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NBA Street
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|NBA Street
North America cover art
EA Canada
|EA Sports BIG
|Patrick Quinn
Wil Mozell
|Josh Holmes
|Lou Haehn
|Lisa Clarizio
Daryl Anselmo
|Jason Ross
|NBA Street
|PlayStation 2
|PlayStation 2
|Single-player, multiplayer
NBA Street is a basketball video game developed by NuFX and EA Canada. It was released in 2001 by EA Sports BIG for the PlayStation 2 and in 2002 for the GameCube. It combines the talent and big names of the National Basketball Association with the attitude and atmosphere of streetball. NBA Street is the first game in the NBA Street series and was followed by NBA Street Vol. 2, NBA Street V3, and NBA Street Homecourt.
NBA Street is a basketball video game of three-on-three street basketball. Aside from the basic structure of basketball, players try to collect trick points, which are scored through the use of almost every basketball game maneuver such as faking out defenders, shot blocking, diving for the ball, and dunking. If a team fills a special meter through flashy and effective gameplay, they get to perform a Gamebreaker, which is a special shot that not only adds to their score, but it subtracts an amount from their opponents' score.
Single player options included a user-created player touring famous American locations, picking up teammates from NBA rosters along the way.
The gameplay could be considered an "arcade" style of basketball in that it is not a true simulation, similar to the NBA Jam series. For instance, in-game players are able to jump high enough to grab three-point shots mid-arc (goaltending is permitted and is often used as a defensive strategy). Games are scored not by traditional standards, as two-point field goals are worth one point, while made shots behind the 3-point line are worth two. Instead of a time limit, the first team to score 21 points are deemed the winner. However, the winner must win by 2.
Cast and characters[edit]
Twenty-nine NBA teams are playable, with rosters from around 2000 and 2001. However, only 5 players are available from each team. Michael Jordan, who announced his comeback from his second retirement with the Washington Wizards a few months after the PlayStation 2 release, is available on both the Gamecube and PlayStation 2 versions. He was however removed as the "Final Challenge" in the Gamecube version as he now played for the Washington Wizards in the game. Instead, the City Circuit ended once a player beat the Street Legend "Stretch".
The game introduced several recurring characters called Street Legends, fictional basketball players who served as the series' bosses, each masterful in a particular aspect of basketball and representing a specific area of the United States. Their personalities and appearances were loosely inspired by real players, such as Stretch, the "cover athlete" who resembled Julius Erving in looks and abilities.
The Street Legends are, in order, Biggs, Bonafide, Drake, DJ, Takashi, and Stretch.
Commentator Joe "The Show" Jackson is voiced by Bob Elliott.
Team rosters are from the 2000–01 NBA season. (The GameCube version of the game has updated rosters from the 2001–02 season).
- Atlanta Hawks: Theo Ratliff, Toni Kukoč, Jason Terry, Alan Henderson and Brevin Knight
- Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker, Kenny Anderson, Tony Battie and Vitaly Potapenko
- Charlotte Hornets: Jamal Mashburn, Baron Davis, P.J. Brown, David Wesley and Elden Campbell
- Chicago Bulls: Elton Brand, Ron Mercer, Ron Artest, Marcus Fizer and Jamal Crawford
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Clarence Weatherspoon, Andre Miller, Jim Jackson and Lamond Murray
- Dallas Mavericks: Michael Finley, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Juwan Howard and Shawn Bradley
- Denver Nuggets: Antonio McDyess, Nick Van Exel, Raef LaFrentz, James Posey and Voshon Lenard
- Detroit Pistons: Jerry Stackhouse, Joe Smith, Ben Wallace, Chucky Atkins and Corliss Williamson
- Golden State Warriors: Antawn Jamison, Larry Hughes, Marc Jackson, Mookie Blaylock and Danny Fortson
- Houston Rockets: Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, Maurice Taylor, Hakeem Olajuwon and Shandon Anderson
- Indiana Pacers: Jalen Rose, Reggie Miller, Jermaine O'Neal, Austin Croshere and Travis Best
- Los Angeles Clippers: Lamar Odom, Darius Miles, Michael Olowokandi, Corey Maggette and Keyon Dooling
- Los Angeles Lakers: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Horace Grant and Robert Horry
- Miami Heat: Alonzo Mourning, Brian Grant, Eddie Jones, Anthony Mason and Tim Hardaway
- Milwaukee Bucks: Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson, Sam Cassell, Tim Thomas and Rafer Alston
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett, Terrell Brandon, Chauncey Billups, Wally Szczerbiak and LaPhonso Ellis
- New Jersey Nets: Stephon Marbury, Keith Van Horn, Kenyon Martin, Kendall Gill and Aaron Williams
- New York Knicks: Latrell Sprewell, Allan Houston, Marcus Camby, Glen Rice and Mark Jackson
- Orlando Magic: Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, Darrell Armstrong, Mike Miller and Bo Outlaw
- Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Iverson, Dikembe Mutombo, Eric Snow, George Lynch and Aaron McKie
- Phoenix Suns: Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Anfernee Hardaway, Clifford Robinson and Rodney Rogers
- Portland TrailBlazers: Rasheed Wallace, Scottie Pippen, Damon Stoudamire, Steve Smith and Dale Davis
- Sacramento Kings: Chris Webber, Jason Williams, Peja Stojakovic, Vlade Divac and Doug Christie
- San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Derek Anderson, Antonio Daniels and Sean Elliott
- Seattle SuperSonics: Gary Payton, Rashard Lewis, Vin Baker, Patrick Ewing and Desmond Mason
- Toronto Raptors: Vince Carter, Charles Oakley, Antonio Davis, Keon Clark and Morris Peterson
- Utah Jazz: Karl Malone, John Stockton, Donyell Marshall, Bryon Russell and DeShawn Stevenson
- Vancouver Grizzlies: Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Michael Dickerson, Mike Bibby, Grant Long and Stromile Swift
- Washington Wizards: Jahidi White, Richard Hamilton, Courtney Alexander, Mitch Richmond and Christian Laettner
Despite the PlayStation 2 version of the game having rosters from the 2000–2001 season, the Mavericks and Pistons already had the new logos and uniforms which debuted next season in 2001–02.
Street courts[edit]
- Pacific BLVD. (Vancouver, British Columbia)
- South Beach (Miami, Florida)
- Route 66 (Northern Arizona)
- The Cage (Manhattan, New York)
- The Loop (Chicago, Illinois)
- Fort Point (San Francisco, California)
- The Paint (Washington, DC) *(Only on GameCube)
Street Legends Courts
- Beacon Hill (Boston, Massachusetts - Biggs)
- Broad Street (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Bonafide)
- The Yard (Detroit, Michigan - Drake)
- Venice Beach (Venice, California - DJ)
- Yakatomi Plaza (Los Angeles, California - Takashi)
- Rucker Park (Harlem, New York - Stretch & Michael Jordan)
In the United States, NBA Street's PlayStation 2 version sold 1.7 million copies and earned $57 million by August 2006. Between January 2000 and August 2006, this release was the 18th highest-selling game launched for the PlayStation 2, Xbox or GameCube consoles in the United States. Combined sales for all NBA Street games released between January 2000 and August 2006, across the three game systems, reached 5.5 million units in the United States by the latter date.[25]
The game received "favorable" reviews on both platforms according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[24][23] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 31 out of 40 for the PS2 version,[5] and 30 out of 40 for the GameCube version.[4]
With the success of the NBA Street series, EA Sports BIG expanded to the format to football with NFL Street and soccer with FIFA Street.
- ^ Barnes, J.C. "NBA Street (PS2) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ EGM staff (May 2002). "NBA Street (GC)". Electronic Gaming Monthly (154): 112.
- ^ EGM staff (September 2001). "NBA Street (PS2)". Electronic Gaming Monthly: 141.
- ^ a b "ニンテンドーゲームキューブ - NBAストリート". Famitsu. 915: 102. June 30, 2006.
- ^ a b "プレイステーション2 - NBA STREET". Famitsu. 915: 89. June 30, 2006.
- ^ "NBA Street (GC)". Game Informer (109): 84. May 2002.
- ^ Leeper, Justin (August 2001). "NBA Street (PS2)". Game Informer (100). Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ Air Hendrix (February 19, 2002). "NBA Street Review for GameCube on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 12, 2005. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
- ^ Air Hendrix (June 20, 2001). "NBA Street Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 7, 2005. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
- ^ Dr. Moo (June 2001). "NBA Street Review (PS2)". Game Revolution. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
- ^ Varanini, Giancarlo (February 27, 2002). "NBA Street Review (GC)". GameSpot. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ Gerstmann, Jeff (June 20, 2001). "NBA Street Review (PS2)". GameSpot. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ Sabine, Mike (April 26, 2002). "NBA Street (GCN)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on January 12, 2005. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ Kocher, Dave (July 5, 2001). "NBA Street (PS2)". SportPlanet. Archived from the original on December 28, 2004. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ Bedigian, Louis (May 5, 2002). "NBA Street - GC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on June 4, 2009. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ Mirabella III, Fran (February 25, 2002). "NBA Street (GCN)". IGN. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ Zdyrko, David (June 19, 2001). "NBA Street (PS2)". IGN. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ "NBA Street". Nintendo Power. 154: 133. March 2002.
- ^ "NBA Street". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. August 2001.
- ^ Weigel, Ray (July 5, 2001). "TechTV Vault: NBA Street (PS2) Review". X-Play. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
- ^ Gibbon, David (July 13, 2001). "Let's Play...NBA Street (PS2)". BBC Sport. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ Boyce, Ryan (June 12, 2001). "NBA Street (PS2)". Maxim. Archived from the original on August 7, 2001. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ a b "NBA Street for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ a b "NBA Street for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ Campbell, Colin; Keiser, Joe (July 29, 2006). "The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century". Next Generation. Archived from the original on October 29, 2007.


