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Promise Neighborhoods
Promise Neighborhoods is a federal place-based initiative striving to turn neighborhoods of concentrated poverty into neighborhoods of opportunity. The program's vision is to ensure that all children growing up in Promise Neighborhoods have access to great schools and strong family and community support systems.
Financial Coaching
Financial coaching is an increasingly popular intervention designed to help low- and moderate-income individuals achieve financial stability and meet their financial goals. Urban Institute researchers are evaluating financial coaching initiatives to better understand how they work, who they serve, and what effects and outcomes they have.
Affordable Housing and Foreclosure Mitigation
The Urban Institute studies the impact of foreclosure and strategies to mitigate it both nationally and in cities around the country. Our research and resources in this area include an evaluation of the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program; an online guide to foreclosure prevention and neighborhood stabilization called Foreclosure-Response.org; and the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Area Housing Monitor.
Behavioral Finance
The choices individual consumers make daily have ripple effects that are felt in households, communities, and the country as a whole. As part of our economic and community development portfolio, Metro investigates factors that influence consumer decisions and some of the strategies organizations are using to support healthier financial habits.
Chicago Family Case Management Demonstration
The Chicago Family Case Management Demonstration is an innovative initiative designed to meet the challenges of serving the Chicago Housing Authority's "hard to house" residents.
Exposing Housing Discrimination
The Urban Institute, often in conjunction with HUD, has conducted a variety of national studies revealing the extent of discrimination against racial and ethnic minorities and people with disabilities in the housing market. The studies span decades and reveal how much progress has been made and how much work is left to do.
Homelessness and Stable Housing
Metro researchers evaluate the design, operation, and effectiveness of federal, state, and local programs to prevent homelessness in vulnerable populations.
Housing Assistance Matters Initiative
Decent and affordable housing has far-reaching consequences for people's health, quality of life, and access to opportunities. But these consequences are not always well understood. To inform public debate and strengthen policy outcomes, Housing Assistance Matters uses a multimedia approach to highlight research and analysis about the need for and benefits of well-managed public and assisted housing.
Housing Opportunities and Services Together (HOST)
Launched by the Urban Institute with the support of the Open Society Foundations (OSF), HOST researchers go into low-income neighborhoods to assess and address parents' barriers to self-sufficiency—poor physical and mental health, addiction, low literacy and educational attainment, and historically weak connections to the labor force—while integrating services for children and youth.
A pilot program from The World Bank Group and the Urban Institute to build performance measurement and evaluation capacity among local nonprofits in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.
National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership
The National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP) is a collaboration between the Urban Institute and local partners in 35 cities to further the development and use of neighborhood information systems for community building and local decisionmaking. Creation of this project, which did not exist in any US city two decades ago, has democratized information, allowing for direct, practical use of data by city and community leaders.
NeighborhoodInfo DC
A partnership of the Urban Institute and the Washington DC Local Initiatives Support Corporation, NeighborhoodInfo DC is the DC affiliate of NNIP. This project supports community organizations, neighborhood leadership, residents, and governments as they work to improve the quality of life for people throughout Washington, DC.
Neighborhoods and Youth Development
In this initiative, we are testing place-based, two-generation strategies to help vulnerable parents and children.
Open Cities
With support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Urban Institute explored trends and differences in economic exclusion in cities across high-income countries, as well as strategies that cities have put in place to combat it.
Performance Measurement and Management
Metro researchers are helping governments and nonprofit organizations track and improve their effectiveness and efficiency.
Program on Innovation in Infrastructure
A multidimensional research initiative spanning America's various infrastructure systems, the Program on Innovation in Infrastructure sheds light on significant policy challenges facing all levels of government. Researchers bridge conventional specialties to understand four cross-center issues: privatization, performance measurement, economic efficiency, and intergenerational communities.
Transforming Neighborhoods with Government Partners
The Great Recession and the corresponding collapse of the housing market have had far-reaching effects on communities across the country. With nonprofits and local governments both trying to do more with less, Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) commissioned a study to crystallize the tools its affiliates need to nurture successful collaborations. Synthesizing information gleaned from a literature review, an extensive web survey of Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI) affiliates, and case studies of three communities, we suggest concrete strategies to plan, build, and sustain relationships with local government partners.
What Works Collaborative
The What Works Collaborative is a foundation-supported partnership that conducts timely research and analysis to help inform the implementation of an evidence-based housing and urban policy agenda.
Past Projects
The HOPE VI program, which began in 1993, targeted some of the most beleaguered housing in this country—dilapidated public housing developments that failed to deliver on the promise of decent housing for the poor. Researchers followed HOPE VI residents at five sites to evaluate where they moved and how the program has affected their overall well-being.


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In honor of the polling season and FF V which I'm almost finished playing...
I vote for either Vagrant Story, Secret of Mana or Xenogears.
* These games were re-released in Japan but not in the U.S. I also only had 10 spaces for the poll so feel free to make your own suggestions.
As I reported last week, somebody jacked up the side fender of my car. After a week of haggling over who was going to pay for what with my insurance and making an unexpected trip to the DMV, I finally got my car in for repairs. Which means I'm forced to drive a rental car for the next few days. Enterprise's car of choice?
That's right, people. I'm driving an egg. An egg with wheels and an engine. An egg that is ready to roll right off the highway with the slightest of breezes. It's even white like an egg. I can't tell you how embarrassing it is to be driving this thing. I fear parking it in the sun lest it cook in the heat. I fear getting hit lest it crack its thin shell. I wash my hands every time I exit the vehicle in fear of salmonella poisoning...and so forth.
That's not to say it's the worst car ever. Nissans are pretty peppy and it gets good gas millage. However, I puffed up with indignity when IGN Guides' point man Mark-Ryan smugly informed me the Versa ranked higher than the Yaris in Car & Driver. I refused to believe this, so I checked out their website. It turns out it's true, but their ranking makes no sense.
Here's what they have to say about the Versa:
The Versa's wheel "...was fat and soft...it was the lone contestant here to offer six gears...it feels like a real car." Negatives include comments like "someone needs to fiddle with the throttle calibration so the engine doesn't hang onto revs so long," and "the door panels so intruded on the sides of the seats that the recline levers had to be inconveniently placed under the center armrest."
Meanwhile the Yaris "...is refined and offers an accurate shifter, a rarity in this class...it won 2000 Car of the Year honors in Europe and Japan...the Yaris's 0-to-60 time was still a half-second quicker than [other compact cars they tested]." Their negatives included their dislike of the center-mounted gauge (which I adore, and btw my coworkers practically worship my car's awesome cupholders), and the fact the car feels cramped in the back (which it doesn't).
Seriously. HOW did the Versa outrank the Yaris? I can't understand this. The Versa feels like a real car? No, it doesn't! Plus--and more importantly--it looks like an egg.*
Yaris FTW!
*Edit: &%^&$^* this car! It just electrocuted me in the parking lot so badly the keys FLEW out of my hand! And if I lightly tap the breaks it tries to send me through the windshield (I have three witnesses to back me up on this).
One of Final Fantasy's coolest Summons returns. Sweeeeet.
Sound familiar...?
***BTW, I vote Keanu Reeves or Matthew Mcconaughey to do that guy's English voice.
It's 12:30 AM Pacific Standard Time and I just finished Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. I have to say I love the bittersweet ending, even though the "is Ferah a trader or not" issue wasn't exactly resolved (that whole illusion/bath scene was weird). That was also one of the easiest Final Boss fights I've ever encountered. Basically I just blocked every move the guy made and then cut him down. At any rate, a very sad but sweet ending...at least until I play the next game in the series!
So...why did you run off with my dagger again?
Speaking of time, it seems that my heroes in Final Fantasy V are late for everything. They have one task and that's to protect the world's sacred crystals. So far they've failed at that. Miserably. Oh well. At least I get some cool jobs everytime a crystal breaks. More on FFV later.

subset: commoncrawl


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We need a simple web format as Wordpress Theme
This project was successfully completed by seopro212 for $95 USD in 2 days.Get free quotes for a project like this
Project Budget$30 - $250 USD
Completed In2 days
Total Bids31
Project Description
We need this format of website to be used in Wordpress:
[url removed, login to view]
We need that you convert these html to Wordpress theme format.
[url removed, login to view] (Main html, with sections featured)
[url removed, login to view] (Slideshow in main page, These featured images & title will be from "Destacados" section)
[url removed, login to view] (Menu & internal content, I want build a menu dinamically & their content pages)
[url removed, login to view] (static images from main page, I will set images & link)
[url removed, login to view] (Internal page example)
Its a pretty simple work for Wordpress coders, I want the same design that you can see at my example.
If you understood, please say "Hi eduardb" in your bid.
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- Set your budget and the timeframe
- Outline your proposal
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- Forbes
- The New York Times
- Time
- Wall Street Journal
- Times Online


text:
Slice 3 prestashop PSD files into working prestashop templates and do some minor changes
This project received 17 bids from talented freelancers with an average bid price of €246 EUR.Get free quotes for a project like this
Project BudgetN/A
Total Bids17
Project Description
I have 3 templates :
- Original template
- Easter template
- Xmas template
Now, i need someone who can make little changes in the design, and slice them into working templates for our comming prestashop webshop.
So you need to have skills in Prestashop templates, CSS, javascript, and photshop.
You should give me as a reference some links or screenshots to prestashop templates you have made before.
I have added 3 jpg screenshots from the normal design, but I have this one in PSD and also for the easter and Xmax i have this in PSD.
