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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post6960269124184935169..comments2018-07-17T06:30:27.037-07:00Comments on My Joyful Journey: Paper Piecing Primer--Halo Star Medallion Month 1Barbara Blackhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-19776312247198551952017-12-05T18:44:39.310-08:002017-12-05T18:44:39.310-08:00The pattern is free to members of www.thequiltshow...The pattern is free to members of www.thequiltshow.com all the way through December 31, 2018. Join now to get all 12 months and see great shows too, a new one every 2 weeks.
Barbara Blackhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-76310826052874444842017-12-05T15:52:36.205-08:002017-12-05T15:52:36.205-08:00Hello Barbara! I love this quilt! Is the pattern o...Hello Barbara! I love this quilt! Is the pattern only for sale or is it the kit only? I miss you!SBGhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-35265315501716492692017-03-13T16:05:15.071-07:002017-03-13T16:05:15.071-07:00The 6.5" squares are for the 4 corners--they ...The 6.5" squares are for the 4 corners--they are not cut in half. The quarter square triangles needed for Units 19, 13, 10 and 3 come from one 9" square cut on both diagonals. Page 7 and 8 list exactly the sizes and cuts of each fabric needed. Check that again.Barbara Blackhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-43171264327310663442017-03-13T12:04:03.229-07:002017-03-13T12:04:03.229-07:00Barbara, I am having trouble with Unit 19 in mont...Barbara, I am having trouble with Unit 19 in month 1. It doesn't seem to me that the white 6 1/2 inch square, cut diagonally, white triangle is large enough. If I move it so the the triangle hits the cutting lines on both sides, when I press it open there is not enough for the seam allowance somewhere. Am I missing something?eyestitchhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-69211099827860629972017-02-03T13:30:28.750-08:002017-02-03T13:30:28.750-08:00TammyB,I just added a photo of the back to this po...TammyB,I just added a photo of the back to this post. See up above. Barbara Blackhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-83498137343492122192017-02-03T09:22:24.284-08:002017-02-03T09:22:24.284-08:00I have also been wondering about pressing. Have re...I have also been wondering about pressing. Have read the pattern a couple of times checking if I had missed that step. Could you email or post a picture of the back of your block?
Thank you for doing this blog and all the great tips!!TammyBhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-5787919239758291712017-02-02T12:43:10.803-08:002017-02-02T12:43:10.803-08:00The 1 inch test square on page 23 is not exactly 1...The 1 inch test square on page 23 is not exactly 1"? You'll have to tweak your printer settings. Be sure it says "actual size" or "none" for scaling. Don't have "fit" clicked. Some people find they do better downloading with a different web browser, like Chrome or Firefox, download to your computer and print from there. Some people had to adjust their "scale" setting to something other than 100%--like 101%. When the 1" test square is exactly 1", you're good to go. The "feathers" on the star itself are slightly larger than 1"--don't get those confused with the 1" test square.Barbara Blackhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-40773769892366791902017-02-02T11:31:52.658-08:002017-02-02T11:31:52.658-08:00That is hard to read I mean it is 1 and 1/32 inch...That is hard to read I mean it is 1 and 1/32 inch, namely 1/32 of an inch too bigeyestitchhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-72966210472971825182017-02-02T11:30:43.532-08:002017-02-02T11:30:43.532-08:00Barbara, I printed month one, but the 1 inch block...Barbara, I printed month one, but the 1 inch block to check printing size is actually 1 1/32. What should I do now? I printed with the setting "none"eyestitchhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-49740253834468818402017-02-01T14:11:39.560-08:002017-02-01T14:11:39.560-08:00I do because I will want to keep it forever. Afte...I do because I will want to keep it forever. After December 31, 2017 it will no longer be free on thequiltshow.com and will only be available for sale on Sue's website. At a cost of at least $80. Month 1 had a lot of pages dedicated to the alternate block and how to paper piece. I advised my small group that if they didn't need that block or that information, they could save printing about 10 pages. It's wise to look at each Month's instructions before you hit the "Print" button.Barbara Blackhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-46849026509413594532017-02-01T12:50:51.407-08:002017-02-01T12:50:51.407-08:00Do you recommend printing each lesson in its entir...Do you recommend printing each lesson in its entirety for Halo Medallion? eyestitchhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-31142739659884782182017-01-14T07:00:19.798-08:002017-01-14T07:00:19.798-08:00Yes, Robyn. Press toward the path of least resista...Yes, Robyn. Press toward the path of least resistance, toward the larger pieces with less seams. I've sent you a photo by email showing the back of my star. Barbara Blackhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-50470909648815351542017-01-13T20:40:30.101-08:002017-01-13T20:40:30.101-08:00Thank you Barbara for your additional hints. I am ...Thank you Barbara for your additional hints. I am finding them very helpful. There is one thing I am struggling with and that is which way to press seams when I am assembling the block. Can you help this Aussie quilter out.Robynhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-88127348509874930032017-01-11T07:36:44.969-08:002017-01-11T07:36:44.969-08:00Very useful. Thank you.Very useful. Thank you.Great Aunt Carolhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-80714159429019442912017-01-11T07:17:30.063-08:002017-01-11T07:17:30.063-08:00You've got a great group of gals gathered toge...You've got a great group of gals gathered together for this venture!! It'll be fun to watch the quilts come to life!! :)Denise :)https://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-71082874970068550922017-01-11T06:20:06.719-08:002017-01-11T06:20:06.719-08:00Fantastic