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Do Ukrainian guys have problems dating girls because of money?
Hard days are coming for average Ukrainian boy, who would like dating a girl permanently. Though Ukraine had passed thru 2 revolutions, peaceful and the one including victims, life in this country did not become better, on the contrary. It is getting worse day by day. Politicians only promise and at the same time make killing reforms. Corruption is blooming and nothing has changed for better at all. Many Ukrainians suffer from lack of money and that brings a lot of problems. Average Ukrainian guy does not have funds for dating with a girl and it does not mean he is lazy to work. I will explain today's situation in Ukraine by calculations and examples so you understand it better.
During 2014 and especially during the February of 2015, Ukrainian national currency dropped 4 times against dollar and became the weakest national currency in the world. If before $1 was 8 UAH (Ukrainian Hryvnia), now it is about 24 UAH and in winter it was about 32 UAH per one dollar. What is interesting, prices for everything rose up dramatically, but the salaries didn't. Government and other politicians didn't make any necessary changes to index national currency according to the cost of living. If last year average Ukrainian earned $300 a month and it was 2400 UAH, now, according to inflation level it should be at least 6700 UAH. Guess what? – Average Ukrainian still gets 2400 UAH and Ukraine is the country which imports most of things from abroad, except for some provision. Now I'll tell you prices and you'll be terrified!
Household appliances
To buy a fridge in 2013 average Ukrainian had to spend about $400 and it was 3200 UAH. Earning average 2000 UAH per month (many earned less – about 1500 UAH per month) average Ukrainian could buy it, probably in few months. What about now? – $400 is about 9100 UAH and the salary is 2000 UAH per month! The same is about clothes, that is mostly imported from China and Turkey and the import needs to be bought in dollars.
A pack of chewing gum used to be 3.5 UAH and now it's 12 UAH! Small "Sn³kers" bar used to be 4.5 UAH and now about 15 UAH! Prices got up high on everything. If unsliced bread used to cost 4.5 UAH, now it is about 8 UAH. And the salaries are the same. Government keeps them small in order not to cause inflation and possible default, but Ukrainians don't know for now what would be better. And now I'm just going kill you with the next information. Ukrainian Government raised prices for gas bills 4 times! Gas is the most widespread way to heat the house in winter, to heat the water and to prepare food in Ukraine. If during winter period average Ukrainian had to pay for gas about 700 UAH in average, next winter it would be 2800 UAH! This is kind of absurd, because how only payment for gas be higher than salary? And in addition to that Ukrainian family has to pay bills for electricity (which will be tripled, by the way), water, internet, to buy food, clothes. I'm not talking about rising up children, teaching them at school. It seems that to get sick in Ukraine is only allowed to rich citizens, because it's too expensive to buy medicines or go to the hospital.
Read also: Sexy ladies to date in Ukraine
And now let us think about how average Ukrainian guy is going to date a girl. He earns about 2000 UAH per month and, assume, lives alone. To rent an apartment in the city you have to pay about 2500 UAH per month (if it's not Kyiv, in Kyiv it is at least 4000 UAH per month), but he rents an apartment with 3 other guys and they share 2500 UAH per 4 people, so it's 625 UAH per month. At least 500 UAH he spends on food and at least 300 UAH per month for public transport and about 70 UAH he spends for internet and 50 UAH per cell phone. So, it's 1545 UAH in total. If 2000 UAH minus 1545 UAH, that 455 UAH is what he's got. If he would not buy any clothes, cologne, razor or shampoo or shaving cream he will have 455 UAH for dating. In Ukraine girls are got used to the fact guy has to pay for cafe if he asked girl for a date. It is a norm of society, so don't be surprised. Average dinner in descent cafe would cost about 300-400 UAH for both, not including cocktails and stuff like that. We might assume 455 UAH would be enough for dinner on the date. But it might be not enough for taxi at the end of the evening. By the way, it is almost a rule in Ukraine to bring flowers on the first date and bouquet of flowers costs about 120 UAH till 500 UAH.
So, overage Ukrainian guy does not have chances to date a girl, because he simply does not have money? In many cases it is truth. Of course, some guys get 3000 UAH per month or more. Some work on two or even three work placements and manage to earn more. Some prefer to go dating in the cinema or just walking in the park, but the problem still exists. Ukrainian guys have tough times over there in Ukraine. Many of them, even having University diploma are going to work abroad as farmers, because if you work at the farm in Denmark e.g. and get $2000 per month and you work as the teacher of English in Ukraine and get $150 per month, it is a great difference. Moreover, in Neighboring Republic of Belarus average salary is $650, in Russia it is $480, in Poland $1100. Ukraine is the country of horrors for its citizens and the more it goes, the more it seems Ukraine has no good future. Must say, people of the country are very kind and hospitable and it seems they do not deserve for such politicians and oligarchs who sucked up the last juices out of Ukraine.
Read also: Ukrainian women who want to date Americans
We can't blame Ukrainian women for desire to live better life and bring up children in no need. We can't blame them for being picky or, as many say, gold diggers, because gold-diggers are different. Ukrainian women want to live normal life and Ukrainian guys are struggling for that in hard circumstances, even when it is going about such simple thing as dating Ukrainian girl. And what is most embarrassing here, Ukraine as the country is not poor, it is very rich in different natural resources, fertile soils and intelligent and hardworking people. The tragedy of Ukraine is most of GDP is stolen by so-called oligarchs, who own essential for country enterprises, sell production for export in dollars and pay their workers same amount in UAH, even if the currency had dropped down 4 times.


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There are so many benefits we have seen in our children from using Babywise and the methods beyond. We have well-rested children who are predictable. We have had help in sleep training, feeding, scheduling, discipline, educating, and more. We have had guidance we need on getting our kids to sleep in their childrens beds (not our bed--that was a goal of ours before we even heard the word "Babywise"). We have had great ideas to apply for everything from potty training to character training. It has helped us be intentional in parenting and forced us to look at our main values and goals and set a plan to achieve these.
If you can and feel inclined, continue sharing your success throughout the year. When you are sharing something on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, your blog, etc., that is a result of your efforts with Babywise, share it with a #BabywiseSuccess. I don't think we should feel afraid to share what works for us, and with our united voices, we can spread the word that Babywise babies are actually happy, healthy babies.
Have a great weekend!

subset: commoncrawl


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How to: Sell your home in spring
Spring is finally here, what many regard as the silly season of real estate as homes generally sell like hot cakes. The perception that it's the best time to put your home on the market is widespread throughout Australasia.
The general belief is that the birds, bees, greenery and warmer weather draw potential buyers out from their winter hibernation and reinvigorates their property search. However, it would seem that despite the colder conditions in recent months, property buyers have been far from dormant.
Statistics from CoreLogic RP Data show that the 2015 winter property market auction results were the hottest on record, surpassing 26,500. Furthermore, in the concluding weeks leading to spring, both the volume and clearance rates of auctions around Australia have been on the rise.
History shows that during the warmer months both supply and demand of real estate in Australia increases considerably, but often it is still the sellers who hold the power. Spring is now here, but are you prepared? Here are a few tips for marketing your property for sale this season.
Tidy up
This is perhaps one of the simplest and definitely cheapest ways to make your home look more attractive to the hordes of potential buyers. The Real Estate Institute of South Australia (REISA) said it best when they asserted "there's no second chance to make a first impression".
No doubt after living in your home for an extended period of time, you've amassed quite a few personal possessions. A good way of reducing the clutter in and around your property is to start moving your things out prior to putting it on the market.
Removing the personal effects from your property can allow prospective buyers to feel more at home there, not to mention making your closets and cupboards more roomy! Friends, relatives or a temporary storage facility can take care of your redundant treadmill, record collection, trampoline and kilograms of family photos.
Clean up
With a nice and tidy home, you can now focus on the cleaning. With such heat in the market, it's important that your home is immaculate to set it apart. Among other tasks, REISA recommends you:
- Clean all the windows
- Wash the curtains and/or blinds
- Have the carpets professionally cleaned
- Polish all tap fittings and door knobs
- Pay particular attention to the kitchen and bathrooms
Following these guidelines can make a huge difference to your home, while only requiring a bit of elbow grease (except for the carpet clean).
The outside
Figures from CoreLogic RP Data have revealed that around Australia over the last year, houses for sale below $400,000 have been at a record low while sales above $1million have been at a record high. If you want to find yourself in the former statistic, it's important that you attend to your home's facade.
Put your landscaping hat on and pull out the weeds, mow the lawns and plant some new flowers to add some colour and vitality.
A lick of paint can be an extremely cost-effective way of rejuvenating your home's curbside appeal. According to Property Observer, a paint job for an average home's exterior will cost around $1,200 if you use a professional – even cheaper if you do it yourself.
Use a real estate agent
The competition in the property market is likely to be fierce, with a plethora of homes for sale as buyers and sellers alike spring into action. Having a real estate agent can help you stand out from the crowd, as they can help determine an appropriate value for your home, a method of selling, as well as offer insights on the local market.
On top of this, they can establish your target audience and the best ways to reach them. For example, if your property is deemed most suitable for millennials, they may decide to use a video blog post.


