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Stuck behind a restrictive firewall at work, but really jonesing to putty home to your linux box for some colossal cave? Goodness knows I was...but the firewall at work blocked all outbound connections except for ports 80 and 443. (Those were wide open for outbound connections.) So now I putty over port 443 and have my linux box redirect it to port 22 (the SSH port) before it routes it internally. So, my specific command would be:
iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 443 -j REDIRECT --to-ports 22
Note that I use -A to append this command to the end of the chain. You could replace that with -I to insert it at the beginning (or at a specific rulenum).
My linux box is running slackware, with a kernel from circa 2001. Hopefully the mechanics of iptables haven't changed since then. The command is untested under any other distros or less outdated kernels.
Of course, the command should be easy enough to adapt to whatever service on your linux box you're trying to reach by changing the numbers (and possibly changing tcp to udp, or whatever). Between putty and psftp, however, I'm good to go for hours of time-killing.
additionally use "find /etc/cron*" for cronscripts Show Sample Output
Sometimes you're trying to read through an xml file to determine whats wrong with it and a tool had removed all the linebreaks. xmllint will go ahead and make it pretty for you.
imports a public key from the web. I know this by head.. but useful nevertheless Show Sample Output
Appended to grub boot parameters ... gives shell ... password recovery
I had some trouble removing empty lines from a file (perhaps due to utf-8, as it's the source of all evil), \W did the trick eventually.
Starts midnightcommander and allows you to detach the console; use ctrl-\ to detach
Then at a later time you can reconnect using
dtach -a /tmp/wires-mc
In my experience dtach works much better for programs like irssi, mutt, mc, aptitude than screen does.
search the newest *.jpg in the directory an make a copy to newest.jpg. Just change the extension to search other files. This is usefull eg. if your webcam saves all pictures in a folder and you like the put the last one on your homepage. This works even in a directory with 10000 pictures.
Using the grep command, retrieve all lines from any log files in /var/log/ that have one of the problem states
This will create a 10 MB file named testfile.txt. Change the count parameter to change the size of the file. As one commenter pointed out, yes /dev/random can be used, but the content doesn't matter if you just need a file of a specific size for testing purposes, which is why I used /dev/zero. The file size is what matters, not the content. It's 10 MB either way. "Random" just referred to "any file - content not specific" Show Sample Output
Makes any files in the current directory (and any sub-directories) group-readable. Using the "! -perm /g=r" limits the number of files to only those that do not already have this property Using "+" on the end of the -exec body tells find to build the entire command by appending all matching files before execution, so invokes chmod once only, not once per file.
Makes it easy to add keys to new ppa sources entries in apt sources.list
Now to add the key for the chromium-daily ppa:
launchpadkey 4E5E17B5
Show Sample Output
Useful if you have to put together multiple files into one and they are scattered across subdirectories. For example: You need to combine all .sql files into one .sql file that would be sent to DBAs as a batch script. You do get a warning if you create a file by the same extension as the ones your searching for. find . -type f -name *.sql -exec cat {} > BatchFile.txt \;
There are two ways to use "here documents" with bash to fill stdin:
The following example shows use with the "bc" command.
a) Using a delimiter at the end of data:
less-than less-than eeooff bc
> k=1024
> m=k*k
> g=k*m
> g
> eeooff
b) using the "inline" verion with three less-than symbols:
less-than less-than less-than "k=1024; m=k*k; g=k*m; g" bc
One nice advantage of using the triple less-than version is that the command can easily be recalled
from command line history and re-executed.
PS: in this "description", I had to use the name "less-than" to represent the less-than symbol because the commandlinefu input text box seems to eat up the real less-than symbols. Odd.
Show Sample Output
You need sysstat and gawk for this to work. Show Sample Output
This set of commands was very convenient for me when I was preparing some xml files for typesetting a book. I wanted to check what styles I had to prepare but coudn't remember all tags that I used. This one saved me from error-prone browsing of all my files. It should be also useful if one tries to process xml files with xsl, when using own xml application.
In the above example all files have 4 lines. In "file1" consecutive lines are: "num, 1, 2, 3", in "file2": "name, Jack, Jim, Frank" and in "file3": "scores, 1300, 1100, 980". This one liner can save considerate ammount of time when you're trying to process serious portions of data. "-d" option allows one to set series of characters to be used as separators between data originating from given files. Show Sample Output
find all email addresses in a file, printing each match. Addresses do not have to be alone on a line etc. For example you can grab them from HTML-formatted emails or CSV files, etc. Use a combination of
to filter them.
Show Sample Output
Search for the string "search" and replace it with the string "replace", on all files with the extension php in the curret folder. Do also a backup of each file with the extension "bkp".
Good for summing the numbers embedded in text - a food journal entry for example with calories listed per food where you want the total calories. Use this to monitor and keep a total on anything that ouputs numbers. Show Sample Output
commandlinefu.com is the place to record those command-line gems that you return to again and again. That way others can gain from your CLI wisdom and you from theirs too. All commands can be commented on, discussed and voted up or down.
for all flv files in a dir, grab the first frame and make a jpg.
topher1kenobe 12
Combine two mp3's or more into 1 long mp3
scottix 1
Remove old unused kernels from Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 & Fedora 12/13
SuperFly 2
formatting number with comma
twfcc 3
BASH one-liner to get the current week number
SuperFly 5
list files recursively by size
ysangkok 1
find files ignoring .svn and its decendents
alustenberg 1
Every new command is wrapped in a tweet and posted to Twitter. Following the stream is a great way of staying abreast of the latest commands. For the more discerning, there are Twitter accounts for commands that get a minimum of 3 and 10 votes - that way only the great commands get tweeted.
» http://twitter.com/commandlinefu
» http://twitter.com/commandlinefu3
» http://twitter.com/commandlinefu10
Use your favourite RSS aggregator to stay in touch with the latest commands. There are feeds mirroring the 3 Twitter streams as well as for virtually every other subset (users, tags, functions,…):
Subscribe to the feed for:


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An exclusive RP made by LightFykki and Hulaberry32. This is the RP for us only, but you can still read the posts and enjoy the story.
Angels working for Cloud 9--the Dream Cloud--have one job, and one alone. To remove bits and pieces of mortals' prophetic dreams in order to prevent world destruction. When demons of the Kage and Crux clans join forces in order to destroy the angels, a fatal virus is developed, one that lets mortals dream undisturbed--eternally. It's up to the Astrum Angels, an elite team of angels working for Cloud 9 to stop the demons and save the world.
Hulaberry32's characters:
LightFykki's characters:

