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TMC wrote:What's up with this league, guys?. There are seven members registered already so it would be nice to have, at least, one more (although three more would be better).
And, considering that we're almost in october, I think an online draft would suit it better. An offline draft might take too long...
Draft on here would be alright, as we can see by how the other one is going, real fast.
We need at least one more participant. I've been calling on people for ages now and noone even responds to this thread. 8th Ave said he'd be in, as did Jimbob, so one of them needs to join and we can get this started, as eight people is enough and still competitive and fun


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HANOVER, Ind. - Racing against the best runners in the country, the No. 8 MIT women's cross country team finished in fifth place with 261 points at the 2013 NCAA Division III Championships at Hanover College on Saturday afternoon. Junior Elaine McVay (San Ramon, Calif.) was Tech's highest finisher, coming in 18th place on the 6k course with a time of 21:47.6, moving up 20 places from last year and coming in just a second ahead of Danielle Kennedy of Oneonta.
MIT improved on its sixth place finish at last season's Championships with 291 points. Defending champion Johns Hopkins claimed the title with 85 points, No. 2 Williams was second with 137, No. 4 Middlebury came in third with 185 points and the University of Chicago were fourth with 261.
McVay is the second highest placing Engineer at NCAAs in program history, after Maria Monks, who came in 13th place at the 2009 national championships. McVay ran her first mile in 5:51 and reached the 2k mark at 7:05. Her 3k was a 10:41 and she reached the 2.9 mile mark at 16:50. She earned All-America honors for the second time in her career.
Next to complete the race for the Engineers was classmate Kali Benavides (Miami, Fla.), who was competing at NCAAs for the first time, coming in 53rd place with a time of 22:14.3. Senior Louise van den Heuvel (Nashua, N.H.) came in 87th in 22:33.7 and was followed soon after by graduate student Brooke Johnson (Shoreham, N.Y.) in 94th with a 22:35.7. Senior Kaitlin Allen (Bedford, N.H.) came in 102nd place in a 22:38.9.
In her first national's appearance, freshman Christina Wicker (Oak Harbor, Wash.) came in 130th with a time of 22:48.1. Closing out the MIT runners was senior Alexandra Taylor (Harbor Springs, Mich.), who finished in 195th place out of 275 runners with her time of 23:19.2.

subset: commoncrawl


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Honors students in Principles of Marketing spent this semester working on a challenging, hands-on project. They had to come up with a business and marketing plan for a new business that would target millennials—those born between 1980 and 1995.
To figure out what set millennials apart from other generations, they surveyed their fellow Suffolk students.
They discovered that millennials have many common (and sometimes controversial) characteristics. Millennials typically:
- Use digital and social media regularly
- Are content creators and users
- Strive for healthy lifestyles
- Are not a homogeneous cohort
- Align to brands with a purpose
- Seek peer affirmation
The students came up with several innovative business ideas, which they presented at a professional poster session at Suffolk.
This business idea combines millennials' interest in health and social media. Motivmate allows gym goers to share their workouts with their social networks and offers discounts at places like b.good, City Sports, and Athleta.
Text Book Depot
Another group came up with textbookdepot.net, where students can trade and sell their used college text books for fair prices. The students have already purchased the domain name and plan to pilot the business with Suffolk students.
Case Swap
Case Swap is like Netflix for phone cases. Subscribers pay a monthly fee to rent different phone cases. This idea capitalizes on the sharing culture of millennials today.
Parent Pillow Plan
Another group found that millennials want to give back to their parents as a thank you for raising them and helping with college tuition. So the students came up with a unique investment plan that would essentially allow millennials to invest in their parents' futures.
The students are currently working to patent their idea.
Recycling Reward
This on-campus recycling program offers incentives for recycling. Students would scan their Suffolk IDs when they recycled items in special bins around campus. The students would earn rewards points based on their recycling habits.
Whatcha Doin'
Millennials are social, digital, and eager to make connections with their peers. That's where Whatcha Doin' mobile app comes in. The app allows students to quickly find events that are happening at nearby colleges. They can buy tickets, share events with friends, and see who's going to each event.
Principles of Marketing is a requirement if you're earning a BSBA degree or minoring in business. Learn more about our undergraduate courses in marketing.


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Linked by MOS6510 on Sun 5th May 2013 22:43 UTC
"In order to be an effective programmer, you need to possess a combination of traits that allow your skill, experience, and knowledge to produce working code. There are some technically skilled developers who will never be effective because they lack the other traits needed. Here are seven traits that are necessary to become a great programmer."
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RE[4]: Almost not accurate
by timalot on Mon 6th May 2013 21:24 UTC in reply to "RE[3]: Almost not accurate"
We are talking about being a programmer here. Not the fastest... if you think a bit about there are additional benefits to doing it programatically.
And to let you know, after being "lazy" all these years, i probably could write the script to modify these lines in similar time to doing it manually.


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A fine 62 from opener Hamilton Masakadza set up hosts Zimbabwe for an 11-run victory over Bangladesh in the opening match of a Twenty20 tri-nations tournament that includes South Africa.
Masakadza slammed four sixes and six fours in a 35-ball stand and captain Brendan Taylor (38) offered good support as the home team reached 154-6 off 20 overs in clear, warm conditions.
Bangladesh could make only 143-5 in reply and new coach Richard Pybus started with a loss in a country which has not proved a happy hunting ground for the Tigers as they lost a Test and a one-day international series there last year.
"I feared we were about 10 to 15 runs short of what we needed after our innings," admitted Zimbabwe skipper Taylor, "but our bowlers did exceptionally well today.
"There is a lot of hard work ahead in this tournament, though, as we conceded too many boundaries at the start of the Bangladesh innings and our middle-order batting needs sharpening," he said.
Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim said: "We were confident of reaching the target only to lose ground in the middle overs and what remains for us to do is learn from the mistakes of today."
Tamim Iqbal gave Bangladesh a good start with a 38 that featured three fours and Ziaur Rahman (23) and Mohammad Ashraful (22) contributed good knocks and the visitors required 56 to win with 30 balls left.
However, tight bowling at the death by debutant Richard Muzhange and Malcolm Jarvis tamed the Tigers and even a penultimate-over boundary mix-up between Elton Chigumbura and Vusi Sibanda that cost four runs did not prove fatal.
The non-cap tournament resumes at the same venue Tuesday when Bangladesh face hot favourites South Africa and Zimbabwe will confront their southern neighbours the following afternoon.
Masakadza half-ton helps Zimbabwe tame Tigers
A fine 62 from opener Hamilton Masakadza set up hosts Zimbabwe for an 11-run victory over Bangladesh in the opening match of a Twenty20 tri-nations tournament that includes South Africa.


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Vesicular Stomatitis Fact Sheet (pdf May 2012)
2015 Vesicular Stomatitis Situation
2014 Vesicular Stomatitis Situation
2012 Vesicular Stomatitis Situation
2010 Vesicular Stomatitis Situation
2009 Vesicular Stomatitis Situation
Overview of U.S. Vesicular Stomatitis Outbreaks in 2004, 2005, 2006
Vesicular Stomatitis 2004/2005/2006 U.S. Outbreak (2006 USAHA Conference presentation, Microsoft PowerPoint, posted 10/18/06)
2006 Vesicular Stomatitis Situation
2005 Vesicular Stomatitis Situation
2004 Vesicular Stomatitis Situation
Surveillance Information
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) surveillance is conducted by the State Departments of Agriculture in conjunction with USDA - APHIS - Veterinary Services. Veterinary practitioners examine all animals involved in shows, exhibitions, races, and interstate or international movement.
Disease Information
Vesicular stomatitis is a viral disease which primarily affects horses, cattle, and swine. The agent that causes vesicular stomatitis, VSV, has a wide host range and can occasionally infect sheep and goats. In affected livestock, VSV causes blister-like lesions to form in the mouth and on the dental pad, tongue, lips, nostrils, hooves, and teats. These blisters swell and break, leaving raw tissue that is so painful that infected animals generally refuse to eat and drink and show signs of lameness. Severe weight loss usually follows, and in dairy cows a severe drop in milk production commonly occurs. Affected dairy cattle can appear to be normal and will continue to eat about half of their feed intake.


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All students admitted to United are asked to provide evidence of a growing faith, potential for exercising creative ministry in a professional capacity and personal maturity, and ability to relate well to others.
All applicants must have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale) from a nationally or regionally accredited institution.
United Theological Seminary requires criminal background checks on all degree-seeking and non-degree applicants. You will be charged a non-refundable fee by Verified Credentials. This requirement is only for United States citizens and legal residents.
Admission to degree programs at United is granted to qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, theological perspective, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status or veteran status.


text: Sijun Forums :: View topic - 3d rendering service supplied from Sunrise Log in to check your private messages Sijun Forums Forum Index >> Gallery/Finished Work View previous topic :: View next topic Author Topic : "3d rendering service supplied from Sunrise" zbxdtcjunior memberMember #Joined: 18 Aug 2010Posts: 12Location: shanghai,china Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 10:52 pm Hi! We are a professional 3d architectural design company located in Shanghai, the P.R.C., found in 2002. Our scope is in 3d interior&exterior rendering, 3d animation, 3d virtual reality, CAD converation, 3d character modeling, 360 degree panorama visualization and products visualziaton. We have talent and skilled designers and renderers who have 5-year working experences, for more information, please visit our website:http://www.sunrise3dcraft.com. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Sijun Forums Forum Index -> Gallery/Finished Work All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Digital Art----------------Digital Art DiscussionWork in ProgressGallery/Finished Work Miscellaneous----------------Random MusingsArchive : Sep99 - Dec00 You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2005 phpBB Group