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Let All the World Sing
An Easter Celebration for Unison/2-Part Choir
Created by Dale Mathews
Unison/2-Part Arrangements Adapted by David Wise & Sarah Huffman
LET ALL THE WORLD SING, the new Easter musical from Word Music & Church Resources' best-selling Very Simply Word Series, is designed to help your church do its part to raise that sound of praise, so that the world will hear the message as though one mighty voice was proclaiming it…HE IS ALIVE!
Easy-to-Learn, Easy-to-Sing are hallmarks of this popular series. Each musical in the Very Simply Word Series is built on a foundation of great song selection and arranged and orchestrated by some of today's leading musicians, each of the songs having been expertly re-purposed into a Unison Choir/Optional 2-Part format. Featuring epic-sounding accompaniment tracks designed to make your choir sound bigger than life, Very Simply Word musicals also offer the option to perform using the high-quality DVD Accompaniment Track, giving your presentation the kind of flair and production quality usually found in much bigger, more elaborate productions.
LET ALL THE WORLD SING is sure to help your choir stand out in an exceptional way and enhance your choir's outreach, as you lead them in presenting what could be their most powerful Easter program ever!
Quick OverviewChoral Book
Product Features
Word Choral Club Easter 2018
Voicing: Unison/2-part
Length: 23 Minutes
Release Date: September 01, 2017
Ordering Information
- Song Titles
Song TitlesLogin to previewO Blessed Dawn of Easter's Day
with Alleluia! Alleluia! William B. Bradbury, Tony Wood
Tune: Solid Rock
Ludwig van Beethoven, Christopher WordsworthLogin to previewLet All the World Sing Joel LindseyLogin to previewAt the Cross (Love Ran Red) Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Jonas Myrin, Matt Armstrong, Matt RedmanLogin to previewForever (We Sing Hallelujah) Brian Johnson, Christa Black Gifford, Gabriel Wilson, Jenn Johnson, Joel Taylor, Kari Jobe CarnesLogin to previewRisen Today Medley
includes Christ Is Risen
Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
and Crown Him with Many Crowns Matt Maher Mia Fieldes
14th Century Latin Hymn, Robert Williams
Matthew Bridges, George J. ElveyLogin to previewLet All the World Sing (Reprise) Joel Lindsey
- Video
- At a Glance
- Exciting, easily attainable Unison/2-Part adaptations of powerful, worship inspiring songs by Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Kari Jobe, Matt Maher, Matt Armstrong...and more!
- Classic Easter hymns plus new songs with flexible choir parts!
- Beautiful Accompaniment Track available to enhance your presentation!
- NOW OFFERING Downloadable Full Orchestrations for live performance!
- Clip Art
Clip Art
Thumbnail JPEG File Link TIFF File Link 080689593178-hires.jpg
- Reviews
Write Your Own Review


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Zhiyin and Zhiyan, knowing notes and knowing words: Aurality and reality in ancient China
|Zhiyin and Zhiyan, knowing notes and knowing words: Aurality and reality in ancient China
|Publication Type
|Year of Publication
|Berthel, K.
|Corporate Authors
|Fuller, Michael A.
|Academic Department
|ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
|Date Published
|University of California, Irvine
|Place Published
|United States -- California
|ISBN Number
|Asian literature, Music, Philosophy
This dissertation focuses on the philosophies of language and music of three Warring States philosophers--Mo Zi, Zhuang Zi, and Xun Zi--who represent the "final" word from the period for the major traditions that would come to be known as Mohism, Daoism, and Confucianism, respectively. Additionally, there is a chapter dedicated to the period philosophy of music in general, with a study of the contents of the Yue Ji ( Record of Music ). The primary aim is not an effort to understand the mechanics of each school's philosophy of language or music per se--though this is an important fundamental, of course--but rather to draw conclusions about the underlying cosmological commitments that can be inferred from the positions on language that each thinker carves out. Each thinker's position on the problem of language will be taken as revealing his cosmological perspectives, and the thesis gleans conclusions about the architecture of their cosmos (which none of these thinkers explicitly provides) from theories that are explicitly about language or music. The dialectic between the stated theories on aural phenomena and those on other areas of philosophy, such as ontology, epistemology, and ethical concerns, advance our understanding of all facets of each of these rich schools of thought, particularly by shedding light on precisely what sort of universal structure each of these conceived of their systems as operating within.
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Digi VOX
Digital TV Series
Digi VOX driver & application
DVB TV series products allow you to watch digital TV & Radio programs via PCI or USB interface. With DVB TV, users are able to watch, record & play back high quality digital TV program on their PC. Please read the instructions carefully before you begin the installation.


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Services for Rev. Walter Scott Wood, 87, former executive director of the Baptist Retirement Home in Maywood, will be held in Springfield, Ohio.
Rev. Wood died Wednesday in Clearwater, Fla., where he had lived since retiring in 1966.
At the time of his retirement, he was the longest-tenured Baptist minister in the Chicago area, having served the American Baptist Convention in Oak Park, the Austin neighborhood, Aurora and Maywood for more than 40 years. He earlier served pastorates in St. Paul, Minn., and Portsmouth, Ohio.


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Natural History of New York . . . Part I: Zoology.
New York: D. Appleton, Wiley, & Putnam; Boston: Gould, Kendall & Lincoln; Albany: Thurlow Weed Printer, 1842. Edition: First edition. The first part of De Kay's account of the fauna of New York, illustrated with 35 fine plates. More


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Interested in Rowing for W&M?
Interested in Rowing at William and Mary?
Have you been accepted to William and Mary? Come take a personalized tour of campus with a rower! We can show you our lovely campus and also take you to practice to ride along in the launch.
Don't have time for a full day? We can show you our boathouse and our fleet and introduce you to our rowers and coaches!
Email firstname.lastname@example.com with your name, date and time preference, major, and rowing experience, if any. (If none, that's perfectly all right! Some of our best rowers didn't touch an oar before college). Start your subject with [CampusTour].


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My name is Marie Darling and I am a mother of two filled with DIY and creative projects. I always need to be do something creative and most of the time it involves my two awesome kids. I like sharing my work and hope that one day it leads to a career but until then, I will just blog about it.
Since having my kids, two things have happened: 1). I am constantly thinking ways to entertain them via projects and 2). I began sewing my own baby onesies. I have been inspired by my kids and making cool outfits for them to wear. I like making them look fancy so I started with the onesies. Now that they have nearly grown out of them, I keep making them as gifts for friends, baby showers, etc. People seem to like them and they are fun to make so why not?
You can see what project I am working on and see what else I am up to in my blog or you can visit my Etsy store and see what children clothing I am selling. Please comment away on my blog and join in the creative discussions because I love hearing about others peoples' ideas and thoughts on what I'm doing.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you like what you see and read.


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Observing changes in home design trends this year is interesting. You will get a lot of benefit from the learning process. It may be that you will soon need the hottest ideas to realize your dream. This will encourage the creation of opport...[Read More]
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My digital picture frame does a slideshow in filename order. I have hundreds of pictures taken over several years on different cameras with different file naming schemes. I've even rolled over the counter on one of the cameras, so I might have IMG1234.jpg twice (saved in different directories).
Here's how I used Perl to rename these pictures into the right order based on the timestamp metadata inside the JPEG files:
#!/usr/bin/env perl use 5.010; use strict; use warnings; use autodie; use Digest::MD5 'md5_hex'; use Image::ExifTool 'ImageInfo'; use Path::Class; for my $f ( dir()->children ) { next if $f->is_dir; my $exif = Image::ExifTool->new; $exif->ExtractInfo($f->stringify); my $date = $exif->GetValue('DateTimeOriginal', 'PrintConv'); next unless defined $date; $date =~ tr[ :][T-]; my $digest = md5_hex($f->slurp); $digest = substr($digest,0,7); my $new_name = "$date-$digest.jpg"; unless ( $f->basename eq $new_name ) { rename $f => $new_name; say "renamed $f => $new_name"; } }
This program renames everything in the current directory into a format like this "2011-05-28T14-48-20-7fc2e71.jpg" -- which is an ISO8601 datetime (with "-" instead of ":") plus the first 7-hex-characters of an MD5 checksum. I use the checksum on the off-chance that two pictures were taken at the exact same second (e.g. from two cameras) or that one picture was a cropped/retouched version of an original. Anything that doesn't have EXIF datetime information is skipped and then I have to examine those manually to sort them into the rest.
It's not much, but it's quick and it worked.