subset: commoncrawl


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Friday, February 10, 2012
Friday Fricassee
Okay, not really. But it is an important connection point, because I usually hear from more of you during my Friday posts--and I love that!
So let's talk about character names. This is probably on the top of my mind because my husband, the Dear Mr. A, actually named one of the main characters in my WIP. I was stuck, and the first suggestion Mr. A made was...well, perfect. Either he knows me well, he's magical, or it was dumb luck.
Character names are intensely personal for me, so getting a name from my husband was outside the box. What about you? Do you choose character names wrought with meaning and symbolism inherent to the story (think JK Rowling)? Do you choose character names that convey strength (Stone...Buck...Gibraltar...?) or beauty (Belle...Vista...Lovelytoes...?)? Do you bestow your characters with the names of your best friends, spouses, poodles, eccentric neighbors? Or do you make up names in the hope of being uber-creative (L'frentia DeLu'u'y)?
Share your naming process! And, just for fun, share the names of characters in novels you've read that you've absolutely hated (the names, not the novels). As in, I-can't-take-this-character-seriously-because-his-name-is-so-stupid. (Or maybe because it's the name of your ex-boyfriend or the gal who beat you up in the locker room...but that's a different story.)
Happy weekend!
36 comments:
I think most people could probably agree that Reneseme was one of the stupidest character names ever. If you type it into Microsoft Word, the spell check suggests "rename". Seriously. Try it.ReplyDelete
As for me, mine usually reflect personality (Lucette for a light, bubbly French girl), though sometimes I just pick something random in a pinch. This time around, I was working with an adaptation, so I didn't have as much flexibility. Still, I made them my own. I am doing Midsummer Night's Dream, and made Helena to Lena, Demetrius to Demetri, Lysander to Xander, etc.
Sometimes I think long and hard about character names, look up their meanings in baby name books, try to understand their origins, and even google them to make sure they aren't commonly being used by other writers.ReplyDelete
Other times, I'll just be writing along, and the character just gets the first name that pops into my head. This has happened on several notable occasions. The first was a character that I thought would be a one-off, and I'd always liked the name Hannah, since I knew a super-cool girl by that name when I was an impressionable 10-year-old. Now the Hannah in my book looks to be cozying up to the main characters a bit more, and I think we're going to see more of her in the future.
Sometimes the name just works, and other times, I really do need to research a bit more before I arbitrarily assign a name. Several times I've actually changed a character's name after I assigned it, because it didn't really work anymore.
I don't name characters after friends, but sometimes you can't help it, or it doesn't even occur to you that you know someone by that name in real life. And I NEVER "invent" names. Ick.
My names just come to me as I get to know the characters. Sometimes I will write half the story referring to a character as "dude" or "girl" or even " heroine" because I refuse to give them a name until I find one that fits. There have been cases where the name has come to me first then I have had to work out who they are and what their story is.ReplyDelete
The same theory applied to naming my kids too - one was nameless for two days while one was named months before birth :-)
I get my names by just searching baby name books until one seems to "fit" the characters. Every once and a while I'll just think up a random name out of no where and that ends up being the perfect name for the characters.ReplyDelete
I read this one book recently where the girl's name was Anna (which is a lovely name) but then she renamed herself Mistletoe -.- I could not take her seriously after that, especially since it was suppose to be a YA and after that she seemed too young to me.
Ooooh, names! *claps hands*ReplyDelete
In MSs #1 and #2, I just named the characters things that I liked. The girls had to sound sweetly BA and the boys had to sound approachably sexy.
MS #3 is a whole new ballgame. Each name has to have long linguistic roots and be deeply symbolic. Luckily I'm a bit of a language geek, so it's fun deconstructing and reconstructing.
I heard that there was a book with a character named Tobias in it, but I know his name is really, always, and ever FOUR. :)
I'm all over the map with how I name characters. Deep meanings, random name generators, adding random apostrophes. But mostly I try to find a name that looks and sounds pretty (and then doesn't bring up anything odd or inappropriate in a Google search ;-).ReplyDelete
So there's one name that, while I don't hate it, I can no longer take it seriously. I mean, his name's Peeta and he makes bread.
Sometimes, I come up with a name immediately. Other times, I go through baby name websites for the right one. And still others, I go to my writer friends and say 'QUICK! I need a (gender) name that suits a (adjective) character!'.ReplyDelete
Somewhat annoyingly, that last one is how I got the last MC. I kept struggling, then realized I wanted to write her the same way I did the MC in the last story, and guessed it was because both names were two-syllable and had identical last syllables. I asked for a female name that could have the same nickname. It worked.
Now I can never live it down.
- DayspringFebruary 10, 2012 at 9:47 AM
I just pick things I like the sound of that I think fit the character - but it's always a good idea to google character names. I contribute to another writers' forum and am always asking people 'Have you never googled this name? Really?' Several times I've seen names that are already famous characters or celebrities or just names for objects that the author wasn't aware of. One guy was writing a serious gangsta novel whose MC shared the name of a famous British comedian. Come on, people. Check these things.ReplyDelete
Saying that, I just got through the mail a flyer for a concert in which the conductor shares the same name as one of my characters, who is a composer. The conductor isn't famous, but it was a fun coincidence.
It depends on the project.ReplyDelete
Sometimes, I'll find a meaningful name that either describes the character or suggests why readers should be watching that character. Sometimes, I'll just pick a name from thin air. I'll even use name generators, and then tweak the name.
For one project, I needed Japanese names, so I explained what I was trying to do to a Japanese friend of mine and asked for her help. Once she was done glaring at me for giving her a hard task, she came through. :)
My characters tend to pop into my head pretty fully formed and almost always have a name as soon as they arrive. Which makes it really frustrating when I need to change one, because these characters don't like having their names changed...ReplyDelete
I usually use family names (those that are no longer living, that is) or bits and pieces of family names (either the first or the last). Makes them more real to me. And I have their names before I write one word.ReplyDelete
As for names I hated in books I read - I'm sure there are some, but for the life of me I can't think of any. Usually, it's names I can't pronounce that I hate the most.
The name game...LOVE! I agree with many of the posters in sometimes it just comes. I have noticed that with my MC the names either come to me in a ray of awesomeness or are family names. When inspiration strikes, I often look up the name to make sure it jives with the character's background and such. I have also used names that I just LOVED and would have named my own children, if I had more or had a girl... Heh.ReplyDelete
- jdsperoFebruary 10, 2012 at 1:36 PM
Am I the only one that will admit to choosing names that are easy to type? :)ReplyDelete
I'm only half serious. Well, okay. I'm serious. At least for my first few projects. I'm branching out more now. Ha!
I know this probably seems backwards, but I "tend" to have a name reveal itself to me and the character developes around the name. Sometimes I start with a character and try to find the right name, but more often than not I agonize way too much over the name that way and spend an insane amount of time researching books, the internet, etc.ReplyDelete
I do keep a book of names that I come across that I plan to use at some point (and yes, they all have certain character traits that seem imbedded in the name, to me).
Does anyone else have certain names that "feel" like is infused with certain attribues? My current WIP has a bad guy whose name just scream "Evil Character" to me as soon as I heard it.
I name my characters according to their personalities to they way they look. I want the names to be perfect for the character, so if I can't find the names in the place I thought I would, I try another place, all in hopes to find the perfect name.ReplyDelete
If I need a new name, I generally have to change my character to fit the name, even in the slight bit.
Occasionally I create my own names, simply because there isn't a name that fits the description.
@T.Z. I've had names that do the same thing to me. I think they are also some of the best names if they are "infused with certain attributes."
Some names just come to me or feel like the right fit with a character. Other names I research (like if a character has a certain cultural background I search for names in that culture). Or I look up name meanings and try to match the character with his or her name meaning.ReplyDelete
How funny, I just wrote a blog post about making up words and names.ReplyDelete
Usually they just come to me. I like playing with sounds and the meanings conveyed by sounds. The two rival pop stars in my sci fi WIP are called idoLL and Jettison Prix.
If I'm stuck I'll use babynames.com
I'll cruise the meanings of the names and sometimes combine or alter names I find there.
Naming people, places, and things is one of my favourite parts about writing.
I hate naming characters. I always feel like I can't write until I choose names for my major characters, but it takes me forever to find ones I like. Mostly, I just flip through baby books, praying that there will magically be better names this time. I usually don't make up names (just because I stink at it), but I sometimes use uncommon names if I'm writing a fantasy.ReplyDelete
One thing I've noticed is that a whole lot of my characters have names that begin with L or Al. Seriously, I've had Alistair, Lucinda, Alana, Luca, Lea, Liza, Lynn, Cal, Alair, Alec... It took me forever to realize I was doing it, but now its kind of a private joke - I always include at least on L or Al character in my WIP.
Wow, Authoress, this was timely!ReplyDelete
My MG novel coming out in June is titled Michaela's Gift. The name Michaela just seemed like the right name for this girl - I thought it sounded Scottish enough for the character, and she was born with that name, so I didn't think anything about it.
Then I went and looked up the meaning, and it's "Who is like God." That threw me, because in the story, she has a gift that enables her to create life. That sort of sent chills down my back when I read it, so thanks for the post.
Otherwise, I'm all over the place with names. Sometimes a very unlikeable character is named after a bully from my younger days. Others take lots more consideration.
Have a great weekend!
Ha! Agree with Leigh Ann above. Tobias's name is Four. Nothing else. Certainly not Tobias. I think I have problems when names change midway through (also happened in Anna and the French Kiss - everyone called the main dude St. Clair, and then she starts calling him Etienne. Didn't work for me).ReplyDelete
I have one WIP on the back burner, and the main character doesn't have a name yet. Once she decides to tell me, maybe we can work together.
- AnonymousFebruary 10, 2012 at 5:34 PM
I'm with you guys...it's Four all the way, baby.ReplyDelete
One name I absolute hate? Katniss. Because every time I read it I kept thinking Kat Piss.
My entire naming convention would take way too much space, but I can tell you that in my most recent novel, one of the main characters ended up with my real-life nephew's name (halfway on purpose, but mainly because the name fit the rest of the process). Because I did that, though, I actually chose to name another character after my niece - they're too young for the book right now, but I don't want to be responsible for the sibling rivalry down the road!ReplyDelete
My main characters come to me named. I have a lot of fun with the others. For my fantasy ms, it was mainly symbolism. Sylvie (from the latin sylvan) for the wood faerie. Edan (gaelic for little fire) for the leader of the Star Clan, etc.ReplyDelete
For my latest ms which is set in south Texas, I used a lot of the surnames of people I knew growing up there- Ondarza, Ruiz, Jimenez.
In my #1 wip, I needed two Native American names and I spent hours doing research trying to find the right name that gave the meaning I wanted.ReplyDelete
In my #2 wip, I quickly decided on Harold. I love that name - it fits my character (a 12-year-old, high-functioning Austic boy) perfectly -at least in my head.
In my recent work I gave my MC a last name that alludes to a classic work of literature, and a common first name that just popped into my mind. I gave his love interest a name that I thought sounded ethereal, but I was having trouble with her character, so in draft 2 I renamed her the first name that popped into my head. I instantly liked her character much better. The name chosen by intuition works beautifully. I also renamed one of her friends the first thing that popped into my head and the character started working better for me (although she is a minor character).ReplyDelete
This is going to sound a bit silly, but I write romance. So when I pick a name, I am sure to pick one that can be:ReplyDelete
a) called out in passion during an intimate moment
b) used as an expletive or in anger to get the attention of the person who's name it is
I don't read a lot of popular fiction and don't watch television and rarely see a movie, and somehow oddly pick names that are suddenly famously famous. Which is sort of annoying, actually, as I know nothing about those famous people/characters that have those names.
The other important part about a name is that I can pronounce it in my head when I'm reading. I've put down more than one book because they names were ridiculous and unpronounceable.
Thank you for Friday Fricassee.. I haven't thought too much about this before. I've named the characters in first WIP, from people in the long gone past - but still in my heart ;)ReplyDelete
My recent WIP is starting off with strength of name matching character behavior.
But I never really plan too much--but I do Google it.
Thanks again.
I get character names so many different ways. Most of the time they just "come to me" and sometimes I look in my favorite baby name book. On my current WIP I started obsessively giving everyone names with double consonants - Evva, Larra, Garrett, Devvon - and then realized it was a HUGE part of the world building!ReplyDelete
I can't think of a specific book with a character name that bothered me, but I AM sick and tired of male leads named Jack - please. Enough already! :)
My naming process depends on the story. Mostly, I stare out a window or something until a name comes to me. After letting the mind wander a bit, it usually works. Though I've recently found I've this fondness for names starting with L and K.ReplyDelete
But there's been times I've wanted a certain feel. One story uses the genus names for plants (not the whole thing, just a bit). Another needed names that would've been used in ancient Egypt. So scanning the web and reading books has given me some good-sounding names.
In my current WiP I've guy that's sort of straddling the evil/good line. I trolled the net for hours looking to name him. You know what? I called him Lucias. ^_^
I have it pretty easy except for the case of my beau's ex-wife in my book, From Zero to Four Kids in Thirty Seconds. It's a humorous book about becoming a stepmom and I have a chapter devoted to Ex encounters and avoiding Ex-spouses called "So Nice Not to Meet You." Using Ex rather than using the person's real name just seemed like the thing to do, not only because most stepmoms have to deal with an Ex, but because this Ex happens to be a lawyer.ReplyDelete
Usually, it's the first name that pops into my head. Nice and easy :)ReplyDelete
I can almost never "believe" names I've chosen unless I've borrowed their given or surname from someone I know or have met This actually helps because I get to do horrible things to people I don't like very much and sing the praises of people I admire and care for. It often lends to characterization, too, because they invariably end up with some distinctive traits I attribute to that person.ReplyDelete
Occasionally I do have to make something up, and in that case it's definitely dripping with linguistic meaning and metaphor.
Great thread! I agree that both Renesmee and Peeta crack me up. Something else I've noticed is how many names repeat in Jane Austen's novels--Elizabeth, Mary, Henry, Eleanor, and Anne all recur in multiple books, often with vastly different personalities. And the author used her own name for one of the main characters in Pride & Prejudice! I couldn't imagine giving my name to one of my characters or repeating names for major characters in different WIPs.ReplyDelete
Anyway, my methods vary, but I will cop to naming one of the characters in my current project after my cat. *blushes*
For my current WIP, I had a great name and great nickname, then came across that same nickname in THREE different books of the same genre in one month. Obviously overdone. Had to give her a "placeholder" name until I could find something else that fit.ReplyDelete
Lately, as I've read YA there have been a bunch of "cat" names: Katniss, Kat, Cat, Kitty, Katrina, Katy. Enough already!
I've found the Social Security's popular baby name site to be a great help. Especially when you're looking for an name from a different generation. But I also resort to paging through my son's yearbook too. More so for the last names.ReplyDelete
I hated Reneseme. Can't think of others right now. But any name I have to stop and think about how to pronounce turns me off.
- Abbe HogganFebruary 14, 2012 at 4:56 PM
All of the characters in my current WIP started out with made-up sci-fi/fantasy types names and I realized I hated them. I renamed all but one with names from the SSA top 100 most popular baby names from 1890. It really helps to have a list to go to when I need to quickly name a minor character without slowing down the flow of words.ReplyDelete
I also try not to give my characters the names of any of my relatives. Trouble is I have a LOT of relatives. I had to make a list so I wouldn't forget. (After I slipped up and named my MC's father after a nephew. Fortunately, it's a fairly common name.)
As for names I hated, I'd have to agree about Renesme. When Bella first mentioned that she was thinking of naming her daughter that, I really expected everyone else to groan and say keep trying. I was stunned when she went ahead with it and I stumbled over it every time I saw it. It's weird because I think SM did a great job with her name choices overall, evoking both time period and character.


