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Editor's note: Critical Consensus is a biweekly feature in which two critics from Indiewire's Criticwire network discuss new releases with Indiewire's chief film critic, Eric Kohn. Here, Time Out New York critic Keith Uhlich joins freelancer Mike D'Angelo (The A/V Club, The Man Who Viewed Too Much) to discuss "The Dark Knight Rises" and other aspects of director Christopher Nolan's career. They conclude by exploring where both Batman and Nolan may wind up next.
There's no question that director Christopher Nolan's Batman movies have managed to gain the admiration of more audiences than countless other recent comic book adaptations. This may have something to do with his roots: He's known for cultivating a distinctive atmosphere and using narrative trickery rather than merely pandering to the demands of Comic Con purists. And yet much of that crowd has embraced Nolan's adaptations as well, perhaps because they appreciate the application of bonafide filmmaking techniques into an arena usually expected to be dominated by juvenile qualities.
Critics largely feel the same way: Mike, shortly before "The Dark Knight" came out, you wrote in Esquire that "Batman Begins" was "superb by the standards of the superhero franchise." How has your perception of Nolan's approach to these movies evolved over the course of the last two entries? Do you think that "The Dark Knight Rises" is a paragon of its genre — as waves of hype have led many to believe — or does it work outside of that genre altogether? And now that Nolan's take on the character is complete, how does it compare to the Schumacher/Burton versions?
MIKE D'ANGELO: Sorry if this throws a monkey wrench into any planned point/counterpoint structure (Keith, you ignorant slut), but despite my conviction that Nolan is the best filmmaker working in Hollywood right now, I didn't care for "The Dark Knight Rises" at all. And I'm concerned about the direction Nolan's been taking with his last few films, which have grown progressively more ponderous and ungainly. Even when he tosses in Big Ideas — here, amounting to little more than de rigueur signifiers of the financial crisis and accompanying class war — they feel subsidiary to his desire to wow the audience with big-budget spectacle. He's becoming the thinking man's Michael Bay, orchestrating rather than directing; I sorely miss the elegance of "The Prestige," which is more subtly heady (indeed, I missed the point altogether the first time I saw it — certainly not possible with "Dark Knight Rises") and relies on the viewer's imagination to achieve its most potent effects.
Still, even though the trilogy concludes on a weak note, it's still far more impressive than Burton's vision of Gotham, which as I dimly recall boasts superlative production design but not much else. (As for the Schumacher films, I confess to not despising "Batman & Robin," which can be fun so long as you accept that it's pure camp. I have more affection for Uma Thurman's expertly stylized performance than for anything in "Rises" frankly.) Nolan deserves credit for elevating our notion of what a mass-appeal superhero movie can be, and the first two films achieve a much stronger balance of the intimate and the epic. In hindsight, though, I can see how crucial Heath Ledger was to the success of "Dark Knight" — his controlled lunacy counteracted the series' growing lugubriousness, whereas Tom Hardy's hulking, Vader-inflected work as Bane only accentuates it. There was a point early on when I thought Anne Hathaway might provide a much-needed dose of rude energy, but the playfulness of her initial meeting with Bruce Wayne quickly evaporates.
I dunno, guys, I just found the whole thing less thought-provoking and entertaining than exhausting. Just me?
Despite the expectation of a throwdown whenever two critics start talking about the same thing, the point of these conversations isn't necessarily to instigate a spat. So, Mike, you aren't really throwing a monkey wrench into the ring by more or less agreeing with Keith so much as helping along the perception that, hey, it's totally fine to not care for this movie! Apparently, based on some of the wackier comments hurled at some of the early negative reviews, this is actually a radical and contemptuous idea.
KEITH UHLICH: It's not just you, Mike.
One of my favorite episodes of the '90s television series "Millennium" is the second season entry "A Room with No View." In that installment, semi-psychic protagonist Frank Black's (Lance Henriksen) occasional adversary—the devilish shape-shifter Lucy Butler (Sarah-Jane Redmond)—kidnaps impressionable teens, locks them in underground rooms, and tortures their inherent talents out of them. Her demonic goal: To make each of her victims recognize "that mediocrity is all you are" and turn an entire populace "ordinary." One of Butler's methods of torture is playing Paul Mauriat's easy-listening hit "Love is Blue" on a continuous loop, though I think "The Dark Knight Rises" would suffice as a backup.
My experience of watching the final part of Christopher Nolan's Bat-trilogy was very similar to my experience with "The Dark Knight": Empty engagement in the moment, by which I mean a blank-stared, slack-jawed acknowledgment that some competent, but mostly undistinguished visuals were passing before my eyes and sound at near-subwoofer-breaking levels was pounding in my ears (Zimmer!). It wasn't entirely unpleasant as it was happening, and it cast a spell in the way that any bludgeoning of one's senses and spirit by the blockbuster of the moment would. But then the lights came up, and the sensation that I'd been had (yet again) began to grow.
I am no fan of Christopher Nolan. In my review of "The Dark Knight," I called him "the Barry Lyndon of the Hollywood elite" and I stand by that description. His movies (and I've seen all of them except for his short "Doodlebug" and his first feature "Following") are to me elaborate cons that tear back the Oz-like curtain and purport to show you their mechanistic workings, all the while distracting you from the fact that, like P.T. Barnum's "Great Unknown," there's no there there (and at least Barnum had a sense of humor about it). Nolan is a magician who wants to show you how the trick works, and he concocts step-by-step explanations for everything: These are all the elements that Batman's suit is composed of (and look at all the financial funneling we had to do to get them!); the Joker is, lest you didn't hear him those thirty times before, an agent of CHAOS!; these Batman movies, man, they're all about fear. Fear, I say, FEAR! No, let me spell it out for you. F-E-A-R.
I wish I could say that Nolan gave his characters' tendency toward expository verbosity the proper comic-book kick, so that we might imagine thought-balloons sprouting. But I feel little besides ponderous, minutely planned-out portent, and sense in just about everything he's done a distinct absence of poetry—of that intangible essence that truly great art and artists possess. Whenever Nolan stumbles upon a striking image—and there are several in this trilogy, from "Batman Begins"'s establishing shots of the Gotham L-train to that lovely shot in "The Dark Knight" of the Joker sticking his head out of the police car like an overexcited canine to "Rises"'s painterly visual of Jonathan "The Scarecrow" Crane as a Robespierre-manque atop a pile of judicial library detritus—he quickly pushes on. He never lingers, and that would be defensible if he and his collaborators had the shared capability for momentum. But I really think it's Hans Zimmer who is doing all the heavy lifting with that goddamn propulsive score (the trilogy's only truly effective element). Wally Pfister's visuals are pedestrian (so many dully lit medium-shots). The editing by Lee Smith is unbearably choppy (even in dialogue scenes, the connecting material—implied and actual—between performers often feels like its missing). And I don't think Nolan has much instinct for working with actors: The Burton Batman movies don't hold up overall, but there are distinctive character moments in each of them, and I'm inclined to agree with Mike that at least Thurman's Poison Ivy in "Batman and Robin" is a fully conceived creation, however much it might rub you the wrong way.
That's more than I can say for Anne Hathaway's Selina Kyle, who doesn't come within hissing distance of Michelle Pfeiffer's slinky Catwoman (that great setpiece in "Batman Returns" with the whip and the mannequins!), or Tom Hardy's Bane, who might as well have just been a John Carter-esque digital effect for all his ineffectually conveyed, Dolby-assisted pathos. As for Batman himself, I'm inclined to say that he hasn't ever been done particularly well in live-action. Bale just growls and/or alternates between one-note despondence and off-putting mock-petulance; Michael Keaton is mostly nondescript (Burton's heart really is with the villains); I guess Val Kilmer is doing something Val Kilmery, but I don't feel like checking again; and Clooney, well, we'll leave that where it is. My favorite movie version of the character is the early-'90s first-animated-series capper "Mask of the Phantasm," which is also probably the best movie version of the Batman mythos overall—pretty perfectly judged and executed from first frame to last.
On the next page: Does Christopher Nolan indulge in "avert-your-eyes sadism"?
You made a case against Nolan's direction of "The Dark Knight" for his "now you see it, now you don't approach," arguing that Nolan indulged in "avert-your-eyes sadism." Is "Dark Knight Rises" equally culpable of this charge?
UHLICH: I do believe "Dark Knight Rises" is as guilty of its predecessor's "avert-your-eyes sadism," perhaps even more so. Most kills in a Nolan film seem designed around garnering a PG-13 rating (see here Bane's numerous neck breaks, always cut right before the killing twist, or Matthew Modine's death scene—now he's standing, now he's not!). The issue for me is that none of those deaths makes much of an impact—you don't necessarily have to show everything in grisly detail, but you do have to feel for it to be justified. Otherwise it's just stick figures being cut down, and I do think that's a form of sadism—a denial of feeling, of emotional suppression through blunt-force action, in which many big-budget blockbusters trade nowadays.
D'ANGELO: It's amusing that you characterize Nolan as "a magician who wants to show you how the trick works," since one of his greatest films, "The Prestige," is explicitly about magicians and ultimately concludes that there is no trick — we just desperately desire one. Granted, the man is no poet, but until recently he had a remarkably deft way of constructing philosophical arguments within ostensible genre pieces. My beef with "Dark Knight Rises" is that he's no longer making an effort to encode those ideas in the movie's DNA. They're just grafted onto the Batman mythos willy-nilly, calling undue attention to themselves. And he's so intent on either drawing jejune current-event parallels (I AM CATWOMAN. I DO WHAT I HAVE TO TO SURVIVE. I AM THE 99%.) or creating fanboy-ready spectacle that he's forgotten how to seduce the audience, which apparently just wants to be bludgeoned anyway. Dispiriting.
Selina Kyle's entrance gave me a glimmer of hope, actually. Hathaway isn't really playing Catwoman the way Pfeiffer did, but that initial encounter with Bruce Wayne demonstrated some of the brazen larceny-as-foreplay dynamic I love in old Hollywood movies, and I briefly thought we might have an actual movie rather than a pyrotechnics display-cum-thesis. But even that relationship speedily turned turgid. I don't insist that a comic-book movie has to be fun, at least not in a jocular, wisecracking sense — a faithful adaptation of Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns" might well be awesomely grim and depressing (and indeed I'm a "Sin City" defender). Just give some thought to keeping me awake by a means other than Zimmer's pounding score.
I will say I'm glad I waited a day and saw the film in IMAX. Unlike 3-D, that's a bonus technology I can get behind — even if he'd used it exclusively for establishing shots, it would have been worth the surcharge. There's a real feeling of being engulfed by the image that rattles the lizard brain.
One of the things that's interesting about your responses so far is that you both make an effort to place Nolan's take on Batman within the context of previous movie versions of the characters. And yet I think the case could be made that "Dark Knight Rises" isn't really a Batman movie the way these earlier versions were. For much of the screen time, Batman remains (Is this a spoiler? I guess any plot information could be interpreted that way, but at this point I'll just say fuck it) off-screen. At times it feels like Nolan is making a spin-off about Gotham City in which Batman is a key character among many. It's detailed enough that one could expect to see the struggling young writer of "Following" — which, Keith, you should definitely check out for scholarly purposes if nothing else — because everyone in Nolan's world inhabits a version of his gloomy take on Gotham even before he took on the property.
Keith, I love that you bring up "Mask of the Phantasm" since Bruce Timm, creator of the animated series from which that television movie emerged, also created a hugely engaging environment with his Gotham (and over the course of a much longer period than all three Nolan movies combined, to boot). Timm's series (which was recently discussed in a recent video essay for Press Play) drew on film noir and other gothic traditions as much as it did on vintage Batman storylines. However, people still talk about it in terms of how it related to other takes on Batman. It seems like every conversation about one Batman must also take into account the countless other versions of him.
So how much does hype color your expectations for these films? When you went to see "The Dark Knight Rises," what kind of assumptions did you bring to the table? Have the aggressive (and apparently effective) marketing tactics for the movie ruined the possibility of a pure viewing experienced unhindered by what audiences already know about Batman and Nolan's approach to the character?