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I'd like to personally invite you to check out Downtown Meridian – for a good cause! As you might know, this past weekend the intersection of Pine and Main was closed for paving. The road construction project and this road closure has had a real impact on our downtown businesses – and we want to show them some love! So this weekend, Friday through Sunday (August 17-19), join us for a CASH MOB! A Cash Mob is an organized effort to show local businesses support from the community. We want to let our businesses know we support them. You can join in during your work day on Friday, bring the family down on Saturday or check it out after church on Sunday. Grab a bite to eat downtown or attend a live music event in the evening, stop by for family fun at the Meridian Library's UnBound, shop at one of the local boutiques for home goods, clothes, flowers and more! You can also get a wellness check or even a haircut at one of the salons. There are all kinds of businesses in Downtown Meridian and more and more are hosting weekly events for the community - from game nights, to craft classes and live music. The Meridian Press has a weekly section highlighting these events and we even have some posted to our Community Calendar.
It has been a rough summer for our public safety teams (across the valley). Two weeks in a row, I received a call that our Meridian police officers had been faced with life or death situations. One of those incidents landed our officer in the hospital. I'm so grateful that he is expected to make a full recovery. In a separate incident, one of our Meridian firefighters was rushed to the hospital but thankfully is okay as well.
It's probably no surprise that the number one topic I get approached about is growth. It's happening here and it's happening across the entire Valley. We all know how awesome Meridian and Idaho are - and now others have discovered us as well. Despite our popularity, it is imperative that we grow responsibly, which takes careful planning.
July marks the introduction of many new laws and legislation passed during the winter legislative session. Among this year's new updates is a piece of legislation spearheaded by the Meridian Mayor's Youth Advisory Council (MYAC).
We consistently rank as one of the safest cities in Idaho and are by far the largest city to be included on the top 10 list. Part of being a safe city includes education.
Most of the area youth are out of school, and June has arrived. That means it's time for free, family fun in #MyMeridian! Our employees are busy planning a whole host of activities for you to enjoy this month. Here is a list of my #Top5 events to check out in June:
This week we will see the amazing result of what can happen when multiple community partners and citizens come together with a focus on the future of the valley and the well-being of others. I am honored to join the Treasure Valley Family YMCA, St. Luke's Health System, the West Ada School District, the Meridian Library District, Meridian City Council members and our team with the Meridian Parks and Recreation Department in cutting the ribbon at The Hill. The 22.5 acre campus, located near the intersection of South Eagle and Amity roads, is designed to serve as a hub for education, recreation, wellness and literacy.
Town Halls have always been an important priority. I value our time outside City Hall, speaking with citizens about real issues in our community. It is so imperative that we work together. That is why I hope you will join me at our next Town Hall this Wednesday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Ignatius Catholic School. We have several important topics to discuss including smart planning for future growth, a transportation alternative, the election process and recycling alternatives.
One of the things I love most about Meridian is how generous and giving our community members are to those around them. In fact, the generosity of our citizens is a primary reason Meridian was recently recognized as one of the best places to live in Idaho by Money magazine.
Spring is such an exciting time of year. It's a time for new beginnings and fun activities with friends and family in our community. And boy, do we have some fun things headed your way!
I remember the discussion like it was yesterday. My staff and I were talking about how the Mayor's Youth Advisory Council wanted to do something to combat bullying and we had just found out a community member had been lost to suicide. We decided enough was enough and we need to make being kind COOL and a habit! That day, Do The Right was born. We knew it was just one day, but the goal was to make it something that would start a movement of compassion, change the hearts and minds, the attitudes of all, each and every day.
Now more than ever we need a movement of kindness and compassion in our world. We need to stand up and BE KIND. This year marks the 4th annual Do The Right Day. We launched this day to encourage everyone to do something kind for the person to their right - neighbors, family members, coworkers, or classmates. With bullying and other negativity so prevalent in today's culture, we want to urge others to put a smile on the face of someone else with a nice word, simple note, gift, or act of service. The success of this event over the past few years has been amazing with an overwhelming response from the community and even beyond (reaching all the way to Texas). We have distributed thousands upon thousands of #DoTheRight stickers and social media is always packed with pictures from all over the area – updates that show the true character of our caring community. We live in a giving and compassionate community and we want to keep it that way.
I, like many in our community, moved to Meridian because of our quality schools nearly three decades ago. The West Ada School District (WASD) is one of the best in the State of Idaho and the largest. WASD is 385 square miles large and serves five cities and parts of two counties! Our district and teachers are a shining example – we have much to be proud of.
The State of our City is thriving with a focus on transparency in all we do. I was over the moon to deliver so much great news about our community this past week!
It's that time of year again – I'm busy preparing for Meridian's annual State of the City address. The theme for this year is A Rising Star. There are many reasons why this theme resonated so much this year and I look forward to sharing those with you at my annual speech. The idea for the theme came from the title of a feature story about Meridian in a North American business magazine called "Business in Focus". The reporter, who was based on the east coast, said the facts he had gathered for the story almost sounded unreal. It made me realize that often because we live here, we forget just how awesome we have it!
The world of recycling is changing – it's a global market. If you read the news, you'll know China was the main importer of recyclable materials and has now banned more than a dozen types of materials in an effort called "National Sword". The big issue is contamination. Recycling efforts here and around the U.S. may have been a victim of people's over-zealousness to recycle anything and everything that seemed like it could be recycled. The contamination of the recyclable waste stream with materials that should not have been included is part of what prompted China to ban materials.
The New Year ushers in some changes for the Meridian City Council. Our Council President Keith Bird retired after 20 years serving on the council - he will certainly be missed. As we begin 2018, I am looking forward to continuing the City's work with our City Council and welcoming our newest member on board!
As I sit here searching for the words to write of my appreciation for Keith Bird and his service to our City, I'm finding it difficult to quantify just how grateful I am to him. For the past 20 years he has devoted time to our community as a City Council member, but his work as a public servant began far before that.
This past summer, I put together a "Top 5" list of things to do in Meridian. Since most students in the area will soon have the next couple weeks off from school, and families will be looking to spend quality time together, I decided to put together a "Top 5" Holiday Family Fun list in Meridian!
5. Christmas in Meridian Events
I am really looking forward to this year's all new Twilight Christmas Market. We've always hosted a market as part of Christmas in Meridian but this year's is larger and is sure to be a magical event! The market is on Thursday, Dec. 7th from 12pm-8pm at Meridian City Hall and will feature a variety of locally hand-crafted gift items, seasonal foods, holiday treats, mulled wine, craft beers, and live entertainment.
Other events include the Children's Winterland Festival on Saturday, Dec. 9th, the Downtown Lights Business Decorating Contest happening now (vote here), and we have Santa's mailbox set up outside Meridian City Hall so children can write letters to Santa and they will receive a reply! Get all of the details on these events and activities at www.meridiancity.org/christmas.
4. Meridian Businesses Get in the Spirit
There are so many businesses locally that get in to the Christmas spirit. In Downtown Meridian, the Christmas Tree at Generations Plaza lights up the area and restaurants and businesses are featuring specials and live entertainment.
At the Village at Meridian, there is another grand Christmas Tree that you can enjoy while ice skating or shopping in the square. You can also get a picture with Santa and bring your pets on Mondays so they can meet the jolly happy soul as well!
And of course the lights at Scentsy! This year, Scentsy has 724,000 twinkling lights, including a tunnel of lights that you can walk through! On Dec. 11th and 12th from 6pm-8:30pm Scentsy is hosting a free evening of music, lights, and hot chocolate in the Scentsy Commons – at Eagle Road and Pine Avenue. This is a popular event so plan on arriving early to get a good spot!
3. Meridian Parks
Nothing beats a friendly game of football or, after a good snow-fall, making snow angels or a snowball fight with loved ones. If you are looking to do something as a family outdoors, give Disc Golf a try. You can head out to Settlers Park or Bear Creek Park to enjoy this fun activity for people of all ages. Also, don't forget we have paved pathways in our parks and throughout the City, if you need to get out and run or walk off some holiday calories.
When the snow does fly, many people head to the hill by the Kleiner Park band shell to do some sledding. You can also grab your cross county skis or snowshoes and head out to any of our parks for an afternoon of great exercise.
2. Initial Point Gallery
If you are looking for something FREE to do indoors – check out the Initial Point Gallery on the third floor of Meridian City Hall. This month features artist Joni Frey and the Idaho Gourd Society. The gallery is open Monday – Friday, 8am-5pm.
1. Little Free Library
And while you are at City Hall, stop by the Little Free Library in the outdoor plaza. The library is stocked with Christmas books throughout the month. Come by to pick up some great Christmas reading and you can also leave your own holiday favorites for another Meridian family to enjoy.
BONUS: Meridian Christmas Lights Tour!
Finally – bundle up the kiddos, make some hot chocolate, hop in the car and check out the Christmas Light Displays in Meridian Neighborhoods!
Your tour should include: The Montgomery Family Light Show at 1728 E. Summerridge Drive! 'Lights only' on Sundays – otherwise, music and lights till 10pm weekdays and 11pm on Saturday. Tune to 95.9 to listen to the music. Or there's a great display on Valentino Street in the Paramount subdivision that is always a popular stop! They raise funds for a different charity each year. The neighborhoods really shine bright this time of year – and it's fun to see the creativity of our residents!
Enjoy this time with your family and friends. Please be safe as you navigate this busy season. I look forward to seeing you out and about in #MyMeridian!
You can always check out more events online on our website – www.meridiancity.org.
For those that know me well, the holidays are a very special time a year – especially Christmas. However, it all starts with Thanksgiving when families and friends come together to celebrate with one another. Whether you are gathering in Meridian or traveling to another location, I wanted to take a moment and encourage you and your family to consider the blessings we have as a community.
This week – both as a country and in our community - we have the honor to thank all those who have served our country. Veterans Day is Saturday, November 11th and began as "Armistice Day" commemorating the end of World War I. Meridian will celebrate and honor our military men and women at 11 am with an event at the Rock of Honor in Kleiner Park. We want to take time and gather in support of those who have protected our communities through war and during peacetime. I appreciate our veterans service and eternally grateful for their sacrifices!
Today early voting starts in Ada County for the November 7th elections. A good number of Meridian residents and citizens from other parts of Ada County will be showing up at Meridian City Hall to participate as we are one of the early voting locations. I want to thank Ada County Clerk Chris Rich, Chief Deputy Clerk Phil McGrane, Meridian City Clerk C.Jay Coles - and their teams – who helped make this happen.
Two weeks ago I took part in the annual Parks and Recreation Facilities Tour. This is an annual opportunity for City Council, city commissioners, volunteers, and other interested citizens to take a tour of our ever-growing parks system. We visit current parks, future parks, pathways, recreation facilities and learn about our sport activities, recreation classes and community events. We have so many exciting things happening in our Parks & Recreation Department, I wanted to share an update of what we saw and heard.
Even though the attacks of September 11th were 16 years ago, I like many others remember the exact place I was when I heard about the devastation and I'll never forget it. We as a country, as a community, should never forget it. And right now more than ever, we all need to remember how important it is to come together and stand united.
One of my new favorite events in our city is just around the corner - Meridian Art Week (Sept. 9 – 16). This year a community tradition will kick off the week: the Community Block Party, which is bigger and better than ever this year with some awesome featured performers. It's on Saturday, Sept 9th at Kleiner Park and is a perfect lead-in to a great week full of arts and culture in our community.
It's hard to believe it's already time for school – time does fly! Most of the students will head back to the classroom next week, so that means families will be busy prepping for the upcoming school year this week! I'm thrilled that I will be participating in the National Foundation for Women Legislators 2017 National Backpack Program – a partnership with the Office Depot Foundation. These partners are helping us kick off this school year by helping those that need an extra hand! I'll be handing out 150 "sackpacks", containing some essential school supplies and other fun items, at the Meridian Youth Farmers Market on Saturday, August 26 from 10am-12pm. Families with children who are in need of a sackpack and supplies for school are encouraged to attend! Having the opportunity through this partnership program to give kids a kick start to the school year is truly rewarding.
Each year I invite groups of people into my home for my annual Listening Tour. It's an opportunity to meet with residents and business owners, face-to-face in a quiet setting at my house. It allows me to host a discussion with those I either don't know or don't meet with regularly to get a pulse on the community from their perspective.
We just received the results from our City Survey and to say I am pleased with the numbers is an understatement! I can't tell you how proud I am of our City Staff – all of whom work diligently to provide the best service they can for our customers –you, the citizens of Meridian. We all take pride in working for you!
I love summertime in Meridian! There is something for everyone! In fact, just this past Saturday I shopped for produce at the Meridian Youth Farmers Market, cooled off at the Kleiner Park splash pad with my grandkids, and watched the sunset from my patio on a gorgeous summer evening. As I watched the sun go down, I thought of all of the amazing things we have to do, right here in our own backyard! So if you are looking for some summer fun in Meridian – here are five ideas to consider:
This weekend will be our Downtown Meridian Summer Kickoff – with two popular events on the calendar – Dairy Days and the start of the 2nd Annual Meridian Youth Farmers Market season in the Meridian City Hall Outdoor Plaza.
Over the past several months we've had a few citizens raise concerns about the noticing process for public hearings. Whether they felt they should have been notified but weren't, or they received notice but didn't understand the information in the notice, or they felt the notice didn't have enough information - we rolled up our sleeves and reviewed the current processes to see what more we could do. After fully vetting our process, we identified several areas we could improve on and/or pilot. First, we will implement some changes on the notice we mail to residents. We also found one more key area where we can reach community members – online – via the social media tool called NextDoor.
The public is invited to attend the annual Memorial Day Tribute at the Rock of Honor Memorial in Kleiner Park on Monday, May 29, 2017 at 11am. New this year will be the burial of a time capsule, including community and military memorabilia. I am honored to have been asked to include the letter below for residents to read when it is opened in 2042 – in twenty five years…a lot can happen in that time! Aside from predicting our population at that time to be 175,000, I share the vision I see for our community based on work we're doing today.
I support #GowenStrong and I am urging our community to join me. The Citizen Airmen and women of the 124th Fighter Wing of the Idaho Air National Guard at Gowen Field are being considered as an Air National Guard base location for the F-35. As one of five finalists, Gowen Field is a smart decision as a preferred location - for the military, our economy, and our neighbors, friends, and family who serve in the Idaho National Guard.
The City of Meridian is going "Unplugged" at the next Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, April 26, 6:30pm – 8:00pm, at Cole Valley Christian High School (200 E. Carlton Ave)! What do we mean by this? Well, we simply want you, our residents, to set the agenda for the meeting. We want to hear from you! This is your chance to share what's on your mind with myself and other City leaders.
You are all invited to join us for Do The Right Day on Wednesday, April 12, 2017! Two years ago the City of Meridian, with the help of many partners, launched Do The Right – one day to start a movement of compassion by encouraging residents to do something kind for the person to their right - neighbors, family members, coworkers, or classmates. With bullying and other negativity so prevalent in today's culture, we began a mission to encourage people to put a smile on the face of someone else with a nice word, simple note, gift, or act of service. The success of this event over the past two years has been amazing with an overwhelming response from the community. We distributed 7,500 #DoTheRight stickers last year and social media was packed with pictures from all over Meridian – even reaching other communities in the state and as far away as Texas!
After the non-traditional winter we just encountered, I'm sure most of you are with me in cheering on the arrival of spring!
As the Mayor of Meridian I am constantly looking for more ways to get fit in our community! In fact, we just started up a new program called Meridian Mondays with Fleet Feet Meridian - it has been a blast to connect with other people of all fitness levels and get active in our beautiful downtown!
As I meet with citizens or gather feedback through our citywide surveys – one of the number one issues that always surfaces is public transportation. Not everyone needs it, but it is essential for those who do. The City of Meridian has contributed to several different options which have included an express or commuter service and a limited route service. We worked with Valley Regional Transit (VRT) for months on a service that would address a great need to our seniors and persons with disabilities. I'm pleased to announce the latest partnership that launched called Harvest Transit!
Following my State of the City address, we released the City of Meridian's Annual Report. While hard copies were provided to those who attended, it is now available online for the community to enjoy! I would encourage all residents to take a look at this document. It includes information about the work of our City employees and Departments in a variety of different areas.
The Annual Report helps you see what we've accomplished over the past year in such areas as public safety, community and economic development, public works and parks and recreation thanks to our "Top 16 of 2016" section. You can also read about what's "On the Horizon," with a look at projects ahead in 2017. And if you are more into numbers, then check out an overview of the City's budget.
The City of Meridian is thriving. Take a look here and see for yourself.
As we usher in this new year, I'm focused on preparing my State of the City address. We are a thriving community with much to celebrate!
Thank you to everyone who came out to our Christmas in Meridian festivities! Our Parks and Recreation Department organized a host of events that launched December with great fanfare and loads of Christmas spirit - officially kicking off the holiday season in our community!
This winter I'm thrilled to say that we have even MORE activity options for you in our community! The City of Meridian purchased the Homecourt Facility from the Treasure Valley Family YMCA this fall and we are now offering recreation opportunities in that space located off Franklin Road (936 Taylor Avenue).
This week is Thanksgiving a time to reflect on all the things we are thankful for. That is so easy to do sitting here at my desk! I can think of many reasons I'm thankful to call Meridian home - #MyMeridian. We get to live in a community that is recognized as one of the top places to live in the nation! I don't know if you realize this, but recently we were named
This Tuesday is Election Day and I encourage everyone to head out to the polls (8am-8pm) and let your voice be heard. This election has the ability to transform our community, so do your research and cast your vote! You can find the information you need, and your polling place at www.idahovotes.gov.
I wanted to update our citizens as we move to the next step in the process begun long ago on providing a courtroom, or not, that was initiated in 1994. The Ada County Commissioners brought to life this '94 court order that was long forgotten, frankly, because the issue was already addressed in the '90's.
A good number of Meridian residents and citizens from other parts of Ada County have been showing up at City Hall this past week to vote early. I wanted to thank Ada County Clerk Chris Rich, Chief Deputy Clerk Phil McGrane, Meridian City Clerk Jaycee Holman - and their teams – that helped make this happen. There are two reasons why this is so important.
Absentee voting has begun and early voting for the November General Election begins one week from today. Ada County voters will have the opportunity to vote early at Meridian City Hall, October 17 – November 4, 9am -6pm (closes at 5pm on Nov. 4). This is a great time to cast your vote ahead of Election Day, November 8, when polls are open from 8am-8pm.
Recently my husband Jan and I spent some time at unBound, the Meridian Library's makerspace located in downtown. We expanded our imaginations and experienced innovation first hand with the virtual reality headsets, 3D printers, the woodworking and engraving machine and more. Needless to say we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and all the learning that takes place for people of all ages and abilities at unBound.
I was thrilled to see so many people attend our recent Town Hall at the new Hillsdale Elementary gymnasium. It showed me that the feedback I received from my Listening Tour was true - people want to hear what's happening in South Meridian! So here's a recap of what we heard regarding developments.
This is a busy week for the City with two huge opportunities for citizen engagement.
The start of school always means that change is in the air: new teachers, classmates, curriculum, sports, clubs, etc. It signals the end of summer and the start of a new season is right around the corner in our community. It's a good time to remind area residents that this brings about changes on the roads and in our neighborhoods.
Each year I host a Listening Tour with community members from across our city. People from all walks of life are invited to attend - and from all parts of our community - into my home to have a conversation about Meridian. The group meetings are set by geographical areas with the goal of getting a pulse on our City from those who live and work here. These conversations help us identify things we are doing well, and ways we can improve.
I had already started writing my musing for this week when the incident in Dallas occurred (and now the latest in Baton Rouge). I am horrified by what I see unfolding. That musing will be saved for another day… My heart aches for Dallas and Baton Rouge. My prayers go out to their law enforcement officers, their families, and their communities. My thoughts and prayers are also with the families and friends of those lost in shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota and their communities.
I love summertime in Meridian! The other day I was able to shop for produce at the Youth Farmers Market, attend Dairy Days, cool off at the Kleiner Park splash pad with my grandkids and watch the sunset from my patio on a gorgeous summer evening. As I watched the sun go down, I thought of all of the amazing things we have to do, right here in our own backyard! So if you are looking for some summer fun – here are 10 ideas to consider:
This week – the old meets the new in Downtown Meridian. A long time tradition and a new community tradition will help us usher in the official start of summer – the long-standing Dairy Days and the new Meridian Youth Farmers Market!
As we wrap up the 2015-16 school year, it's appropriate to highlight a group of people who are near and dear to my heart. They are the ones who wake up each day and come to work with the sole purpose of protecting our kids. The Meridian Police Department School Resource Officer (SRO) program consists of 9 officers who are assigned to 13 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 3 high schools and several alternative, charter and private schools in our community within the West Ada School District.
Memorial Day weekend is the first holiday of the summer season and a time when the roads, airports, campsites, etc. always seem to fill up in Idaho. For those families who just want to spend some quality time together and avoid the stress of travel on a busy weekend, I've put together a TOP TEN list of FREE VACATION fun right here in Meridian! There's plenty to do in our community that equates to lifelong memories with the ones you love.
Early Voting for the Primary Election is currently underway here at Meridian City Hall ahead of Election Day on May 17. This is an important election and I encourage voters to get out and make your voices heard!
I always look forward to connecting with the community. That's why Town Hall meetings top the list of activities I enjoy as Mayor. These quarterly meetings give me a chance to update citizens and connect face-to-face.
During my State of the City, and recently in our quarterly newsletter insert in the City of Meridian Utility Bills, I brought to the attention of our citizens, a 22-year-old court order that could potentially have an unfair impact on them and residents of Garden City. Meridian and Garden City are being held to a 1994 court order to build a courtroom in each of our cities. As you might imagine, there are a number of events that have transpired over the 22 years since this order was created. Many questions arise as a result as well - such as why wasn't it addressed then? Did the 1996 vote to consolidate courtroom facilities and the resulting 2002 opening of the Ada County Courthouse not satisfy the need? Since the Ada County residents paid for one building, why is the County coming back and asking our Meridian and Garden City citizens to pay for another building again? Is there a need that our two cities specifically are being directed to fix by adding additional court facilities?
On Friday, April 8, you're invited to join us for Do The Right Day! Last year the City of Meridian, with the help of many partners, launched Do The Right – one day to start a movement of compassion by encouraging residents to do something kind for the person to their right - neighbors, family members, coworkers, or classmates. With bullying and other negativity so prevalent in today's culture, we began a mission to encourage people to put a smile on the face of someone else with a nice note, comment, gift, or act of service. The success of the inaugural event was amazing with an overwhelming response from the community. We distributed 7,500 #DoTheRight stickers and social media was packed with pictures from all over Meridian – even reaching other communities in the state and as far away as Texas!
The City of Meridian and the Idaho State University (ISU) Meridian campus are focused on expanding the health science and technology corridor, The CORE, as well as bringing family wage jobs closer to where people live. The announcement of Idaho's first medical school, the proposed Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM), is one that meets these goals and would be a huge addition for our community and the State of Idaho. This development is proof that investments made at ISU in Meridian have been critical in creating more employment, as well as research and grant opportunities. ISU's new Anatomy and Physiology Lab and BioSkills Learning Center was a great draw to this new College and will be a tremendous compliment to their mission.
It's no secret that the youth of our community hold a special place in my heart. We are always looking for more ways to engage our younger generation, especially when it comes to the process of government. That's why I was beaming with pride as students from our Mayor's Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) stood before the State Senate Transportation Committee this month to present a bill on seatbelt requirements for youth that they have spent the past few years putting together.
Heart disease and stroke cause one in three deaths among women each year, killing approximately one woman every 80 seconds. Fortunately, we can change these statistics, because 80 percent of cardiac and stroke events could be prevented with education and action.
It's that time of year again – I'm busy preparing for my annual State of the City address.
It's a new year and a new council! This month two new council members will be sworn in to office, and will serve our community for the next four years.
I love this time of year! Not only is it the season of giving, but it's also a time to reflect on the past twelve months as we look forward to 2016. Each New Year brings new opportunities, new experiences and new memories.
As the community transitions to winter and the holidays, many of us move our families and activities indoors. While the weather outside might be frightful at times, there still remains plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy our parks and open spaces over the next few months.
By Meridian City Councilman Luke Cavener, Guest Contributor
The secret is out - Meridian is the Best Place to Live in America. I have long believed that to be true and according to 24/7 Wall St, they know it's true. So what is our secret sauce in Meridian? Our people of course! The people who live here are willing to roll up their sleeves and work together to get the work done. For it is together that we are building this great community.
Over the last ten years we have seen a number of road improvements from I-84 to Fairview/Cherry Lane making traveling through the heart of our community easier. The last improvement – the rebuild of Meridian interchange – will soon be complete.
As the season changes, I know we are getting closer to October – or as we like to call it "Walktober".
Meridian's New Public Safety Training Center has opened and was immediately put to use! The official ribbon cutting isn't until Monday, September 21st but agencies across the valley are utilizing the classroom space and fire and police personnel are already using the training grounds.
I feel so fortunate to live and work in Meridian. I meet people every day who go above and beyond to make this community an even better place to call home. That's why our City's Neighborhood Star Awards are so important to me. I think it's important to recognize our residents for the work they do – and their contributions to the quality of life and safety in our community.
The Meridian Parks and Recreation Department has been very busy this summer! Not only have they produced another wonderful season of family favorite events, such as CableONE Movie Night, but they also recently opened the long awaited Storey Dog Park and just released the Fall Activity Guide.
The question isn't so much "who let the dogs out", the question is, WHEN can we let the dogs out? And the answer is – very soon!
The City of Meridian is going "Unplugged" at the next Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, July 22! What do we mean by this? Well, we simply want you, our residents, to run the agenda for the meeting! We want to hear from you! This is your chance to ask myself and other City leaders a question you've been wanting to ask us or discuss a certain topic.
The City of Meridian is a place for families, where our children are a priority. We are constantly striving to provide meaningful programs for our youth. In continuation of this tradition it is only fitting that our newest venture, not only answers a long-time community request but has a focus on youth. It gives me great joy to announce the Meridian Youth Farmers Market will debut in September.
The Association of Idaho Cities (AIC) held its annual conference this month and it was a bittersweet time for me. This conference marked the completion of my term as President of AIC where it has been an honor to serve the cities and state of Idaho. As the conference wrapped up I was extremely proud to see Meridian's Historic Walking Tour be recognized by AIC with a City Achievement Award for community outreach.
With all the celebrations behind us now - I can honestly say the 1st year of our Mayor's Walking Club was a smashing success! It was so fun getting out to the schools in April and walking alongside such fantastic students in our community. A huge thank you to the students, staff, and volunteers at the five elementary schools that participated in the inaugural Mayor's Walking Club: Ponderosa, Peregrine, Discovery, River Valley, and Siena elementary schools. I had a blast!
I can't believe we are at the end of another school year – and I can tell you it has been a busy one! It's also the time of year when the Mayor's Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) activities wrap up.
Recently we held a Town Hall meeting at Siena Elementary focused on the future of our beautiful City. We shared feedback about the Listening Tour I just completed, the results of the Parks and Recreation master plan survey and an update on the South Meridian YMCA.
One of the things I love most about Meridian is how generous and giving our community is to those around them. In fact, the generosity of our citizens is a primary reason Meridian was recognized among the top 50 best places to live by Money magazine.
Turn off the TV, computers, portable games, tablets and other screens used for entertainment in your household! It's time for your family to celebrate the City's fourth annual Unplug and Be Outside Week. During the week of April 20 – 25, the Meridian Parks and Recreation Department is offering free activities, workshops and events to inspire and empower families to get off the couch and get active.
On April 8 we are launching Do The Righ here in Meridian – one day to start a movement of compassion by encouraging residents to do something kind for the person to their right - neighbors, family members, coworkers, or classmates. With bullying and other negativity so prevalent in today's culture, we are on a mission to encourage people to put a smile on the face of someone else with a simple note, gift, or act of service.
I recently read an article in Reader's Digest titled, "13 Secrets Mayors Won't Tell You". It was very interesting, so I decided to share some of it here, but add my commentary to each "secret".
I felt it extremely important to dedicate this column to the upcoming West Ada School District bond that voters will consider next week. I haven't been shy about my personal commitment to the education of Meridian's future leaders – our children. One of our biggest jobs as parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents – neighbors - is to ensure that our youth are equipped to face the many new and difficult challenges that they most likely will face. The education of our children is a huge concern for our business community who provide jobs in the 385 square mile region the West Ada School District serves. These businesses – large and small - cite the importance of having an educated workforce, and list this as one of their top concerns in wanting to grow here and new businesses in moving here.
Downtown Meridian is on the cusp of a transformation. At a recent city council meeting, we heard a proposal for a Performing Arts facility and Conference Center to be built in the heart of our City. While we are still in the very preliminary stages of this and there are no definite plans at this point, we are eager to learn more, because we believe these possibilities would be huge additions to the heart of our downtown.
As I gear up for my State of the City address on Wednesday, February 4, I find myself reflecting on the significant changes Meridian has gone through over the last decade. Our community has evolved into a full service city with a growing business community, great places to go and lots to do! Meridian is no longer a well-kept secret – we are a desirable place to live, work and raise a family. It comes as no surprise that we were recognized as one of the fastest growing cities in the nation this past year. While we have been steadily growing, we have maintained a "smart growth" approach – we grow from the inside. This ensures we can provide the level of services that our citizens expect, regardless of our size. This was one, among many, reasons we were named by Money Magazine as one of America's top 50 Best Places to Live in 2014.
January is always a busy time at Meridian City Hall as we wrap up 2014 and look forward to what's ahead for 2015. This month also signifies the start of the legislative session, a time when our senators and representatives evaluate Idaho and its needs and take action on what they believe to be in the best interest of the state and its citizens. In doing so, they rely heavily on what they hear from the public when making these important decisions that impact us all.
As we gear up for another legislative session, I think it is important for legislators to hear from our citizens. Collaboration is key in ensuring Idaho continues to be a great place to live, work, and raise our families! That's why we are once again inviting the community to our Legislative Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, January 14 at 6:30 pm at Meridian City Hall.