text:
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Boulder's Peter Kater, a multiplatinum-selling pianist/composer, was nominated for a 2013 Grammy award, but didn't win, according to early results.
Kater, who moved to Boulder in 2011, was nominated for Best New Age Album for his work, "Light Body." Kater's website describes the album as, "an uplifting and supportive audio companion for life's many challenges, transitions and metamorphosis."
This was his eighth Grammy nomination.
The 55th Annual Grammy Awards will air on CBS beginning at 7 p.m.


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EA Labels president Frank Gibeau tells GamesIndustry International that NPD's retail sales figures are "an irrelevant measure on the industry" that they "don't even really look at it internally anymore" in light of how much of their business is already digital (much to the NPD's surprise). And while he sees them continuing to deliver games through retail as long as "it makes sense," he sees them moving to 100% digital distribution sooner rather than later:
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In sum, NESTA is a one-stop shop for various training courses that will be significantly helpful for those who would like to venture into personal training and fitness. Through NESTA, you can gain access to online training materials that will help in your certification.


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While some of us savour each sunny moment by the water's side, others eagerly await the first snowfall and delight in every report of fresh powder in the mountains. For those in the latter group, the upcoming ski and snowboarding season will not disappoint.
Hills across the country promise everything from new runs for enthusiasts at all levels to record-breaking facility upgrades.
In one of the biggest developments of the season, Whistler Blackcomb has announced the December opening of its Peak 2 Peak gondola, which will link the resort's two mountains at midpoint.
The groundwork and construction of the lift has been underway since 2007 and it's hoped the project will be a great success with this year's crowd.
"We're very excited about the opening of the Peak 2 Peak gondola," says Tabetha Boot, public relations and communications specialist at Whistler Blackcomb.
"Three world records are going to be broken once it's up and running -- it will have the world's longest continuous lift system, the highest length span and the longest unsupported span for a lift, at 3.024 kilometres."
"With this gondola, we're looking to expand the guest experience, including during the summer season, when the hill remains open for hiking and mountain biking," Ms. Boot continues. "Our goal is to transition to one of the world's best resorts, year-round."
Another record will be broken when the Revelstoke Mountain Resort opens this season.
Coming in at 1,713 metres, a record in North America, the new lift-serviced vertical descent will open up as early as November.
The resort is the only one in the world to offer lift, cat and helicopter skiing from the village base.
Last spring, Banff was chosen as Canada's No. 1 destination in TripAdvisor's 2008 Traveler's Choice Destinations Awards.
The big three resorts in the area -- Mount Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise Mountain Resort -- draw skiers from near and far who hope to experience some of the region's famous so-called 'Champagne powder.' This year, all three hills are projected to open for the winter season in November.
In Ontario, there are several changes stirring for the approaching season. The province's largest resort, Blue Mountain, entertains approximately 1.5 million visitors each year.
Located about two hours from Toronto just outside Collingwood, its skiable terrain spans across 251 acres on the Niagara Escarpment.
Improvements in snow-making technology at Blue Mountain will help to stave off the effects of warm weather, allowing the hill to stay open even during intense thaws.
Off the slopes, in the residential heart of the village, phase two construction of the boutique hotel-inspired Mosaic condominium development continues and is expected to reach completion in March 2009.
In July, Horseshoe Valley Resort near Barrie, Ont., was purchased by Skyline International Development Inc., with plans to create the largest full-service, four-season destination in Canada.
Skyline is preparing a mixed-use development, including a hotel, marina, housing and retail units in Port McNicoll on neighbouring Georgian Bay and intends to bring forward the different features of both communities in order to draw domestic and foreign tourism to the area.
While Mont Tremblant in Quebec is already considered one of the country's premier winter sports destinations, plans have been announced to further develop the alpine village.
For beginner skiers and snowboarders, a modification of the water pipes and increased snow gun management will ensure deeper snow coverage on the novice Nansen run. Grander designs at Tremblant include the construction of a casino that will open its doors next summer.
A new gondola joining the Versant Sud area to the resort's Versant Soleil region will accompany the launch of the gaming facility. A new beginner's trail on Versant Soleil is slated to open during the 2009-2010 season.
Although the 2010 Winter Olympics are well over a year away, the preparations of the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) will benefit ski enthusiasts this season.
Facilities constructed for the 86 different Olympic winter sports events have been largely completed and Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, in particular, has come out ahead of schedule.
"All the Olympic venues at Whistler Blackcomb have been completed," Ms. Boot says. "When the hill opens this season, people will have the chance to ski the men's and women's downhill runs."
The men's alpine skiing events will occur exclusively on the celebrated and newly contoured Dave Murray Downhill while the women's and Paralympic alpine course will commence on the Wild Card run, cross over to Lower Jimmy's Joker and Franz's runs, and eventually link up with the lower section of the Dave Murray Downhill.
Nordic and sliding events will also take place in the Callahan Valley and on Blackcomb Mountain.