tips. I think I'm ready to get star...Fantastic tips. I think I'm ready to get started now Kylehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-55803116892385627842017-01-09T21:34:57.786-08:002017-01-09T21:34:57.786-08:00Beautiful quilt--learning paper piecing is on my b...Beautiful quilt--learning paper piecing is on my bucket listSamplings from Spring Creekhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-58823772824707098252017-01-09T10:21:29.163-08:002017-01-09T10:21:29.163-08:00You can do it. Slow and steady, those small stitc...You can do it. Slow and steady, those small stitches make the paper easy to remove--the part most people dislike about paper piecing. I love the precision I get.Barbara Blackhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-21124217558524315202017-01-09T09:53:42.498-08:002017-01-09T09:53:42.498-08:00Thanks for the great tips. Wonderful idea to use ...Thanks for the great tips. Wonderful idea to use several fabrics for background! Thank goodness I'm behind and haven't purchased 11 yards yet! :)
Carol Hofstetterhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-77584915397637425822017-01-09T08:30:11.906-08:002017-01-09T08:30:11.906-08:00I appreciate the time you took to share this info....I appreciate the time you took to share this info. I am a pre-beginner with paper piecing. I've watched a lot of videos and read a bit - but, only tried a couple of blocks. they turned out 'ok'-but, I haven't seemed to get 'hooked' on this technique - it confuses me. I *do* want to feel like I can *do* it if I want to - so, will try again. I'm sure your pointers will help... :-)MaryChttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-48880265910834555262017-01-09T07:11:08.145-08:002017-01-09T07:11:08.145-08:00Great tips and a beautiful center star!Great tips and a beautiful center star!Lorihttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-86020697224271316342017-01-08T21:10:18.203-08:002017-01-08T21:10:18.203-08:00Great pointers! Thanks for sharing!!! I may be usi...Great pointers! Thanks for sharing!!! I may be using several backgrounds as I had no idea how challenging it would be to find a bolt with 11 yards of fabric on it! :) I'm going to be behind on this project. . .but, that is okay. Terryhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-65038657453976041982017-01-08T19:35:28.382-08:002017-01-08T19:35:28.382-08:00I am not making this quilt, but I have made a few ...I am not making this quilt, but I have made a few feathered stars. You give some really good tips here. This group is very lucky to have you tutor them along in the process. Janet O.https://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085773199847638377.post-17015971186987392262017-01-08T16:58:33.200-08:002017-01-08T16:58:33.200-08:00Thank you for these excellent pointers. I have my ...Thank you for these excellent pointers. I have my pattern printed and notebook ready, I have most of what I will need for background, and I have pulled a good sized selection for the colors. I plan to get started this week (after I get a bit farther along on En Provence - first two blocks are completed). Jean Etheridgehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com


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How depressing these time are.
In 1991, as a former cold warrior, I never thought I would see the fall of the Berlin Wall in my lifetime. I was so shocked at how quickly the Soviet Union collapsed. It seemed it happened all at once to most Americans, because the government owned Soviet media (Pravda) was a closed network that never reported the truth. You know, sorta like the U.S. media today.
I am shocked, again, that I may be witnessing the downfall of the United States by a socialist regime. A government that thinks wealth belongs to the Government, and not the people who developed it.
I cannot quite get my head around the idea that we are about to turn the nuclear football over to an inexperienced junior Senator, with radical ties to some of the worst people ever produced by America, and socialist ideals of redistributing wealth.
America is in great peril. The time for prayer is NOW. Let us prayer God will spare us from this fate, and restore our Nation.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
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The New Hardy Boy Case Files
Everyone Dies (unless they're a main character)
I told you every book on this list wouldn't be a "landmark of world literature" (description of Swann's Way by Marcel Proust from the back of the Vintage Books edition). I'm going in chronological order of the books that had a lasting impact on me, so hear me out.
That little tiny library I told you about in the previous post, that serviced our elementary school, had many of the original (according to wikipedia they were probably updated because the originals contained racial stereotypes) Hardy Boys' mysteries in stock. I loved them. This is another clue (get it? sorry) that I would eventually love detective fiction when I got older. In 1987, they were relaunched as the Hardy Boy Casefiles. A darker, more dangerous series than the original.
But instilling a love of mystery is not why the Hardy Boys Casefiles #1: Dead on Target is on this list. No, it's on this list because it starts off with a death, a very important death.
This book begins with the death of Iola Morton, Joe's girlfriend and a major character in the original books. This amazed me. She didn't come back to life at the end of the book. She didn't miraculously escape and only appear to die (I'm looking at you Fast & Furious 6). She died. Dead dead. Do you have any idea how amazing this is?
At 11 years old I suddenly realized that in almost every movie and television show, none of the main characters, or major supporting characters, ever die. After reading this book that fact became ridiculously apparent. I began to notice it in everything I watched. G.I. Joe had snipers who could write their names on walls with machine guns, but couldn't hit a terrorist who was firing back. The A-team rarely get shot (I was going to say never, but I wasn't sure) and even if they did, they would survive.