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Stingrays Promotional Release – November 22Nov 22, 2016
In addition to seeing great hockey, there are some exciting promotions coming up for South Carolina Stingrays fans when the team plays Greenville on the weekend of December 9-10.
On Friday, Dec. 9, the Stingrays will hold their annual Teddy Bear Toss as they take on the Swamp Rabbits at 7:05 p.m. Fans are encouraged to bring a new or gently used stuffed animal to the game. When the Stingrays score their first goal, all bears and other animals get thrown on the ice. The Teddy Bear Toss Benefits the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program, giving children in need stuffed animals for the holidays.
The following night will include a live appearance of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle characters Donatello and Leonardo as the Stingrays once again battle Greenville at 7:05 p.m. Bring the kids and make sure to get your picture with the popular TNMT personalities. It is also our first "Hat Trick for Reading" night. Students from local schools will be in attendance after earning a ticket by reading a "Hat Trick" of books (that would be 3 books if you need to brush up on your hockey lingo).
Later in the month on Saturday, Dec. 31, South Carolina will host a New Year's celebration as the team battles the Florida Everblades. The first 2,000 fans through the door will receive a collectible Trevor Gillies Bobblehead. The figure will not only have a head that moves, but Trevor's signature arm flex will also shake.
Single-game tickets for the 2016-17 season are on sale now at the North Charleston Coliseum Box Office and ticketmaster.com.
Ticket packages and Groups of 10 or more are on sale now featuring discounted pricing and great benefits. The club's new 5 Game Plan features tickets to all the biggest games plus added benefits! For more information or to place an order call the Stingrays front office at 843-744-2248 or stop by 3300 W. Montague Ave. Suite A-200 during business hours.
Follow the Stingrays on Facebook (@SCStingraysHockey) and Twitter (@SCStingrays) for all the latest news and updates. Stay in touch with Rays on Instagram (@scstingrayshockey).