text:
Fazeem wrote:Select Amount of Starting Positions
Select Amount of Starting Positions
Every Map has a a fixed Number of starting positions already but what if based on the Map you could change the amount of starting points replacing with Neutrals spots that by default would have a player occupying.
A large amount of maps utilize a dynamic of limited starting points while some could defintely benefit from doing so. This would help create yet another facet of gameplay and strategy providing for a more diverse CC experience. The option would require little change while @ the same time giving the potential for future features to be implemented.
MOD EDIT: See Also: New Initial Deployment - Conquest For the related suggestion to start with 1 territory per player.
MOD EDIT: Copied OP


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Monday, February 25, 2008
NASCAR's TV Partners Shine In The Rain
The afterglow of Daytona was still in the minds of many fans as all three of NASCAR's national touring series headed to Fontana, California.
It did not take long for Mother Nature to remind us how fragile this sport is when it comes to raindrops. While there was one situation for NASCAR to deal with on the track, there was a logistical and scheduling nightmare in-progress for three of NASCAR's biggest TV partners.
SPEED, ESPN2 and Fox Sports responded in a manner that will be remembered for a long time. Fox managed to squeeze in the Craftsman Truck Series race on Saturday, but almost every other program and event scheduled from the track was affected by rain.
TV viewers now have interesting memories of Darrell Waltrip and Matt Kenseth freezing on the SPEED Stage as Steve Byrnes hosted a Trackside show in the drizzle. John Roberts led his RaceDay gang through two hours of "reality programming" that still got a lot of information across to the fans despite the weather. SPEED did not miss a beat, even while soggy.
As ESPN's Allen Bestwick took to the air on Saturday evening for the Nationwide Series race, it was clear that the weather situation was dicey at best. But, what happened next was amazing.
Bestwick and the NASCAR on ESPN crew took a deep breath and filled three hours of live national TV in primetime while doing only one thing. That was talking about NASCAR.
In retrospect, the ESPN crew may look back on this night as a rallying point. Last year, it seemed that nothing could go right for this bunch. Burdened by bad announcers, awkward production and terrible racing luck, the season was not exactly what had been expected.
Now, with the right people in place and clearly focused on the sport, ESPN has erased in two weekends the bad memories of an entire season. On Saturday, from 7PM all the way until the scheduled off time of 10PM, fans were glued to the TV.
The new NASCAR on ESPN crew did not need SportsCenter updates, they did not need music videos and they did not need TV anchors back in the Connecticut studio. All they did was rally the troops, put on their helmets, and deliver three hours of solid NASCAR TV coverage that reminded us of the hardcore "old school" ESPN of the 1980's. Everyone worked hard, and the effort resulted in great TV.
Fox strolled-in for the Sunday Sprint Cup coverage knowing full well that things were going to be delayed. I doubt they had any idea just how long. Viewers first saw Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond from the Hollywood Hotel at 3:30PM Eastern Time. Over nine hours later, the somewhat disheveled duo was finally delivering the news that the race was postponed, with far less than half the laps run.
Fox has a slightly different broadcast dynamic than ESPN, so Mike Joy led the TV coverage from the booth. Chris Myers provides more of a comic relief role combined with traditional TV hosting duties like promos and transitions. It is effective, just different.
Waltrip, Hammond and Larry McReynolds proved once again why fans have enjoyed their personal and professional interaction for all these years. Combined with the best pit reporters on TV, the Fox team matched the intensity of the ESPN coverage and hung-in for hours with the focus clearly on NASCAR. They may have outlasted most of their East Coast viewers.
Monday saw two tired network teams deliver two crisp race broadcasts without incident and with a justified sense of relief. Despite the absence of the Hollywood Hotel and ESPN's Pit Center, the fact that racing was actually underway made everything else pale in comparison. If only the racing had been worth the wait.
A nice topper on this situation was the effort made by SPEED and ESPN to bring fans full wrap-up shows on Monday night. Allen Bestwick and Marty Smith flew all the way back to Connecticut to anchor a one hour NASCAR Now program with Boris Said along in the studio.
True to their pre-season word, the show included the ESPN broadcast team and also on-scene reporter Angelique Chengelis. It was a full and informative hour, even after all the chaos of the weekend. What a strong three day performance by ESPN.
Over at SPEED, the always interesting duo of Kenny Wallace and Jimmy Spencer taped their "quick turn-a-round" show called Victory Lane with host John Roberts. It was a feat for the network to get Carl Edwards and Wallace on-camera, as NASCAR wanted to start the Nationwide Series race as soon as possible. Both of them were driving in it.
SPEED used this show on Monday to fill the void left by This Week In NASCAR, a studio program which had almost all its on-air talent still in California. The switch was smart, and worked just fine. As for what Spencer and Wallace said about the track, the staff and the decision to start the race...that is a subject for another website to debate.
From a TV perspective, all three networks hit a homerun. Everyone worked hard and that came through on-the-air to the fans. The fact that ESPN and Fox showed both a commitment to NASCAR and a new level of cooperation between each other was outstanding. This was a NASCAR TV weekend to be remembered.
Now, the priority for both the TV crews and the NASCAR fans is very clear. Get some rest before Las Vegas coverage begins on Friday. It is going to be a long season.
Please feel free to share your favorite moment or TV program from the Fontana coverage. It should be interesting to see what fans remember most.
The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy instructions. The rules for posting are on the right side of the main page. Thanks again for taking the time to stop by and leave your opinion of the TV coverage from Fontana.
34 comments:
- kenn said...
Some of the best broadcasting I've heard was during baseball rain delays. It's a welcome break from carefully formatted packages and gives us viewers a chance to bond with the personalities.
- February 25, 2008 at 10:56 PM
- Jennifer said...
Unfortunately when I went to bed last night, FOX was going to air the rest of the cup race at 1AM and ESPN2 was going to air the Nationwide race at 1PM. I recorded accordingly. At 8:30 tonight I realized all I recorded was the first few laps (I recorded until 5PM on ESPN2) of the Nationwide race. Bummer.
- February 25, 2008 at 11:09 PM
- Anonymous said...
you really didn't miss much Jennifer....
typical 2 mile, california style, single file, second apart "racing".
Few bright spots all day that you can see several times over in 15 minutes on the recap shows.
Don't be bummed and be glad you got some rest.....
- February 25, 2008 at 11:16 PM
- TexasRaceLady said...
Saturday night was a delight --- I never missed the racing because I was having so much fun.
Sunday was a bit of a trial. Yes, we'll race --- no, we won't. Yes/No drove me nuts. So, I went to bed. LOL
I must give FOX and ESPN credit --- they hung in there when they could have thrown in the towel.
Get some rest guys and gals --- we do it all over again this weekend.
2 thumbs up for a great job.
- February 25, 2008 at 11:22 PM
- Anonymous said...
Your column was right on. Nascar's TV Partners really came through during the long weekend.
This blog should take credit for influencing this year's coverage. They listened.
I'll probably get shot down for saying....but, here goes....I hope we contributors to this blog will concentrate on the important TV coverage issues, positive and negative, so they continue to respond.
There are many dedicated knowledgeable NASCAR fans here with varied views.
Remember, if we stay focused, we will have six weeks with NBC and Weber to go beserk!
- February 25, 2008 at 11:37 PM
- Seiko said...
I was very impressed with the way ESPN handled the 3 hour rain delay. It was FUN TV. The race today was good as well. DJ still has a bit of work to do in jelling with the other 2 in the booth, but it was his second race. I'm sure by the time their cup run starts they will be a well oiled machine.
FOX has great on air talent. They were also good during the rain delay, but ESPN won that round by a very slim margin.
One thing I have been noticing with FOX they talk about what is happening on the track, and hope the director catches up with what they are talking about. At least thats the feel I get during the race.
Needs some work to become seamless. But would rather have a slightly disjointed feel then what we had to put up with in ESPN/ABC races last year where it was the exact opposite problem, see a wreck and wait 2 laps for the announcers to catch on.
I was blown away with how much catchup work ESPN has done. We sure beat the heck out of their dead horse last year, but they have come back swinging!
- February 26, 2008 at 12:03 AM
- SophiaZ123 said...
Saturday night with ESPN's three hour rain delay, was some of the 'funnest' tv I had seen in years! Totally fly by the seat of your pants and conversation that flowed.
Fox...well, wasn't the same . Not because of our guys in the booth, Mike, Larry and Darrel but too much CM and "I kid because I care". Wow...I would've rather heard old stories from the guys in the booth but realize, they had to save their voices when they could.
Still..that HOLLYWOOD HOTEL grew old fast for me and ...well...I can't believe how much ESPN has improved when they did not do squat last year.
NIGHT and day difference.
ALSO, and NO DISRESPECT to Ryan on N NOW but Bestwick really is GREAT. He was good today even with limited folks in the studio. He is another one that is just FUN to listen to and can always keep the show going.
Funny, quick, knows how to turn a mispoken comment around and more importantly, knows how to just BE QUIET (like in the Montreal fiasco last summer with Ambrose and R Gordon..he did not try to chatter constantly)
AB is just superb. Maybe he does not want the full time gig with NN? he does do weekends...so anyway.
Both networks did great but Chris and Jeff had to feel like Carnival Barkers 'HOPING to get the race going soon' updates until 2AM EST. Hope they all got some sleep.
It was a long weekend for all involved but I really feel for those truckdriver...I can NOT imagine all the time THEY spend away from home.
Bless all of them....those we see and those we don't see to bring us this great sport.
- February 26, 2008 at 12:21 AM
- Anonymous said...
I think the Fox races are becoming more and more unwatchable. While "Gopher Cam" had the weekend off, we were run through the process of helping to "name to gopher." Really? We need this schtick? Then, as if I wasn't dreading "Back in the Saddle" last year, this year we have "Let's go racin' boys." Is there a chance this is the worst song ever? Can we get Doug Banks to remix it on his show?
The problem with Fox is much like things with any broadcaster, ala Chris Berman or John Madden: people enjoy their schtick so much initially that they overkill it. So now you have every player getting a Berman nickname. Every game now, if Madden is doing it, has to have shots of people tailgating so that John can tell us about cooking steaks. The same goes for DW. The "Boogity boogity boogity" regardless of it's history from his days as a racer, is dumb and completely useless to the broadcast. It's another case of the broadcaster trying to make himself bigger than the broadcast. And now we're stuck with a country song about it? I'm sure next week he'll do his "Viva Las Vegas Boogity" call. That won't be annoying.
- February 26, 2008 at 1:29 AM
- Bobby said...
Those who complained about the "Fox Gopher Cam" must realise this is a rain delay.
The Motley Fool (a financial Web site) says their job is to "educate, amuse, and enrich". The "name the gopher" is just another way to amuse the drivers, crew, and fans during what can be a boring time. Who wants reruns of old races when you can sit there and shoot the breeze, like what the drivers and crew actually do in the rain delay? Of course, the difference between the old-school tread cameras and the current version is HD capability. You can't imagine how different things are in HD -- look recently at The Price Is Right Million Dollar Spectacular, when CBS made Adam Rose's $1.15 million victory the first episode of the 52-year old franchise (36th year of the present version, 44th year overall of the show) in HD. HD for those little cameras is different than the traditional SD cameras.
After all, fans know this is just a few hours to have fun. Sometimes it's necessary to break the ice for a few hours.
I wonder if Fox's new theme will wear out quickly, unlike the previous OSI (Garrod-Hays) theme that easily said "NASCAR on Fox" when you heard it. But could this be just what Fox wanted to do to comply with what fans wanted, especially after Darrell hosted the Sprint Speed and Sound in Nashville in the off-season? It doesn't hurt either that Dario Franchitti is a Williamson County (TN) driver. I do think the crew chief needs to be put back in the promos Fox uses because they are just as important as the drivers.
Rain usually equals the best time for race fans, since they see their heroes doing the unthinkable.
Both teams deserved credit for lasting this long. It was so tired that the Fox crew was there so long that they probably had little sleep before the wardrobe and makeup crews had their "public appearance" shirts ready -- the same ones you see them wearing for public appearances.
- February 26, 2008 at 7:30 AM
- Ritchie said...
I agree that the efforts by the tv crews was commendable. I didn't watch every minute of the rain delay coverage, instead I would check in every so often to find the status of the race. I would, however, stop and watch if what the announcers were talking about was interesting.
Despite the adaquate rain-delay coverage, I still say that the networks should pressure NASCAR to come up with a quicker method for drying a track. TV coverage is important, and it seems weather delays are becoming more critical every year. I was speaking with a friend who happens to be a civil engineer, and he said that if water is seeping back on top of the track, then the track isn't drained properly. He said that the track designers are not giving the water any place to go other than back up onto the track.
As important as television coverage is, it would seem that they would want the world to see their racing, not their "blow dryers". Then again, they were racing at California, maybe the dryers are more exciting.
- February 26, 2008 at 7:43 AM
- Anonymous said...
I knew I could count on Speed/Fox for entertaining rain-delay programing but I was amazed at the way ESPN managed to lighten up and actually dare to have a little fun with the broadcast.