No one dies.
Children and dogs are especially immune to death. You see a kid in mortal danger, even in horror films that will slice a person in two, that kid will be O.K. in the next shot.
This almost ruined media for me.
I think this is part of why I love Joss Whedon and Hong Kong cinema so much: people die. It was in High School that I discovered Quentin Tarantino which led me to Raymond Chandler (more on him in a later post) and John Woo specifically but Hong Kong cinema more generally. One of the first things I noticed in those early days of watching VHS tapes of poorly sub-titled (NEVER DUBBED! NEVER!) HK movies is that: the protaganist has a 50/50 shot at surviving.
How refreshing! To watch a movie and think, "I wonder if he's going to make it?" and mean it.
It's also why I loved Quentin Tarantino. Reservoir Dogs & Pulp Fiction – not everyone makes it. Groundbreaking cinema for that reason alone.
Joss Whedon, if you don't know him, is lovingly teased about killing off your favorite characters (skip ahead to avoid spoilers) Tara, Anya, Wash, Shepard Book, Agent Coulson (briefly).
The thing about these deaths is that in each of these movies and television shows they raised the stakes for the other characters. You can't keep putting people in mortal danger with no consequences or eventually your audience won't care. Joss Whedon understood this when he made Serenity. Without those deaths earlier in the movie, the final battle would only be half as exciting.
Or look at Scream. Kill Drew Barrymore at the beginning (a legitimate movie star) and what chance do any of the characters have of surviving (they're just TV actors, after all).
Or look at The Walking Dead (TV or Comic), by having any and every character (with the exception of Rick) capable of being killed off any week, you watch each attack with actual fear and dread. When someone's surrounded by zombies, you really wonder if they're going to make it.
At 11 years old reading about the death of Joe's girlfriend I was shocked. That single death purchased my belief that anyone could die for the 27 books I read till I aged out. It also left me with a hunger for media that would put characters in true danger. I enjoy silly action films like the ones with Jason Statham or the Fast and Furious series, but I truly love a movie that says, "Even the hero isn't safe".
So for making an 11 year old begin to critically look at media, I say thank you to Hardy Boys Casfiles #1: Dead on Target.
Next week: Mary Shelly's Frankenstein.
So, everyone, what's the earliest book you remember having an impact on your life?


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Friday, 26 October 2007
El Alamein Fountain II
The El Alamein fountain was erected as a war memorial to the men who fought the battle of El Alamein in Northern Africa during World War II.
18 comments:
Thanks Sally...have always loved this iconic Sydney fountain, and your photos are fabulous.ReplyDelete
This is one of my favorite styles of fountains. Thanks for the photos!ReplyDelete
What a unique and lovely fountain. Never seen one like it.ReplyDelete
Fountain Massage? Never seen... ;)ReplyDelete
A massage in front of this bright fountain, great idea! (Coucou GMG!)ReplyDelete
Sally, I'm late but I've answer to your tag...
The massage tent is one of several stands at a market held in the square where the fountain is.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous26 October, 2007 21:56
A very attractive fountain and photo.ReplyDelete
Your fountain shots are just amazing, Sally.ReplyDelete
Answered, sorry.ReplyDelete
I've never seen one like this either. It is lovely.ReplyDelete
I too love this fountain - it used to be one of the most photographed structures in Sydney!ReplyDelete
A massage by the fountain sounds like a good idea.ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
Snap! I think our cities have used the same fountain designer!ReplyDelete
Check out the Ferrier Fountain at the Christchurch town hall.
Coming in late here: my apologies.ReplyDelete
The El Alamein Fountain was designed in 1961 by the New Zealand -born Sydney architect Robert Woodward, and was the first of many fountains he has designed in the years since -- among them the High Court and Civic Centre fountains in Canberra, the spiral fountain in Darling Harbour, the fountain in Fountain Court of Parliament House in Sydney and the cascade at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane.
Bob was one of my teachers at university, and I remember one day someone showing him the catalogue of an American maker of off-the peg fountains which offered "dandelion fountains" in various sizes. His only comment was "I should have patented the mechanism of the Alamein. I was young and naive."
Bob's El Alamein was the first dandelion, a completely original design, and all the similar ones you see around the world are copied -- not to say pirated -- from it.
Roger: thanks so much for adding that history and personal perspective to the post! :-)ReplyDelete
i knew Mr Wooward personaly and hate to correct the earlier statement over his birth he was born in australia and past away in sydney earlier this year(2010).ReplyDelete
Amazing Idea! The sights of fountain really attract the hearts of visitors. really like your fantastic idea.ReplyDelete


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Battlestar Galactica was on my must-watch list since the final season lighted up SyFy like a Christmas tree back in 2008-2009. For some reason, I kept putting off watching it. I should have known it was a sign.
Seventy five episodes. I'm sad to say that I'll never get the time I spent watching the show this past week, back. Ever.
Initially I enjoyed the crescendo, the interesting dynamics between leadership and civilians, and the jacked up way they were portraying the military. Lots of dualism, religious fanaticism, and skill vs. luck. Many characters weren't being explored sufficiently to get buy in, meanwhile others had a big spotlight for teacher's pet. Then I started noticing mentions to current culture and turns of phrase, which took my suspension of disbelief and threw it out the window even further.
