH of I Saw It Advertised One Day! Each day this January you'll get a piece looking at advertisements in comic books over the decades that amused me for whatever reason. In each installment, we'll take a look at three ads!
Here is an archive of all installments of this feature.
If you asked me where the best place would be to get people to buy land in New Mexico, I would tell you "in a comic book ad!" Luckily, someone else in 1966 agreed with me!
Also, I am sure that this is a totally, completely legit deal and not at all a scam.
Not at all.
These early 90s 3 Musketeers ads were weeeeeeeeeeird…
Anyone know who did the art for them?
What I like about this ad is that maybe this really WAS some revolutionary thing (I doubt it, but maybe) but even if it WAS…
A. Why are you advertising in a 1967 comic book?
B. Why is your ad practically impossible to understand?
That's all for this installment! If you can think of some goofy comic book ads you'd like to see me feature here, drop me a line at firstname.lastname@example.com. Do not make suggestions in the comment section, so that they can still be a surprise for future readers! In fact, I think I'll just delete comments that contain future suggestions.
I assumed then and I still assume that the series of 3 Musketeers ads (as there were more) were probably produced by the ad side of Neal Adams' Continuity Studios. Whether the art is actually Adams though is up for debate. He had a lot of comic artists working for him in the early to mid-90's.
Does it count as a scam if all the terms of the sale are as represented in the New Mexico land ad? That said, it's certainly a ripoff. Land in rural New Mexico could be had in the sixties for less than $100 per acre – one sixth of the price listed in the ad even if the terms of sale are as represented. My family's still got acreage outside of Belen that my dad picked up in one of these speculation grabs in the late '60s. (When he was young enough to read comics, as it happens). The problem, of course, is that anyone that wants to build out there has to track down hundreds of tiny landowners to try to piece together a development plan, when it's easier to go a mile or two away and grab huge swaths of land in a single deal. So no development gets done, and the land value never rises.
Is the 3 Muskateers ad appear around the same time as "The Abyss?" That would explain the content. And yeah, that looks like Continuity Studios art. Maybe Grindberg.
"If it is, I'm biting" is my new out of context catch phrase.
"Is it raining out?"
"If it is, I'm biting!"
I love those Three Musketeers ads. Did they ever build to a grand conclusion?
If I recall correctly the ad campaign culminates with a global epiphany. Men and women of all stripes and colors take a bite from the chocolate covered leviathan and realize, "This is just cheap chocolate and air filled nougat. What a rip-off." The Navy uses the outsize confection in the first atmospheric nuclear weapons test in decades, and aliens invade shortly thereafter. This made for a rather poor 3 Musketeers ad, but some of the best comics since Ms. Mystic.
I would buy a collection of those Musketeers ads, the same as I would buy a collection of Hostess ads. Shameless advertising at its finest– no need for subtlety! Product placement? Product pervasiveness!
Is the gas ad related to the Church of the Subgenius?
My favorite of the 3 Musketeers ads had a crew of paleontologists casually blasting apart a mountain near a giant dinosaur skeleton find…and finding the giant candy bar inside.
I found a copy here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paxtonholley/4776591743/
If the 3 Musketeers ad isn't from the Continuity studio, then it's most likely by Arlen Schumer, who used to work with his wife as The Dynamic Duo. Did/Does a lot of comics-inspired advertising art, with a very strong Neal Adams influence. He's also a comics historian, does a lot of lectures and writing, including a terrific book on the Silver Age.
Were there any more 3 Musketeers ads? This and the dinosaur one (thanks for the link Kelson) I distinctly recall but I also seem to remember one set in an icy backdrop…
Have you ever gone to Deming New Mexico? Really…that land should be MUCH MUCH cheaper than what it is.
On the "GT Energy Chamber": Popular Science apparently did a Mythbusters-style test of these things way back then, and somebody has a page about it!
Some of these things actually did "work" to some extent, in that they increased gas mileage… but at a cost of a severe hit in engine PERFORMANCE.
With havin so much written content do you ever run into any issues of plagorism or copyright violation? My website has a lot of unique content I've either created myself or outsourced but it looks like a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my authorization. Do you know any techniques to help prevent content from being stolen? I'd truly appreciate it.
Hi there! I was the Dynamic half of the Dynamic Duo Studio. We did all the Musketeer Ads! And yes, early in our careers Arlen Schumer and I started off in Neal Adam's Continuity Studio. Thank you for the interest!!
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Our accommondations at the Wintergreen were wonderful. The resort staff was great from the minute we arrived, to the morning that we checked out. We even stayed an extra night. Our stay was amazing and we really enjoyed the indoor pool and poolside bar. The staff was awesome and made great drinks in the bar. We ate breakfast in the restaurant and it was very good as well. The services was great, the resort was very clean, the room was very nice, and a great place to stay. We really loved it and will definitely come back to the Wintergreen again. Thanks again to all of the staff, especially Ashley, who was very helpful !