What impressed me most with both groups was the smoothness with which they managed to hand off from group to group as they managed to rest their crews and work around the various cases of the flu. No one ever seemed tired or worn -- though as I prepared to set a tape and go to bed Sunday night Chris Meyers was getting a little slap-happy. (Over the past year or so I've been suspecting that Chris Meyers has a lot more to do with Fox's success in Nascar broadcasting than the surface appearance of good hair and the male equivalent of a dumb blonde act suggests at first sight).
The moments I'm remembering most clearly are all driver interviews. There was Brad Coleman running through the rain to catch a reporter and "get my sponsor some TV time". There was Kyle Busch joking around, stealing the microphone, and asking if he had to do the interview himself. There was Jason Leffler, always a good sport about being a normal-sized person surrounded by giants (Hey Jason, I'm normal-sized too). There were Elliott and Kasey bored in the coach with Kasey having just woken up for the interview. And Krista Voda sitting on the wet pavement with Mark Martin and his mentorees -- completely unconcerned about her hair, her clothes, or anything but not getting tangled in her electronics as she got the interview.
I don't think that ESPN rose to the level of the Speed/Fox coverage because, after last year's semi-adversarial approach, I don't think that the drivers have the necessary level of comfort with the ESPN people. Though it does seem that Jamie Little and Shannon Spake are taking Wendy and Krista as their model to be just reporters rather than specifically female reporters.
Its a bit telling that, as good as it was to have that long episode with Carl Edwards in the ESPN booth, he came to them in the booth rather than having ESPN people go to him in a more casual environment.
Its probably heresy, but sometimes a really good rain delay can be more enjoyable than a bad race. :-D
- February 26, 2008 at 8:50 AM
- Anonymous said...
Too much Darrell waltrip.
- February 26, 2008 at 10:11 AM
- Anonymous said...
Bobby said...
"Those who complained about the "Fox Gopher Cam" must realise this is a rain delay.
The Motley Fool (a financial Web site) says their job is to "educate, amuse, and enrich". The "name the gopher" is just another way to amuse the drivers, crew, and fans during what can be a boring time."
Believe us, Bobby, we ALL realize that it was a rain delay...but I don't think there was a single driver that was 'amused' by being asked to name a cartoon rodent that none of them had even seen before (or would admit to seeing). The only driver to show any enthusiasm for that stunt was Kyle Busch and it appears to me that KyB is on a mission this year to engage the fans and would do anything for more face time.
As regards the 'new toy' as Mike Joy called it, I agree with the majority of those that have posted comments on several of JD's Blogs since it was unveiled, and using KyB's own terminology, "It sucks".
I imagine most (all?) of the FOX folks have been delighted to watch as ESPN's "Draft Track" has been ridiculed by knowledgeable viewers and I only hope that they reach a decision NOT to carry the rodent forward for future races.
There was some mention that it was 'out of action' for the Monday conclusion of the Cup race...I just hope that was a quiet way of backing away from the whole fiasco.
I'd like to see it named "Gone"!
Tom in Bristol
- February 26, 2008 at 10:18 AM
- LuckyForward said...
I cannot say that I have a favorite moment from this weekend. What impressed me the most was the overall tenacity of the broadcast teams to do good work over an extended amount of time in difficult conditions over which none had any control.
Did we get tired of certain folks talking too much? Sure! Were we ready for someone to name the "Gopher Cam" and stop asking each driver for a name? Absolutely! But time had to be filled somehow and because of the amount of time to be filled, all too much had to be "ad libbed."
Kudos to all broadcast teams for doing relatively well in a terrible situation!
- February 26, 2008 at 11:23 AM
- Thornton, Colorado said...
You are right, JD. The coverage was SOLID. I almost passed out Saturday night from sheer joy as ESPN covered the "rain delay" the way it used to be. And on Monday, they showed what they always should have showed: RACING.
- February 26, 2008 at 11:46 AM
- Anonymous said...
KUDOS to ESPN for pulling Marty Smith out of his little talking head box and letting him speak a little more freely. I sorely miss his writing for Nascar.com and hope they continue to use him more and more in his role at ESPN.
- February 26, 2008 at 11:53 AM
- SophiaZ123 said...
I just remembered one of my fave moments. On SPEED, Dilner, who is very tall, for some reason was shown on tv with his legs splayed very far apart so he would seem shorter and not show off his towering prescence.
After he saw how stupid he looked, he stood up and then put his elbow on the SHOULDER of the driver and leaned down to speak to him! LOL. I don't know why the SPEED folks did that...I had no idea Dilner stood that way to 'even out the camera angles' for the shorter drivers?!
I would like to name the gopher shot "slingshot cam" because i wanted to break the thing everytime it was shown on my tv. :-)
Last year fox had the animated car thingie (annoying, and then ESPN had to get the draft tracker)
Notice how when these things are ABSENT, and less clutter (taped interviews, SC updates, we ENJOY the races more!)
That's the good things about delays.
- February 26, 2008 at 12:25 PM
- batchief said...
You can say what you may about the name the gopher stint on Fox, but I counted no less than 19 drivers that participated and although the first couple didn't know they were going to be asked to name the gopher the rest did from watching in their campers and seemed to take it in good fun as it was intended. The boogity, boogity, boogity last about 5 seconds and does not take a big chunk of time out of anyones life. It has become tradition folks and I, for one, enjoy it. Good job by all considering the conditions and the fact some were playing hurt(sick).
- February 26, 2008 at 12:45 PM
- Desmond said...
Once again, both ESPN2 and Fox did wonderful jobs of covering rain delays. I have heard that coverage of these delays have often beaten actual sporting events in the ratings. I saw why that is the case this past weekend. (And also because many NASCAR fans have a religious-like devotion. Scary.)
I am disappointed that SPEED Channel did not make it clear that NASCAR Victory Lane was going to be on after the Monday re-scheduled race. If I knew this, I would have tuned in.
- February 26, 2008 at 12:51 PM
- Desmond said...
I apologize for the post. SPEED did advertise Victory Lane. I should have visited your fine blog before today and I would have found this out. I already knew about the cancelation of This Week in NASCAR.
- February 26, 2008 at 12:53 PM
- Anonymous said...
I felt Fox did a horrible job during the rain delay. Instead of covering a hard news story, the weepers, they bored the audience to death with their stupid gopher cam naming bit.
Fox knew the weepers were a major problem, but they decided to turn a blind eye to them. If any of the Fox staff had an ounce of talent for these kind of things, they could have pushed the issue. Everybody saw how qualifying was rained out. Fox blew it.
When they actually showed racing, they missed 1 restart, and nearly missed 2 others. Plus I am sick and tired of their stupid theme song. Enough already. If you want to have one, play it at the beginning of the telecast, and thats it, sort of like what what football does on Sunday and Monday nights.
- February 26, 2008 at 1:22 PM
- SophiaZ123 said...
re: the theme song..I agree..played way too often and surprisingly, I am seeing this mentioned in many columns by writers online already.
VERY overused. I don't care about BBB that's said ONCE at the beginning of the race for 6 seconds. :-)
this new song can give you a bad case or ear worms, too. LOL. That is a real term...a guy wrote a book about 'ear worms.'
So true!
- February 26, 2008 at 1:29 PM
- Anonymous said...
While I also enjoyed the three hours of off-the-wall coverage Sunday leading up the start of the race, it's absolutely ridiculous that NASCAR didn't automatically reschedule the race for Monday. I can see waiting two or three hours but to go until 1 (or was it 2?) in the morning E.S.T. is pathetic and inexcusable. Especially if the radar continues to show showers heading towards the track which it did because I checked it repeatedly throughout the evening.
I still think that Fox's coverage of the race was some of the worst, too. To those of you who gave up and went to bed, you didn't miss anything.
- February 26, 2008 at 1:29 PM
- batchief said...
I thought Fox covered the "weeper" problem as much as was needed. They showed the problem and showed what they did the day before to try and correct it and then what they did during the red flag (cutting groves perpendicular to the track) to again try and correct the situation. I for one wouldn't want a couple hours of weeper patrol.
- February 26, 2008 at 1:32 PM
- SophiaZ123 said...
(oops) forgot the definition
Most likely originated around the time of Hanson's "Mmmbop"; an ear worm refers to any song that is so catchy, and at the same time extremely annoying, that it feels like a worm has crawled into your ear and eaten the intelligent parts of your brain so that you hum the song all day long, no matter how much you hate it.
- February 26, 2008 at 1:33 PM
- Anonymous said...
@Anonymous 1:22pm,
Would you really have enjoyed a scientific presentation about the physics of groundwater? Would you really have enjoyed a historical recap of tracks plagued by weepers in the past? Or would you have just griped about that instead?
Maybe you think that Fox should have spent all that time scolding the Roger Penske and his engineers for not putting the same drainage into a dry climate track in a semi-desert area that they'd have put into a wet-climate track? Maybe you think they should have spent the time castigating Nascar for not instantly teleporting a rain-challenged race to a different track?
The gopher cam stuff is a bit stupid, but it filled the dead air and it was possible to get a laugh when they stumped the drivers with it. You can't ask for much more when you've got hours of rain delay to cope with.
- February 26, 2008 at 1:50 PM
- Newracefan said...
I watched all the rain delay coverage until 12MN on Sunday and except for no racing thought it was fantastic. ESPN stepped up big time and I thought Fox did well too. The drivers played along and although probably more frustrated than I was, appeared to enjoy themselves. Kyle was hysterical and he actually did go a long way towards making himself liked by this fan. Gopher cam is ok and they had a lot of hours to fill so... (OBTW you can go on the Fox web site and email them a name suggestion, I wonder if this was in the works before the rain delay coverage? JD can you check). I actually like the BBB song and think they are changing the video that goes with it which makes me actually stop and look to see who is going to do what. The post race coverage was well done by both Speed and ESPN. (Still have to watch what I DVR of the races themselves.
Sophia It's called "doing the Dillner" I remember hearing something about it a few years ago. He evidently towers of most of the drivers/crews etc.
If this is a sign of things to come it sould be a great TV season for Nascar, now if we can just keep those rain clouds away we'll be set.
- February 26, 2008 at 2:18 PM
- snowfaller said...
As one who watched all of Saturday night and stayed up Sunday night as well, a hearty thank you to all networks and their employees for all of their hard work.
I was also thrilled to see VL and Nascar Now last night. It was great for SPEED and ESPN to fill their post-race obligations so quickly and so well with all parties involved surely exhausted...
My two cents on the theme song - I love it. Of course, it's certainly polarizing since people who dislike "boogity" will instantly hate it...
I love the use of the drivers with the hitchhiker signs, etc.
They do overuse the song though (which is partly because they have so many commercial breaks!) One thing they should definitely do is to not use a vocal version going to commercials. It always gets cut off in midphrase when they go to the actual break and it is quite jarring if you are listening to it. It's actually kind of funny when they cut it right after "can't wait to hear DW say". I guess we can wait for a few minutes...
- February 26, 2008 at 2:37 PM
- Anonymous said...
The Fox theme is weak. And it goes too far "south", meaning an over reaction to NASCARS mandate to get back to its roots.
I agree that Boogity has been played out- WAY out!
Can't FOX get it thru their heads that the RACING is the story? Its not them, their announcers, their insidious gopher gimmicks, Hollywood who-tell, or jammed in and often inconceivable Hammond-at-the-cutaway-car "explanations" that viewers want from them!
Show us the race ! From first place to last place! There are 43 teams out there, not just the 88,24,48,18 and 20!!!!
- February 26, 2008 at 3:00 PM
- Anonymous said...
NOTE: Am reading MAJOR power outage in south FLorida..may last well into the night..stores closed, millions affected.
So if we dont' see a new column tonight and JD is home, that might be why
Back to the blog:
I think instrumental of the song to breaks would be helpful and have read the same thing in some columns (NOT message boards but reporters comments)
(this computer not recognizing my log in)
- February 26, 2008 at 3:19 PM
- Anonymous said...
all iam going to say is they left the ROCK for this mess
- February 26, 2008 at 4:12 PM
- AndyPandy said...
For many years now, I have enjoyed the hours of fill needed whenever there is a long delay such as on Sunday. I much prefer announcers, reporters, drivers and crew just shooting the breeze and showing who they really are instead of a tape of last year's race. This was no exception.
And I may be in the minority, but I like "Let's Go Racing, Boys". I do agree that an instrumental version to play at commercial breaks would be a nice touch. It would be a little bit of a throwback to the days of Eli and Buddy on TNN, which always had a country instrumental song as they went to break. I wish I knew what song it was, but I've never been able to find out.
- February 26, 2008 at 5:51 PM
- Richard in N.C. said...
JD- I'm not sure whether I am more impressed or surprised by how much ESPN has improved this year over last year, but I have enjoyed it.
I may be mistaken, but I have always presumed that part of Chris Myers' function is to give the guys in the booth a break during the race.
JD, could you explain why Allen B and Marty Smith flew back to Conn. to do N-Now Monday, rather than doing it from Fontana? I assume it could be because facility at Fontana was disassembled after the race ended - but the next race is just up the road in Las Vegas. Thanks - and thanks for hanging in there all weekend.
- February 26, 2008 at 6:41 PM
- Anonymous said...
WOW. I'm sorry I missed ESPN rain coverage. I did my taxes.
Bobby Dee
- February 26, 2008 at 10:40 PM