What really riled me up was the illogical way the cylons behaved. You'd think they would have wiped each other out well before that Six blew up the space station at the beginning of the first episode. Why do they argue so much? They had WAY enough time to figure out a plan and stick to it. Too much cylon libbing on the plan all the way into the last season.
Here's a short list of my rants:
How is it possible that a world of machines led by the "pretty ones?" Machines should know better. And how is it that one cylon (Cavil) gets to make all the decisions for everyone? Including the model that carries the creator's memories? How can dead people rematerialize with their ship then vanish into thin air? And how on earth does the admiral gain so much weight over the three years when they're on tight rations! Look at that beer belly my gods. Why do we care how Starbuck and Adamo Jr met until the last season? Tell us sooner!
I began to really like the Sharon model, then realized I liked that character because it was the only one that had multidimensionality: Boomer and Tyrol, Boomer shooting Adamo, Athena the captive, Athena the wife, Boomer the antihero, et al. Most lead characters were only being explored more in-depth -- or gave you the impression they were -- in an episode or two if doing so helped progress the plot device du jour in some way. Basically it was a game of pawns. Not terribly interesting when it's so obvious.
It was terribly ironic to have Gaius Balthar become the comedic relief after being the lead antihero, and a sadistic narcisist one at that. I seriously wanted something terrible to happen to him, and he gets off scot-free in the end. Not very satisfying. I would have loved to have seen more about the cylon human experiments than what they showed in that quick episode with Adamo Sr. at the end of the first war. That could have really gone somewhere. Anywhere.
There were some entertaining bits, but I somehow feel like it was a too long series that could have benefited from tighter storylines and plot devices. You either have the civilians be useful collateral or you get rid of them without a a second thought -- you shouldn't really dillydally and go from one and the other interchangeably. Either we, the audience, care about them or we don't.
The acting was fine on pretty much all accounts, kudos to a varied cast, particularly some people I'd never seen before. It was fun seeing Dean Stockwell be naughty but he also got cynic and old in the end. Then the entire place turned into a natives documentary in tall grass...and then Times Square. *rolls eyes* I think I was so excited the show was finally over that I liked the last two episodes too much.


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13 December 2000
Price realised
Giacomo Francesco Cipper, il Todeschini (Feldkirch, Vorarlberg 1664-1736 Milan)
Portrait of the artist seated at his easel, three-quarter-length, in a ripped blue jacket and white shirt, with his palette and brushes
oil on canvas, oval
365/8 x 28¼ in. (93 x 71.7 cm.)
Leifmann, Düsseldorf, 1918.
Anon. Sale, Dorotheum, Vienna, 4 November 1992, lot 46.
Private collection, Vienna, 1998.
Contact Client Service
New York +1 212 636 2000
London +44 (0)20 7839 9060
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A.L. Mayer, 'Cipper genannt Todeschini, als Pseudospanier', Monatshefte für Kunstwissenschaft, no. 11, 1918, p. 106, pl. 23, fig. 1.
M. Mojzer, 'Giacomo Francesco Cipper', Acta Historiae Artium Academiae Scientiarium Hungaricae, VI, 1957, p. 77.
O. Blazicek, 'Ancora del Todeschini Cipper', Arte in Europa. Scritti di storia dell'arte in onore di Edoardo Arslan, Milan, 1966, p. 776. L. Tognoli, G.F. Cipper, Il Todeschini, Bergamo, 1976, p. 147, no. 28, fig. 125.
R. Wishnevsky, 'Cipper', Dizionario biografico degli Italiani, XXV, 1981, p. 727.
M.S. Proni, Giacomo Francesco Cipper, detto 'Il Todeschini', Soncino, 1994, p. 66, no. 14, illustrated in colour.
M. Olivari, 'Giacomo Francesco Cipper detto il Todeschini', Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan, IX, p. 272.
G. Gruber, Giacomo Francesco Cipper detto il Todeschini, diss. University of Vienna, 1997, no. 305.
Brescia, Museo di Santa Giulia, Da Caravaggio a Ceruti. La scena di genere e l'immagine dei 'pitocchi', 28 November 1998-28 February 1999, pp. 447-8, no. 124, illustrated p. 256.
This depiction of the artist in ragged cloths is typical of Cipper's compositions, which nearly exclusively consist of realistic genre scenes filled with burlesque grinning peasants at work. Although little is known about his artistic training, his work is clearly influenced by that of Giacomo Ceruti, close to whom he was recorded living in 1716, as well as by that of Pietro Bellotti and Bernhard Keilhau.
Both Gerlinde Gruber (loc. cit.) and Maria Silvia Proni (loc. cit.) date this picture to the first decade of the eighteenth century, when the artist was in his forties.
Another picture of The artist with a garzone grinding pigments shows Todeschini in a similar pose behind a canvas on which the profile of an old lady is painted (Proni, op.cit., p. 66, fig. 18). Considerd by Tognoli (op. cit., p. 126) to be autograph, that picture was rejected by Proni and Gruber (loc. cit.) because of its inferior quality in comparison with the present picture. A picture of An artist in his studio in the Royal Collection at Hampton Court, dated 1736, was traditionally believed to be a self portrait. However, Proni and later Gruber argue that it is a portrait by Cipper of another artist, for the sitter is considerably younger than Cipper who was then sixty-six (ibid.).