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8:30 pm
Lidia's Italy In America "Sicily In New York City" The Sicilians were a large immigrant community in lower Manhattan and other areas of New York City, and they brought with them several dishes from their homeland. Today, Lidia celebrates the Sicilians with a Stuffed Calamari Dish and a Broccoli with Garlic and Anchovies. She then makes a Cappuccino Cake which she actually discovered in New Orleans - another locale with a very large Sicilian population. D
9:00 pm
Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen "Grilling" Bridget shows Chris how to make Grilled Thin-Cut Pork Chops and Grilled Potato Hobo Packs. Then, Adam reveals his top picks for grill tongs. Next, Chris shares the test kitchen's top new gadgets, and finally, Julia uncovers the secrets to Grilled Lemon Chicken. D
9:30 pm
Simply Ming "Blue Ginger Chefs" On this episode of SIMPLY MING, Ming takes us behind-the-scenes to meet his James Beard Award-Winning Blue Ginger Team. Putting his own chefs to the challenge with surprise ingredients and a visit to his studio pantry, Ming and company cook up three separate dishes fit for a king. D
10:00 pm
Taste of Louisiana with Chef John Folse & Co.: Our Food Heritage "St. Joseph's Day Altars" Not only did the Italians bring a tremendous work ethic to Louisiana, they came with a love of family and an incredible faith. The St. Joseph Day altars are a true testament to their strong beliefs. D
10:30 pm
Rick Steves' Europe "Portugal's Heartland" Rick eats barnacles in an old fishing town, marches with pilgrims, and views riches of the country's Golden Age.G
11:00 pm
Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish "Inolvidable (Unforgettable)" This episode includes a history of the Tango, a glimpse of the life of writer Jose Luis Borges and a general overview of the culture and history of Argentina.G
11:30 pm
Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish "Estimada Sra. Suarez (Dear Mrs. Suarez)" This episode reviews the vocabulary and sights of Raquel's visit to Buenos Aires.G


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From Mashed Potato Puffs to Turkey Stew: 10 Recipes For Thanksgiving Leftovers
Happy post-Thanksgiving, friends! We hope you all had a festive, food-filled day yesterday, Now the topic turns to leftovers, doesn't it? There's no reason you can't have a mini Thanksgiving meal all over again, but if you want to branch out, consider one of these recipes. From turkey pot pie to sweet potato hash, from pie filling jam to mashed potato puffs, here are 10 ways to make the most of your holiday leftovers:
• 1 Bacon, Kale, and Turkey Stew
• 2 How To Pan-Fry Leftover Bread Stuffing
• 3 Recipe: Quick and Easy Turkey Pot Pie
• 4 5-Ingredient Soup Recipe: Turkey Avgolemono Soup
• 5 Mashed Potato Puffs
• 6 Recipe: Sweet Potato & Cornbread Hash with Veggie Sausage Gravy
• 7 Refrigerator Jam from Leftover Pie Filling
• 8 How To Turn Third Day Leftovers Into Hand Pies
• 9 Making Mashed Potatoes a Meal
• 10 Recipe: Baked Apples with Cranberry Sauce
Related: Got Leftovers? Follow the 2:4 Rule
(Images: see linked posts for full image credits)


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Kershaw hopes to keep rolling in Arizona
Clayton Kershaw hopes to continue his amazing start to the season on Friday when the Los Angeles Dodgers kick off a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Emotions should still be running high for the Dodgers, who will take the field following a 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Thursday in a game that featured a wild brawl. The fracas started when Dodgers' righty Zack Greinke hit Carlos Quentin with a pitch. During the melee, though, Greinke suffered a broken left collarbone and will be sidelined indefinitely.
"I never hit him on purpose," said Greinke, who had hit Quentin on two other occasions." He always seems to think I'm hitting him on purpose, but that's not the case."
It's unknown how much time Greinke will miss, as he, Matt Kemp, who confronted Quentin in the parking lot after the game, and Jerry Hairston Jr. were all ejected from the contest.
"He should not play a game until Greinke can pitch," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said about Quentin. "If he plays before Greinke pitches, something is wrong. Their guys charges the mound being an idiot and our guy is going to be out for however long and their guy is probably going to be playing in three days. It's a joke."
Los Angeles now turns to Kershaw, who has yet to allow a run in winning his first two starts. Kershaw has surrendered just six hits and has struck out 16 batters in 16 innings.
"For me it just starts with throwing strikes," said Kershaw. "Just keep pumping the strike zone and letting the defense work. That's kind of my mindset."
Kershaw's impressive run could continue on Friday, as he owns a 7-5 lifetime mark against the Diamondbacks with a 2.25 ERA in 14 starts. However, he has pitched to a 1.81 ERA in his last 11 starts against them.
Arizona, meanwhile, will counter with righty Patrick Corbin, who won his first start. Corbin beat the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday, holding them to a pair of runs and eight hits in six innings.
He was 1-1 with a 1.88 ERA in three games (2 starts) versus the Dodgers last season. Corbin also picked up a save in his lone relief appearance against them.
Arizona enters this tilt with wins in five of its last seven games, but on the heels of a series loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Diamondbacks lost the first two games of their three-game set with the Bucs, but avoided the sweep with a 10-2 win on Wednesday.
Arizona was 12-6 against the Dodgers last season.


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The biggest free-agent decisions on Saturday, the second day of the open market, were Brad Richards picking the New York Rangers and Toronto then settling for Plan B and Tim Connolly.
At varying degrees, both will help their new teams better resemble contenders.
But as far as the Bruins are concerned, the biggest news of the day was Simon Gagne leaving Tampa Bay for Los Angeles and a two-year, $7 million deal.
Yes, Gagne is finally out of the Eastern Conference and the Bruins won't have to worry about facing him in the postseason unless there's a Kings-Bruins Stanley Cup Final next June. The last two seasons, he has been a Bruins killer in the playoffs.
In this season's Eastern Conference Final, Gagne produced three goals and two assists for the Lightning against the Bruins in the seven-game series. His goal in the Lightning's dramatic rally from 3-0 down in Game 4 proved to be the game-winner in the 5-3 victory.
The previous spring, as painful as it is to recall, Gagne was on fire after he returned from injury for Game 4 of the Bruins-Philadelphia second-round series. Gagne scored the overtime winner to prevent the sweep that night and then scored twice in a Game 5 win and the game-winner in the Flyers' Game 7 triumph.
Now Gagne and his Bruins-beating ways will be out on the Left Coast, out of harm's way for the Bruins' attempt to defend their Cup title.
Richards, who signed a nine-year, $60 million contract to go to the Big Apple, makes the Rangers better but not necessarily a threat to the Bruins' Eastern Conference supremacy. The Rangers are still young and have some depth issues on their back end, not to mention they're carrying some enigmatic wingers that either have problems staying healthy or producing consistently.
After they lost out on Richards, the Maple Leafs opted for Connolly, whose health is always a question mark. There are also questions about his ability to perform in the big moments. After signing a two-year, $9.5 million deal, he's going to be expected to set up Phil Kessel and get the Leafs into the playoffs for the first time since the lockout.
When the stakes have been high the last couple seasons, Connolly has struggled. He went goal-less in six games of Buffalo's first-round series with the Flyers last spring. The previous year he registered just one point in a six-game playoff series with the Bruins. Considering Kessel's lackluster history against the Bruins, Boston isn't going to worry too much about getting burned when it rolls out Zdeno Chara and a partner against a Leafs top line featuring Kessel and Connolly in 2011-12.
A lot of the teams in the East are going to show up opposite the Bruins with a different look from a season ago. The best change, however, will be that Gagne won't be in any of their lineups.


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Concerned about college costs?
- Enroll as a Bethel College freshman.
- Stick to one major.
- Take full-time loads.
- Make reasonable academic progress.
If you fulfill the above criteria, you will graduate in four years.* If you do not, the Bethel College courses you need to graduate are yours, tuition free.
During the past 10 years, 74 percent of Bethel graduates finished their degrees in four years, well above the 49 percent national average for public colleges.
Explore the links in this section to find out how this guarantee can save you money; whether the 4-Year Graduation Guarantee is for you; and the required commitments for both you and Bethel College.
What is the 4-Year Graduation Guarantee?
Bethel College guarantees essential courses will be available to allow you to complete all course work necessary to fulfill Common Ground and major requirements so you are a candidate for a baccalaureate degree from Bethel College by the end of the eighth consecutive semester of study. When conditions for the guarantee are satisfied and a student is still not able to graduate in eight semesters, Bethel College will provide tuition, plus any course fees, for all Bethel College courses needed to complete the degree requirements. This guarantee is for students who begin as first-time freshmen, stick to one major, take a full load each term and make reasonable academic progress.
Bethel College's 4-Year Graduation Guarantee offers serious, goal-oriented incoming freshmen guaranteed savings in time and money as they work toward completion of their baccalaureate degree programs. In fact, during the past 10 years, 74 percent of Bethel graduates finished their degrees in four years, well above the 49 percent national average for public colleges.
However, Bethel also provides you the space to explore and discover your educational aspirations. So you may elect to extend your studies beyond eight semesters to take advantage of research and employment opportunities or certificate and/or minor programs, or to pursue specialized plans of study tailored to unique career goals.
Whether you are ready to map out a single route or want the flexibility of varied paths toward your educational goals, Bethel's combination of advising, course scheduling and individual attention ensures efficient and steady progress toward graduation. You will also find financial support to make your choices possible.
* Programs that require coursework beyond the major to fulfill teacher licensure requirements are excluded from the 4-Year Graduation Guarantee.
Want to know more?
Find out whether the 4-Year Graduation Guarantee is for you; the required commitments; and how this guarantee can save you money. When you're ready to make the 4-Year Graduation Guarantee commitment, complete the agreement form.
If you have additional questions, contact the vice president for academic affairs or the Office of Admissions.