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AKC Outstanding Sportsmanship Award
To further encourage sportsmanship in our sport, the American Kennel Club (AKC) has
developed "The Outstanding Sportsmanship Award Program" for member clubs. Through this
annual award, the American Brussels Griffon Association (ABGA) and AKC will honor those
individuals who make a difference in the world of purebred dogs every year.
(Started after the ABGA 2006 National Specialty)
Please click here to read more about the program.
2007-Katherine (Kay) Braukman
2008-Denise Brusseau-Ortmann
2009-Dawn Vick Hansen
2010-Cindy Muir
2011-Jacque Jones
2012-JoAnn Adamson
2013-Lisa Straub
2014-Dede Stevens
2015-Robin Schmitt
2016-Jimmy Neposchlan (pictured with President Raul J. Peralta)
2017-Nancy Brooks
2018-Meg Prior
2019-Raul J. Peralta

subset: commoncrawl


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Badaling Great Wall
4-Day Beijing Small Group Tour Package from $289
1-Day Private Beijing Tour from $59
The Great Wall is a must for a China tour, while Badaling is a must for a Great Wall tour. Badaling Great Wall in Beijing is the best-preserved and most complete section among the various, hence the most popular, even among world leaders. You should visit it at least once in your life.
Why visit Badaling rather than others
It is the most popular section.
It is the best-preserved and most complete section.
Compared with other sections, most stairs are not very steep and they are equipped with handrails, so it is a relatively easier climb.
This section has been equipped with cable car and pulley to save energy, and it even has some facilities to make it easier for seniors and the disabled.
It is close to downtown Beijing, about 43 miles (70 kilometers) away, and easy to reach by public transportation.
Basic Facts about Badaling Great Wall
Most of the preserved parts were built and reinforced during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 AD) to defend Beijing against the intrusion of northern Mongolians.
The total length of this section is 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) with 43 watchtowers, however only 2.3 miles (3.74 kilometers) and 19 watchtowers have been restored and opened to visitors.
In this section the wall averages about 26 feet (7.8 meters) tall, and 20 feet (6 meters) wide, which would allow five horses to gallop or ten soldiers to march abreast.
It is built of huge bar-stones and bricks. The interior of the wall was stuffed with rammed earth and small stones to make it firm and solid.
A number of holes have been drilled in the wall to shoot arrows and to watch enemies.
The watchtowers were built to accommodate soldiers, send messages, observe the enemy, and store supplies. It also has shooting and observing holes.
It witnessed many significant events in history: Yuan Taizu, the first emperor of Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD) conquered it, took control over Beijing, then the whole China, and began the Yuan Dynasty; Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911 AD) fled from there to western China in 1900 when an alliance of eight western countries controlled Beijing.
It has drawn tens of millions of tourists both from home and abroad. More than 370 foreign leaders and celebrities have visited it, including former US presidents Nixon, Reagan, Carter, and Gorge W Bush, Queen Elizabeth II of UK, and former South Africa president Mandela.
Admission Fee:
Apr. 1 to Oct.31: CNY 40; Nov.1 to Mar.31: CNY 35
Opening Hours:
Apr. 1 to Oct.31: 06:30-19:00; Nov.1 to Mar.31: 07:00-18:00
Cable Car & Pulley in Badaling Great Wall
The north section provides both. Cable cars that run between the parking lot of the back mountain and No.8 North Tower are suitable for all visitors. Pulleys, more exciting and more challenging than sealed cable cars, are not recommended for seniors and little kids. The lower station is next to the Bear Garden at the front mountain and the upper station is close to No.4 North Tower.
In the south section, only cable car is available, no pulleys. The cable car runs between the the opposite of Zhan Tianyou Memorial Hall and No.4 South Tower.
Ticket Fare
|Single Trip
|Round Trip
|Cable Car
Service Hours of the Cable Car
Nov. - Mar.: 8:30 - 16:00
How to tour Badaling Great Wall - Hiking Tour
|Badaling Great Wall Map (Click to enlarge it)
North Section:
It has twelve watchtowers.
The Wall winds up and down the mountain ridges, offering more magnificent scenery, but requiring more energy to climb.
The stone stele engraved with "He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man" is along this section, close to No. 8 North Tower; it is also the highest point in this area, offering a great bird's-eye view.
The path through No.9 North Tower to No.12 North Tower is not easy, think before climbing.
After reaching the furthest tower, No. 12 North, it is not necessary to return the way you came; there is an easier way to get to the exit by Bear Garden. It generally takes about 3 hours to complete this visit on foot. But upon descending via the convenient way, another ticket will be required if you want to climb the south section.
Between No. 6 North Tower and the exit, there is also a convenient path for descending. Another ticket is also required to ascend the south section.
South Section:
It has seven watchtowers.
The slopes are gentle and less energy-consuming.
Compared with the north section, there are fewer visitors here and one can enjoy it at a more leisurely pace.
After arriving at the furthest No.7 South Tower, return to No.3 South Tower for a quick exit. This visit takes about 2 hours on foot. If visitors want to cover the north section, they can go back to the starting point and then continue to the north section; in that case, no extra ticket will be required.
When is the best time for a visit?
The best times are April, May, September, or October, when it is neither too cold nor too hot, and the surrounding natural scenery is amazing. Usually from mid October to late October, the Great Wall is decorated by red leaves; while in the other time, it is surrounded by luxurious green plants. However, you should avoid the May Day holiday (May1st -3rd), the National Day holiday (October 1st-7th) and the Chinese New Year, when the site will be overrun with tourists.
How to get to Badaling Great Wall from downtown Beijing
Bus 877: Deshengmen ⇔ Badaling
Bus 877 is your first choice. It departs from Deshengmen, about 10 minutes' walking from Jishuitan subway station (Exit B2) of subway line 2. It is a non-stop bus, taking about an hour and costing CNY 12 per person. The drop-off site is close to the pulley car lower station and about 10 minutes' walk to the entrance. Please note that the last departure from Deshengmen is at 12:30.
Operating Time:
From Deshemngmen: Apr. 1 - Nov. 15: 06:00-12:30; Nov. 16 - Mar. 31: 06:30-12:30
From Badaling: Apr. 1 - Nov. 15: 10:30-17:00; Nov. 16 - Mar. 31: 11:00-16:30
Tourist Bus Line 1: Qianmen ⇔ Badaling
Boarding Point: southwest of Qianmen Arrow Tower, to the south of Tiananmen Square
Hours at Qianmen: the end of Flag-Raising Ceremony on the Tiananmen Square (5:00-7:30) to 11:00
Destination: Badaling Guntiangou Parking Lot
Hours at Guntiangou: April to October: 9:00 to 17:00; November to March: 11:00 to 16:30
Duration: 100 minutes
Frequency: 30 minutes
Fare: CNY 20 per person paid in cash; transportation card is not applicable.
Tip: The bus to Badaling has a stop at Juyongguan Pass, but the return bus runs directly back to Qianmen. There is a tour guide on each bus.
Special Note on Bus 919:
Bus 919 is not recommended any more. It used to be a non-stop line from Deshengmen to Badaling. However, it now does not run on expressway and has many stops on the way. It takes 2 hours and costs CNY 12 to Badaling, which is just an intermediate station. The bus is always crowded, with no seat left. In addition, the drop-off site is 1.5 mi (2.5 km) from the entrance. You need to walk or take the free shuttle bus to the ticket office.
If you fail to catch bus 877 before 12:30 or the tourist bus line 1 before 11:00, and want to go there in the afternoon, you can choose 919. Please note that bus 919 has many branch lines heading for different destinations. Please confirm with the driver your destination Badaling before you board a bus 919.
On the way from Jishuitan subway station to Deshengmen, there are many fake buses 877, which look similar to the official ones. The ticket sellers even wear "uniforms". Please ignore them. We recommend that visitors take the official ones from the parking lots.
If it is an official bus, there are usually many passengers in a long line waiting to boarding; no one is trying to convince you to get on the bus; the official buses are equipped with a card reader, passengers can either pay by cash or transportation card.
There may be a guide on bus 877 who sells tickets for the wall. The tickets are usually a combo type and we do not advise you to buy them. Regular tickets are available at the scenic site and you can buy what you really need upon arrival.
If you are using Transportation Smart Card, the bus fare will be 50% off.
By Train: S2
The trains depart from Huangtudian Railway Station, which is near the Huoying Station along subway line 8 and subway line 13. One should get off at Badaling Railway Station; the entrance to the scenic area is a 15 to 20 minutes' walk. Just follow the passenger flow or direction boards and one will get there easily. A single rail ride takes about 1.5 hours and the fare is CNY 7. There are free shuttle buses between S2 train station and cable car station. If you don't want to walk, you can queue up to take it.
The New Badaling Railway Station for high speed trains is under construction. After its completion in 2020, a bullet train from downtown Beijing to Badaling Great Wall will only take 20 minutes.
How to get there from Ming Tombs
Operating Time:
From Ming Tombs: 08:00-16:00
To Ming Tombs: 09:30-17:30
How to get there from Capital International Airport
Take Airport Express to Dongzhimen, and change to subway line 13 to Huoying Station, Exit G4. Then, walk to Huangtudian Railway Station to take an S2 train.
How to get there from Beijing West Railway Station
Take subway line 9 to Baishiqiao South Station, and transfer to subway line 6 to Nanluoguxiang Station. Then, change to subway line 8 to Huoying Station, Exit G4. Upon arrival, take an S2 train from the nearby Huangtudian Railway Station.
How to get there from Beijing South Railway Station
Take subway line 4 to Xizhimen, and switch to subway line 13 to Huoying Station, Exit G4. Walk to Huangtudian Railway Station, and take an S2 train.
How to get there from Beijing Railway Station
Take subway line 2 to Guloudajie Station, and change to subway line 8 to Huoying Station, Exit G4. Then, take an S2 train from the nearby Huangtudian Railway Station.
You should take a flight, a bullet train, or an overnight sleeper train from Shanghai to Beijing first, and then follow the routes mentioned above to the site.
First of all, take a flight or train from Hong Kong to Beijing, or take a high speed train from Shenzhen to Beijing. Then, follow the above route to the attraction.
Where to eat
There is a KFC not far from the entrance and the price there is more reasonable.
Bring some bottled water. It is not available up in the scenic site. But do not drink too much. There are only a few toilets up there.
Which one is better? As the best-preserved and most popular section, Badaling is a must-see for first-time visitors to China. Mutianyu is also a good choice with high popularity among foreigners, but generally less tourists than Badaling, which makes it accessible on big holidays.
Further Reading
What is the easiest way to reach is stone steel beside cable car? Because i plan to take pulley only
2. The only way is to walk to there.


