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Dr. John Carmack
Faculty Directory
Professor Emeritus, Marriage and Family Therapy
Ph.D., Texas Woman's University
M.Div., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
B.A., University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Dr. John Carmack is a licensed therapist in both Texas and Arkansas. He is also an AAMFT Approved Supervisor as well as an approved supervisor in the state of Arkansas for Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists.
Dr. Carmack has a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He received an M.Div. from Trinity International University (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) and a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas.
For over 30 years, Dr. Carmack has worked in a variety of settings including churches, Young Life, Christian Counseling Centers, full service psychiatric hospitals, med/surg psychiatric units and private practice. He has also been in private practice since 1981 and he owned and directed the Solution-Focused Counseling Center located in Fort Smith, Arkansas, for 10 of those years.
In 1997, Dr. Carmack joined the faculty of John Brown University as a Professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy program. He accepted an appointment as Program Director of the Graduate Counseling Program at JBU in 2001 and he also received his Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) training in 2001. He has served in two major disaster relief efforts as the mental health coordinator for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita evacuees at Ft. Chaffee, Arkansas, in 2005 and he has provided critical incident responses to various schools, organizations and companies over the past 10 years. The most recent critical incident he led was for mental and medical first responders' debriefings during the Joplin Tornado disaster in 2011.
Dr. Carmack was appointed by the governor to the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling (1997-2000) and he recently completed serving a second term on the Arkansas Board of Examiners (2010-2013). He was awarded the Clinicians Award through the Arkansas Marriage & Family Therapy Association. He is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. He served as the Associate Editor (2000-2007) for all clinical articles submitted for publication to the Marriage & Family: A Christian Journal.
Dr. Carmack is a native of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and this year he celebrates his 37th wedding anniversary with Lynn. They have three daughters, six grandsons, one granddaughter, and one more grandson on the way. All three of Dr. Carmack's children are in the mental health field. If you would like to contact Dr. Carmack regarding future speaking engagements, you may reach him at email@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Black Dynamite (US - BD RA)
Gabe is not Super Fly enough to entirely appreciate such a righteous movie...
Meet Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White), the smoothest, most baad asssss cat on the street. A former CIA agent, Black Dynamite springs into action when 'The Man' murders his brother, and he learns of a vast conspiracy to pumps heroin into local orphanages, and floods the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor. With a little help from his pimp and Black Panther friends, and his new soul sista girlfriend (Salli Richardson) Black Dynamite is the one hero willing to fight all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House.
Black Dynamite is often a little too on-the-nose, but it's a slightly different flavour of spoof than the similar Undercover Brother or I'm Gonna Get You Sucka, both of which mostly satirized modern culture through Blaxpoitation lenses. Black Dynamite more directly apes the things that make the relatively dead genre memorable, the good, the bad and the ugly, including silted acting, bad pacing, over expository and repetitive dialogue, unneeded flashbacks, blatant racism and sexism, awkward cuts, and continuity errors (in some ways Spawn, which also starred White, was almost modern Blaxploitation flick). In the end the comedy turns listless, and I can't help but think it would actually be a funnier film if they played the whole thing a little more straight. The ridiculous storyline and purposeful bloopers are so perfectly pitched (the accidentally connected slap during a fight scene is probably the funniest thing in the whole movie) that the film doesn't need the pointed Zucker/Abrahams goofs, or obvious grotesqueries to earn laughs. The dialogue is occasionally brilliant ('Sarcastically, I'm in charge', says one actor, reading his stage direction), but is also often too overtly silly, and unfortunately recalls the Austin Powers movies in tone.
Clearly Black Dynamite belongs in the same category as Tarantino and Rodriguez's Grindhouse movies, and Ti West's House of the Devil (which ironically enough is released the same day as Black Dynamite on home video). The difference here is similar to the inherent dualities of the two parts of Grindhouse, Death Proof and Planet Terror, and approval really comes down to personal taste. Being a non-fan of Airplane[i] approach of scene-by-scene spoof ([i]I'm Gonna Get You Sucka definitely belongs in this category) I enjoyed Tarantino's take on the idea more than Rodriguez's. Death Proof (and Kill Bill, which features White in a deleted scene) is a more genuine homage, and Tarantino creates something that feels more like the a real period movie, where Planet Terror, like Black Dynamite, is more silly, and pokes more fun at the genre's excesses. Director Scott Sanders takes his action scenes pretty seriously (and White has the skills to pull it off), but outside the look, which is impeccable, Black Dynamite is clearly making fun of the genre (though with real affection). The one major advantage the film holds over the slightly more even (not to mention underrated) Undercover Brother is the hard R-rating, which leads to a few of the best jokes. Blaxploitation is a very politically incorrect genre, and spoofing it requires a less than politically correct touch (unless the satire is pointed at political correctness).
Black Dynamite, like the Grindhouse movies, has been altered in post-production to appear old (though apparently not digitally), and like Halloween and House of the Devil it was shot on high definition unfriendly 16mm film. Blacks are deepened the pure blobs, skin tones are reddened, highlights are yellowed, and overall grain is increased, and augmented with artificial artefacts. The only thing they don't do is create a bunch of artificial inconsistencies. So why bother with a Blu-ray release when the film is made to purposefully look crummy and old? The same reason you'd want either Death Proof or Planet Terror on Blu-ray – a purer image marred by textured and intended artefacts, instead of an already difficult transfer being marred by DVD's inferior compression. The over-warmed colours are certainly bold here, and they don't revel in any real bleeding, blocking, or edge-enhancement. At the very least the animated sequences look fantastically clean and colourful. Details are never as sharp as Blu-ray fans have come to expect from the format because of the lower resolution of 16mm, but nothing needed is ever obscured, and the transfer is never blurry or pixilated.
Black Dynamite doesn't waste it's DTS-HD 5.1 track like you might suspect based on it's emulation purposes, but noise-wise nothing but the back channels are left out of the mix. The majority of the effects and dialogue are placed centrically, as they would've been if the movie was actually made in the '70s, but the stereo and LFE channels are plenty busy with the film's hilarious music. The sound of the music is perfectly warm, yet flat in that distinctly analogue fashion that comes with the era (according to the making-of doc the music was recorded very old school). Sometimes the lip-sync and aural consistency of dialogue is a bit off, but this is actually one of the more funny emulation elements. There are a few directional rear effects during some of the action scenes (bullets, explosions), but these are minimal at most, and are obviously meant to stand out against the otherwise lo-fi sound.
Extras begin with a commentary track featuring director/co-writer Scott Sanders, star/co-writer Michael Jai White and actor/co-writer Byron Minns. The track is educational from the standpoint of intended homage, but the participants lose focus attempting to recall set stories. It is consistently amusing to hear how the film's sets were largely unchanged for filming, meaning that there are still people who decorate their houses and clubs out there, though the highlight is the moment where White realizes the young version of him might actually be related to him. Viewers with Profile 2.0 players can also chose to watch the film with Sony's Movie-IQ activated.
Next up are a collection of deleted/extended scenes (25:15, SD). There are 17 scenes total, all presented in non-anamorphic video, occasionally with temporary on-set sound. The film verges on being too long, and the montage versions of some of these scenes actually work quite well, and no particularly funny jokes were cut. 'Lighting the Fuse' (22:50, HD) gives a fun look behind the scenes of the film, which started with White taking pictures of himself in costume. After the production team was gathered they shot a trailer to sell the film, and then wrote the script around it. Other subject matter includes casting, production and costume design, film stock, editing, music, and direction. 'The '70s Back in Action' (14:10, HD) looks back at the era and Blaxploitation genre with genuine love, and a truthful eye. Ideally the two featurettes could've been cut together and expanded, but the two parts still work pretty well. Things are wrapped up with 'The Comic-Con Experience' (18:00, HD), a look at the public roundtable, moderated by critic Elvis Mitchell, and a series of Sony trailers.
Black Dynamite didn't quite work for me, but I found myself entertained, just on a slightly disappointed level. The whole thing is a little too silly for me, but would make a great centerpiece triple feature with the two Grindhouse movies ( Death Proof and Planet Terror). Even better would be a triple feature with Isaac Julien's BaadAsssss Cinema documentary film, and Tarantino's post-modern look at the genre, Jackie Brown, though I'm not sure what the preferred order would be. Real deal, hardcore Blaxploitation fans will get more out of the experience than I did (I'm really just a passing fan, personally), and fans of more pointed spoof filmmaking should definitely give the flick a look. This Blu-ray release features an old fashion look and sound, but these elements are delicately re-produced in all their delightfully grainy and muffled glory. The extras don't fill a whole lot of time, but the quality of the disc's two featurettes makes up for the lack of quantity.
Review by Gabriel Powers
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
Disc Details
Release Date: 2nd February 2010
Discs: 1
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: 1.85:1
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH, French
Extras: Director, Actor, Writer Commentary, Deleted/Extended Scenes, Lighting the Fuse, The '70s: Back in Action, The Comic-Con Experience, Movie IQ, Trailers
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Scott Sanders
Cast: Michael Jai White, Salli Richardson, Arsenio Hall, Kevin Chapman, Tommy Davidson
Genre: Comedy
Length: 84 minutes
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Photo By: Courtesy of Gina Viscusi Elson
Finding creative options for boys bedrooms may take more effort, so work with them to integrate the colors and themes they suggest.
Summer is a great time to begin a remodel. With school vacation approaching, what better way to engage and expand your children's horizons than to involve them in the process?
No matter which room you choose to renovate, allow children to express their opinions and articulate their style.
Your children may not be interested in a kitchen or great-room remodel, but they get excited about changes to a family room, playroom or their bedroom.
Guide them to houzz.com, a site that invites visitors to create an idea board of styles, colors and items they like, encouraging their computer and design skills. As children "pin" pictures of inspiration, they will begin to express their emerging style, which you can help translate into a design for the space.
Once they have developed an idea book, sit down as a family and let them show off their dream space. Ask them questions about the colors they selected and communicate your excitement and appreciation for their efforts. Then discuss how to make their ideas reality. This could open up entire conversations on coordination, geometry, spatial recognition, budgeting and other life skills. Interior design teaches and reinforces many educational concepts.
Incorporating a child's ideas
My firm, Viscusi Elson Design Group, is currently designing a room for my 10-year-old son. Through the process, we discovered a hole in the design field: the overlooked boy. There are abundant products for girls – colors, clothes, toys, fabric and bedding options. Finding unique and creative solutions for boys takes much more effort.
When I asked my son about his dream bedroom, I was pleasantly surprised that he had many ideas. He had strong opinions on keeping certain aspects of his room the same but was easily willing to let go of others.
His list comprised something like this: cars, army, kittens, American flag, moose antlers and a different color on every wall.
Too many ideas, or eclectic choices, may make parents nervous. To help understand their selections and consolidate them into a cohesive design, ask your children what the colors make them feel, why they like a certain product or how they would reuse an existing element. You can easily transition some boyhood furniture to tween-appropriate items with a simple change of color.
During a meeting with my son, he blurted out, "Fatheads! I want a Fathead!" Because I had no idea what a "Fathead" was, he explained that they are life-sized, transferrable stickers of many themes. My son also said he wanted to incorporate his pride in his father, who recently left on a tour of duty, and his love of NASCAR into his new room. He mentioned that there was an Army-sponsored NASCAR, and we were fortunately able to find a 7-inch Fathead of it.
It was significantly more challenging to include my son's affection for kittens, guinea pigs and, well, anything with fur. We decided to keep a couple of his favorite stuffed animals and hung a furry-friends-themed calendar above his desk. Above the calendar, we plan to add a shelf where he can showcase awards, trophies, handmade objects, collectibles and more.
A blue camouflage bedspread, a star pillow and modern American flag drapery complement my son's design with a slightly more sophisticated feel, easily transitioning his environment to suit a teen in a few years.
You want just enough playful elements mixed in with the personal and practical, so, most of all, have fun with that liberating philosophy. Play with wall color (it's just paint) and artwork as you celebrate your child's transition to tween and beyond.
Some ideas may sound crazy and wild, but let your children explore and experiment. If they struggle to find inspiration, set a time to help. Browse magazines or go online to create an idea book together. If all else fails, call a member of our design team.
Stay tuned to see where the moose antlers end up.
Gina Viscusi Elson, owner of Viscusi Elson Design Group and Rutt of Los Altos Custom Cabinetry, is an award-winning interior designer with more than 20 years of experience. Her new showroom is located at 147 Main St., Los Altos.