See the word document for the changes i want.
Skills Required
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Barack Obama's visit to Cuba will probably go down in history as a seminal moment, such as Richard Nixon's visit to China in 1972. I was in Taipei then, taking a year abroad from my Chinese course at Oxford, and I was struck how terrified my host family was. They feared that the United States would then give the green light to Beijing to take over the island, but of course that never happened. But Nixon's visit did open the door for China to re-enter the global community where, 44 years later, it is firmly in second place in world rankings. The potential rewards for Cuba following President Obama's visit are unlikely to be so spectacular, but it should put an end to the shameful history of economic sanctions against Cuba by America, which Washington tried to force other countries to abide by too. There will also presumably be an influx of American tourists to the island, which will bring in much needed dollars but may not otherwise be totally beneficial. For all its shortcomings and illiberalism, the Cuban form of socialism did help create a society that had several very positive elements, including good education, plentiful qualified doctors and a remarkably low crime rate. It would be a shame if the genuine solidarity among Cuban people were to be pushed aside in a headlong rush for modernisation and Americanisation. I went to Cuba seven times in the 1990s, culminating in my making a BBC radio documentary pegged to the 40th anniversary of the Revolution. It is a beautiful country that ought to have been quite prosperous had the Castros not stifled free enterprise. Of course, the American embargo made things worse and enabled the government in Havana to promote a siege mentality. Those days are now over and I can only hope that it won't just be a well-connected few who will benefit from the inevitable changes, as happened in Russia and other parts of the CIS.
Posts Tagged 'China'
Obama in Cuba
Posted by jonathanfryer on Monday, 21st March, 2016
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Barack Obama, China, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon | Leave a Comment »
International Human Rights Day
Posted by jonathanfryer on Thursday, 10th December, 2015
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly 67 years ago today, but the fight for rights is as necessary as ever, not just in totalitarian states and conflict zones round the world but even in so-called mature democracies. Each International Human Rights Day (IHRD), 10 December, is a useful moment to take stock of the situation worldwide and the picture in 2015 is particularly depressing. Islamophobia and anti-Semitism are on the rise as part of the collateral damage to the war against ISIS/Daesh and other Middle Eastern and North African conflicts; countries including China, Saudi Arabia, the United States and Iran continue to implement the death penalty, in many cases for "crimes" that would not even be considered as such in much of the world.
The theme of this year's IHRD is "Our Rights. Our Freedoms. Always", which at many levels is so broad as to be almost meaningless in campaigning terms, but the idea was to commemorate the 50th anniversary next year (sic) of the adoption of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Despite being equally broad-brush, these covenants are considered important frameworks for putting pressure on governments that are denying their people a decent livelihood or suppressing their freedoms.
Of course, despite the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, not every country or society agrees on their definition. Uganda, where I am at present, continues to harass LGBTi activists, for example, with the tacit support of much of the local population. Apostasy is still a capital crime in Saudi Arabia, while freedom or religion (and the freedom to choose) is a core value of democratic societies. Double standards are moreover evident in so many fields and it is not always the Western democracies that are innocent. They were right to express outrage at Russia occupation/annexation of Crimea, for example, yet most (with a few honorable exceptions such as Sweden) have remained relatively mute about Israel's 48-year occupation of Palestine; Russia is the subject of sanctions, Israel hardly at all.
However, that does not mean we should give up in despair. NGOs in particular have an important role to play in furthering economic, social and cultural rights, as well as civil and political ones — not least in holding governments to account. But governments, such as Britain's, also should not shirk their duty to stand up for what they say support, and the same goes for the European Union. So even if IHRD may seem vacuous at times it is important to remind us of all that needs to be done to promote human rights, both individually and collectively.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: anti-Semitism, capital punishment, China, human rights, IHRD, Iran, islamophobia, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, USA | Leave a Comment »
BBC Arabic Festival 2015
Posted by jonathanfryer on Tuesday, 20th October, 2015
Arab cinema is remarkably little known in the United Kingdom, disgracefully given Britain's long involvement in the Arab world and — even more importantly — given the high quality of much of the current output, both fiction and non-fiction, across North Africa and the Middle East. Arab film has come on a long way since the black-and-white Egyptian comedies that still feature on so many Arab TV channels. The so-called Arab Spring (a misnomer, if ever there was one) unsurprisingly has been the catalyst for a number of really powerful new movies both from and about various Arab lands. Last autumn, the BBC ran an Arabic film festival over a weekend, with free showings at the Radio Theatre in New Broadcasting House. The most striking, for me was some of the work out of Syria, made in the most difficult of conditions. This year, there is another BBC Arabic Festival to be held over the last weekend in October (i.e., next week), which alas I shall miss as I will be at the Liberal International Congress in Mexico City.
However, last night I got a sneak preview of two of the highlighted films of the festival, of which 15-minute edits were shown at a launch event at the House of Commons. Abo Gabi's Blue is a heart-rending documentary about Ayham, the young piano player who performed around the streets of the besieged Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk in Syria, bringing hope and sometimes joy in the middle of suffering and the barbarism of war. Abo Gabi is himself a Syrian-Palestinian musician and singer and much of his film was captured through an intermittent skype connection, making this an intense and dramatic experience. Of an entirely different nature is Pregnant and in Chains, a documentary directed by Christine Garabedian about the fate of female migrant workers in the UAE who get illegally pregnant, in other words outside marriage. Immigration officials at Dubai's international airport are always on the lookout for any Filipinas, Bangladeshis and other female domestic workers showing signs of pregnancy and also trying to leave the country; if caught, they are liable to imprisonment, even when their pregnancy is the result of rape, sometimes at the hands of their Emirati employer. Behind the UAE's benevolent and modern facade is the reality of a very conservative society, in which there is a very different concept of human rights from those prevalent in the West. In their different ways, these two films give much food for thought. The Festival as a whole promises to be a feast.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Abo Gabi, Arab Spring, BBC Arabic Festival, China, Christine Garabedian, UAE, Yarmouk | Leave a Comment »
Astana, Out of the Blue
Posted by jonathanfryer on Saturday, 25th April, 2015
When I first came to Kazakhstan in the spring of 1994, the newly independent country was in a pretty sorry state. Travelling from Nanjing in China, by train, I'd had to shift from a comfortable Chinese train, with bizarre but usually palatable food to a Russian (i.e. ex-Soviet) alternative, on the opposite side of the platform at the border. The delay involved took hours, and I had been warned by the Chinese that the Kazakh "customs" were extortionate, thieves — so I hid everything if any value deep in my luggage and instead left a BBC-branded pen lying on the table. The ruse worked. The Kazakh officials entered my single compartment and with glee seized on the BBC pen, grinning broadly, their mouths all white and gold, and they then made sure I got another single cabin on the post-Soviet replacement train (which had a wider gauge), to the fury of a down-graded British couple nearby who had not been quite so savvy. Of course, speaking fluent Chinese (then) and rusty Russian (learnt at school) helped. As the train then shuddered across Kazakhstan westwards to Uzbekistan (with a long layover in Almaty, for refuelling) I got the opportunity to experience not only warm, generous Kazakh hospitality but also the reality of their economic desperation. Babushkas, both ethnic Russian and Kazakh, lined the railway track, insistingly trying to sell sweet Soviet "champagne" at $1 a bottle or anything else they had to hand. It was exhilarating, but also tragic. I have been back since, but returning now, 21 years later, to Kazakhstan, the difference is stunning. It's not just that the per capita GDP has shy-rocketed over the intervening period; Kazakhstan with its oil and gas and mineral riches not unrealistically is aiming to become one if the workd's top 30 developed nation by 2050 — an extraordinary ambition for a nation of just 17 million people, yet living in a territory bigger than Western Europe. This is a member of the nest generation of BRICS — which is why so many Western countries are investing heavily here. Astutely, the Kazakhs have lifted visa requirements for nationals of potential FDI countries such as the UK. The capital, Astana, developed out of almost nothing since 1997, is thrusting with globally significant buildings by Norman Foster and others. I shan't say this is paradise, which no country is, least of all in Cental Asia, cann be, but goodness me, it is a place to watch!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Almaty, Astana, BRICs, Central Asia, China, Kazakhstan, Norman Foster, Uzbekistan | Leave a Comment »
The Sindbad Voyage
Posted by jonathanfryer on Thursday, 1st January, 2015
As someone who travels a huge amount, researching, lecturing and writing, I never lose the thrill of encountering new places and new peoples. But I've always been a bit mystified by travellers for whom the journey and the mode of transport themselves provide the adrenalin: round-the-world yachtsmen, balloonists and so on. But occasionally one such traveller manages to convey the essence of their passion in a book, as is the case with Tim Severin's The Sindbad Voyage (1982). Severin had form, having travelled by motorcycle with Boris Johnson's father Stanley from Oxford to Afghanistan while they were undergraduates, then later in a tiny boat made of animal hide across the Atlantic to prove that many centuries before Christopher Columbus early Europeans could gave done it. The Sindbad Voyage project was the most ambitious of all: to build a traditional Arab boom of the type Arab traders used in the ninth century and then sail it all the way to China, as Arabs did when Haroun Al Rashid was the Caliph in Baghdad and the T'ang dynasty ruled the Middle Kingdom. Severin was fortunate to get sponsorship from the Sultan of Oman, and it was in Oman that the craft was built. Omani sailors made up most of the crew, along with a motley collection of European volunteers and scientists. Though the number of places at which the ship made landfall was limited — notably India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore and China — the atmosphere of various ports is well captured. But essentially the book is a love song for the ship itself, the Sohar, with all its weaknesses as well as its strengths. And once again, Tim Severin had proved that something was possible.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Boris Johnson, China, Oman, Stanley Johnson, The Sindbad Voyage, Tim Severin | Leave a Comment »
Britain's Soft Power
Posted by jonathanfryer on Tuesday, 11th February, 2014
Victorian Britain was associated with gunboat diplomacy and there are still some people in this country who think of power in terms of military might. But since the Second World War, Britain's "soft power" has been more in evidence, not least through the work of the British Council and the BBC World Service. The Council's Director, Sir Martin Davidson, was the guest speaker at a Global Strategy Forum event at the National Liberal Club this lunchtime and underlined how the teaching of English abroad and the fact that so many foreign students come to the UK to study both help this country's economy as well as its global presence. Without overtly criticising the Government for not increasing the Council's presence around the globe (in stark contrast to China's Confucius Institutes, for example) Sir Martin did nonetheless point out that the negative coverage in the Indian Press of the immigration and visa debates in the UK had directly led to a fall in the number of students from India applying to study here. I asked him what the British Council is doing or could be doing to counter the pernicious influence of the Daily Mail, Daily Express and UKIP on our reputation not just in India but globally, without getting an entirely satisfactory answer; but of course to be seen publicly to criticise influential British media might be difficult in Sir Martin's position. Politicians and journalists need not operate under such constraints, however, which is why I spend so much of my time offering an alternative British narrative to that served up in the right-wing red-tops or the Faragistas' pubs. The UK does still have a degreee of soft power, though it is redcued because of reductions to the budgets of the British Council and the ludicrous decision to integrate the World Service into the main BBC new and current affairs output. That soft power is increased by our membership of the European Union and is often a force for good in the wider world, which is why those of us who believe that need to stand up and say so.