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- The Wintergreen Resort is perfect for your next meeting, group function, or family vacation. Relax and enjoy our indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and children's water facilities. Our convenient onsite restaurant and lounge are sure to please any appetite. If searching for a romantic getaway, our whirlpool rooms will accommodate every couple with room service and special packages. Centrally located just off I90 makes it a perfect location for all to visit. ... more less
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I am using Windows 7 as Host, Ubuntu Karmic as guest OS with guest tools installed and I get an annoying glitch when switching from host to the guest machine: Vertical scrolling switches to horizontal! (using the mouse wheel). Since I don't really care about horizontal scrolling, how can I disable this?
I have checked the web and the only thing I found was to play in the xorg.conf file and adding in the section "InputDevice"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
which would enable vertical scrolling only. The thing is, I don't have that section in my config file so I guessed that I would need to add
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "VBoxMouse"
Driver "vboxmouse"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
But that does not seem to work after restarting xserver.
Any workaround for this?


text:
In This Section
Journal Forum
A Meta-Analysis of High Resolution Audio Perceptual Evaluation - June 2016
2 comments
Synthetic Reverberator - January 1960
3 comments
Sound Board: High-Resolution Audio - October 2015
4 comments
AES E-Library
Improved Externalization and Frontal Perception of Headphone Signals
Externalization of spatial images depend on the recreation of the ratio between interaural time differences and interaural level differences. Front/back discrimination depends on the proper balance of loudness between the backward and forward directional bands and presumably also on the degree of binaural fusion. A system is described which will improve externalization and frontal perception of a normal stereophonic recording when listened to via headphones.
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I have lots of movies in
avi format. Some of them are not compatible with my DVD-player.
Is there a one-liner for
mencoder or
ffmpeg - to do just minimal conversion to make the videos DVD-player-compatible?
I don't want to lose any quality or do any transcoding. There's a DeVeDe but - it doesn't do just minimal conversions.


text:
Travel Anniversaries of 2014
Wrigley Field's 100th birthday, the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' US debut -- see what other historic milestones occur in 2014, and where you can relive history.
Wrigley Field's 100thBefore it was ever known as Wrigley Field, Chicago's famed baseball venue went by 2 previous names. Built in 1914 for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the stadium was first known as Weeghman Park, and later, as Cubs Park. In April 2014, Wrigley Field's 100th birthday bash will showcase 10 decade-themed home stands as the stadium hosts the Arizona Diamondbacks. 960 1280
St. Louis Turns 250The Gateway City marks its 250th anniversary this year. In 1764, French fur trader Pierre Laclede set out to construct a trading post near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Laclede eventually settled on a site 18 miles downriver. Today, St. Louis's riverfront area is named Laclede's Landing in his honor. 960 1280
Berlin Wall's Fall, 25 Years LaterGermany marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in November. The anniversary joins 2 other big events this year: 100 years since the outbreak of WWI and 75 years since the start of the second, earning 2014 the nickname in Germany of Super-Gedenkjahr, or the "super-year of commemoration." 960 1280
WWI Turns 100In July 2014, the world marks the 100th anniversary of the Great War. In July 1914, Austro-Hungarian Empire formally declared war on Serbia, setting off World War I. Learn the story at the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, MO. The 32,000-square-foot facility consists of 2 theaters, exhibitions of period artifacts and replica trenches. 960 1280
50th Anniversary of the Ford MustangOn April 17, 1964, Ford Motor Company unveiled the Mustang, and the smooth, 2-door beaut quickly became a fixture of American muscle car culture. (Who could forget the 7-minute chase scene in 1968's Bullitt, when a Ford Mustang GT 390 rips through the streets of San Francisco?) Grab your shades, and celebrate the Mustang's 50th with a ride in a sixth-generation Mustang this year. 960 1280
D-Day 70th AnniversaryThis year marks the 70th anniversary of D-Day, when the coast of Normandy, code-named Omaha Beach, saw the Allied invasion against German-occupied France. Commemorations will unfold everywhere from Bedford, VA, to the Norman coast, where Queen Elizabeth will be guest of honor. Meanwhile, Holland America is offering a 12-day D-Day tour, and a plethora of Normandy tours will recall the June 6 landings. 960 1280
Japan's Bullet Train (Shinkansen): 50th AnniversaryJapan's high-speed railway turns 50 this year. In October 1964, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen opened between Tokyo and the Shin-Ōsaka Station 320 miles away, for a total trip time of 4 hours. Today, the journey takes about 3 hours. Spring 2014 will see test runs of the new Series E7 bullet train, with a top speed of 160 mph. 960 1280