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1971, Shriek Show, DD-5.1/2.0/MA/SUB/+, 103m 19s, $19.95, DVD-0
One of the earliest Italian gialli produced in the wake of Dario Argento's hugely successful THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, Lucio Fulci's LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN was a far steeper plunge into surrealism and strangeness and, as such, proved just as influential as -- if not moreso than -- Argento's Antonioniesque shocker.
Florinda Bolkan stars as Carol Hammond, the bourgeois daughter of respected lawyer-politician Edmund Brighton (Leo Genn), introduced as a careworn figure pushing through people crowded into the passageway of a train, who turn naked as her dream segues into an erotic, wind-tossed encounter with Julia Durer (Anita Strindberg). Once Carol regains consciousness, we realize that Julia is her nextdoor neighbor in a London apartment complex, socially snubbed by most residents for her psychedelic orgies -- a woman to whom Carol has never actually spoken, as she confesses to her psychiatrist (George Rigaud). One night, a particularly loud party inspires Carol to dream of murdering Julia. The morning after, Julia is found dead in exactly the manner dreamed, with Carol's fur coat and letter opener left at the scene of the crime. In Carol's dream, she realized after stabbing Julia that there were two witnesses to her deed, two white-eyed hippies gazing at her from a mezzanine within the apartment. This aspect of the dream also proves real when Carol's stepdaughter Joan (Ely Galleani, billed as Edy Gall) makes the acquaintence of these hippies, whose behavior subsequently turns calculatedly predatory. No description of the film's plot can really do it justice, as it was made to be experienced -- almost in the Jimi Hendrix sense of that phrase. Though conceived and executed by a director who reportedly hated hippies and despised the drug culture, LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN is a decidedly psychedelic entertainment, graced by one of Ennio Morricone's most volatile yet sensual giallo scores.
Co-scripted by Fulci and frequent collaborator Roberto Gianviti, with additional credit extended to José Luís Martínez Mollà and André Tranché to mollify Spanish and French co-production quotas, LIZARD is overly contrived on an explicatory level but dazzles as a cinematic construction. In this way, it deceptively appears to be as indebted to Brian De Palma as to Argento or Hitchcock, though it braves into areas of sensuality and technique (split screen, split diopter shots, etc) two full years before SISTERS and almost a decade before DRESSED TO KILL, the De Palma film LIZARD most sleekly resembles. If the film's resolution seems needlessly obscure and distended, one reaches it through a procession of marvelously disorienting suspense sequences in which one can see the pictorial influences of Francis Bacon and Salvador Dalí, among others. In the extended sequence in which Bolkan is pursued through the now derelict Alexandra Palace by Mike Kennedy, the vast emptiness of the place suggests not only the spectral landscapes of some Dalí paintings but also sequences in Hitchcock in which characters are dwarfed by the passive countenances of national landmarks, as in the British Museum sequence of BLACKMAIL. The frequently impressive cinematography was the work of Luigi Kuveiller (DEEP RED, A QUIET PLACE IN THE COUNTRY, FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN), assisted by Mario Bava's former operator Ubaldo Terzano.
Carol (Florinda Bolkan) could kill that noisy neighbor of hers... but does she?
When Shriek Show first released LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN in February 2005, it provoked a storm of controversy within Internet discussion groups. While preparing this earlier release, Shriek Show's disc producers were aware that the English language print they had acquired -- titled SCHIZOID (95m 33s) and originally released by American International -- was far from complete, even after two separate English source elements had been cobbled together. They sought to smooth over its shortcomings by adding a second disc featuring a cropped, softish, standard framed transfer of the Italian version (97m 48s PAL, 101m 58s real time), subtitled in English, which contained additional material exclusive to the Italian version.
In the wake of its release, Italy's Federal Video issued a Region 2 disc of the film that included the far handsomer, anamorphic presentation of a unique edition -- essentially the Italian cut, with some footage exclusive to the AIP version seemingly ported back into the continuity via the Shriek Show presentation. It ran 98m 8s in PAL, or 102m 19s in real time. This version's reliance on the SCHIZOID edition was most obvious during the scene of Julia's murder, which AIP had treated to a distorting ripple-like optical to obscure the nudity of Bolkan and Strindberg and details of the film's pivotal stabbing; the Federal DVD presented the scene in a combination of rippled and unrippled footage, evidently because the aptly-named SCHIZOID included individual shots not found in the Italian cut. The R2 disc also offered a "deleted scene" not edited back into the picture. Despite this oversight and the fact that the Federal DVD offered nothing in the way of English subtitles, Media Blasters/Shriek Show was raked over the coals in Cyberspace because a superior-looking element had been found to exist, which the company was berated for not importing and subtitling.
Shriek Show is hoping to make good for their earlier release by issuing a new and improved single-disc remaster of Fulci's classic psycho-thriller that, they hope, will provide the best of all possible Lucertoli for the film's admirers. Having been given a first look at the new disc, I can attest that this new version is -- like the Federal presentation -- a unique cut of the film that was likely never shown in any theater anywhere in the world. It runs a full minute longer than Federal's earlier composite and is certainly the most complete version of the film likely to surface on DVD. I've heard that Studio Canal are the current custodians of the film's original negative, but while a negative would ensure the best possible picture quality, it would carry no guarantee of being more complete. Only the scenes included in the SCHIZOID cut were actually dubbed into English, under the direction of AIP line producer Salvatore Billetteri. Also, mind you, it is unlikely that Studio Canal would allow any negative out of their hands, so anyone licensing the film from them would be required to accept the transfer they were given. The only way to arrive at a complete version of this film would appear to be by cobbling together the English and Italian versions, as Shriek Show has done here with the help of a new Italian print element.
Mike Kennedy and Penny Brown as the tripping witnesses to murder.
So how does Shriek Show's second go at LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN differ from, or improve upon, their first? The following is a breakdown of some points of comparison between the new version and its predecessors, which has been assembled with the help of Shriek Show's Richard York:
2:08-2:30 The scene of Carol walking through the masses of naked people in the train's passageway has been lengthened by 22 seconds.
4:00-4:30 During the first lesbian encounter between Carol and Julia, there is an additional shot exposing Florinda Bolkan's backside as Anita Strindberg pulls the fur coat off her shoulders. This shot appeared in neither version of the film included in Shriek Show's previous release, though an abbreviated version of the shot appeared in SCHIZOID. It should be mentioned that Federal's R2 version was lacking some moments of Bolkan writhing and moaning in her bed before she wakes up, which were included in SCHIZOID.
9:08-9:18 and 9:48-10:16 During these time codes, some shots not seen in SCHIZOID -- most of which involved nudity of some sort -- were reinserted into the quick-cut montage.
10:38-11:04 The scene of Strindberg removing her top, walking toward a man and kissing him was not in Federal's R2 version but was included on their DVD as a "deleted scene." The scene was already present in SCHIZOID.
17:09-17:30 The Francis Bacon-inspired nightmare sequence in SCHIZOID omitted the shot in which a blue-faced Ely Galleani was shown to be cradling a tumult of gooey intestines spilling from her midsection, as well as much of Carlo Rambaldi's gigantic swan-thing. This material was reinserted.
17:32-19:26 As mentioned earlier, in SCHIZOID, the murder of Julia by Carol was treated to a rippling optical effect, presumably to obscure nudity and violence -- and possibly to heighten the ambiguity of whether or not it's a dream. On the Federal R2 disc, this scene cuts back and forth between rippled and non-rippled material in an effort to reincorporate footage found only in the SCHIZOID cut. The Italian master provided to Shriek Show contained the entire scene unrippled, which is what they have opted to include in their new release -- providing a wholly unobstructed view of the proceedings.
26:10-26:21 The scene of Jean Sorel, Ely Galleani and Silvia Monti walking and talking, expressing concern for Florinda Bolkan's character was not previously included in SCHIZOID or the Italian version included on Shriek Show's original release. The dialogue scene exists only in Italian and thus had to be inserted into the otherwise English-language film in Italian with English subtitles.
26:22-30:06 Immediately following the above scene is the paranoid dinner sequence during which Carol receives the phone call from her neighbor, then frantically looks for her notes. This scene was in Shriek Show's earlier standard-framed Italian version, but not in SCHIZOID.
30:24-31:19 A tense-looking Florinda is smoking cigarettes on a sofa while Silvia sits at a table. Ely brings Silvia a drink and some brief dialogue is exchanged. This nearly minute-long scene was likewise not on any previous version and had to be subtitled. This scene leads up to Florinda barging in on the crime scene.
32:17-32:24 Inserted back into the scene of Carol's visit to the crime scene were 7 seconds of her being conforted by her husband (Sorel) and a disquieting close-up of Julia's dead body.
53:53-54:06 This scene of Sorel and Monti's extramarital lovemaking was extended by 13 seconds of additional kissing and rolling around.
58:26-59:12 Finally, the infamous scene of Carol's accidental discovery of the clinic's room of conscious, vivisected dogs -- not included in SCHIZOID -- has been reinserted.
Inspector Corvin (Stanley Baker) brings cold comfort to Carol as she mourns a relative.
Shriek Show's forthcoming release thus improves upon earlier attempts in meaningful ways and warrants recognition as a significant upgrade -- indeed, it's the most integral version we're likely to see. Nevertheless, the disc has some modest faults that must also be noted.
When compared to the Federal DVD, there is no question that the Italian disc is cleaner, sharper-looking, with more realistically modulated color. (Mind you, it's also incomplete and in Italian only, with some faux compositing -- like the on/off rippling -- that favor AIP's preferences over those of Fulci. Though LIZARD is of Italian origin, it was set and shot in London and acted almost entirely in English, with some principals like Baker and Genn doing the actual dubbing, so the English track takes precedence above any other.) For some reason, Shriek Show opted to brighten the feature's overall color, as I suppose was in keeping with their predominant source, the SCHIZOID element; I felt it necessary to turn the color settings of my monitor down a notch or two, to a more realistic, less distracting register, after which the film-like quality of the anamorphic image was very pleasing. That the new master made use of more than one source element is not particularly evident, showing that great pains were taken to achieve a consistent look throughout. I noticed brief instances of glare and grain, possibly inherent in the source elements rather than the transfer, but no cause for common complaints like overdone edge enhancement. Certain scenes are mildly marred by fine bluish scratches, which I didn't find objectionable, as it's better to have such reminders of 35mm film stock than too much digital cleanup. In comparing footage shared by this new transfer and Shriek Show's earlier SCHIZOID transfer, I found the new transfer more vivid. The audio options are English 5.1 and 2.0 mono, and Italian 2.0 mono (viewable with English subtitles). My sampling of the 5.1 option found that it didn't do much but send the mono signal equally from all five channels, which I found spatially disorienting and quickly did without. Perhaps I gave up too early, as I'm told the track does include some directional effects, particularly during the film's celebrated bat attack sequence.
With the exception of the several Fulci trailers carried over from the previous release (including the one featuring a ponderous epigraph by author "M. Hawthorne"), the new disc's extras have all been imported from the R2 disc and given English subtitles. These consist of a generous 31m discussion of Fulci and this particular film by Prof. Paolo Albiero, co-author of the book IL TERRORISTA DEI GENERI: TUTTO IL CINEMA DE LUCIO FULCI (something I need to acquire). Albiero's talk, at once intellectual yet entertaining and approachable, I found quite engrossing; it deals with LIZARD on conceptual and generic levels, places the film intelligently in context with Fulci's other work (Albiero feels that Fulci's horror films were "his ruin," in the overall story of his career, though he discusses them with obvious appreciation), and Albiero speaks with warmth and confidence. The talk is followed by Albiero's concise history of the film's censorship problems abroad (5m 51s). The feature's original Italian title sequence is also included.
Having compiled such a nearly definitive package, it's all the more regrettable that Shriek Show chose not to go all the way by carrying over from their original release Kit Gavin & Mike Baronas' "Shedding the Skin" (33m 44s) -- a terrifically thorough and entertaining featurette including interviews with the surviving cast and effects men, as well as visits to original shooting locations. The absence of this most valuable labor of love from the new release makes it essential that fans of the film either hold onto, or belatedly acquire, the original Shriek Show two-disc set.
Bear in mind that this article is a preview; Shriek Show's LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN will not street until March 17. Minor quibbles aside, it's an impressive disc with absorbing extras -- and likely to stand out as one of the most important genre film restorations of the year. Where this title is concerned, we're never going to get completeness and perfection, but this presentation comes remarkably close to achieving just that.