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Did you know?
In 1933, hybrid corn seeds made up only one-tenth of 1 percent of the national crop. Within ten years, that proportion reached 50 percent, and by 1956, more than 90 percent of the national corn crop was from hybrid seeds.
Iowa harvested 2.36 billion bushels of corn in 2011, more than the entire U.S. corn harvest of 1935.
That's just a couple of the fun agricultural facts uncovered in 77 years of historical data now available online from USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The agency has just completed the digital compilation of data since 1936 which is now easily accessible to anyone with internet access. In the past, this information, published in the annual bulletin Agricultural Statistics, was available in print form only.
"U.S. agriculture continues to progress by learning from our past, which is why it is imperative to have historic data easily available," said Dr. Cynthia Clark, NASS Administrator. "By publishing this information online we are simplifying the research process and further enhancing access to this important and interesting information."
NASS and its predecessors at USDA have published Agricultural Statistics since 1936. The bulletins are a compilation of data produced by multiple agencies within USDA. Each volume is a one-stop location for annual production, consumption, trade, and price data for all sorts of crops and livestock, as well as farm economics, spending for government programs, and lots of other statistics important to our country's agricultural system. These volumes detail U.S. farming for much of the 20th century, including the Dust Bowl and World War II.


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Home | Contact
September 17th-24th 2016
Air Temp. 78-88 F
Water Temp. 80-82 F
Visibility 45-70+ft
Captain/Instructor: Matthew Herwig
Captain/Engineer: Cliff Muse
Instructor: Brian Forman
Instructor: Brent Goudreau
Divemaster: Cam Smay
Chef: Kevin Bennett
GUESTS: Catherine, Sidney, Theodora, Matt, John, Margaret, Nancy, James, David
Sunday – Kalokos Arches, Garden Eel Cove
Monday – Amphitheater, Driftwood, Mantaville
Tuesday – The Dome, Rob's Reef
Wednesday – Au Au Crater, Manuka Bay
Thursday – Paradise Pinnacle, Meadows, Pelagic Dive
Friday –Turtle Pinnacle, The Wreck of the Pretator
Saturday September 17th – Welcome aboard our guests Catherine, Sidney, Theodora, Matt, John, Margaret, Nancy, James and David. We promptly left the dock at the Kona Pier at 6PM after receiving our excited and eager guest divers. There was much talk about the upcoming week, and the possibilities of seeing Mantas, White Tip Reef Sharks, and Hammerhead Sharks. We welcomed our guests aboard with a beautiful BBQ made from scratch from our Chef Kevin. The tables were loaded with homemade bread, smoked ribs, macaroni salad, BBQ Chicken and Sausages. All were very pleased with the meal. Most all of our guests retired early as it had been a long flight to Kona from the East Coast of the United States.
Sunday September 18th – A beautiful pink sunrise was viewed this morning with a clear view of the volcano summits visible as we left our mooring headed north towards our first dive site of the day at Kalokos.
Along the way to Kalokos we were joined by spinner dolphins in our wake. After arrival at the dive site and a thorough dive deck briefing, our guest began the process of getting ready for the first dive. Cameras and gear were double checked the divers started entering the water at 8:00 AM. The first dive lasted for nearly an hour with reports back of seeing Puffer Fish, Whitney's Box Fish, White Mouth Eels, and Lobster. The water was calm and warm and everyone talked excitedly about the next dive coming up at Kalokos. A great second dive was had by all and our Chef Kevin again wowed our guests with a beautiful lunch buffet. As we had lunch we moved to our next dive location for the day at Garden Eel Cove. Our 2pm dive produced results of two Manta sightings, dolphins, and Red Day Ocotopus. Our late afternoon dive also produced the same results with additional sightings of Morray Eels and Flat Rock Crabs. The guests gathered for an amazing dinner from our galley and all guests prepared for the night dive with the Manta Rays. The guests and Dive Instructor Brian swam to the campfire location were all the local boats and divers place their underwater lights to attract the plankton that the Manta Rays feed on. Many Trevally fish were attracted to the light also. We waited only for a few moments underwater until the first Mantas started to appear. What a show. They arched, pivoted, and glided overhead as we were able to view them and take many great pictures of them. All guests and dive instructor returned safely and happy for experience of once again seeing our beautiful Mantas. Once everyone was on board we headed back to our mooring south at Kona Harbor.
Monday September 19th – Our day began early, heading South this time towards our next dive site which was the Amphitheater. Beautiful clear blue water flowed by as we cruised southward with lots of sunshine and few clouds. We arrived at the Amphitheater and began our preperations for the first dive. We splashed in righ at 8:00 AM and were greeted by huge pods of Black Surgeon Fish. As we dove down to 60 feet we were able to view the crystal clear coral gardens with all of inhabitants, including Eels, Tangs, and even a Triton's Trumpet. We further investigated this dive sight on the next dive, and again viewed many Box Fish, Octopus, Decorator Crabs, and a Leaf Scorpion Fish. What a great dive. Lunch was served by Chef Kevin with a meal of roasted local Ono with Tomatoes, Onions, Olives, and garlic, along with Homemade Clam Chowder, and Buttermilk Biscuits. We moved to our next dive sight of Drift Wood during lunch and our next couple of dives involved swimming in and out of the many canyons along the coast that comprise Hawaii's remarkable underwater landscape. The best viewing of a Frog Fish was found, along with many Cowerys. We soon afterwords began to travel north to our last dive spot of the day Mantaville in front of the Shearaton Hotel for a second night of Manta viewing. Captain Matt and Instructor Brent lead the group for the Manta night dive, and were able to view a few Mantas during the dive, but as luck would have it that was the only viewing of Mantas that night. We did get to view many Conger Eels, and Morray Eels hunting for the night along with many Trevally Fish.
Tuesday September 20th – We kicked off this morning at a crew favorite called The Dome. This site features an underwater Dome structure with two openings including a skylight. We were able to see some unicorn fish, cowry, and hermit crabs, a solid start to the day… Then we were off to Rob's Reef. There was an incredible amount of fish at this site. The main attraction of this site is the Lava Tube swim through that divers can swim into about 75 feet and view all kinds of sea creatures from Sea Turtles to White Tip Reef Sharks. Every type of schooling fish from yellow tang to purple damsels, peacock groupers and bird wrasses. Our afternoon dives were enjoyable for the warm and calm waters we're enjoying in September. Divers were exciting about some of the small stuff we were seeing such as the fried egg nudibranch , the pillow starfish, the golden lace nudi, a zebra eel and a female trunkfish! Our afternoon and night dive were at the same location.. There's a lot to explore here. Last night on our night dive we even found a walking Pencil Urhin in the middle of the sandbar and a large blue spotted Cowry feeding under a reef head.
Wednesday September 21st – We had a wonderful overnight stay at Rob's Reef, and were even visited by Spinner Dolphins overnight. The sun came up bright and clear and we made our way further south to Au Au Crater. A favorite dive spot for guests and crew alike. In the water by 8am we soon discovered Dragon Wrasse under the boat in a sandy patch, a yellow frog fish near the lip of the Crater and scores of schooling fish on the backside of the crater as the nutrient rich water pools on the backside of the crater. On our second dive of the morning we swam to the shallows above the crater and found many different types of fish including a Ball's Pipe fish. We even found an old historic boat anchor (probably late 1800s) that was in 15 feet of water and made for a great exploration. We wish we had more time to explore this site. Next Chef Kevin delivered an amazing masterpiece for lunch….. a selection of Roast Lamb, fresh salads, locally grown fruit , and brownies for dessert. What a great meal. We then pulled of the mooring and headed towards Manuka Bay to look for Green Sea Turtles. Upon arriving at Manuka Bay, we were greeted by a dinner plate size Peacock Flounder that circled us many times and provided us with great photo opportunities. The night dive concluded our day with sightings of a Tiger Snake Moray, a Red Swimming Crab, and many lobsters.
Thursday September 22nd – We left our mooring at Manuka Bay early in the morning and headed north
to Paradise Pinnacle, in high hopes of seeing hammerhead sharks. Our first dive produced sightings of a
spectacular Blue Dragon Nudibranch, a Black Coral Hawkfish, a Tile Fish, and many Pyramid Butterfly
fsh. Our second dive is set at Paradise Pinnacle. Paradise Pinnacle produced some great sightings of a
White Snake Moray, File Fish, and many Pyramid Butterfly Fish. There is much excited talk about the Pelagic dive set for tonight. After having another wonderful
Culinary treat prepared by Chef Kevin, we began our travel two miles out from the Hawaiian Big Island
For our Pelagic night dive. Many brightly colored and translucent creatures were spotted along with schools of
Hunting squid. Everyone was really pleased with the dive and we motored back to our mooring in Kona
Harbor for the night.
Friday September 23rd – Good Morning Divers! We awoke to a clear view of the summit of Mona Kea
Volcano, and started our daily dive journey this time headed north to Turtle Pinnacle. We were going to
View the Green Sea Turtles at the cleaning stations that surround this area along with looking for all the
Eels that dwell in the rocky underwater terrain. Many Eels were spotted on the dive along with Angel
Fish, and Brown Spotted Puffer fish. Our last dive of the day and trip was scheduled for the Predator
Wreck that sits at 80 feet of depth in the harbor of Kona. Captain Cliff brought along some plastic
Skeleton friends to attach to the wreck for the divers amusement and enjoyment. The divers also
Received a special surprise, as the Atlantis Submarine made an underwater show and cruised by the
Predator wreck. The divers were able to wave to the Submarine guests. How cool is that?
We lunched at the dock in Kona Harbor and then the guests were invited to view the town until 5PM
When we had our cocktail party.
Three Guests: Catherine, John, and David received the coveted Iron Diver Award for completing all
27 of the dives we did aboard the Kona Aggressor II this week. Congratulations to them all for a
Job well done!!!!
Although we are sad to see our guests leave at the end of this week, we know that there was much joy,
Laughter, and Fun had by all and some wonderful diving memories were made. We look forward to
Having them all on board again soon.
Until Next Time..
The Kona Aggressor II Captain and crew