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|Yardley, Pa.
|High School:
|Chemical Engineering
2011: NEWMAC Second Team All-Conference (200 Back) … solid first season as a backstroke and individual medley swimmer … posted seven finishes among the top-three in the 100 back during the regular season … top time of 59.68 came at the MIT Invitational (12/2) … finished in the top-three every time out in the 200 back … 2:07.75 at the MIT Invitational … second in the 200 IM against Colby (1/14) … won the 400 IM at the Wheaton Invitational (2/4) … fifth at the NEWMAC Championships in the 200 IM with a time of 2:12.73 … fourth in the 100 back with a 59.33 … moved up to second in the 200 back with an NCAA B cut time of 2:06.66.
Out of the Pool at MIT: Majoring in chemical engineering with a concentration in education … conducted a UROP at the Scheller Teacher and Education Program … was the Amphibious Achievement Co-Academic Coordinator for IAP in the Prather Lab … Mentor Corps Chair of Amphibious Achievement.
High School: A 2011 graduate of Pennsbury High School … outstanding swimmer award … Highpoint winner … captain of the swim team … Quill and Scroll … National Honor Society … Spanish Honor Society.
Personal: Daughter of Jenny and Seven He.


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County sells land for $1
Nothing left to Overton deal except paperwork
LEXINGTON—If the dollar bill Joe Zerr laid on the table at the Dawson County commissioners meeting on Thursday was all it took to settle the question of ownership of a small piece of land in Overton, then adding onto his home would have been far less stressful.
But the dollar Zerr paid for the 24-by-60 piece of land after a public auction during the monthly county board meeting was small beans compared to the time and money he's spent trying to figure out how the county could own a tiny piece of land and not know it.
Zerr first asked the county about the land in September.
During the legal process to make an addition to his home at the south end of the railroad walk-over, Zerr learned he does not own a portion of the land he believed was his.
He told commissioners he had mowed the grass and maintained the lot for at least 10 years believing it was his.
In fact, a corner of his garage already sits on the lot in question.
Apparently the county acquired the land during a tax sale back in the early 1960s but didn't realize it.
After Zerr questioned the county, commissioners followed the legal requirements of surveying, determining value and auctioning the land.
Zerr was the only one to bid.
In other county action, commissioners agreed to allow a small portion of the hike-bike trail route on the north end of Johnson Lake to be constructed on county right-of-way.
Ron Fowler, a representative of the trails committee, told commissioners 8 feet of the trail will be on county right-of-way near where Road 751 meets Lakeshore Marina.
The entire trail will be owned and maintained by Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District.
In other business, the county board:
heard the monthly road department update from superintendent Jon Mooberry and passed a resolution to allow him to conduct a study of Drive 431 in the northeast section of the county to determine if the road should be vacated.
received notice from county treasurer Sharon Wood that $63,000 in uncollected real estate taxes, mostly from mobile homes, would be issued in distress warrants for the sheriff's department to attempt to collect. The amount last year was roughly $101,000.
learned from commissioner Bill Stewart of Lexington that progress is being made on the county's possible purchase of the Council for Economic Development building located on Sixth Street in Lexington but no action was taken.
Stewart said the building would provide climate controlled storage for county files currently kept in the old jail building as well as office space for departments now renting in other areas.
Stewart said the size of the building would allow the county to eliminate any areas currently rented outside the courthouse, such as Health and Human Services.
A contract could be considered at the Nov. 15 meeting.
reviewed general assistance policies with Dwana Flaige from Health and Human Services.
Flaige told commissioners that as long as they follow state statutes, they can administer the general assistance program however they like, including require cremation for deaths covered under the program.
Typically, people apply for general assistance from the county to cover expenses while they wait for approval from Social Security for supplemental security income. Flaige said that period ranges from two to six months.
discussed results of a meeting between officials from Dawson County Transit and Kearney RYDE. Commissioner Dennis Rickertsen said the county transit advisory committee will consider agreements between the two, as well as cities involved, that would provide a more broad service area and more efficient service.
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August 25, 2013 11:31:21 AM
Army Pvt. Georgio D. Cunningham has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.
During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.
Cunningham is a 2008 graduate of Columbus High School.
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I am impressed by Chevrons initiative to improve the land around its well site through the use of livestock.
The method used by Loni Malmberg and her sons (Herald, Oct. 24) has been used to regenerate grasslands in arid and semi-arid lands around the world. The pastoralists I have worked with in Africa during the last seven years are quite keen on the practice: it uses resources they have at hand; it respects tradition; it improves their grazing lands; and it enhances their livelihood. Its great to see an industrial giant adopting the same practice in our backyard for many of the same reasons.
For the sake of our land and for the sake of those who make a living from it, a common misperception must be corrected one that hinders effective, large-scale land regeneration. Namely, livestock are not the cause of land degradation. More correctly, it is the way we manage livestock that is the cause of land degradation. To compare, think of who we hold responsible for common automobile accidents: Is it the car or the operator?
Working from this enlarged perspective we do better and see natural solutions to environmental problems that are within our grasp. This includes grazing practices that mimic nature such as bunched herds moving across the landscape and returning only after the plants have recovered. This practice has improved biodiversity on millions of acres worldwide and has helped many ranchers in the West prosper through the years. It has been used on mine reclamation sites and is applicable to most any disturbed or degraded land.
Ive done graduate work in rangeland ecosystem science, studied in plant and soil sciences and trained in holistic resource management but none of that matters to the pastoral herders with whom I work. What has mattered to them is they are now improving their livelihood through the same applied practices that Chevron has recently employed on its sites.
I will say this approach is not a silver bullet, but it is an effective process worth doing. I do not find it hard to believe that individuals and corporations are using hooves to heal the land. To the contrary, I find it hard to believe that more people are not doing so.
Craig Leggett