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Chicago turns river green for St. Patrick's Day
March 16, 2013
CHICAGO (AP) — Thousands of people decked out in green have descended on downtown Chicago for St. Patrick's Day festivities.
The crowd lining the Chicago River let out a collective cheer Saturday as workers on a boat dumped dye into the water, turning it a fluorescent hue of green — at least for a few hours.
In a sea of people wearing green shirts, coats and even wigs and beards, 29-year-old Ben May managed to stand out. The Elkhart, Ind., man was wearing a full leprechaun costume complete with a tall green hat he had to hold on to in the wind.
May bought the outfit to wear to Notre Dame football games. But he figured it was fitting for this occasion too. He says he hopes it gets him some free drinks.


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Get the Flash Playerto see this player.
|Tiffany Preston
Short review: Welcome to a world that is full of a female you can tell loves being a female, and she uses her sensual ways to bring you in closer, much closer.
Content Amount: There's nothing like the allure of a lady that has found her place within her own self and is currently ready to share it with the world, and that's precisely what you'll get with Tiffany Preston. The fishnet panty-hose, the netted mid-drift top with full sizzling dollies shown and the ruffled, lusty little slips that speak volumes over her rounded outback. Pictures, movies and bonus websites are contained.


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Hi there,
looks like this code will be very useful to me. I'm using Dreamweaver to built a new site.
My problem is that I'm using a layer to show images on top of a larger image. I have little thumbnails as part of the large image, and so I'm using map/hotspot feature to link. How do I get this 'change on click' funtction to display the images in layer1?


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Seatbelts could have prevented 3 Boston U deaths
ROTORUA, New Zealand (AP) — Three Boston University students who were killed last year in New Zealand when their minivan rolled might have survived if they were wearing seatbelts, police said Wednesday.
Constable Tina Mitchell-Ellis told a coroner's court that the three who died and a fourth who suffered brain trauma in last May's accident weren't wearing belts and were thrown from the van. She said four others who were wearing belts suffered only minor injuries.
The students were in New Zealand on a study-abroad program and were driving to the start of a scenic hike.
Driver Stephen Houseman last year pleaded guilty to careless driving and was disqualified from driving for six months.
Mitchell-Ellis said Houseman had earlier reminded the others to buckle up. She said he became distracted and drove onto the side of the road before overcorrecting, flipping the van four times.
"As we were flipping, everyone was screaming but it was more like a rollercoaster scream," Housman said in a statement to police that was presented at the court hearing. "I just kept screaming 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.' I did not know what else to say."
Police said alcohol and drugs weren't involved and the debris indicated Houseman likely wasn't speeding on the rural road when he crashed. Police said it was his first time driving on New Zealand roads and his first time driving a minivan.
Those killed were Austin Brashears of California and Roch Jauberty of France, both aged 21; and 20-year-old Daniela Lekhno of New Jersey. Meg Theriault of Massachusetts suffered head injuries.
The Associated Press tracked Theriault's struggle to recover from the accident, as she returned home, underwent cranial surgery and returned to Boston University in January to audit an accounting class.


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It's about this time when folks like to tell you how they'll change in the coming year.
It's about this time when folks like to tell you how they'll change in the coming year.
Give you their resolutions:
Eat less. Exercise more. Stop smoking. Start meditating. Sleep better. Work harder. Take more vacations. Read. Write. Listen. Laugh. Cry.
I'm going to do all that.
But I'd rather tell you the things I don't want to hear or see in 2013:
Roger Daltrey with his shirt off. He's gone from talking about his generation to showing us. His generation should keep their clothes on. Stories about the world coming to an end. When the world ends — then we can talk about it. Agree? Women who walk around with the book "50 Shades of Grey." If you need to read it in public, get a book jacket. Too much information. Mark Sanchez at quarterback for the Jets. Rex Ryan coaching the Jets. Another classic Catskill resort burning to the ground. Lane closures Friday afternoon on Route 17. Any study that says drinking too much coffee is bad for you (I'm in denial). Any study that says too much wine is bad for you (I'm in denial). Last-place predictions for the Mets (I'm in denial). Dirty dishes in my kid's room. Gas above three bucks. Anything about the Kardashians. All of them. And Lindsay Lohan. Miley Cyrus. Jessica Simpson. Justin Beber. Donald Trump. Please. Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller in a movie together. ianything (phones, pads, pods) for kids under 10. These kids won't know how to think unless they're "online." Politicians espousing the values of "open government" without understanding that actions speak louder than words. My dermatologist asking how long I've had that spot on my face. Snow (Hey, a guy can dream). Any mention of the 2016 presidential campaign. People on the Delaware River without a life vest. Stories about 1/3/13, 1/13/13, 3/11/13 and 11/3/13. Another "buck" store. Excuses why there aren't more flights out of Stewart International Airport. Excuses why they can't finish the tunnel between the Galleria and Orange Plaza. Excuses why some of our areas keep having "100-year floods" every other year. Excuses why my boys won't move out. Women on "Real Housewives" pretending to be real housewives. Roz Lewis was a real housewife. These women are no Roz Lewis. Teen vampires. Stories about millionaire Lottery winners who go broke. A cold and rainy summer. Any delays by the folks who promise to break ground on a new hotel, racino and redesign the Monster golf course at the Concord Hotel. Hidden fees, surcharges and taxes on my gas bill, oil bill and cable bill. A person with a badge asking to see my license and registration.


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"Cha-ching." That magical sound from farm cash registers is the goal of California wheat growers hoping to cash in on historic wheat prices through expanded 2008 wheat plantings.
Wheat prices were strong in fall 2007 and have shifted even higher. Recent California central valley hard red winter wheat contract prices were $235 to $245 per ton, hard white wheat at $285 to $315 per ton, and Desert Durum at $340 per ton, according to Seth Hoyt, senior agricultural economist with the California Agricultural Statistics Service, Sacramento, Calif.
"Wheat will be a fun crop to grow in California this year because of higher prices," said Bonnie Fernandez, executive director of the California Wheat Commission (CWC).
"Wheat acreage is definitely higher in California. To be cautious, I'd say acreage is increasing 10 percent. To be a little less than cautious, acreage may be 15 percent higher."
Desert Durum wheat plantings in the Imperial Valley could more than double in 2008 to 110,000 acres, compared to 52,500 acres in 2007, Fernandez said. Wheat acreage also increased in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys but not as much.
In 2007, California wheat acreage totaled about 608,000 acres compared to 495,300 acres in 2006. The whopping 23 percent jump was also tied to higher wheat prices.
In the past, California was revered as a two-wheat variety state. However problems with stripe rust encouraged the development of more resistant varieties.
"In 2008, the most popular planted wheat varieties will likely include: hard white – Blanca Fuerte and Blanca Grande; hard red – Joaquin, Expresso, Dash 12, Cal Rojo, and Summit; and Durum – Kronos, Orita, and Platinum," Fernandez said.
The CWC plans to release the results of its survey on actual acreage by county variety in April.
Annual California wheat planting kicks off in the Sacramento Valley in November, followed by the San Joaquin Valley in December, and wraps up in January in the Imperial Valley. Harvest occurs in the reverse order.
"So far the quality of the 2008 crop looks quite good," Fernandez said in early January. "Driving around various communities the wheat stands are starting to fill and there's still quite a bit of wheat being planted."
Plantings are extending beyond normal planting dates as some growers penciled in an extra 50 to 100 acres to take advantage of higher prices. Meanwhile growers who haven't grown wheat in crop rotations for 10 to 15 years are coming back into the fold - again encouraged by prices.
"They're saying I'd hate to miss this year. Maybe if I'm going to rotate with wheat then I'll rotate a few more acres into it," Fernandez said.
Even with more disease resistant varieties available, Fernandez encourages growers to practice active management of the 2008 wheat crop.
"If a grower hasn't grown wheat for years, they need to realize that some disease risks remain," Fernandez said. "Get out, look at the fields, and walk the fields. If you see something, call your farm advisor or whoever provides disease advice and act quickly. Small amounts of stripe rust can be found one day and left untreated can result in large amounts found just a week later. Early detection is the key."
Reduced water availability in some California areas is also piquing more wheat interest as farmers shift toward less water-intensive crops.
"In some areas, growers will place water allotments on permanent crops and whatever they have left over might go to a less water-intensive crop like wheat," Fernandez said.
Some speculation has surfaced that hard white wheat seed might be in short supply for the 2008 season. Fernandez doesn't think that will happen.
Optimal rains in the Sacramento Valley aided wheat plantings, while rainfall totals at press time were less in the San Joaquin Valley. An approaching weekend storm was expected to drop moisture across much of the state.
For some dryland wheat growers, 2008 planting efforts have fared better than for the 2007 crop. "Some growers are reporting success in getting wheat in the ground while they couldn't last year due to the lack of moisture," Fernandez said.
The bottom line — price is the steering wheel that's driving expanded California wheat acreage.
"With wheat it's about the price. However, growers in California and across the U.S. have other good grain options (price wise), plus other crops," Fernandez said. "With wheat, it's very hard not to plant a crop that's not difficult to grow in such a high (price) market."
Most wheat in California is grown in a rotation with other crops. The average California wheat farm acreage is 700 to 800 acres, Fernandez said.
According to the CWC's 2007 California Wheat Variety Survey, hard red wheat was the predominant class of wheat grown in the state, although the most commonly planted wheat variety, Blanca Grande, is a hard white wheat variety planted mostly in the San Joaquin Valley.
About 24 percent of all non-durum wheat planted was the Blanca Grande variety, followed by the hay/forage red wheat variety PR 1404. The variety Summit was a close third with approximately 79,000 acres planted, according to survey results.
In the Imperial Valley, the Desert Durum varieties Kronos and Orita were the top planted varieties in 2007. Other predominant varieties included the newer varieties Desert King and Havasu.
In the San Joaquin Valley, the durum variety Platinum was the most planted. The introductory variety RSI 64 was the second most planted variety.e-mail: [email protected]