Links: http://www.britishcouncil.org and http://www.globalstrategyforum.org
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: BBC World Service, China, Consfucius Institute, Global Strategy Forum, India, National Liberal Club, Sir Martin Davidson, The British Council, UKIP | Leave a Comment »
Big Brother IS Watching You!
Posted by jonathanfryer on Monday, 27th January, 2014
It's incredibly easy and cheap to spy on people these days — wherever they are. That was the (depressing) core message of the presentation by Gus Hosein, Executive Director of Privacy International at an Association of Europe Journalists (AEJ) UK briefing at Europe House in Westminster this lunchtime. Technology means that just as George Orwell foresaw, Big Brother can and probably does watch all of us all of the time — only Big Brother could be of a variety of nationalities (or none, in the case of multinational corporations), not just those who, elected or not, in principle have a mandate to rule over us. What is more, a very significant proportion of the equipment used in this new surveillance world is manufactured by companies based in the UK. Gus Hosein identified three main areas of concern: (1) "Upstream collection": for example the way that Google and others have agreed to allow access to electronic traffic by the NSA (US), GCHQ (UK) et al. By tapping into fibre optic cables underseas, they can literally monitor everything we send electronically, and GCHQ-monitored material captured off the coasts of the UK and Cyprus (sic) play an important role in this. (2) "Tailored Access Operations": effectively, black ops done from a computer terminal which can compromise networks and computers anywhere in the world, through hacking and related techniques. They can, for example, turn on or off the microphone in your mobile phone without you realising. (3) "Sabotage": the heavy stuff, which introduces "vulnerabilities" into supposedly secure systems. So can anyone have confidence in the security of any transaction by digital means? Alas, no. So who are the "baddies" in our surveillance world? Line up the usual suspects: Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Israel — but also the US and the UK. Moreover, British companies have been selling the relevant surveillance technology to regimes such as Egypt and Bahrain (as I know, having been refused entry to Bahrain last time I landed there). So should we be worried? You bet. Particularly now we are in the age of what is known in the trade as "Big Data", whereby what might appear seemingly innocuous information about us all is stored to make predictions about us (our likely purchases, as well as our beliefs or potential actions) that even we did not realise ourselves. And did you think it was smart to have a high-tech fridge or washing machine? Think again: it could literally be monitoring you and your movements. I asked Gis Hosein about drones, about which I have been quizzed at length on Iranian TV. Do we really need to fear the sophistication of new technology there as well? By now you won't be surprised by the answer. "Drones can be flying hacking machines," he replied, "which is what the police and security services would be interested in, more than mere surveillance."
Links: https://www.privacyinternational.org and http://www.aej-uk.org
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: AEJ, Big Brother, big data, China, Cyprus, Europe House, GCHQ, George Orwell, Gus Hosein, Iran, Israel, North Korea, NSA, Privacy International, Russia, sabotage, surveillance society, tailored access operations, UK, upstream collection, USA | 1 Comment »
Ed Davey, the EU and Climate Change
Posted by jonathanfryer on Sunday, 16th June, 2013
The European Union has been leading the way in the global fight against climate change, not least thanks to the efforts of Liberal Democrat Ministers in the UK's Coalition government, Chris Huhne and now Ed Davey. The latter was guest speaker at Merton Liberal Democrats' summer garden party in Wimbledon this afternoon and restated his determination that the Paris summit in 2015 must seal a meaningful new treaty, to build on achievements so far. There are some member states that are dragging their feet — notably Poland, which still relies heavily on coal for its energy needs. But the UK is part of a group of 10 EU member states — dubbed the Green Growth Group — which are on the side of the angels in the related debate. Moreover, Ed has been buoyed by the appointment of John Kerry as Barack Obama's Secretary of State in his second term, as Kerry was ahead of Al Gore in recognising the problems of global warming. Even China is sending out some reassuring signals. The problems of air and water pollution in China are immense, as a result of the country's rapid industrialisation and relatively lax environmental supervisory standards. But public opinion in China has become increasingly vociferous about the health consequences for children — all the more acute give China's ongoing (though modified) one child policy. Accordingly, the Chinese Communist Party has started to take note of ecological protests, instead of just suppressing them, as it realises that its survival in government may be at stake. Back home in the UK, it is the Liberal Democrats who have been keeping the Coalition government on track on climate change issues, despite the scepticism of certain Tory right-wingers. In next year's European elections (which in London will coincide with all-out borough council elections) the LibDems must champion this success. Furthermore, Ed argued, we should not hold back in attacking UKIP, which is not only the home of many climate change deniers but also tries through its lies and distortions to undermine European cooperation with all its beneficial aspects for our common future.
http://www.edwarddavey.co.uk and http://www.mertonlibdems.org.uk
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Al Gore, Barack Obama, China, Chris Huhne, climate change, Ed Davey, global warming, Green Growth Group, John Kerry, Liberal Democrats, Merton Liberal Democrats, Poland, UKIP, Wimbledon | 1 Comment »
Friendly Steppes
Posted by jonathanfryer on Sunday, 2nd June, 2013
The Silk Road, linking the empires of Rome and China, conjours up an atmosphere of mystery and exoticism by its very name. Actually, there were many branches of the Silk Road — just as there were many branches of the Great Wall of China — through a range of more northerly or southerly routes, binding West to East over the centuries. In 2006, the young Oxford graduate Nick Rowan (now working in the oil industry in London) spent four-and-a-half months travelling from Venice to Xian, in the hope of recapturing some of the spirit of intrepid traders of various nationalities, who would have spent considerably longer on their journeys, even if few covered more than one or two sections of the road. Inspired by the sights and sounds of Central Asia in particular, Rowan has written a travelogue recording his journey, during which he used many types of transport from buses to taxis to a clapped-out old ferry across the Caspian Sea, and even a few side excursions on horseback. Initially moving solo, he inevitably linked up with various people en route, both Western companions and, more significantly, interested locals. On the final leg of the journey, across China, he was joined by his younger brother. The resultant book is a mixture of travel diary and historical asides, as well as insights into aspects of economic and social development gained by contacts he had through an overseas aid charity. His narrative starts a little hesitantly — it is hard to say anything very new or remarkable about as well-chronicled a place as Venice — but he really gets into his stride when he reaches Iran and he encounters not only the architectural splendours of cities such is Isfahan, but also the engaging hospitality of the Iranian people, so different from what one might imagine if one just listens to Western propaganda. Turkmenistan wins the prize as the oddest country on his epic journey, but one senses that it is really Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan that win his affection. After them, China is something of an anti-climax. Reading Rowan's book, one certainly feel one is accompanying him on the journey and can share his varying moods of excitement, frustration and boredom. He rather overuses certain adjectives (notably "stunning"), and a little tighter editing would have improved the text. But this is the account of a voyage that clearly was a type of rite of passage for the author and it is both enjoyable and informative for those who may never get closer to Kashgar or Samarkand than the comfort of their armchair.