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Membership forms and additional forms
Be a Junior Member!
Candids of our cattle, farms and events
Links to Ayrshire Breeder pages and organizations
We have a very active Pa Junior Ayrshire Assocation! Click on the Junior tab to learn about all of our offerings and how to get involved.
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An Independent Report by the Karen Human Rights Group
Manerplaw, September 12, 1992
Beginning in November 1991, SLORC regiment nos. 10, 317 and 14 built a car road from Bilin to Papun (75 miles) for use in transporting ammunition and supplies to the battle front at Twee Pa Wih Kyo (Sleeping Dog Mountain), where they mounted this year's main offensive against Manerplaw. The car road passed through villages and rice and sugar cane fields. As it was harvest time, farmers had cut much of their rice, gathered it in sheaves, and laid them in the fields to dry and be collected.
All the fields that the road went through were destroyed, but the SLORC paid no compensation to the farmers. Instead, they took all the sheaves of rice that the farmers had cut and threw them on the muddy parts of the road to keep their trucks from getting stuck. All of this rice was destroyed.
As the SLORC troops passed through villages such as Pe Ya Raw, Lay Kay, Tar Paw, Kyo Waing, Htee Pa Doh Hta, Yoh Klah, and Ler Klaw, they took rice from the villagers for their rations, and promised to replace it later. After the road was finished, a SLORC convoy driving on it was intercepted by Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) soldiers, who destroyed at least 30 of the trucks. As retaliation, the SLORC demanded that the villagers pay them 500,000 Kyat for every truck destroyed by the KNLA. There was no way the villagers could pay, so instead the SLORC said they had cancelled the debt of rice which they already owed the villagers for their rations.
Since the road has been completed, the SLORC troops have rounded up all the women, young and old, from all the villages along the road to sweep it for mines every time one of their convoys is going to come along. They only use women because the men all hide in the forest to avoid being taken as porters, and because they don't trust men near the road. The women have to take the stems of palm leaves and use them like brooms to sweep the road, while a line of SLORC soldiers walks behind them with their guns at the ready. The women from each village must sweep the road like this halfway to the next village in both directions. Even after all this, when the convoy passing along the road comes to a stretch where they are suspicious of mines, the troops round up many of the children from the surrounding villages and make them all ride along with them on the trucks.


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Attribute: Light/Wind/Water Type: Thunder/Spellcaster/Aqua Level 7 ATK:2600/2400/2500/ DEF:2200/2200/2400
Description Effect: You can only activate this card's effect during your opponent's damage calculation. Make the ATK of a monster attacking this card 0 during damage calculation. This effect can only be used once as long as this card remains face-up on the field.
Card# DB1-EN157, DB1-EN158, DB1-EN159 NORMAL.
Series: Yu-Gi-Oh


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Editor's Zip Around Tech Envelope
- Personalization
- Product Details
This traveling desk accessory is a sophisticated must for important meetings. Offered in faux-leather, our appropriately named Editors Tech Organizer is a sharp envelope-style design with a zip-around closure, four card slots, phone slot and other assorted pockets. Elevate any work ensemble, stay ultra-organized and monogram it for additional panache.
• 11" l x 5" w x 1.5" d
• Vegan Leather.
• See Product Information for additional details and measurements.
• Imported.
• Monogram is foil-debossed.
Standard delivery in 5 to 7 business days. Rush delivery in 2 to 3 days.
- Product Information
The Editors Tech Organizer has zip-around closure, four card slots, one phone slot, a pen slot, two open pockets, and a flap with three open pockets and zippered pocket.
• Phone slot: 4"h x 3.5" w
• Open pockets: 6.5" h x 11"w; 5.25" h x 5.5" w (2)
• Flap open pocket: 5.75"h x 9.5" w
• Flap zippered pocket: 5" h x 8" w


text: Fashion shows are the places to be in if you want to catch the future fashion trends, be it makeup, couture, hair or a fashion trend in general. It is true that these skyrocketing fashion trends showcased at the runways are beyond reach for the commons at least. One such hot trend, a hair accessory from the 2012 fall fashion runways is a rodarte star hair clip. If you are obsessed with the hair accessories and want to flaunt this high fashion, sophisticated piece of jewelry and obviously do not want to buy it from the designer, well, here is a DIY for you. You will be surprised to see how well and closer you can recreate the hair clip and it is not heavy on your pocket too. Watch this video for a detailed DIY.


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Gold Thread Tiny House
An experiment with voluntary simplicity in American culture.
Welcome to the Gold Thread Tiny House Blog
Welcome to the Gold Thread Tiny House Blog -
Buckminster Fuller once said, "If you want to change how somone thinks, give up; you can not change how people think. Give them a tool, the use of which will cause them to think differently." The tiny house is just such a tool.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Progress - Summer 2011
Gold Tread Tiny House will be completed by the end of September 2011, and I hope to move in shortly thereafter. It has been a wonderfully busy spring and summer of learning and building. Much has been accomplished. I have included many new photos documenting the past several month's activities at the tiny house. Some can be viewed below, and others on the slide show to the right of the blog. The photos show the new spray foam insulation, the copper ridge cap going on, the interior siding going in with help of Nic and Angelica, the newly completed loft space and more. I hope you enjoy them.
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text: Find this wine Find this wine Llama old vine Malbec We loved this Pin It Tweet 5 years ago by Hotsack More posts Llama Malbec Old Vine 2011 Dixie 5 years ago by Alexandra B. Belasco Llama Old Vine Malbec 2009 Brazin 'Old Vine' Zinfandel '09 - Lodi, CA 6 years ago by Cajunj Llama Old Vine Malbec 2006 Went well with trimming the Christmas tree. 8 years ago by Naturetrek Llama Malbec 2007 100 year old vines! 100x the malbec goodness! Very robust and earthy. Pick one up for $20 8 years ago by Fallenmitten


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by Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Published on May 5, 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 416
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Book Depository Amazon Barnes & Noble
|Knight's Judgment
|Writing Style
When I began reading A Court of Thorns and Roses, I wasn't a fan. I'm obsessed with the Throne of Glass series and expected something of that caliber diving into this book, but that wasn't the case. Instead, I fell in love with a beast and shipped him and his beauty something fierce.
This book takes the Beauty and the Beast fairytale and breathes new life into it. I noticed a sort-of resemblance from the beginning. Feyre is taken from her father and two sisters by a beast of a faerie to live with him as payment for killing another of the fae. Considering her life sucks – barely enough food, greedy siblings, a spineless father who doesn't care – I thought this was quite the improvement. She finds herself on the estate of Tamlin, a High Fae.
His attempts to interact with her were sweet. He had to fight through years of fae hatred instilled in her and most other humans, which was an uphill battle to begin with. But between him and his friend Lucien (love him!) they bring Feyre around. Their romance was soft at first, but quickly became something much more hot and heavy. I actually really loved this romance. As I continued to read, I found myself coming around to the story just as Feyre was with the fae until I found myself cheering Tamlin and Feyre on through to the end.
Feyre was strong and independent. She cared more than a person should at times and it left her with a lot of guilt. She was a hunter, but she loved to paint! So much about her made her flawed but I loved it. Tamlin was distant but unnecessarily kind throughout and only more endearing as time went on. His friend Lucien had to be one of the most loyal people in this world and I really hope he gets a happy ending in the next book because he deserves it more than most.
Then there's Rhysand.
I ship Feylin hardcore… right now. Rhysand poses an interesting conundrum, however. I loved that he wasn't afraid to be both good and evil. He played his game and, for that, we'll be seeing him quite a bit more in the next book. If anyone can change my mind about the romance in this series, it's going to be him.
Though character-driven, this book had a decent amount of action. Not, perhaps, in the "epic battle" sense but through secret conversations and festivals and dangerous tasks. The pacing is slowed significantly for that reason and it took me a while to get into it, but by the end I craved more.
My issue with this book (and yes, I did have one) was that throughout all of this, while I enjoyed the story and all, I didn't really understand the why of a lot of the plot points. Feyre killed a good friend of Tamlin's and he just let her live in luxury in his home, being overly kind to her (he may have looked like a beast at times but he's really just a sweetheart). She was told precious secrets – dangerous secrets. He took her on rides and little adventures to his childhood haunts. For a murder, she was wooed and spoiled like no other. And I couldn't understand why, why would he do all this?
I forgot this was a Beauty and the Beast re-telling.
Somewhere around a quarter of the way through, that little detail slipped from my head or I would've put two and two together. Because what BB re-telling is complete without a cursed Beast? And then it clicked. The one issue I had with this book magically disappeared and I was left swooning over Tamlin.
A Court of Thorns and Roses makes you fall in love as its characters do. So when you pick this book up, don't expect the action and court intrigue we've come to anticipate from Maas's other novels. Instead, take it as it is: a dangerously romantic fairytale with a twist.