Sundance Film Festival's 30thAmerica's top independent film festival sees its 30th anniversary this year. Founded by Robert Redford in 1981, Sundance Film Festival has gone on to showcase such groundbreaking films as Little Miss Sunshine and Beasts of the Southern Wild. This year's festival will be held in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance Resort. 960 1280
The Beatles: 50th Anniversary of US DebutIn early 1964, the Beatles kicked off their first official US tour with an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Months later, with Beatlemania at its height, the Beatles performed at the Hollywood Bowl (pictured). Relive the 50th anniversary of the Fab Four's US invasion with a Magical History Tour and a Beatles Walking Tour in NYC. 960 1280
Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition: 100th AnniversaryJust as WWI broke out, Sir Ernest Shackleton embarked on the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent. Then his ship, Endurance, became trapped in ice. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Shackleton's heroic journey. Relive one of the greatest survival stories of all time on an Antarctica cruise, the last frontier for cruise travelers. 960 1280
South Africa: 20 Years of FreedomThis year South Africa celebrates 20 years of freedom and general elections. In 1994, on the heels of decades of struggle led by Nelson Mandela, South Africa transitioned from apartheid to a government of majority rule. Take a South Africa tour, and see where history was made. 960 1280
Yosemite's 150th AnniversaryThis year marks Yosemite's 150th anniversary. In June 1864, Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant Act, the first land grant in the nation to protect wild lands for the enjoyment of future generations. This year, more than 150 events are planned at Yosemite to mark the historic milestone. 960 1280
New Jersey Turns 350The Garden State celebrates its 350th birthday in 2014. In 1664 Charles II of England granted a chunk of land on the East Coast to his brother, James. James then gave 2 friends part of the land; it was soon named New Jersey. It's all just one more reason to celebrate the land of bikinis and boardwalks. 960 1280
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Presidential Inauguration"Faith in America's Future" was the theme of America's 57th presidential inauguration. In a nod to 2 big milestones -- the 150th anniversary of both the Emancipation Proclamation and the Capitol dome's completion -- the Washington, DC, festivities culminated in President Obama's public swearing-in ceremony on the Capitol's west side. 960 1280
One World Trade CenterOut of the ashes, a resilient triumph: In November One World Trade Center was officially named the tallest building in North America. The height of One World Trade Center was purposely set at 1,776 feet, in tribute to America's Declaration of Independence and the nearly 3,000 Americans who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. 960 1280
Prince George of CambridgeRoyal baby mania gripped the world, as news crews waited outside London's St. Mary's Hospital for news of Kate and William's royal delivery. Initial reports of a baby girl were quickly put to rest once the easel outside Buckingham Palace delivered the July 22 news: George Alexander Louis had arrived. 960 1280
Breaking Bad ToursIt's not every day that a city embraces its image as a meth-producing drug haven, unless, of course, that city is the subject of one of the most popular dramas of all time. Breaking Bad put Albuquerque on the map in a big way, and while Walt and Jesse's adventures have ended, don't count on Breaking Bad tours to follow suit anytime soon. 960 1280
Government Shutdown, Blue Ridge ParkwayFor the first time in 17 years, the US government shut down in October, and for the next 3 weeks, the nation watched as America's national parks and memorials were barricaded. The grim news turned the spotlight on state parks nationwide, as well as the Blue Ridge Parkway, where travelers could still find reprieve. 960 1280
Gettysburg AnniversaryAt just under 300 words, the Gettysburg Address summed up what was at stake in the Civil War, and what the death of tens of thousands of young men could ultimately mean to a hurting nation. In November the town of Gettysburg celebrated Lincoln's words, months after having marked the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. 960 1280
London Underground AnniversaryLondon had its own big 150th anniversary to celebrate this year, with the London Underground – the world's first underground railway – marking its historic birthday. Various events throughout London have marked the Tube's 150th anniversary, including a restored antique railway that traveled the same path as the Tube did back in 1863. 960 1280
Pope Francis, Vatican City TourIn a shock to the world, Pope Benedict abruptly resigned in February, becoming the first pope to do so in nearly 600 years. But then the world got a look at affable Pope Francis, originally from Argentina, and an upbeat air returned to this fascinating city-state within Italy, along with renewed interest in Vatican City tours. 960 1280
Miss America, Atlantic CityIt was exciting enough that the historic Miss America pageant returned to Atlantic City for the first time in 6 years. Then the pageant got even cooler when 2013's winner turned out to be the first-ever Miss America of Indian descent: New York native Nina Davuluri. 960 1280
JFK Assassination Anniversary, DallasA dark day in Dallas, and the nation's history, was relived in late November, as somber crowds gathered in Dealey Plaza to remember America's 35th president. This year marked the 50th anniversary of JFK's assassination, sparking epic reminiscences of how life changed that day. 960 1280
