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Ministry of
Village of Thornloe
|A Total 2017 OMPF
|1. Assessment Equalization Grant
|2. Northern Communities Grant
|3. Rural Communities Grant
|4. Northern and Rural Fiscal Circumstances Grant
|5. Transitional Assistance
|B 2017 Combined Benefit of OMPF and Provincial Uploads (Line B1 + Line B2)
|1. Total OMPF (Equal to Line A)
|2. Provincial Uploads
|C Other Ongoing Provincial Support
|1. Public Health
|2. Land Ambulance
|D Key OMPF Data Inputs
|1. Households
|2. Total Weighted Assessment per Household
|3. Rural and Small Community Measure
|4. Farm Area Measure
|5. Northern and Rural Municipal Fiscal Circumstances Index
|6. 2017 Guaranteed Level of Support
|7. 2016 OMPF (Line A from 2016 Allocation Notice)
A – The OMPF grants are described in detail in the 2017 OMPF Technical Guide - this document can be found on the Ministry of Finance's website at: http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/ompf/2017
A5 – If applicable, reflects the amount of transitional support provided to assist the municipality in adjusting to the redesigned OMPF program.
B1 – Sum of 2017 OMPF grants (Equal to Line A).
B2 – Estimated 2017 benefit of the Province's upload of social assistance benefit program costs.
C1 – The estimated 2017 municipal benefit resulting from the upload of public health costs from a provincial share of 50 per cent in 2004 to 75 per cent in 2007. In two-tier systems, this benefit is identified at the upper-tier level. Actual municipal savings may not correspond with the Allocation Notice due to budget approvals made by the local Board of Health. Municipalities may provide additional funding beyond their obligated cost share or receive additional savings through other provincial grants for public health programs and initiatives. Any additional municipal funding or savings are not included in the calculation of the public health figure.
C2 – The estimated 2017 municipal benefit of the Province's 50 per cent share of land ambulance funding relative to its share in 2005. This incremental increase in land ambulance funding delivers on the Province's commitment to strengthen land ambulance services and maintain the 50:50 sharing of land ambulance costs. In two-tier systems, this benefit is identified at the upper-tier level.
D2 – Refers to the total assessment for a municipality weighted by the tax ratio for each class of property (including payments in lieu of property taxes retained by the municipality) divided by the total number of households.
D3 – Represents the proportion of a municipality's population residing in rural areas or small communities. For additional information, see the 2017 OMPF Technical Guide.
D4 – Represents the percentage of a municipality's land area comprised of farm land. Additional details regarding the calculation of the Farm Area Measure are provided in the 2017 OMPF Technical Guide.
D5 – The northern and rural Municipal Fiscal Circumstances Index (MFCI) measures a municipality's fiscal circumstances relative to other northern and rural municipalities in the province, and ranges from 0 to 10. A lower MFCI corresponds to relatively positive fiscal circumstances, whereas a higher MFCI corresponds to more challenging fiscal circumstances. For additional information, see the 2017 OMPF Technical Guide.
D6 – Represents the guaranteed level of support the municipality will receive from the Province through the 2017 OMPF. For additional information, see the 2017 OMPF Technical Guide.
D7 – 2016 OMPF allocation
Note: Provincial funding and other ongoing provincial support initiatives rounded to multiples of $100.
Ontario Ministry of Finance
Provincial-Local Finance Division Issued: November 2016


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DIAcussion, a group show that engages in dialogue and discussion through form and subject, opens tonight at envoy enterprises, 87 Rivington St. (6-8 PM). The exhibition seems to approach its concept very directly; a lot of the interplay between the work is very pronounced, sort of in your face. This is far from a problem, as the overall quality of the show looks to be pretty high. The focus on figurative elements opens up a direct, personal vein through which we are able to consider the implications of the vastly different ways in which we approach the same goals. You can keep your questions at face value (medium vs. medium, subject vs. subject). And you can take in the decaying face of Gerald Collings' The Hollow (above) and go all out dust-to-dust; considering the myriad ways you might choose to live your life in the face of the possibility that we all end up in the same lame, dead position eventually, that we all think we know the best way out of the maze but none of us actually find the exit in time.
All images courtesy of the artist and envoy enterprises, New York.

subset: commoncrawl


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Today on the Pure Mobile blog we're all about sound and color, with a bright spectrum of earbuds and headphones for iPhone 5 in all the colors of the rainbow. From over-ear models to flexible earbuds, special sound isolating sets and sport headphones, we're rounding up some of the best iPhone 5 audio accessories from iHome, iLuv, iSkin and more.
These purple Rubberized Earphones from iHome come in a color-coordinated carrying pouch, along with detachable ear cushions in a range of sizes, so you'll always get a compfortable fit.
Not only that, these small and portable iPhone 5 compatible headphones provide detailed, dynamic sound with enhanced bass response and come witha lifetime warranty.
For a great over-ear model of headphones for iPhone 5, try iLuv's Sweet Cotton headphones in a birght, true blue.
Lightweight but sturdily designed, this headset promises full, rich sound and features a built-in mic with one touch button to play music or answer calls.
Active types will go in for iHome's Sport Hook Earbuds, which are specifically designed to give you a secure fit for running, walking, exercising or casual listening.
And in this vibrant color, you'll be feeling lean, mean and green.
iLuv makes their signature Bubble Gum II earbuds ina whole slew of fun colors, including cheerful yellow.
But aside from the funky hues, these earbud-style headphones for iPhone 5 boast an ultra lightweight, comfortable design, as well as built-in high-performance speakers for extended frequency range and lower distortion
Orange you glad ClarityOne designed their Premium Earbuds with Mic with a built-in PureSound processor for distortion free sound?
These iPhone 5 compatible headphones offer clear, 3-dimensional sound quality, feature a tangle-free cord and come with three different sizes of silicone tips for a comfortable fit.
iSkin's line of earTones headphones for iPhone 5 was designed with a whole spectrum of color in mind. But aside from awesome hues, like this this red pair, these slick earbuds come with a built-in mic that allows you to easily play, pause or skip tracks as well as answer and end calls with a single button.
Think pink with iHome's awesome Noise Isolating Earphones for iPhone 5. These earbud-style headphones help keep outside noise out and come with different sizes of ear-cushions for a great fit.
Of course, most of these accessories come in a variety of tones, so picking your favorite features and favorite color is easy. Check out Pure Mobile for even more great headphones for iPhone 5, in all the colors of the rainbow!


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Muscle Car Explosion!
They say trade shows are excellent indications of the health of the market they represent. The bigger and more active the attendance from vendors, shops, and buyers, the better that niche of the economy should be fairing. We're no market analysts, but according to turnout at this year's annual hot rodding extravaganza known as SEMA (the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association), the hot rodding world is headed upward into a bright recovery.
It's not just by our hopeful eye either; we've got hard facts to prove it. While final attendance figures are still being audited, SEMA reported that more than 126,000 credentials were issued prior to the show, with thousands more processed onsite. Those numbers represented a 7 percent increase over the previous year, and the highest in SEMA Show history. That's really saying something considering the size of the SEMA show.