UHLICH: To Mike first: I'm fairly certain you recognize that my calling Nolan "a magician" was an intentional mention-it-without-mentioning-it invocation of "The Prestige," which many—perhaps you too?—have described as Nolan's most personal work. It certainly felt that way to me when I watched it. And I absolutely, utterly loathe that film for the conclusions it reaches, which you aptly describe as "there is no trick—we just desperately desire one." Each of us can call the "trick" what we will. For me it's related to faith and spirit, not necessarily in the Godly sense, though that theme certainly does resonate for a lapsed Catholic like myself who still maintains some level of belief (in cinema specifically and humanity overall). At the end of The Prestige I felt utterly defeated as Nolan seemed intent on pummeling the belief out of me. There is no trick. There is no God. There is no magic. Just an endless supply of self-same meat-bodies to be buried forever out of sight (I think it was Clive Barker, an artist I love, who said, and I may be paraphrasing: "We are graveyards of our former selves." I wish the final reveal in "The Prestige" had that kick.)
Perhaps I have to give Nolan credit for, as you say, encoding these ideas in the movie's DNA. Clearly "The Prestige" made me feel something, but I absolutely rejected those feelings because they don't correspond to what I've come to believe about movies, about people, about life. I believe in the magic of movies; Nolan, to me, denies it—trusting only in the coarsest mechanisms to make his mostly facile points. I might acknowledge him as an artist for whom I just don't share an affinity (for some reason, Michael Haneke springs to mind as an exemplifying bête noir). The larger problem is that I just don't think Nolan's very good at what he does. In every way, he's a mediocrity. I actually find it pretty hilarious that he's become a figurehead of the "shoot on celluloid" movement, when his movies (even his gargantuan IMAX frames feel small to me) are antithetical to everything celluloid can achieve. If Nolan's the ne plus ultra, then film can't die soon enough.
At a certain point, we have to accept that none of us experiences the things we experience in exactly the same way. And we have to allow for those differing responses. I wouldn't want to take this conversation in a direction where I'm actively denying the pleasure and profundity that you get, Mike, from "Memento," which I'll just pass over with a simple "didn't do it for me." (How many films do each of us have for which we are effusive in the face of others's indifference?) Similarly, though it well-nigh astonishes me that the estimable Scott Foundas ecstatically compares the final movement of "Dark Knight Rises" to the baptism murder finale of "The Godfather" in his recent Film Comment blog post, I would never call out his enjoyment of the film as being in any way false. (It's very clear that it isn't.) The same goes for any reader and/or viewer who genuinely sees artistry in Nolan's Batman trilogy, and in his filmography overall. It's the quality of the opinion and the discourse, not the slant of it, that matters.
Unfortunately, the quality of opinion is often trumped by the quantity of response. And perhaps this is a good segue into Eric's questions about hype, expectation, and assumption. I'll start by saying that Batman is my favorite superhero, has been since childhood and still is to this day. There's something about how malleable he is as an icon that appeals to me—he can be camp in the way of the Adam West TV series (and even the Joel Schumacher films), self-serious via Nolan's takes, pure darkness in the Frank Miller sense, kind of a pop-art party pooper via Burton, a tragically lonely figure in the animated series and "Mask of the Phantasm." I think my favorite Batman story remains Alan Moore's "The Killing Joke," which captures The Joker/Batman relationship with a perfect mix of unflinching horror and the-abyss-stares back ambiguousness.
All this to say that I have a history with Batman—certainly not to the extent of most comic readers (I haven't kept up past my college years), but I know I brought that experience in with me to Nolan's film. Additionally I also carried in the experience of the previous two Nolan movies, and I should mention here that I rather liked "Batman Begins" when I first saw it and retain some affection. "The Dark Knight" I thought a debacle (even Heath Ledger, whose performance is very Best Supporting Actor in its lip-smacking obviousness). I actually watched that film twice so I could examine the differences between the regular theatrical prints and the IMAX version (to the latter, about all I saw was a lot of unmotivated toggling between aspect ratios) and it was a pretty defeating two views that resulted in what I think was a strongly worded, but fair takedown. That piece occasioned a sea of vicious comments—a few posting my home address and calling for my death (I don't know if I deleted them or not as I gave up moderation after a certain point)—and a few stand-alone Internet posts from colleagues (both pro and con on the piece, all well-argued) that had me retreating into my shell.
So yeah, I gots some baggage. But I also know that I have the ability to give each movie I see a fair shot. There's no evidence I can offer other than my work and my word. It's up to each reader to determine for themselves the veracity of what I say. All these calls for objectivity make me cringe. We are all products of our subjective experience, and also of the market forces that push on us and that we allow into our lives. (I believe that Mike tends never to watch trailers and other promotional material. Myself, I seek things out—always have, potentially always will.) I don't really believe in purity of experience: To "Dark Knight Rises," I brought a knowledge and childhood love of Batman, an overall distaste for Christopher Nolan, a discomfort over the vitriolic reaction I'd received for lambasting "The Dark Knight" and which I saw happening again to several colleagues who panned the latest entry, a general curiosity that I have for each new addition to cinema (an ever-evolving art form), and a belief that all my knowledge and assumptions could be upended in surprising ways.
I can't tell you how depressing it was that I got exactly what I expected.
Next page: What happens to Batman now?
D'ANGELO: Keith, I'm gonna do my best not to turn this into a debate about the merits of "The Prestige," which you're of course entitled to dislike. I do want to quickly note, however, that your bleak interpretation of the film's "message" is 180 degrees from what I think Nolan intended. It's a materialist work, to be sure, but being a hardcore materialist doesn't necessitate renouncing wonder or mystery. Ultimately, "The Prestige" is a paean to magic — including, implicitly, that of the movies. It doesn't chide us for needing illusions; on the contrary, it celebrates their creation, to the point of fashioning a hero who sacrifices himself nightly to provide them (an element that wasn't in Christopher Priest's novel). That's precisely what I find so oddly moving about it.
As it happens, I badly misunderstood "The Prestige" the first time I saw it, and wrote a fairly mixed review. Why? Because I had certain expectations regarding a movie about magicians, and got thrown when Nikola Tesla showed up and the story took a sudden swerve into the realm of science-fiction. In general, expectations are a curse. There's no way of eliminating them entirely, but I do my best to neutralize them as much as possible, by avoiding trailers (as Keith correctly noted) and eschewing fundamentally promotional events like Comic-Con. Ideally, I'd prefer to see every movie completely cold, without even knowing who made it; as you guys may recall, I experienced the entire 2007 Cannes Competition slate that way, and it was an eye-opening experience (which I haven't repeated only because remaining ignorant is a giant logistical pain in the ass that requires you to be a hermit for two weeks).
In the specific case of "Dark Knight Rises," I guess my expectations were mildly hopeful. As a huge Nolan fan, I eagerly anticipate each film; at the same time, his Batman movies aren't my favorites (on the Criticwire scale, I gave each of the first two a solid "B"), so I can't say I was salivating. Certainly I didn't expect to be as bored as I often was. Also, unlike Keith, I have no special attachment to Batman as a character, having been more of a Marvel kid growing up. As for the fanboy hype, I find it problematic even aside from the vitriolic comments…but no more problematic, I have to say, than the mindset of some hardcore cinephiles I know who are convinced sight unseen that each new Dardennes or Von Trier or Garrel or Costa movie will surely be an unqualified masterpiece. Hero worship is unhealthy as a rule, and perhaps that simply gets magnified when it comes to a movie about an actual superhero.
Whatever you make of Nolan's approach to Batman — and it's clear now that critical reactions have been a lot more divided than initial hype suggested — it's obvious that these movies did allow Nolan to successfully transition into an entirely new plane as a commercial filmmaker, as evidenced by the success of "Inception" (if not "The Prestige").
Mike, since you almost certainly care more than Keith, tell us: What would you like to see Nolan do with his power and influence during this new post-Batman phase? He's a producer on the upcoming Superman movie "Man of Steel" but has not yet announced his next directing project. Should he return to the smaller, trickier projects of his early years? Or is this the wrong question to ask because, post-"Dark Knight Rises," you no longer care what Nolan does next?
D'ANGELO: I'm absolutely still interested in what Nolan does next. (Abbas Kiarostami spent a full decade making movies I couldn't abide, then gave us "Certfied Copy." Never write anybody off.) He should obviously go wherever his creative urges lead him, and I have every confidence that if he continues to make hugely expensive event films, they'll at least be orders of magnitude more intelligent and ambitious than most of Hollywood's output. Still, I wouldn't be unhappy if someone handed him "only," say, $10 million and told him to do whatever he wants with it. He and his brother Jonathan share a prodigious imagination, and I'd rather see it channeled into Memento-style structural ingenuity than dedicated to realizing F/X wet dreams like city streets folding over each other or football fields collapsing underfoot chunk by chunk. In particular, I'd be happy to see Nolan adapt more novels — what he did with "The Prestige," employing the outline of Priest's narrative in service of an essentially new-but-related story of his own, is an ideal example of how one medium can inspire another.
And if he doesn't make any more trilogies or comic-book movies, that's okay by me.
Keith, since you're the bigger Batman fan here, what would like to see happen to the character now? Does he deserve a reboot? (Does anything?) Or are the existing movies — the ones you like anyway — enough for you to get all the Batman fixes you need?
UHLICH: Mike: I remember your review of "The Prestige" vividly, as well as the turnaround you experienced. I had a similar road-to-Damascus moment with Spielberg's "A.I.," which so confounded and angered me on first view and has since become a favorite. Interestingly, I partially attribute my initial reaction to seeing a packed-house opening night screening at Manhattan's Ziegfeld, where the sense of the audience turning against the film during the 2000 years leap forward was painfully palpable. I couldn't disconnect myself from that. Much as we strive for ideal experiences of movies, I think they're fairly impossible to attain.
Mike, I read your take here on "The Prestige" and it makes me wish I could see it through your eyes. I also wish I felt it was worth a revisit, but I've been burned and bludgeoned by Nolan so many times that I'm not feeling especially eager for a re-viewing. Never say never—e.g., after swearing off Paul Greengrass post-"United 93" (I'll watch any Nolan movie again before I rewatch that muddled, malevolent shitstorm), I'm finally getting around to his Bourne movies in anticipation of the fourth one. Who knows what our journey holds?
I also agree about the shared affinities between fanboy and hardcore cinephile commentary and the hero-worship that frequently results. It's tough, much of the time, to speak passionately about an artist you love without tipping over into defensive posturing. Better the person who thinks and rethinks, who doesn't kowtow to the fashionable be his obsession Bruce Wayne or his godhead Godard. Much as I have my favorite filmmakers, they almost all have disappointed me in some way or another (see, or rather don't, De Palma's "Redacted"). Likewise there have been artists I've loathed who have surprised me with something potent and powerful (perhaps someday I'll work up the courage to write a full-on defense of Zack Snyder's "Sucker Punch"—but that's another discussion).
I will take a crack at Eric's earlier question about Nolan and what I'd like to see him do. And I mean this in all honesty and good faith: I hope he keeps doing whatever he feels he has to do, and goes wherever his muse takes him. I may never be a proponent of his work, but as long as we can both occupy our own creative spaces without any real infringement, then godspeed. No artist should bear the burden of having to please. And all I ask is the continuing freedom to respond.
Finally, as far as what I'd like to see happen to Batman now: Let whoever wants take a crack at the character. Reboot. Rework. Rethink. Pace several reviewers, Nolan's isn't the final word. At this point, Batman belongs to the world, and there's enough of a mythos there for other creatives to explore. As I said above, he's malleable, and though there are certainly plenty of stories to return to, I'm always interested in new visions and directions—as much of what's established as what has yet to be imagined.