Grand Central TerminalIn the 1970s, Grand Central Terminal was slated for demolition, until Jackie Kennedy joined in the effort to help save the iconic NYC train terminal. February marked Grand Central's 100th anniversary, and with it, the continuation of a NYC landmark that sees some 700,000 commuters a day. 960 1280
Tokyo 2020 OlympicsBeating out some formidable competition (Istanbul and Madrid), Tokyo landed a big win in September: For the first time since 1964, Japan's capital got the nod to host the Summer Olympic Games. Slated for 2020, the games will unfold in Tokyo's revamped National Olympic Stadium. 960 1280
Bret Michaels on Travel ChannelIn May, legendary rocker Bret Michaels traded in his mic for a sledgehammer and a whole new venture. As host of Travel Channel's Rock My RV, Bret brought his passion for RVs to Travel's audience, and proved that America's favorite bandana-wearing rocker knows how to rock it in more ways than one. 960 1280
HyperloopNo, it's not Blade Runner, it's better: The futuristic Hyperloop will transport passengers in under 30 minutes between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The vision of billionaire Elon Musk, which he unveiled in August, the solar-powered transportation system is slated to take off once California state government approves the project. For commuters who must currently brave a 6-hour commute, that may not be a moment too soon. 960 1280
Obamas in IrelandFirst Lady Michelle Obama's paid a visit to the Emerald Isle in June with daughters Sasha and Malia. Part of the Obamas' 2-day Ireland trip included a visit to the valley of Glendalough, in County Wicklow, where they met with local tour guide George McClafferty. No word on whether he sang, "There's No One as Irish as Barack Obama," to them in honor of the president's Irish roots. 960 1280
Ghost Adventures in TransylvaniaIn October, Ghost Adventures ushered in its 100th episode in a monumental way, becoming the very first paranormal TV program to investigate the St. Louis home that inspired The Exorcist movie and novel. The crew followed up the 100th episode with another big turn, heading to Transylvania for Halloween. 960 1280
Nik Wallenda's Grand Canyon WalkPlenty of nail-biting moments unfolded during the live broadcast of Nik Wallenda's high-wire act near the Grand Canyon in June. The self-proclaimed "King of the Wire" walked across the Little Colorado River Gorge outside Grand Canyon National Park's borders, in under 25 minutes, with no safety harness. Can we say insane? 960 1280
Boston World SeriesA city shaken by the Boston Marathon bombing in April rebounded with a bittersweet win in October, when the Boston Red Sox scored 3 runs in the third inning and 3 in the fourth to defeat St. Louis and win the World Series. 960 1280
Philippines TyphoonThe Philippines suffered its most devastating loss in early November, when Typhoon Haiyan made landfall, killing nearly 10,000 people in what would become the deadliest typhoon in the Philippines' history. 960 1280
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, AntarcticaThe world's sexiest models, across 7 continents. Sports Illustrated celebrated its 50th anniversary year in style 2013's SI Swimsuit edition, with one eye-catching look of Kate Upton going polar bare in Antarctica. We went undercover ourselves, revealing SI's sexiest models' sexiest destination picks. 960 1280
Unforgettable Travel Moments of 2013 20 Photos
Tour de France's 100thCycling's premier annual event marks its 100th anniversary in 2013. The very first Tour de France comprised a 5-stage race, beginning in Paris and stopping in Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and Nantes before returning to Paris. Today, the race typically spans 21 days and a total of 2,000 miles; 2013's Tour de France will start in Corsica, in the city of Porto-Vecchio, and finish at dusk in Paris. 960 1280
Grand Central's 100thThis megadaddy of rail travel turns 100 in 2013. Spanning 48 acres, the grand Beaux-Arts-designed terminal has risen and fallen (it went into bankruptcy in 1970 and even faced potential demolition), and risen again. Today, the hub is the world's sixth most visited tourist attraction, according to a Travel + Leisure survey. 960 1280
Groundhog Day at 20Thank the 1993 Bill Murray flick for catapulting this furry little guy onto the national scene. 2013 marks the American comedy-turned-classic's 20th anniversary. Celebrate with a trip to the central Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney, where thousands have gathered each year since 1886 to await Punxsutawney Phil's end-of-winter predictions. According to records dating back to 1887, Phil's been accurate 39% of the time. 960 1280
125 Years of Nat GeoMany leaders have had the National Geographic Society to thank for kindling their imagination in exploring the world around them. Among them was America's 36th president LBJ -- he once said, "My mother brought me up by putting the Bible in my right hand and the National Geographic magazine in my left." 960 1280
Amsterdam's Big YearAmsterdam sees an epic year of milestones ahead: In 2013, Amsterdam marks the 175th birthday of the Artis Royal Zoo, the nation's most famous zoo, which houses 900 species of animals. The Dutch capital is also celebrating the 400th anniversary of its famed Canal Ring, which has given Amsterdam the moniker, "Venice of the North." 960 1280
Hitchcock's The Birds 50thOne day, without warning, this idyllic coastal town in Sonoma County, CA, was attacked by … the birds! Who can ever look at birds the same way after watching Hitchcock's suspense-horror classic, which turns 50 in 2013. Mark the occasion with a visit to Bodega Bay, and keep a watchful eye on the sky -- you just never know. 960 1280