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Going, going, gone
Farmland values continue to soar
Sales near Gothenburg more than $10,000 an acre.
Drive past a property south of Lexington and you'll see a sign advertising irrigated farm ground for $18,000 an acre.Closer to home, irrigated portions of three agricultural properties near Gothenburg recently sold for more than $10,000 an acre.
One farm and ranch land broker described the first asking price as incomprehensible and the second transactions as unbelievable.
John Childears, president of Agri Affiliates, Inc. of North Platte, a company that sells farm and ranch properties, was quick to point out that the prices are extreme.
Rising farmland values for irrigated, non irrigated and rangeland are still surprising.
"Never in my life have prices been like they have the last three years," he said.
Land values up 32%
Agricultural land values shot up 32% from February 2011 to 2012, according to Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Highlights 2011-12, which represents the largest annual increase over the 34-year history of the Nebraska land market.
Although land values began inching up in 2002, Childears said increases were much higher than normal in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Dawson County assessor John Moore agreed.
"The sky's the new limit," Moore said, noting that buyers get much better return investing in land than in the stock market.
Childears said sellers not wanting to pay a higher percentage in capital gains tax is one reason sales surged in the past several months, particularly at the end of 2012.
Moore said the number of sales could've been a reaction to the fiscal cliff.
Low interest rates dissuade investors
With low interest rates on investments, Childears said many folks choose to put their money in real estate.
"They're not comfortable with the political or the national economic situation," he explained. "Real estate is a safe haven."
Because of that feeling of security, the broker said people might spend more per acre but gain a 3% to 4% return a year plus an opportunity for the land to appreciate if they keep it for a few years.
Moore quipped that land values are high because "they're not making any more land."
"It's a good investment compared to everything else because if you've got money sitting there, there's no decent return."
Buyers of ag land even two years ago will make a tidy profit by selling, Moore said.
In addition, irrigated crops did well this season thanks to record-high grain prices.
"Irrigation costs were higher but grain prices were good so there was money to invest," Childears said.
Buyers of land mostly local
More than 80% of the buyers involved with Agri Affiliates have been farmers or ranchers within a 20- to 30-mile radius of the property, Childears said.
"There's hasn't been the influence of investors coming in like maybe we've seen in the central Corn Belt," he said.
Moore and Childears said most of buyers are local or area farmers who want to add to or complete sections they already own.
Childears likened farming and sales to running a factory; farmers are buying more acres to increase the production capacity of their operations.
According to a Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Developments Survey, buyers of agricultural real estate in 2011 fit the following categories for a central area of the state (including Dawson, Custer, Buffalo, Hall, Sherman, Howard, Greeley and Valley counties.)
Seventy-six were active farmer/ranchers, 10 were local non-farmers, 12 were non-local state residents and only two listed as out-of-state buyers.
Of agricultural land in the county, Moore said about 50% is range and non-irrigated acres and 50% is irrigated.
However with 80% of the value, the farm sector pays 45% of the county's tax bill.
Such high prices in the farm sector have caused a shift in taxation to where the value is, he said, which means those involved in farming and ranching will pay a higher tax bill.
At some point, both Moore and Childears expect prices to level off.
But when is questionable.
Childears pointed to conditions in the 1980s when too much money was loaned and borrowed. Interest rates ranged from 18% to 22% and, within a 12-month period, farm and ranch land experienced a devaluation of 65%.
Situation different than in 1980s
Today is a different scenario.
"Lenders are more cautious and borrowers have more cash so there's little or no financing on a lot transactions," he explained, noting that only about 25% to 30% of the purchase price is borrowed compared to 65% to 75% in the 1980s.
As a result, Childears said he expects a 5% to 15% adjustment in land values when the market changes.
"I don't conceive a drop because it's a different scenario," he said.
Moore said he thought the drought would negatively affect grass prices in 2012 but it didn't happen.
The irony, according to Childears, is that range and dry land appreciated at an unbelievable rate in addition to irrigated property.
"It was dramatic for non-irrigated and dry land in spite of the drought," he said.
Childears, who owns cattle, pointed out that the bull's eye of the drought in the nation's mid-section is in Nebraska.
"I'm scared to death of how 2013 will play out in precipitation relative to range and dry land," he said.
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- Middle-of-the-Pack Finishes For Swede Boys and Girls
- Girls Show Support for Teacher's Cancer Fight


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Leslie Vibrato TonePrint by Audley Freed
Get classic rotary speaker sounds with Audley Freed's Leslie TonePrint for Shaker Vibrato
Get the TonePrint Now
Have an iOS or Android device? Use the TonePrint AppDownload the TonePrint EditorLeslie Vibrato TonePrint by Audley Freed
Other TonePrints by Audley Freed
TC: Who inspired you over the years when you were creating your own personal guitar tone? Audley: Well, nobody. What really did it for me was the AM radio when I was a kid, just hearing hit songs on the radio. That was back when you could hear a lot of different music on one station. For whatever reason we all have spirit, you know, DNA, whatever you want to call it, that always spoke to me even before I realized it was speaking to me. That just made a big impact on me as far as to drawing me in to being interested in music, and once I started playing I obviously got deeper and deeper and deeper into music. I will say that was the thing that initially got me started. It wasn't just one song that made me go "I got to be a musician".
TC: What are the main ingredients in your tone in terms of effects (e.g. chorus, flanger, delay, etc.)? Audley: Not too much really. I have a tuner – obviously - and some kind of boost pedal and one more overdrive, like a mild boost, which I might leave on when I switch between a Telecaster and a Les Paul, and a tremolo and a delay. If a gig requires a volume pedal and/or a compressor, I use that, but I usually don't unless it's required.
TC: Have you ever been so inspired by a tone you created that you ended up writing a tune based on that specific tone? Audley: Well, sure. No honestly, maybe not, because I usually play with an acoustic guitar or without an amp when I'm at home practicing or playing, you can hit your guitar as hard as you like without being plugged in and worrying about the sound. So I rely more on feel, it almost impeaches me to play.
TC: Do you work on developing your tone continuously, or do you feel that you have found a fundamental tone that will last throughout your career? Audley: No, I don't do that at all. I like to play more than turning knobs, that's just not in my personality.
TC: Normally, do you prefer having access to many parameters, or do you like simple pedals with just a few knobs better? Audley: The simpler the better, that goes for amps and pedals. I've tried things with 5000 knobs, but I just can't do with those. Streamline it. Keep it simple.
TC: How come you signed up for creating your own personal TonePrints? Audley: My good friend Chris (laughs). When I plugged in the delay, it sounded awesome. You can tweak in a thousand ways, but that don't matter if it didn't sound good.
TC: In your opinion, what is the single coolest thing about TonePrints? Audley: It sounds good. The flexibility is well and good, but if it doesn't sound good, it doesn't matter.
TC: How long did it take before you were satisfied with the result? Audley: It went really quickly. With the Flashback Delay & Looper, and the Shaker Vibrato it didn't take more than 5 minutes.Read more about Audley Freed