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Minutes away from Manhattan, a humpback whale was captured in a photo as it tried to swallow as many fish as possible in a dramatic feeding frenzy.
The image, snapped by Julie Larsen Maher of the Wildlife Conservation Society, is a reminder of how important the waters off of New York are for marine mammals and other sea life.
Best Ocean Animal Photos of 2013
"Nothing can prepare you for walking along the shore and spotting the great leap and surge of a humpback whale in the distance," journalist Dave Taft wrote in a piece for the New York Times. "The magical moment is yours alone. The Atlantic knows how to keep its secrets."
Taft reminds that it's ironic such a large beast is forever left off of lists naming NYC's native mammals.
As he points out, "Humpback whales are some of the largest mammals in the world. In fact, they are among the largest animals ever to grace the planet."
According to NOAA, the whales can grow to 60 feet long and weigh up to 40 tons.
Maher spotted this particular humpback whale in an area called New York Bight, which extends northeasterly from Cape May Inlet in New Jersey to Montauk Point on the eastern tip of Long Island.
She and her colleagues mention that other whale species, along with dolphins, sharks, numerous types of fish and seabirds, all use this near-urban area. It serves as a feeding ground, nursery and migratory corridor.
Climate-Challenged Whale Sharks Flocking to Island Chain
WCS's New York Seascape program is working to restore healthy populations of humpback whales and the other species, and to protect New York marine waters. As this photo illustrates, the waters are not only important to the area's economic and cultural vitality, but they are also vital to the well-being and survival of marine mammals.
If you happen to be in the area or are planning a visit soon, check out one of the many whale watch cruises. Passengers on boats leaving from places like Breezy Point in Queens have been encountering some spectacular sights on par with what Maher saw.
Photo: A humpback whale hunting fish. Credit: Julie Larsen Maher, Wildlife Conservation Society.