On the show floor were 2,381 exhibiting companies, representing all facets of the automotive specialty equipment market. Stuff like accessory and appearance products, performance products, wheels, tires, and suspension are designed to personalize more than 200 million cars, trucks, SUVs, and power-sport vehicles on and off the road. Representing mostly small businesses, the exhibitors turn to the SEMA Show to connect with more than 60,000 buyers from throughout the world. We've never been so happy to be shoulder to shoulder with thousands of strangers.
On top of that, hot rod shops and builders rolled out an impressive number of custom cars and trucks that represented their best workmanship. The big guys were there with their latest and greatest: Troy Trepanier, The Ringbrothers, Pure Vision Design, Goolsby Customs, D&Z Customs, Chris Holstrom Concepts, to name a few. But what we were most excited to see was a large turnout of small and new shops with cars that put those household hot rodding names on notice. Some cars even represented a first foray into the world of high-end building, which means they'll be on our radar.
With that in mind, we tore through the thousands of beautiful cars in attendance to bring you our top 17 muscle cars. A few of them are established builders with reputations for quality and lasting style, but there are just as many from small shops looking to show the world that they're the next players. SEMA is where dreams are born, and we're proud to report that there's a bright future for our hobby.
427 Wildcat
1967 Cougar
Builder: Wild Wes Paintworks
The Mercury Cougar was intended from the very beginning to embrace the idea of a "gentleman's muscle car." The chassis was shared with the Mustang, but everything else was Cougar-specific and intended to be a step above in both quality and comfort. All the options that were considered upgrades on Mustangs were standard on most Cougars, including four-barrel V-8 engines, deluxe interior, consoles, power steering, and power disc brakes. Power options were plentiful with all of the standard Mustang engines, plus the Cougar is the only FoMoCo muscle to ever have a factory option for the 427 side-oiler.
That history, plus the fact that they still remain off the mainstream radar, are what inspired "Wild Wes" Adkins of Wild Wes Paintworks to choose one for his project. In its original dark green form, the Cougar served as a daily driver and occasional weekend racer for Wes for a few years as he built his business. In 2012, though, he decided it was time to not only build his dream car, but also one that could showcase his talent for customization, fabrication, and of course paintwork. Combining his nickname with the one tossed about affectionately by Cougar fans, the Wildcat project was born.
Adkins' plan from the beginning was to stay true to the Cougar's original intent: luxury combined with power. So everything including the color palette, custom leather interior, custom grille and headlights, and high-end sound system was chosen to maintain that feel. In homage to the top-dog engine FE big-block that the W-code Cougars packed, the Wildcat also houses a 427ci in the form of a Dart-based Windsor. This one packs far more punch though, thanks to twin TorqStorm superchargers that create about 800 hp with only an 8-psi breeze. Watch for a full feature on the Wildcat in an upcoming issue!
By The Numbers
Engine: Dart-based 427ci Windsor with forged Scat crank and rods, Trick Flow 225cc heads, Crane cam and valvetrain, dual TorqStorm superchargers, and Edelbrock EFI
Trans: Cyclone F5 6-speed with 3,500-stall, billet input, and intermediate shafts
Suspension/Chassis: DSE Aluma-Frame with tubular control arms, Detroit Tuned rack-and-pinion, JRi aluminum coilovers in front, DSE QuadraLink with JRi coilovers in the rear, Moser nodular rearend with Detroit Truetrac diff
Brakes: SSBC with 13-inch rotors and SSBC vacuum pump and billet master cylinder
Wheels & Tires: 17×9.5 and 17×11 Vintage Wheel Works GT-40 wheels with 275/40 and 315/35 Mickey Thompson Street Comp tires
Contact: Wild Wes Paintworks; 330-323-4949; WildWesPaintworks.com
The Tyrant
1966 Chrysler Imperial
Builder: HPI Customs/Tyler Scarfe
The essence of a Pro Touring machine is power and performance wrapped in an elegantly updated and modernized classic vehicle. In general, though, the selection of cars will be from the more standard level of transportation: muscle cars and the like. For those who seek a more commanding and well-appointed presence, Grand Touring is one step up the ladder. The term Grand Tour actually originates from the traditional extended trip through Europe undertaken by wealthy upper-class European young men of means as a rite of passage. These young men traveled only in the finest style, so to build a Grand Touring car you must start with a luxury-oriented vehicle and add power and performance. Think of it as creating a vintage version of a Bentley Continental GT. Case in point: The Tyrant.
The Tyrant is a 1966 Chrysler Imperial that has taken power to excess (see what they did there?) with an infusion of a third-gen Viper V-10 force fed by a Paxton supercharger. Underneath is a custom suspension designed for exceptional high-speed handling. But all that is nothing without style in Grand Touring, so HPI Customs has invested over 3,500 hours to design and build the subtle body mods including a hand-fabbed grille, spoiler, fender vent body lines, hood extractor scoops, firewall, and underhood sheetmetal and tunnel. The interior is appropriately sumptuous with full leather and suede over Dodge SRT8 seats and a modern Challenger console by Sew Fine. The dash is hand-fabbed, and up front are custom LED DRL headlights and HIDs. Top it off with roughly 150 hours of CNC machine work to create details such as the fender vents, gauge cluster, dash inserts, airbox lid, master cylinder mounts, interior trim, shifter, and hoodpin bosses, and you have an Imperial ready to rule the roads.
By The Numbers
Engine: Gen III Viper motor with Paxton supercharger (air-to-water intercooled) and Snow Performance water/methanol injection
Trans: paddle-shifted TCI 6X transmission
Suspension/Chassis: HPI Customs chassis incorporating Speedtech Performance front suspension clip with ATS AFX spindles, Speedtech-based rear torque arm with tubular chromoly centerlink and HPI Watt's link, Speedtech Chicayne full-floater 9-inch with ZR1 hubs and Strange aluminum center section
Brakes: Wilwood WS6/WS4 brake package
Wheels & Tires: 19×9 and 20×11 Schott Vector three-piece wheels with 255/40R19 and 315/35R20 Nitto Invo tires
Contact: HPI Customs; 204-268-4746; HPICustoms.com
1971 DeTomaso Pantera
Builder: Ringbrothers
Regular readers will remember this very unique 1971 Pantera from our last Pro Projects issue. For a refresher, the Ringbrothers took it upon themselves to help Randy Brickle's widow, Cheryl, bring Randy's dream to fruition after a bout with cancer cut his restoration short. The car was quite rough and unfortunately had some poor workmanship performed at a previous shop, but Cheryl made a promise and it would be kept. She gave them a budget cap, and mandated that the finished color be yellow, but other than that Mike and Jim Ring had free reign.
Mike and Jim took that freedom to create their vision of what a Pantera should have looked like. Usually, modified cars look like just that: improved versions of themselves. Instead of that, Ringbrothers sought to create a car that looked and felt like it was built that way originally. We've heard that line before, and we've seen some great builds, but this Pantera is among the very best. If you aren't familiar with these cars, you'd have a very hard time picking out all the perfectly integrated body mods. For instance, the entire front end of the car, including the grille and headlights, are one-off custom fabrications. But the lines work so well that the final result is something that appears like DeTomaso installed it. And we dare say it's better than the original. A few other subtle touches that improve the Pantera include larger wheel flares, custom rocker panels with brake cooling ducts, relocated door handles, a flush-fit windshield, and a roof scoop that feeds the transplanted LS3.