Special Notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.
What leading art, technology and finance specialists said at the inaugural Art +Tech Summit at Christie's in London
From Connecticut to Kent in southeast England, homes with links to such classic works as Desire under the Elms, Lord of the Flies and The Deep Blue Sea


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Back in high school when I was campaigning for student body president I thought it was such a GENIUS idea to use sidewalk chalk advertising. It's cheap and people notice it. Some down sides are it's a little messy, and if the weather is bad- you're out of luck. But what if you lived in sunny california? The coastal boardwalks provide ample foot traffic where your ads would get noticed.
Water stenciling, also know as "reverse graffiti" or "green grafitti" is a fairly new form of advertising that allows brands to get their ad across by virtually power washing sidewalks. People use high-pressure water guns and stencils, which cleans the sidewalk and provides a new ad. Some of the first companies to use this form of advertising are GreenGraffiti (Amsterdam), CURB (London), & GoGorilla Media (New York).
Monday, November 15, 2010
1 comment:
- AnonymousApril 11, 2012 at 11:37 PM
SocialKik this site seems different lolReplyDelete
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How You Can Win in Court Against the Government But Still Lose
Collecting 'costs and fees' as part of a judgment against the state is difficult
Imagine that your family or business suffers a loss due to some error or misdeed by a state agency. You go to the risk and expense of suing the agency, win the case, and the judge orders the state to pay not just the damages, but also the legal costs and fees you incurred.
At that point you can, as the winning plaintiff collect a check and move on, right? Not quite, at least when it comes to collecting the "costs and fees" part of the judgment. Under current law, the state makes you jump through one more hoop: As the winning plaintiff, you must also establish that the position argued by the state was "frivolous."
Some Michigan lawmakers think that's one hoop too many for people to jump through, so they have sponsored legislation to remove it. Two of the bills, Senate Bills 189 and 190, have been the subject of hearings in the Senate Elections and Government Reform Committee.
"These bills are to make sure government agencies and departments are made accountable – not the individual person who has been wrongly charged when the department or agency loses in court," said Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, the sponsor of SB 189. "It would be like when the Treasury department says an individual is guilty of not paying enough taxes and the individual's accountant says, 'they're nuts,' and then the court agrees. With that sort of situation, the individual should not be stuck with court costs. The department or agency should be."
The bills move in the direction of the "loser pays" concept favored by tort law reformers as a method of curbing frivolous or abusive lawsuits.
Casperson explained, "What these bills would do is make sure departments like Treasury or DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality) have some skin in the game by saying they'll have to pay the legal costs when it turns out that their charges had no merit. The individual should have zero cost accountability when the state is the one that has been in the wrong."
The bills also respond to the extensive administrative law powers wielded by state agencies under complex tax and regulatory regimes. In those situations, a plaintiff must enter an administrative law process in the executive branch rather than go before a judge who belongs to an independent judiciary. (Losing plaintiffs can challenge administrative law rulings in an independent court. In in all but extreme situations, however, the courts defer to the agency.)
Charlie Owens, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says that the presiding officer in these hearings — the individual who decides whether or not the executive branch agency's position was frivolous — is someone who works for the executive branch.
"This legislation would curb the current approach by state departments and agencies of telling a citizen or business owner that if they don't like the deal a state agency proposes to resolve an issue, they can 'take it to court.'" Owens said. "Agencies use this tactic in place of good-faith negotiation because they know that taxpayers and business owners will have to settle because they do not have the financial ability to fight the state, which has an almost unlimited supply of taxpayer dollars to spend in court."
SB 190, sponsored by Sen. David Robertson, R-Grand Blanc, deals with challenges to administrative law rulings, while Casperson's bill applies to proceedings in regular courts.
"It's about leveling the playing field between the citizens and the bureaucrats," Robertson said. "Frankly, we know it would cost the departments some money and we knew they wouldn't like it. It is meant to be a shot across the bow of those bureaucrats who say to citizens, "If you don't like it, sue us.'"
The legislation would also revise the size of those costs-and-fees judgments. First, it would eliminate a $75 per hour cap on attorney fees that can be recouped. Current law also bans fee-and-cost awards if the winning plaintiff is an individual whose net worth exceeds $500,000. Businesses with a net worth of $3 million and up or that employ more than 250 people are also currently ineligible for those awards. SB 189 would repeal those restrictions.
"While it may seem to the general public that business owners with this kind of net worth should be able to pay their own court costs, every business owner knows that 'net worth' does not translate into cash in the bank for fighting an unfair rule dispute with a state agency that has unlimited legal resources," Owens said.
He continued, "The change in the law made by Senate Bills 189 and 190 would encourage state agencies and departments to work with permit applicants, property owners, taxpayers and business owners to resolve issues rather than have department staff present constituents with an ultimatum — to do what the department wants or else take their case to court and incur steep costs — even if they prevail."