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Another Hiroshima and Nagasaki come near to you Iran!
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 10
Another Hiroshima and Nagasaki come near to you Iran!
The Israelis have plotted a plan to attack Iran with Nuclear devices with the help of American corrupt corporate
there is yet another Nuclear bomb to be dropped on a nation and the best prediction is non but Iran.
[img align=left]http://gblx.cache.el-mundo.net/especiales/2004/11/internacional/orienteproximo/img/protagonistas/grandes/netanyahu.jpg[/img]
Netanyahu hints could consider Iran nuclear strike
Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted that he could consider a pre-emptive air strike against Iran's nuclear installations if he were to be re-elected. Netanyahu, who is widely expected to regain the leadership of the right-wing Likud party later this month, said Israel needed to "act in the spirit" of the late premier Menachem Begin who ordered an air strike on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981.
"I view the development of the Iranian nuclear (programme) as a paramount threat and as a real danger to the future of the state of Israel," Netanyahu told the Yediot Aharonot newspaper.
"Israel needs to do everything to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear threat against it."
"We need to act in the spirit of Menachem Begin, who defied the entire world and with a bold step prevented Iraq from arming itself with nuclear weapons."
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Netanyahu's arch rival said last week that Israel would never allow its arch-enemy Iran to come into possession of nuclear weapons.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad caused an international backlash in October when he called for the Jewish state to be "wiped off the map".
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in September found Iran in non-compliance with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, paving the way for the matter to be referred to the UN Security Council if Iran does not halt nuclear fuel work and cooperate fully with an IAEA investigation.
Iran has insisted that its nuclear programme is merely designed to meet domestic energy needs.
source is from http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/12/05/051205083904.zkio0mmt.html
There is no answer from the UN of the discraseful comment the Israeli's made but one line I can remember to say to this new event that can take place "Hasn't history taught you any thing" this what I would say to the Israeli's!
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ForumsQuestionsReoccurring alarms until task completed or snoozed
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kevin |
I am an avid and longtime Toodledo user but recently discovered a handy feature in an iOS app called "Alarmed" that absolutely love. Basically it keeps sounding the reminder "alarm" on a reoccurring basis until the task is marked as completed. This is essential because I often get the alarm, but I'm busy at the current moment (driving, meeting, etc) then forget to go back and complete the task. Alarmed also has a useful way to "snooze" tasks for a specified amount of time when want the alarm to sound again.
I would definitely be willing to pay extra for this feature! If you have any questions please let me know. Thanks! |
ChristianDiscer |
Ditto - thank you.
Jake Toodledo Admin |
Thanks for the suggestion. We do not comment on timeframes for implementation, but this is on our to-do list.
Thanks |
kevin |
Fantastic!! Thanks Jake for your quick reply and consideration.
frank.corley |
I concur! This is the feature that I used most on my old BB and I still miss it quite a bit.
kevin |
Was hoping to see this in the latest iOS release but can't find yet. Hope still on the dev radar.
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Sheffey, DVD
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Product Description
▼▲This award-winning Unusual Films production depicts actual events from the life of Robert S. Sheffey, a nineteenth-century circuit rider. The film tells the story of a unique servant of God, who as a rowdy young man followed his friends to a revival meeting and there found in the Scriptures new direction for his life. Ardent in prayer, tireless in service, and steadfast in defense of the truth, "Brother Sheffey" rides through the hills spreading the gospel. Although he suffers the loss of his two greatest earthly treasures in one day, Sheffey still finds forgiveness in his heart for the person who caused his sorrow. Based on the book The Saint of the Wilderness by Jess Carr, Sheffey brings hope, courage, joy, and tears. It captures the warmth and compassion of a man whose soul was on fire for the Lord, and, in the words of Bob Jones III, "Every Christian who sees this film will be warmed by that heavenly heat." Approx. 2 hours 15 minutes.
DVD Features:
- Subtitles - English
- Scene Selections
- Production Documentary
- Behind-the-Scenes Photo Montage
- Design and Costume Sketches
Product Information
▼▲Format: DVD Vendor: Showforth Videos Publication Date: 2003 | ISBN: 159166005X ISBN-13: 9781591660057 UPC: 821617000043 |
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Publisher's Description
▼▲Product Reviews
mom5 Stars Out Of 5Inspiring and meaningfulJanuary 5, 2017momQuality: 5Value: 5Meets Expectations: 5Our family with 2 boys, 12 and 15, enjoyed this movie. I vastly prefer Christian movies based on true stories, like this one, because you learn about what God actually did in people's lives. Your knowledge and faith can grow on something solid because it's real. (When someone makes up a 'Christian' movie story to teach and inspire, I can't help but lean more toward a skeptical non-Christian's feeling of being brainwashed about 'how God works.') I hope more Christian films keep getting made about people that really lived and events that really happened.
none5 Stars Out Of 5Brother Sheffey is better name for itJanuary 5, 2017noneQuality: 5Value: 5Meets Expectations: 5We really enjoyed it have already watched it twice!
Chui5 Stars Out Of 5SheffeyJanuary 4, 2017ChuiQuality: 5Value: 5Meets Expectations: 5This is truly an amazing movie, and one for the whole family...it surpasses all the Hollywood stuff!!!!
Leona KoziarskiAlberta, CanadaAge: 55-65Gender: female5 Stars Out Of 5Excellent movieNovember 7, 2016Leona KoziarskiAlberta, CanadaAge: 55-65Gender: femaleQuality: 5Value: 5Meets Expectations: 5All though a low budget movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have lent it out and everyone who watched it loved it. I can't wait to get it back so I can watch it again. I recommend this movie.
Becki4 Stars Out Of 5Oct. 2016October 3, 2016BeckiQuality: 4Value: 5Meets Expectations: 5Very well done and inspiring. One that I don't mind seeing again with friends.
Ask Christianbook
▼▲Q: Is it a remastered Movie? Is there anything else added to the movie or is it just remastered in better video definition quality? cause I've been searching for This Movie for years now and its a unusual Film that was made in 1977.
Yes, this is the 1978 version remastered.
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have so much fun! we already got our tree here and started decorating it earlier tonight in blue + silver. good luck!
ReplyDeleteWhat a christmasy thing to do, lovely! But isn't it a bit early to buy a christmas tree now, I mean won't it be dead already by Christmas day?
ReplyDeleteI'll have a hot cocoa on you Will when I'm picking out my tree today - an endless long event trust me x
Thank you for leaving a comment - each one makes my day!
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.