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The essence of leadership is being able to see the iceberg before it hits the Titanic. Arianna Huffington
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Learning and Culture Director at Stellar Philippines
Franelyn Saguindang Riego de Dios, MS has been in training and leadership development for more than a decade now. In earning her Master of Science in Biology degree, she joined the College of Science and Mathematics faculty of MSU-IIT and published her studies in Asia Life and Philippine Scientists Journals. For her, moving into the corporate world felt odd at first but with the scientific method and discipline in her backpack, it has become a fulfilling experience. You may also visit her personal Science Blog Site at Live Well. She also enjoys music (sings and plays the piano) and art (portrait sketch).
Latest posts by Fran (see all)
- Anthony Bourdain - August 6, 2018
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Carl Albert baseball team rained out Thursday at NOC-Tonkawa, rescheduled for Sunday; Busy week ahead for Vikings; Friday's CASC home softball twinbill rescheduled for next Friday
The Carl Albert State College baseball team was rained out in its Thursday road doubleheader against Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa. The two teams will make up that twinbill at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.The Vikings and the Mavericks will play two games beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday at Ival Goodman Field.That doubleheader sets up four straight days of action for the Vikings. After playing back-to-back twinbills against NOC-Tonkawa, the Vikings will make up their single nine-inning home game against Connors State College at 3 p.m. Monday — the game was rained out on March 30.Then, the Vikings will head 40 miles west to Wilburton to meet archrival Eastern Oklahoma State College at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.The CASC Lady Vikings softball team rescheduled its make-up home twinbill against Seminole State at 2 p.m. next Friday. The two were rained out here on Thursday and were going to play the following day, but the decision was made late Thursday to make up the doubleheader next Friday.The Lady Vikings will play two games against archrival Eastern at 2 p.m. Saturday in Wilburton.


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10-12-2011 by
We have heard from Alumnus Tom Arthur, who shared that he retired in 2009 in the United Kingdom after twenty some years working with the United Reformed Church through the PCUSA Worldwide Mission program. Tom retired from his ministry at City United Reformed Church in Cardiff, which in his tenure became the only Open and Affirming church (so far) in Wales, and developed an award-winning program called Asylum Justice, which provides pro bono legal support to asylum seekers.
Tom still teaches New Testament Greek and New Testament studies at the university. In addition to post-retirement teaching, he works with a community mental health centre in Cardiff's Somali community and enjoys life with his five grandchildren.