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Stock index futures fell on Friday as President Barack Obama and top lawmakers planned to make a last-ditch effort at budget talks to prevent the United States from going over the "fiscal cliff."
Obama and lawmakers will meet at the White House Friday afternoon for talks before a New Year's deadline to keep large tax hikes and spending cuts from taking effect and threatening the economy with recession.
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Investors showed their skepticism about a deal coming in time as the benchmark S&P 500 index was on track for a fifth straight decline.
"Obviously all eyes will be on Washington and the headlines coming out of Washington will dictate today's market movement," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital in New York.
"You do have some economic data coming in, but the market is probably not going to pay much attention to that. The big thing is whether Washington will reach a deal by Monday."
U.S. stocks fell for a fourth straight session on Thursday but managed to recover most of their earlier losses after the House of Representatives, in the barest sign of progress, said it would return to Washington on Sunday night to work on avoiding the cliff.
Highlighting market sensitivity to cliff headlines, on Thursday stocks fell more than 1 percent earlier after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid warned a deal was unlikely before the deadline.
With many market participants away for the holiday-shortened week, volume is expected to remain light, which could exacerbate market swings.
S&P 500 futures fell 8.5 points and were below fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures lost 67 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 12.5 points.
Economic data expected on Friday includes Chicago PMI for December at 9:45 a.m. while the National Association of Realtors issues Pending Home Sales for November at 10 a.m. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a reading of 51 for the main PMI index and a 1 percent rise in pending home sales.
MagicJack Vocaltec Ltd forecast over $39 million in GAAP revenue and over 70 cents per share in operating income for the fourth quarter and appointed Gerald Vento president and CEO, effective January 1.
European shares drifted lower in thin trade on Friday, showing little faith among investors that new talks can avert at least some version of a New Year budget crunch in the United States.
The yen fell to its lowest level in more than two years, lifting Japanese stocks to 21-month highs on expectations of drastic monetary easing, while shares in the rest of Asia rose as Washington races to avoid a fiscal crisis.
(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Kenneth Barry)


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Doggone tech: Home automation targets people separated from their pets
Suzanne Couillard works from home, so it's "huge" for her beloved cats when she has to travel. To cushion the blow, the Alberta woman has long employed a pet-sitter to spend an hour a day playing with, and caring for, her feline companions.
That expensive arrangement came to an abrupt end, however, when Couillard learned the visits were topping out at five minutes – a discovery made possible by a new home automation system, which logs entrance and exit times at the front door.
"I really thought that they were getting the attention they needed, and they clearly weren't. That was the saddest part," said Couillard, who lives near Edmonton. "When you have pets, they're like your kids."
Forbes recently named home automation a key housing-sector trend to watch in 2013, with the global industry projected to grow to $35.6 million – up 111 per cent over 2011 – in the next three years. And tapping into people's concern for their pets is increasingly becoming a way for security companies to seal the deal.
Worried about Fido's wellbeing while you're at work? Check on him via surveillance camera. Sudden drop in outdoor temperature? Remotely crank up the thermostat so your Mexican Hairless doesn't get chilled. Need to let in a pet-sitter? Unlock the door using only a smartphone.
Home automation provider Vivint devotes an entire pag of its website to pet owners who want to keep tabs on their animals from afar. In 2012, nearly seven in 10 of the company's roughly 70,000 residential security customers in Canada purchased one or more of these home automation features.
"We're going at this aggressively as the market develops," said Craig Pyle, director of product management. "A lot of our customers have pets and want to take the best care of them."
At the mainstream level, the residential technology is still in its infancy, so solutions tailor-made for pets are few. Companies selling home automation, however, are actively advertising ways that their existing products can assist pet owners.
Ontario's Mara Shapiro, who likens her dogs to toddlers, says her Rogers home automation system has become as much a lifestyle tool as a security solution.
"It lets me be extra lazy," said Shapiro, laughing. "If the dogs are going nuts at the front door, I can just look on the camera and see what they're barking at. Are they barking at nothing – because, you know, people aren't allowed to walk across the street without permission from my dogs – or is someone trying to drop off a package?"
Whether pet monitoring has enduring appeal is another question, according to independent security consultant Chris McGoey. He dismisses it as "a marketing gimmick to justify the purchase" of gadgetry.
"Video surveillance is a rare application for most homeowners, and those who actually use the remote viewing technology after purchasing a system are few in number once the novelty wears off," said McGoey, a crime-prevention author. "In short, it's an adult toy."
Certainly, automation's pet perks are just that: a complement to more essential security functions that aid with everything from property management to home safety. But insiders like Pyle say that niche markets, such as animal lovers, are essential to the industry's continued growth.
Edmonton's David Robinson, who owns two dogs, three cats, and three guinea pigs, says his Vivint system is especially useful when his family is on vacation.
"We adore our pets. It would be stressful for me if I didn't know they were ok," said Robinson, whose pet-sitter gains access to the home via a temporary door code. "Essentially, it's peace of mind."
Connected Pets
SpotLite 2.0: A GPS pet-tracker advertised as ensuring that "owners are always connected to their pets." Locate your dog from any smartphone or computer, and receive text alerts when the animal leaves designated safe spots. Launching in Canada this year.
Vuezone Petcam: Remote video monitoring for pet owners who want to keep an eye on their animals from a smartphone or computer.
iCam: A smartphone app that allows remote pet monitoring via live video and webcam feeds. Sends text alerts when your dog is on the move, or if someone enters the recorded area.
Puppy Tweets: In 2010, Mattel introduced a dog collar attachment that, upon sensing barking or movement by the animal, posted one of hundreds of canned tweets to Twitter. For example, "I bark because I miss you. There, I said it. Now hurry home." It was since been discontinued.


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House will reopen for public tours in November after a seven-month hiatus triggered by federal budget cuts.
Starting on November 5, tours of the East Wing and executive residence portions of the White House will resume for three days a week, rather than five.
The popular tours were shut down last March after $85 billion in spending cuts kicked in and Secret Service officials could not provide sufficient personnel for the tours.
Secret Service spokesman Robert Novy said the agency was able to find money for the tours based on appropriations from a budget bill, known as a continuing resolution, that ended a 16-day government shutdown on Thursday.
"In light of the new fiscal year, the Secret Service is confident that, through the continuing resolution, tours can operate on a limited schedule while still meeting operational requirements," he said.
(Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Doina Chiacu)


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Wednesday, December 18: Indie Showcase
Wednesday, December 18: Indie Showcase
Have you heard of the Bridgewater Triangle? Do you know about the strange happenings in the Hockomock Swamp? Tonight two filmmakers join us to talk about their documentary The Bridgewater Triangle that delves into the paranormal and the just plain weird. Plus … there was a time when Kenmore Square was not so squeaky clean as it is today. Let's Go to the Rat takes us back to those halcyon, hazy days.
The Bridgewater Triangle is a documentary about strange animal encounters, ghostly presences and UFO sightings in a 200 square-mile section of southeastern Massachusetts.
Let's Go to the Rat recalls the halycon days of Boston's most memorable music club, Kenmore Square's the Rathskeller.


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Scoop: CELEBRITY WIFE SWAP on ABC - Saturday, March 16, 2013
"Kate Gosselin / Kendra Wilkinson" -- Reality TV mom Kate Gosselin ("Kate Plus 8") and former Playboy Magazine cover girl Kendra Wilkinson (ABC's "Splash") will trade lives for one week on ABC's hit reality series, "Wife Swap," SATURDAY, MARCH 16 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 2/26/13)
In the series, two mothers of celebrity families, each with opposing values, trade households, lifestyles and children (but not bedrooms) in a week-long challenge. In the first part of the exchange, each mom moves into the other's home and agrees to follow a manual of "household rules" written by the departing mother, including how to parent, manage their social life, do house work, unwind and more. Everything changes in the second half of the week, when "new mommy" takes charge, introduces her own set of rules and runs the "nest" her way. At the end of the week the two couples meet for the first time. In a raw, honest and highly-charged exchange of views, the couples will make frank assessments of each other and discuss their experiences, having had a very real taste of what life would be like in someone else's family.
Reality TV mom Kate Gosselin lives with her eight children in rural Pennsylvania. As a single mother raising twin Girls Cara and Mady (12) and eight-year-old sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel, Kate lives by a rigid set of home rules. She cooks, cleans and shops, all while working to support her family.
Kendra Wilkinson, perhaps best known as a Playboy Magazine cover girl and Hugh Hefner's former girlfriend, resides in Los Angeles with former-NFL husband Hank and their four-year-old son, Hank IV, aka "Little Hank." Kendra and Hank have a very relaxed parenting Style in which they allow "Little Hank" the freedom to learn and grow without any harsh guidelines. Hank is a supportive husband who pampers his wife by cooking for her, helping out around the house and planning "girls' nights out" for Kendra and friends. The family also has a full-time housekeeper/nanny, Rosa, who runs the household so that Kendra can relax during the day and enjoy her free time.
When Kate touches down in Los Angeles, she tries to get used to relaxing -- an entirely new concept to this working mom of eight. Meanwhile Kendra struggles, plunging head-first into the chaos of caring for eight kids. It's a comic turn of events as Kendra tries to put all the kids to bed while Kate is treated to a girls' night out. As the week progresses, Kendra continues to juggle all of her new responsibilities while Kate relishes her "me" time, far away from household chores and obligations.
"Celebrity Wife Swap" is produced by Zodiak USA. Natalka Znak, Claire O'Donohoe and Bruce Toms serve as executive producers. The series is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HD format, with 5.1-channel sound. This program carries a TV-PG parental guideline.


