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InDepth InterView: Donny Osmond On JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT Sing-A-Long, Broadway, Hollywood, Vegas & More
Today we are talking to an iconic performer known for his decades on stages and screens around the world, from his variety show roots with sister Marie and their eponymous 70s television staple to his solo pop career in the 1980s and roles in Broadway and Hollywood and beyond since then - the one and only Donny Osmond. Osmond and I recount many of his marvelous show business memories in this all-inclusive chat, putting a particular emphasis on his theatre roles - most of all, his work in the film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, filmed in 1999 and presented next week in a super-special Sing-A-Long showing with an exclusive live Q&A hosted by Osmond in Fathom-equipped movie theaters nationwide on March 26 & April 4. In addition to all about the filming of the spectacular movie musical version of JOSEPH helmed by Steven Pimlott and co-starring Maria Friedman, Osmond and I discuss his experiences playing the title role in the show for six years throughout the 1990s and how he looks back on his experiences in the Biblically-themed pop/rock operetta. Plus, Osmond shares insights into the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber, as well as shares stories of working with legends such as Gene Kelly, Richard Attenborough, Joan Collins and touches upon his appearances in MULAN onscreen, BEAUTY & THE BEAST onstage, DANCING WITH THE STARS on TV - and much, much more!
JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT will be presented in Fathom-equipped movie theaters nationwide on March 26 & April 4. Further information is available here.
UPDATE: JOSEPH has been temporarily postponed. This is the official statement from Fathom:
"NCM Fathom Events has postponed the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat events on Monday, March 26 and Wednesday, April 4. Donny Osmond has been placed on vocal rest by his doctors and is unable to perform for the planned live event. Fathom Events will evaluate when to reschedule the event once Donny has recovered.
Ticket holders who purchased through Fandango or MovieTickets.com, may contact their customer service department for information about refunds. Ticket holders who purchased at a local movie theater box office, may contact the box office directly for refund information. For other information and updates, please visit www.fathomevents.com."
Any Dream Will Do
PC: Since you and Marie are well-known for your variety show years, I would love to know what you think of this musical entertainment renaissance on TV that we are seeing of late.
DO: Well, it's really variety with different faces - same thing; different face. When you talk about AMERICAN IDOL, THE VOICE, DANCING WITH THE STARS, X FACTOR and all that stuff - it's variety, but just slightly different from what it used to be. It's the same old, same old.
PC: You are a true triple-threat, whereas so many of the people that come to fame on those shows definitely are not.
DO: Yeah, I think that the problem with variety now is that we have, you know, these 60-second performers.
PC: What else do they have, right?
DO: They're one trick ponies. It'd be nice to see them onstage doing a whole 90-minute set.
PC: That's always the truest test of talent.
DO: I was having a conversation with somebody the other day about this very thing - I remember when I was 14 and watched Elvis Presley live.
PC: What was that like?
DO: It was like watching The Entertainer, you know? He really held the audience in the palm of his hand. And, the problem that we have nowadays is that everybody has the bells and whistles to back them up and the dancers beside them and all the lights and the computers and everything, but, if you strip all that down, where's the entertainer?
PC: Pretty much only on Broadway, apparently.
DO: That's why I love the Broadway stage - you can't hide behind any trickery, really. It's you and that audience - that's what I learned doing JOSEPH.
PC: LITTLE JOHNNY JONES was your first big Broadway appearance, yes? It was a short run.
DO: Yes! That was the very first, but it definitely didn't last for very long! [Laughs.]
PC: Do you remember seeing any shows growing up that had an influence on you?
DO: Not really, I mean, I was so busy as a child - touring and Vegas and television - I didn't really have the opportunity to see too many shows because I was doing my own.
PC: You grew up in the era of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR having a huge impact on your entire generation. What did you think of it then and what do you think of it now?
DO: Well, I'll tell you I've learned to appreciate it more as I have grown older. And, I have learned to appreciate the genius of Andrew and Tim - which I especially learned when I jumped into the role of Joseph [in JOSEPH].
PC: Of course.
DO: You know, when you are learning a role like that, it's about memorization and remembering your staging and the music and lyrics and everything, but, after a period of time, you kind of let your guard down and start engulfing yourself in the genius of the writing and in the music and the melodies. They certainly had it down!
PC: You can say that again. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and JOSEPH are companion pieces, in a way - both Biblically based, but SUPERSTAR is an adult rock-based show, whereas JOSEPH is a pop-based family show.
DO: Well, if you think about it and put yourself back in their shoes at that time - they're gonna swing the pendulum. And, that's exactly what they did.
PC: Have you heard the original version of JOSEPH that they recorded in the late 1960s with a male narrator? It was really an oratio and quite brief - maybe 40 minutes.
DO: Yeah - not even that! They've just added songs and made it grow and grow and grow over the years. Actually, the mega mix at the end was kind of necessary in order for us to have a full-length show - it's everything you've seen and heard, but with a sort of disco tone and flair.
PC: When Tim Rice did this column, we spoke a lot about the new song he and Andrew wrote for the recent West End production - a new Elvis homage for the Pharoah.
DO: Oh, that's so great! I'm glad to hear that. I have not heard the song yet, though.
PC: Would you consider taking on the role of the Pharoah someday?
DO: Who knows! You know, you can plan and prepare and all of this kind of stuff, but the future holds those kinds of secrets pretty tightly to its chest. You just don't know what's going to happen - especially these days when things turn on a dime.
PC: It's a whole new world.
DO: You know, you used to plan ten years in advance and you worked everything out, but, nowadays, my life could change tomorrow! Well, I guess I've got Vegas to finish, but you know what I mean! [Laughs.]
PC: Speaking of Vegas: what was it like working with a great director like Richard Jay-Alexander on your Vegas show with Marie?
DO: Oh, Richard is just absolutely amazing - as you know. He's the best. The best.
PC: What's next for the Vegas show?
DO: I'm on lockdown at the Flamingo! They want us to sign until '14 and we are looking at it, but there are a lot of other things I would love to do. We are going on our fourth year at the Flamingo and they would like at least two more years at least - they said that they would like ten years if we would give it to them.
PC: Do you feel Richard Jay has designed the ultimate Donny & Marie show?
DO: Yes, I think so. I really do.
PC: Have you been putting changes in the show as the run goes on?
DO: Oh, yeah - it always evolves. There's always changes, otherwise everything gets stagnant.
PC: What's the most recent element you added to the show?
DO: The Broadway Medley. We recap a lot of the stuff Marie and I have been in.
DO: Right. But, we end with WICKED - not that Marie and I were involved in WICKED, but we just thought, "We want to end this way." So, we sing "For Good".
PC: A great song - and a perfect selection for you two to do.
DO: The lyrics are just so pertinent to our lives as siblings, so that's just the perfect ending to the show that Richard carefully designed so beautifully for us.
PC: He is also directing Kristin Chenoweth's new tour, so maybe there will be a duet in the future with you and Kristin?
DO: Absolutely! If the Flamingo will let me go for a minute, at least! [Laughs.]
PC: Have you ever met or worked with Richard Jay's frequent collaborator Barbra Streisand?
DO: Yeah, I've met Barbra many times over the years, but I don't know her that well. She is just the consummate professional - everything you'd expect her to be. I loved when two or three years ago she sang on the Grammys. Do you know the story behind that?
PC: No. Why don't you tell me.
DO: Well, she was ill! She nailed it in dress rehearsal and then she started getting sick. So, then, she had every reason in the world to cancel, but, the consummate professional comes out in her and she says, "I am going to push through this!"
PC: She always delivers - no matter what.
DO: It's on YouTube - watch her expressions. At the end, she's like, "I can't believe I got through this!" And, she pushed through - she certainly did.
PC: Having done JOSEPH for six years, were there times you performed sick for weeks and managed to make every show - like many of the most stalwart performers on Broadway somehow manage to do in long runs?
DO: Oh, yeah! For instance, the final run in the beginning of 1998 - it was the final farewell performances - and, I got the flu. I missed like five or six shows because it was so bad - there were complaints like you couldn't believe!
PC: I'd imagine - you have a lot of fans.
DO: When you are sick, you are sick - you know?
PC: There is no way around it.
DO: Boy, there have been some really bad times in my life with getting sick - I remember one time in Vegas, I was so sick, but I went onstage and I finished the show. As the curtain was coming down, as it almost hit the floor, I fainted and hit the floor, as well - and they had to pick me up and carry me offstage! [Laughs.]
PC: Really? You completely passed out?
DO: Oh, yeah! I can't remember what exactly caused it - whether it was the flu or a reaction to some medication or whatever it was. But, you know, mind over matter is a very powerful thing - you can get onstage and you can throw yourself into a role, and, then, when the show is over, you realize, once again, how sick you really were! [Laughs.]