By The Numbers
Engine: 600hp Wegner Automotive LS3 with Holley Dominator EFI
Trans & Rearend: Bowler ZF transaxle with custom adapter plate
Suspension: Roadster Shop IRS with Porsche driveshafts, C6 spindles, Roadster Shop custom tubular control arms, coilovers
Brakes: 14- and 15-inch rotors with Baer 6S six-piston calipers
Wheels & Tires: 19×9 and 19×12 HRE wheels with 275/30 and 345/30 Nitto Invo tires
Contact: Ringbrothers; 608-588-7399; Ringbrothers.com
1965 Mustang
Builder: Ringbrothers
The Ringbrothers actually have two spots on our list of top SEMA cars this year since they wowed us with their perfected Pantera as well as this understated 1965 Mustang fastback known as "Blizzard." Snowy conditions aren't the realm of high-power muscle cars, so what's that name? Owners Dominic and Becky Farbo say, "The car is white, light, and has high horsepower—700 hp. Blizzards are often unexpected and there are a lot of unexpected things on the car—carbon roof, hood, trunk, and composite doors. Also, there is a NASCAR motor that one would not expect to find in a Pro Touring car. Blizzards are a frequent occurrence in our geography. We are from Buffalo, New York."
A blizzard also tends to stop progress when it arrives, and this one certainly did at SEMA. Everyone who walked by stopped in his tracks to look over the refreshingly clean Mustang. There are far more mods to the car than we could possibly mention here, but they are all presented with restraint and with respect to the original design. That seems to be a theme for the Ringbrothers this year. Though the car is a real fastback, most of the body panels have been replaced with Ringbrothers' own carbon-fiber parts, but other than the exposed roof, you'd be hard pressed to notice them as they're presented in stock fashion. Even the front air dam, the most radical part of the bodywork, is strongly reminiscent of a GT350 and doesn't look out of place.
By The Numbers
Engine: Wegner Automotive 427ci NASCAR V-8
Trans: Tremec five-speed overdrive
Suspension/Chassis: DSE Aluma-Frame with tubular control arms, Detroit Tuned rack-and-pinion, JRi aluminum coilovers in front, DSE QuadraLink with JRi coilovers in the rear, John's Industries 9-inch rearend
Brakes: 14- and 15-inch rotors with Baer six-piston calipers
Wheels & Tires: 18×9.5 and 19×12 HRE 560R rims with Nitto Invo tires
Contact: Ringbrothers; 608-588-7399; Ringbrothers.com
The G/RS
1969 Camaro
Builder: RideTech
The past few years the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association, or just "Goodguys" to hot rodders, has championed the concept of adding life and motion to the traditional car show by encouraging people to get into their cars and drive them. The harder the better. That's an idea we're all about as well, which is why you see regular coverage of the Goodguys autocross series here in the pages of PHR. Despite having become perhaps the most recognized autocross venue in the country, and being responsible for introducing the sport to thousands of people, Goodguys didn't have their own warrior present for cone carving. Marc Meaders, son of Goodguys founders Gary and Marilyn Meadors, decided it was high time for that to change.
Gary's bright yellow 1932 Ford Sedan has been the face of Goodguys for almost three decades and racked up 200K miles going on cruises and to various events. It's certainly not going to be retired, but with the proposition of another car becoming heavily associated with Goodguys, it had to be the right vehicle. Marc's personal favorite muscle car, and one of the most popular to build, is a 1969 Camaro. With the recent full embrace of muscle cars into all Goodguys events, Camaros have shown up in spades, so it was the logical choice. Brett Voelkel and his crew at RideTech were tapped for the build. Two things were firm from the beginning: It had to be an excellent autocross contender, and it had to be yellow. After 17 months of building at RideTech, the finished Camaro debuted at SEMA. The specs are impressive, we can't wait to see it action!
By The Numbers
Engine: Chevrolet Performance supercharged LSA
Trans: Tremec T56 Magnum six-speed
Suspension/Chassis: RideTech coilover suspension and TigerCage, Moser rearend
Brakes: Baer Racing 14-inch rotors with six-piston calipers
Wheels & Tires: 18-inch Forgeline wheels with BFGoodrich tires
Contact: RideTech; RideTech.com
1955 Chevy 210
Builder: Precision Designs
They may not be center stage in the hot rodding hobby anymore, but all those throngs of Pro Street cars built in the 1980s and 1990s are still out there. Sadly, far too many of them (we'd go so far as to say the majority of them) were built with an emphasis on style way before function and driveability, which leaves them very much out of the modern movement toward usable hot rods. So what do you do with an ol' out-of-date Pro Streeter with tons of time and work poured into already? We like to call it Pro Street 2.0.
Case in point here is the 1955 Chevy 210 by Precision Designs. This Tri-Five was one of those pretty fairground dwellers that wasn't all that powerful, didn't drive particularly well, and just felt dated by today's standards. Rather than reinvent the wheel, Precision Designs decided to embrace the big rear wheels, but bring everything 20 years forward in terms of parts choice, power, and interior. The suspension parts were swapped out for bits with better geometry, and rack-and-pinion steering. RideTech ShockWaves gave it stance and a smooth ride, while 19- and 20-inch Intro wheels kept the breadth of rubber, but with modern tire technology. The interior went full street rod comfy with leather and A/C, but to maintain the well-preserved Tri-Five's original identity, much of the original paint was retained and buffed out. Pro Street 2.0 still embraces a big engine with a blower through the hood, but far better driveability is expected now, so the roots-blown stoker Hemi runs modern EFI engine management. So what do you think hot rodders? Do you like the idea of Pro Streeters that are ready for touring?
By The Numbers
Engine: 572ci Chrysler Hemi with 8-71 blower and Hilborn EFI
Trans: Richmond six-speed with McLeod clutch and QuickTime scattersheild
Suspension/Chassis: Heidts tubular control arms, RideTech ShockWaves, front; 9-inch rearend on ladder bars with RideTech ShockWaves in the rear
Brakes: 14-inch Wilwood
Wheels & Tires: 19×8 and 20×15 Intro wheels with Mickey Thompson tires
Contact: Precision Designs; 720-982-4092; PrecisionDesignsFabrication.com
"Preproduction" Charger
1968 Dodge Charger
Builder: Pure Vision Design
When car companies are set to release an important new model, or even more importantly a redesign of an already important marque, making a positive impression with the audience they're relying on to buy it is paramount. We still see it today, though mostly with enthusiast-driven cars like Mustangs, Camaros, and Chargers. The question Steve Strope at Pure Vision Design asked for this project is this: "What would a promo and testing campaign for the redesigned 1968 Charger have looked like if Mopar had seriously courted the drag racers that they needed to love the redesign?"