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Thomas Kessler
b. 1937
born in 1937 in Zurich * studies German and Romanic linguistics at the Universities of Zurich and Paris and composition with Heinz Friedrich Hartig, Ernst Pepping and Boris Blacher in Berlin where he founded his own electronic studio in 1965 * in the following years director of the Berlin Electronic Beat Studio and musical director of the Centre Universitaire International de Formation et de Recherche Dramatiques in Nancy * from 1973 until 2000 taught composition and theory at the Basel Music Academy and created the well-known electronic studio there * founded the festival "Tage für Neue Musik" in Zurich, together with Gerard Zinsstag, and the live-electronic music festival "ECHT!ZEIT" with Wolfgang Heiniger in Basel * as composer he is especially interested in the interactions between musicians and electronics * wrote numerous instrumental chamber music, orchestral music and live-electronic music compositions * lives in Basel and Toronto * Swiss Music Prize 2018
Works by Thomas Kessler include
Utopia II (2010/11) for orchestra (in 5 groups) with live-electronics
, said the shotgun to the head. (2003/04) for rapper, chorus and orchestra
Aufbruch (1989/90) for orchestra and five computers
Drumphony (1981) for percussion, live-electronics and orchestra
Boletines electrónicos
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Many "risk-on" asset classes are soaring this morning as better than expected housing data and Obama's stated confidence on striking a deal to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff" scenario is giving stock bulls a reason to start buying again.
The DEC 12 E-mini S&P 500 is up around 1.38% this morning, essentially moving straight up for two days in a row since finding a recent bottom below 1350. We have stated that 1350 might be a magnet or pivot level, and now the market is trading above this key level. Another very key level in this market is 1373, and this morning bulls pushed the market above this level as well.
We also notice that the precious metals complex is rallying with silver, copper and palladium leading the way up. Palladium is the strongest of the precious metals arena, trading up 2.54%. In the energy markets, crude oil and heating oil are rocketing upward with crude futures up more than $2 at +2.38% and heating oil up almost 8 cents at 2.54%.
The grains markets are rallying as a whole, but we think this is more because of outside market activity and oversold levels being corrected, rather than any major fundamental shift in grain market expectations. Oat futures are the strongest of the bunch, trading up 3.51%. Soybean futures have indeed found buyers below the key $14 level. Jan13 Soybeans got all the way down to the $13.70s and now have touched $14 level this morning. We look for $14 to be a solid support area going forward.