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The Films of Steven Spielberg
Duel (March 15/16)
Steven Spielberg's directorial debut, Duel follows mild-mannered businessman David Mann (Dennis Weaver) as he's unwittingly caught up in a game of deadly cat-and-mouse with an unseen (and seemingly unstoppable) truck driver. Spielberg's undeniable prowess behind the camera is in evidence right from Duel's opening frames, as the movie kicks off with a captivating sequence shot from the perspective of the central character's car - with the narrative, past that point, segueing into a slow-burn first half revolving around the escalating conflict between Mann and the aforementioned truck driver. It's perhaps not surprising to note, however, that Duel suffers from an increasingly meandering midsection, as Spielberg's efforts at sustaining a full-length-feature running time pave the way for a number of padded-out and needless sequences. And while the movie boasts quite a few palpably tense moments - eg Mann attempts to figure out which patron at a diner is his relentless pursuer - there ultimately does reach a point at which Duel begins to wear out its welcome. (It's a vibe that's compounded by a final chase that goes on far too long.) The end result is an erratic yet sporadically thrilling piece of work that benefits from Weaver's consistently engrossing performance, to be sure, and it's ultimately clear that Duel stands as a surprisingly sturdy first effort for a filmmaker who would (obviously) go onto bigger and better things.
out of
Something Evil
The Sugarland Express
Jaws (August 12/12)
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Jaws details the chaos that ensues within a small island community after an enormous great white shark begins attacking its various inhabitants - with the film, for the most part, subsequently following Roy Scheider's police chief Martin Brody as he teams up with a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss' Hooper) and a grizzled fisherman (Robert Shaw's Quint) to kill the beast. There's ultimately little doubt that Jaws fares best in its opening half hour, as Spielberg, working from a script by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb, does a superb job of establishing (and sustaining) an atmosphere of incredible tension - with the movie's justifiably legendary opening paving the way for an engrossing first act that's heightened by both Scheider's magnetic performance and the inclusion of several unbearably tense interludes. (In terms of the latter, it is, in the final analysis, difficult to do much better than the sequence wherein Scheider's Brody anxiously keeps an eye on a beach full of potential victims.) It's only as the movie progresses into its increasingly uneven midsection that one's interest begins to flag, as the narrative, which boasts more than a few lulls (eg Brody and Hooper drunkenly attempt to locate the shark themselves), suffers from a distressingly padded-out feel that's exacerbated by an ongoing emphasis on the three protagonists' uneventful (and distinctly repetitive) exploits at sea. (Quint's justifiably legendary story about his time on the USS Indianapolis is a rare highlight within this stretch.) And although the less-than-threatening nature of the title creature is, admittedly, not as problematic as one might've feared, Jaws is, when everything's said and done, unable to wholeheartedly live up to its place as a classic man-vs-beast thriller.
out of
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Raiders of the Lost Ark (May 14/08)
Justifiably one of the most indelible adventure films in cinematic history, Raiders of the Lost Ark boasts a myriad of positive attributes that effectively compensate for the relatively uneventful and overly talky opening hour. While one would have to be flat-out insane to refer to any aspect of the movie as dull, it's ultimately impossible to deny that the pacing within the first half just seems off somehow - as screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan initially places a far more prominent emphasis on expository conversations and sequences than entirely necessary. Still, the storyline - which follows archeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) as he attempts to track down the fabled Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis - has been peppered with a number of appreciatively engaging elements that ensure there's more going on here than just a series of brilliantly conceived and executed action set-pieces (with the undercurrent of humor nicely breaking up the tension at certain intervals). At the film's heart, however, lies Ford's virtually flawless turn as the central character; outfitted with Jones' iconic whip and fedora, Ford effortlessly transforms Indy into a figure that's often as cool as he is relatable - a vibe that's undoubtedly heightened by the actor's palpable chemistry with costar and love interest Karen Allen (as Jones' former flame Marion Ravenwood). It's also worth noting that the aforementioned pacing issues inevitably become irrelevant, as there reaches a point at which the increasingly propulsive narrative essentially carries the movie through to its appropriately memorable conclusion. Steven Spielberg's refreshingly (and expectedly) old-school visual sensibilities cement Raiders of the Lost Ark's place as a modern classic, and it does go without saying that none of the sequels have quite managed to successfully duplicate the film's seamless blend of action and comedy (ie the second possesses too much of the former, while the third is almost overflowing with the latter).
E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (May 17/08)
While Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is an obvious step down from its stellar predecessor, the film generally remains a tolerable endeavor that's elevated by Harrison Ford's engaging performance and the inclusion of several genuinely thrilling action sequences. This time around, Ford's Indiana Jones must battle a sinister cult leader (Amrish Puri's Mola Ram) bent on world domination - with his efforts consistently hampered by his two unlikely sidekicks (Jonathan Ke Quan's sassy Short Round and Kate Capshaw's whiny Willie). Director Steven Spielberg - working from Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz's screenplay - kicks things off with a frenetic first reel that's nothing short of exhausting, as the filmmaker bombards the viewer with a barrage of action that just feels needlessly noisy and almost entirely free of context. And while Spielberg slowly-but-surely does manage to draw one into the admittedly thin storyline, there's never a point at which Quan's Short Round and (especially) Capshaw's Willie are successfully able to ingratiate themselves to the audience - with both characters coming off as wholly inferior successors to Karen Allen's Marion Ravenwood. Ford's expectedly solid turn as the title figure proves instrumental in allaying their ineffectiveness, however, and there inevitably reaches a point at which the frequent lulls in the narrative are rendered moot by the proliferation of high-octane set-pieces (ie the third act's famed mine chase). Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is undoubtedly heads and shoulders above the majority of its adventure-movie brethren, yet it's ultimately impossible to view the film as anything but a drastic step down from its superior forebear.
The Color Purple
Empire of the Sun
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (May 19/08)
Perhaps in an effort to compensate for the second installment's pervadingly dark vibe, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade has been infused with a breezy sensibility that's often just a little too light-hearted for its own good. And while it's impossible to deny the film's status as the very best of the series' sequels, there does reach a point at which one can't help but long for the relative grittiness of the first installment. Opening with a fantastic prologue revolving around one of Indy's early escapades - in which the character, played by River Phoenix, first dons his iconic fedora and whip, receives that infamous scar across his chin, and discovers his fear of snakes (all in the same afternoon!) - Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade follows Harrison Ford's legendary archeologist as he teams up with his curmudgeonly father (Sean Connery's Henry Jones) in an effort to track down the mythical Holy Grail before the Nazis. It's clear almost immediately that Jeffrey Boam's fast-paced and sporadically irreverent screenplay plays a significant role in the film's drastic improvement over its immediate predecessor, with the inclusion of several thoroughly thrilling action set-pieces - as well as the palpable chemistry between Ford and Connery - ultimately elevating the proceedings to a level of quality that's as close to the original as this series is likely going to get.
Jurassic Park (February 8/12)
A strong candidate for Steven Spielberg's best film, Jurassic Park follows several figures as they're invited to a sneak preview of an island theme park that features living, breathing dinosaurs - with problems ensuing as the deadly creatures, including a Tyrannosaurus rex and a pair of cunning Velociraptors, manage to break free from their confines. Director Steven Spielberg, working from David Koepp and Michael Crichton's screenplay, does a superb job of immediately capturing the viewer's interest, as the filmmaker kicks the proceedings off with a fantastic (and thoroughly engrossing) sequence revolving around the disastrous efforts at moving the Raptors. From there, Jurassic Park just grows more and more involving as it progresses - with the irresistible storyline heightened by the efforts of a seriously impressive cast of characters. In addition to solid supporting turns from folks like Samuel L. Jackson, Wayne Knight, and Martin Ferrero, the movie benefits substantially from the nigh iconic work of stars Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, and Sam Neill - with the latter's consistently electrifying performance standing as an obvious highlight within the proceedings. There is, of course, little doubt that Jurassic Park is at its best during its now-legendary action sequences, as such moments have been infused with a tense, palpably hypnotic feel that proves impossible to resist - with the film's high point undoubtedly the engrossing T-Rex attack that comes fairly early on. And although it admittedly does feel a little long here and there, Jurassic Park is, ultimately, as close to a perfect big-budget popcorn movie as Spielberg has ever gotten - with the impressively timeless special effects cementing the film's place as a justifiably unforgettable piece of work.
Schindler's List
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (June 12/15)
It's clear right from the word go that The Lost World: Jurassic Park marks a considerable step down from its sublime predecessor, as director Stephen Spielberg and scripter David Koepp, in their efforts to top the original, offer up a erratically-paced and far-too-episodic narrative that contains almost as many lulls as it does highlights. The story, which follows Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm as he returns to Jurassic Park's dino-filled island to rescue his girlfriend (Julianne Moore's Sarah), has been bogged down with superfluous elements that compound the film's palpably unsteady gait, with the bulk of the narrative's first half devoted to the exploits of characters that remain woefully underdeveloped and unsympathetic. (It is, for example, hard to work up any real interest in the continuing exploits of several vicious hunters.) It doesn't help, either, that The Lost World: Jurassic Park suffers from an oddly low-rent visual sensibility, as director of photography Janusz Kaminski proves hopelessly unable to replicate the lush, cinematic landscape established by Dean Cundey in the first movie. The film does improve once it passes a certain point, however, with Spielberg offering up a handful of undeniably exciting set-pieces - including a fantastic sequence involving an attack by two blood-thirsty Tyrannosaurs. And although the movie does boast a few more engrossing moments in its second half - eg Malcolm and company must avoid the advances of several raptors - The Lost World: Jurassic Park ultimately falls prey to the various trappings that tend to afflict modern-day sequels (ie bigger is not always better).
Saving Private Ryan (June 19/14)
Saving Private Ryan follows a group of American soldiers as they embark on a quest to find and rescue the title character during the Second World War, with the film detailing the various problems that crop up for the grizzled squadron during their increasingly perilous journey. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg kicks Saving Private Ryan off with an intentionally disorienting sequence detailing the chaos of the infamous Normandy Landings, with the effectiveness of this impressively conceived and executed opening hindered by Spielberg's aggressive reliance on shaky camerawork. (Spielberg's decision to launch directly into the action without first introducing the characters also makes it difficult to wholeheartedly care about their plight, admittedly.) It's the emotional resonance of the movie's main plot thrust that eventually proves instrumental in capturing the viewer's interest, as Spielberg, working from Robert Rodat's screenplay, slows the proceedings down considerably and begins transforming the various protagonists into increasingly compelling (and sympathetic) figures - with this vibe heightened by the stellar efforts of a flawless cast that includes Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, and Tom Sizemore. The deliberate midsection, which seems to contain an equal balance of superfluous and engrossing sequences, paves the way for a protracted final battle that's admittedly quite well done, although, like everything else within the proceedings, this stretch feels as though it could've been substantially trimmed without losing anything significant. By the time the heartwrenching finale rolls around, Saving Private Ryan has established itself as a sporadically gripping yet persistently erratic war drama that could (and should) have been so much better - with Spielberg's typically overindulgent sensibilities muting the impact of the film's more overtly captivating moments.
An incredibly ambitious (if not always successful) sci-fi effort, Artificial Intelligence: AI follows a highly-advanced robot child (Haley Joel Osment's David) as he's abandoned by his adoptive parents (Frances O'Connor's Monica and Sam Robards' Henry) and left to fend for himself - with the narrative detailing the decidedly epic journey David embarks upon to transform himself into a human boy. There's little doubt that Artificial Intelligence: AI improves steadily as it progresses, as writer/director Steven Spielberg delivers an exposition-heavy opening stretch that's intriguing, admittedly, yet not exactly as enthralling as one might've hoped - with the movie nevertheless benefiting heavily from its strong performances and impressively-conceived futuristic landscape (ie it feels plausible without crossing the line into ludicrous). The erratic first act, devoted to David's ill-fated stay with Monica and Sam (and their "organic" son), eventually does give way to an unexpectedly gripping midsection littered with electrifying images and sequences, with, especially, David's jaunt through a robot-killing "flesh fair" and hedonistic, adults-only city boasting a seriously propulsive feel and jaw-dropping visuals - with this stretch, which is clearly the movie's high-water mark, as purely captivating as anything within Spielberg's erratic body of work. And although the movie stumbles quite badly in its third act - ie there reaches a point at which the story could (and should) end and yet Spielberg can't resist concluding the proceedings with an overly sentimental coda - Artificial Intelligence: AI is nevertheless an impressive piece of work that's aged surprisingly well in the years since its 2001 release.
With Minority Report, Steven Spielberg returns to the futuristic terrain he explored in last year's A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. But in attempting to craft a film meant to appeal to a wider audience, Spielberg has emerged with one of his most uneven movies to date. Unlike the majority of futuristic flicks, Minority Report, which follows Tom Cruise's John Anderton and his Pre Crime team as they stop perpetrators before they do anything, presents a future that's not only completely original, but seems plausible. Aside from the whole notion of Pre Crime, aspects of this society seem like the natural evolution of where we are now (example: cereal boxes come alive with cartoons once you handle them) and Spielberg treats this world as though it's the present. We're never treated to loving slow-motion shots of the vast futuristic horizon; rather, the movie plays out as though it could be occuring in any time period. When you get right down to it, Minority Report is a film noir - complete with shadowy cinematography. Shot by Spielberg regular Janusz Kiminski, the movie has that same hazy and dark look that made the film noir genre famous. The technology in Minority Report is just as fascinating as you'd expect from those ever-present commercials and trailers. Those bizarre robotic spiders that featured heavily in the marketing of the film are obviously really cool to look at, but they also serve a purpose in the film that doesn't feel forced. Likewise, the various other facets that make up this futuristic society are integrated into the film pretty seamlessly (eg the commercials that address individuals directly). The Pre Crime facility itself looks like a contemporary police station, except it's adorned with expectedly wild-looking advancements. The method by which the precogs present their findings is decidedly low-tech, but still, the whole look of the flick is easily the best thing about it. The movie can easily be broken down into three separate but distinctive parts: the introduction of this world and the whole notion of Pre Crime, Anderton's realization that he's going to be arrested for murder and the investigation/getaway that ensues, and a third act that goes on far longer than it should and throws in a whole conspiracy angle that's not really necessary. The first two-thirds of the flick are astounding - Spielberg's certainly at the top of his game and Cruise has never been more compelling - but that last half hour or so is completely and utterly superfluous. There comes a point in the film where it could logically conclude (with a five minute epilogue, of course), but the film just keeps chugging along for another 30 minutes - throwing in an epic conspiracy and an obligatory happy ending for Cruise's character. It was a struggle to pay close enough attention to follow the myriad of revelations that came fast and furious during this stretch, and truth be told, it was even harder to care. Having said that, there is a lot worth recommending about Minority Report, most notably the fantastic futuristic environment created by Spielberg. Had it been trimmed substantially, the film would no doubt have been one of the best flicks of the year. As it stands, it's still excellent summer fodder.
Unlike some of Spielberg's recent films, Catch Me If You Can isn't designed for anything more than escapist entertainment. There are no lofty intentions here; Spielberg's revisiting his roots, in a manner of speaking, by crafting a movie that's fun. Though there are some serious moments, the film, which follows con artist Frank Abagnale Jr (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he's pursued by a dogged FBI agent (Tom Hanks' Carl Hanratty), has a breezy atmosphere that certainly helps keep boredom at bay - especially during some of the more needless sequences. DiCaprio gives one of his very best performances, here playing virtually the polar opposite of his character in last week's Gangs of New York. Frank is the sort of person that gives into each and every one of his whims, no matter how small or big. It's the sort of character that in the wrong hands could come off as smug and egotistical, but DiCaprio infuses Frank with a sense of wonder that's quite appropriate. This is a kid, essentially, who's doing things that most adults won't experience. Equally good (if not better) is Tom Hanks as Carl Hanratty, the determined FBI man out to capture Frank. Sporting a convincing enough Boston accent, Hanks is just as charming as ever, even though he's technically playing someone we should be rooting against. The supporting cast is peppered with familiar faces, from Martin Sheen to Jennifer Garner, but it's Christopher Walken, as Frank's father, who makes the biggest impact. The core of the film is the relationship between Frank and his father, and Walken is completely convincing as this man who's happy for his son, but too proud to accept any of the benefits of his success. But as marvelous as the cast is and though the story is quite interesting, Spielberg doesn't know when to call it quits. Catch Me If You Can is the most frustratingly overlong movie since Meet Joe Black, another film that would've been so much better had it been trimmed down to 90 minutes. Here, most of the scenes go on for a minute or two longer than they should and there are whole sequences that should have been excised. For example, Garner pops up midway through as a prostitute that seduces Frank. It's a six-minute scene that doesn't add a single thing to the film, and could have easily been removed. It's point was likely to show that Frank is doing things that most teenagers aren't, but we've already established that. It's superfluous elements like that which make Catch Me If You Can an entertaining enough way to spend two and a half hours, but with this director and this cast, it should have been so much more.
Well, the writing's been on the wall for some time now; after several less-than-stellar efforts, Steven Spielberg's finally emerged with a mediocre film. While this isn't to say that The Terminal is bad, it's impossible to shake the feeling that it belongs on the small screen. And coming from a director as visionary as Spielberg, that's certainly not a good thing. The film is comprised mostly of comedic vignettes that aren't all that funny, as the plotless narrative follows Tom Hanks' Viktor Navorski as he's forced to make an American airport his home after his country undergoes a revolution. The screenplay, by Sacha Gervasi and Jeff Nathanson, revels in sitcom clichés and stock characterizations, which ensures that the movie possesses a distinctly sentimental feel. Now, it'd be easy to say that this is Spielberg's attempt at a Capra-esque fantasy, but even Capra didn't play things quite so obviously. This is a movie that not only has a completely superfluous villain, but he's an over-the-top villain to boot. The convenient manner in which the various storylines are resolved is exacerbated by the fact that the majority of these characters are just too cute to be believable. There's nothing wrong with a stereotype here and there, but the movie is overrun by quirky figures - which undermines the occasional glimpses of genuine emotion. Hanks' Viktor should have been absolutely compelling - he still is to a certain extent, thanks primarily to Hanks' expectedly wonderful performance - but the screenplay forces him to interact with these well-cast but ultimately implausible characters. While there's no denying that the set in which The Terminal's been filmed is impressive, Spielberg - along with cinematographer Janusz Kaminski - never really takes advantage of its grandeur, except when blatently lingering on some painfully obvious product placement. The film's look is surprisingly bland, in fact; the only real indication that this is a Spielberg film are the many instances of lens flare, a trick the director has inexplicably become obsessed with as of late. About the best thing one can say about The Terminal is that it's cute and inoffensive - not exactly high praise when talking about a movie directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks.
At a running time of around 118 minutes, War of the Worlds is Steven Spielberg's shortest film since the early '90s - yet the film still sports the same sort of uneven pace that's been plaguing his movies for years now. While War of the Worlds does feature a number of genuinely thrilling and surprisingly frightening moments, it's also rife with needless subplots and overly simplistic instances of character development. Tom Cruise stars as Ray Ferrier, a deadbeat dad who finds himself stuck with his two kids for the weekend. Said kids, Robbie (Justin Chatwin) and Rachel (Dakota Fanning), clearly aren't thrilled about the idea, but everyone's misgivings are soon rendered moot. Aliens from an unspecified planet have arrived on Earth and have begun systematically exterminating everyone in sight. This leaves Ray with little choice but to grab his kids and make a run for it. The most striking and surprising aspect of War of the Worlds involves the brutal, uncompromising nature of the invading extra-terrestrials. Spielberg doesn't shy away from depicting their deadly modus operandi, something that's made perfectly clear in their first major appearance. After emerging from beneath a city street, vicious tripods (so named because of their three-legged appearance) abruptly begin attacking the awe-struck onlookers - literally vaporizing them to the extent that all that's left are their clothes. It's pretty harsh stuff, and not at all what one has come to expect from Spielberg; to call War of the Worlds inappropriate for small children is a gross understatement, and there's no denying that this is his most harrowing science fiction film to date. What prevents the movie from becoming an instant classic, then, is David Koepp's unusually ineffective screenplay (this is, after all, the guy who wrote Jurassic Park). While Koepp does a nice job of establishing the story and characters, the writer peppers the story with far too many instances of conflict among the human characters. As a result, there seems to be almost as much screentime devoted to the alien invasion as there is to Ray's squabbles with various characters (ranging from a blood-thirsty mob to his own son). Such antics can't help but feel superfluous (there's an entire subplot with a survivalist played by Tim Robbins that's particularly pointless), given the imminent and deadly threat from the tripods. This is compounded by Koepp and Spielberg's heavy-handed use of 9/11 imagery, from the white powder Ray is covered in after returning home following an encounter with the tripods to the walls plastered with posters of missing loved ones. It's fairly obvious that Spielberg and Koepp are attempting to link the aliens to terrorists, but the two go overboard and place the emphasis on similarly over-the-top elements designed to clearly spell out this connection. Likewise, Ray's journey from negligent father to attentive caregiver is far from subtle - yet despite such deficiencies, War of the Worlds essentially remains entertaining throughout. Cruise delivers an expectedly charismatic and engaging performance, while Spielberg does a fantastic job of imbuing the film with an unusually gritty, realistic vibe (Independence Day this is not).
Overlong, ponderous, and erratic, Munich is easily the most ineffective movie of Steven Spielberg's career and only cements the feeling that the director is now more interested in churning out "important" films than in entertaining his audience. Though well acted and impeccably shot, the movie remains curiously uninvolving throughout its ridiculously bloated 164-minute running time. Based on the true story, Munich follows five Israeli assassins - led by Eric Bana's Avner - who are assigned the task of hunting down and executing 11 Palestinians believed to have planned the massacre of Jewish athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games. While there are plenty of individually compelling moments here - particularly the sequence in which Avner and company come awfully close to blowing up a little girl - the distinct lack of dramatic tension effectively prevents the viewer from wholeheartedly embracing any of the central characters or their cause (this is despite the uniformly superb performances, with Bana a clear standout). Spielberg's expectedly heavy-handed approach is exacerbated by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth's screenplay, which is painfully unsubtle and filled to the brim with poetic but thoroughly inauthentic instances of dialogue. The final straw comes towards the end with a laughably overwrought sequence in which Spielberg cuts between footage of the Jewish athletes being murdered with Avner and his wife having sex, as the director clumsily hammers home the extraordinarily obvious point that Avner's psyche has been damaged by the killings. The majority of Munich is similarly substandard, and it's difficult to imagine just what Spielberg was hoping to accomplish with this disastrously inept piece of work.
After an absence of almost two decades, globe-trotting archeologist Indiana Jones returns in an adventure that's admittedly not quite as effective as its immediate predecessor - yet there's ultimately no denying that the film is as thrilling and enthralling as one might've hoped. The storyline - which follows Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones and Shia LaBeouf's Mutt Williams as they attempt to uncover the mystery behind the fabled objects of the title - has been infused with far too many needless digressions and subplots, however, and it does become clear that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is surely the most blatantly uneven of the four films (ie enough with the exposition already). This is despite Ford's surprisingly engaging performance and the expected inclusion of several electrifying action set-pieces, though there's little doubt that the movie is at its best during its quieter, more introspective moments (ie a superb sequence in which Indy laments the deaths of his father and mentor). And while LaBeouf acquits himself quite well and Karen Allen's return as Marion Ravenwood is nothing short of delightful, the film suffers from an increasingly erratic pace that's ultimately exacerbated by a finale that feels as though it'd be more at home within an episode of The X-Files. Still, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull generally remains an affable piece of work throughout its undeniably overlong running time - which ultimately does ensure that the film fares a whole lot better than such contemporary big-budget travesties as Transformers, Rush Hour 3, and the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
Based on the comic-book series created by Hergé, The Adventures of Tintin follows intrepid reporter Tintin (Jamie Bell) as he and his faithful dog Snowy find themselves caught up in a treasure hunt involving a centuries-old sunken ship - with the pair's efforts eventually assisted by a washed-up captain named Haddock (Andy Serkis). There's little doubt that The Adventures of Tintin fares best in its opening half hour, as director Steven Spielberg, working from Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright, and Joe Cornish's script, does a superb job of immediately drawing the viewer into the briskly-paced proceedings - with the energetic vibe heightened by Spielberg's kinetic, eye-catching visual choices (ie the filmmaker takes full advantage of the movie's animated atmosphere). It's only as the film segues into its progressively (and disappointingly) convoluted midsection that one's interest begins to flag, with the growing emphasis on the decidedly dull mystery at the narrative's core wreaking havoc on the movie's momentum. (It doesn't help, either, that Serkis' character receives more and more screentime as the story unfolds, despite the fact that Haddock is simply not interesting enough to justify the increased attention.) And although the film briefly recovers for an absolutely spellbinding single-take action sequence, The Adventures of Tintin ultimately comes off as a misguided, frequently overblown animated endurance test that's rarely as much fun as Spielberg has clearly intended.
Unabashedly old-fashioned, War Horse tells the epic story of a boy (Jeremy Irvine's Albert Narracott) and his faithful horse, Joey - with the onset of World War II inevitably separating the two and triggering an expansive tale revolving around Joey's exploits on and off the battlefield. It's obvious right from the get-go that filmmaker Steven Spielberg is looking to capturing the feel and tone of a classic Hollywood production, as the director has suffused the proceedings with a number of elements designed to hearken back to similarly-themed epics from the past - with, in particular, the lush visuals, grandiose score, and episodic narrative ranking high on the film's list of old-school attributes. The handsomeness of the production is, in the film's early stages, offset by the almost excessively deliberate pace, as Spielberg, working from Lee Hall and Richard Curtis' screenplay, takes his time in allowing the narrative unfold to a degree that's often nothing short of maddening - with the best and most pertinent example of this the long, tedious stretch involving Albert's step-by-step training of Joey. And though there are a few decent sequences sprinkled here and there - eg Albert's father (Peter Mullan's Ted) reluctantly sells Joey to the war effort - War Horse's barely-passable atmosphere remains fairly consistent right up until a pivotal (and thoroughly engrossing) battle scene makes an appearance at around the halfway mark. The film subsequently becomes far more involving than one might've anticipated, as Spielberg places a growing emphasis on interludes of an impressively gripping nature (eg Joey, caught in barb wire, is assisted by two enemy soldiers working together). The narrative's increasingly heartwrenching bent - eg it's virtually impossible to sit through Joey and Albert's inevitably reunion without experiencing a palpable lump in one's throat - ensures that War Horse finishes on an almost incongruously positive note (especially when compared to its first half), and it is, as a result, finally impossible to label the movie as anything more than a sporadically electrifying yet terminally uneven (and overlong) piece of work.
Bridge of Spies (October 17/15)
Inspired by true events, Bridge of Spies follows insurance lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks) as he's recruited by the government to help rescue a pilot detained in the Soviet Union - with the movie detailing the many, many complications that arise for Donovan along the way. Director Steven Spielberg, working from Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, and Joel Coen's screenplay, does a superb job of immediately luring the viewer into the padded-out narrative, as Bridge of Spies opens with a fascinating stretch detailing the mundane activities and eventual capture of a mild-mannered Russian spy (Mark Rylance's Rudolph Abel). Once past that point, however, the film segues into a slow-moving and only sporadically absorbing midsection - as Spielberg, in typical fashion, imbues the proceedings with an egregiously deliberate pace that slowly-but-surely drains one's interest and enthusiasm. It doesn't help, certainly, that the storyline has been peppered with a whole host of somewhat interesting yet wholly needless segments, while, worse yet, the film's second half finds itself devoted almost entirely to the minutia of Donovan's ongoing efforts at brokering a deal for the aforementioned pilot's release (ie the movie, past a certain point, seems to consist solely of negotiation sequences). Exacerbating the film's hands-off feel is Janusz Kaminski's typically inept handling of the visuals, as the cinematographer injects Bridge of Spies with a decidedly uncinematic vibe that ensures the movie's various sets couldn't possibly look more like sets. The end result is yet another late-career misfire from Spielberg, with the movie's failure especially disappointing given Hanks' engaging and thoroughly ingratiating turn as the idealistic protagonist.
Killer Sharks and Princess Yachts
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The BFG
The Post (December 30/17)
Disappointingly flat almost from start to finish, The Post details the true-life efforts of several newspaper men and women to expose a massive political cover-up. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg delivers an almost episodic narrative that's lacking in an obvious entry point for the viewer, as the director's decidedly dry approach to Liz Hannah and Josh Singer's screenplay makes it increasingly difficult to connect to the scarcely-developed characters - with the movie, for the most part, coming off as a series of impressively staged yet entirely drama-free reenactments of real events. It's ultimately clear, however, that The Post manages to stave off total irrelevance thanks mostly to its superior production design and stellar performances, with, in terms of the latter, Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks infusing their thin protagonists with far more life and vibrancy than the script affords them. (This is despite the fact that Streep's Kay Graham is trapped within a wheel-spinning sexism subplot that feels fairly needless until the film's third act.) Spielberg's deliberate sensibilities do, at least, ensure that there are a handful of far-more-exciting-than-one-might've-anticipated sequences within the movie's second half, as this portion of The Post boasts a sense of urgency that's otherwise missing from the overlong proceedings. It's a shame, then, that Spielberg undermines the final stretch's effectiveness with a subtle-as-a-sledgehammer conclusion, and it is, in the end, impossible to label The Post as anything other than an extremely minor entry within Spielberg's increasingly erratic filmography.
Based on the book by Ernest Cline, Ready Player One transpires in a future wherein much of the populace primarily lives and works within a virtual world known as the Oasis - with the narrative following a scrappy teenager (Tye Sheridan's Wade Watts) as he and several other contenders set out to find three well-hidden keys (with the victor ultimately gaining total control of the Oasis). It's clear almost immediately that filmmaker Steven Spielberg is the absolute wrong choice to helm this adaptation, as the director, working from a script by Cline and Zak Penn, delivers an extremely slick yet hopelessly bloated blockbuster lacking in momentum or compelling characters - with the movie's consistently mediocre atmosphere perpetuated by a distressingly ugly visual sensibility and an emphasis on long, frenetic action sequences. (There is, in terms of the latter, an entirely computer-generated climactic stretch that's nothing short of interminable.) The film's hit-and-miss vibe, which is increasingly more miss than hit, is at least alleviated by a sporadic peppering of effective interludes, with the most obvious example of this a thoroughly entertaining scene set within the world of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. There's just never a point at which one is wholeheartedly able to root or sympathize with the flat central character, though, and it's clear, too, that the decision to omit and change large swaths of the source material contributes heavily to the pervasively erratic feel - which does, in the end, confirm Ready Player One's place as just another ill-conceived and executed endeavor from a director well past his prime.