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University Medical Center of Princeton (UMCP) has recently launched a new Direct Access Colonoscopy program through a partnership with local gastroenterologists to help speed the process of scheduling a routine screening colonoscopy for certain patients who are ages 50 and over.
Now individuals can call UMCP's Surgical Scheduling Office directly at 609.853.7510 to make an appointment for a colonoscopy and if they meet certain screening criteria, they will be scheduled to have a colonoscopy within days.
To be eligible to schedule through the new Direct Access Colonoscopy program, individuals must be aged 50 or over, must not have a family history of colon cancer, cannot be on blood thinners or have a history of bleeding disorders, cannot have a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, must never have been diagnosed with congestive heart failure, and must not have experienced chest pains or a heart attack within the past 12 months.
Individuals who do not meet these criteria and/or who report gastrointestinal symptoms will be referred to their primary physician or to make an appointment with a gastroenterologist to discuss their health and symptoms prior to scheduling a colonoscopy.
Facilities where colonoscopies will be provided include:
Prep Instructions
Once individuals schedule a procedure through the Direct Access Colonoscopy program, they will be given prep instructions for their procedure by a nurse. Prep instructions can vary by individual but generally patients prepare the day before the procedure by fasting and taking laxatives to clear their digestive system. Patients can consume clear liquids, but will stop liquids prior to their procedure as instructed. Other instructions, such as stopping medications, may also be provided.
The Day of the Procedure
On the day of the procedure, the patient will arrive at the outpatient facility with a designated driver, since the patient will be sedated. One of the participating gastroenterologists will perform the procedure, which involves passing an endoscope through the patient's rectum to look for abnormal tissue or growths. The physician will discuss any findings and instructions with regard to any follow-up care needed with the patient once he or she wakes up. Patients usually return home the same day and are able to return to work and normal activities the following day.


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Dark Chamber Pictures
Greasy Spoon Diner Supper Series Vol. 29 w/ Chef Chris Whittaker
Video produced by darkchamberpictures.com
"The Greasy Spoon Diner is truly one of a kind. It pairs the best chefs in the world with the legendary Save On Meats to create a monthly four-course dining experience. Chefs trade in their tweezers for tongs, creating four courses inspired by diner food.
The meal is paired with cocktails made by award-winning bartenders, as well as craft beer and wine. The best part: it helps feed and employ members of our community. It's an opportunity to re-connect with purpose,
enjoy an exceptional meal with people who share the same values, and hear about the work being done to service those less fortunate. The Greasy Spoon is the easiest way to make a big impact while having a great time, every time."


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Brundage Mountainall reviews | post a review
Get a chance to WIN ski lift tickets when you Post Public Snow Reports OR Post a Review
About Brundage Mountain
|Located high in the mountains of Central Idaho, Brundage Mountain is best known for its powder-packed glades, luxuriously wide groomed runs, and unbelievably uncrowded slopes. Blessed with over 325 inches of snowfall annually, Brundage has an undisputed reputation for the Best Snow in IdahoTM. The recent addition of two chairlifts doubled Brundage Mountain's uphill capacity now provide our visitors a full 1,500 acres of terrain to explore and enjoy.
Skiing and Snowboarding at Brundage Mountain
|Get more information about skiing and snowboarding at Brundage Mountain, including lifts, trails, and terrain
Recent Reviews for Brundage Mountain
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Best kept secret
I hate to give such a good review for fear of too many people discovering it. Small, quaint place skis big. Go every year....More
Great Family Location
The road leading up to the mountain is an easy drive from McCall, Idaho. Some roads are scary but this one is well maintained. The resort itself is very convienient with the ticket windows at the front of the resort and the l...More
Lots of great snow!
The snow at Brundage is great right now! And the view from the new lift is spectacular! It is definitely worth the trip....More
What's New This Season at Brundage Mountain
|A 3,200 square foot addition to the main lodge was completed in 2014, adding two new outdoor decks and a new Guest Services facility just steps from the parking lot.
Brundage Mountain - Videos
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Brundage Mountain AddressP.O. Box 1062
3890 Goose Lake Rd.
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Brundage Mountain Phone Numbers(208) 634-4151


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The American Family Association's "news from a Christian perspective" site provided much amusement on the Guardian's Technology blog when it blindly substituted words in news articles, notably turning all occurrences of the word "gay" into the word "homosexual" (tinyurl.com/5yowge). For example, sprinter Tyson Gay was automatically renamed "Tyson Homosexual".
This type of ideological alteration is most readily visible (and mockable) on the internet, but is also done in other media. There are various specialised consumer devices for what might be called the bowdlerisation market, which remove or even make substitutions for objectionable content on TV or DVDs.
When such extreme fear of certain viewpoints is manifested, and combined with frothy theorising around the surefire theme of the effects of the internet on society, it tends to result in facile punditry about Balkanisation and polarisation. To briefly sketch an ongoing topic, there's a concept that improved personalisation ability leads to group isolation and then to echo-chambers which end up fueling extremism (tinyurl.com/6j7sbr). Note there's a very superficial rebuttal to this idea, which points to various sites where the participants seem to like arguing with each other. But that small self-selected group says nothing about the behaviour of the broader populace.
This has all spawned an academic cottage industry in studying internet discussions, as hyperlinks between various websites provide data which is readily measured and analysed. One recent paper determined that political blog readers "overwhelmingly choose blogs that are written by people who are roughly in accordance with their political views" and "are much more likely than non-blog readers to engage in politics" (tinyurl.com/4q5v4s). Earlier work by different researchers found that "overall, it would be incorrect to conclude that liberal bloggers are ignoring conservative bloggers or vice versa" (tinyurl.com/dvfch).
In general, dystopian predictions of internet communications leading to a factionalised politics are simply the inverse of the utopian visions of the internet leading to global peace and universal harmony. But contrary to a common intellectual wish, it's quite possible to be very familiar with an opponent's views and still hate them passionately. Indeed, terrorists have written extensively regarding why they reject the status quo.
Further, the easiest course is to be apolitical. Many people are far too busy working for a living to engage in any civic participation. Overblown rhetoric often comes from someone whose job entails spending the bulk of the day in reading and writing, and most charitably can be described as overestimating the significance of philosophical discussions to everyone else.
With long-existing social divisions simply becoming more apparent, and changes in social institutions such as union membership or religious movements, several other factors should be considered as potential causes of factionalisation before indicting networked communications. It's too easy to blame complex problems on a trendy simplistic cause.
There's also a scaremongering subtext in some of the arguments about internet group isolationism. Newspapers and policy magazines may be implicitly praised as sober sources of information while partisan websites are painted as frightening breeding grounds of ill-informed rabble. This viewpoint can often get a pundit good publicity in prominent newspapers and policy magazines. Denouncing jingoistic yellow journalism and hate-filled talk radio as merchants of ignorance could lead to media marginalisation.
There are more than enough real problems with net evangelists who try to sell data-mining businesses as the model for society, and the issues of trying to find a way to support being accurate over being popular. We ought not to worry much over speculative consequences extrapolated from the fact that there will always be a market for telling people what they want to hear.