Nick Rowan: Friendly Steppes: A Silk Road Journey, Hertfordshire Press, £14.95
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: China, Friendly Steppes, Iran, Isfahan, Kashgar, Kyrgyzstan, Nick Rowan, Samarkand, The Silk Road, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venice, Xian | Leave a Comment »
Turkey and the Arab Awakening
Posted by jonathanfryer on Friday, 11th January, 2013
Ever since the revolutionary train swept across North Africa and the Middle East (MENA) pundits have been asking whether Turkey could offer a model for post-Revolution Arab states to follow, so maybe it was not so surprising that the Turkish Review (for which I occasionally write) should highlight the issue at its UK launch at the House of Lords earlier today. Three very diverse speakers were on the panel (chaired by the LibDem peer and former President of Liberal International, John Alderdice): the journalist Kerim Balci, the young Oxford academic and political writer Miriam Francois-Cerrah and Gulnur Aybet, who teaches at the University of Kent, as well as in Turkey and the United States. Each put a totally different slant on the subject, Kerim Balci claiming (with some justification) that the so-called Arab Spring actually started earlier than in Tunisia in December 2010, in Kyrgyzstan, and that it is mirrored in various parts of Central Asia, China and India. What we are dealing with has a universal dimension, he argued. Miriam Francois-Cerrah declared that the majority of Arabs do see Turkey as a role-model, largely because it is a secular state that has nonetheless accommodated a variety of parties, including the AKP, with its Islamic origins. Gulnur Aybet emphasized that Turkey is seen by the West as a strategic partner in dealing with the MENA region, which maybe leads to a certain degreee of wishful thinking as to how much of a model it can be. More a source of inspiration, stated Miriam Francois-Cerrah, echoing a line I have often taken. But in the meantime Turkey has itself all sorts of internal contradictions to overcome; Gulnur Aybet deplored the growing polarisation she has noticed. Certainly Turkey has an enviable economic growth rate and has many things going for it, but it is by no means a perfect state that others might necessarily try to emulate.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: AKP, Arab Awakening, Arab Spring, China, Gulnur Aybet, India, John Alderdice, Kerim Balci, Kyrgyzstan, MENA, Miriam Francois-Cerrah, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkish Review | Leave a Comment »


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Replace Google maps component
This project received 6 bids from talented freelancers with an average bid price of $900 USD.Get free quotes for a project like this
Project Budget$900 USD
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Project Description
Google is no longer support Flex maps API and not issuing new apikeys, so I'm looking for experienced Flex / ActionScript developer who will replace map component (Google Flash Api to OpenScales mapping framework) in existing flex app [url removed, login to view]
App is made with Adobe Flash Builder 4.6 and Flex SDK 4.6.0. Everything should work as it worked before map component change, including:
- Layers (Maps, overlays, jams).
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- Tracks (With popup markers).
- Info-Windows (With dynamic number of elements).
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Basically, you need to
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A showcase of original handmade woodblock prints and drawings inspired by the beautiful wild spaces that surround us all! Each piece is carved and printed by hand using traditional Japanese carving tools and a disc baren on lovely Japanese paper.
Thank you for visiting the shop!
Alfred Stark
A showcase of original handmade woodblock prints and drawings inspired by the beautiful wild spaces that surround us all! Each piece is carved and printed by hand using traditional Japanese carving tools and a disc baren on lovely Japanese paper.
Thank you for visiting the shop!
Alfred Stark
Couldn't be happier with this print! Looks amazing on my living room wall
Such a beautiful and detailed print!
Such a beautiful print! Alfred is a lovely artist and great seller.
Angela Piszker on Sep 13, 2015
This print is so beautiful, I am so in love with Al's prints.
Michelle Elliott on Dec 28, 2014
Such a beautiful piece - my husband loves it!
Hand Carved Woodblock Prints
I first started making woodblock prints eight years ago, needing a way to decorate the handmade kites I was also learning to make. I liked the directness of printmaking and the fact that I didn't need a huge art studio to do it. Right away though I was struggling to find a direction in which to go.
About six years ago I discovered, through Etsy, a handful of other woodblock print artists who inspired me to reacquaint myself with a subject I'd let fall by the wayside of my childhood...birds and natural landscapes.
These days I spend as much time as I can exploring the wild spaces, big and small, near and far from my home in northern Illinois which I share with my wife and three cats. While not as scientific as I should or could be, I try to capture the more emotional side of what I find in nature, focusing on imagery and hoping to carve out the beauty of it which always surprises me.
All my woodblock prints are made using a technique based on the Japanese Moku Hanga style. First a drawing is brushed in sumi ink on thin tengucho paper. After drying, the drawing is carefully glued to a block of solid wood, usually cherry. Once the glue has dried, I carve out the drawing through the paper and into the wood. After the drawing has been carved out, the block is wet down and the remaining paper is rubbed off. Once the block is completely clean and dry, it is inked with either water based or oil based ink. The inked block image is then transferred to paper by laying paper over the block and rubbing the back with a disc called a baren. The pressure of the baren is manipulated to either print evenly or to produce textured effects in the final print.
So here I am now and here is my shop. I hope you enjoy it and I hope you take the time to look at the work of the other etsy artists who so inspire me... If it wasn't for their work, there wouldn't be my work so I hope you check them out.
Currently you can find my work at the Longbranch Gallery, 203 Commerce Street, Mineral Point, Wisconsin 5355 as well as here on Etsy. You can reach the gallery at (608)987-4499 or find them online at www.longbranchgallery.com.
Thanks again for checking out the shop,
Shop members
Alfred Stark
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John Childs, Kelly Cohen, Mark Dixon and Paul L. Kelley
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Publish Date: 01 March 2004


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Singapore Sling
Total Time
Prep 5 mins
Cook 0 mins
Probably no mixed drink recipe has been as mistreated by bartenders as this one. This is a delicious adaptation of the original Singapore Sling recipe from Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Use the highest quality liquor available.
Ingredients Nutrition
- 6 tablespoons pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons gin
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon cherry heering
- 1 tablespoon grenadine
- 1⁄2 tablespoon benedictine
- 2 dashes triple sec or 2 dashes Grand Marnier
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- Fill a shaker with ice.
- Add ingredients to shaker and shake for about 1 minute. Strain over ice into a tall glass.
Most Helpful
One lady wrote hers didn't turn out as red as in the picture, but I was lucky enough to have one of these at the Raffles Hotel Long Bar a few months ago and took a picture of it and after making this recipe, the lighter color I made at home matched up with the color of the real thing in my photo. So not sure how the one on this website turned so red. Also, the conversion rate for the gin is wrong according to both here and on the Raffles Menu. It should be 1 oz. of gin, not 1-1/2 oz. But either way, good stuff! I'm not much of a drinker and only had one of the real deals because the rest of the group was and decided when in Rome... (Or Singapore!) and boy, did I love it! I couldn't taste the alcohol so to me it's pretty good. Not sure what brand gin they use in the original and since I'm not much of a drinker I didn't know what to buy so just picked one. Not sure if that makes a difference or not?
anyone else find that much heering cherry liquer ruins the color and turns it brownish?
It was the best Singapore Sling. I used cherry brandy. It drinks like a regular juice. So easy loll I was able to double the recipe in a shaker. I garnished with a cherry. Made for ZWT 3


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Party BenNov. 6, 2007 2:10 AM
Well, Riffers, this will be my last Top Ten for a few weeks as I'm leaving for a European Tour this coming weekend; yes, that's right, Europeans will apparently part with their hard-earned euros (and zloty and koruny!) to watch me play CDs. Zut alors. So for this Top Ten, I figured I'd start the long, tortuous process of winnowing down a year-end "Best Albums" list by taking a look at the Metacritic Top Ten Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year.
Metacritic is a site that tallies up reviews from around the world of cultural criticism with a somewhat fallible mathematical formula, assigning points from 1 to 100 based on the grade given in the review. They've been adding up the points for the year so far, and their list is interesting both for its errors and its accuracy (for instance, hip-hop is noticeably absent from the top ten). Here's their list with my thoughts and where each album might end up on my personal year-end list.
10. Robert Wyatt Comicopera
The 62-year-old former drummer for Soft Machine famously lost the use of his legs in an accident in 1973, and found his voice as a solo artist in the '90s. Comicopera is airy and jazzy, and Wyatt sounds delicate and emotional, almost like the reincarnation of Nick Drake. The album's themes revolve around protest; protest against war, against civilization in general. It's often quite beautiful and affecting, but also a bit scattered.
9. Battles Mirrored
Prog rock is back, and it's got techno in it! The New York combo sound distinctly British here in their ability to combine rock intensity with electronic experimentalism, and the album was appropriately released on Warp Records, home to Aphex Twin. But despite all that, it's immensely listenable, with lead single "Battles" taking on a kind of Gary Glitter-style swagger and ending up in Diplo DJ sets mashed up with M.I.A.
8. Panda Bear Person Pitch
Good vibrations indeed, this reverb-laden tribute to the major-chord psychedelic pop of Brian Wilson has something in common with the Magnetic Fields: it achieves its traditional-sounding warmth via decidedly non-traditional methods. This is basically the solo project of Animal Collective's Noah Lennox, yet the sound is full and rich with harmonies.
7. LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver
A triumphant and grief-stricken album of plain-spoken dance music, Silver so perfectly defines its own place that it's hard to imagine how we lived in its absence. Band leader James Murphy digs in the crates of classic disco, Talking Heads, and New Order, and created an album that holds together as such, despite the standout brilliance of many of its singles. The unlikely centerpiece, "Someone Great," has entered the pantheon of melancholy electro classics like "Don't You Want Me," with its mechanical blips coalescing into a majestic tribute to a lost friend.
6. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
The indie-punk band has built a reputation as a blistering live act, and this album captures an intensity that's infectious. The Fav were doing angular guitar rock before Bloc Party knew how to walk, and Friends has moments of "this is how it's done" greatness. "What Would Wolves Do" is the highlight, a ticking, melancholy track with soaring guitar lines reminiscent of early U2, but they also wander a bit into muddy ballads.