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Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Paris Silhouettes
17 comments:
Oh I love all the umbrella ones but especially the one with the Eiffel tower in it. :)ReplyDelete
I LOVE this post! Amazing finds - thank youReplyDelete
Thanks for the link to Ernest et Celestine (les coulisses is cool). I wonder how the film will be received in France. It is different from the books, they're quieter, gentler, & simpler, which I love. The silhouettes are cool & when in Paris, I can't stop looking at those balconies!!ReplyDelete
Fun and fanciful as always..need to one yr go into Mtl at Christmas and see what we have too:-)ReplyDelete
Super collection, Carol. You have a great eye for detail! Even if it rains in Seattle at least as often as in Paris, I never see a silhouette or an umbrella, for that matter. Dommage... Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)ReplyDelete
- Barbara Lillian10:55 AM
I've always loved the black silhouettes. I was at a Christmas market last weekend and there was an artist from Poland making silhouettes by just tearing the paper. I wish I'd bought the one he did of me, but as usual Mr France had wondered off & I didn't have any cash left, naturally he didn't take cards :)ReplyDeleteReplies
Dommage but you will always remember it!Delete
- Rosemary Flannery11:17 AM
Wonderful Carol! love it. And love the angel feeding the bird in the balcony grillwork - where is that exactly?ReplyDelete
Also, did you know you could have a silhouette of your profile cut for you at the Place du Tertre in Montmartre? they even give a special price for students.
all the best,
Ahhh...the angel expert.Delete
In Fountainbleau upstairs at Patisserie Frederic Cassel (having an outrageous lunch when we worked on his catalog).
I love when you help open my eyes to things I'm used to seeing but take for granted, Carol. Yep, can't believe have a balcony like this too and hadn't even thought about it. Merci xoReplyDelete
La Petite Robe Noir, my favourite scent . Got some for my birthday this year ♥ Love it.ReplyDelete