Wanda Stokes is a department deputy director at the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. "We have some concerns that the legislation may result in unintended consequences that could affect the Michigan Administrative Hearing System and impact half of the 100,000 cases it adjudicates annually," she said. "We will continue to work closely with the bill sponsors to develop solutions that address the issues raised in this legislative package."


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Friday, January 18, 2013
MAMA Review:
- Mama is easily a cut above your average horror film. While it does have some of the standard-issue jump scares and common-sense deprived characters of your typical run-of-the-mill horror flick, it's got a lot that separates it from the pack, and that elevates it above so many of the other generic horror movies to have come out recently. For one thing, under the guidance of producer and creative genius Guillermo Del Toro, Mama has a rich, compelling mythology and an even richer visual palette. The movie looks amazing - blending gothic horror with creepy-fairy-tale fantasy to weave some truly spellbinding sequences. Director Andres Muschietti really knocks it out of the park. The movie also has heart - I can't remember the last time I saw a horror movie where I actually felt fully invested in the characters, and felt not just fright, but sadness and joy. Finally, MAMA has got one of the best actresses in the biz today - Jessica Chastain. Proving that there isn't anything she can't do, Chastain plays against type as a gothed-out riot girl who is an interesting and complex character. MAMA is good stuff - creepy, cool, and a lot of fun.
The movie starts out on a harrowing note, as we're immediately thrust into an intense scene of domestic hell. A mentally unstable father - played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jamie Lannister on Game of Thrones) - drives his two young daughters through a snow-covered mountain road. We find out that the father has just murdered his wife, and might now have similar intentions for his daughters. But the car crashes, and the trio end up deep in the snow-covered woods. They stumble through the trees and twigs until they come across an old, abandoned cabin. They take shelter, as the father contemplates doing harm to his innocent children. But suddenly, the father is thwarted and disposed of by a vengeful spirit - "Mama." This spirit watches over the children, and for five years, raises them as her own - as feral, animalistic creatures - deep within the woods. Eventually, the children are found by a search party - their uncle Jeffrey (also played by Coster-Waldau) has kept looking for them all this time. He and his girlfriend Annabel (Chastain) take in the girls, who are now very much damaged by their experiences in the woods. The older daughter, Victoria, can still speak - and adjusts a little easier to being in civilization again. But the younger daughter, Lilly, is far gone - she doesn't talk, she walks on all fours, and she still has an unholy connection to the spirit she calls Mama. And Mama still has a connection to the girls. Jealous and rage-filled, Mama haunts Jeffrey and Annabel's home in hopes of reclaiming the girls she believes are hers and hers alone to love.
The two young girls in the film are fantastic. Megan Charpientier, who plays the older Victoria, is the more conflicted of the two - struggling to become a normal girl again and escape the influence of Mama. Lilly, the younger daughter, played by Isabelle Nelisse - is just delightfully deranged - weird and eerie and wholly convincing as a person who has known virtually nothing except for life in the wild. Together, they really help make the movie as good as it is. Even as you're semi-terrified of the girls, you also can't help but come to feel invested in their well-being.
And that same evolution is what makes Jessica Chastain's Annabel such a compelling character. She's a punk rocker who doesn't want kids. She's not a bad person, just a little rough around the edges - and definitely not enthused about taking in two feral kids who talk to a possibly vengeful spirit. But Annabel does slowly come to care for these kids, and it's a character arc that happens slowly, but in a way that really makes Annabel feel fully-fleshed-out. And man, it's sort of amazing watching Chastain in this so soon after Zero Dark Thirty - it's a completely different character, but Chastain just sort of disappears into the role. If you didn't know it was her, you might think it was a completely different actress. She, also, really elevates this film with her performance.
Visually, the movie has a dark fairy-tale vibe and also shows a lot of J-horror influence. Some may complain that some of the movie's visual motifs - like the smoky black holes that appear in the walls, signalling the presence of Mama - are too derivative of other Japan-influenced horror flicks. But I thought there was a real visual inventiveness to the movie that helped it to feel like more than just a pastiche of genre influences. And in the third act, when things get really crazy and sort of epic, there are some gorgeous scenes of ethereal mayhem. There's even a really cool, ultra-stylized dream-sequence that tells Mama's backstory, shot in a disorienting first-person perspective, that I thought worked well.
And again, I found myself surprised at how the movie turned out to be much more than just scares. There's heart in MAMA - as in, there were some moments that I had chills, and some moments where I felt sad and/or moved for these characters. And there is some strong narrative complexity here as well, in that there are some nicely-drawn parallels between Mama and Annabel, and some poetic symmetry in how their relationships with Victoria and Lilly evolve.
Before I get too caught up in praising the film though, I will point out that its high points are nearly matched by some moments of lameness and cheese. Two key side characters, for example - a psychiatrist working with the girls, and a steely aunt in a custody battle with Jeffrey and Annabel - are often eye-rollingly one-note. As such, they often act according to horror movie cliche, and make the sort of lame-brained decisions that will have you screaming at the movie screen. The movie can also feel a little jumpy. While I appreciate that it doesn't spend too much time having everyone doubt Mama's existence, or dwell too much on the "mystery" of her backstory, some sequences do feel slightly rushed. Namely, characters have to make a lot of big, Mulder-esque leaps towards the end of the film. Something that happens in a lot of movies, sure - but in Mama, there are enough instances of characters acting with nuance and intelligence that the moments when they don't are particularly jarring. Finally, given that most of the movie has a great, creeptastic atmosphere, I also felt like there were way too many jump-scare attempts. It felt unnecessary - especially in the instances where the scares were just fake-outs.