Harley-Davidson at 110The freedom of the open road, the need for speed -- this journey began 110 years ago in Milwaukee. In 1903, the granddaddy of American motorcycle manufacturers got its start in a small machine shop, where a 23-year-old engineering genius William Sylvester Harley toiled away. Harley worked on a "motor-cycle" with childhood friend Arthur Davidson; the rest is bad-ass history. 960 1280
The Drive-In Turns 70This icon of American pop culture became official 70 years ago, when a chemical company magnate was granted a patent for his invention: an outdoor theater. From humble beginnings (the first drive-in opened in Pennsauken Township, NJ), the drive-in movie theater peaked in popularity from the late 1950s to early 1960s. You can relive the glory days at retro drive-ins like Sandell Theater in Clarendon, TX. 960 1280
Lamborghini at 50You are what you drive. Who'd want to admit that -- unless, of course, you're driving this motor-sportin' beaut. Fifty years ago, the Italian luxury sports car manufacturer got its start in the northern Italian town of Sant'Agata Bolognese. In May 2013, the automaker celebrates by hosting a 700-mile road trip through northern and central Italy. Andiamo! 960 1280
David Livingstone's 200th"Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" Why, indeed it is: 2013 marks the 200th anniversary of the famed Scottish explorer's birth. At the age of 27, the young missionary headed for Africa. Fascinated by the continent's beauty, he went on to spend 30 years in places such as modern-day Botswana and Zambia. In the end, his one regret was that he hadn't spent enough time with his children. Honor the great doctor's legacy; take the kids on safari. 960 1280
Elvis' Aloha from Hawaii 40thWe're caught in a trap, I can't walk out … and why would you want to? Not when the setting is the beautiful Aloha State. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the King's live concert from the capital city of Honolulu. Celebrate Elvis' love of all things Hawaiian with your own journey to his favorite spots, like Hanauma Bay, featured in his films Blue Hawaii and Paradise, Hawaiian Style. 960 1280
Emancipation Proclamation's 150thWith a stroke of the pen, Abraham Lincoln opened the door to the eradication of America's greatest evil. The end of slavery would not come with the simple signing of this executive order on Jan. 1, 1863, but it did make abolition an official goal of the Civil War. Revisit that chapter in the exhibit "Changing America," at Smithsonian's National Museum of American History through Sept. 15, 2013. 960 1280
Gettysburg at 150"Four score and 7 years ago …" The passion of Abraham Lincoln's words, all 272 of them, gave meaning to what history would record as the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Relive this pivotal moment in US history with a trip to this stretch of southern Pennsylvania, during the 150th anniversary year of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Address. 960 1280
I Have a Dream Turns 50Fifty years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. led the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom; stand in the exact spot where MLK delivered his speech at the Lincoln Memorial. 2013 sees other big civil rights anniversaries, including the 100th birthday of the "first lady of civil rights" Rosa Parks and the 50th anniversary of protests in Birmingham, AL, that triggered a national dialogue about the need for civil rights for African-American citizens. 960 1280
West Virginia's 150thThe Mountain State marks its 150th anniversary in 2013. In June 1863, at the height of the Civil War, an expanse of land in the Appalachian Mountain range broke away from the state of Virginia, becoming the only state to form by seceding from the Confederacy. Among West Virginia's must-see sites is the New River Gorge, a 3,030-foot-long steel arch bridge near Fayetteville, WV. 960 1280
Travel Anniversaries of 2013 15 Photos
Hawaiian HoneymoonHawaii has always been a popular honeymoon destination. After it became the 50th state in 1959, this exotic island paradise became the place for many Americans to honeymoon without having to leave the country. 960 1280
Air Travel to HawaiiAir travel in the mid-1930s made it possible for tourists to come to Hawaii faster, without having to take a long ship journey as in times past. Suddenly, a week's vacation in this island paradise became more feasible for many Americans. 960 1280
Waikiki BeachOne of the best places in the world for beginner surfers is Waikiki Hawaii. Long rolling waves, no sharp reefs or rocks in the area, and little wind make it a perfect spot to learn to surf. In the 1950s, surfing in Waikiki became one of the most popular tourist activities. 960 1280
Hula DanceIn ancient Hawaii, the hula dance was used to pass down history and myth from generation to generation. In the 1960s, the influx of tourists sparked renewed interest in this visual art form as a way to maintain the Hawaiian culture … and to put on a good show for visitors. 960 1280
First Lady of WaikikiWith a prime oceanfront location on Waikiki Beach, The Moana Hotel, as it was known when it was built in 1901, is often referred to as the "First Lady of Waikiki." With a $50 million renovation in 1989, the historic Moana Surfrider Resort and Spa, as it is known today, was restored with modern luxury in mind and continues to be one of the finest hotels in Honolulu. 960 1280