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Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Mount TBR Reading Challenge: Wrap-Up
Distracted by scenery. That's my problem.
This clever challenge is hosted by the prolific Bev at My Reader's Block. She gets the most out of the mountaineering theme, with categories that range from Pike's Peak (12 books) to Mount Olympus on Mars (150 books or more). In a fit of enthusiasm (by which I mean hubris) last June, I said I would read 24 books from my TBR "mountain" before December 31. But it didn't work out that way.
So here I am standing pat on the 8.5 books I read for the Color Coded Reading Challenge, plus 4 additional books I "officially" read for this challenge. That means I only made it halfway up the mountain . . . except I actually read more books than that this year, I just didn't count them. Sometimes I wanted a break from reading with reviewing in mind, or the book wasn't serious enough to warrant a review, or the book wasn't from the TBR pile and therefore didn't qualify for the challenge. These little detours combined to produce a single result: I didn't make it to the top.
I sure did some good reading, though! Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies were far and away the best of the lot. I can hardly wait to pick up the final book in the series, whenever it comes out. You'd think after 1,000 pages I'd have had enough, but quite the opposite is true.
Overall I read 48 books in 2016, and during the challenge period I read 24. I covered the ground, more or less, it just wasn't in a direct path to the summit! So if you see someone waving from the top of Mont Blanc, it's not me. But if you see someone strolling knee-deep in clover on the edge of a little woods with a babbling stream running through it, you've found me--right where I want to be.
Labels: Books, Challenge Reading
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Passing Clouds by Graeme Leith »
A winemaker's journey and a real peek into vineyard life
By Laura McKinnon
Graeme Leith is half of the founding partnership and first winemaker of Passing Clouds Winery, located near Daylesford, Victoria. Passing Clouds has grown from humble beginnings in 1973 to an award-winning winery, now run by the next generation of the Leith family.
I always approach the memoirs of winemakers with trepidation, as books which place too much focus on vineyard and winemaking operations often leave you wanting to know more about the author and less about the technical stuff. Graeme Leith's memoir is not one of these, but instead is full of stories that influenced his life and therefore his wines.
The book opens with tales of his childhood, and as you read of his trips with the Scouts and cooking for his mother, you can't help imagine him sitting in a chair recounting the stories as a grandfather might to grandchildren. These are short and set out in mini chapters averaging two pages, clearly distinguishable by chapter headings.
Quite quickly he moves on to tales of his first trip overseas: stories of a young man struggling to make ends meet but enjoying life footloose and fancy free. And just as quickly as you are transported to the other side of the world, you are back in Melbourne listening to the story of his first marriage. This wasn't to last long but Graeme doesn't dwell on the breakup, instead choosing to describe the many happy moments and the joy of children. These memories make the recollections in later chapters of his daughter's death even more heartbreaking.
I have heard the Passing Clouds story described as a roller-coaster journey and I would not disagree. From naked performances at the La Mama theatre and the purchase of the Kingower property, you travel along on a wonderful path that begins to impart some of the experiences of vineyard life.
The chapters concerning the tragic death of his daughter and the effect this had on him lead into an almost jovial description of a vintage in Burgundy. The time away from Australia was part of his grieving process, but also provided him with skills and inspiration that helped in the early days of Passing Clouds. He then describes the continuing improvements in the property, winemaking and the changes in his daily life.
As if to provide you with an intermission, the centre pages of Passing Clouds are filled with family photos just like you might find in your own family album. There is nothing stage-managed about them; instead they truthfully add a visual to the prose of the previous chapters.
We are given a unique insight into the mystique of vintage with two vintage diaries, the first from Graeme with help from Suzie MacDonald and the second from his son Cameron who has taken over the winemaking at Passing Clouds. These daily notes give us a true understanding of vintage, the early mornings, the late nights and the rewards.
Passing Clouds finishes with what many regard as the most important part of the winemaking story: the winery dog(s). The final pages are dedicated to the stories of the fortunate dogs that have called Passing Clouds home over the years.
Passing Clouds is a delightful read full of stories you can relate to. If you are interested to know the story behind the wine – or have ever considered venturing into a life as a viticulturist or winemaker – this book will give you the insight you don't get from polished media campaigns.
Passing Clouds by Graeme Leith is published by Allen and Unwin (Sydney, 2014; sc, 314 pp) and retails in Australia for A$32.99
PS from the Editor: a dear friend of mine spent many vintages as a (willing) volunteer picker at Passing Clouds, and her hilarious tales of Graeme and his antics would make anyone want to go there! If you can't, read this book instead.
- Macedon Ranges (Wine) (VIC)
- Macedon Ranges & Spa Country (VIC)
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text: I am a country boy, but I have lived in the BIG CITY long enough to know that you need to "stake your claim" on your turf (territory), if you want to get ahead. Grab what you can, you will make your own opportunities. It's a "dog eat dog" world, but if you keep your wits about you, you can, hopefully, win at this game called life. If you do, you will find the happiness, success, fortune and be respected by those that mean the most to you. It is all up to you, file your claim now, too.


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YoLo Frozen Yogurt in Overton Square and the Kwik Shop Grill at Central Avenue and East Parkway are both on their way out.
Property owner Loeb Properties will soon undertake significant remodels at the locally-owned Midtown restaurants to attract other restaurant tenants.
Loeb Properties is leveraging a "significant remodel" of the YoLo space at 6 Cooper St. and the Lenny's space at 12 Cooper St. to attract a new restaurant tenant. Lenny's will not be leaving, but YoLo will have to relocate.
(brg3s architects)
The two-tenant building that houses YoLo and Lenny's at the corner of Cooper Street and Madison Avenue is the first building Loeb Properties purchased in the area. Loeb Properties has another lease with YoLo at a second location at 559 Erin Drive in East Memphis.
"We really appreciate them as tenants and we hope we can help them find another location," said Ciara Neill, director of marketing for Loeb Properties. "Unfortunately, they can't relocate to Overton Square because it is 100 percent occupied."
Loeb Properties purchased the YoLo and Lenny's building in 2000 with other pieces of Overton Square falling into place over the next 10 years. Since Overton Square reopened in 2014 as a Class A retail and entertainment destination, the property at Cooper and Madison lagged behind what Neill called the "Overton Square aesthetic."
To that aim, Loeb Properties is leveraging a "significant remodel" of the YoLo space at 6 Cooper St. and the Lenny's space at 12 Cooper St. Lenny's will not be leaving, but YoLo will have to relocate.
The conceptual design by brg3s architects shows that the bulky concrete building will be updated with wide glass panels and modern aluminum siding.
"Especially with the Ballet Memphis opening across the street, which will be a very modern build, we want to reflect that in the design," Neill said.
The YoLo space will be expanded westward into the existing parking lot to make 2,972 square feet available for a future restaurant. A rooftop patio is planned as well as dual indoor and outdoor dining space below the rooftop patio. Neill said that the parking will also be configured.
"We would love to bring in a really great Memphis tenant, someone who will complement the existing tenants there. And we're willing to look outside of Memphis as well," Neill said.
A mile away from the YoLo site, the Kwik Shop Grill at 711 East Parkway is also set to close. The Kwik Shop is in a two-tenant building with Subway. Neill said that Subway will not be moving, but the entire building will see a remodel. The Kwik Shop is a convenience store and fast-casual restaurant. Neill said Loeb hopes to move another restaurant into that bay.
Neill declined to disclose timelines or the lease agreements with YoLo and Kwik Shop.
Copyright 1995 -
by The Daily News Publishing Co. Inc. - All Rights Reserved


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Bali Bombers to Be Executed as Soon as Possible: Attorney General
JAKARTA ~ The attorney general said this week he hopes three men sentenced to death for their role in the 2002 Bali bombings will be executed as soon as possible.
Attorney General Hendarman Supandji said he hoped it could be done before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in September, but said he had not set a date and was still waiting to receive the relevant documentation.
"We want it as soon as possible as all legal requirements have already been fulfilled for an execution," he told reporters.
"It could be the end of this month, this month or next month," he said.
Amrozi, Imam Samudra and Ali Ghufron were convicted in 2003 and are being held in an island prison off the south coast of Java.
Indonesia's Supreme Court gave the green light for the three men to be executed last week when it rejected a final appeal.
The men remain defiantly unrepentant over their lead roles as plotters of the 2002 attack which killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists at bars and nightspots in Bali.
They have said they will not seek presidential clemencies and are looking forward to becoming martyrs.
Executions in Indonesia are by firing squad, usually carried out at night in isolated and undisclosed locations. The prisoner is notified at least 72 hours in advance.
Senior prosecutor Abdul Hakim Ritonga said the three would be executed somewhere in Central Java province.
"According to the law, an execution must be implemented in a place where they commit a crime. But for an efficiency reason, it will be carried out in Central Java, where they are being held," he said.Filed under: The Nation


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Release Date: 01/24/2017
After a rigorous national search, Paul A. DiSilvestro, MD, of Exeter, has been named the director of the Program in Women's Oncology for Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island and Care New England Health System, and the division director for Gynecologic Oncology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
Dr. DiSilvestro is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Brown and has been the interim director of the Program in Women's Oncology and the Division of Gynecologic Oncology since April 2016.
"Dr. DiSilvestro is a trusted and steadfast leader presenting an exciting vision for the future, including development of a research program in developmental therapeutics as well as a personalized cancer medicine treatment program," said Maureen G. Phipps, MD, MPH, chair and Chace-Joukowsky Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and assistant dean for Teaching and Research in Women's Health at the Warren Alpert Medical School, professor of epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health, and chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Women & Infants Hospital and Care New England Health System. "With Dr. DiSilvestro's leadership, we are well-positioned for an exciting future for our women's oncology services at Women & Infants Hospital and across Care New England."
Dr. DiSilvestro replaces Cornelius O. "Skip" Granai III, MD, FACOG, FACS, whose efforts brought the Program in Women's Oncology into the national spotlight as an innovative center of cancer care excellence and who remains in a supportive emeritus role while continuing to see patients, train the next generation of women's health providers, and provide outreach support.
Dr. DiSilvestro serves as the director of research in the Program in Women's Oncology and the chair of the Board of Managers of the recently formed Care New England Medical Group (CNEMG). He is principal investigator for the Women & Infants Hospital site of the National Cancer Institute's cooperative research group, NRG Oncology, the NIH-sponsored cancer collaborative that includes the Gynecologic Oncology Group. Dr. DiSilvestro is currently the co-chair of the Ovarian and Breast Cancer Committees at NRG Oncology and previously served on the Cancer Prevention and Control and the Phase I Committees. In addition, he has been study chair or co-chair of multiple National Cancer Institute-sponsored Gynecologic Oncology Group trials. Dr. DiSilvestro is well-respected nationally for his clinical, teaching and research expertise. He is a general board examiner as well as a subspecialty (gynecologic oncology) board examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG).
A graduate of the University of Vermont College of Medicine, Dr. DiSilvestro completed a residency at Women & Infants Hospital and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the University of Oklahoma.
About Women & Infants Hospital
Women & Infants and Brown offer fellowship programs in gynecologic oncology, maternal-fetal medicine, urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery, neonatal-perinatal medicine, pediatric and perinatal pathology, gynecologic pathology and cytopathology, and reproductive endocrinology and infertility. It is home to the nation's first mother-baby perinatal psychiatric partial hospital, as well as the nation's only fellowship program in obstetric medicine.
Women & Infants has been designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiography; a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology; a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence by the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and a Neonatal Resource Services Center of Excellence. It is one of the largest and most prestigious research facilities in high risk and normal obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics in the nation, and is a member of the National Cancer Institute's Gynecologic Oncology Group and the Pelvic Floor Disorders Network.
Director of Marketing
800 Butler Drive
Providence, RI 02906
E: email@example.com