PC: In JOSEPH you were also not given a very warm or protective costume, either.
DO: Yeah, I was pretty much in nothing from the get-go to the end. [Laughs.] Seriously, though, it did make me more susceptible - and, not only because of that, Pat, but we had the children's choir in the show, too.
PC: That's right.
DO: They would come in from school, you know, coughing and sneezing. There was one time in Boston at the Colonial Theatre and the kids were sneezing and coughing onstage, and, I was going through, [Sings.] "I closed my eyes / Turn back the…," and there's a kid right by the wings, throwing up. [Big Laugh.]
PC: The germ factory in full effect.
DO: Yeah, I was just popping vitamins like they were going out of style during that.
PC: You have great rapport with the children's chorus on Andrew Lloyd Webber's 50th Birthday Celebration. Was the one balloon that flies up before "Close Every Door" rehearsed?
DO: Nope! It was all live, baby!
PC: You nailed your entrance right after it anyway. Did you ever have any difficulty singing that song, particularly that tricky top note at the end?
DO: Well, obviously, over the course of six years you are going to have some challenges.
PC: Needless to say.
DO: What I did with "Close Every Door" is that, at the end, I went higher than what he wrote it to be.
PC: Did Lord Andrew like that?
DO: Yeah - he liked it. He said, "Keep it in," and, I said, [Sighs.] "Great."
PC: "What have I gotten myself into", right?
DO: Yeah, really! I painted myself into a corner. But, yeah, when I started feeling a little under the weather, I would just take out the high note and sing it the way he wrote it.
PC: What was your favorite part of JOSEPH to perform every night?
DO: I think that my favorite part was when I was in disguise and chastising the brothers - I love just screaming and yelling onstage. And, also, I really liked being behind the bars singing "Close Every Door" - that was really the climax of Joseph's role, in my opinion.
PC: The role of Joseph is similar to JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR in that you get a catchy pop song, a big ballad and a big finish, yet he is a bit of a vessel as a character - you have to fill in a lot of the blanks as an actor, don't you?
DO: Well, you know, it's all tongue-in-cheek, Pat - the whole show is really tongue-in-cheek, but that's really what made it resonate with everybody, I think.
PC: Why so?
DO: There are moments where everybody can laugh at the characters - particularly the Elvis character and even some lines Joseph says; the lines are so cleverly written - but, then, there are moments where it gets serious and just when it is about to take itself too seriously, they lighten it up a little bit and it comes back around. It hovers around that, in between those too-serious and too-silly points. I think that's what so great about JOSEPH - children and adults alike can enjoy the show together.
PC: And the Fathom in-cinema presentation of JOSEPH is a great way to allow an opportunity for the whole family to experience it all together.
DO: Exactly. Exactly. Right.
PC: What were the audiences you saw for JOSEPH as you performed in it and toured it for the better part of a decade? The theatre itself has gotten much more family-friendly since the 1990s.
DO: Yeah - it has. I mean, there were always children at the show, but, every Wednesday, we would have schools come in - they would have a Q&A with the cast members. So, every Wednesday, it was wall-to-wall kids. But, throughout the rest of the week, it was mainly adults. It was so mixed, though, you really had everybody out there in the audience.
PC: The score appeals to any age group, as well - the operetta potpourri format allows for so much variation in the score.
DO: Yeah - the score has everything, too.
PC: Maria Friedman is a fabulous Narrator in the film. Was your experience working with her an enjoyable one?
DO: Yeah - she brought a whole different element to the narrator role that I never experienced throughout the six years of all the other Narrators. Janet Metz was more of an angelic kind of Narrator. Connie was a fun-loving kind of Narrator. Maria Friedman - she came from such a rich theatre background that, to me, she was the most theatrical Narrator. I've worked with seven or eight different Narrators and each one was fantastic, but I loved what Maria Friedman brought to it in the movie.
PC: Joan Collins appears in the JOSEPH film in a cameo role, as well. She is known as being a bit of a diva, isn't she?
DO: [Laughs.] That's definitely the word, baby! [Pause.] That's all I'm gonna say.
PC: Who were some of your favorite co-stars you have shared the stage with over the years?
DO: They were all amazing, really. We did the recording with Janet Metz as the Narrator and she was incredible, and so was Connie Kunkle, who I did the show with, as well.
PC: Is it true the recording you first did for JOSEPH onstage was done while you were still in rehearsals?
DO: Yes, I was so engulfed in rehearsals I didn't even get involved with any of the production of it. It was when we were up in Toronto.
PC: Before you had even finalized your take on the role - a work in progress.
DO: Oh, yeah - oh, yeah. Totally.
PC: The film version and the subsequent soundtrack is a more pleasing sonic experience, I think.
DO: Oh, yeah - definitely. After five years of doing the role, we got it down.
PC: Tell me about your preparation for the film. Weren't you and Marie doing your talk show at the time?
DO: It was a little crazy. I had to fly over to Pinewood Studios in London - I had always wanted to go there because I am such a James Bond freak and that is where they did all the Bond films.
PC: Of course.
DO: Between takes, I would be sneaking around and checking out all the old artifacts from Bond. It was such a great, great time over there - I flew my whole family over. I think we were there for three weeks or four weeks. We rented a house out in the country and I rented this little car - a mini-cooper - and I remember driving around. It was just so much fun to be able to sneak around those studios - so much history at Pinewood Studios.
PC: OLIVER! to JOSEPH to SWEENEY TODD and beyond.
CO: Oh, I didn't know OLIVER! was filmed there. I remember I would always sing along as I watched Oliver, the actor who played him.
PC: He was good, but Oliver Reed was such a genius - especially in that film.
CO: Oh, the look on his face when the jewels disappeared into the sewer - just, like, "Noooo!" [Laughs.]
PC: What were some of your other favorite movie musicals growing up?
CO: Another one I saw recently that really affected me was SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. And, after the movie, my 14-year-old said that he had never seen the movie, so we watched it together. He said, "That one guy, he's a really great dancer," and, I said, "Which one guy?" and, he said, "What's his name - Gene?" and, I said, "Gene Kelly?!" He said, "Yeah. Wouldn't it have been nice to know him." And, I said, "Know him? I auditioned for him!" [Big Laugh.]
PC: You did? What was that like?
CO: Well, it was scary! I was 9 years old when Gene called me in to do a little tap dance, but I can't remember the part and I can't remember the movie it was supposed to be for. But, he asked me to do "Shuffle Off To Buffalo" and he gave me a couple of lessons in tap dancing. So, I can say that Gene Kelly taught me how to tap.
PC: What a great story!
CO: I was able to work with Donald O'Conner, too - and, I know Debbie [Reynolds] very well, as well.
PC: Amazing performers.
CO: There is one scene in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN that I never caught when I was a little kid, growing up, watching it, until a couple of days ago when I was watching it with my son - it's the scene where Gene Kelly is reffered to by the leading lady as Donny. Then, he turns around and says to Donald O'Conner, "Donny?" [Laughs.]
PC: How apropos! Is it true that one of your sons is in the film of JOSEPH?
DO: Yes. That's my son Christopher, who is 21 now. My niece, Sophia, is in the children's chorus, too.
PC: Will you be bringing your whole family to see this in movie theaters next week?
DO: Oh, absolutely - absolutely. We are looking forward to it. These sing-a-longs have been a big, big thing over in England, as you probably know.
PC: Indeed - SOUND OF MUSIC, especially.
DO: I think it's going to catch on here in the United States. And, so many people know the music of this show - because they actually did it either in grade school or high school or they saw it or they have seen the video. There are a lot of people that have been a part of it somehow and they know the musical, so I think it's going to work.
PC: It will be a bit tongue-tripping to try to keep up with all the colors in the sing-a-long, though!
DO: [Laughs.] To this day, I still don't know all the colors.
PC: Do you remember the order anymore?
DO: I just remember it starts with red and ends with blue. [Laughs.]
PC: I guess that counts! One of your co-stars in the film of JOSEPH is director and actor Richard Attenborough. Do you have any memories of sharing time with him onset?
DO: That man had so many wonderful stories! We would sit in director's chairs, in between takes, and he would just talk to me. Richard was very close to Robert Downey, Jr. during his terrible years and he would tell me how he would spend a lot of time with Robert and help get him through a lot of the messes that he was in. And, I remember a lot of experiences of him telling me stories and I wish I could recall all the details, but I can't because there were just so many.
PC: What a great memory of him.
DO: There was something about him that was very calming. You know, I had done the role for six years up until that point in time, but, doing a movie and stuff like that was kind of different for me - it's really not what I do; I mostly do stage work.
PC: It was a bit outside your box.
DO: Yeah, and, even though we had a great director, it was Richard that was really the one who kept the calmness on the set, which was really cool.