Surf Like GidgetIn the 1960s, surfing films like Gidget (and the TV series of the same name) and Endless Summer inspired young Americans to not only learn to surf but to search for the perfect wave all over the world, including beautiful locations throughout Hawaii. 960 1280
Brady Bunch in HawaiiProving that Hawaii is the ultimate American family vacation, The Brady Bunch filmed the "Hawaii Bound" episode in Honolulu in 1972, with the icon of Hawaiian entertainment, Don Ho, as guest star. 960 1280
KauaiWhile no one knows exactly where Gilligan's Island is (including Gilligan and the rest of the castaways), the pilot and first episode of this classic American sitcom were actually filmed on the Hawaiian island of Kauai in 1963. 960 1280
Diamond Head CraterA young American couple honeymoon in Honolulu in the 1950s. In the background is the extinct volcanic crater Diamond Head, which became a National Natural Landmark in 1968. 960 1280
King KamehamehaA 1932 Ford Custom Roadster is parked in front of the King Kamehameha statue at downtown Honolulu's Aliʻiōlani Hale. The building, originally planned for use as a Royal Palace by Hawaii's King Kamehameha V, today houses the Supreme Court of Hawaii, the court administration offices, a law library and the Judiciary History Center. 960 1280
Pineapple IslandIn the late 1800s, sugar and later, pineapple plantations powered Hawaii's economy. James Dole turned Lanai into the world's leading exporter of pineapple, earning it the nickname "Pineapple Island." 960 1280
Hawaiian Entertainer Don HoLegendary crooner Don Ho entertained tourists for decades and was one of Hawaii's best known musicians. He is best known for his show at the Waikiki Beachcomber, where he would perform his trademark "Tiny Bubbles." He died on April 14, 2007 at the age of 76. 960 1280
The Royal Hawaiian HotelLocated on the famous Waikiki Beach, The Royal Hawaiian Hotel led the travel renaissance in Hawaii. Built in 1927, this iconic hotel remains one of the most luxurious hotels in Waikiki, after a long history of being the playground for Hawaiian chiefs and later, Hollywood's elite. 960 1280
Vintage Hawaii 22 Photos


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How to stop Visual Studio 2008 from automatically running my web services.
I have a large Visual Studio 2008 solution that contains a number of web app projects and also several wcf web services. I have set the solution to have only one startup project, yet when I right-click on the web app project and select "Debug" > "Start New Instance" there appear multiple WebDev.WebServer icons in the system tray. There is one for every web service in the project.
Note: My web app project does have one Web Reference, but not to any of the WCF web services that are being launched.
I want to be able to stop these un-wanted web services from running.


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Captain Obvious sits at a bar when a pretty girl from across the room, played by Daniela Fridman, makes eye contact with him. "I've always found you don't know you need a hotel room until you're sure you do." The bartender says "Thanks Captain Obvious." Captain Obvious continues "Which is what makes using the Hotels.com mobile app so useful. I can book a nearby hotel room from wherever I am." The woman walks from across the room over to Captain Obvious. She walks past him to the man she was actually looking at. "Or I could not book a hotel room and put my cell phone back into my pocket as if nothing happened. Hotels.com, I don't need it right now."
I find this "Captain Obvious" character creepy and sleazy. It reminds me of the Burger King character that silently crept around looking in windows. Can't your advertising people come up with something else? I suggest you put them to work or get a new group. Icky!
This is a disgusting commercial!!!
I am so disgusted by this commercial! The first time I saw it, it literally made me angry! To assume automatically that when you see a beautiful woman, eye contact or not, that you need to book a room is extremely horrific! I know that he plays a so called inappropriate person, but he is teaching our children to automatically expect sex in a hotel room. This does not make me feel as if this company is family oriented in the least. Respectfully, P. Hartle
I can see how christians don't like the message being one myself. That said I find the captain obvious chacter quite funny. The other commercial where he walks into the dive hotel room with the family standing there and I think they found a finger on the floor and the captain says,"that's unsetteling". Still wierd and not everyone's cup of tea but at least it is not a turn off to christians and other people who value morality. Thanks….
This ad is positively hillarious. .. I can only imagine what type of people find this commercial offensive. .. loosen up this is the 20th century!
Just because it's "the 20th century" doesn't mean this or anything like this is acceptable! That's ridiculous.just because society slowly throws all moral values down the drain doesn't make it right..I'm not a sheep..I don't follow this world I follow God
Umm… it's the 21st century.
Hotels.com has now become the "Hooker" pickup hotel service, and now they've tacked on "For lovers" onto the end of their commercials. I stopped using Hotels.com the moment I saw these commercials. Terrible, and the likely hood of catching scabies from the bed of their newly targeted audience is enough to make me say, "No thank you". Never again with Hotels.com
As a woman I do not find this offensive or degrading to women at all. Everyone has that moment when they think that the hot person was waving at them or when you are the loser that popular person was talking to you. Lighten up!