Overall though, MAMA really impressed me - and I'd count it as one of the most interesting and rewarding horror movies I've seen in a while. I really enjoyed the twisted fairy-tale-esque vibe of the film - the Del Toro touch really gave the movie that extra visual pop. It also felt like there was more thematic depth, more epicness, and more genuine emotion on display than in most horror flicks. And if that's not enough, there's also Jessica Chastain in fine form, rocking goth gear and a bad attitude and making even more of a case for her status as one of the best actresses in Hollywood. Whoah mama indeed.
My Grade: B+
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Last week, 23-year-old Mevlik Jasarevic made headlines when he got off a tram outside the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo and began firing an automatic rifle.
But his journey began several hours earlier that morning, when he crossed the border from Serbia into Bosnia-Herzegovina. Jasarevic is a Serbian citizen.
Stepping from tram No. 3, Jasarevic reportedly yelled "Run! Run away!" at passersby as he pulled an AK-47 from his backpack and began to fire. He continued to shoot for some 20 minutes before a police sniper shot him in the leg. It was later revealed that he had two explosives on him, but he apparently made no attempt to activate them. In fact, he stood calmly at the tram stop throughout the incident, making no effort to leave or to take cover.
It was a strange incident. Terrorists more commonly seek to maximize civilian casualties. Spreading fear is, after all, the definition of terrorism.
But nothing like this happened in Sarajevo. It is unclear whether Jasarevic expected to die in the attack. And he warned citizens to run away. One police officer was wounded in the initial moments of the attack, but there were no other casualties except the gunman himself. Instead of being afraid, citizens of Bosnia have spoken out loudly and often to denounce the violence.
As the details of the incident emerged, it became clear that Jasarevic was an easy recruit. His few visits to the Wahhabist village of Maoca in Bosnia hardly qualify him as an Islamic fundamentalist or a radical. But he has a criminal record, including a robbery three years ago in Austria. Late last year, he was spotted by police in the Serbian city of Novi Pazar during a visit there by ambassadors from the United States, Japan, and eight EU countries. He refused to show his identification, and a large knife was found in his pocket. He was detained but not arrested.
The main result of Jasarevic's attack so far has been to provoke a long-overdue discussion about the ability of Bosnia-Herzegovina to cope with radicalism.
The reactions of politicians across Bosnia have been predictable. Leaders in Sarajevo say the attack was targeted "against Bosnia." And, indeed, it was — but these same leaders are forgetting their responsibility for increasingly imposing Islamic practices on all citizens of the country. They haven't been commenting on why they tolerate the implementation of a parallel legal system (Shari'a law) in Maoca.
They don't talk about why they took little action in June 2010 when a terrorist attack in the village of Bugojino left one police officer dead and six others wounded. "After the Bugojino attack, we proposed several measures, but half of them were refused by parliament and condemned by the Islamic community of Bosnia," Sadik Ahmetovic, head of the Bosnian Security Agency, told RFE/RL's Balkan Service. "But even some media outlets and NGOs were arguing that imposing such measures would protect human rights."
Bosnian Serb leaders point their fingers at their Muslim counterparts and accuse them of tolerating Wahhabism. But they don't talk about how they tolerate — even sponsor — Serbian organizations that recruit Serbs to go to Kosovo to "defend Serbian lands" against NATO-led KFOR forces. In a recent interview with RFE/RL, Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik said that Bosnian Muslims "declared themselves an ethnic group in 1993." "They cannot build up their identity without destroying the identity of other ethnic groups," he said.
This kind of hate speech, of course, fuels radicalism just as surely as Sarajevo's resistance to tighter controls on Wahhabism does. One part of Bosnia's leadership is radicalizing Muslims with hate speech, while another part does the same by tolerating radical behavior.
Lost Opportunity
Just three weeks ago, the Atlantic Initiative wrote in a security-risk analysis:
Bosnia's political leaders — from both federal entities and all ethnic groups — are not only failing to building a functioning federal state, they are also jointly managing to radicalize one ethnic community after another. And they seem to be doing everything in their power to make the situation worse. The economy is in tatters and unemployment is about 40 percent. More than a year has passed since the last elections and the country still has no functioning executive branch. Bosnia's Serbs consistently block any movement toward a functioning state, while the leadership of the Bosnian-Croat Federation cannot agree even within itself, to say nothing of finding common ground with Bosnian Serb leaders.
"The nature of the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina prevents us from creating a government or attracting investment. And that conflict could become even violent," Bakir Izetbegovic, a member of Bosnian Presidency, told RFE/RL last week.
Following the attack on the U.S. Embassy, U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia Patrick Moon expressed the hope that the violence would unite Bosnians and push them forward to the common goal of European integration. Unfortunately, this will not be the case. For more than two decades now, virtually all of Bosnia's political leaders have had one thing in common — the undeviating pursuit of their personal interests at the price of dividing the country along ethnic lines. More than 16 years after the war ended, fear remains the dominant mood in all Bosnia's ethnic communities. And fear is the perfect environment for fostering radicalization and manipulation.