In his vision, this Charger would be an early development prototype mule that still had bits pulled from the previous generation Charger as details were still being finalized. Externally, the Charger would be mostly production ready, but widened wheel tubs to pack in Super Stock size rubber, and a 1967 Dodge W023 Coronet hoodscoop modified to fit the '68 Charger hood, because you know it would be making exhibition passes at local dragstrips.
Inside is an even bigger mixture of parts with a "what if" interior based on the idea that Dodge was thinking of keeping the four bucket seats and full-length console from the previous generation Charger interior. We sure wish they would have. Also, Pure Vision modified the stock instrument cluster by reconfiguring the gauge layout to now have the speedometer and tachometer centered above the steering wheel instead of off to the left side. The four small auxiliary gauges that were once on the right, now flank two each on the outside of the speedo and tach. It looks as if the factory did it this way, and it's a major improvement in our book.
By The Numbers
Engine: 572ci Gen II Hemi assembled by Hawaii Racing, Mopar cast-iron block, Edelbrock aluminum heads, FAST EZ-EFI 2.0
Trans: Passon Performance Hemi overdrive four-speed with American Powertrain Hydramax internal clutch slave system for 18-spline/Passon four-speed, Street Slayer clutch kit with 10.75-inch cheater pressure plate, Street Slayer sprung hub, and Feramic disc rated for 645 lb-ft
Suspension/Chassis: front: Reilly Motorsports AlterKation tubular K-frame, rear: Street-Lynx triangulated four-bar modified by Pure Vision with Strange Dana 60, JRi shocks all around
Brakes: Wilwood 12- and 11-inch discs with four-piston calipers
Wheels & Tires: 15×5.5 and 15×10 Real Rodders Wheels with EZ Care polished magnesium finish, 26×7.5R15 and 29×12.5R15 Hoosier Pro Street Radials
Contact: Pure Vision Design; 805-522-2232; PureVisionDesign.com
1972 Plymouth Duster
Builder: Classic Industries/Chop Cut Rebuild
Mopars of any creed are always thinner in number than FoMoCo or GM products at SEMA, and even less represented are the A-Body cars. Seriously, we think there were just a handful at SEMA out of the thousands of cars present. We know scarcity isn't the issue; hundreds of thousands were built and there are plenty still out there to be found. Historically, it may have been due to a lack of restoration parts available and a very limited supply of good original bits. Classic Industries changed all that a couple years back with the introduction of their line of Mopar restoration parts. Suddenly you could have a nice slick A-Body again without scouring the globe and paying a mint for parts. To showcase the possibilities, Classic Industries partnered with SPEED TV's Chop Cut Rebuild a while back to save this 1972 that was on its way to the crusher.
Now it's been recycled in a different way, thanks to a modern driveline, suspension, brakes, and fresh materials inside; it's a comfortable daily driver or tourer. And from what we hear, it's logged quite a few miles since. We think this was a long overdue addition to the aftermarket and this Duster represents how sharp they can be with the right choice of wheels, paint, and graphics. With the skyrocketing prices of B- and E-Body cars, Mopar lovers are increasingly turning to the A-Bodies since they are still affordable, and now they don't have to feel like the ill-favored offspring.
By The Numbers
Engine: 426ci third-gen Hemi
Trans: TCI 6X six-speed with EZ-TCU controller and MasterShift push-button shifter
Suspension/Chassis: front: Reilly Motorsports AlterKation tubular K-frame, Rear: Street-Lynx triangulated four-bar
Brakes: Wilwood 13-inch discs
Wheels & Tires: 17×8 and 17×9 American Racing Salt Flats with 225/45 and 245/45 BFGoodrich tires
Contact: Classic Industries; 800-854-1280; ClassicIndustries.com
From Podcast to RaceTrack
1964 Chevelle
Builder: Jeff Allison
This 1964 Chevelle has been a part of Rob Kibbe's life since the first day it was sold. It was the car that his mom bought as daily transport while his father was away in the Navy. By the time Rob was old enough to start taking an interest in cars, it was nothing but a "mashed-up pile of rust," in his words, but it was the first car he fell in love with. Later during his high school years, Rob and his dad restored the Chevelle. Since then it's been present at every major event in his life, including his wedding, the birth of his kids, and even some tough goodbyes. "I've loved it since I can remember," Rob says. "It's practically a time capsule of my family, and to me, it's more like a dog than a car. It's my four-wheeled pal!"
Based on his love of muscle cars, and that Chevelle in particular, Rob started The Muscle Car Place Podcast Network and quickly gained a loyal worldwide audience. A couple years back one of those listeners, custom car builder Jeff Allison, emailed Rob with a thank you and proposal. Through Rob's encouragement to always follow your dreams, Jeff made the bold step to open the shop he had wanted for 25 years. As a thank you to Rob for the courage, Jeff offered his shop and services to build the Chevelle at no cost, just bring the car and the parts. Rob was blown away, but gladly accepted the chance to turn his favorite car into the track-bred vision he had for it. Between Jeff's talent and Street Metal Concepts in Orlando, Florida (for body and paintwork), the Chevelle has been reborn once again and is ready to create a whole new set of memories for Rob and his family.
By The Numbers
Engine: L93/LS3 hybrid with COMP Cams cam and valvetrain
Trans: Hurst Driveline Conversions Tremec T56 Magnum
Suspension/Chassis: Detroit Speed & Engineering upper and lower control arms, DSE coilovers front and rear
Brakes: 14-inch Wilwood brakes
Wheels: 18×8.5 and 18×10.5 Grip Equipped Rebel wheels with 245/40 and 295/35 BFGoodrich Rival tires
Contact: Jeff Allison; AllisonCustomsOnline.com
Strange Corvair
1964 Chevy Corvair
Builder: Strange Motion Rod & Custom Construction
Corvairs are neat cars, but it's not often we run across one that really catches our eye. Of course it's not often you run across a Periwinkle one with killer stance set on top of 18- and 20-inch Budnik wheels. And is that a grille we see? Indeed it is, a scaled-down custom version of a 1959 Chevy grille was cut into the previously sealed off nose of the Corvair by Strange Motion Rod & Custom Construction. That one detail dramatically changed the look of the car and wiped away our least favorite part of the original design. Beyond style, the grille was a necessary addition since this Corvair is no longer air-cooled or rear engined—yet it's also not powered by what you might be expecting.
Under the custom C2 427 Corvette-style hood is not a V-8 transplant, but a 4.3L V-6. Not only was the little six-banger ideal from a fitment standpoint, it also added less weight to the little car, and is easy on fuel. That's ideal since as we understand it Tim Strange's wife, Carrie, intends to drive the Corvair regularly. "I told her that I think she picked this color because it would make the car hard to sell," Tim told us with a laugh.
One other 1959 Chevy addition that we love is the 6-inch shortened dash. Despite being five years older than the car, the styling works perfectly, better than the original Corvair dash even. But forget the custom chassis and wheels; if Chevy had built front-engine Corvairs that looked like this, we think you'd see a lot more of them at shows.