Funny as heck. Makes more fun of a man's sick desperate mind then it does degrade women. Also THAT ONE GUY, are you the guy with the crazy instrument?
you stick in the mud foggies need to lightin up and get out there and travel a little and have some fun for once i your life it's short u know !!!!
This commercial is very offensive. It is very degrading to women. I don't want to ever watch the commercial again. Please don't make commercials like this again or I will never use hotels.com again.
Every one of your commercials are dry disgusting. Good decent hotels do not need this kind of bad ads. I change the channel.
I agree. This commercial is disgusting and degrading to women.
Easy women hang out in hotel bars. I like sluts.
Tony, it appears to be a 1965 Barracuda with a modified back window.
It's humorous, but I have a question about his latest ad. Does anyone know the make and model of the black coupe in his latest ad? I think it's one of the best looking cars I've seen in a long time. It may be a 53 or 54 Studebaker Hawk by the shape of the windows. If you know, please comment.
Lighten up it makes me laugh!
This commercial with the creepy looking man in the red coat is positively disgusting and offensive. Why would your company want to send that kind of message ? It is played during the day when children and people of all ages can see it. I would never patronize any company that uses this kind of advertising.
Sorry, disgusting!
I think this ad is discussing!
Kathleen, you are disgusting.
This commercial in one sentence:
I, for one, will never entertain using Hotels.com due to this ad.. The others are cheesey enough but this demonstrates that Hotels.com is morally bankrupt. What type of message does it send to adults and children alike when it is naturally assumed that people require a hotel room for sex the moment a glance is exchanged?
This commercial is offensive. Talk about a war on women. Does he think she's a prostitute? The only thing obvious about Capt. Obvious is that he is obviously a pervert. Hotel.com….ewwww. Creepy men use this sight. Stay away!
who is that lady at the bar!! she is hot!
Daniela Fridman
who is the lady at the bar? she is hot!! whats her name?
Why would your Captain Obvious commercial encourage one night quickies? Can't you keep your advertisements effective without slithering around in the mud? What are you telling our children with this garbage? Would you encourage your teenagers to take strangers to motels for one night copulations? What if those bar-pick-up-one-nighters involved STD's or AIDS? Trust me…I will never use your service and this email will go out to everyone on my contact list.
A one night quickie is one night less than a weekend getaway :-)
Children don't book hotel rooms. The ad is not designed for children. It's too bad that actual adult behavior offends you. What kind of outrage you lot can fabricate for something as innoccuos and tongue and cheek as this is astounding.
I would love to visit your planet one day. But while you're here on our planet. Deal with it.
One night stands aren't "adult behavior" their wrong..the people who agree with this commercial are weak minded people who are manipulated by the media. The media has desensitized people of they're moral values and created a bunch of morally bankrup sheep.
If anything, this commercial is offensive to over-eager, assuming, egotistical men. It is poking fun at men and how dumb they are to assume that they would need a hotel room after a girl simply "looks" at them. It is hilarious and discourages men from being so self-centered and dumb. Gives these types of guys a much needed reality check! Nicely done!
that is Tracy Spiridakos right?
Not at all! I am a woman and find this ad hysterically funny. The pretty girl is obviously in a relationship with the man she walks across the bar to greet. The joke is on "Captain Obvious" for being so out of touch as to think a strange woman that he'd never met would want to hit the sheets with him! "I don't need it right now…" ha ha!
When I saw this commercial, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The first thing that came to me is how this is impressing young people who see it, as if spending the night with someone you just met in a bar is normal and acceptable. I just find this so deeply disturbing and am very concerned about how morality seems to be slipping away in this country. Someone who cannot understand how this kind of thinking is harmful to our society is ignorant and/or has not been around long enough to see how this kind of lifestyle eventually only hurts people. And as a woman, I find it particularly offensive. Sex today is a cheap commodity. I hate that our children are growing up with this lack of morality blaring at them from the TV.
I find this ad completely offensive. It portrays the wrong image for our society that it is OK to sleep around with strangers. In this day of psycopaths that murder and diseases like AIDS, why in the world would someone use such a tacky, immoral ad. Every time I have been subjected to seeing the ad, I want to scream at the company GROSS!!!. I will never use the website as a result. This ad needs to be removed from the air immediately.
You are out of touch with 1) the market place, or what it means to connect to it, and 2) REALITY. Get off the internet.
She's right, I quit using hotels.com because of this. Why would I want to get scabies from the bed of this hooker connection service? Hotels.com, never again.
Given that you wear a bowtie, you might need the new hotels.com hooker service.
Sorry, I think hotels.com has crossed the line. While it may seem obvious and amusing to some adults, it gives our children and youth a terrible message. A tacky commercial that should have been obvious to the marketing people. Hoping they will show some obvious class and remove it.