PC: He was a noted director in his own right, of course - GANDHI being the big example.
DO: Right. Right. You know, there are directors and, then, there are actor's directors.
PC: A big difference.
DO: Yeah - you know, he's been there; he's done that. He knows how to talk to the actor and get them through the scene and make it the best possible.
PC: What was it like for you to relearn the role of Joseph for film? Was it a big leap from stage to screen in your experience?
DO: It was. It was very different. To do it on film, with no audience - I mean, there was interaction and we really broke that fourth wall a lot when we did it live - was slightly different than what I did for six years. It was a different experience.
PC: How did you get into shape for the role?
DO: I lived at the gym, basically. When I went to the first wardrobe fitting and they brought in the loincloth - I can see the small white room in my mind right now - I looked at it and said, "Where's the rest of it?" [Laughs.]
PC: You were incredulous.
DO: I said, "That is just a piece of it, right?" And, they said, "No. That's the costume. This is the entire thing you will be wearing." And, I said, "You've got to be kidding me! I'm going to the gym right now!" So, I was basically there four or five times a week, you know, pumping iron with a trainer.
PC: It is a whole lifestyle change in a lot of ways.
DO: Exactly. I was watching what I was eating, too, but since I was burning so many calories, I didn't have to worry so much.
PC: It's required of the role to a certain extent for Joseph in JOSEPH and Jesus in SUPERSTAR, especially given the ending.
DO: Oh, yeah - you've really gotta be perfect for that one!
PC: This JOSEPH film presentation has some special components, as well - in addition to a new animated opening sequence, there will also be a portion of the show you will be involved with, correct?
DO: Yes. I will be doing a live Q&A during the event where you can text in your questions.
PC: It will be a phenomenal event. With this playing in New York, along with THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and the two new revivals of his collaborations with Tim Rice - EVITA and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR - there will be four Andrew Lloyd Webber shows available simultaneously to see next week.
DO: That's so, so cool. I can't wait to see those revivals. I'll be seeing those - you better believe it.
PC: Have you seen Andrew Lloyd Webber's new show, LOVE NEVER DIES? It just had a very successful Fathom movie theater showing recently.
DO: No, I haven't heard or seen it yet, but we actually talked about it during the run of JOSEPH in the late-90s. We talked about how that would be a perfect thing to do to follow up JOSEPH with.
PC: How fascinating.
DO: Yeah, but, I got busy with the talk show and touring so it ended up not happening.
PC: You actually recorded the melody that ultimately became the title song of LOVE NEVER DIES when it was titled "Our Kind Of Love" when you sang it on your Broadway album.
DO: Boy, you do your research, don't you, Pat? [Laughs.]
PC: Is that why you recorded it? Was it still intended for the PHANTOM sequel at that point as far as you knew, in the mid-2000s?
DO: Andrew actually asked me to sing it and I happened to be making an album at the time with Phil Ramone. We were looking for the right songs and we had a conversation and he said, "I am writing this new one and I think it would be perfect for Donny."
PC: How intriguing. Do you enjoy your relationship with Lord Andrew?
DO: Oh, yeah. As a matter of fact, I remember one time when Andrew asked me to perform at a Jubilee performance for the Queen. He had assembled this group of great singers all together and he called me up and he said to me, "Donny, I want you to sing a song from WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND." And, I said, "Absolutely. No problem." So, I flew over to London and we were rehearsing. So, you have to imagine: I am onstage, rehearsing with a full orchestra, and it is just like the movies - where nobody is in the audience except for one person; and, in this case, it was Andrew.
PC: The composer himself! A bit nerve-wracking.
DO: [Laughs.] Uh, yeah! So, I am up there, singing this song, and, I'm thinking, "I'm doing a really good job at this!" And, we end the song, I look down - I'm hoping to see a big smile on Andrew's face - and, all I see, is him with his finger saying, "Come here." And, I'm thinking, "Uh oh - I'm in trouble." So, I come down off the stage and he says to me, [Sternly.] "You are singing my song incorrectly." And, I said, "Oh, I'm so sorry. What am I doing wrong?"
PC: What was it?
DO: A phrasing issue. He took me over to the piano and he taught me the new phrasing and I said, "I got it. No problem." So, that night, Her Majesty shows up at the theatre and everyone is nervous because the Queen is there and the dignitaries are all there and Andrew is out in the audience. So, the show begins and it's all going so great, then, they say, "Next to perform, Donny Osmond!" And, I go out there to perform, and, I'll admit it: what did I do? I sang it incorrectly. [Laughs.]
PC: Was it "When Children Rule The World"?
DO: Maybe it was - I can't quite remember now.
PC: What happened after the performance?
DO: It was so funny because, after the show, he looks at me and I look at him and we both started laughing. So, then, he took me to his house - he was having a party by his home - and, he said, "Come here over to the piano!" And, then, we sang the song - correctly - at the party. Then, he starts playing "Puppy Love"!
PC: No way!
DO: Here I am, singing "Puppy Love" and Andrew Lloyd Webber is serenading me. It's one of the coolest moments ever.
PC: What a great story! Speaking of WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND, one of my favorite concept albums is that one. What was your experience working in the studio with Andrew and Jim Steinman on that?
DO: Well, what I basically remember is that they handed me the music and they said, "Interpret it for us." So, I rehearsed it and really, really worked on it and they just loved it.
PC: That concept album is so filmatic and has so much variety - Elaine Paige to Meat Leaf to Boy George to Tom Jones.
DO: It's a really, really cool album.
PC: I think WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND is probably Lord Andrew's most underrated score. It's the lost Andrew Lloyd Webber show.
DO: I totally believe that, too. I saw it in London and I absolutely loved it! Then, it just kind of disappeared.
PC: It has a great message of hope and believing which we need now, it seems. We can use some hope, I think.
DO: Boy, ain't that the truth!
PC: Do you think there is a restorative power to theatre - can it alleviate depression and bring joy in a manner few things can?
DO: I am not going to just say yes, I am going to give you a story that solidifies the answer.
PC: Please do.
DO: When I was rehearsing JOSEPH - we had six weeks to rehearse - the great Steven Pimlott, who was directing it - a great Shakespearean director - as he was molding me into this role, he took me into a room and we were talking about the role and pulling it apart and deciding his thought patterns and things like that; you know, you have to get down to the raw, real, visceral elements of a character in order to really embrace it.
PC: And make it come alive.
DO: Right. So, we started talking about the theatre - because he had such respect for the theatre - and, he told me something that changed my perspective of show business in general, actually. I mean, I had been in show business a long time up until this point, until this movie, but what he said changed me. What he said to me was, "The theatre is a place where people come to dream in public and you are in charge of that dream."
PC: Wow.
DO: I can't give you a more serious answer than that and to say, "Yes!" The theatre is a place where people come to escape. It's a place where people come to engross themselves in the parts and the music and in the scenery and in the story - the whole thing. It's such an important thing. [Laughs.] Live theatre will never disappear.
PC: What he said to you is so apropos given the themes of JOSEPH and his dreams, as well - "Any Dream Will Do", right?
DO: Any Dream Will do.
PC: So, looking ahead: should we expect an appearance from you on the first episode of Marie's new talk show?
DO: Me? Don't count on it! [Laughs.]
PC: We'll see what happens, right?
DO: I'm kidding - I'm kidding. I'll be there!
PC: Did you two consider doing the show together - you enjoy the daily talk show experience, I've heard.
DO: I do. I do. But, right now, the plate's just a little full. I just can't add anything else to the schedule right now.
PC: Would you be interested in judging a reality competition in some capacity someday? Andrew Lloyd Webber is doing a new JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR casting show now, you know.
DO: Oh, yeah. I'd be interested, but the opportunity hasn't presented itself yet. I'd love to do one for Andrew, though.
PC: What about an appearance on GLEE someday, especially having been the teen idol you were? Would you be open to that?
DO: They haven't contacted me yet, but, to be honest with you, I would definitely consider it. It hasn't presented itself just yet, though.
PC: A live action BEAUTY & THE BEAST is being bandied about. Would you consider doing something more with that show in the future in some capacity?
DO: Oh, I'd love to be a part of that! I love that role. I did that show for five or six months back in '07 and I loved it. It was so much fun to play the villain.
PC: Which is a bit against type for you! That score is so impressive - Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice.
DO: Right. Alan Menken? What a genius.
PC: Speaking of Disney: what about MULAN memories?
DO: Yeah - a lot of people don't know I was the singing voice for one of the characters in that.
PC: Lea Salonga spoke so favorably of that experience and working with you on that when she did this column.
DO: Really? Oh, that's so cool. I love Lea.
PC: That film has a big following with female fans of a certain age, I've personally found.