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06 Feb 2011
The VAR Guy, By Charlene OHanlon
Kaspersky Lab is setting its sights on the bronze medal in security as it gains market share and becomes more of a household name, said Eugene Buyakin, Kaspersky COO, during the company's 2011 Americas Partner Conference, held in Riviera Maya, Mexico.
"Our target for sales in 2011 is $750 million, and we continue to gain in market share from our competitors," Buyakin said. "Kasperky currently owns 4.2 percent of the market, compared with 37 percent by Symantec, 18 percent by McAfee and 7.1 by Trend Micro. We want to be the No. 3 player in the endpoint security space."
Kaspersky's growth in 2010 certainly is worth noting: the company said the past year was its most successful year in its history, with its brand awareness increasing in both the corporate and consumer spaces. "Brand is one of the cornerstones of our performance," Buyakin noted, as is technological innovation – something that will be fueled by the company's recent funding by General Atlantic.
John Bernstein, GA managing director, noted its firm's investment in Kaspersky will help propel the company into the leaders' circle. "GA will support the management team – we will join the board and help with acquisitions when can find interesting ones. And if it's appropriate to do an IPO, we have taken many companies public so we can help them with that."
Full Article


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Sunday, January 2, 2011
Week Ending Jan 2
Tues - 12 miles (1,200') easy. Soderberg to Lory Visitors Center on Valley, back on Well Gulch - Overlook - Valley. Legs still a bit stiff from Sunday long run.
Weds - AM: 8.5 miles (700') easy. From home to Lory fence on valley trail and back.
PM: 7.5 miles (1,800'). Horsetooth Summit hard (23:50 P.R.) w/Rob, then back down via Wathen - Spring Creek - Falls.
Thurs - Noon: 14 miles (4,000') easy. Got out with Ryan B who is back in The Fort after his stint up in Gunnison. Great to have him back. We hit the Horsetooth sections of the Chubster in big flaky snow and slippery conditions. Cold out. Horsetooth - Summit - Horsetooth - Soderberg - Spring Creek - Stout - Herrington - Spring Creek - Towers - Westridge - Wathen - Spring Creek - Falls.
PM - 5.5 miles (1,500'). Vertical Beer Mile.
Fri - 12.5 miles easy (1,200'). To Redstone Canyon 4 mile and back. Very cold out, but needed this run to hit 4,100 miles on the year to keep up with Mr Consistency himself.
Sat - AM: 6 miles (500') easy. To Towers/Swan Johnson and back. Cold.
Noon: 8 miles (1,650') easy. Falls - Spring Creek - Stout - Sawmill - Loggers - Herrington, Spring Creek, Soderberg - home. Good amount of snow on trail, but can't see it sticking around too long. Nice out with the sun poking through.
Sun - 22.5 miles easy. Bike paths. Was going to do the last seven at MP, but I bumped into Bryan G, who I hadn't seen in a long time, coming the other way early in the run, so turned around and ran 15 miles of the loop with him in the opposite direction than originally intended. By the time he peeled off at Shields, I couldn't be bothered upping the tempo so just kept running at what was probably a 7:30 pace the rest of the way on the Poudre trail and then back to the car on Overland.
Total: 104.5 miles (13,250').
First two days of the week were a write off as my legs were very stiff in the hamstrings from a faster-paced long run on Sunday. As a result, I didn't get to the track this week, but I did get in a hard effort up Horsetooth on Wednesday that somewhat compensates. That said, everything else was largely easy paced, so I need to get after the speedwork a bit this coming week. Glad I went easy on the long run today as I should be nicely rested for a hard session at the track on Tuesday. I'm thinking 3 x 3 mile at marathon pace.
Decided to bail on the two New Years 5k races as I didn't see the point in trying to run hard in the snow and ice. As a make-up, I'm thinking I'll head down to Lafayette on Sat/Sun (not sure which day) to run the Oatmeal 5k. Looks like they're putting up some cash, so there should be some speedsters to chase, which will hopefully help in posting a decent time.
Got an exciting running schedule figured for next year, I think. As with last year, the focus through the first half of the year will largely be on Western States. With so many other great races and adventures to experience in future summers, I'm pretty sure this will be my last WS for the foreseeable future, so I fully intend on going hell for leather if I'm fit, taking a few risks and seeing what I can do. As build up races, I'll be running New Orleans in Feb, Salida Marathon in March (love that race), American River 50 in April (I'm probably more geeked about the prospect of running AR than WS), and then maybe Jemez (or something else) in May. I mailed in my Hardrock appo this week, so that is floating out there as a post-WS possibility, but really the second half of the summer will be all about UTMB and Sierre Zinal, two races that I am super stoked to be running.
With the addition of Stella to the family and with Alistair starting big-boy school tomorrow, my running routine is about to be shaken up considerably. However, with the races I'm hoping to run in 2011, I'll just have to roll with the punches and make the necessary adjustments to ensure that I do what I can to stay fit. I'm predicting a lot of (very) early AM runs this year.
17 comments:
Tim, yeah me too man. A couple of Green/Bear ascents could well be in order. Looking forward to the PI boys/gals doing some damage at WS this year, too! See you soon.
Aaron, oh, Nan is running! Geez, I better bring my 'A' game - or maybe I just won't show. Oh, and I think the grammar police gave up on this blog (and most others) a long time ago.
Slshine - not really, but I'll offer up what I have (off the top of my head).
Obviously we all have unique circumstances and schedules that we have to balance, and I guess one has to weigh how much running means to you versus other activities/family/work/etc obligations to find that balance. Outside of running, I don't really do a great deal other than be a father, husband, employee - so I have no great qualms about the time I spend running. In addition, I have a broad community of running friends here in The Fort who are very inclusive of significant others and children, which helps immensely. I am also pretty fortunate in that I am able to work from home on a reasonably flexible schedule. This allows me to do the vast majority of my weekday running when kids/wife are at daycare/work making the meat of my training invisible, so to speak, to the family. For weekend stuff, the only solution I've been able to come up with is to get up early. For the alpine summer outings, this still means I typically take a full morning to myself (with drive time). The way we worked it last year was that I would then go out and run errands/grocery shop/play with Alistair in the afternoon for an approximately equal amount of time, so my wife could get some solo time to pursue her passions. The second day of the weekend would typically involve more family balance (and early morning runs).
I guess we (family people) all struggle with the balance thing to an extent, but at the end of the day we'd probably be pretty miserable to be around if we didn't get time to do the things we enjoy (outside of family). Some choose to spend their weekends watching football on TV, shopping (or some other stereotyped activity) for an afternoon. I used to watch a good amount of sports on TV - I don't anymore.
I try not to feel too guilty about it, but certainly strive to minimize the impact of running on the rest of my family.Nick - good stuff on UTMB. Seems like most of the CO trail running world will be relocating to the Alps in late August.
On Salida, I am told they are changing the course for 2011 (more singletrack), which I'm kind of bummed about. I'm generally opposed to changing trail courses because previous times are no longer valid as targets, which is part of the fun in racing courses that have been around a while. Oh well.Yeah, I just checked and saw this:
New courses this year. ~ 9 miles new singletrack trails (slightly rocky, twisting, hilly, narrow and the rest dirt roads and two tracks).. <1/2 mile paved. ~2200' climbing in half; ~4000' climbing in marathon with same descents.
Couldn't find a map though. I would like to think the course will be better (more interesting) with more singletrack. But, depending on the snow levels it may just turn into a lot of post-holing. Certainly agree that now it is essentially a new race and all prior times can be disregarded.Good feedback...Thanks Nick. I'm always impressed by guys (you, Jaime, AJW, Carpenter, etc.) who can stay in top shape and compete at a high level while also maintaining family duties. Congrats on the forthcoming kiddo and best of luck in 2011.
We've got a small/tough/scenic road race here in Montrose that you may look in to if you're bored in May...ask Burch about it.
http://www.blackcanyonraces.com- AnonymousJanuary 4, 2011 at 5:42 AM
how we order PI shoes size wise? bigger, smaller?
which is a good on line store to do it, any coupon code?
Girona. Matt - I use the Fuel as my daily runner for the most part. Ran in them at Wasatch and WS.
The biggest shortcoming of the current version is the tread, in my opinion, so I was a bit nervous about using them for WS with the snow up high. However, they got me through the snow well enough and then they were great for the rest of the run. For the dry trails that we run on here on the Front Range through most of the year, they are awesome, but in the snow and mud not so good. I'm currently wear testing the new generation, which is being renamed the PI Trail, and they have essentially taken a mountain bike tread and replicated it on the outsole. Much more aggressive.
As far as comfort and fit, I love them. I don't necessarily subscribe to the whole 'minimalist' thing, so appreciate the extra cushioning in the midsole. The slipper-like feel of the upper is quite unique. The new version is out in the fall.
The current Peak is a flawed shoe, in my opinion. Doesn't hold the foot well enough, has durability issues in the upper and isn't aggressive enough in the outsole. The new Peak, which is coming out in the spring, is a complete overhaul. I've been running in it since late summer and absolutely love it. Really, the only similarity with the original is the light weight. The new tread is awesome, the upper is bullet proof, it rides low to the ground, and it looks super sharp with some unique design touches. I still use the Fuel as my jogging shoe, but always go to the Peak for faster/shorter workouts.
Girona - the shoes run true to size. Don't know much about European retailers or distributors. If you check out the PI Run facebook page they are pretty good about responding to questions like that.Nick,
What an amazing year. Your milage is awesome. I have a wife and two kids (2.5 years. and 0.5 years) and get out three times a week and 20-25 miles with about 15 on national trust trails here in the UK. So to see you doing an average of 80 a week shows I need to prioritise more. Where in the UK are you from?
With you Jez Bragg and Ian Sharman we have a good UK contingent in the big trail races now!Alex - I'm from Canterbury. Enjoy getting out on the North Downs and other trails when I'm home. There's nothing quite like the British countryside.
I met Ian at Western States last year - nice guy. I believe he's shooting for the 100k national team this year. He'll be running at WS again this year, so looking forward to reconnecting there. Not sure if Jez will be there in June, but I would assume he'll be at UTMB, so it'll be fun to race him in the Alps if not the Sierras.