By The Numbers
Engine: 4.3L GM V-6
Trans: Phoenix Transmission 200-R4 four-speed automatic overdrive
Suspension/Chassis: Strange Motion frame with Fat Man Fabrication front clip and RideTech coilovers, Dutchman 9-inch Ford rearend
Brakes: 14-inch Wilwood rotors with six-piston calipers
Wheels & Tires: 18×7 and 20×10 Budnik Tungsten with 255/40 and 255/35 BFGoodrich g-Force Sport Comp 2 tires
Contact: Strange Motion; 615-852-8110; StrangeMotion.com
GPT Special
1969 Ford Torino Talladega
Builder: Rad Rides By Troy
The cars that George Poteet commissions are typically the product of some image that has been germinating in his mind for years. When he feels he has it flushed out, he'll turn to his go-to hot rod shop, Rad Rides By Troy, to make it a reality. "We haven't done a hard-core street machine lately, so I was excited when George called on us to do a 1969 Torino Talladega that could be driven on the street," Troy Trepanier said. "George was looking for Blowfish features (Poteet's Bonneville Salt Flat race car) with a strong NASCAR theme consistent with the Holman Moody Ford stock cars of the late 1960s. As much as he liked the 1969 Talladega, he longed to tweak the Torino's proportions for better aesthetic balance." Essentially, George wanted a car that had a visceral race-bred nature, but with exquisite street car execution.
To capture some of the Talladega's NASCAR glory days of the 1960s and early 1970s, wrap it up with the beautiful modern race-spec fabrication created for Blowfish, but then to enhance it with modern features and body modifications was quite a tall order, but Trepanier's crew pulled it off. The GPT (George Poteet Torino) is imbued with period-inspired race parts, a full rollcage, bare floors, and Lexan windows all around, but manages to pull it off with an elegance that subdues everything so perfectly that one would struggle to think of the GPT as race ready. Make no mistake, however, Poteet likes to drive his cars hard and fast and there has already been plenty of discussion regarding appropriate venues for wringing out the Talladega. First on the list is the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational.
By The Numbers
Engine: 750hp Jon Kaase racing Boss 429 with converted Ford experimental Hilborn EFI intake
Trans: Tremec TKO 600 five-speed by Bowler Transmissions with period-correct Hurst shifter and Holman Moody wood shift knob
Suspension/Chassis: custom Art Morrison chassis built with 2×3-inch rails front and rear, and 4×4-inch perimeter rails, Art Morrison C5 Corvette front suspension with rack-and-pinion, four-link rear suspension with Rad Rides Watt's link, Mark Williams Ultimate 9-inch Ford rearend with 3.70 gears and Detroit Locker
Brakes: Wilwood, 14-inch rotors with six-piston front calipers, four-piston rear calipers
Wheels & Tires: 18×10 and 20×12 Billet Specialties one-off GT40 with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires
Contact: Rad Rides By Troy; 815-468-2590; RadRides.com
Euro Chevelle
1964 Chevelle
Builder: Goolsby Customs
Goolsby Customs specializes in creating very refined versions of vintage cars. When a European customer approached them looking for a 1967 Chevelle that had a very clean and modern sport cars feel to it, they knew it was right in line with their design philosophy. The customer loved a charcoal Chevelle that Goolsby had built a few years back and wanted one similar, but of course not an exact copy.
To give a chrome-covered 1960s American sedan a modern European feel requires a great deal of simplification on all fronts. To stay true to its identity, Goolsby wanted to keep all the body lines on a stock Chevelle, which meant they needed to be very choosy with the modifications, and perhaps most importantly the color palate, to hit their goal. The goal eventually flushed itself out as a Chevelle that felt like it had been built by a Ferrari or Porsche enthusiast. The tucked body-color bumpers, shaved trim and driprails, matte black grille and window trim, along with the Lokar/Goolsby Customs Signature Series door handles go a long way toward modernizing without losing the Chevelle appeal. The gorgeous yet understated custom interior by M&M Hot Rod Interiors has red and yellow Dakota Digital gauges that really drove the theme home for us.
Of course the Ferrari feel is nothing if the handling is more boatlike, so to ensure the big Chevelle would be fun to run through winding roads in the European countryside, Goolsby set it atop a Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis with independent rear suspension.
By The Numbers
Engine: 710hp Turn Key Engine Supply LS3 with Kenne Bell supercharger and Holley HP EFI
Trans: GM 4L85E four-speed automatic overdrive
Suspension/Chassis: Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis with independent rear suspension
Brakes: 14-inch Wilwood six-piston front, 13-inch Wilwood four-piston rear
Wheels & Tires: 19×10 and 20×12 NuTek Wheels with 255/35 and 335/30 Michele Pilot Super Sport tires
Contact: Goolsby Customs; 205-428-2169; GoolsbyCustoms.com
1972 Camaro
Builder: D&Z Customs
Despite a year passing between shows, SEMA project vehicles are notorious for being pushed to the very last possible minute. This Citrus Green Camaro known as "Envious" from D&Z Customs is no exception, but you'd never know it by looking at it. With an approximate start to finish time of four months, the latest in-house project for Randy Johnson at D&Z Customs is actually designed to be a testbed for parts and modifications. Using what he learned from his seat time in other in-house second-gen Camaros, Johnson sought to bring a higher level of performance to this car without radical body modifications.
"We're essentially pushing a brick through the air," Johnson told us. "At 140, 150 mph on Road America, the front end gets extremely light on the orange car." To combat that, he added a large front chin spoiler and splitter, as well as an air extraction hood to relieve pressure. The rear received a tall lip-style spoiler to push the rear down.
Johnson had zero test time on the car at SEMA, but he got to see how well his modifications worked when the car was invited to the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational. According to him, there was a very noticeable improvement in stability and control on the long straightaway where the 700-horse LS7 easily got the car in the 130-plus range. That's great news for D&Z, but also for anyone building a second-gen Camaro with track day intentions; versions of many of the parts will be available through D&Z as bolt-ons.
By The Numbers
Engine: 441ci LS7 with Dailey Engineering dry-sump pan, FAST LSXR intake
Trans: Tremec T56, Centerforce DYAD clutch
Suspension/Chassis: Heidts Pro-G front subframe with D&Z custom cantilever actuated RideTech triple-adjustable coilovers, Heidts Pro-G IRS in the rear
Brakes: 14-inch Wilwood with six-piston calipers, front; 10.5-inch Wilwood with four-piston, rear
Wheels & Tires: 18×10 and 19×12 Forgeline DE3C centerlock wheels with 295/35 and 335/30 Nitto NT-05 tires
Contact: D&Z Customs; 262-347-9741; and DandZCustoms.com
LS9 Nova
1967 Chevy Nova
Builder: Chris Holstrom Concepts
When it first came to Chris Holstrom Concepts (CHC) in the spring of 2011, this 1967 Nova for customer Phil Mitchell was an unfinished project, but it already had one of the most surprising elements installed: one of the first crate LS9 engines from Chevrolet. So it had an amazing engine, but that was really about all. The Nova was just a stripped roller with no doors or front sheetmetal when it rolled off the trailer at CHC. Originally the plan was to order an Art Morrison frame to set the body on, but after a thorough assessment showed the Nova to be exceptionally rust-free, Chris Holstrom couldn't bear to cut the factory floors out. Instead, he turned to Detroit Speed & Engineering (DSE) for their new front subframe and QuadraLink rear suspension.