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Here are a few shots of Heath's 31st birthday was a few weeks ago. I'll be honest with you. I didn't take a lot of pictures because I was enjoying my beer, my food and my friends. Plus the lighting kind of sucked. Funny how I feel guilty for not having complete photographic coverage!
We celebrated at our favorite local restaurant, The Pub. Heath and I are both members of the Passport Club which basically means that we drank every single beer that they have to offers (over 50) and we are now entitled to discount beers. Actually, since I don't really like any beer, Heath ended up drinking most of my beer as well. I'm happy with my discount Cider.
We just relaxed in the company of our good friends and enjoyed good food and drink. This is exactly what Heath had wanted so the night was a success!


text: Art theft is an ancient and complex criminal activity. When you look at the a few of the most well-known cases of art thefts in history, you see thoroughly planned operations that include art dealerships, art fakers, mobsters, ransoms, and countless dollars. Here you can read about some of https://myspace.com/kurtcriter


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FAIR LAWN, N.J. — Three-story townhouses will soon hit the real estate market in Fair Lawn.
Crossings at Radburn by Pulte Homes are 132, three-story homes starting at 1,935 square feet.
They all feature three to four bedrooms, two to four bathrooms, two-car garages and more.
The company has Bergen County properties in Woodcliff Lake, Wood-Ridge and Cresskill.
Pricing has not yet been announced.
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


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Possible Duplicate:
Can I install Windows OS (Windows 7) on a removable USB hard drive?
Is there a way to make Windows 7 install .iso onto USB drive from OSX?
I just bought a new Macbook Pro. I'm going to install a SSD (180gb) + OWC Data Doubler (750gb 5,400 rpm drive that came w/ mbp) + 16gb of ram into it.
I want the SSD to be my main drive for OSX. I want the HDD to store any large files that I don't want on the SSD for OSX.
I want to install Windows 7 (most likely) on the HDD.
Since I'm removing the optical disc, I figure my only strategy for installing Windows 7 is via USB key. This is possible, yes? If so, how?
How would you implement this strategy?


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The Church produces a weekly newsheet which can be viewed and downloaded by clicking here.
To view or print the document you will need to have a copy of Acrobat PDF Reader installed on your computer. You can download and install this reader by clicking on this link.
There is also a church magazine available which is printed and distributed via the church.
If you wish to be emailed an electronic copy of this magazine on a regular basis, please contact the Church office by email using this link.


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Canadian authorities have sentenced Edmonton's resident wingnut, Reni Sentana-Ries, to sixteen months in prison for operating a "hate Web site."
Note that I don't put that phrase in sneer quotes because I don't think that such sites exist. I know that they do. Rather, I question (again) the judgment of putting people in jail for their political beliefs, no matter how repugnant.
Consider: I've been in the Holocaust denial refutation business for going on seven years now, and I've never heard of this guy. I mean never. There are other Canadian deniers who have crossed my radar, notably Manitoba's Lubomir Prytulak (a Ukrainian-Canadian who believes no war crimes were committed in Ukraine during WWII) and, of course, Ernst Zündel (who is standing trial in Germany as we speak for denying the Holocaust -- another idiotic move).
But Sentana-Ries? Never heard of him. If that's the case, then (not to toot my own horn) how dangerous can he be?
Canada has made this mistake in the past and, unfortunately, will likely continue to make this mistake, bringing publicity to people that otherwise would be men wearing tin foil hats and operating Web sites that no one reads. (Note that I only fit one of those two criteria.)
Thursday, September 14, 2006
A Name I've Never Heard Before
Author: Andrew E. Mathis
2 comments:
- Mae Travels said...
"...bringing publicity to people that otherwise would be men wearing tin foil hats and operating Web sites that no one reads. (Note that I only fit one of those two criteria.)"
You wear a tinfoil hat? Or I, a reader, am no one?
I found your site when I searched for my father's village (where the family "disappeared" in the early 40s). Your post gave more details about the village than I had seen before, which you provided as evidence for what is denied.
Sometimes I am disappointed when you call your opponents names. But I keep reading. Thank you.
- Thursday, September 14, 2006 3:24:00 pm
- Kiwiwriter said...
My tin foil hat fits fine, thank you.
- Thursday, September 14, 2006 6:04:00 pm
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text: The simple daily farm task of feeding an animal begins a series of events that lead to a warm sweater. On a family farm an inquisitive child follows her mother as she takes all the steps from caring for the sheep, to shearing, drying, carding, spinning and dyeing the wool. Then she knits the sweater that will provide warmth for her daughter. But the real warmth and love is in the process. For each activity the child asks, "What are you doing?" Mother replies briefly, and Schubert adds a snappy four- or five-word descriptive rhyme. U'Ren's action-filled, brightly colored double-page spreads convey physical exertion and concentration as well as joy and satisfaction. There is a strong sense of depth and detail, and, in a subtle touch, the little girl's play mirrors her mother's work. The collaboration of text and illustration is seamless and presents a complex operation in a manner completely accessible and understandable to young readers. Lovely. (Picture book. 4-8)