DO: Yeah, I think it is one of those that will always be kind of under the radar, but everyone who has seen it loves it.
PC: You were playing against type in that film, as well - not the nice boy next door, for sure.
DO: Yeah! Yeah. You know, you gotta get into character!
PC: JOSEPH will now be the third Andrew Lloyd Webber Fathom presentation in six months - PHANTOM 25, LOVE NEVER DIES and now this. And, just as those were, it's unmissable!
DO: That's really, really cool and I am just so excited that this new form of entertainment even exists.
PC: It's so fabulous a whole new generation will be able to see JOSEPH in this thrilling new way. This was magnificent, Donny. Thank you so much.
DO: This was really fantastic, Pat. Thanks a lot. Bye.
Related Articles
From This Author Pat Cerasaro


text:
weve all been getting bites.. including my 3 month old baby. I wasnt sure what it was.. got pest control out and they couldnt find anything either. I purchased some roach traps and couldnt see anything at first apart from the odd spider/woodlice.. then i noticed by looking a little closer, some strange beige looking things (originally thought it was some sand grit). they are approx half a mm in size if that. got a microscope and zoomed in on it about 25x and came face to face with something that looked like a monster...lol
any ideas what it is.. and can it bite? im desperate to find whats eating us and apart from this sample.. im clueless.
Thanks for looking,
Looks like a mite, probably house dust mite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_dust_mite. They do not bite but are a major cause for allergies because of their excrements. The allergy does not express itself as if they are bites. Do you have cats or dogs in the house? Then perhaps there are fleas that might be to blame.
They seem to be appearing on the glue boards in the darker corner of my bedroom. it was previously a living room and that corner did contained birds. I also had chickens which i rehomed a couple of months ago. they had redmite (but they seemed different to this in shape so ive assumed its not a redmite) Is it possible that this could be some other kind of a bird mite??? I also have a loft hatch directly above this area. I do have a dog.. but the whole house has been treated with indorex spray and the dog has vet flea spot on. Ive got no signs of flea specks on the dog, and no signs of any blood in water bowl etc. no signs of fleas anywhere else and this is the only thing i keep getting on the glue boards?? (It would be great if it is a dust mite as that would explain the rashes and crazy itching that i keep getting. I did think it was originally hives but my daughter started getting bites on her face, I sprayed her bedroom and the problem stopped for a while, but has now started again)
Thanks, Jo
In this web link is a picture of poultry lice - not far off it seems to me. If you google poultry and bird lice/louse there's loads of information about how prevalent the problem is, and what the solutions are. This seems like the place to start. Good luck. It must be awful,
The image of the poultry louse does not match at all. The photograph clearly shows eight legs, the poultry louse has only six (and never will get eight, contrary to earkly instar mites...). I maintain the photograph shows a mite. If they truely were feeding on poultry first, then gone for a while, and now back in strength they need to have fed. If they had been feeding on you and your loved ones, then you would have seen them near the beds: these mites will stay close to the food source: either the host or it's nest; meaning near the bed. I don't think the mites cause your problem.
Hi Paul,
The glueboards that they appear on are in the bedroom. They are all approx 2ft away from my bed. The mites only appear overnight and have never been seen during the day. Ive looked hard and cannot find them. I think there behind the skirting surrounding our bed in the places i located the traps. No other traps in any other rooms have shown these mites. our bites also appear overnight and show early morning. Thank you for your help
Thanks Jo.
Exactly what species of bird did you have - every bird mite/louse is different.
Thanks for the information. Ive had a look and it states that bird lice have 3 pairs of legs, this has 4 pairs which suggests that it is a mite of some sort. I used to have budgies/cockatiels and parakeets inside the room and chickens outside, but all birds have now been rehomed. The only thing I can find is this strange mite that keeps appearing. I have found dustmites in the house, but these appear small and white. (they also appear hairy looking on the outside) but this one seems smoother and a lot larger. Ive tried to zoom in on it so that is clearer to see.
OK folks - I have show this to our mite (Acari) specialist who has provided the following observations/comments:
Cheyletus eruditus is a predator and generally regarded to be a 'good' mite because its diet includes pest mites and insects, e.g., flour mites, dust mites, cat flea eggs, booklice, larvae of storage moths and beetles. It is often found in stored foods (mostly flour and whole grains) and storage containers and buildings. Other habitats include mammal and bird nests, animal bedding, poultry litter, house dust, haystacks, soil and plant debris. The presence of C. eruditus in infested materials has been blamed for causing dermatitis in humans handling them. Cheyletus malaccensis, a species that occurs in similar habitats to C. eruditus, has been shown to feed on human body fluids. This resulted in an allergic reaction and the formation of small itchy bumps. However, such reports are uncommon and, because of the history of birds being kept, examination of other trapped specimens would be advisable to check whether there are other species present that could be causing the reported symptoms. To find the source of infestation, a good start would be to see whether there are abandoned bird nests in the loft and removing them if there are.
Thank you for the reply. This certainly does look like it could be the mite that is on my trap. How the heck it ended up in my bedroom i will never know?? maybe contaminated bird food from my previous birds?? I had a problem in march with a goose bump rash all over me which lasted a week and then disappeared. in july I started getting what looked like bites (could have been hives) and then this turned into a pimple rash which kept appearing and disappearing just as quickly, just as you described. I have very sensitive skin and suffer regular with skin problems and so does my daughter, Our house is full of booklice.. in draws and everywhere. we also have plaster beetles as the house has just been re-plastered. When im lying in bed at night i get a crawling sensation over me, and feel like my skins burning, its all hot and pimpled in the areas where i get the sensations.. its horrendous as nobody else seems to be getting this, just me. my daughter has had a pimple rash on her face, and what also looks like bites. I sprayed her room and this temp went away. Would it be possible for you to look at this mite in closer detail to see if it is as described. We must be getting bad reactions to it and need to know the best ways of getting rid of it.
Many thanks, jo
A fascinating account about 'living with bugs'...
Goes to show we Homo Sapiens are a species that evolve alongside other species that may irritate and bite us from time-to-time by way of their right to survive...
Our answer, as a so-called 'intelligent biped', is to exterminate so many fellow creatures because we can't put up with an occasional scratching.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A Deeper Look Inside…Pedro Alvarez
When I visited Washington D.C. this past weekend I met up with my friend Marc who is currently in the nation's capital on an internship. Being a Cubs fan he and I talked about the NL Central and how far out our respective teams are in terms of games back from the Cardinals and surging Reds. We also talked baseball in general. I had told him
"With Pedro Alvarez up we should be a better team with better run production." He responds with a "Who is Pedro Alvarez?"
Well, I guess to those outside of Pittsburgh the legend of Pedro Alvarez has not been regularly relayed. So it is my civil duty to tell his tale. A tale of a shaky past, current talent and simply the future. The future for himself and an entire franchise.
Alavrez hails from the street of New York City. An area mostly billed for producing basketball
greats, Alvarez is a rare gem to step from the baseball diamond. His talent allowed him to go to Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. Turning down an offer to be drafted right out of high school Alvarez went on to set records for VU and helped the Commadores win an SEC Championship. Alvarez continued his stories undergraduate career on the USA national baseball team. His power and handiness with the glove at third base allowed him to always be the target of scouts and high draft classification.
He would be picked up after his sophomore season. The Pirates jumped on him at pick number two, but getting him in a black and gold uniform would not be easy. Even getting him through the system would not be easy. Heck getting him INTO the system would be one of the hardest things the Pirate's management had ever done.
Being picked second demands and deserves big money. After a back and forth volleyball match between Neil Huntington and Frank Coonelly with Alvarez's agent Scott Boras both sides reportedly came to an agreement just minutes before the August 15th signing deadline. But it still took until September to make both sides happy with a $6 million dollar deal. It was a messy situation that really made the Pittsburgh organization and Alvarez look bad and downright slimey. However inking Alavrez prompted Pirates owner Bob Nutting to claim Huntington and Coonelly as the "best management team in all of sports." Take that in for a moment. It's a wonder that the "best management team in allllll of sports" cannot put together a competitive club or show the comptence to do so. However, that is a whole other argument.
Alvarez was watched under a tight microscope throughout his short time in the minor leagues. He helped the Lynchburg Hillcats win their League title and rose through to the AA and AAA levels with his resounding bat, most notably being a strong power prescence.
He was brought up to the majors on June 16th to an adoring PNC Park crowd of 15,000. He did recieve a standing ovation as he walked to the plate just to strike out at the hands of John Danks. He finished that game going 0-for-2. It would take three more games to cross that proverbial threshold where he would collect his first big league hit. From there he would collect a sac fly to cap off a victory over the Indians last Sunday.