Despite all that, the plan was to keep the body, trim, and interior very Nova appropriate, though far finer finished than they ever were originally. We were quite impressed with the level of finish and craftsmanship all over the car, but perhaps most by the flat hood. Care was taken to ensure the LS9 would fit under a stock-style carbon-fiber hood from Anvil Auto, so there's absolutely no external indication that such a beast lurks within such a small car. We never saw it coming.
Apparently Goodguys and Sony were equally mesmerized, as the Nova was not only awarded the Goodguys Gold award at SEMA, but it was also chosen as the Gran Turismo Best in Show winner and will be included as a playable vehicle in a future game release.
By The Numbers
Engine: 700hp supercharged GM LS9
Trans: Tremec T56 Magnum
Suspension/Chassis: DSE front subframe, DSE QuadraLink rear
Brakes: 14-inch Baer six-piston
Wheels & Tires: 18×9 and 19×11 RB3C Forgeline, Continental Contisport tires
Contact: Chris Holstrom Concepts; 253-435-5385; ChrisHolstromConcepts.com
Street Shaker
1970 Dodge Charger
Builder: Z Rods & Customs/ Competition Fabrications
Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to get a new shop up and on its legs, and this 1970 Charger is a perfect example of such a sacrifice. Built by Z Rods & Customs of Knox, Indiana, in collaboration with Competition Fabrications of Maple Park, Illinois, the project is known as "Street Shaker." The car, in a twist of fate, was originally sold to fund the beginning of Z Rods & Customs, who then ended up being commissioned to build the car as the shop's first project. The current owner of the Charger, Dalton Davis, wanted a Hemi and the PPG paint color named Bad Penny—everything else was on the table for Z Rods to build however it saw fit. It's hard to ask for anything more than that for a new shop looking to make a name!
Lots of metalworking time was spent crafting the flush bumpers and hand-fabricating the hood with a well-integrated 'Cuda Shaker hoodscoop to feed twin FAST throttle bodies. Other subtle touches include the reliefs atop the front fenders that mimic the door indentations, the 1968 Corvette door handles, the functional rear brake cooling scoops on the quarter-panel made from a GTO hood, and the custom tailpanel and rear spoiler. The interior of the car was treated to carbon-fiber work done by Z Rods & Customs and Competition Fabrications, while the microsuede was stitched by Creative Auto Tops and Interiors of Oswego, Illinois. For their first time out, Z Rods stirred up quite a lot of positive attention at SEMA, we're interested to see project number two!
By The Numbers
Engine: Wegner Automotive 800hp aluminum 572ci Hemi, CNC-ported Indy Cylinder Heads, twin throttle-body FAST EFI
Trans: Tremec TKO five-speed
Suspension/Chassis: custom tube chassis up front with coilovers, four-link rear with coilovers, Strange 9-inch with 3.55 gears
Brakes: 14-inch Wilwood 4-piston calipers, front and rear
Wheels & Tires: 18×10 and 20×12 Billet Specialties Velocity Wheels with 245/45 and 335/35 Michelin Pilot Sport Tires
Contact: Z Rods & Customs/Competition Specialties; 630-365-5408; FranticFueler.com
Paint It Red
1971 Chevelle
Builder: Robb & Robbie McIntosh
While all of the other cars on our list were built by accomplished hot rod shops, this 1971 Chevelle has a different story. It was a father-and-son project for Robb and Robbie McIntosh as a tribute to Rob's late wife, Colleen. While Colleen was battling cancer, she told Robb that he should go find himself a project car to have something to tinker on and take his mind off of things. Robb pondered the idea and decided to go ahead and find something. He had built a 1969 Camaro with his son years before and knew his tall frame didn't fit well inside it, so it needed to be larger. And speaking of frames, he wanted a car that had a full frame. After searching around, he decided upon a clean 1971 Chevelle. He picked it up, made some plans, turned a few bolts, but mostly it just sat, as his attention was too focused elsewhere. Toward the end, Robb asked Colleen what color she would like the Chevelle to be. She responded "red," and so the project entered a new phase.
Robb and Robbie really did need something to get their mind off of things now, so they dug into the Chevelle, further ignited by the drive to turn it into a tribute for Colleen that she would be proud of. We'd say they hit the mark: Not only did it catch our eye at SEMA, but it was also given a place of honor near the Meguiar's Car Crazy stage. It was good therapy overall, but Robb told us one of the best parts was getting to spend some quality wrenching time with his son again.
By The Numbers
Engine: 502hp Chevy Performance Parts ZZ502
Trans: 700-R4 four-speed automatic overdrive by Remac Transmissions
Suspension/Chassis: CPP tubular upper arms with Global West lower arms, QA1 adjustable shocks, lowering springs
Brakes: CPP big-brake kit with 13- and 12-inch rotors
Wheels & Tires: 19×8 and 20×10 Budnik G10 wheels with 255/40 and 295/35 Nitto Invo tires
Turbo Tribute
1980 Trans Am
Builder: Westbend Dyno Tuning
Don't let the Turbo TA hood deceive you, this car is blown, but it's not what you expect. Back in high school when Brad Riekkoff of Westbend Dyno Tuning bought the 1980 Trans Am from the corral at a local car show, it was sporting a 455ci Poncho and a really bad header leak. Once Brad and his dad got the TA home and replaced the gaskets, they discovered that the leak was something worse: a bad rod knock. So that's when the project really began.
Over his four years of high school, Brad swapped in several engines as the budget would allow. After graduating in 1992 though, the TA sat in his dad's garage while Brad went out to make his way in the world. Round about 2008, Brad opened Westbend Dyno Tuning and decided to bring the TA out of hibernation. Unfortunately, 16 years of sitting had not been kind to the engine and the TA was in need of another swap. Now with plenty of experience and more funds, Brad decided to build something that would be a great in-house shop car, which for a dyno shop, of course, meant lots of power.
Rather than another Pontiac, Brad went with a Wegner Automotive LS3 topped by LS9 heads and a massive 3.3L Lysholm supercharger that belts out 950 hp without effort. To clear the big Lysholm, Brad fabricated a wider and taller factory-style Turbo TA scoop. It's a slick car overall, but that one touch, along with the unique alternative to the standard screaming chicken on the hood, really caught our attention.