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There are as few as 4000 snow leopards in the wild, and their numbers are declining due to habitat loss, poaching and the impact of climate change.
Snow leopard
There are as few as 4000 snow leopards in the wild, and their numbers are declining due to habitat loss, poaching and the impact of climate change.
Physical description
Their beautiful coats are also made up of long hairs with a dense, woolly underfur to protect them against the cold.
Snow leopards have longer tails than other big cats. They can be up to 1 m in length and help the leopards to balance on steep, rocky slopes. They also provide additional protection against the cold since the leopards can be wrap them around themsleves while they are resting.
Why they matter?
From Bhutan to China, this remarkable species plays a key role as both top predator and an indicator of the health of its high-altitude habitat. If snow leopards thrive so will countless other species, as well as the millions of people whose livelihoods depend on the rivers flowing down from Central Asia's mountains.
Snow leopards are solitary and elusive creatures that usually hunt at dawn and dusk. They're stealthy predators, able to kill prey up to three times their own weight.
Snow leopards' favoured prey are herbivores, such as blue sheep, Argali sheep and ibex. But in many areas, snow leopards also prey on livestock, bringing them into conflict with herders.
Indeed, snow leopard habitat provides important resources for local communities – from food and medicine to grazing for livestock, and wood for shelter, heat and fuel. As well as water sources for millions of people downstream.
Key Facts
common name
Snow Leopard, Panthère Des Neiges (Fr), Pantera De La Nieves (Sp)
scientific name
Panthera uncia, Uncia uncia
Cold high mountains
IUCN: Vulnerable C1 CITES: Appendix I
Estimated 3,920 - 6,390 individuals
Adult male: 45-55 kg
height & length
Adult length 90-130 cm; Shoulder height 60 cm; Tail length 80-100 cm
The snow leopard ranges across 12 countries, from Afghanistan to Southern Siberia, this remarkable species plays a key role as both top predator and an indicator of the health of its high-altitude habitat. If snow leopards thrive so will countless other species, as well as the millions of people whose livelihoods depend on the rivers flowing down from the mountains. Yet how little we know about this iconic species is highlighted by the fact that less than 2 percent of their range has been surveyed using robust methods and analytical techniques and tools such as camera traps. We need to invest more in coordinated research and community-based conservation in order to protect the snow leopard and its vast mountain landscape.
Main threats
Poaching: Snow leopards have long been killed for their beautiful fur, but their bones and other body parts are also used in Traditional Asian Medicine. And the illegal trade in snow leopard parts appears to be increasing.
Conflict with communities: Herders sometimes kill snow leopards in retaliation for attacking their livestock. And the decline in the leopard's natural prey - due to hunting, competition from increasing livestock herds, and habitat loss - is forcing them to rely more on livestock for food and increasing the risk of retaliatory killings.
Shrinking home: Snow leopards need vast areas to thrive, but expanding human and livestock populations are rapidly encroaching on their habitat. New roads and mines are also fragmenting their remaining range.
Changing climate: All these threats will be exacerbated by the impact of climate change on the fragile mountain environment - putting the future of snow leopards at even greater risk. It will also endanger the livelihoods of local communities and the tens of millions of people living downstream of these major watersheds.
What WWF is doing
For example, we've helped build leopard-proof livestock pens, and we've set up compensation schemes for farmers who lose livestock to snow leopards. And supported camera traps and collaring to learn more about this elusive species.
In 2015, WWF launched its first ever network-wide Species Action Plan for snow leopards.
This comprehenseive strategy builds upon the organization's long history in snow leopard conservation as well as the projects that WWF offices are currently undertaking in snow leopard range states.
The new strategy defines WWF's contribution to the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Plan, which was adopted by all 12 range states, and will ensure that WWF's efforts will complement the activities of governments and other organizations.
Under this strategy, WWF will work in 14 priority snow leopard landscapes.
The organization will focus on reducing poaching and stopping the trafficking of snow leopards and reducing demand for their parts through TRAFFIC.
It will also work to scale up successful community-based approaches to reduce human-leopard conflict, while helping to mitigate the threats of climate change.
How you can help
- Adopt a snow leopard via WWF-US
- Adopt a snow leopard via WWF-UK
- Spread the word! Click on the button to share this information with others via email or your favourite social networking service.
The snow leopard is a symbol of Central Asia's high mountains. This spectacular region shelters a vast array of unique wildlife and provides precious water to tens of millions of people. So by working to save the 'Ghost of the Mountains', we will also be helping to ensure a future for all the species and communities that depend on its extraordinary home.