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CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - The Complete Fifth Season (US - DVD R1)
Gabe investigates more crime scenes in the fifth season of the popular show...
I'm sure by now you've all heard of the mega-hit CBS series called CSI. For the rock dwellers out there, I'll sum up the pitch. In the gritty streets of Sin City, USA—otherwise known as Las Vegas—a group of CSI detectives (that stands for Crime Scene Investigation, rock dwellers) fight murder with science. Occasionally they fight murder with more murder, but usually it's with science. Utilizing an armoury of tools and tricks, they can track down any killer, anytime, anywhere. They never fail. Ever.
In fact, it gets a little old after a while. Sure, there's the occasional collateral damage or unnecessary victim, but for the most part they get their man, or woman, or in the case of one episode, man-woman. Somewhere along the line there's sure to be an experiment montage, where our heroes (usually lead hero, Gil Grissom) analyze a piece of evidence with an array of elixirs and toys, usual set to a 'hip' song by the latest 'happening' band, or at least what the producers equivalent to such a band. These montages have more in common with Vegas Strip magic acts than actual hard science, but I'm sure that the results could stand up to a real life professional's extreme scrutiny (end sarcasm here).
Stylistically, CSI is a circus side show, or freak show if you will. Full of candy-coated lighting, music video editing, and out-of-focus backgrounds, CSI's chief distinguishing trait is its look, rather than its writing. I can see it now, producer Jerry Bruckheimer is sitting in his office pondering future projects when he realizes three important facts: he likes David Fincher movies, he wants to work in television, and that forensic show on cable is pretty popular. He speaks to other 'creative' types who simply nod to avoid a pink slip, and hires the best Fincher wannabes money can buy, and then burns all the wide-angle lenses and natural lighting in a hundred mile radius.
The 'how'd-it-happen' flashes would be the most innovative thing on television, if I hadn't seen it done in Fight Club and Three Kings first. Still, computer generated extreme close-ups of evidence are pretty cool, especially when accompanied by whirring surround sound. I'm especially fond of any ECUs when it comes to knife-in-flesh action. The way over stylized, blurry crime flashbacks I could do without.
I do have to give most of the cast credit for making the best of what seems to be the same thing every week. Special notice should be made of William Peterson team leader Grissom, and the criminally overlooked Gary Dourdon as token black guy Warrick Brown. Both actors have been trudging their way through bit parts for years, and I'm happy they've found such great success as two of the most watched men in America. Their actual characters aren't all that deep, unfortunately, and can be summed up pretty quickly; Peterson is the archetypal, literature quoting, cool-as-a-cucumber boss man (see: Morgan Freeman), and Dourdon is…um…the token black guy.
But I'm being unnecessarily mean-spirited here. CSI is not the worst show on television, in fact its popularity may speak well for the general American intelligence level. It's a predictable show, but not a dumb one. I get the obsession, but don't share it in this case.
I found myself constantly shocked by the level and frankness of violence in each episode. The drippy, literally gut-wrenching autopsy sequences would be right at home in a low budget, Italian gore-quickie, and the claret haemorrhaging flashbacks would easily earn the series an R rating, had they been theatrically released. I'm not one to shy away from gore, inversely, bring it on, but there does seem to be a little problem with the FCC's instance on censoring nudity and 'dirty words', while allowing such carnage in prime time without batting an eye (personally, and unrelated to this review, I've no problem with television being as violent and sexy as possible, I just have a problem with hypocritical censorship).
…And then I watched the Tarantino episodes. Everything changed. At first, I had assumed that Tarantino's involvement with the two episode season finale would be nothing more than an amusing little gimmick, something that would be more fun than an average episode, but nothing earth shattering. I was wrong. Not only is the two part episode the best CSI episode I've ever seen, it actually manages to be an important edition to the director's collective work.
I was a late addition to the Tarantino fan club. I don't really like Reservoir Dogs, and think Pulp Fiction was one third great, one-third good, and one third mediocre. Even though I'm huge fan of Jackie Brown,it really wasn't until I saw the Kill Bill series that I realized the man's genius. After reading his enthusiastic interviews in publications like Fangoria, I realized he was twice the Grindhouse geek I'd ever be. With Kill Bill, he was able to visit all his (and my) favourite Grindhouse mainstays; Blacksploitation, Spaghetti Westerns, Revenge, Gore, Kung Fu, Samurai, and Yakuza, but one genre was only hinted at in one sequence, lurid Italian thrillers, also known as Giallos (for the yellow covers of such books). QT regularly states Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci, and second generation Giallist Brian DePalma as some of his greatest influences. Here, he finally has a chance to pay homage to them properly, and has completed his first proper Giallo.
As I said in my review of The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Argento's first film, CSI owes just as much to the Giallo genre as it does to the ever-growing number of reality based forensic shows. It seems Tarantino recognized this when preparing his episode. The biggest queues are pretty hard to miss, if you know what you're looking for. The killer bating Agent Stokes at the beginning of the episode appears out of nowhere when Stokes leans over to pick up evidence, a shot used most effectively in DePalma's Raising Cain, and Argento's Tenebre. The early flashback to an unrelated murder case involves a black-gloved killer, gleefully caressing weapons in extreme close-up, a common genre cliché. The buried alive motif is the bases of several genre classics, including Tarantino favourite, Seven Notes in Black. My personal favourite, and most cherished of these references is the employment of John Saxon as the bad guy, a legend of exploitation cinema, and star of some of Italy's greatest scary exports. Also keep your eyes peeled for the drunken shlub in the 'Fulci Lives' t-shirt.
From the standpoint of the show's development, Tarantino manages to make these painfully two-dimensional characters act downright human by putting one of their own in harm's way. No longer can these jaded death investigators hide behind their apathetic ability to separate themselves from the victim. Here, in these episodes, these great actors finally come to life. The Bruckheimer aesthetics are somewhat skewed in favour of longer takes, more graceful camera movies, and slightly less neon lighting, however, even Quentin Tarantino isn't immune from the allure of a science montage, and the episodes have their fair share.
By giving the plot and editing some room to breath, and delving head first into the character's humanity and fear, Tarantino managed to quell my initial intolerance and appreciate the other episodes on the disc, for without them, I wouldn't have the proper anchorage to appreciate the characters. Good job, then, he made this non-believer enjoy the show on a much higher level, and made the best Dario Argento movie in about fifteen years.
These DVDs look really, truly, quite good. This is as close as I've ever been to true HDTV, as I'm not willing to pay extra money to get it from my local satellite provider. The show itself tends to be intentionally grainy from scene to scene, but the crystal clear establishing shots that follow every commercial break are incredible. The gaudy colour pallet is intense and bright without much blooming or vibrating. Dark levels are deep with out too much grain, and almost no low-level noise. The grain itself is even sharp, and never veers into noisy, even during the Tarantino segment, which is almost certainly the roughest. There was an issue, made clearer to me as I view my screen caps, with the black levels. For the most part the series looks fine, but on higher quality television sets this problem is prevalent.
I'm assuming the show is recorded for HD broadcast, which coupled with its recent vintage, makes for one of the smoothest DVD transfers I've ever seen, and far and away the finest TV on DVD transfer I've ever seen. The only discs in my collection I can think of with finer (as in detail) transfers are of the Pixar and Star Wars prequel verities.
Matching the spectacular video is a spectacular audio presentation. Every episode is arranged into an aggressive Dolby Digital 5.1 track. Though the show itself isn't the most action packed on television, the sound track still manages to pack a wallop. The super exaggerated sound effects, mostly utilized during the mind-bending, scientific close-ups, and other crime scene flashbacks are encompassing. The (usually obnoxious) music is evenly dispersed, if not a little too loud on some episodes, and even manages a few whip-smart surround moments, like the repeating keyboard effect found in The Who's 'Who Are You', which is the painfully obvious credit song. If I were looking for something to bellyache about it'd be the occasionally low volume dialogue.
Like most television sets I've come across over the years, CSI's special features are pretty much only there to be advertised ('Buy the seven disc set, bursting with extras, this Tuesday', the sonorous commercial guy voice booms). What we get is a handful of limp featurettes and audio commentary on nine of the twenty five episodes. Grave Danger is not one (or in this case two) of the nine, which is unfortunate. The commentaries we do get are about as dry as the Sahara, and really meant for hard-core fans of the series (i.e.: not me). Most if the directors and writers sound pretty reluctant to be in the booth, and focus mostly on either obvious facts ('we were trying to build tension here') or technical jargon that I couldn't really care less about. Honestly, I may have a bit of a skewed opinion here, because by the time I got to the commentary tracks, I was pretty tired of watching CSI all together.
The first two featurettes, CSI Season 5: A Post-Mortem and The Research of CSI: Maintaining the Accuracy, are basically throw away commercials for the series, though Maintaining the Accuracy does reveal some of the liberties the series takes with the facts, and reminded me of the documentary style cable forensic shows I enjoy more than CSI. It's nice to hear what the real, not so attractive investigators have to say about the series. CSI: Tarantino Style, was slightly more interesting, but mostly because I was personally most interested in seeing it. It recounts (shortly) how QT became involved, what it was like for the actors to work for him, and how the script was constructed. The final bit, CIS: Forensic Procedures on the Scene vs. on the Screen, is a collection of eight, even shorter featurettes that I found to be the most interesting of the set. These behind the scenes pieces are a solid glimpse into the tech of the show and its real life counterpart, and unfortunately infinitely more interesting than the characters or drama of the program.
I'm sorry CSI fans, this was my first contact with the show, and I'm not exactly moved. I appreciate the set-ups, actors, and loved the Tarantino directed episode, but couldn't see myself watching it on multiple occasions. The DVDs themselves are stellar, featuring the best video transfers I've ever seen from a television series, solid surround audio, and a decent collection of extras. In the end, I feel I've wasted my breath, as I'm sure all the most unyielding series patrons have probably already purchased this set. A note to series newbies: if see a recognizable actor in a small role, he or she is most likely involved somehow in the murder, and their role will enlarge by the end of the episode. Trust me.
Review by Gabriel Powers
This product has not been rated
Disc Details
Release Date: 29th November 2005
Discs: 7
Disc Type: Single side, dual layer
RCE: No
Video: NTSC
Aspect: 1.78:1
Anamorphic: Yes
Colour: Yes
Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English
Extras: Cast and Crew Commentaries on Nine Episodes, CSI Season 5: A Post-Mortem, The Research of CSI: Maintaining the Accuracy, CSI: Tarantino Style, CIS: Forensic Procedures on the Scene vs. on the Screen
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Various
Cast: William L. Petersen, Marg Helgenberger, Gary Dourdan, George Eads, Jorja Fox
Genre: Crime and Drama
Length: 1088 minutes
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[A]s Tito said, Coco is the incumbent. Coco played great defense last year and was a huge part of our run prevention. We allowed the fewest runs in baseball. ... He's got an opportunity to keep his job and go out and make an impact for this club again as an everyday player.Sean Casey is excited about the upcoming season.
February 22, 2008
Theo: CF Is Crisp's To Lose
It could be nothing more than posturing for prospective trade partners, but Theo Epstein says the centerfield job is Coco Crisp's to lose:
by allan at 6:40 PM
2 comments:
- 9casey said...
Didn't he already lose it....like in game 5 of the alcs?
- February 22, 2008 at 8:24 PM
- Jack Marshall said...
Exactly, 9C. Theo is lying through his teeth.
- February 22, 2008 at 11:35 PM
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Family sues over deadly collision outside Charlotte tavern
Family sues over deadly collision outside Charlotte tavern
The Ohio family of a man who died after he was struck by a car outside a Charlotte tavern has sued the business and a man accused of shoving the victim into the street.
The Charlotte Observer reported that Robert and Lori Kingston of Columbus, Ohio, are suing Ed's Tavern and Kenan Gay, who faces trial on second-degree murder charges next month.
Bobby Kingston died when he was struck by a car March 3, 2012.
His family says the tavern's bouncer failed to stop a confrontation between Gay and Kingston. It accuses Gay of dragging Kingston from the bar and shoving him into the street in front of a car.
Gay's attorneys say the allegations are untrue. They say Gay acted only after Kingston repeatedly harassed Gay's girlfriend.


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NEW YORK (AP) — Investing in bond mutual funds is easy. At least, that's the way it was for decades.
Investors could count on steady interest payments. Their funds also benefited from rising bond prices, because interest rates made a three-decade-long march downward since 1981. When yields fell, bond prices rose: Each step lower made the bonds held by mutual funds more attractive because they offered higher rates than newly issued bonds.
But the tide has shifted. Many analysts say we have hit a bottom for interest rates, and the yield on the 10-year Treasury note has climbed to 2.5 percent from 1.6 percent at the start of May
The rise in rates has led to losses for many bond mutual funds, and it's something that investors need to get used to, says Rick Rieder. He is chief investment officer of fundamental fixed income portfolios at BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager. He oversees $650 billion in assets, including BlackRock's Strategic Income Opportunities mutual fund (BASIX), which can own everything from long-term Treasurys to short-term corporate bonds to debt from emerging markets.
Q: What's a fair return that investors can expect from their primary bond mutual funds? Is not losing money too much to ask?
A: For the last 25 or 30 years, people have counted on bonds to provide their interest payments, plus a little bit of price appreciation. People have been investing with that expectation, and if you were just patient, your bond portfolio would work for you. The world has changed. The last couple of months were illustrative of how much the world has changed. It didn't take a big move in interest rates to send long-dated Treasurys down 12 percent over a two-month period.
It became evident, quickly, that returns in bond funds are going to be more volatile, even high-quality bonds. Over the coming couple of years, people should count on hopefully the coupon return, which in today's environment is a little over 2 percent, with a potential for it being in a moderately rising rate environment, which could mean zero or slightly negative returns.
Q: What's the worst-case scenario for bond funds? Could it be as bad as 2008 was for stock mutual funds, when the financial crisis meant the Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 37 percent?
A: I don't think you're going to see a crisis in bonds. Interest rates are not going to move up dramatically: We are in a low-inflation environment, global economic growth is slow, monetary policy is still very easy. I think what you'll see is an environment of gradually increasing rates, but that will lead to negative returns for a core, passive bond fund. Think of this year, where the average bond fund has had a 4 percent loss. That's a pretty big move.
Q: Does that mean that buying and holding a bond mutual fund is a bad idea now?
A: I think people are diversifying now to bond funds that can be flexible and tactical, which try to keep their sensitivity to interest rates down. They're not relying so much on government bonds. They're also investing in European bonds, at times, when valuations make sense. I think we live in a world where the way to make money in fixed income is to be flexible.
Q: Long-term bond mutual funds get hurt the most by rises in interest rates, because their holdings are locked into the lower rates for a longer period. Does it make sense for anyone to own a long-term bond fund today?
A: People should still own long-dated bonds, and core bond funds still make sense within a diversified portfolio. People haven't diversified as much over the prior few years as they should have, because they haven't had to. Not only have rates been trending down with slower growth, but you've had the Federal Reserve continue to push rates lower.
I don't say that you should sell all of your long-term bonds, but people should diversify to have less interest-rate sensitivity in their portfolio.
Q: How much more will the yield on the 10-year Treasury rise if the Federal Reserve slows its bond-buying stimulus program later this year, as many economists expect?
A: We think fair value on the 10-year is about 3 percent. So at today's levels, you've already eliminated two thirds of the distortion created by quantitative easing. As the Fed starts reducing, as you get into the beginning of next year, it could be in the low 3s.
For a more significant move, we would have to see a significant increase in inflation and the assumption that unemployment was improving dramatically, so that the Fed would have to move the federal funds rate. I don't think either of those is at our doorstep.
Q: Are there any widespread mistakes you see individual investors making?
A: People are very slow to recognize how different the world is going to be going forward. I think people underestimate that fixed income could be more volatile than the equity market, and historically we have never seen anything like that. I am surprised that people are still very comfortable with their traditional long-dated bonds.