[Read more]
Elizabeth GettelmanNov. 6, 2007 1:32 AM
Time Inc. is at work on Maghound, which is akin to an online newstand where readers will pay a monthly fee$4.95 for three magazines, $7.95 for five or seven for $9.95and can then mix and match magazines of their choosing (the magazines they offer, that is, I don't see Mother Jones pop up on the cover crawl).
Brian Wolfe, president of Time Consumer Marketing, calls Maghound, set to officially launch next year, the answer to Amazon for books, Netflix for movies, and iTunes for music. "The magazine industry," he recently told AdAge (subscription), "has done nothing essentially to make the consumer experience better." The online service, though, only goes so far. No digital, paperless versions. But one user improvement that will surely attract subscribers, those renewal notices won't pile up. But no promises on what bait-to-switch will fill your Inbox.
Party BenNov. 5, 2007 11:39 PM
I returned from a quick trip to Nebraska today via DIA, and during my layover, logged onto their free wireless service. When I tried to check a few web sites, I got the following messages:
Boing Boing
"Your request to URL http://boingboing.net/ has been blocked by the URL Filter Database. The URL is listed under categories (Incidental Nudity, Blogs / Wiki), which are not allowed by your administrator at this time. The following reputation level was assigned to it: Neutral.
"Your request to URL "http://www.towleroad.com/" has been blocked by the URL Filter Database. The URL is listed under categories (Provocative Attire, Politics / Opinion), which are not allowed by your administrator at this time. The following reputation level was assigned to it: Neutral."
The Drudge Report, however, came up just fine. Just letting you know.
Party BenNov. 5, 2007 10:51 PM
Lawyers for Prince have ordered several of the superstar's biggest fan sites to remove any image that bears his likeness prompting fans to form a group to fight the demands. Three websites: housequake.com, princefams.com and prince.org have come together to form 'Prince Fans United' in response to the situation, which even sees demands to remove images of fans own tattoos. - NME
Bruce Springsteen has instructed his legal team to track down all web sites which feature his ass and have them eliminated, the Riff has learned. The New Jersey star's rear, clad in worn denim, bulged proudly on the cover of the 1984 album Born in the U.S.A., and lawyers believe any internet representation of the cheeks' signature curves could constitute an income loss, as fans ogle the booty for free instead of purchasing the album. The Boss has enlisted a squadron of buttock investigators to identify his own personal posterior amongst what experts say must be "as many as 30" other backsides pictured on the internet. No bloggers were available for a rebuttal.
Chicago rappers Cool Kids have demanded all pictures of cool kids be removed from all websites, despite the fact that the members of the band themselves are not kids, and only cool in a kind of ironic sense. "We saw some pictures of like a couple actual cool kids on the news, and we had the feeling maybe the news guys were making fun of us, since that's the name of our band," said Cool Kid Mikey Rocks, wearing a fluorescent pink baseball cap. When asked if they were trying to be funny or ironic or artsy with their request, he replied, "I don't even know any more," while making air quotes with his fingers.
In a related story, obscure 80s combo The The have demanded all instances of the article which they doubled to form the name of their band be excised from the internet, starting at the end of the sentence you are reading on the Riff right now. "There's tons of other determiners around for people to use that don't interfere with our clients' ability to control their own image," said a spokesperson, "like 'a,' or even 'an,' and in many circumstances, 'da.'" Da spokesperson then ran out of da room, so nobody could take his picture.
Party BenNov. 5, 2007 12:21 PM
We've covered protests over hip-hop lyrics from a couple perspectives here on the Riff (now that's fair and balanced!) and the controversy continues: today the New York Times is reporting protestors are targeting media companies like Viacom (owner of MTV and BET) for "degrading" music videos. The protesters have been targeting the homes of company executives, but their goals seem a little vague:
Among other things the protesters want media companies like Viacom to develop "universal creative standards" for video and music, including prohibitions on some language and images. Video vixens and foul-mouthed pimps and thugs are now so widespread, the protesters maintain, that they infect perceptions of ordinary nonwhite people.
"A lot of rap isn't rap anymore, it's just people selling their souls," Marc Newman, a 28-year-old car salesman from New Rochelle, N.Y., said on Saturday. He was among about 20 men, women and children from area Baptist churches marching outside the Upper East Side residence of Philippe Dauman, the president and chief executive of Viacom Inc.
While 20 people isn't that impressive, and Enough is Enough shares their name with another group focused on protecting our children from "hard-core sexually-explicit materials that is harmful to our youth" (uh, sic?), the Times reminds us that both the N.A.A.C.P. and the National Congress of Black Women are on the side of "more corporate responsibility" when it comes to music videos. The sentiments have perhaps been explained more clearly by the blog BrilliantBrown.com, in reaction to the BET show "Hot Ghetto Mess": "At this point, I'm beginning to wonder if BET has been secretly purchased by the KKK or something." Jeez, the KKK or the Taliban, do I have to pick a side?
Party BenNov. 2, 2007 4:47 PM
With my rep around here as a glowstick-waving techno-bunny, I try to restrict my postings about dance music (really!), so the Riff doesn't turn into, you know, XLR8R's Dubstep Blog. But every once in a while an electronic full-length comes along that sticks in my head and seems like a candidate for mass crossover success, and right now that CD is the fantastic debut from Calvin Harris.
Another Scottish wunderkind, his clearest antecedent in the realm of solo Scot electro producers is, of course, the brilliant Mylo, and their styles do have some similarities, especially a kind of cheeky take on a certain decade between the '70s and the '90s. But while Mylo often seems to veer off into hypnotic, dreamy chill-out sounds (and doesn't sing), Harris is all about getting down and dirty on the dance floor, and strutting his stuff with winking, goofy vocals. Check out "Vegas," in which he insists, in a kind of Zen koan of partying, "I've got my car, and my ride, and my wheels
I've got my drugs, and my stuff, and my pills":
Just when it seems like the funky bassline is all we get, an unexpected chord pattern swoops in over the top, giving the track a strange edge of uncertainty.
Party BenNov. 2, 2007 1:11 PM
Party BenNov. 1, 2007 1:22 PM
A while back I posted a link to preview a lovely-looking documentary on Icelandic combo Sigur Rós. The stunning, hi-def shots of the band's homeland and the unusual locations for the live performances were intriguing, despite the fact that their music has always bugged me. So it was with some interest that I awaited the band's new double album, Hvarf/Heim, which comes out next Tuesday. Would it signal a musical evolution, finally allowing me to join my hipster friends in Sigur Rós adoration?
Nope. To be fair, the album isn't entirely new, and is more like a double EP: part 1, Hvarf, consists of "lost" songs from earlier in their career (like, what did they do with them?), and Heim is an acoustic set of older songs. But listen to "Staralfur," from the second EP, on their MySpace. The two-chord structure is just lazy, and the piano trills are so sappy they belong on a Hallmark Movie of the Week soundtrack. Lead singer Jónsi Birgisson sounds like an elf with a nasal infection, and when the track erupts into a supposedly climactic all-strings coda, you get every sad cliché from when a pop band writes for violins: naive, faux-tearjerky melodies, floating around the base of the chord. It sounds like the music from those "The More You Know" PSAs. Hvarf? Blarf!
Now, the accompanying film, Heima, shows that perhaps the Rós are best heard as an inoffensive soundtrack for affecting visuals. But if I ever have state secrets you want to get out of me, skip the waterboarding and go right for Hvarf/Heim at full volume. I'll tell you anything you want to know.
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Jeepgrand cherokee for sale on US's largest classifieds sites (6 results)
1999 jeepgrand cherokee - $1700 (lapeer)
1999 jeepgrand cherokee 4.7 motor rebuilt 30,000 miles ago runs good dose have a little miss only at an idle though.over all it could use some tlc.I drive this vehical every day.1700obo.i wont drop the price much.call or tex 1-810-931-0188 anytime Location: lapeer it`s NOT ok to contact this post...
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text:
It's all relative, isn't it. We had some below zero temps around New Year's
& after that the teens felt balmy. After a week of above freezing weather,
20s feel really cold. I'm ready for spring.
----- Original Message -----
From: <email@example.com>
To: <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2004 6:37 PM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] habitat etc now cold
> In a message dated 1/31/04 7:27:57 PM, email@example.com writes:
> << snow and teens anyday >>
> And teens would would sound wonderful here.
> Ceres
Support hort.net -- join the hort.net fund drive!


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Web hosting Review site
- Status Closed
- Budget $10 - $30 USD
- Total Bids 3
Project Description
I'M looking for a web hosting review site/template.
Clean and fresh look, not just a copy of other hosting review sites. (it can be a template but must be customized a little)
Site will consist of about 3-4 main pages (Example only: TOP 10, ALL HOSTING SERVICES, ARTICLES, SUBMIT A HOSTING)
Customer must be able to review hosting base on simple 5 star system and a text box
Top 10 review must have a rearrangeable columns
a good start will be something similar to this, but much less busy and more clean looking.
[url removed, login to view]
Sample of clean design (just a sample)
[url removed, login to view]
Please sent a layout mock up if you can.Get free quotes for a project like this
Skills Required
Looking to make some money?
- Set your budget and the timeframe
- Outline your proposal
- Get paid for your work
Hire Freelancers who also bid on this project
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- Forbes
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text:
So... Why is This Art?: 'Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present' | 24 Oct 2012 // 5:15 PM
Marina Abramović is one of the most provocative artists of our times. This documentary shows you why.
She Brings Time in as a Weight: 'Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present' | 12 Jun 2012 // 10:20 PM
The film's framing of time is at once mundane and remarkable, smart and provocative, another performance.