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Sudden and unexplained deaths
Information is available for nearest bereaved relatives in our booklet "The role of the Procurator Fiscal in the investigation of deaths". For translated versions of this document, and other relevant informaton please see our publications page.
Procurators Fiscal are qualified lawyers who are employed by COPFS and who act on the instructions of the Lord Advocate. The Lord Advocate has responsibility in Scotland to investigate any death which requires further explanation. In other parts of the United Kingdom, the Coroner may investigate such deaths.
Within COPFS, the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU) is a specialist unit responsible for investigating all sudden, suspicious, accidental and unexplained deaths. There is a designated SFIU team based across each area of the country, in the North (SFIU North), East (SFIU East) and West (SFIU West).
When a person dies in Scotland, they cannot be buried or cremated until a medical certificate giving the cause of death has been issued. This certificate must be completed by a doctor, and must show the time, place and cause of death. Most sudden and unexplained deaths are reported to the Procurator Fiscal because a doctor is unable to confirm the cause of the death and is therefore unable to issue a death certificate.
Once a death has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal, the Procurator Fiscal has legal responsibility for the deceased's body, usually until a death certificate is written by a doctor and given to the nearest relative.
Suspicious deaths
All deaths where the circumstances are thought to be suspicious must be reported to the Procurator Fiscal. The Procurator Fiscal will instruct the Police to investigate the circumstances and consider whether criminal charges should be brought which may lead to a prosecution
Fatal accident inquiries
A Fatal Accident Inquiry is a type of court hearing which publically inquires into the circumstances of a death. It will be presided over by a Sheriff and will normally be held in the Sheriff Court. If the death has happened as a result of an accident while at work or if the death happened while in legal custody, for example in prison or police custody, a Fatal Accident Inquiry will normally be held. FAIs can be held in other circumstances if it is thought by COPFS to be in the public interest to do so.
For further information and on-line leaflets please visit our Publications page.
Q. Why have I been contacted by the procurator fiscal about the death of my relative?
A. Most sudden and unexplained deaths are reported to the fiscal because a doctor is unsure of the exact cause of death and so cannot issue a death certificate. This includes any death that the doctor considers unexpected or clinically unexplained after taking account of previous or recent medical history. Early enquiries by specialist staff at the COPFS Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU) usually establish that death was due to natural causes. Fiscals also investigate suspicious deaths. In these less common cases staff will first tell the police to investigate the suspicious circumstances and then decide if there should be a criminal prosecution. The COPFS Victim Information and Advice service may be able to give help and support to bereaved relatives.
Q. What is a fatal accident inquiry?
A. A fatal accident inquiry, or FAI, is a type of court hearing. A FAI must take place when someone dies in custody in prison or a police station or a death is caused by an accident at work. FAIs can be held in other circumstances if it is thought to be in the public interest. The aim is to prevent future deaths or injuries.
Q. Why have I been asked to go to the mortuary to see my relative's body?
A. Relatives are sometimes asked to identify the deceased before a post-mortem examination is carried out. This can be upsetting but it is a necessary part of the investigation of the death. Everything is done to help relatives through this process. The COPFS Victim Information and Advice service may be able to give help and support.
Q. Why is a post-mortem being held?
A. Post-mortem examinations are not necessary if a doctor can certify the cause of a death. But sometimes they must be carried out to help establish the cause of a sudden, unexplained or suspicious death. Post-mortem examinations are more likely in certain circumstances, such as the sudden or unexplained death of a child. The permission of the nearest relatives is not needed to carry out an examination. So far as possible, cultural and religious traditions and sensitivities are respected. The COPFS Victim Information and Advice service may be able to give help and support.
Q. Is that the same as a hospital post-mortem?
A. No, hospital post-mortem examinations are carried out for medical purposes, for example, to help with medical training or for research. Unlike post-mortem examinations ordered by the procurator fiscal, the permission of the nearest relatives is needed for hospital post-mortem examinations.
Q. I have been told that small tissue and blood samples will have to be taken from my relative's body – why is this necessary?
A. Sometimes blood and tissue samples are taken for more detailed examination during an investigation. This scientific analysis can take several weeks. Samples are disposed of sensitively.
Q. I have been told that an organ has been removed from my relative's body – why is this necessary?
A. In a very small number of cases, it is necessary to remove an organ so that more detailed examination can take place. This examination may take several weeks. The procurator fiscal will contact you to explain the options open to you. If an organ has been retained, you will be asked to decide how you want the organ to be treated when the tests are completed.
Q. My relative wanted her organs donated – will this be possible?
A. Every effort will be made to respect her wishes, though it may not be possible if she died in suspicious circumstances.
Q. When can I get the death certificate?
A. If a post-mortem examination is held, the death certificate will be issued by the pathologist. The funeral can take place after the death certificate is issued. A copy of the post-mortem examination report, which usually gives the cause of death, can also be requested.
Q. Can I check a cause of death?
A. The cause of death is given on the medical certificate, which is completed by a doctor and taken to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Sometimes, the medical certificate will be completed only after any investigations or proceedings have taken place.
Q. Will a coroner investigate the sudden and unexplained death of my relative?
A. The coroner system operates in England and Wales rather than Scotland. The only circumstances in which a coroner may become involved is where the deceased was ordinarily resident in England and his/her body is sent back to England for burial or cremation. In these circumstance the receiving coroner will have jurisdiction due to the presence of a body within their geographical area, and will be required to investigate the death. Where the death has resulted from an accident in Scotland which is being investigated by the Procurator Fiscal, the coroner will ask the Fiscal for information, and in the majority of cases await the outcome of the Fiscals investigations.


text:
While we all realise that the world rankings for Universities (and probably most other things) is flawed, people still pay a huge amount of attention to them, and being higher is certainly better than being lower.
From today's Irish Times:
TCD AND UCD have continued to slide down the world university rankings in a trend which will concern Government, business and heads of colleges.
The latest QS rankings – published this morning – show a substantial drop in ranking for most Irish universities.
TCD drops down 13 places to 65; UCD is down 20 places from 114 to 134. NUI Galway suffers the most dramatic fall, down 66 places to 298. UCC bucked the trend, up marginally from 184 to 181.
Not good.


text: Exit Right onto Al Dhaid Road, follow signs to Dubai/Abu Dhabi. Left on Emirates Road. Right on Airport Road. At Clock Tower take a Right onto Abu Baker Al Siddique Road. On your left will be the Hamarain Shopping Centre, Take the left from the first signal after Hamarian center. The hotel is located on your right after the petrol station.


text:
Talking to heaven
- Size
- 40 x 50 cm
- No of editions
- 30 (30 left)
We ship in 48 hours and if you are unhappy with your purchase, returns are free. (more info)
About Joep van Liefland
Get to know Joep van Liefland
Joep is a collector of the discontinued
"I have over more then 50,000 VHS cassettes, but only one of them is pink."
Contemporary Berlin-based artist Joep van Liefland creates artworks that are concerned with obsolete technology: VHS cassettes, forgotten cords, bulky audio players and remote controls. His work is informed by a wide variety of artists, filmmakers, writers and philosophers, such as Paul Thek, Nikolai Fyodorov and Philip K. Dick. Van Liefland is also one of the founders of Berlin project space, Autocenter, one of the longest artist-run spaces in the city. He has created two works for Absolut. One is entitled "Im Meer der Gefühle", meaning "In the sea of feelings", and features a snapshot of the only pink VHS cassette in his studio. His other work, "RGB 203", shows red, green and blue stripes, the fundamental colours that are found in every any electronic screen.


text:
By The Associated Press
STURGIS, Miss. (AP) — The Sturgis Board of Aldermen will hold a workshop Feb. 12 to develop a counterproposal to bring a bike rally back to the city.
The Starkville Daily News reports (http://bit.ly/11fpUBV) that once a proposal is developed the board will ask the Sturgis South Bike Rally Board for a meeting.
The city has received a proposal from rally organizers for 2013 event.
The rally was canceled in 2011 and 2012 in a dispute over funds for city services including security, sanitation and trash collection.
The Sturgis aldermen rejected several revisions of a rally contract throughout winter and spring of 2012 before rejecting a final revision.
Organizers say the rally, once an Oktibbeha County staple for 14 straight years, has been a dependable source of revenue for local hotels and restaurants.