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With concern over the spread of the H1N1 flu, questions are being raised about its possible implications. For example, are people infected with HIV, the AIDS virus, or TB more susceptible to the flu than others?
Dr. Thomas Quinn, head of the Johns Hopkins Global Health Center, considers the potential threat from the flu outbreak.
"I think you use the right word: potential. We really don't know whether this will expand into a global pandemic. And WHO (World Health Organization) is preparing for that eventuality because you would not want to be unprepared should it occur. We really will have to monitor this on a day by day, hour by hour basis to see if it's going to expand rapidly to all countries of the world," he says.
Currently, he says H1N1 is "limited to a small number of countries. The actual number of cases is very small relative to what we ordinarily see with seasonal flu."
Seasonal flu is most prominent in the winter months, tailing off by April. However, H1N1 is a new virus for humans. It's unknown whether previous flu seasons provide any immunological protection against the new strain, but the typical flu vaccinations offered each year are not expected to offer any.
"Because of that uncertainty, we really have to gear up as if this could be a major, serious disease," he says.
Asked how many people on average die during an outbreak of seasonal flu, Quinn says, "In the United States, we usually see up to 30,000…deaths from a bad flu year. The people that are most susceptible to seasonal flu are the very young and the very elderly. Where new viruses come in is where we get concerned that it might hit the other age groups of the population."
He says that most of the cases of H1N1 have also been of the young and old "and it's those who had delayed, especially in Mexico, access to care till they were practically moribund."
The Johns Hopkins official says many in developing countries have poor access to health care. But so far, the developing world has been apparently been spared of any large number of cases. However, this could also be a result of the quality of surveillance systems, so time will tell.
Sub-Saharan African nations have high numbers of cases of HIV/AIDS, TB malaria and cancer, which weaken the immune system. Steroid drugs, given to treat some illnesses, can also weaken the immune system.
Quinn says, "The individuals who have HIV that are in more advanced stages of the disease are more susceptible. They are immune compromised and if unvaccinated are susceptible to any of the common Influenza A viruses. Obviously a lot of people in Africa are not vaccinated. The current vaccine we've been using in the US -- we do not believe that it is cross-protective against this new strain of the virus, anyway."
Health officials say everyone is believed susceptible to H1N1, and if infected, most could recover within a week.
"Those people with tuberculosis, especially XDR-TB (Extremely Drug Resistant TB), those people with HIV and…malaria...if they get flu…they will have more severe complications. And it could result in much more fatalities than we would normally have expected," he says.
Should H1N1 strike many developing countries, the same guidelines apply as they do in developed nations. Dr. Quinn says, "If you cough cover your mouth. If you sneeze cover your mouth. Wash your hands as often as you possibly can. Avoid close, intimate contact with people who are already sick from a respiratory infection. They may not know whether it's flu or not. They should make the assumption this could be flu and they should avoid direct contact, other than the healthcare providers, who should be wearing masks and gloves when they care for those people."