Remarkable Doc 'Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present' on HBO Starting 2 July | 2 Jul 2012 // 2:00 AM
"You know what is interesting?" posits Marina Abramović. "After 40 years of people thinking you're insane and you should be put in mental hospital, you final


text:
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|Page 1 of 11:
|[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]
|109 reviews in total
Do not listen to anything that someone who has given this movie a
positive review has to say: they are lying to you, literally. It is
pretty common knowledge amongst the posters of this movie that there is
a conspiracy to improve this movies image on IMDb.com. If you look at
the rating percentages, there are next to no 8's and 9's, which is a
very good and reasonable score for a movie that is as good as some say
it is. No, the only significant positive rating that is given is a 10,
which makes no sense. Look at the rating history, look at who has
commented on it, and look at their post/rating/comment history. It is
quite amusing indeed.
As for the movie itself, it's supporters have one thing right: it's pretty hard to make a movie on the budget that they must have had to make "13 Seconds" (which I'm guessing is in the neighborhood of $100). First, it is not at all scary. At no point am I scared, "creeped out," on edge, nervous, or even disgusted. It only affects the viewer's emotion in one way; it makes the viewer angry, angry for having spent the money to have seen it, and angry that you wasted an hour and a half of your life on it. The special effects are very distracting (no, we cannot fault the film makers for this, but it certainly does hinder your watching experience). The acting is horrendous (I'd say bad by high school theater standards). The plot is mediocre at best. And the dialogue is painfully terrible (lines like "I found this book."--"is it old?" and many others make you rewind it to see if you heard what you actually heard). I can, in all honesty and with absolutely no exaggeration, say that this is the worst movie that I have ever seen.
I am this strongly critiquing this movie not because I have a grudge against its creators (although I'm not happy about losing 90 minutes and $4). I am critiquing it so that no one else is fooled by what others are posting on this website. This is a terrible movie and is only worth watching if both a)you get it for free (or, even better, are getting paid to see it), and b)you do not value your time at all. No, on second thought, even if those two conditions are met, there are still better things to do. Steer clear, friends. Steer clear.
although i've used IMDb as a resource for years i've never felt the
need to chime in as a reviewer or post on the message boards, in this
case i felt absolutely compelled to, especially after reading the false
glowing reviews posted by others...which is just as fraudulent as this
movie winning any recognition, a DVD distribution deal...any of that. i
felt completely ripped off and i felt like a sucker after trying to
watch this garbage. the mere fact that anyone could give this film 3
stars, much less 10 out of 10 is a complete farce.
i watch pretty much EVERY horror movie that comes out that i can get my hands on (which explains why i rented 13 Seconds i guess) and i have never seen a movie so atrocious and completely unwatchable.
low budget movies are not a problem with me....as long as there is good writing, good acting, good direction. this film is devoid of any of that and there is nothing "creepy" or "scary" about this trash.
the only thing scary to me about this movie is that not all of it landed on the cutting room floor.
i haven't been so angry after trying to watch a movie ever. i'll watch a Hollywood crapfest festival of Hudson Hawk followed by Gili followed by Showgirls back to back before i'll watch 10 minutes of this movie again.
i want my money and the 30 minutes of my life that i wasted BACK!
By far the worst movie I've ever seen. I actually enjoy watching bad movies. I can find ways to enjoys movies most people think are pure ****, but this movie is an all-time low. As I said, it's the worst movie I've ever seen, so far. I always hate it when I see people that say this about a movie, since with all the movies in the world, I find it hard to believe that so and so could be the worst movie ever made, but honestly, I promise you, believe me, for the love of God listen to me, this is the worst movie I have ever seen. This movie makes Plan 9 from Outer Space look like Casablanca. The acting is garbage. I don't know how they pulled it off, but the acting is actually far worse than that of the films and videos from my past art classes. I didn't think you could act this bad if you tried, but they somehow managed to pull it off. The script is incoherent gibberish, just God awful. The direction is crap. How many close ups do you need? I do have to commend the "director/writer" for being able to dupe people into seeing it, since I found it in Blockbuster that means he was able to make some money off the movie. As for that, I am impressed. As for the movie, I had more fun with a scorching case of syphilis.
but after watching it I just have to know... who the hell are these
poor poor mislead souls that are giving this movie such high praise!?
13 Seconds was a god-awful piece of crap. Even the best reviews on this
site mention the bad acting and the (obvious) low budget, but try to
say that those aspects of the film are simply something a "low budget"
or "indie" film maker must deal with and the writer/director/actor
should be commended for dealing with such shortcomings and still
finishing the production. This is patently untrue, and I take such
comments as a highly offensive slap in the face to the REAL
independent, low budget film makers who can not only deliver on a
clever story (which I will admit, 13 Seconds had), but they can also
get something close to a decent performance out of their actors, better
sound and editing... hell, everything involved in making a movie. And I
do mean EVERYTHING.
To put it into terms that most people can relate to, 13 Seconds equates to a very low-budget Halloween season haunted house. The scares are cheap and ineffective and the actors hired to pull off those scares are almost as talented as my cat. At least my cat makes me jump on occasion.
The bad acting only makes the awful dialog even more unbearable. Add on top of that the total lack of effort put into the dubbing and you have the perfect formula for a movie that even Ed Wood would find abhorrent.
Even the argument that "well at least he went out and made a movie" doesn't hold water. One of the main reasons I have not gotten my own production off the ground is because of movies like this. Watching this movie made me remember that I didn't have to settle for whatever actors I could scrape out of a trailer park, a DP who had no experience outside of a Polaroid camera and sound recorded on an answering machine while the freaking actors phone it in. Sorry, but I'll hold out until I can find people that, when placed in a soggy paper bag and told to act, would be able to find their way back into the light.
To sum up: remember kids, just because you CAN make a movie does not mean you SHOULD.
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Well... it was very convenient of IMDb.com to erase my last comment that I posted in regards to this steaming pile of a movie. So... where do I begin? If ANYBODY can find anything that this movie can offer in regards to a positive critique... I'll eat my hat. The movie sucks on so many different levels, that it's hard to explain. I thought I had won when I shut it off after 20 minutes, but then my wife got home and she wanted to watch it... just when I think I am out... they pull me back in!!! I work in the Indie film industry here in Detroit (where writer / director Jeff Thomas filmed this and is from) and he is the laughing stock of the industry around these parts. He made crap and then DUPES people into believing that this crap won some sort of awards... the awards are FAKE!!! There is NO Detroit International Horror Film Festival!!!! Steer clear away from this garbage or you will be sorely sorry!!!! SUCKS!!!!!!!!
Anyone, and I mean anyone, who writes that this movie is any better
than a 1, was watching a different movie when they were told they were
watching this movie. The B.S. about good camera shots/angles for low
money is a good joke. My two year old cousin could shoot better angles
than this movie.
It had a good concept but the ending doesn't make the movie better, it makes it about 48 times worse. The only chance this movie had a chance to be even a 2 was is if it lasted 13 seconds, and that is including the credits. This movie is so terrible, I think it gave me cancer! I would rather repeatedly jab a knife into my arms and legs than to ever, and I do mean ever, sit through this horrible excuse of a movie again. And the independent excuse doesn't work for me. How this won any awards besides crappiest movie ever made is beyond me.
I saw this at the video store and it caught my eye. Ooooh I told
myself, look at these awards, this could be a low budget B-movie worth
watching. Boy was I wrong.
This film was written bad, the actors did a bad job, the story was... well how can I put this...LAME!!
I couldn't believe how boring and how bad the acting and story was all at the same time. Do not waste your time with this movie.
If you are watching this for horror, don't bother. If you just want something bad to laugh at, this may be for you that is if you don't fall asleep.
Directing - F; writing - F; Acting - F; story - D; Over all movie F-
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Oh, horrid film, where did you go wrong? I hope I have enough fingers
to count the ways. There is a point during film-making when a director
or producer can simply say "Stop". There is no harm in that, nor is
there any shame. This should have been one of those films that
somebody, anybody, should have said, "we need to stop now". From the
uninteresting characters, to the lackluster story, to the very poor
production, the lines between avant-garde horror cinema and cheaply
made movies became hazy.
There are three ways to completely destroy the power of a film without touching the story and those are through sound, sight, and mind. If a movie sounds great, you have captured some of your audience. If it looks good as well, you have captured even more and finally, if you can keep them mentally involved than you, as a director, should have most to all of the audience in your hands. Sadly, 13 Seconds did none of the above. The sound was horrendous. Synchronizing your actor's voices to match what they were saying when filming and the emotions they were feeling is not hard. Apparently, director Jeff Thomas decided robots could make this English spoken poorly dubbed in English feature. There was no emotion behind anyone talking, even our main character Davis. I found myself laughing whenever anyone opened their mouth. I couldn't tell if anyone was actually interested in what was happening, or if the amount of beer drinking that occurred before the dubbing was finally taking effect. Second, the sight of this film was just as bad as the voices. No apparent acting classes were needed from any of the actors or from the demons. There needs to be some level of class with the both the actors and demons, but in this film there were not. Davis, Jeff Thomas, was trying hard to be exactly like Bruce Campbell, which only lowered this film further into the pit of disgust. Everyone else seemed like they were going through the actions that were given to them that minute and trying to remember what exactly they were doing. There were no genuine moments in this film visually, just non-actors remembering to be robots. Finally, the mental involvement is key. I am not talking about just story here, because you can have a bad story but still keep people guessing for more. I am talking about just the apparent want to see what happens. Does your audience want to see what is going to happen next? In this film, my answer would be "no". The ending does provide a moment of shock, but you need to force your way through an hour and a half of sludge just to see it and it really isn't that grandiose.