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Rochester man faces up to life in prison on nine chargesBy JOHN QUINN
Union Leader Correspondent
March 20. 2013 10:11AM
DOVER - A 40-year-old man is facing nine charges for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend in Rochester last year.
Nathan A. Fisher, 40, of 16 Wakefield St., Apt. A, was charged with attempted murder, two counts of first-degree assault, three counts of criminal threatening, simple assault, false imprisonment and obstructing the report of a crime.
The charges stem from a Dec. 28 incident when Fisher allegedly hit his 38-year-old girlfriend in the head, grabbed her to prevent her from leaving the apartment, took her cellphone and used a knife to cut a three- to four-inch laceration in her neck while threatening to kill her and another woman, according to the indictments.
After entering the police station around 3:15 a.m. on the night of the incident, the girlfriend told officers she had been attacked. After she was sent to the hospital, police went to the nearby apartment where they found Fisher and discovered signs of a struggle in the kitchen. The couple's roommate told officers she was also threatened by Fisher, police said.
Fisher was placed in handcuffs but then experienced "medical complications" and was also transported to the hospital. He was charged after regaining consciousness several hours later. Bail was initially set at $50,000 cash.
A Strafford County grand jury handed up the indictments March 14.
Attempted murder could result in a maximum penalty of a life sentence and a $4,000 fine. Each count of first-degree assault is a Class A felony, which could each yield a sentence of 7½ to 15 years in prison and a $4,000 fine. Criminal threatening is a Class B felony and each count could result in up to 3 ½ to 7 years in prison and a $4,000 fine, while simple assault, false imprisonment, and obstructing the report of a crime are all Class A misdemeanors which could each yield a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Fisher is scheduled to appear for arraignment in Strafford County Superior Court March 28 at 9 a.m.


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For two decades a small group of Northeast Texas farmers, through a unique research organization, have funneled more than $750,000 into applied research and education designed to address special Blacklands crop conditions.
Since 1987, Cereal Crops Research Incorporated, CCRI, has donated funds for applied research in wheat, grain sorghum, corn and cotton. The organization also supports a student practicum course at Texas A&M-Commerce that allows students in agriculture majors to earn course credits and get hands-on experience in crop production. Students enrolled in the course make a crop, from land preparation through marketing.
"We're in our 20th year with CCRI," says current board chairman Maynard Cheek, a retired farmer from Farmersville, Texas. "In 1987, we saw a need for research projects that fit our farming conditions. Blacklands soils are different and we thought applied research focused on these conditions would help local farmers."
They set up the research organization in cooperation with East Texas State University in Commerce, now Texas A&M-Commerce, and worked with faculty agronomy professor Don Reid and Texas Extension Integrated Pest Management Specialist Jim Swart to design and carry out research efforts.
"We also saw a need to give agricultural undergraduates hands-on experience," Cheek says. "Most of our ag students now come from non-farm backgrounds and many don't know how to put in and take care of a crop."
Research goals have changed over the years, Cheek says, " so our emphasis changes. We started with cereal crops but we've also funded research on cotton, corn and milo. We stress what is important to area farmers. Wheat research has been extremely important to the area."
The CCRI board of directors consists of 13 members, only one of which is a full-time ag industry representative. One other farms and works in an agri-business.
Reid says cotton provides an excellent opportunity for the student practicum because it "requires so much management."
Keith McFarland, president of Texas A&M-Commerce, says the relationship with CCRI benefits the college as well as the local agricultural economy. "We appreciate all the support we get from CCRI," he says. McFarland says the agricultural program benefits from private individuals willing to help fund research and education efforts.
"CCRI provides a foundation for university outreach," Reid says.
McFarland was on hand recently when CCRI made its latest contribution to the research and education program, a gently used John Deere 6000 Hi-Cycle.
"John Loehr, with Ag Power Inc., Minneola, Texas, and Cheek presented the 60-foot boom sprayer to the program. Loehr says the 12-year old sprayer "in immaculate condition," cost $12,500.00. "A new one would be closer to $150,000," he says.
Cheek says funding for CCRI comes from area agri-businesses, which furnish seed and other inputs for research trials and the student crops program. Proceeds from the sale of cotton and grain crops go back into the program. Students get to keep any profits from their production, after paying back CCRI for seed, fertilizer, etc. If they lose money, they don't have to make up the difference.
"They're only out their time but they still gain a lot of experience and get course credit," Reid says.
Cheek says the program receives some grant dollars.
He says the economic impact CCRI has had on area farmers for the past 20 years is difficult to evaluate. "We've picked up a lot of new information on wheat varieties adaptable to our area," he says. "And growers on the board constantly look at the projects and adjust priorities. We try to speak for the entire ag industry in the area."
Current research includes poultry litter disposal and use as a fertilizer. "We're working with Pilgrim's Pride," Cheek says. "This project can be of tremendous value to the area. It could help the poultry industry get rid of waste and provide farmers with an economical source of fertilizer."
Swart says CCRI represents "a unique concept for funding applied research." Most of the research goes on cooperator farmer acreage.
"We started with nothing," Cheek says. "Some farmers started with no real backing on the first plots. Still, they thought it was a good idea."
"This is an ideal method of providing producers with non-biased data," Reid says. "We will work with anything that can make money for area farmers. If it helps a local farmer be more profitable, he'll buy more tires and equipment, so everyone benefits."
e-mail: [email protected]


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Cupressus macrocarpa
|Scope: Global
Language: English
|Scientific Name:
|Cupressus macrocarpa Hartw. ex Gordon
Common Name(s):
Hesperocyparis macrocarpa (Hartw. ex Gordon) Bartel
|Taxonomic Source(s):
|Farjon, A. 2010. A Handbook of the World's Conifers. Koninklijke Brill, Leiden.
|Red List Category & Criteria:
|Vulnerable D2 ver 3.1
|Year Published:
|Date Assessed:
|Farjon, A.
|Thomas, P.
The population, although small and with a limited area of occupancy (AOO), appears at present to be stable, with most trees now within protected areas safeguarded from further urban and other development. However, based on its AOO of only 13 km² calculated from herbarium specimen locality data and a grid of one km wide (its true AOO is likely to be less, not more) and the risk of fire, which could increase in future due to climate change, this species meets the criteria for Vulnerable under criterion D2.
|Previously published Red List assessments:
|Range Description:
|This species is found in the USA: California (near Monterey). Although it is widely planted and naturalized even in California, it has a very limited original natural distribution in Monterey County, California. The population occurs close to the coast.
|Countries occurrence:
Native:United States (California)
|Additional data:
|Range Map:
|Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
|Only two sub-populations are known to occur in the wild, i.e. in original habitat; both are on the coast in Monterey County: the larger one is at Cypress Point and adjacent rocky strips of coast, the other some distance to the south at Point Lobos.
|Current Population Trend:
|Additional data:
|Habitat and Ecology:
|This cypress is restricted to a narrow coastal strip on rocky cliffs, slopes and headlands, forming pure stands or associated with Pinus radiata, in loam or sand over granitic rocks or in rock crevices. The climate is of the Mediterranean type, with dry summers cooled by frequent fog, within reach of ocean salt sprays, and winter rain.
|Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat:
|Generation Length (years):
|Use and Trade:
|This species of cypress has been widely introduced in California and around the world, in some African countries as a timber tree, but mostly as an ornamental tree and to act as wind shelter belts both in argiculture and horticulture. The wood from closed-grown trees in plantations can be used for carpentry and furniture. The tree is extremely resistant to wind and tolerant of salty ocean wind and is not easily affected by drought or pests. Its use as a hedge plant has largely been superseded by the vigorous garden hybrid Leyland cypress, of which Monterey Cypress is one of the parents. Several cultivar forms, notably with yellow-green foliage, have been developed. It is of interest to note that this is one of the two conifers in nature (virtually) confined to Monterey County in California, that are among the most widely planted conifers in the world; the other species is Pinus radiata.
|Major Threat(s):
|The limited distribution of this species in its natural habitat consists of two main 'groves' and a few scattered meta-populations. These are mostly situated in reserves (Del Monte Forest, Point Lobos), but also on private lands in the vicinity of ongoing urban and leisure development. As recreation and tourism are intensive in the area, there is a great risk from fires. If climate change would mean that the fog became less frequent or of shorter daily duration, the incidence of fires could greatly increase. Fires would be put out as soon as possible in urbanized areas, but probably less urgently in the reserves, such as Point Lobos, that are relatively remote from private property.
|Conservation Actions:
|Nearly all major stands of this species are now within protected areas, but these are often adjacent to urban development, golf courses or (touristic) roads. Management of fires will be the major issue in the future to protect the natural, wild population.
|Farjon, A. 2013. Cupressus macrocarpa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T30375A2793139. . Downloaded on 22 September 2018.
|To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
|If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please provide us with feedback so that we can correct or extend the information provided