Because if a complete stranger walks up to any guy at the bar, he needs a room to go doink her… If she will, he will is the message and what's "obvious" about this spot is that it is written for the male ego. Sick of it and will not be using hotels.com anymore since this is their "men"tality.
Distasteful! Low class! Not everyone is about indiscriminate sex and one-night stands! Enough to make me not make use of this website!
OUTSTANDING COMMERCIAL!!! Not only was it very well done and funny, the concept behind it, the reality behind it was very well thought out. Great job to the ones who came up with this! Capt'n Obvious getting shot down and past by! The commercial works, and Hotels.com will stick in my memory more so that others due to this commercial alone. OUTSTANDING JOB!!!
Your a major loser if you honestly believe that. Anyone that reads your post knows your just trying to jab those who don't like it. I suggest you stay in your mommies basement a few more years until you grow up.


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Chuck, age 92, passed away quietly at Montesano Health & Rehabilitation Friday evening, August 3. He was born in Hillsboro, Oregon, on January 1, 1920, the son of Julius and Barbara Vanderschuere. He grew up and went to school in Hillsboro. After World War II he moved from Hillsboro to Ilwaco, Wash. where he purchased the Ilwaco Tavern. Later he sold the tavern and went to work for Heavy Hauling Co. in Astoria. He then moved to Aloha, Ore. where he worked for Oregon Egg Co. He later moved to Bend and purchased a service station. Next he owned a grocery store in Seattle. He concluded his varied career as Manager of the Si View Park in North Bend, Wash. He then bought a home in Elma, Wash.
Chuck was active in the Elks for over 30 years, an avid fisherman, a hunter in his earlier years, enjoyed golfing with his friends at the Si-View Golf Course, loved gardening especially his raspberry plants, he was an excellent bowler (although in his later years he was known as the "Gutter Ball King", he and Delores played in numerous Pinochle tournaments, a passionate Mariner fan and a "Jack of all Trades". Chuck is survived by his wife, Delores; his son, Wayne Vanderschuere; step-son Jack Meyers; and four grandchildren, Nadine, Sarah, Matthew, and Joshua and 2 great-grandchildren, Ryan & Jordan. Chuck married Delores in 2005 and gained 9 step-sons and daughters, 20 more grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 47 years, Stella; and his siblings, Victor, Charles Julius, Alice, Gabriella, Mary, Albert & Alphons.
Chuck's strong values, common sense, and good humor will be deeply missed. Chuck's family would like to express their gratitude to Montesano Health & Rehab for the quality care and comfort he was given by the superb staff. A graveside memorial service will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 18, 2012, at Masonic Cemetery in Elma.
Please visit and sign the online tribute to Charles at www.whitesidefamilymortuaries.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Whiteside Family Mortuary in Elma.


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WEYMOUTH – A 10-year-old Weymouth girl has won a bicycle in Dependable Cleaners' Read to Ride program.
Mary Eaton will begin 5th grade at Abigail Adams Middle School in the fall. Her favorite novels are "Goosebumps" by R. L. Stine, "Harry Potter" by J. K. Rowling and "Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis.
Mary said she also enjoys taking part in dance classes and running track.
She picked out a white bicycle at the Country Ski & Sport shop in Quincy as her prize for being the sixth weekly Read to Ride winner this summer.
The program, for students 6 to 15 years old, is designed to encourage children to read while on summer vacation. Participants can submit an entry for each book they read.
Read to Ride, which is also sponsored by Country Ski & Sport, Farina's Bicycle Center in Watertown and The Patriot Ledger, began in 1999. Participants have read more than 66,000 books since its inception.
Entry forms can be submitted at any of the 16 Dependable Cleaners locations.
A grand-prize winner will be drawn each Monday through Aug. 11.
Cody Shepard may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Note: First and last names are required for commenting. If you do not provide your first and last name when signing up, you will be banned.
Location, ST | website.com


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The Self-Inflating Back Rest provides you with portable lumbar support for your office chair, your commute, or any other sedentary tasks. This puncture-resistant nylon backrest is easy to use, easy to carry, and is always on-hand for immediate relief.Shop Now
The Human Touch PC-410 Zero Gravity Recliner features extra lumbar support and a smooth-gliding manual recline motion, which is perfect for stressed bodies. This chair is part of the Perfect Chair 2 series and features an ergonomic shape for an easy, effective recline. With a soft headrest and sculpted leg padding, this chair makes sure that your body keeps its full circulation while you lay back. Feel weightless and free with the PC-410 Zero Gravity Recliner from Human Touch.Shop Now
Between 50% and 80% of women will experience some form of back pain during pregnancy. Weight gain associated with the growing baby, a shifting center of gravity, and hormonal changes affecting the joints and ligaments all contribute to put more stress on the spine.
Good posture is so important during pregnancy. Side pillows and footrests are particularly good for helping make pregnancy less stressful. These and other products take pressure off the spine while increasing circulation. Additionally, they help with spinal alignment and comfort.
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