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SHEPHERDSVILLE - Once again this season, The Pioneer News will run the results from the Greater Bullitt County Youth Football League in each Wednesday's edition.
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Rich Attonito
When and why did you start training for fighting? I wrestled through high school and college. I always had an interest in MMA since the first UFC. About two years after I graduated college I still had the urge to compete so I started training BJJ & Boxing. I took my first fight within six months in February 2004.
What ranks and titles have you held? BJJ Purple Belt. Reality Fighting Light-Heavyweight Champion
Do you have any heroes? Arnold Schwarzenegger
What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? It means everything to me. It's all of my hard work, dedication, discipline and sacrifice coming to fruition after almost 7 years. It's an opportunity for me to make a name for myself among the elite.
Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? I went to Hofstra University and earned a BA in Communications. I majored in Film Studies and Production.
What was your job before you started fighting? Fitness Manager & Personal Trainer for New York Sports Clubs
Ranks in any martial arts styles: Division I Wrestler, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt
Favorite grappling technique: The one that wins the fight
Favorite Striking technique: The one that floors my opponent
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Great travel photos from around the world
The ride started out so easy, with a warm Big Island breeze on our faces, cycling past lava fields under a brilliant blue sky. But after some 40 kilometres...
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We didn't visit the Hawaiian island of Kauai and Vancouver, B.C., this summer just to compare two of most highly touted hotd ogs within spitting...
A band of off-duty firemen give the best beginner surfing lessons on the island of Oahu.
The sun was just rising as my dad and I headed out to Koloko-Honokohau National Park, Hawaii. It was a beautiful morning and the parking lot was empty...
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The Kelly/Ohio intersection will be closed to thru traffic starting mid-morning on Monday, April 29th, 2013
The Kelly/Ohio intersection will be closed to thru traffic starting mid-morning on Monday, April 29th, 2013. Contingent on weather, the construction project is anticipated to take approximately 3 1/2 months to complete. Improvements will occur in two different phases. During the first 3-4 weeks of the closure, Alan's Excavating will be replacing bad sewer lines, manholes, and several service line connections. The City's water department will also be adding some valves to City water lines at this time. Once the sewer line replacement is complete, the contractor for the paving project (APAC) will move in and start working on the road realignment and permanent pavement repairs.
Traffic control will be an important part of the project as this is one of the City's busiest intersections. The planned construction will require closure of the intersection to thru traffic for the duration of the project, although barricades will be spaced to allow local traffic to access businesses and/or residences in the area. Ohio Street traffic will be rerouted along a detour from 14th Avenue to Dearborn to Josephine and back to Ohio Street (or vice versa). A temporary traffic signal will be installed at the Kelly and Dearborn intersection. Dearborn will carry the most traffic so the lights will be timed to allow north-south traffic to flow longer. To improve safety and further facilitate traffic flow, there will be no parking allowed along the designated detour route.
Once the construction project is complete and the intersection is reopened, 14th Avenue between Ohio and Dearborn will be overlaid with new asphalt and Dearborn from 14th to Kelly will receive an asphalt mill and overlay as well.