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I must admit my favorite time of the church year is the weeks after Easter.
Seculars quickly moved on to the next sales cycles — Mother's Day, and May Day for Renaissance revivalists and their maypoles. But after all the chocolate marshmallow eggs are long gone, the jelly beans turned to colored pebbles and the little bunnies we enjoyed seeing already starting to have bunnies of their own, the religious sphere is still all Easter, all the time. As well we should be. The season tells us what we need to know about life and death and life.
In the Bible, living again after death sometimes happens. In Kings, both Elijah and Elisha each raise someone from the dead. In Acts, Peter awakens Tabitha, a seamstress, also known as Dorcas. If my name was Dorcas, I'd call myself Tabitha, too. Jesus was downright profligate at this; he raised the widow's son and the daughter of Jairus. I wonder if they ever dated, later; they'd certainly have something to talk about. And Lazarus, of course, was "awakened" from death. I'd liked to have seen it — the man bouncing from the tomb still bound in bandages.
But those were all resuscitations, not resurrection. They were brought back to their old lives and were recognized as their old selves. That's a good thing. But I bet a major hospital ER resuscitates twice that many on a busy weekend. Grab the paddles and shout "Clear!" What happened to Jesus was way different.
After resurrection, nobody recognized him. Mary Magdalene, his best bud, saw him in the Easter graveyard and thought he was the gardener. Disciples on the road to Emmaus, in the upper room, by the seashore, didn't see the old man they knew and failed to recognize him. They, and we, need to grow Easter eyes to see the Risen One. It's like they needed an Easter lasik. The grave angel chided them, you are seeking him in the wrong place, the land of the dead. He is now transformed anew, in the land of the living. Seek him there.
Before I went to Haiti this month, I was feeling staid, stale and dusty. I'd been sick for almost two months, which scared and degraded me. I saw a trip to Haiti with the Colorado Haiti Project as a way to be brave again, to wake up.


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Watson, get in here, I need more from you!
You would think that a techie like me would be overjoyed at seeing a glimpse into the rise what show loser Ken Jennings called "our new computer overlords." But actually I was disappointed by the whole dog and pony show, which was set up in a blatantly unfair way to favor the computer.
Although Jennings did well (I think the other contestant, Brad Rutter, played a bad game), there was never any question who would win once I understood the rules – which both "Jeopardy!" and IBM were pretty vague about.
Related coverage:
IBM's Watson vs. the human brain: Tale of the tape
Now, first off, I will say that this is a great moment for computers. It really showed what they can do in certain circumstances. But would we be similarly impressed if a desktop PC running Microsoft Excel could crunch 50 pages of numbers faster than a math whiz? Because it could.
The point of a game show, or any contest really, is that all contestants are on the same footing and the best person, or computer in this case, wins. But Watson had an unfair advantage: It was being fed the questions electronically.
I wanted to see Watson hear the questions using speech recognition and process them the way humans do. But Watson was instead fed the words that made up the question in ASCII text and then went about searching a database, albeit a good one, looking for patterns and coming up with the proper response. All very rudimentary work for a computer, actually, and not much different than what Google and Bing do everyday right now.
The fact that Watson had a buzzing device is irrelevant. It already knew how it would answer before the question was finished being read, and the humans were still gathering input. And considering that the questions on last night's show were actually pretty easy for "Jeopardy!" and that Jennings and Rutter obviously knew most of the answers, what Watson really excelled at was buzzing in faster than the humans.
If you truly put Watson on the same footing as humans, with no special input allotted for it, I think Rutter and Jennings would have smoked it. Watson would still have a slightly better chance using those rules than, say, beating a human at a game of basketball, but the "Jeopardy!" champs would have eaten it alive.
I'm not really upset that the computer won. It's kind of cool, actually. But I expected more from Watson. I thought perhaps we would see real human-like intelligence from a computer, which includes understanding context and natural language.
When you feed ASCII text to Watson, it can only look for patterns in the stream of data. When it receives the pattern "Tennessee Williams" in ASCII, it's receiving just a string of ASCII bit patterns. Watson has never experienced a play, or even seen people acting. It doesn't even know what a play is. It can only guess at the best answer based on the input characters without any meaning attached to them whatsoever.
Now if a computer instead was fed data through a microphone or a camera, it could theoretically learn from the patterns it experiences if programmed to do so. It might even start to understand context. What is sentient intelligence, really, other than recognizing patterns and context and then doing things that an organism "likes" while avoiding patterns that it "doesn't like?"
Although I don't know if what that system would develop would be real intelligence, that's the only true path to making computers more like humans, and thus better able to understand us. Watson has none of that true intelligence. It's just a dumb machine whose feelings won't be hurt in the least if this column is broken down into ASCII code and fed into its database.
When Watson wins "Dancing With The Stars" or even "The Amazing Race," I'll be impressed. Winning "Jeopardy!" under the rules of that last game is simply doing the same brainless tasks computers do everyday anyway.
About the Author
John Breeden II is a freelance technology writer for GCN.
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That's not the main way that Watson cheated and almost certainly not the most important one. They didn't program in a reaction time: the time it would take even the fastest human to press the buzzer. Lots of research has shown a good value for this to be about 0.1 seconds. This was a trivial mistake. In modern track, a runner is disqualified if they're found to react faster than this. Watson's reaction time was essentially zero, a HUGE advantage.
Thank you for answering a question that occurred to me when they first stated that Watson was fed the question as an electronic file. I think a simpler but viable alternative to your solution of making Watson depend on speech recognition would have been to do some preliminary testing of how long it took Watson to parse the Answer as opposed to how long it took the human opponents to do the same (while not waiting for Alex to finish reading the clue). Some reasonable statistical measure based on length of Alex's answer could then have been translated into a time delay during which the human competitors would be reading what they see, at the end of which time delay the file would have been input to Watson. That would have made for a fairer game, even if not perfectly fair.
All IBM did was design a computer that could win at Jeopardy. So what? This is the same thing they did with Deep Blue and chess. They created a computer with a specific purpose and then it did better than a human at that purpose. That's what computers do. But its still a dumb machine. IBM could create a computer that could win at The Price is Right too. It would be filled with all the price data for every product in the world. Then when you feed "Ford Explorer" into its database, it would spit out $18,983.12 and bid better and quicker than any human. And it would not be a big deal, just like Watson is no big deal either.
Watson is correct that "Toronto is a US city". Toronto, Ohio is about 50 miles West of Pittsburgh, PA. Watson hasn't learned that "Toronto, ON" is an especially big, important city. There are many US cities that share a name with Canadian ones.
Personally, I hear "London" and think of the UK captiol, not London, ON. Social context is a very hard rule to apply.
Sorry if this has already been asked and I did not read all the comments - when did Watson get the question fed to it? Is it at the point where everybody sees the question, and Alex Trebek starts reading it? Or is it some time after, like when Alex Trebek finishes reading? It seems that it is unfair right there if the computer gets fed the question just when the question is shown to the other contestants, as it takes no time at all for it to "see" the question.
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