By The Numbers
Engine: 950hp 416ci Wegner Automotive LS3 with ported LS9 heads, Callies crank and rods, MAHLE pistons, 3.3L Lysholm supercharger, Dailey Engineering dry sump
Trans: Tremec T56
Suspension/Chassis: Heidts front subframe, four-link rear, Afco triple-adjustable shocks all four corners
Brakes: 14-inch Wilwood with six-piston calipers front, 13-inch with four-piston rear
Wheels & Tires: 18×10 and 18×12 Formula 43 wheels with 295/35 and 335/30 BFGoodrich Rival tires
Contact: Westbend Dyno Tuning; 262-692-9035; WestBendDyno.com


text:
MP3Tunes Ruling Protects DMCA Safe Harbors
from the about-time deptIt's been many, many years since EMI started its ridiculous lawsuit against Michael Robertson and MP3Tunes, concerning a variety of factors with MP3Tunes and the concept of online music lockers. Someone told me that a final ruling was to be expected last November, but it only just came down and it's mostly good news. You can read the full filing here (pdf) or see it embedded below. The details of the case are a bit involved, but MP3Tunes is basically a music locker, similar to Google or Amazon's music locker/streaming player. Where it got a little complicated was that MP3Tunes also offered "Sideload.com" which allowed you to move MP3s found on the web into your music locker, so long as you could point it to a URL.
EMI argued that the company was not protected by DMCA safe harbors, claiming that it "purposely blinded itself to its users' infringement and failed to take any action against hundreds of users who sideloaded copies of songs identified" by EMI as infringing. But the court rejected that. It noted that the company "tracks the source and web address of every sideloaded song in its users' lockers and can terminate the account of a repeat infringer." Furthermore, the company did, in fact, terminate 153 accounts. Thus, the court says that MP3Tunes clearly qualifies for DMCA safe harbors. This is a good ruling and another useful DMCA win.
The court also, importantly, notes that many people sideloading content have no idea if it's authorized or not, and that it would be improper to treat them all as "blatant" infringers, especially since it's just for personal use:
The record reveals that MP3tunes's users do not upload content to the internet, but copy songs from third-party sites for their personal entertainment. There is a difference between users who know they lack authorization and nevertheless upload content to the internet for the world to experience or copy, and users who download content for their personal use and are otherwise oblivious to the copyrights of others. The former are blatant infringers that internet service providers are obligated to ban from their websites. The latter, like MP3tunes users who sideload content to their lockers for personal use, do not know for certain whether the material they are downloading violates the copyrights of others.Separately, there's an important win hidden in a footnote, in that the court ruled that pre-1972 recordings qualify for DMCA safe harbors. As you may recall, we've spoken a few times about how pre-1972 recording are generally covered by state law, rather than federal copyright law (which is why many may not hit the public domain for much longer). EMI tried to argue that pre-1972 rulings don't qualify at all for DMCA safe harbors, but the court rejected that outright, noting the "plain meaning of the statutory language."
Where EMI did score a victory is in asserting that when it sent DMCA takedown notices over links from Sideload.com, MP3Tunes should also then have to reach into users' storage lockers and delete the associated songs. I'm not sure how this fits with the statute, but the court argues that because MP3Tunes has this information (when you sideload a song to your locker, it records where it came from), it should, in fact delete them from users' lockers. Even here, EMI's legal claim tried to stretch too far. It argued beyond just the specific notices, MP3Tunes should delete "all EMI content." The court disabused the label of that notion:
EMI's argument misconstrues the DMCA and applicable case law. Even assuming the representative lists properly identified EMI's copyrighted works, EMI had to provide sufficient information--namely, additional web addresses--for MP3tunes to locate other infringing material.... EMI's notifications provided only enough information for MP3tunes to remove the noticed websites from Sideload.com and to find and remove copies of songs sideloaded from those websites. They did not identify the location of additional infringing material, let alone all of EMI's copyrighted works. Absent adequate notice, MP3tunes would need to conduct a burdensome investigation in order to determine whether songs in its users' accounts were unauthorized copies. As discussed, the DMCA does not place this burden on service providers.Another important rejection for EMI. It tried to use the infamous "red flag" knowledge aspect of the DMCA against MP3Tunes, saying that execs for the site itself uploaded works from "obviously infringing sites." The court notes that EMI's definition of "obviously infringing sites" is quite different than what he law suggests:
For instance, the websites rapidshare.com, fileden.com, and filefactory.com, as well as other sites used by MP3tunes executives to sideload songs do not use the words "pirate" or "bootleg" or other slang to indicate their illegal purpose and they are not otherwise clearly infringing. They are simply popular file sharing sites.That's interesting given how frequently industry types love to insist that such sites "obviously infringe." Turns out a federal court disagrees. Thus, the court rejected red flag knowledge, noting that while some "investigation" may have turned up that such things were infringing, "if investigation is required to determine whether material is infringing, then those facts are not 'red flags.'" That's going to put on ice an awful lot of cases where the entertainment industry claims "red flag" DMCA violations.
The court also rejects the terms "free," "mp3" or "file sharing" are indicative of infringement, noting that "those terms are ubiquitous among legitimate sites offering legitimate services." In fact, as Robertson demonstrated via a crowdsourcing effort, EMI itself "regularly distributes works on the internet for free" (something it denied earlier). However, this undermines EMI's case:
Because of these activities, EMI's executives concede that internet users, including MP3tunes' users and executives, have no way of knowing for sure whether free songs on the internet are unauthorized.That line alone could be important, given how often the industry insists that people "just know" what's infringing. The court recognizes, correctly, that it's not so easy.
Furthermore, and contrary to the claims of some who do not understand the law, the court notes that just because you receive DMCA notices, it does not establish that you have specific "red flag" knowledge of specific infringements.
Next up, we have another really important point that has been an issue in multiple cases. The question of financial benefit. Many people -- including the Department of Justice in the Rojadirecta case -- like to claim that because infringing activity on a website draws more traffic, they have proven that the site "profits from infringement." As we've explained over and over again, this is not accurate. The rule is that they have to profit directly from the infringement, not indirectly from traffic from the infringement. Once again, the court agrees with us, and not the copyright maximalists:
However the financial benefit must be attributable to the infringing activity.... While Sideload.com may be used to draw users to MP3tunes.com and drive sales of pay lockers, it has non-infringing users. Moreover, MP3tunes did not promote infringement. Rather, it removed infringing links... and terminated the accounts of users who blatantly shared copyright files with others.That line may be death for some of the lawsuits against cyberlockers out there, which all seem to assume that traffic = profiting from infringement. While this ruling may not be applicable in other jurisdictions yet, you can bet lawyers will be pointing to it, and hopefully other judges will understand this key point.
EMI then scores again in the contributory infringement claim, based on the same reasoning above, in that MP3tunes refused to remove files from lockers if they were sideloaded from sources later deemed infringing by EMI. Separately, since EMI sued Michael Robertson personally (rather than just the company), the court notes that he's liable for direct infringement of infringing songs that he sideloaded.
There are a few other side issues as well, but generally speaking, this is a big victory for MP3tunes and the safe harbors of the DMCA. It is likely that there will be appeals (perhaps on both sides), so this is far from over in an already excessively long legal dispute. But this ruling is mostly good news.
Filed Under: copyright, dmca, michael robertson, safe harbors
Companies: emi, mp3tunes


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How to handle Pluto transit thru Capricorn
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Topic: How to handle Pluto transit thru Capricorn (Read 8215 times)
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Most Active Member
Posts: 1264
How to handle Pluto transit thru Capricorn
May 23, 2009, 06:27 AM »
So many people are asking me the best way to deal with a Pluto transit. Many are expressing anguish and despair - because they are truly seeking answers and wish to learn and grow.