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Latest By
"I went back to science fiction to try a few experiments
and my first experiment was a disaster
Many sources credit Twain as the earliest source for this idea - but I think there is at least one earlier reference that should count.
In his 1875 epic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne writes about electrifying a stair rail or cable to prevent unwanted intrusions onto the Nautilus.
In his 1875 epic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne writes about electrifying a stair rail or cable to prevent unwanted intrusions onto the Nautilus.
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|Todd County KYGenWeb
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I always new you were a space buff.
And I think there is and as I've said before I hope I am alive to se the day that "Contact" is made
WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) will announce plans next week to send Americans to Mars and establish a permanent human presence on the moon, senior administration officials said Thursday night. Bush won't propose sending Americans to Mars anytime soon; rather, he envisions preparing for the mission more than a decade from now, one official said. In addition to a returning trip to the moon for the first time since December 1972, the president also wants to build a permanent space station there. Three senior officials said Bush wants to aggressively reinvigorate the space program, which has been demoralized by a series of setbacks, including the space shuttle disaster last February that killed seven astronauts. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Bush's announcement would come in the middle of next week. Bush has been expected to propose a bold new space mission in an effort to rally Americans around a unifying theme as he campaigns for re-election. Many insiders had speculated he might set forth goals at the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' famed flight last month in North Carolina. Instead, he said only that America would continue to lead the world in aviation. Earlier, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters traveling with Bush in Florida that the president would make an announcement about space next week, but he declined to give details. House Science Committee spokeswoman Heidi Tringe said lawmakers on the panel "haven't been briefed on the specifics" but expected an announcement. Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, a member of the House Science Committee, said he welcomed the move because he has tried to get the president more interested in space exploration. "I had the feeling the last 2 1/2 years people would rather make a trip to the grocery store than a trip to the moon because of the economy," Hall said. "As things are turning around, we need to stay in touch with space" and the science spinoffs it provides. This week, NASA (news - web sites) landed a six-wheeled robot on Mars to study the planet. However, the Spirit rover is stuck because the air bags that cushioned its landing are obstructing its movement. Asked Wednesday whether the success of the Mars rovers could lead to a human mission to Mars, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe said, "The rovers are a precursor mission kind of an advance team to figuring out what the conditions are on the planet, and once we figure out how to deal with the human effects, we can then send humans to explore in real time." While answering questions on the White House Web site, O'Keefe said interplanetary exploration depends on "what we learn and whether we can develop the power and ... propulsion capabilities necessary to get there faster and stay longer and potentially support humans in doing so." No one, least of all members of Congress, knows how NASA would pay for lunar camps or Mars expeditions. The last time a president pushed such ambitious ideas the first President Bush on the 20th anniversary of the first manned moon landing the estimated price tag was $400 billion to $500 billion. The moon is just three days away while Mars is at least six months away, and the lunar surface therefore could be a safe place to shake out Martian equipment. Observatories also could be built on the moon, and mining camps could be set up to gather helium-3 for conversion into fuel for use back on Earth. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, among others, has called for an expansion of the U.S. space program, including a return to the moon. The United States put 12 men on the moon between July 1969 and December 1972. An interagency task force led by Vice President **** Cheney (news - web sites) has been considering options for a space mission since summer. Former Ohio Sen. John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, has said that before deciding to race off to the moon or Mars, the nation needs to complete the international space station and provide the taxi service to accommodate a full crew of six or seven. The station currently houses two. At the same time, Glenn has said, NASA could be laying out a long-term plan, setting a loose timetable and investing in the engineering challenges of sending people to Mars. The only sensible reason for going to the moon first, he says, would be to test the technology for a Mars trip.
Bush to Announce Missions to Mars, MoonQuoteAn interagency task force led by Vice President **** Cheney (news - web sites) has been considering options for a space mission since summer.
An interagency task force led by Vice President **** Cheney (news - web sites) has been considering options for a space mission since summer.
Wowza...who are the idiots who are going to pay for this???
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What is an employer to do with an employee who demands changes to a job, without ever having done the job? A recent arbitration decision, Child Development Institute and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, local 2132 (June 21, 2012), unrep. (Charney), considered this issue.
The grievor succeeded in her application for a full-time family violence clinician position. Prior to being awarding the job, the grievor had worked for the employer in a part-time capacity. She expressed great enthusiasm and no reservations when she accepted the job. Almost immediately thereafter though, she requested changes to the job's design. These changes initially were expressed as a preference and were not supported by medical documentation. The grievor seemed to think her changes would be a better way to run the program. The employer disagreed.
Shortly before commencing the job, the grievor raised a concern as to trauma and then provided documentation that she was suffering from serious depression. Her psychiatrist recommended that the employer implement all of the job design changes identified by the grievor.
Although the arbitrator queried, "why one would apply for a job and then without ever trying to do it, decide that it needs to be accommodated", given the psychiatric evidence that doing the work, as constituted, would either continue or worsen the grievor's depression, the arbitrator found that she required accommodation. After a few months – which the arbitrator excused as a reasonable period of time – the employer offered the grievor her choice of two possible reintegration plans. The grievor refused both on the basis they did not exactly fit with the accommodation she required. The employer's third offer of accommodation also was refused.
The arbitrator was critical of the grievor's intransigence finding that she had a duty to explore the possibilities of the accommodation offered by the employer. According to the arbitrator, "What works and what doesn't work is an inexact science and to be able to forecast that nothing will work except the exact accommodation that the grievor has sought is a difficult proposition …. It would be more understandable to me that if she attempted the work hardening process and then if it didn't work she continued to be unable to function, that could be dealt with."
Given the employer's limited funding and the funding required to achieve the grievor's preferred accommodation, the arbitrator found "a classic example of undue hardship". He also concluded that the employment relationship had completely broken down and it was inconceivable she could return to work. Accordingly, the arbitrator dismissed the grievance.
This decision is a good reminder that there, in fact, are limits to the duty to accommodate and that employees must work with their employers as part of the accommodation process, not simply make unreasonable demands.


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Works on: iOS devices
Cost: Free
For: Kids who like to play with their food
Gaming and vegetables isn't the first combination that comes to mind when pondering an educational and entertaining app, but Awesome Eats makes it work, and work well. The Whole Kids Foundation (yes, part of Whole Foods Market) developed this fantastic app that uses healthy eating as the motivation for scoring points.
Kids go through different gaming levels of sorting, tapping and stacking cutely-designed fruits, vegetables and whole grains on moving conveyor belts, while learning healthy tips along the way. Gamers are encouraged with "hoorays," flashing points and smiling produce. As kids progress through the varying levels of difficulty, they are introduced to wider varieties of vegetables like portobello mushrooms and string beans.
Awesome Eats is a free app and is great for keeping kids entertained and teaching them that vegetables can indeed be fun.
If you have an app that you'd like considered for Screen Play, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Publisher Amy Einhorn joins new company
NEW YORK (AP) — The publisher of Kathryn Stockett's "The Help" and other best-sellers is joining a new company.
Amy Einhorn has been named senior vice president and publisher of Flatiron Books, a Macmillan imprint. The announcement was made Wednesday by Flatiron President Bob Miller. Einhorn will start at Flatiron on July 21.
Einhorn is known as a hands-on editor with a sharp eye for literary and commercial books. As the head of Amy Einhorn Books at Penguin Random House, Einhorn acquired the million-selling "The Help," Jenny Lawson's "Let's Pretend This Never Happened" and Liane Moriarty's "The Husband's Secret" among others.
Miller founded Flatiron last year as a nonfiction imprint, but he said in a statement that hiring Einhorn provides an "irresistible" chance to publish fiction, too.
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.


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source: http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/24266/info 'Prototype of an PHP application' is prone to multiple remote file-include vulnerabilities because it fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input to the application. An attacker may leverage these issues to execute an arbitrary remote file containing malicious script code in the context of the webserver process. This may allow the attacker to compromise the application and the underlying system. Other attacks are also possible. This issue affects 'Prototype of an PHP application' 0.1. http://example.com/script//ident/index.php?path_inc=[shell]
Related ExploitsTrying to match CVEs (1): CVE-2007-3217
Trying to match OSVDBs (1): 37154
Trying to match setup file: d830c084a440793416ee566419a67554
Other Possible E-DB Search Terms: Prototype of an PHP Application 0.1, Prototype of an PHP Application


text: I was browsing through law school numbers the other day and saw people being thrilled to be accepted into tier 3 schools and willing to move across country for based on rankings alone and that will likely lead to a bad result. I mean for a New York City applicant to go to Gonzaga instead of New York Law School based on Gonzaga being Tier 2 and NYLS being tier 3 is a terrible decision, unless Washington is where they want to end up, but assuming the applicant likes NY that will be a horrendous decision. However, I see people on LSN potentially making that mistake a lot and I nearly did myself last year going to Michigan State instead of GGU, when I wanted to live in San Francisco.