With these three elements lacking considerably, you may be thinking what is the value of this film? I was amazed to see that it had won some awards in the horror circuit because, to me, it showed the poorest of the poor. While I would agree, that the ending (without giving it away) was creative and inventive, what filmmakers need to realize that you need to have a complete film to blow us away. Do not just pride yourself on the ending because you are going to have upset people like myself that could tell that you spent more on that then you did the rest of the film. I have heard other critics say that this is like a low-budget The Sixth Sense, but for me it was not even in the same ballpark. Half the fun of The Sixth Sense was the action leading up to the surprising ending (which wasn't even that shocking), and that is where 13 Seconds suffers. Thomas' film has nothing to offer in the middle except for a very muddled story in which you nearly need a PhD in pagan culture to fully understand. I think I would have been more impressed by the ending of this film if there was a meaty center instead of all that gristle and grime.
Was this the worst film I have seen this year? After a day of thinking about it I can say "no", but would I be truthful to myself? There were some interesting scenes, which did showcase some of Thomas' potential, but the blatant disrespect for everything else just hurt those good points. I had trouble coping with the voices and the constant clichés that Thomas tried to repetitively use. There just seemed to be too much running into rooms and shadows lurking in the darkness instead of character development and understanding. I needed to know who these people were and a better explanation of the immediate story. Thomas seemed and felt unfocused in this film giving us not enough in one area, while completely destroying another. Inconsistency is what hurt this film, but what destroyed it for me were the small bits that could have easily been changed to construct a decent film. I wasn't happy, and I don't think many will be with the final results that 13 Seconds has to offer.
Grade: ** out of *****
My roommate is an avid fan of horror movies and spied this anti-gem
whilst browsing through Blockbuster. The movie is about a band that
decides to practice or record their music in a forgotten school house.
First off, the acting. It is obvious that the actors/actresses are
friends of Jeff Thomas. I would be surprised if one of these people had
acting experience outside of high school. With the exception of home
movies and porn, it is impossible for a television screen to display
worse acting. Every participant reads through their lines without
emotion, as if they are reading them from a teleprompt. The acting
provided my friends and I with an element of inadverdent comedy that
had us rolling on the floor. I doubt Jeff was striving for laughter.
The writing. I cannot honestly say that the plot is any less hapless
than several other horror movies you could pluck off of the shelves of
your nearest rental store. However, the dialogue sure as hell is. At
one point, a girlfriend attempting to calm an argument actually says,
with utmost seriousness, "Can't we all just get along?" WTF? If one
character is addressing another for the first time, the introductory
word is the character's first name. It is simply unrealistic and
unnatural. If you were in an alternate universe, you might expect
people to converse in such a way. Nothing else in this movie really
matters. The setting is an old school house yet the furniture is in
great condition without any dust. The beds have clean linens. Someone
even remembered to pay the electric bills. Gotta love the hospitality
of evil demons. The music is a joke. Casio keyboard style suspense
music will play during an "intense" scene and just cut out at any
moment. Whether it fits or not. The mouse squeak is the official mascot
sound of this movie. My final mouse squeak count ended at 1,142.
I suggest you rent this movie because it could motivate you. How? Once you see this used toilet paper square of a movie, you will know that even you can a get film on the shelves at Blockbuster.
Wow what a steaming pile of dung.
While I enjoy low-budget gore as much as the next guy, this one was almost unbearable to watch. This was mainly due to the acting, if you can call it that. Every person in this flick had the same monotone voice coming from the same expressionless face. For a horror film there was a decided lack of screaming. I would expect some screams when one is getting hacked in half, or their chest ripped open, but I think there were a total of 4 screams in the entire film.
I can't believe this thing won awards. It must have been the only entry.
Can I have 90 minutes of my life back please?
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|Plot summary
|External reviews
|Plot keywords
|Main details
|Your user reviews
|Your vote history


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This application requests funding to continue complementary, multidisciplinary studies of mechanisms of airway and lung remodeling in chronic inflammation. Drs. Caughey, McDonald, Baluk and Krummel collaborated closely to reveal important roles played by immune cells, peptidases, and growth factors in the pathophysiology of remodeling. Insights from the studies, including once unsuspected roles for lymphatic vessels, mast cells, lymphocytes and dendritic cells, suggest new paradigms for understanding evolution of structural changes in mucosal microenvironments in inflamed ain/vays, with implications for causes and treatment of chronic disease. Going fooA^ard, the team will use biochemical, cellular and physiological approaches, including real time two-photon imaging, to define the triggers, consequences and reversibility of remodeling, emphasizing factors governing resolution. Project 1, led by Dr. Caughey, will use pharmacoenzymatic and genetic tools to explore roles of airway peptidases in remodeling and host defense, focusing on mast cell and epithelial transmembrane peptidase contributions to resolution of inflammation and defense against mycoplasma. Project 2, led by Dr Krummel, will use novel two-photon live imaging of reporter mice to identify sites, nature and importance of interactions between T-cells, antigen-presenting cells, mast cells and lymphatics as ainway microenvironments evolve and remodel in inflammation. Project 3, led by Dr. McDonald, will use conditional mutant mice and novel inhibitors to determine cellular mechanisms, consequences and reversibility of lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis in sustained airway inflammation. Here, emphasis will be on cellular actions of factors that drive proliferation and remodeling of lymphatics and blood vessels, and exploitation of findings that lymphatic and blood vessel remodeling are mechanistically, temporally and functionally distinct. Each of the projects benefits from a scientific core led by Drs. Krummel and Baluk to facilitate mycoplasmal infection, mouse genotyping, and live cell imaging. These plans will ensure that the Program's tradition of collaborative research on molecular and cellular mechanisms of airway inflammation and remodeling will continue to yield insights of basic and translational importance.
|Greenland, J R; Jewell, N P; Gottschall, M et al. (2014) Bronchoalveolar lavage cell immunophenotyping facilitates diagnosis of lung allograft rejection. Am J Transplant 14:831-40
|Baluk, Peter; Adams, Alicia; Phillips, Keeley et al. (2014) Preferential lymphatic growth in bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue in sustained lung inflammation. Am J Pathol 184:1577-92
|Sutherland, Rachel E; Barry, Sophia S; Olsen, Joanna S et al. (2014) Dipeptidyl peptidase I controls survival from Klebsiella pneumoniae lung infection by processing surfactant protein D. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 450:818-23
|Gérard, Audrey; Patino-Lopez, Genaro; Beemiller, Peter et al. (2014) Detection of rare antigen-presenting cells through T cell-intrinsic meandering motility, mediated by Myo1g. Cell 158:492-505
|Ortiz-Muñoz, Guadalupe; Mallavia, Beñat; Bins, Adriaan et al. (2014) Aspirin-triggered 15-epi-lipoxin A4 regulates neutrophil-platelet aggregation and attenuates acute lung injury in mice. Blood 124:2625-34
|Giannotta, Monica; Benedetti, Sara; Tedesco, Francesco Saverio et al. (2014) Targeting endothelial junctional adhesion molecule-A/ EPAC/ Rap-1 axis as a novel strategy to increase stem cell engraftment in dystrophic muscles. EMBO Mol Med 6:239-58
|Broz, Miranda L; Binnewies, Mikhail; Boldajipour, Bijan et al. (2014) Dissecting the tumor myeloid compartment reveals rare activating antigen-presenting cells critical for T cell immunity. Cancer Cell 26:638-52
|Patnode, Michael L; Bando, Jennifer K; Krummel, Matthew F et al. (2014) Leukotriene B4 amplifies eosinophil accumulation in response to nematodes. J Exp Med 211:1281-8
|Baluk, Peter; Phillips, Keeley; Yao, Li-Chin et al. (2014) Neutrophil dependence of vascular remodeling after Mycoplasma infection of mouse airways. Am J Pathol 184:1877-89
|Lelkes, Efrat; Headley, Mark B; Thornton, Emily E et al. (2014) The spatiotemporal cellular dynamics of lung immunity. Trends Immunol 35:379-86
Showing the most recent 10 out of 544 publications


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Who doesn't want more joy in their lives? Today on More2Life Radio, we explored what it takes to overcome common obstacles to more joyful living. The short version? You don't have to wait for all the stress and problems in your life to go away before you feel more joyful. Here are three simple things you can do to lead a more joyful life in good times and bad. Retrain your brain for joy--Our brains are naturally wired to give more weight to negative events as a survival str … [Read more...]
More2Life Hack: 3 Tips for More Joyful Living!
Science Says, "Want Happiness? Go to Church!"
Science endorses church attendance?!? Atheists' heads explode in 3...2...1... From the Washington Post A new study suggests that joining a religious group could do more for someone's "sustained happiness" than other forms of social participation, such as volunteering, playing sports or taking a class. A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology by researchers at the London School of Economics and Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands found that the secret to sustained happi … [Read more...]
Be Not Afraid: God's Plan for The Fulfillment of All Your Deepest (and even Darkest) Desires–REVEALED!
The following is adapted from my forthcoming book, Broken Gods: Hope, Healing, and the Seven Longings of the Human Heart which looks at the longings that drive our deepest and even darkest desires and how God wants to use those longings to reveal his plan for our ultimate fulfillment. It is available NOW for pre-order!Christians have a complicated relationship with desire. We desire many things, but so often our desires get us into trouble. They can wreck our lives, ruin our rel … [Read more...]