He still only has three major league hits but will always be regarded as the best Pirates prospect since Barry Bonds. I'm no scout but at the age of 23 I still think Alavrez needs a tune up and some extra time in the minors would not hurt him. He is playing along a host of other first time big leaguers like Jose Tabata and Neil Walker. The 2010 season is already a wash why not groom him for a month or two more then bring him up when he is ready?
It seems as if Alvarez is over swinging at pitches and not locating them off the pitchers hand. He definitely needs work in the batting cage to develop a keener eye at the plate. He has warning track power that will slowly come more and more with more repitions. He will strikeout; alot. But that is what power hitters do. I will gladly take 95 strikeouts from a guy that is going to flirt with 45 homeruns each season.
It is going to be alot of trial and error with Pedro Alvarez (he already has one in the field) but if he even comes close to living up to his hype he will have a prosperous career and the Pirates will gladly reap the benefits.
photo credits: ducksonthepondkid.com, straybaseball.com, reclinergm.com, facebook.com


text:
Quote:Your opinion is not supported by facts, so far. Is that going to be a problem for you?
Quote: The thing is, & I hope you understand this distinction, I do not use kata to teach myself power & speed. No one asked that question.
Quote: I enjoy working against the resistance of the water. Id rather not punch air. Timing my techniques in the surf is also entertaining. I find training in the water more effective as I find training in the water more enjoyable. It is training frequently that increases speed & power. I keep just my head above water.
Quote: Fact #1: I train in the water.Fact #2: I am as effective as anyone.
Quote: CordFact #3: Practicing kata in water has provided the advantages of kata training with no discernable disadvantage(s).Your opinion is not supported by facts, so far. Is that going to be a problem for you?
Quote: My kata is an artifact passed to me by my teachers. My kata is a dance to teach breathing. I breathe as well as anyone, thus my conclusion based on this fact that I am as effective as anyone. The surf, especially, I found effective at helping balance: lifting weights (free-weights, naturally), even more so. My opinion is that all the power & speed in the world is useless without proper breathing & balance.
Quote: all the power & speed in the world is useless without proper breathing & balance
Quote: I use to hold classes underwater,but it was hard for the students to understand what I was saying.
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text:
Reading the Laminar Lip thread below, I wonder if anybody has played with vortex generators to reduce wind noise and buffeting from the windscreen. There's a ton of info to be found on Bing/Google, some pretty technical, some not so much, and mostly related to aircraft. There are also commercially available vortex generators for aircraft. Someone with a DIY and engineering tilt, and time, could have some fun.
Note that the newer Schuberth helmet has little vortex generators at the bottom of the face shield. Might be something to it.
The riding season... "Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened."
- Dr. Seuss


text:
There were times when Frank Herrmann wondered why he was riding a bus to cities with teams named Rock Cats and Sea Dogs instead of working on Wall Street, putting his economics degree from Harvard to good use.
"When I was in my third year in the Minor Leagues doing the seven- and eight-hour bus rides, and my buddies were making all kinds of money in New York City, there were times, obviously, when it crossed my mind that I should be with them," Cleveland's rookie right-hander said.
"But I think I made the right decision. I think any of them would have traded places with me in a second because I could always go [into finance], but if I'd gone to work on Wall Street, I could never have gone back to baseball."
The 26-year-old from Rutherford, N.J., has beaten the odds, one of the very few undrafted players to make it to a Major League roster and one of barely a couple of hundred Ivy Leaguers to have done it. Currently among them are the Dodgers' Brad Ausmus (Dartmouth), Padres' Chris Young (Princeton), Giants' Mark DeRosa (Penn), A's Craig Breslow (Yale) and Herrmann.
His journey began after he overheard a Harvard teammate talking about a new wooden-bat summer league starting in Hawaii.
"He didn't think I'd want to go because I was always pursuing financial internships," said Herrmann, who had spent two previous summers as a stockbroker intern and with a private equity venture capital firm "just to keep my mind sharp and build my resume."
"I got a taste of what working [in finance] would be like," he said. "It really makes me appreciate what I'm able to do now. I'm in no rush to get back into a cubicle."
Herrmann was coming off a 5-1, 3.09 junior season for Harvard. "I figured, 'Hey, at the very least I'm going to live and play baseball in Hawaii for free for six weeks,'" he said.
"We tried to talk him out of it, me and my wife," said his father, Frank Sr., a retired New Jersey police detective. "We wanted him to finish his last year at Harvard and play baseball up there, but he was pretty adamant. He knew if he never got drafted after his senior year, he'd have no leverage to get anything."
That's how his son he wound up spending the summer of 2005 pitching for the Oahu Paddlers, where he caught the eye of Cleveland scout Don Lyle. The Indians' contract offer included paying for part of Herrmann's senior year at Harvard. That sealed the deal.
He began his professional career in 2006, starting for the Class A Lake County Captains. By 2009 he'd been converted to a reliever and was at Triple-A Columbus.
"Now that I've worked out of the bullpen for about a year, I think I have the right mentality for it," Herrmann said. "I really enjoy being part of a group out there and being able to come in and pitch on a nightly basis, instead of having to wait five days [between starts]."
On June 3, with a 3-0 record and 0.31 ERA at Columbus, the Indians called him up. The following night against the White Sox in Chicago, with his parents in the stands, Herrmann made his Major League debut, throwing 1 1/3 perfect innings in a 10-1 Indians rout.
On July 1 in Cleveland, Justin Masterson was cruising against the Blue Jays until they scored a run and loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. Herrmann took over and got Jose Molina to ground into a double play.
"I didn't even know it was a save until I got into the clubhouse and somebody told me," he said. "It was pretty cool. I wasn't even expecting to go in. We're up 6-0 in the ninth, and Masterson's pitch count is pretty low.
"But the inning got rolling, and I was up and in the game before I even knew it. Sometimes the best situations are those where you don't have time to think," Herrmann said.
"This has been a dream come true for me. Every day I remind myself how lucky I am and where I'm at."
Bruce Lowitt is a freelance writer based in Tampa.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text: Hello all, Wanted to start by saying hello and I am happy to have joined ADVrider. I am new to the forum/ thread world so please bare with me as I am learning as I go. I have just purchased a few (four) 1973 RD 350's that need a lot of work. I purchased these bikes for a very fair price and I most certainly saw the beauty and potential of these bikes. I have four of these bikes and I plan on building 2 of them... maybe 3 depending on what I have left from these part bikes. . (Note: I am not trying to build them all at once) I did not have to much knowledge of these bikes when I first bought them and was a bit weary of getting into a 2 stroke bike. I have done a lot of reading and research on these bikes and since I am now very excited to get started. I have also learned these are desirable bikes. I plan on doing a complete rebuild and cafe mod. I've done some restoring/mods in the past but, have never gone as in depth as I plan on with these lovely ladies. I will post photos of all the bikes as soon as I can. I have a lot of spare parts (heads, pistons, engines and carbs), and I am sure I will still be opening my wallet to more parts new and used as I move forward. I pretty sure I have everything I need to start, I am just in the middle of organizing my garage so I can get started. I was wondering if anyone has any advice or input as I embark in my journey on bringing this classic beauty to life. Thank You in advance


text:
Submit News
Microsoft Allows Third-Party Retailers to Sell Surface with Windows RT
Tiffany Kaiser
December 12, 2012 12:44 PM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
(Source: neowin.net)
Microsoft didn't announce any specific retailers that will carry the device, but Staples said it will stock the Surface with Windows RT starting today
It turns out that you can't sell a product that
doesn't have broad availability
(who would've thought?), so Microsoft is putting the Surface with Windows RT on the shelves of third-party retailers this week.
Up until this point, Surface with Windows RT was only available in Windows Stores and kiosks. The problem with that is the number of Windows Stores and kiosks available -- a total of 65 in the U.S.
This posed a problem for Microsoft, as potential buyers may have to go out of their way to find a Surface RT rather than visit the local Best Buy, for example.
Microsoft is now looking to fix that issue and try to meet customer demand with wider availability of its first own-brand computer.
"The public reaction to Surface has been exciting to see," said Panos Panay, general manager of Microsoft's Surface project. "We've increased production and are expanding the ways in which customers can interact with, experience and purchase Surface."
Microsoft didn't announce any specific retailers that will carry the device, but Staples said it will stock the Surface with Windows RT starting today.
Surface with Windows RT will also make its way to Australia in mid-December as well as other countries in the following months.
Just last week,
Boston-based brokerage firm Detwiler Fenton told
lack of distribution was killing sales and demand for the Surface RT
Detwiler Fenton even estimated that Microsoft will only sell 500,000 to 600,000 Surface RTs in the December quarter. This was a strong hit to previous estimates of 1 million to 2 million.
Surface with Windows RT isn't the only Windows 8-based gadget that isn't hitting store shelves.