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One Direction singer Zayn Malik set the Internet on fire by tweeting "#FreePalestine."
But here's the strange thing: Once people started complaining, he didn't delete it.
A few celebrities have weighed in on the Israeli-Palestinian crisis in Gaza in recent weeks by tweeting support for Palestine, but most, including Rihanna and Dwight Howard, quickly deleted their tweets after experiencing a huge backlash by supporters of Isreal.
Malik, however, is described as a "British-Pakistani boy-bander, 21, who is also Muslim," by the New York Daily News. He reportedly received both praise and backlash from fans after posting the tweet Sunday night.
The News reported that some of the more sensible folks on the Internet went as far as suggesting Malik kill himself, while others accused him of being anti-Semitic. Then a bunch of "One Direction" fans -- because everyone realizes they can change other people's opinions about this by calling them names -- went after each other.
By Monday morning, Malik's message was retweeted more than 150,000 times and was "favorited" just as many times.
Selena Gomez also took some flak for posting an Instagram message on July 18, saying, "It's about humanity. Pray for Gaza."
"Please pray for those families and babies today," she captioned the photo. "Please always remember what's important in life. It's not any of this. We are here to help, inspire and love. Be that change. #wearethenextgeneration."
"And of course to be clear, I am not picking any sides," she added. "I am praying for peace and humanity for all!"
That girl has some nerve, praying for peace. She needs to go back to feeding Justin Bieber grapes.
Gomez, 22, didn't delete the post, despite the backlash from those who took it as pro-Palestine.
Tony Hicks provides celebrity commentary for the Bay Area News Group. Contact him at Facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.TonyHicks or Twitter.com/thicks67.


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Cost of providing security kills popular Labor Day weekend event
There apparently isn't going to be a Taft Bike Fest this year.
Several sources have told the Taft Midway Driller that the third annual Labor Day Weekend event is going to be cancelled after a meeting between Two-Wheel Productions and Taft Police.
The city told Two-Wheel Productions, the event organizer, that the event organizers would be responsible for the cost of providing security – either law enforcement officers or private security – for the three-day event held each Labor Day.
The organizers said that would be two costly and Two-Wheel Productions isn't going to move forward with plans for another Bike Fest after two very popular events in 2011 and 2012.
Organizers confirmed the bad news with a posting on Facebook:
"Due to unforeseen circumstances out of our control and with our deepest regret and sadness, this year's 3rd annual Taft Bike Fest has been cancelled. However we will be trying to put together some concert series for this spring for Relay For Life and other charity events to show them BIKERS do care. Thank you all."
The Bike Fest attracted hundreds of people to the Rails to Trails for exhibits, food, a beer garden and live music, and raised several thousand dollars for Alpha House and other local charities.


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By Ed Patino
ASHLAND, Ohio � The Hillsdale College men's basketball team withstood a late rally and pulled out a 54-48 victory over the Ashland University Eagles in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game Saturday at Kates Gymnasium.
Hillsdale (12-4, 8-4 GLIAC) remains in a first-place tie with Findlay in the South Division.
With the game tied 46-46, Nick Washburn scored on a putback with 36 seconds remaining, giving the Chargers the lead for good.
The Chargers held a one-point lead (24-23) at halftime, then appeared to take control early in the second half. Hillsdale took its biggest lead of the night at 40-26 just under six minutes into the half. Ashland (5-10, 3-9 GLIAC) didn't back down and answered with a 15-1 run, eventually tying the game at 41-41 with eight minutes remaining. The teams exchanged baskets and the lead until Washburn's bucket in the final minute.
Washburn finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and three blocks to lead Hillsdale. Fourteen of Washburn's points came in the second half. Brandon Pritzl added 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Tim Dezelski scored eight points. Tony Nelson finished with four points and seven rebounds.
Evan Yates scored 14 points to lead Ashland. David Harris added 10 points, while Brook Turson had nine points. Will Evans had four points and 10 rebounds.
The Chargers will visit Malone University on Thursday before hosting Walsh on Saturday.
Women's Basketball
Ashland 80, Hillsdale College 51
The Hillsdale College women's basketball team ran into a buzzsaw Saturday in an 80-51 loss to the Ashland University Eagles in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at Kates Gymnasium.
Hillsdale (6-9, 3-9 GLIAC) never led in the game against NCAA Division II's top-ranked team. Ashland (19-0, 12-0 GLIAC) controlled the glass, holding a 46-21 rebounding advantage.
The Chargers tied a school record in the game, finishing a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line. The last time Hillsdale went an entire game without a free throw miss came Jan. 29, 2011 at Michigan Tech.
Sarah Theut came off the bench to score 15 points and grab five rebound to lead the Chargers. Megan Fogt added 10 points, while Kayla Geffert had seven points and three steals. Angela Bisaro finished with six points.
All five of Ashland's starters scored in double figures. Daiva Gerbec had 20 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Eagles, while Alyssa Miller added 12 points and seven assists. Lindsay Tenyak scored 11 points and Taylor Woods had 10 points and five assists. Ashley Dorner finished with 10 points.
Hillsdale will travel to Malone University on Thursday before hosting Walsh on Saturday.
Hillsdale College men hold off Ashland