Is Religion Important To Happiness? Studies Expose Divide Between Perception and Reality
A new study revealed that people's view of what's necessary for happiness has changed significantly since 1938.Researchers found that in 1938 security, knowledge and religion were seen by participants as being the three most important aspects of happiness. In 2014 security was still in the top three, but good humour and leisure were in first and second places.Religion, which was seen as the third most important factor in 1938, had fallen to tenth (and bottom) place in 2015.Another … [Read more...]
Just Wait a Minute! (Why Patience Isn't What You Think)
We were talking about patience on More2Life Radio today. What it is, what it isn't, and how to get more of it.Patience, of course, is the virtue we all love to hate. We all know we need it, but we sure as heck don't want to ask God to give it to us. And yet, perhaps some of that reluctance is due to the fact that we don't really understand what patience is.Patience---> HappinessPsychologists refer to patience as the ability to delay gratification and we know from research that t … [Read more...]
Celebrate World Happiness Day with 7 Research-Based Ideas to Increase Your Joy! (My Favorite is #4).
The United Nations has declared March 20th to be World Happiness Day where nations are encouraged to explore how well they see to the overall well-being of their people. At the heart of World Happiness Day is the World Happiness Index, that looks at six factors that determine the relative happiness level of a country's citizens; productivity, healthy life expectancy, social connectedness (having people to count on), perceived freedom to make healthy choices, perceived freedom from … [Read more...]
For Better or Worse: You'll Be Surprised at These 4 Ways Marriage Changes You!
We all know that marriage changes us, but new research in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships looks at exactly how that process happens and the specific changes we can expect to see based on the way we respond to the ups and downs of married life. According to the study, there are 4 ways couples change as a result of their marriage, two of which are positive and two are negative.Positive Marital ChangesSelf-Expansion: Is the tendency to develop new, positive qualities (e. … [Read more...]
Believe It Or Not, Study Actually Says, "Happy Wife, Happy Life!"
Proverbs 18:22 says, "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD." A new study from Rutgers and the University of Michigan proves how true that is!When it comes to a happy marriage, a new Rutgers study finds that the more content the wife is with the long-term union, the happier the husband is with his life no matter how he feels about their nuptials."I think it comes down to the fact that when a wife is satisfied with the marriage she tends to do a lot more … [Read more...]


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Every Saturday night, Hockey Night In Canada's Ron MacLean does his best to steer crazy old man Don Cherry though Coach's Corner without incident. While MacLean doesn't have much time to share his opinions during those segments, he had a whole bunch of time on Thursday when speaking to Rob Pizzo and Cassie Campbell on HNIC Radio.
MacLean spent most of his fourteen minutes talking about the firing of Calgary Flames GM Jay Feaster, but with Alex Ovechkin's magical four-goal game in the recent past, MacLean had to share his feelings about the reigning MVP. Maybe you'd think with Ovechkin scoring 26 goals in 29 games, changing positions, and completely reinvigorating his game, MacLean would appreciate Ovechkin's progress as a player.
You would be wrong.
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This Adam Lambert thing has really started to disturb me. I mostly watch American Idol as a guilty pleasure, but this guy is seriously starting to make me question my sexuality and my rock edge. The best way to make someone think you are a completely uncool loser is to tell them that you saw a megastar last night on American Idol. How do I tell my friends that I blew off the first half of my hometown Cleveland Cavaliers playing in the playoffs to watch a glammed out, proudly homosexual cabaret singer lay waste to our best memories of Robert Plant and Elvis Presley? And now I'm so wired up by it, I'm blowing off the second half to write about it.
Was Adam Lambert really in the bottom two last week on American Idol? It was shocking and hard to believe, but my first inclination was abject depression that perhaps it was a wake up call. Perhaps America wasn't ready for the overly dramatic, over the top androgynous chaos of Adam Lambert after all.
There's little doubt in my mind that Lambert wants to win this competition. Surely, he'd be forced to dial it down this week. The fact that it was going to be Idol's first rock week made the thought of Lambert hiding his true self even more depressing. I mean, if Lambert has the Bill O'Reillys of the world freaked out at the image he's been throwing out to the world on Idol, imagine what he'd think of the glittery six-inch platform shoes and skin-tight leather outfit that anyone who has been paying attention knows that Lambert really wants to be wearing.
Imagine my delight, when exactly the opposite happened. I should have never doubted the man that Paula Abdul called the "bravest contestant in Idol history."
I'm not exactly sure how you tone down Adam Lambert, but certainly coming out in Elvis '68 black leather to take on the ultra-histrionic Robert Plant's most histrionic vocal performance isn't the way to do it. Are you kidding me? The amount of balls it takes to appropriate that Presley look, stance, and sneer to add a whole lotta makeup and sing Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" is earth-shatteringly, mind-bogglingly ballsy.
Idol judges are fond of telling their contestants to stay away from the Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey numbers. Well, everyone knows that you don't mess with Robert Plant. Unless Lambert just blew this thing completely out of the water (and he did!), he'd not only look completely ridiculous, he'd probably cause major riots and looting in our inner cities. You just don't go there, do you?
Was that really Slash up there endorsing Lambert's performance? I've got to believe that Led Zeppelin is holy ground for Saul Hudson. Did he really just say that he'd normally never consider being on this less than hard rock cool show, but there were a couple of artists that he really wanted to get a chance to work with? I'm going to go way out on a ledge and guess that the former Guns 'N Roses guitarist wasn't there to work with Danny Gokey. Let's instead note that Slash is currently part of a super group, Velvet Revolver, desperately looking for a new lead singer and it's obvious to everyone with a brain that Adam Lambert can blow!
Do I really have the guts to go all Jon Landau "I've seen the history of rock and roll and his name is …" to the explosion of androgynous thunder and lightning that was the opening of last night's show? Hell no, I'm no Adam Lambert, but there was Slash sitting proudly in the audience putting his reputation on the line.
God, help me ever having any credibility again. I'm raving about someone appearing on a show where one of the judges (Kara – Miss "Studio 57" Malaprop, herself) faulted one of the singers (Danny Gokey, who was left gasping in the dust trying to out-scream Lambert) for choosing to sing "Dream On" rather than an "earlier Aerosmith" song, by naming two songs that band did over a decade later!
My mother felt it was unfair that Lambert got to both open and close the show (an electric duet with Alison Iraheta on Foghat's "Slow Ride," where he seemed to libidinously and brazenly encourage the 17-year-old further out onto the ledge, which should probably be illegal in most of the South). My response was that it was unfair that Lambert is 1000 times more talented and charismatically fascinating than the three other poor saps that had to try and follow what could conservatively be called a looting of everything that has historically been the American Idol franchise.
At the top of the show America's favorite Dick Clark wannabe, Ryan Seacrest, pointed out that dress rehearsal had to be skipped due an unforeseen collapse of one of the show's promotional towers. From my point of view, the producers of the show should be happy that Lambert's epic assault didn't cause the whole roof to collapse, killing everyone fortunate enough to be there to see it.
Yes, I just said that.
Here's the truth by far — the gayest part of last night's show was poor Kris Allen and Danny Gokey teaming up to bring us some Styx, which is pretty amazing when you consider that Lambert isn't hiding his sexuality like Clay Aiken did. There isn't going to be a "Yes, it's true, I'm gay" People magazine cover in Adam Lambert's future. Lambert's cover is more likely to say, "Please, weren't you paying any attention?"
For anyone with any remaining doubt, check out the back of this Upper Deck American Idol trading card where Lambert lists his hero as gay icon Harvey Milk.
Yes, all of my "cool" friends are mocking me right now. Thankfully, I have Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong on my side. "That kid that's on there — Adam — hitting those high notes?" Armstrong told AOL's Spinner.com. "Pretty badass, man."
Pretty, badass – indeed.Powered by Sidelines


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- 1 (pl. pike) a large freshwater fish with very sharp teeth See related entries: Fish
- 2 a weapon with a sharp blade on a long wooden handle, used in the past by soldiers on foot
- 3(North American English) = turnpike
- 4(dialect) a pointed top of a hill in the north of England the Langdale Pikes Word Origin sense 1 Middle English: from pike 'weapon' (because of the fish's pointed jaw). sense 2 and sense 4 early 16th cent.: from French pique, back-formation from piquer
BrE BrE//paɪk//; NAmE NAmE//paɪk//Fish
(North American English, informal) to happen; to become noticeable We're hearing a lot about new inventions coming down the pike.
come down the pikejump to other results
Check pronunciation: pike


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Raised on a small farm in Idaho, Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until he moved to Nashville in 2000. He played in groups all through school, studied art in college and afterwards alternated between jobs with ad agencies and working in bands. In San Francisco, he joined The Overland Freight Band. This was the first group that had ambitions beyond doing covers in beer joints and was the an opportunity for him to be in a group that regularly performed original material. Following that put his own band together and played around the Bay Area, as well as working as a recording engineer. Since moving to Nashville Rick has continued to freelance in media production, which afforded him an opportunity to write two original soundtracks for the local PBS station, both of which earned EMMY nominations. Most recently Rick has relocated to the West Coast where he continue to perform, and will release a new record "Home For Good".
Now, he's developed a personal style that reflects a lifetime of influences; rock, country, and Americana, with songs that are unaffected and straightforward. This music is extremely personal, but not painfully so. Rick finds a common thread that connects the ideas to his listeners with maturity and an urgency that stirs the soul.