text:
hotel info
Nearest Airport: CUN
April 17, 2017 for 3 nights for 2 adults.
Seemingly endless stretches of sand embrace the turquoise Caribbean waters on one of Cancun's most secluded beaches, at Fiesta Americana...
April 17, 2017 for 3 nights for 2 adults.
Seemingly endless stretches of sand embrace the turquoise Caribbean waters on one of Cancun's most secluded beaches, at Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Cancun Resort & Spa. Imagine your very own tropical paradise, complete with vibrant cultural attractions and scenic natural sites just steps away. This idyllic resort brings you the ultimate beach vacation, with a setting and experience unlike any other. The perfect getaway for couples, friends, and families alike, you will be pampered with service as you enjoy Mexico's picturesque Yucatan Peninsula. A European-style marble lobby evokes refined yet relaxed luxury from the moment you enter the property, with elegant décor and works created by acclaimed Mexican artists. Picture windows overlook the resort, bringing your getaway instantly to life, and all-suite accommodations feature breathtaking ocean views, offering glimpses of sea and sand at every turn. Just minutes away, vibrant entertainment, fine dining, world-class shopping, golf and more await. Explore the majestic Mayan ruins, or scuba dive at some of the world's most coveted sites, all within easy reach of Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Cancun Resort & Spa.
Relax to the serenades of nightly live jazz in the plush lobby bar, where you can enjoy delectable tapas, fine wines, cocktails, and a selection of premium cigars. Infinite views of azure Caribbean waters create a paradisiacal ambiance that defines pure relaxation. Refreshing tropical drinks are just a quick swim away at one of the relaxing poolside bars. An awe-inspiring pool with blue lagoon-like waters spans the length of the hotel, and is adorned with numerous lounges and framed by swaying palms. Innovation meets sophistication at the resort's new 40,000-square-foot Gem Spa, so be sure to stop in for an indulgent body treatment or blissful massage. Beautiful resort surroundings combined with top-notch service have made the resort a winner of prestigious awards and accolades as one of Mexico's best resorts from the readers of Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler. Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Cancun Resort & Spa presents a true luxury experience on the azure shores of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
Luxury Link is a trademark of Luxury Link, LLC. ©Copyright 1997 - 2017


text:
Melt free Make-Up for Summer
Seeing as this is my first blog entry, I figured that I'd write about what I know, and what I know is the beauty business! Since summer is right around the corner, I wanted to share the best melt-free beauty products on the market, today.
The newest fad in cosmetics is BB Creams – standing for "Beauty Balm," or "Blemish Balm". It's a moisturizer, primer, foundation, and sunblock all in one product. Most of them offer broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection. They are also made to be transfer, and sweat resistant, so they are perfect for the warmer, summer months. My favorite, is Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35. A five-in-one set secret for achieving flawless skin on camera and beyond.
Water resistant, and smudge proof mascaras are also in high demand during the summer months. I recommend water resistant mascaras over waterproof, because waterproof mascaras are generally very hard to remove, and you can damage your lashes trying to get it off. My favorite mascara is "They're Real" from Benefit. Not only does it lengthen, thicken, curl, and separate your lashes, but it's smudge proof and will not smear. It also just acquired the top spot and became #1 selling mascara in the world! I like to call it "the push-up bra for your lashes." It gives you that great "Out to here" look.
The last thing I recommend for summer makeup is lip and cheek stain. These are wonderful multi-tasking products that resist makeup meltdown, and they are very easy to apply. Right now, mango and tangerine hues are in, so consider trying Cha Cha Tint from Benefit. It's a mango-colored lip and cheek stain that will survive the most brutal summer day.
Sephora descibes it like this. "This mango-tinted stain beautifully blushes lips and cheeks with a tropical sunset hue. Smooch-proof and smudge-proof, this sheer stain will have you looking deliciously sun-kissed for hours."
You can find out more about Camera Ready and other Smashbox Cosmetics here. Get more details about Cha Cha Tint and other Benefit Cosmetics here.
From the Friend Collective resident make up maven, KC.


text:
Revision [6187]
This is an old revision of Woof made by coolpup on 2010-03-23 14:33:27.
'For a long time I have dreamt of a "magical script" that could download packages of some other distro, cut them right down to Puppy-size, then build a Puppy Linux live-CD -- and do all of this totally automatically.'
Woof, the Puppy builder
A personal, tiny, and very simple version control system for managing the Woof project:
Tutorial: Building a Custom Puppy with Woof
Upup Ubuntu Puppy


text:
Longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster has one of his better groups of athletes coming back, ten starters in all...and that is a scary thought. Big 6'6 Logan Thomas is proving to be a championship level quarterback.
This is the one area that has some glaring replacement issues. With only one returning starter on this offensive line and very little depth from tackle to tight end, the rest of the college world will wait to see how this unit shakes out before jumping on the Hokies as a Top Ten contender.
VIRGINIA TECH 2012 SCHEDULE non-conference opponents
09/15 - at Pittsburgh 09/22 - Bowling Green 09/29 - Cincinnati @Landover, MD TBA - Austin Peay ------------------- TBA - Duke TBA - Florida State TBA - Georgia Tech TBA - Virginia TBA - at Boston College TBA - at Clemson TBA - at Miami FL TBA - at North Carolina


text:
This should help.
Urban Dictionary.com
Hi guys,
I might be asking a stupid question BUT....What are the following,
I've read the above in the forum and in Guns & Ammo Mag, which I get sent over here. The French guys at the range love it, but I spend most of my time translating it.
Many thanx,
This should help.
Urban Dictionary.com
So thats a MALL NINJA.
We have 2 at our club. They TALK a good shoot but could'nt hit the side of a barn at 5ft.
Here you go.
MALL NINJA: Any former Dungeons and Dragons player who has grown up to now own firearms... Usually carries up to four weapons, at least one gun and one knife, often a BUG (Back-up-gun), and an extendable baton. This isn't so bad... except he usually is decked out in 5.11 Tactical Gear (a clothing manufacturer for para-military types and SWAT teams). Often seen un public (malls) wearing sunglasses inside, tactical clothing, combat boots, a buzz-cut, and "casually" scanning the magazine rack reading "Soldier of Fortune" magazine, but in fact is doing his own covert surveilance for domestic terrorists among the crowd at the book store, and across the hall, at the coffee shop. He is suspicious of everyone, and everything, and though he has NO formal training, is convinced he can handle anything up to and including a large gang, with his three guns, two knives, and the martial arts he's read about, and practiced extensively in front of You Tube. He often owns a collection of throwing knives and throwing stars, frequently reads up on home-made suppressors, pipe bombs, and other weapons he'll need for "after the apocalypse/invasion" that has built his kitchen, as he does not have a garage. He rarely goes to the range and practices, as he's sure that if he uses his real "techniques" that he has developed himself in front of his mirror, that someone will "out" him as a one-man covert tactical defense force. When he does go, he typically shoots only silouettes, and no bullseyes, and typically never inside 15 yards (too easy). He will typically douse a few targets with a mag-full of bullets, and comfortable he's gotten at least three hit on the target, pats himself on the back for having a higher hit-percentage than the NYPD (who are most often shooting at targets that shoot back). He will then retreat to his 12 year-old Toyota sedan, and head back to his apartment to clean his guns, and his knives, and his Oakley sunglasses. Before bed, he makes another "Product Test" video for You Tube, cleans his guns again after shooting the video, and then goes to bed... with 4 guns within reach, in case the invasion comes TONIGHT!!!
ZOMBIE GUN: Any weapon with the sole purpose of suppression of the un-dead when they appear at your house to eat your brains... And I said WHEN, not IF. Usually an AR-15 variant with at least 20 full mags, or a 12 gauge tactical shotgun with a mag tube extension, side-saddle shell holder, breaching barrel, and a folding stock, for when they get in really, really close...
SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL: Any handgun worth less than the covercharge to the club into which is carried. Usually 22, 25, or 32 caliber. Usually 2-7 shot capacity. Usually more reliable when used as a thrown object.
Hope this helps...
Man..I see people like that pretty often around the ranges. Looking like Rambo and can't hit the broad side of their rumps. Not that it would matter. The gear they are wearing will prevent unsightly rump loss. I talked to a guy at a range one day that informed me of his high stress job guarding a self storage place. Man was he cool!
I'd like to see that Gecko45 guy putting on his gear and holding the plates to protect his fragile head running to the waiting Ford Escort/Toyota Camry where his wife waited with the Glocks loaded and ready to go in some thigh holsters. "Boy I'm glad I have these babies! We might just make it home tonight sweety..Now Drive damnit drive!!"
...someday...When I grow up...ah..Who am I kidding..I'll never be cool like that
...ummm..Shrine of the Mall Ninja..Don't that sound liek a cool ass flung poo..i mean kung fu movie?
Your kung fu is good..But I WILL defeat you. we must kungfu fight!!
I went and read the thread Todd linked to. What a piece of work. Amazing. I'm guessing that Gecko45 is the real deal, and Specops was a skilled provocateur. It was all Internet art, though. September never ends on the Web!
To this day, one of the funniest reads ever to grace the internets.
Code 4