An International Role
The previously quoted Atlantic Initiative report argues that this manufactured fear must be replaced by "credible deterrence." This would "not only prevent a return to violent conflict, but would create the potential for forward movement on the political and social fronts by stripping the entrenched political elites of their current ability to leverage fear. This would create space for citizens and potential leaders who want to find a way to make the country function consensually. Restored, credible deterrence is the sine qua non of any political and social progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina."
But "credible deterrence" can only be imposed by the international community. That community still "agrees to disagree" about the causes of Bosnia's problems. Immediately after the attack last week, the following "joke" appeared on Facebook: "Packing for Sarajevo: coat, sweater, Kalashnikov, bulletproof vest, pants, boots…."
I'm not sure that's really all that funny.
Nenad Pejic is a regional director at RFE/RL.


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Thursday, September 27, 2007
Pan's Labyrinth
Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth takes place in Spain, around 1944, during the Spanish Civil War, and centers around Ofelia, a little girl caught between a fairy tale and a brutal reality. A fatherless child, Opelia is faced with a strange and harsh life when her mother marries Captain Vidal, an officer in Generalísimo Francisco Franco's army. Vidal is a cold, cruel man and Ofelia's life in this forested military outpost becomes increasingly stressful as she forms attachments to some of the rebel spies who are working in Vidal's very household.
Meanwhile, Ofelia is consumed with completing a series of tasks which will prove her worth and allow her to enter the fairy world. Actually, according to the story, she is trying to reenter the fairy world through the labyrinth, and she must be very, very brave. Ofelia is required to be tough in both worlds--one which is filled with sorrow, the other filled with horrifying obstacles.
This is a very sad movie. The die is cast for all of the characters from the beginning; everyone has either made his or her choices in life, or has no choice, like poor Ofelia, and the audience watches the consequences unfold. It is also an excellent movie. All the actors were wonderful, especially Ivana Baquero, who portrayed Ofelia. That's a name to be remember.
Pan's Labyrinth is subtitled, and I haven't given much of a synopsis here, but be sure to pay very close attention in the beginning, when the time period and the source of the fairy tale are established (some of it goes by quickly). It's an intricate story, and the ending is open to interpretation. If you see it, please come back and tell me what you thought.
7 comments:
- Doug said...
How have I still not seen this? This is very confusing.
- actonbell said...
It's definitely a great one to rent--my summary is so bare-bones it might not make much sense, but the movie does:)
- TLP said...
Would your Dad be willing to watch it, ya think?
- Miz BoheMia said...
I have so wanted to see this but, what with the move and all, have not had the chance to do so yet... now you have inspired me to push Loverboy into watching it with me... I am intrigued indeed and will let you know what I think once I get to it!
- Doug said...
I just finished watching it and I thought it was terrific (although a little cheerful for my taste.)
Here's a true confession: I wrote the first four episodes of Diogenes on my vacation in Europe last year (including the one with Pan living in the vace.) On my way in to work on my first day back I heard of this movie and felt robbed.
But it's ok now. There were no nekkid philosophers in the movie, few honest men and any similarities are purely coincidental.
- actonbell said...
haha, Doug!
Mom, I think he'd give a try. Might not make it through, but it would appeal to him.
Hi, mizB! Yes, I think you'd like it, and you won't need the subtitles:)
- G said...
Thanks for the insight. I'll have to DVR it as I see it playing lately on HBO. I'll let you know.


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Don't let the facts get in the way of the story, again
January 31 2008
In my Lotusphere summary last week, I discussed a challenge around my identity as a sales manager versus being a blogger. Charles Robinson and others suggested a path forward, saying that if I blog more about the day-to-day kind of activities I work on, it might help create a more complete picture of the "day job". One problem with that is that I can't typically discuss specific customer situations on the blog. Today, I'm irritated enough with one, though, that I'm going to try to anonymize it in a way that exactly one blog reader will know where the story came from, a few more may recognize the players, and the rest of you will see another data point in why competing with Microsoft is a constant disappointment.
The sequence goes like this:
I was contacted by a customer ("A") from within one of the larger organizations using Notes/Domino. It seems that this customer's Microsoft reps had passed along some news to them -- the CIO of another large Lotus customer ("B") had stepped down, and part of the reason was, supposedly, the CIO's inability to implement the Lotus-based solutions that their organization had standardized on a year ago. Did I have any information about the situation at "B"?
I checked with a few people to find out the scoop. All the information came back with a very positive story -- customer "B" has rolled out the latest Lotus software, has another phase of the project getting ready to go live soon, and sent a whole bunch of people to Lotusphere. As for the CIO "stepping down", it was a planned retirement, and the interim CIO is one of the executives behind the Lotus software implementation.
Happily, I provided all of this back to customer "A". Not only had I provided ample information to completely discredit the story, I got a positive update on customer "B" in the process. The sad part is, what if my contact at customer "A" hadn't asked? How many other organizations heard the same helpful "rumor" today and didn't think to fact-check it? And is this kind of innuendo what competition should be about?