The Seattle Times
echoed Detwiler Fenton's concerns: there just aren't very many
Windows 8 tablets
out yet, and those that are are impossible to find. However, other Windows 8 tablets are sold in major retailers like Best Buy; not just Microsoft Stores.
Surface with Windows RT was released October 26 alongside the new Windows 8 operating system. It features the Windows RT version of Windows 8, which is specifically for ARM processors, and starts at $499. Surface with Windows 8 Pro, which features the full version of Windows 8, will be released in January starting at $899.
"A politician stumbles over himself... Then they pick it out. They edit it. He runs the clip, and then he makes a funny face, and the whole audience has a Pavlovian response." -- Joe Scarborough on John Stewart over Jim Cramer
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December 8, 2012, 9:53 AM
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December 5, 2012, 1:17 PM
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Our senior garden advisor, a.k.a. Grandpa Bifulco, is coming from New York today. Jesse flew down to NY and will drive back to Camden Maine with his dad. Jesse's dad is a great help when he comes to visit. Grandpa, Pat Bifulco, has a very distinguished history in the law profession in NY. From lawyer to Judge to NY Senate candidate. But before Pat entered the law field he grew up on a farm in Staten Island. Yes, Staten Island had farm land. The Bifulco family had acres and acres of land on Staten Island and grew vegetables. Pat's father and mother were immigrants from Italy. Pat would often tell stories about how hard the family had to work on the farm. The children in the family worked from dawn to dusk in the fields. Pat's brothers stayed in the farm business and today their children own a family farm in New Jersey – Bifulco Farms: http://www.bifulcos.com/bifulco_farms.html . Bifulco Farms has grown into a large storage, cooling, brokers and transportation station for produce.
In Pat's senior years he enjoys gardening and his family. He has been a great help to Jesse and I as we try to make our property more sustainable. When Pat comes he quickly evaluates the property, even draws maps. Our children are then given duties, cleaning plots and weeding. Hope has been growing seedlings since early March. The rule of thumb around here is, do not plant before Mother's Day. There is less of a chance of a frost after Mother's Day. Since we turned that corner on the season, it is time to start planting.
We plant kale, celery, arugula, giant pumpkins, basil, parsley, spinach, tomatoes, squash, and corn. The kale, celery and spinach are used in our green smoothies. We have a beautiful cutting flower garden and this year I hope to add rose bushes. I hope our guests will enjoy our garden as much as we enjoy planting it.


text:
Power rankings. You hate them. They're so arbitrary and pointless, especially when they include all 32 NFL teams. All you want to know after a good week of NFL action is who the bestest team in the NFL right now, and which one is the absolute worst. The one so awful, Andrew Luck would be willing to spend another year surrounded by nerdy Stanford nerds specifically to avoid being drafted by that particular team. That's why we have TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE NFL, where we go to great lengths to tell you who's the top dog in football right now, this very minute. LET'S GO!
THE TOP: New England PatriotsThank God Atlanta lost last night. Now we don't have to pretend they merit consideration alongside New England, because right now New England is obliterating everything in its path.
Keep in mind that the Patriots have an abundance of draft picks coming to them this spring (thanks, Vikings!), so if they win the Super Bowl this year, they'll be extremely well-positioned to win another one next season, and perhaps beyond that. We could see Tom Brady retire with five or six rings. And if he does that, if he manages to win more Super Bowls than any QB who has ever lived, isn't he officially the best quarterback to ever play?
You couldn't possibly say Peyton Manning is better if Brady goes on to win three or four times as many titles. And if he beats out Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw's four Super Bowl rings, I think you have to call him the greatest ever. I think anyone who says otherwise is just going out of their way to try and diminish it. Much as I dislike the Patriots, Brady may be on the verge of dominating the position like no one else ever has, and that's something to behold.
THE BOTTOM: Minnesota Vikings They're starting Joe Webb tonight for the second straight game, which means another three hours of pain for Vikings fans. I think we all knew karma would come back to bite Minnesota in the butt. But man, I had no idea karma was THIS ruthless.
Bill Simmons asked if any team has endured a late January to December fall quite like this Minnesota team, and I'm hard-pressed to think of another. Just a horrible, rotten, awful season. And the worst part is that the rebuilding part hasn't even started yet.


text:
A Hollywood, Florida man was arrested after posing as Adele's manager.
Justin Jackson attempted to score tickets to see Kendrick Lamar at Miami's Rolling Loud hip-hop festival this weekend by emailing Lamar's manager as Adele's manager, Jonathan Dickens. According to the Miami Herald, Dickens suspected the email was fraudulent and contacted the police, who then set up a sting to catch Jackson. As they tried to enter the concert, Jackson and his wife were arrested for grand theft and identity theft charges.
Related: Adele Gives Harry Styles a Special 21st Birthday Present
According to authorities, this isn't the first time Jackson and his wife impersonated someone. The conman posed as a rep for Madonna, Oprah Winfrey's nephew and an aide to Barack Obama, all in the name of scamming free stuff.


text:
Dodgers near eight-year deal with Kemp
Off huge year, slugger would earn richest contract in club history
By Ken Gurnick and Quinn Roberts / MLB.com
The deal would be the biggest in franchise history, eclipsing the seven-year, $105 million deal signed by right-hander Kevin Brown in 1998.
However, at a Dodgers Dream Foundation event Monday in Compton, Calif., Kemp was mum on the subject, unwilling to make anything official just yet.
"Nothing going on right now guys. I haven't signed anything yet," Kemp said at the event, also attended by owner/chairman Frank McCourt. "We are getting close.
"Eight more years in L.A. I love it. It sounds pretty good to me. We'll see what happens."
Kemp, a contender for the National League Most Valuable Player Award after winning a Rawlings NL Gold Glove Award and an NL Silver Slugger Award, just finished a two-year, $11.1 million deal. He is eligible for one more arbitration season before hitting free agency.
"It is unbelievable to be in this position for myself and my family," Kemp said of the proposed contract. "You dream about this. My dreams have definitely come true."
The Dodgers under general manager Ned Colletti have not given a contract beyond Juan Pierre's five-year deal.
Colletti has said that locking up Kemp would be an offseason priority, and the center fielder has been the club's focus, even though Andre Ethier also has one season of arbitration eligibility remaining before he's able to be a free agent.
Signing Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder would add a new, huge salary, with the Dodgers already budgeting Kemp for a big raise as part of an anticipated 2012 payroll similar to the $110 million the club spent this past season.
"I want other big-time free agents to consider L.A. as a team that they want to be a part of. I want to win as many games as we can and get to the World Series," Kemp said. "It is a great city and a great organization to be a part of."
Dave Stewart, Kemp's agent and a former Dodger, has said he would advise his client to cut off negotiations if no deal is reached by the start of next season.
Kemp, 27, batted .324 (third in the NL) with 39 home runs and 126 RBIs in 2011, leading the NL in homers, RBIs, runs scored (115) and total bases (353). The 2011 NL All-Star also finished among the league leaders in multihit games (57, tied for first), hits (195, second), slugging percentage (.586, second), extra-base hits (76, second), stolen bases (40, tied for second), on-base percentage (.399, fourth) and walks (74, tied for eighth).
"I still want to win the MVP," Kemp said. "I put all that hard work in the training room and weight room for a 162-game season. The outcome is that you always want to be the best. Being thought of as one of the best makes you want to try harder the next year."
Kemp became the seventh player in Major League history to finish the season ranked in the top three in homers, batting average, RBIs and stolen bases in his respective league, joining Hall of Famers Ty Cobb (1907, '09-11), Honus Wagner ('08), George Sisler ('20), Chuck Klein ('32), Willie Mays ('55) and Hank Aaron ('63).
In addition, Kemp was the first Dodgers player to lead the NL in home runs and RBIs since Dolph Camilli in 1941 and the first player in Dodgers history to lead the NL in homers, RBIs and runs scored. He is one of five players all time to eclipse 30 homers, 35 stolen bases, 100 RBIs and a .310 average, joining Ken Williams ('22), Barry Bonds ('92), Alex Rodriguez ('98) and Vladimir Guerrero (2002).
"This past year was a great year for me personally and definitely set the bar, but I have to have even better numbers next year," said Kemp.
This year, Kemp was voted by his teammates as the winner of the Roy Campanella Award, which goes to the Dodgers player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Famer; he's received the Hank Aaron Award, as the most outstanding offensive player in the NL; the Baseball America Player of the Year; the NL Stan Musial Award, presented by the Baseball Bloggers Alliance; been named a finalist for the Players Choice Outstanding Player in the NL; and named to The Sporting News NL All-Star team.
"I knew that one day we could try and get something going, but we have a little bit more to go and a few more things to work out," Kemp said. "Hopefully I'll be a Dodger for years to come."