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Roshon was the first to go, in an elimination that was likely anticipated by those who have been keeping up with Dancing this season. Despite a comeback of sorts on Monday, in which he earned a score of 56 out of 60, enough for a second-place finish, the 20-year-old actor had been in the bottom two for the last two weeks, and had squeaked by solely because of the Dancing Dual, better known as DWTS' version of the judges' save.
This time around, however, there was no Dual to save him. Perhaps because of this, Roshon was very calm as he received the bad news, and thanked everyone for his run on the show.
Melissa, meanwhile, was a bit more emotional when she was eliminated at the end of the hour– and rightfully so, given she had been kicked off on her 48th birthday. Yowch!
Still, despite being reduced to tears, Gilbert had only positive things to say about her experience on the show.
"It's been a real blessing and a joy," she said, through tears.
"I'm amazed that I even made it this far," she added.
The Little House on the Prairie star, who landed at the bottom of the leader board on Monday, had her fair share of Dancing hiccups this season; in April, she reportedly suffered a concussion and whiplash after a routine, and was quickly rushed to the hospital. She returned to the ballroom floor one week later, in high spirits.
Do you think Melissa and Roshon deserved to be eliminated? Sound off now in the comments, below!
For more on Roshon Fegan, be sure to read Celebuzz' exclusive interview with the actor by clicking here!