text:
Vendor: Microsoft
Certifications: MCTS
Exam Name: MCA Registration to register for the program
Exam Code: 70-910
Total Questions: 116 Q&As
Last Updated: Mar 21, 2017
Note: Product instant download. Please sign in and click My account to download your product.
passed today 810 from 790 ;there is some new DD ; i recommend to be aware of that.
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text:
After school, Rachel boarded the bus with the upper-graders. I was already on the bus, saving half my seat for her. I was her bus friend; she would've been lonely without me. Her parents were hippies, and she wasn't like the other kids who rode my bus. Our dads farmed or logged the forests, and some of them spoke with southern accents, even though they had lived in the valley their whole lives. "Hi!" "Hi." Rachel dropped her backpack from her right shoulder and sat beside me. "Guess what! The chicks hatched and we voted on names and I said 'Rachel' and it won!" Our class had an incubator that winter. We were learning about the life cycle, following along in our science book what was happening beneath the egg shells. Only ten of the eggs hatched. We cracked an unhatched egg to see where the chick had stopped growing; it had almost grown full-sized and its feathers were sticky and sparse. "Oh?" She kicked her backpack under the seat. I waited. "Yeah, I said that it was after you, name the chicken after you." I felt victorious. I wanted Rachel to know that it wasn't just me who liked her; Mr. Mendosa's whole class voted for her. She looked at me. "Thanks?" "You're welcome." I wanted her to feel pleased and popular and loved. Special. "Rachel, are you gonna tell us what happened to Luke?" Maria leaned forward between me and Rachel as the bus lurched forward. Bill's voice crackled over the bus loudspeaker: "No changing seats while the bus is moving!" "Luke?" Rachel looked confused. "Oh, the elf? Yeah, just. Let me think a minute." The story was mine. I dropped my lunchbox under the seat and slid closer to her. I wanted to but didn't touch her. We sat in silence. I pretended to look out the window, instead watching Rachel in the reflection of the glass. "Are you done thinking?" "What?" "I mean, thinking what happened to the elf after he escaped the dungeon?" She sounded a little tired. "I'll tell you later, okay?" "Oh. All right." I looked out the window for real this time. The scenery went by so slowly, not like in the back of the car. It went faster if you looked out the side windows than if you looked out the front. The hills and the sides of the road were green. The trees were dark and bare. "I could tell you a different story." I turned to her, excitedly. "Yeah." "Once there was a girl who lived with her parents and her dog in a big house in the woods." I immediately pictured the dark wood walls of my home. My family had two cats, no dogs, but I pictured my cousins' dog, Duke, a tall mutt who was part German Shepherd. "The girl's parents went on a trip without her. They left the dog at home to protect her. They told her that if she got scared at night, she could reach out her hand and the dog would lick it." Something in Rachel's voice made my legs feel like they were falling asleep. The bus was just outside of Philo now. There were only a few more stops 'til my house. I felt a creeping fear. "That night, she got into bed and went to sleep, but she woke up in the middle of the night. She heard a sound: 'drip… drip… drip…'" I knew this sound; my bedroom was across the hall from the bathroom. I imagined myself in my bed, a dog by my side, the house empty, the dripping tap echoing in the dark. I wanted Rachel to stop the story, but I felt desperate, too, to hear the ending. "She felt scared, so she put out her hand for her dog to lick. She felt him lick her palm, so she went back to sleep." My stomach was sick. The bus stopped at Jack's Valley Store. "She woke up again. 'Drip… drip… drip…'" We passed the feed store my fathers' cousins owned. "She put her hand out again, and the dog licked her hand." The bus stopped at the fruit stand. My cousins got off and lit across the highway into the parking lot. "When she woke up in the morning, she called out for the dog, but he didn't come. Then she heard the dripping sound again. 'Drip… drip… drip…'" The bus crossed the farm, passed the horse pasture, the orchard beside the packing shed. "She ran to the bathroom and threw back the shower curtain." The bus rounded the corner by my grandparents' house. I could see my house at the top of the next hill. I felt my heart beating in my chest. "There was her dog, hung up in the shower, bleeding. 'Drip… drip… drip…'" The bus stopped, and I pushed past Rachel. "And on the mirror behind her, written in blood, it said 'People can lick too!'" I felt a flash of cold shock go through me, numbing my body as I stepped from the bus onto the driveway. Climbing the hill, I was pale and shaky. "I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay," I repeated to myself, emptily. The rest of the afternoon, I was a ghost. Sitting on the couch with the TV on: "I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay." I was not okay. In bed that night, there wasn't a sound of any kind. The nightlight dimly lit the edge of my room. My father, my sisters, my brother, all asleep. I lay on my back, staring at the redwood knots on the ceiling, holding my body perfectly still. There was no dog. No dripping water. No one had left me alone. I knew, though, that the killer would find me.
from The Book of Revelation
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text:
Craig Sara Schneider, Chadron State College student, has enrolled in the classes, attended the lectures and taken the exams.
But, the real test began six weeks ago when she started student teaching at Sunset Elementary School.
"I learned more in my first day than a semester in college," she said.
Schneider teaches physical education to kindergarten through fourth-grade students. She has up to 13 classes a day.
Her day doesn't end when students go home. She has lesson plans to write and reports of her students' progress to compile.
Schneider's after-hours work is a necessary step in obtaining her bachelor's degree in science and a certification to teach health and physical education to students from kindergarten to 12th grade.
And all for no pay.
It's a part of the experience, she said - an experience that has confirmed her love of teaching.
"I don't think a lot of it is as hard as they made it out to be," she said. "It is so fun. I feel like I'm a fourth-grader all over again.
"And that's great. I love coming here every day."
Teaching physical education is a marriage of Schneider's two passions: children and sports.
Originally, she wanted to become a physical therapist.
Playing high school and college sports under coaches - good and bad - changed her course, she said. Especially the good coaches who pushed her to perform her best.
She wanted to have the same impact on others as they had on her. So, she threw her hat into the ring, taking up courses with the Chadron State education program.
Her classes covered various topics, including educational psychology and physical activities for young children.
The culmination: An eight-week student teaching program at Sunset Elementary, immediately followed by another of the same duration at Craig Middle School.
Schneider shares classroom duties with her supervising teacher, Susan Nicholson, including recess duty and lesson planning.
She hopes her 16-week apprenticeship will help her land her a teaching job in Northwest Colorado. Although she's a native of Baggs, Wyo., she wants to stay in Moffat County.
"I would love to stay here," she said. "I want to be in this district."
The course leading to a full-time teaching position is littered with obstacles - obstacles of which Schneider is aware.
First, there are the programs.
"P.E. : arts, the music (classes) - they're the first to get cut in every school out there," she said, adding that standardized tests make core curriculum teachers more highly sought after.
A lack of open positions comes next.
She's giving Moffat County two years.
"If a job doesn't open, I'll have to go elsewhere," she said.
Helping overcome negative images about physical education classes is the third hurdle she must jump if she wants to teach long term.
In the past, physical education classes have focused primarily on group sports - activities not all students perform well in, she said.
"I think it puts a negative label on physical activity and sports."
Instead, Schneider intends to teach her students the basics of coordination and movement.
"They could become comfortable with (those concepts) and then they could become effective with a variety of activities," she said.
But there, again, is another hurdle: Motivation.
It's one area of teaching where she wants help.
"I want to inspire them but I think sometimes it takes more than just one person," Schneider said. "It takes families to inspire, families to get involved."
Bridget Manley can be reached at 824-7031, ext. 207 or email@example.com