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. Quinn Roberts is a contributor for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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AARHUS, Denmark, June 5 ? Children born prematurely and those born at term but with low birth weights have an increased risk of developing so-called hyperkinetic disorder, according to researchers here.
The syndrome, hyperkinetic disorder, includes a variety of activity and attention disturbances-hyperactivity, poor attention span, impulsive behavior--equivalent to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD combined type), according to a report in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. It is the fourth most frequent discharge diagnosis in child psychiatry in Denmark.
The finding emerged from a 14-year birth-record study that included a comparison of 834 children diagnosed with hyperkinetic disorder between ages of two and 18 (median 8.8) and 20,100 controls with no mental disorders.
Data came from four Danish longitudinal registers, while controls were randomly selected from births during the same period, said Karen Linnet, M.D., Ph.D., at Aarhus University Hospital here, and colleagues.


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by T.J. Buckingham
I recently made the very picturesque journey from my hometown, Melbourne, Fla., to the beautiful, small city of Vero Beach, Fla.
This quaint old city has the prudence of huge oak hammocks as well as the tropical views of giant palm trees. The air is persistently humid and filled with the sweet fragrance of orange blossoms, with an occasional trace of the not-so-sweet Indian River.
I absolutely love Vero Beach because of the wonderful memories of my grandfather, Jamie Buckingham, that resurfaces whenever I visit. This particular trip was special because I made it with my grandmother and Jamie's widow, Jackie Buckingham.
I had the ultimate tour guide, and she didn't disappoint. We drove by Vero Beach High School, and I saw her eyes light up as she recalled all of the mischievous things my grandfather had done in his youth like racing his old Ford pick-up truck as fast as it would go down the steel railroad tracks.
As I listened, it was obvious why she never remarried. Jamie's playful spirit and tendencies to be unpredictable had won her over as a teenager, and she was still very much in love with him two decades after his passing in February 1992.
She recalled with a laugh how she had to wait to wear her engagement ring until she was enrolled in college because my great grandfather, Walter Buckingham or "Daddy B" as we all called him, said that it would not be proper for her to wear it while still in high school.
We even drove down to the Baptist church where my grandfather spent his summer home from college as the acting youth pastor—his first real role in ministry. I suppose that was where he had his calling confirmed as he spent the rest of his life in ministry.
Our trip finished with a stop at the Vero Beach Retirement Community, a large piece of land that was once an orange grove owned by my great grandparents. I personally have very vivid memories of sitting around the palmettos with all of my cousins while my grandfather told us stories and tall tales of naughty monkeys and alligators—each character representing one of us in trait.
His ability to tell a story well and really captivate an audience was no doubt a gift from God. He would make the most obscure illustrations, like whether or not real men hug, and somehow always relate it back to Jesus.
I can remember my grandfather confessing to me that after he was filled with the Holy Spirit, he couldn't utter the name of Jesus without shedding at least a few tears. I admired his passion for Christ as well as his tenderness for the lost. Everyone who knew him did.
His life was an open book, flaws exposed for all to see. It was his honesty and imperfections that drew people in—and, incidentally, made me want to be a pastor just like him.
My oldest son, who we named Jamie, just turned 5. On his bedroom door hangs a small rectangular plaque that belonged to my grandfather. The words "Jamie Buckingham Loves Jesus" are burned into its wood. Every night after a story and prayers, I see this plaque as I close his door and I pray. I pray that the legacy I was handed lives far beyond my time here on earth—that these words burned into wood are also imprinted in my children's hearts, as they were in mine.
Facing the reality that it has now been 20 years since my grandfather went home is hard. I miss so many things about him, especially the quirky traits that made him so special like red hot candies in glasses of Coca-Cola, a pair of tattered tennis shoes he stubbornly wore and the way he could tell a story or fill a room with laughter. There were so many wonderful qualities wrapped up into one man.
Facing this reality also helps me to appreciate that I am not bitter or angry because he was taken from me all too soon. Instead, I am filled with reverence and appreciation for what he left behind. The legacy of a passionate writer, a pastor filled with humor but conviction as well and the grandfather who showed me and many others his uncompromising love for Jesus Christ.
T.J. Buckingham is a pastor in Melbourne, Fla. He and his wife, Amanda, have three children.
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Franklin staying positive despite sore knee
By Greg Johns / MLB.com
SEATTLE -- Rookie second baseman Nick Franklin on Monday was still feeling soreness in his right knee, where he'd fouled a bunt off his leg on Friday night in Cincinnati. But it's full speed again for the youngster, who played through the pain on Sunday and hit a first-inning home run that helped catapult the Mariners to a 3-1 victory.
"Compared to yesterday, it's doing a lot better," Franklin said before batting practice on Monday prior to the series opener with the Red Sox. "I know it's not going to injure me more, therefore if I'm going to run, I might as well run it. As long as I know it's not going to injure me more, I'll play on it."
Franklin has been one of the young catalysts for some positive momentum over the past few weeks. He's hit .302 with two home runs and eight RBIs over his last 13 games going into Monday, giving him six homers and 18 RBIs with a .287 average in his first 31 outings in the Majors.
After winning series against quality clubs in Texas and Cincinnati, the Mariners are feeling some positive mojo and Franklin is right in the middle of it.
"It was a good road trip," he said. "We were on top of it. When chances arose, guys came through with clutch hits. When we were up, we were continuing to put runs on the board. So that was good. Things are going pretty well.
"I think we're having fun and having fun can lead to playing good baseball sometimes. If you're in that phase of losing, it's more kind of down and nobody is joking around. The more you win, the more fun you have."
Luetge's good fortune to be back in Majors
SEATTLE -- Lucas Luetge was called up from Triple-A on Monday after Jeremy Bonderman was designated for assignment, but the lefty reliever saw this one coming three days earlier with a tip from an unlikely source: a fortune cookie from P.F. Chang's restaurant in Salt Lake City while traveling with the Tacoma Rainiers.
Luetge became a bigger believer in the power of cookies after a to-go order on Friday produced a message reading: "Next Monday will be a lucky day for you."
"I've never had a fortune cookie that listed an exact day," Luetge said on Monday, pulling the piece of paper out of his locker in the Safeco Field clubhouse. "Usually it's "Good fortune is coming your way" or "You'll be wealthy in the future" or something like that. So, I kept it and told my wife, 'I got a good fortune cookie, but I've got to wait a couple days to tell you.' And then sure enough, today is Monday."
Luetge was feeling fortunate in many ways after catching up with his Mariners teammates.
"This is a lot more exciting phone call [than when he got called up before}," Luetge said after rejoining the Mariners for a third time this season following a six-week stint with the Rainiers. "I guess because it was a longer time down there and it makes you miss it a little more and realize how good things are here. It was pretty exciting. I couldn't sleep much. I'm running on adrenaline."
Luetge spent all of last season with the Mariners as a Rule 5 Draft pickup from the Brewers and posted a 3.98 ERA in 63 games. He again opened the year on the 25-man roster, then was sent down on April 9 before rejoining the club for most of May. In 11 appearances with the Mariners this season, Luetge is 0-1 with a 7.15 ERA in 11 1/3 innings.
In 22 games with the Rainiers, Luetge was 0-0 with a 4.35 ERA with one save. He struck out 45 in 31 innings and did not allow a run over his last five outings, striking out 10 in 7 1/3 innings.
"I had a two-week stretch when I was playing about the worst baseball of my life," he said. "I could have thrown an intentional walk and the guy would have hit it. It was one of those deals. It took a mental toll. But after that, it was good. I couldn't get any worse and we got working in the bullpen to figure things out and it's been going well ever since then."
Luetge said he's been getting a better downhill angle since making some adjustments. So, he believes his fortunes truly may have changed.
Worth noting
• After Tom Wilhelmsen picked up a pair of saves on the last road trip, manager Eric Wedge confirmed he indeed is back in the closer's role now, though the skipper said Oliver Perez would continue to get some save opportunities.
• Outfielder Michael Morse, on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right quadriceps, ran in the outfield as well as some stairs at Safeco Field on Monday. Morse and outfielder Franklin Gutierrez (hamstring strain) both took batting practice with the team as well and will continue working with the club until at least midweek.
Wedge said the two would hit in a simulated game situation on Wednesday against reliever Stephen Pryor, himself recovering from a torn shoulder muscle that has him on the 60-day DL. Pryor threw a bullpen session on Monday and everything went well, according to Wedge.
• Right-hander Taijuan Walker, ranked by MLB.com as the Mariners' No. 1 prospect, saw his scoreless innings streak in Triple-A reach 14 innings before allowing a solo home run in the fourth on Sunday in his third start for Tacoma. Walker wound up with a no-decision after pitching five frames with six hits and just the lone run. The 20-year-old is 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA with five walks and 16 strikeouts in 16 innings while holding opponents to a .186 average.