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Eagles fall in first round
of NTC Tournament
St. Elmo was defeated by Cowden-Herrick for the second time this season on Tuesday in the first round of the National Trail Conference Tournament.
The Eagles lost, 56-46.
Junior Levi Maxey led in scoring with 16 points, and senior Connor Beasley added 14.
The No. 5 Eagles (10-9) will play No. 8 Neoga in the consolation bracket on Thursday at 6:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 22
Cowden-Herrick 56
St. Elmo 46
The Brownstown Sports Boosters are holding a winter cook-out next Friday.
The event will begin at 5 p.m. prior to the boys basketball game against St. Elmo.
A ribeye sandwich meal will be $6, a pork burger sandwich meal will be $5 and a hot dog meal will be $2.
A meal includes chips, drink and a homemade dessert.
Sandwichs may be purchased separately.
The Vandalia Jr. Wrestling club participated in Sunday's Jon Davis Kids' open at the Prairie Capitol Convention Center in Springfield.
FARINA – South Central senior Kellie Crain has elected to continue her softball career in college.
Crain signed her letter of intent to play catcher for Shawnee Community College for the next two seasons.
"They are getting a player who works hard and has improved each year," said Lady Cougars coach Gary Kapper. "When she gets down there, I think she will improve even more, since she'll be focused strictly on softball."
The uplifting story of Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano's road to recovery from acute promyelocytic leukemia was heard by millions of people throughout the country.
And for one Vandalia sophomore, it was a call to action.
After watching 24 Colts players and two of their cheerleaders shave their heads to begin the CHUCKSTRONG donation campaign, Jake Stewart was moved to start a similar campaign right here in town.
Last Wednesday, it became a reality.
The Vandalia wrestling team had a busy seven days dating back to last Thursday, wrestling nine teams and going 6-3.
Dalton Blankenship, a sophomore, and senior Zach Jackson each went 9-0. They lead the team in wins, with 28 and 27, respectively.
On Saturday, the Vandals host their third quadrangular of the season with PORTA, Beardston and Clinton coming to town, and they travel to O'Fallon next Thursday.
But on a downside, Vandalia will be without Blake Cripe for the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury.
HIGHLAND – Due to a pair of tears in her knee, Vandalia junior Megan Godoyo may have her season ended prematurely for the second year in a row.
It was learned after Tuesday's game, a 58-40 loss in the first round of consolation bracket in the Highland Tournament, that she had suffered tears to both her medial and lateral meniscus.
The tears occurred in the same knee in which she tore her anterior cruciate ligament at about this time last season.
VANDALIA – Two small runs on both sides of halftime allowed the Vandals to take a lead on Greenville that wouldn't be relinquished in a 55-45 win last Friday night that keeps Vandalia perfect in South Central Conference play.
After falling behind 25-21 with 1:48 left in the first half, coach Brian Buscher called a timeout, and his team responded to his message.
St. Elmo High School made inductions to its Wall of Fame last Friday night.
Eagles pick up NTC win
St. Elmo had little trouble defeating Windsor on Tuesday in National Trail Conference action.
The Eagles earned the 69-27 win behind a game-high 22 points from junior Levi Maxey, and 14 points and 10 rebounds from senior Connor Beasley.
Reece Wells matched his career-high with 11 points for St. Elmo (10-7, 3-3 NTC).
Copyright © 2018
The Leader Union is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Vandalia, Il, and the surrounding area.


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FDIC Aims to Shed Some Real-Estate Assets
Agency to Launch Its First CMBS Deal as Bank Failures Mount and the Volume of Distressed-Property Loans Increases
With more banks collapsing because of commercial real-estate lending, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is working on a new way to sell failed banks' hard-to-value real-estate assets back to the private sector, according to people familiar with the matter.
Up until now, the FDIC has mostly sold soured property loans to investors in partnerships with the agency. These arrangements enticed private investors to buy distressed real-estate assets while giving taxpayers the opportunity to make money should the assets rise in value.
But as the volume of real-estate loans mount, the FDIC now is looking to bundle and sell some of them as commercial mortgage-backed securities, or CMBS. The agency is expected to launch its first CMBS deal, expected to be backed by at least $500 million of performing commercial mortgages, by the end of this year or in January, the people said.
The move comes as the CMBS market is beginning to recover after screeching to a halt during the dark days of the downturn. The FDIC, which is in the process of selecting banks to underwrite the deal, hopes to take advantage of the nascent rebound to maximize returns on assets and limit losses to its deposit-insurance fund.
Since the start of the financial crisis in 2007, there have been 300 bank failures, which wiped out the deposit-insurance fund in the third quarter of last year, putting it at negative $8.2 billion. Problems at many of these banks were caused, in part, by overaggressive lending to owners of offices, shopping malls, apartments and other commercial property.
The FDIC has about $34.1 billion in assets, including those tied to real estate, held by failed banks that are available for sale, according to the agency.
Last Friday, three more banks closed their doors, bringing the total number of bank failures this year to 132: Premier Bank, in Jefferson City, Mo., WestBridge Bank & Trust Co. in Chesterfield, Mo., and Security Savings Bank in Olathe, Kan.
Matthew Anderson, managing director at research firm Foresight Analytics, estimates that soured commercial real-estate loans, including construction loans and those backed by income-producing properties, accounted for 88% of these three banks' nonperforming debt as of the second quarter. Notably, Mr. Anderson said, commercial mortgages have been rising as "a source of distress" for banks in addition to construction and land loans.
In most FDIC deals involving failed banks during the downturn, the agency has lined up buyers to take over loans, deposits, branches and most other assets when the banks have failed. But for some failed banks like Corus Bank, Franklin Bank and IndyMac Bank, the FDIC has decided to sell some hard-to-value assets separately.
The methods being used by the FDIC have their roots in the real-estate disaster of the 1990s. The public-private partnership structure was pioneered by the Resolution Trust Corp., the federal agency formed to clean up the savings-and-loan debacle in the early 1990s. Since 2008, the FDIC has sold residential and commercial loans through 16 such partnerships, with the agency's equity interest ranging from 50% to 80%. Those partnerships bought loans at discounts ranging from pennies on the dollar to more than 80 cents on the dollar of face value.
CMBS also was a product of the last downturn. The RTC also was the first to package mortgages and then sell them as securities to appeal to buyers with different risk tolerances. After that, Wall Street took over, powering the business into a $700 billion market until the latest recession hit.
Now, with the debt market struggling back to its feet, the agency is looking to sell off as CMBS commercial-property loans as another way to dispose of the assets they took over from failed banks.
The FDIC's coming CMBS deal would be different than those sold by Wall Street firms in that it would feature smaller-sized loans, the people said. CMBS deals carry less risk for taxpayers than public-private partnerships, because in partnerships the FDIC takes a big chunk of the equity and provides financing, potentially standing to lose more if the markets decline.
For the broader commercial real-estate market, the renewal of the CMBS market is a critical step in the road to recovery. Owners and developers have relied on the securities market for the bulk of their financing during the past decade. Wall Street is expected to sell up to $15 billion of CMBS this year. That amount pales next to the $230 billion of CMBS issuance in 2007, the record year for the market. But it still amounts to a sharp turnaround from the past two years.
In the most vivid sign to date of a resurgent CMBS market, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Bank of America Corp. are expected to sell as CMBS $3 billion of debt tied to the buyout of Hilton Worldwide in the next two weeks, according to people familiar with the deal. That offering would be followed by another $2 billion deal, led by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and Deutsche Bank AG , which involves the Extended Stay Inc. hotel chain that recently exited bankruptcy, the people said.
Write to Lingling Wei at email@example.com
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