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Sunday, June 26, 2011
"Step into the sun, Step into the light"-- Gay Marriage Legalized in New York
"You're out of the woods, You're out of the dark, You're out of the night.
Step into the sun, Step into the light.
Keep straight ahead for the most glorious place
On the Face of the Earth or the sky.
Hold onto your breath, Hold onto your heart, Hold onto your hope.
March up to the gate and bid it open."
"New York Allows Same-Sex Marriage, Becoming Largest State to Pass Law
By Nicholas Confessore and Michael Barbaro
Published: June 24, 2011. The New York Times
ALBANY — Lawmakers voted late Friday to legalize same-sex marriage, making New York the largest state where gay and lesbian couples will be able to wed and giving the national gay-rights movement new momentum from the state where it was born.
The marriage bill, whose fate was uncertain until moments before the vote, was approved 33 to 29 in a packed but hushed Senate chamber. Four members of the Republican majority joined all but one Democrat in the Senate in supporting the measure after an intense and emotional campaign aimed at the handful of lawmakers wrestling with a decision that divided their friends, their constituents and sometimes their own homes.
With his position still undeclared, Senator Mark J. Grisanti, a Republican from Buffalo who had sought office promising to oppose same-sex marriage, told his colleagues he had agonized for months before concluding he had been wrong.
"I apologize for those who feel offended," Mr. Grisanti said, adding, "I cannot deny a person, a human being, a taxpayer, a worker, the people of my district and across this state, the State of New York, and those people who make this the great state that it is the same rights that I have with my wife."
Senate approval was the final hurdle for the same-sex marriage legislation, which was approved last week by the Assembly. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed the measure at 11:55 p.m., and the law will go into effect in 30 days, meaning that same-sex couples could begin marrying in New York by late July.
Passage of same-sex marriage here followed a daunting run of defeats in other states where voters barred same-sex marriage by legislative action, constitutional amendment or referendum. Just five states currently permit same-sex marriage: Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia.
At around 10:30 p.m., moments after the vote was announced, Mr. Cuomo strode onto the Senate floor to wave at cheering supporters who had crowded into the galleries to watch. Trailed by two of his daughters, the governor greeted lawmakers, and paused to single out those Republicans who had defied the majority of their party to support the marriage bill.
"How do you feel?" he asked Senator James S. Alesi, a suburban Rochester Republican who voted against the measure in 2009 and was the first to break party ranks this year. "Feels good, doesn't it?"
The approval of same-sex marriage represented a reversal of fortune for gay-rights advocates, who just two years ago suffered a humiliating defeat when a same-sex marriage bill was easily rejected by the Senate, which was then controlled by Democrats. This year, with the Senate controlled by Republicans, the odds against passage of same-sex marriage appeared long."
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Color Coordinated
[David Gates, Color Run Riot, set to "Invisible Colors" by Russ Malone, posted May, 2011]
"There is a surprising disconnect between what children seem to know about colors and numbers and what they actually know when tested," writes Melody Dye of Stanford University in the latest issue of Scientific American Mind ("Why Johnny Can't Name His Colors," SAM, May/June 2011, pg. 48). "Nailing down just what 'red' or 'three' means is a difficult hurdle in mastering language, and even older children sometimes slip up and reveal a less than expert grasp of the concept."
Dye's research demonstrates that, even after hours of drilling, most two- and three-year-olds and children as old as six cannot identify colors accurately without contextual prompts. It appears that context is critical, which "may explain why children, across every language studied, invariably learn their nouns before their colors."
In English, color words may be especially tricksy because we tend to say "red balloon" rather than "the balloon that is red" (i.e., we typically use the adjective prenominally instead of postnominally). Order provides context: the brain must process the prenominal without the "hook" provided by the noun, so has a much wider spectrum of possible meanings to search. Using a postnominal construction helps "narrow 'red' to being an attribute of the balloon and not some general property of the world at large."
Also, children tend to understand a color word used postnominally as a descriptor like "wet" or "sharp," whereas they see a color word used prenominally as being part of the object's name ("Indigo Bunting" versus "the bunting that is indigo").
Dye's findings slot in with the provocative research on the linguistic classification of color perception sparked by Brent Berlin & Paul Kay's Basic Color Terms: Their Universality and Evolution (1969), and most recently updated with the 2009 publication of The World Color Survey (Kay et al.) Click here and here for more.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Revisiting Bordertown; Returning to the Shire
The Way from the fields we know to the Border has re-opened: Holly Black and Ellen Kushner have edited a new volume of tales, poems and art from the Borderlands, Welcome to Bordertown (released last month by Random House).
Lobster & Canary was delighted this past Thursday evening to attend the NYC debut of the new collection, at Books of Wonder (an exceptionally appropriate venue; if you ever have a spare hour or three in the city, find your way to this Chelsea/Flatiron bookstore, which Lobster & Canary has known since its original site near Barrow & Hudson in the West Village). Kushner, Black, and co-authors Delia Sherman, Cory Doctorow, Alaya Dawn Johnson, and Annette Curtis Klause read to a large and appreciate audience, answered questions, and signed copies of the book. There was even a brilliant fiddler on hand-- Joe Kessler, a friend of Ellen's, a jack o' the green-- playing klezmer, bluegrass and other faerie reels, hints of the music along the Border.
We look forward to delving into the tome (a very generous 500-plus pages, all for just $20), whose authors are a Who's Who of speculative fiction, from bright new stars like Johnson, Cassandra Clare and Amal El-Mohtar (who presumably grew up with the original Bordertown stories) to established talents such as Kushner, Sherman, Doctorow, Neil Gaiman, Nalo Hopkinson, Jane Yolen, Patricia McKillip, Charles de Lint, Emma Bull, and Steven Brust. Christopher Barzak is here, Cat Valente, and Tim Pratt...and Terri Windling.
This is a reunion of Diana's tribe, Titania's court, our best modern-day druids...with wine in humble containers at Tompkins Square Park, over coffee at a diner on Queens Boulevard, in a tagged doorway on the Bowery. Somewhere Lord Dunsany and Hope Mirrlees are smiling.
*** *** ***
Meanwhile, in other news:
Unless you've been waylaid by goblins ("of the worst possible description") or trapped in conversation with Smaug ("it does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him"), you know that two weeks ago Warner Bros., New Line and MGM announced the release dates for the two Peter Jackson-directed films of The Hobbit: December, 2012 and December, 2013. Most of the cast from LOTR will be back, and shooting has begun on the WETA-designed sets in New Zealand.
Here is Jackson's first vlog of production on The Hobbit:
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Remembering Gil Scott-Heron
Gil Scott-Heron died May 27th, just 62 years old.
I grew up on his music, his poetry, his philosophy: "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," "The Bottle," "Winter in America," "We Almost Lost Detroit," "Pieces of a Man," "Whitey on the Moon," "Home is Where the Hatred Is," "Johannesburg."
I saw him only once, decades ago-- with Brian Jackson, at Brandeis University-- but the memory after all these years is like a ruby, red hot and burning in the night.
Scott-Heron never got his full due, but his influence is deeper than many realize and will--here's a prediction from Lobster & Canary-- continue to grow.
He called himself a "bluesologist." He was a cousin to the Beats, an uncle to the first rappers, a great-uncle to later hip-hop artists. Listen for his influence in work by Mos Def, Kwalib Tweli, Public Enemy, Erykah Badu, Arrested Development, Meshell Ndegeocello, The Roots, Common, Ludacris, Kanye West...too many to list.
Scott-Heron wrestled mightily, like Jacob at Peniel, with addiction and its collateral damage for many years, yet continued to produce art and was in the midst of a comeback with last year's
album I'm New Here.
He had regained his power. This is "Me and the Devil" from I'm New Here:
As Lobster & Canary mourns his passing, we think of his tribute to Billie Holiday and John Coltrane, and imagine him making music with them in some other place:
"Ever feel kinda down and out,
Don't know just what to do?
Ever feel that somehow, somewhere,
You lost your way?
And if you don't get a help quick,
You won't make it through the day?
Or could you call on Lady Day?
Or could you call on John Coltrane?
Now, they'll wash your troubles, your troubles,
Your troubles, your troubles
Click here and here for more on Scott-Heron.
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Kevin O'DonnellProducer, Kevin O'Donnell feels awkward about writing a bio. He has
worked on such hit television shows as Ellen, Party of Five, The Drew
Carey Show, and Everybody Loves Raymond but knows that producing a film
that has been accepted at Sundance is a really big deal and hopefully
good for his career.
Alexis ProvostEditor, Alexis Provost received her Bachelor's Degree from UC Berkeley
in Media Literacy after which she spent a year in San Francisco working
with CellSpace, an artists' collective, encouraging community
involvement and participation. Her interest in filmmaking led her back
to Los Angeles where she tried her hand at publicity, helping to
promote the award-winning documentary "Sunset Story." She also had a
staff position at an editorial facility and is thrilled to co-edit "An
Unreasonable Man" and be in on the process of storytelling in the
documentary form. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her boyfriend
and two great cats.
Beth GallagherEditor, Beth Gallagher has edited a variety of documentary and
non-fiction programs for over twenty years. She came to The
Unreasonable Man with the editing well underway; its structure and
story were already taking shape. Rather than being the other editor on
the film, Gallagher, with her ability to "communicate" with two
high-spirited and strong willed directors at the same time, became the
film whisperer! She received an Emmy for Best Documentary Editor in
2003 for her work on BIG SUR: CALIFORNIA'S WILD COAST. Her first Emmy
Award Nomination was in 1996 for SINATRA: 80 YEARS MY WAY.
Joe KraemerComposer, Joe Kraemer is a film composer and singer-songwriter who
resides in Los Angeles. Scores include THE WAY OF THE GUN, THE POSEIDON
AIM, HARD GROUND, THE TRAIL TO HOPE ROSE, the MYSTERY WOMAN series for
Hallmark Channel, and RALPH NADER: AN UNREASONABLE MAN. Kraemer has
also produced and stars in MONDAY, a feature film screening at the
Slamdance Film Festival in 2006. He is married to writer/director Heidi
Van Lier.
Ryan Nellis, Eyelumination Studio, www.eyelumination.com
Motion Graphics, Ryan Nellis is the founder of Eyelumination, a design,
effects and animation production studio. Creating the wide range of
support visuals for "An Unreasonable Man" was a tremendous honor for
Ryan and his digital artists.


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…actually, it isn't. When it comes to most things pink, at best I am indifferent towards the color and at worst I somewhat despise it – except when it comes to roses. Pink roses hold a certain mystique; the customary but seductive deep crimson petals versus the softened, delicately lighter shades have always reminded me of the beauty of innocence, and of yearning to be something more. I remember once as a teenager admiring an array of roses in a neighbor's garden. Robust reds intermingled with pastel pinks, and I found myself wondering if the pink roses felt understated and overlooked, paled beneath the vibrant red radiance. Did they realize how beautiful they were? Did they recognize their own inherent brilliance? Did they know that I was there, drinking in and appreciating their light? Did they know how they moved me so?
Music also moves me. Sometimes I'm moved by the notes and the ways the harmonies and melodies wrap over and through themselves. Sometimes it's the lyrics, either in part or in whole. Certain songs trigger certain memories, and with the memories come the emotions. Some songs are linked to solitary occasions and others, to a span of time or a phase. Often, I'll first connect to a song because it's just that – a good song that I musically appreciate. Then much later after life has again molded me into a different shape, I'll form a deeper connection to the same song, its lyrics now speaking to my personal inner being.
Aerosmith's "Pink" is such a song. I've always liked Aerosmith, with Steven Tyler's emotional and simultaneously gravelly yet smooth voice, intricate guitar licks, and lyrics infused with not-so-subtle sexual references. I loved "Pink" immediately for all of the aforementioned reasons. It's a sensual song, and I loved the clever juxtaposition of mature sexual innuendo such as "Pink as the sheets that we lay on" and "Pink as the bing on your cherry" with child play like "Pink is my favorite crayon" and "Pink gets me high as a kite." The pairing was too taboo not to like, if you didn't get too lost in the silky, laid back melody to even notice the genius of the lyrics.
"Pink" was released in early 1998, which was around the same time that Frank and I started trying to conceive. Then, it was just a sexy song that made me want to slink around seductively and start stripping. Not really, but I did always crank the volume a few notches higher and start screech-crooning a la Tyler.
A couple of years later, the song had fallen into the realm of Songs Only Heard Once in a Blue Moon and I was still searching for pink on a pregnancy test. I was oppressed by the weight of waiting and the increasing anxiety over my teenage sister's impending delivery. One evening as I was driving home from work while lost deep in morose thought, on the radio I heard the opening riffs of "Pink." It had been a long while since I'd heard the song and it only took a few notes to break through my fog. I smiled, turned up the volume, and began to sing along to the familiar lyrics. Then the pink rose came to mind, the one that had been given to me for Mother's Day a couple of weeks earlier: "I know you're not a mother yet,but…" said my father as he passed me the flower. Then I stopped singing mid-verse, slack-jawed and struck silent by these lyrics: And I think everything is going to be alright. And that's when "Pink" became more than just a feel-good song.
In this blogosphere we read and feel each other's joys and pains. When people can't hope for themselves, we try to have hope for them, even if we feel that all hope is lost on our own situations. No matter how we express it, what I think we feel but do not often say about hope is this: we hope will have the strength to live through whatever is handed to us, and that come what may, we will be alright.
How many pink roses do you know? How many times have you wanted to let them know that they are appreciated and that you find them and their words beautiful? How many times have you wanted to lift someone up and said a silent prayer that she or he would be able to heal? How many times have you felt a fellow blogger's isolation and wanted reach out to let them know they weren't alone? Here's your chance. Give the Pink Rose Award to those who inspire you or need to be inspired, to those who have encouraged you or those who need encouragement.
Here's what to do:
1. On your blog, copy and paste the award, these rules, a link back to the person who selected you, and a link to this post: http://thesmartness.com/smartone/2008/05/pink-is-my-favo.html. You will find the story behind the Pink Rose Award and other graphics to choose from there.
2. Select as many award recipients as you would like, link to their blogs (if they have one), and explain why you have chosen them.
3. Let them know that you have selected them for an award by commenting on one of their posts.
4. If you are selected, pass it on by giving the Pink Rose Award to others.
5. If you find that someone you want to nominate has already been selected by someone else, you can still honor them by posting a comment on their award post stating your reasons for wishing to grant them the award.
6. You do not have to wait until someone nominates you to nominate someone else.
To me, in and of itself pink is a color I can easily overlook. But a pink rose, especially masses of them, stun me with their beauty. 'Cause pink is the love you discover…
An extra special thanks to fellow surrogate Corilynn for designing the graphics!