• Infielder Ty Kelly, obtained from the Orioles in the trade for Eric Thames, went 4-for-4 for Tacoma on Sunday and is hitting .545 (12 for 22) in six games.
Greg Johns is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregJohnsMLB as well as his Mariners Musings blog This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Sorry guys, we're heading for failure because of our garbage coach.
Do you realize that every game this season including the blowout win in Sacramento we at one time trailed by at least 10 points. We trailed by 15+ or more in 4 of 6 games.
Were last in the league in rebounds,
We're second to last in rebound differential and our opponents rebounds against us almost lead the league (7th).
We lead the league in fouls.
We almost lead the league in turnovers (5th).
We're 20th in PPG with 3 potential all-stars and good supporting cast.
We're 28th in FG% because our guys aren't taking good shots and Antoni's not running plays.
We give up the 10th best FG% to opposing teams.
We're 19th in 3PT%. Our crappy opponents are 6th against us.
We're 25th in assists. Our crappy opponents are 9th against us.
All these stats really show you on paper how bad our coach really is. We need a change of management soon or else we're in for a long @ss season of ridicule.


text: Chicago Bears Fotoball Sports Embroidered Signature NFL Full Size Football New 2008! This footballs features include - Super Bowl Logo and Score For The Year They Won The Super Bowl, 1 brown and 3 white panels (2 are blank for getting autographs on), Large Team Emblem is Embroidered and 1 Panel shows Team History. This football is officially licensed by the NFL.


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How Can We Better Stigmatize Racist Cab Drivers?
In New York City, regulators are searching for penalties that will discourage taxi drivers from refusing service to certain passengers. Why would a cabbie do such a thing? Let's turn to the comment section of NYPost.com to find out:
This is not about race .Its about some scum bag blowing a cab drivers brains out for a couple of bucks .
Every man has the right to protect his life by any means at his disposal .
I challenge anyone reading this to find a story of a Taxi driver being murdered where the killer was not a black man . Or try driving a cab in N.Y.C. like I did.
Then make your comment.
For Real
I am total agreement with Tarzan. When I was a police officer, I drove cab part time. My weapon was always in between my legs ready to protect myself in any neighborhood. In those days 1970s and 80s they were killing "yellow cab drivers" by the dozen. I like most other cab drivers refused to pick up any black men. Sorry folks, that's the way it was and still is. It's not racism, it's survival.
Real New Yorkers speaking out, ladies and gentlemen! So the question is, how can we publicly shame these
racist survivalist cab drivers? The current proposal is simply to increase fines. That's boring. Plus, it's not visible from outside the cab. How about this: just as some states are now adopting special license plates for people who have been convicted of drunk driving, NYC can adopt a special license plate for cab drivers who refuse to pick up black people. The license plate could be... I don't know, black? Better ideas in the comments.
(To be clear, though, sticking onetime drunk drivers with special license plates is fucked up.)
[Photo: AP]


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Kustom's Digital Solution
Kustom Signals is listening to the law enforcement market and responding with a digital solution. With 30 years of designing traffic safety equipment and over 10 years of designing in-car video, Kustom introduces the Digital Eyewitness ® in-car video system. The new Digital Eyewitness system includes all the same features and functionality of the Eyewitness VHS system, but with the additional features and benefits associated with digital video: better resolution and audio quality, pre-event recording, improved search capabilities, and identical copies. The system also has the ability to record to multiple digital media to accommodate departmental preferences.
Digital Eyewitness also features an integrated overhead console that allows the system's main camera to be concealed within its housing. This increases the officer's visibility and eliminates the possibility of the camera interfering with airbag deployment. The console also accommodates an optional rear facing board camera.
Like all Kustom video products, Digital Eyewitness has been subjected to Highly Accelerated Life Testing, or HALT, which exposes the components to multi-axis vibration and shock, as well as rapid and extreme temperature changes. This testing helps identify any design weaknesses and allows them to be corrected before going to market. Given the challenges of recording to digital media in a patrol car, Kustom considers HALT testing critical to the success of the product.
Also available with the Digital Eyewitness is Kustom's new Sure Talk audio system. This system helps to ensure audio is recorded even when officers forget to turn the transmitter on, when their mic cord becomes damaged or lost, when they are on a scene with multiple vehicles, or when they switch vehicles.
For more than 30 years, Kustom Signals, Inc. has been a world leader in the design, manufacture and sale of video systems, radar, laser, and related public safety equipment including fire apparatus video surveillance systems and speed monitoring trailers. For a complete list of features and benefits on Digital Eyewitness or other Kustom Products, please call us toll-free 1-800-4KUSTOM, or visit us on the web at www.kustomsignals.com.
Kustom Signals, Inc.
9325 Pflumm
Lenexa, KS 66215
Request more product info from Kustom Signals Inc..
Thank You!


text:
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
themes/default/README.txtMake sure you switch to the new cloned theme.
themes/yournewtheme/viewsCopy this file:
themes/yournewtheme/views/default.master.phpEdit the copied default.master.php by finding this line (it's line 14 on my file):
if ($this->Menu) {Immediately below it, insert this line:
$this->Menu->AddLink('Home', T('Home'), '/');So that it now looks like this:
Edited this last bit to change config.php, not config-defaults.php. my Bad.
if ($this->Menu) {
$this->Menu->AddLink('Home', T('Home'), '/');
$this->Menu->AddLink('Dashboard', T('Dashboard'), '/dashboard/settings', array('Garden.Settings.Manage'));
Add this line:
If you do all that successfully, Bob's your Uncle, as they say round here
$Configuration['Garden']['Menu']['Sort'] = array('Home', 'Dashboard', 'Discussions', 'Questions', 'Activity', 'Conversations', 'User');
themes/yournewtheme/views/default.master.phpand I used "../news" as the third parameter i.e. a relative URL to my WordPress installation.
The fifth argument is applied to the < li >, it's the sixth that gets put on the anchor tag.
$this->Menu->AddLink('YourLink', T('YourLink'), '/path/to/page', array('Garden.SignIn.Allow'), array(), array('target' => '_blank'));
Be interested to see if an id can be assigned to the link. If someone knows the code, let me know, driving me nuts here. Plus, need to add menu item, within a theme. So adding the function within config wont work ... for anyone else. Is there a method within themes this can be done.
422 Real Estate Australia , now open Check it out
The last argument simply becomes array('target' => '_blank', 'id' => 'GoesHere')
Your theme hooks file can have a Setup method just like a plugin, which can do a "SaveToConfig" to set that variable in your config.
conf/config-defaults had the "$Configuration['Garden']['Menu']['Sort']
abe3n said:
conf/config-defaults had the "$Configuration['Garden']['Menu']['Sort']
Never edit config-defaults.php. Add the entry to config.php.


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The Future of Medicaid: Building Sustainability through Program Innovation
Health Policy Colloquium
The Future of Medicaid: Building Sustainability through Program Innovation
Join the Muskie School of Public Service for a discussion of the future of Medicaid with Diane Rowland, executive vice president of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and executive director of the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.
|Diane Rowland is a nationally recognized health policy expert with a distinguished career in public policy and research focusing on health insurance coverage, access to care, and health care financing for low-income, elderly, and disabled populations. She has directed the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured since 1991 and overseen the Foundation's health policy work on Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, HIV, women's health policy, and disparities since 1993. Appointed in 2009 as the inaugural chair, Dr. Rowland continues to serve as the Chair of the congressionally-authorized Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). She holds a Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at the Johns Hopkins University.
Following the presentation, Muskie School researchers will summarize MaineCare's cost drivers. Senate Minority Leader Roger Katz (left) and Rep. Drew Gattine (right), a member of the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee, will join the speaker for a discussion and audience questions.
The colloquium also will include a panel discussion on emerging initiatives to manage Medicaid more efficiently and effectively. The panel will feature:
Lilia Teninty, senior policy specialist, Health Services Research Institute. A national expert in innovations aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of programs serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Teninty will describe innovative approaches being advanced in other states and the evidence that drives those approaches.
Andy Allison, director, Division of Medical Services, Arkansas Department of Human Services. Allison has been invited to discuss payment reform in Arkansas, which has been designed to improve care of specific high cost illnesses by establishing benchmarks for performance and putting providers at risk to meet them.
Mary Mayhew, commissioner, Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Mayhew will close the panel with a discussion of Maine's significant work to address program efficiency, and will respond to innovations presented from other states.
Read the New Publication: Managing a High-Performance Medicaid Program co-authored by Eileen Griffin and Trish Riley, Muskie School of Public Service; Vikki Wachino, Consultant to Muskie School of Public Service; and Robin Rudowitz, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, Kaiser Family Foundation