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Despite Lack of Funding, RI AIDS Organizations Still Going Strong
AIDS Care Ocean State and AIDS Project Rhode Island, the largest AIDS service organizations in the Ocean State, were at a State House commemoration of World AIDS Day, sponsored by the Rhode Island HIV Prevention Coalition. Featured speakers included Gov. Lincoln Chafee, U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Rhode Island House Speaker Gordon Fox. Though the event was uplifting, Rhode Island's HIV epidemic endures a lack of resources.
"Unfortunately, an increase in HIV infection for at-risk groups could occur in coming years, as government funding for primary HIV prevention to community groups evaporates in Rhode Island on Dec. 31," said Tom Bertrand, executive director of AIDS Project Rhode Island. "Funding to conduct HIV prevention and education for five community-based initiatives will be discontinued at the end of 2012, leaving community-based funding solely for HIV testing and retaining people living with HIV in medical care."
APRI is part of the HIV Prevention Coalition, formed this past spring with the goal of lowering the incidence of new HIV infections in Rhode Island through collaboration, education and advocacy. It comprises 22 community-based groups and other partners who meet regularly to support efforts to reduce HIV among high-risk groups through primary prevention efforts.
The rates of HIV infection among gay and bisexual men and in communities of color continue to skyrocket, and the Rhode Island Department of Health HIV/AIDS Epidemiological Profile indicates that the virus continues to be a persistent public health problem in the state, with 106 new HIV infections reported in 2010.
The coalition noted that the proportion of young adults (ages 20-29) being reported with new HIV infections is growing. The percentage of new HIV infections in Rhode Island among that group grew from 18 percent in 2008 to 25 percent in 2011 -- the largest increase for any age group during this time frame.
Bertrand points to Massachusetts as an example of how an investment in community-based HIV prevention and education can yield positive results.
"In recent years, Massachusetts has invested about five times more per capita than Rhode Island in HIV prevention at the community level, and their overall rate of new HIV infections has dropped about 46 percent since 2000," Bertrand said. "During that same time, Rhode Island has only seen a 16 percent decline. I think we can do better, but it will require leadership by community groups, government agencies and elected officials."
AIDS Project Rhode Island was founded in 1985 by a group of doctors and community activists. The agency provides counseling and services to people living with HIV/AIDS. APRI operates an HIV testing program, Take Charge! Get Tested!, to help Rhode Islanders learn their HIV status in a safe environment. Rapid testing is done free on a walk-in basis every Tuesday and Thursday. APRI provides testing for individuals and couples.
APRI also administers Ryan White Title II-funded services to HIV-positive people whose income levels fall at or below federal poverty guidelines. In 2008, APRI merged with ASO Family Service of RI, which serves about 9,000 children and adults a year; about half of clients belong to minority communities.
AIDS Care Ocean State, Rhode Island's largest ASO, provides housing, case management, medical and nursing care, and prevention to children and adults at risk for contracting HIV.
Paul Fitzgerald, ACOS's executive director and chief executive, said it conduct 1,400 HIV tests a year. Outreach workers visit neighborhoods in Providence with highly susceptible populations. They also distribute condoms and clean needles through a needle exchange program.
"People want information, if they're worried about being HIV-positive, we can test them and refer them into care," Fitzgerald said. "It's a very comprehensive program. We're very inclusive. We're able to reach out into the gay community; we're able to reach out into the minority community."
In addition, ACOS supports treatment for children and infants infected with HIV at Hasbro Children's Hospital and the Miriam Hospital.
"We have an existing network of medical providers," Fitzgerald said. "We bring kids into care and follow them very closely. That's been very effective."
The largest provider of subsidized housing for people living with HIV/AIDS, ACOS has 129 units throughout the state, Fitzgerald said. It recently received a $1.7 million federal grant that will enable it to obtain more housing.
"We're constantly building more housing," Fitzgerald said, noting the huge demand.
ACOS runs two support groups, both open to anyone who is HIV positive:
Gay Male Support Group meets Wednesdays from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 156 Broadway in Pawtucket.
The Solace Youth Group is designed for teens and young adults with HIV. Members discuss their struggles and triumphs since learning their positive status. The group meets Tuesdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 557 Broad St. in Providence.
With continued vigilance and additional funding, Rhode Island ASOs will continue to battle the Ocean State's HIV epidemic.
For more information about AIDS Care Ocean State, go to www.aidscareos.org. For more information about AIDS Project Rhode Island, go to www.aidsprojectri.org.


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A new comedy-adventure about second chances, featuring a dynamic crew of elite firefighting aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from raging wildfire. When world famous air racer Dusty learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial...
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A new comedy-adventure about second chances, featuring a dynamic crew of elite firefighting aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from raging wildfire. When world famous air racer Dusty learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger and his courageous team, including spirited super scooper Dipper, heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter, ex-military transport Cabbie and a lively bunch of brave all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero.
Sorry, no cinemas are available within -1km of postal code 90620 that are playing the movie "Planes: Fire and Rescue" on Monday, 25 June.Please try:- extending your search range, or - entering a new postal code, or- choosing another date.If after trying different options and your movie still does not appear with showtimes, your movie may not be playing nearby for the options you chose.
For whatever reason, I cannot effectively connect to a motorized vehicle as a sentient character. Planes, Cars, Transformers, Herbie, KITT, Jerry Van Dyke's mother. Maybe it's because I never learned to drive. More plausible theory: Every big or small screen attempt to allot sentience to a motorized vehicle has been grievously underwhelming. Okay, I'll give you Knight Rider. But the latest example of the endeavor, Planes: Fire & Rescue, is no Knight Rider. It's barely even a Cars. The feature from DisneyToon Studios is as hollow as you can imagine a 3D animated movie to be. And this degree of vacancy feels like more than just a waste of time for the targeted youth.
Dane Cook's celebrity racing plane Dusty Crophopper, a leading man completely without hue - and don't think children's movie heroes are exempt from the expectation of nuance; Woody, Wall-E, Remy, were all leagues more recognizable than the anonymous Dusty - busts one of his principal cogs and learns that he can't exceed a certain speed or else he'll crash. In other words he'll never race again. So with an existential crisis on the horizon, and a town in jeopardy, Dusty switches gears and decides to learn how to become a firefighter.
In large part, Planes: Fire & Rescue is a love letter to public servants, opening with a title card that dedicates the film to the brave men and women who work to keep our towns and cities safe. In this element alone is the film passable, propagating appreciation for a line of work that bears unquestionable merit. But the story surrounding this message is so tattered and lifeless that it'd be surprising if any of Planes' target youths access the throughline moral.
Dusty's personal journey jumps from one quasi-conflict to the next, each piece representing a fraction of a story that we've seen in other animated films, so that you're never given the opportunity to connect with him over any of his qualms. His shattered dreams of racing, his newly evident mortality, his struggle to find new purpose, his quest for self-betterment, his drive to help others. All are teased, none are explored.
And the characters surrounding Dusty are even worse, the lot composed of sexist and racial stereotypes that are far more uninteresting than they are genuinely offensive. Every secondary player is a one-off joke, and not a good one; the only laughs in the flick come from the occasional play on words, but even for a pun-junkie will that tread wear thin.
With characters this shallow and plotlines this scattered, your kids cannot possibly engage with a movie like Planes: Fire & Rescue. They'll relegated to staring at it, retrieving little more than bright colors, speedy scenes, goofy voices, and the obscenely frequent flatulence joke. This is clearly all Planes thinks that kids can handle, but that's an egregious affront to a demographic that fueled the works of classic Disney, golden age Pixar, and Hayao Miyazaki. I think they can manage a few well-crafted airplanes.
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Blue Springs City Attorney Bob McDonald is riding off into the sunset, and will be retiring this spring, after 28 years of service to the city.
For the first 23 years of his tenure as city attorney, he was in private practice, with the city as his regular client. Over the years, the responsibilities of the job became so immense, that five years ago the city brought him "in house" and hired him full time.
He will be difficult to replace.
For these many years, Bob has served the City of Blue Springs with a level of knowledge, professionalism, and legal expertise that is beyond compare.
Or, as one attorney once said, Bob "is the best city attorney that a city could have."
Being the city attorney for a city like Blue Springs is not exactly a cake walk.
Its legal issues are many, varied, and often-times complex. Land use, zoning, taxation, contract law, real estate law, employment law, litigation, civil rights, annexation, city codes, and use of police power constitute a smattering of the areas that fall within the scope of a city attorney's responsibilities.
In many cities, different lawyers with different specialties handle these varied issues.
In Blue Springs, not so much. Bob is the "go to guy." He is a walking legal encyclopedia, a lawyer who knows more about more than perhaps anyone I have known.
But perhaps more significant than Bob's outstanding legal acumen has been Bob's demeanor.
As city attorney, Bob has been the city's man at the front of the firing line for many an emotional and challenging controversy. On a number of occasions over the years, I have been the lawyer on the other side of that line.
And, over the years, despite the high level emotional and economic interests that might be at stake, fueled in part by what, in my opinion, have been the difficult positions Bob was at times required to advocate for the city, one factor never varied: Bob has always been unceasingly calm and credible, a true gentleman who always rose above the negative emotions that any matter might bring to bear, and conducted himself with unmitigated professionalism.
Plus, his legal analysis has been generally spot on, too.
I remember occasions over the years, when I was a bit younger and more excitable, in which I would just be bouncing off the walls over some spat a client of mine was having with the city. Bob's approach was always the same: "Well, the city's position is ..." he would state without responding in kind. Then, he would calmly ask a question or make a comment or two to illustrate his point. A true professional. Rather than get angry, Bob was one to agree to disagree.
I always thought that Bob would have made an excellent judge. I even mentioned that to him once or twice. But, despite his tremendous legal acumen, he would not be interested in delving into the politics that such a pursuit would require. That's not his style.
And now that he is soon to ride off into the sunset, as a lawyer who lives and works in the city he has served so well, it feels to me like the end of an era.
Good luck, Bob, and enjoy your retirement!
Ken Garten is a Blue Springs attorney. Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Cate CorcoranFormer Adjunct
|Courses Taught:
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Cate T. Corcoran studied anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is a journalist who has covered technology, business and fashion for more than a decade. She has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Wired, Salon, Slate and many other publications. She is the technology editor at Women's Wear Daily, where she writes about the intersection of technology, fashion and business. She is interested in the anthropology of everyday life, particularly fashion and the cultural meaning and effects of social media.


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Combining astonishing acrobatics, vibrant costumes, and spectacular sets, Cirque Zíva drives each performance with vivid zeal. The young 20-person cast presents an array of centuries-old Chinese acrobatic arts that will surprise and dazzle—juggling hats, balancing cups, spinning plates, and diving through hoops. Cirque Zíva is the latest project from seasoned director Danny Chang. His eye-catching, breath-taking, and fast-paced show will energize audience members of all ages.
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