These people are different ages, and mostly in the 1st stage spiritual. Some are laying bare their life stories and I'm being inundated with queries.
Saying "don't resist" or "surrender to the process" doesn't seem to be enough. These people are searching for detailed guidance during Pluto's transit through Capricorn.
What is the advice for our journey to the underworld?
What does everyone think about this?
Many thanks for answering so many of my questions!
Active Member
Posts: 55
Re: How to handle Pluto transit thru Capricorn
Reply #1 on:
May 23, 2009, 10:02 AM »
Hi Linda,
While I claim to have no perfect answer to your question, I have lots of Capricorn energy in my own chart, and I can offer that Capricorn/Saturn, when implicated through transit/progression, always induce reflection on our prior choices that have created the present reality (Saturn/Capricorn) in which we currently live.
The purpose of the reflection and introspection (which the West wants to label "depression" in many cases) is to acknowledge and take responsibility for all of the issues and dynamics within that have created what is now being experienced as our limits or blocks in life
-- the life circumstances that no longer fit, but now feel constraining or limiting (Saturn/Capricorn).
Following reflection regarding what has not worked for us up to this point, the Cardinal energy of Capricorn enables us to create a whole new reality based upon the new evolutionary cycle trying to be born. At this time, anything new that is initiated by the ego that is not relevant to the Soul's growth will be blocked in some way. It is Capricorn/Saturn's way of keeping us 'on course' for the next step, the next phase, in our lives and in our Soul's ongoing evolutionary path.
It is the personal responsibility (Capricorn) taken for all prior actions and choices that enables an inner security (Cancer) while navigating the new evolutionary cycle that Cardinal energy always ushers in. Once we see that we do in fact create our own reality, and all of our life circumstances, there is a tremendous sense of freedom (Aries square) that comes, and this makes available to the Soul a new and dynamic energy, so that it may begin to create again, and create anew.
In terms of general advice (not taking into account the natal house that is being traversed by transiting Pluto, and any natal plants that transiting Pluto is aspecting, etc.), that is what I like to tell people in describing Pluto's transit through Capricorn.
Love and blessings to you,
Most Active Member
Posts: 1264
Re: How to handle Pluto transit thru Capricorn
Reply #2 on:
May 23, 2009, 06:08 PM »
Lesley and everyone:
Many thanks Lesley for a great answer!
Your quote:
The purpose of the reflection and introspection (which the West wants to label "depression" in many cases) is to acknowledge and take responsibility for all of the issues and dynamics within that have created what is now being experienced as our limits or blocks in life -- the life circumstances that no longer fit, but now feel constraining or limiting (Saturn/Capricorn).
I think many of the people I mentioned are worried they'll get stuck in the
"depression". Your words make a lot of sense, and my understanding now is:
The so-called "depression" is a time of reflection and introspection.
We will be acknowledging what we have created up until now in our lives.
We need to take responsibility for prior actions and choices.
The blocks or limitations experienced now relate to past choices.
Some of the dynamics or structures we built in the past are coming to an end.
Capricorn cardinal energy means the beginning of a new cycle.
Coming up against a brick wall now suggests the new initiative is not conducive to our Soul's growth and future evolutionary path.
We are enabled to create a new reality, or new structures (Cap).
Taking responsibility promotes an inner security (Cancer).
New and dynamic energy is available to create anew (Aries).
. . .
Having reflected on and taken responsibility for our past choices (Cap), built inner security (Can), and taken new paths (Ari), can we say that Libra will be the desire for equal and balanced relationships in order to feel complete? Or even a desire for new relationships? How does the Libra energy play out?
Is it correct that new desires not conducive to our Soul's growth and evolutionary path will be blocked now because these new desires are based on the old structures that are coming to an end?
In developing the Pluto polarity and North Node, how do we incorporate the Pluto/Cap transit or phase into the bigger picture?
Since many of the people I mentioned are in the 1st stage spiritual, they are asking can Saturn work toward spiritual evolution, or is Saturn just concerned with worldly things, this reality, and cannot be applied further than that?
How does Saturn relate to our spiritual identity?
Thanks for this discussion.
Last Edit: May 24, 2009, 06:13 AM by Linda
Active Member
Posts: 55
Re: How to handle Pluto transit thru Capricorn
Reply #3 on:
May 24, 2009, 08:06 AM »
Hi Linda,
Wow, you put it so much more succinctly and clearly than I did!
I prefer your post to mine! I am looking forward to others' input on this topic because it's not only timely, it's a really interesting phenomenon to consider.
The way I see Libra factoring in is that new people will be brought into the life/reality as new choices and decisions are made and acted upon. Libra correlates with trial-and-error: a process of elimination that helps us ultimately arrive at a reality (Capricorn) that is relevant to and reflective of our inherent and true identity (Cancer).
In my humble opinion, I don't think that everything blocked at this time necessarily correlates to old structures. Libra brings so many options, and at a time of transition, the ego is easily confused about which way to go, how to proceed. Cardinal energy is so instinctive, so the Soul may, at a time like this, 'cast a wide net,' trying to see what fits (Libra), and the blocks we experience thus help us narrow down our options so as to lead us in the appropriate direction.
Saturn, like all planets, absolutely correlates with spiritual evolution. As Saturn is about the nature and structure of our current reality at any given time, I believe that the task (Saturn!) regarding Saturn/Capricorn, for all of us 1st stage Spiritual Souls, is to deepen our spiritual reality, through disciplines (Saturn) like yoga, proper lifestyle (which means appropriate relationships, Libra; proper nourishment for the body, Cancer; proper understanding and directing of the desire nature, Aries). Like all planets, the way Saturn manifests in our lives can be evolved over the lifetime, based on a strengthening and deepening of the one desire to know God, and return Home.
Saturn helps us manifest a spiritual reality on Earth within our own lives, when our desire nature (Aries) and emotional body (Cancer) are in alignment with that purpose, so that a Soul becomes a 'concrete' (Saturn!) example for others along the same path. (Yogananda was a Capricorn, with a 10th house Pluto/Neptune conjunction!)
Development of natal Pluto's polarity point and the natal North Node, relative to any Pluto transit, is specific to each person, each evolutionary state/condition, etc. ... but I believe that Saturn/Capricorn energy helps all of us become better creators, in the end, no matter where we fall on the spectrum.
Looking forward to more discussion on this topic!
Love and blessings to all,
Very Active Member
Posts: 296
Re: How to handle Pluto transit thru Capricorn
Reply #4 on:
May 24, 2009, 09:28 AM »
This is great discussion! What I have noticed about transiting Pluto in Capricorn is that the intention to change/transform conditoning patterns of the past is very emphasized/intesnly felt by the collective. The postive manifestion of this transit is that the very structure of our society can change due to deep levels of internal change within society as whole in the context of purging the previous conditioning patterns that are inhibiting growth/evolution. I have been noticing that there is a deep level of reflection in the collective realtive to these issues that is coming to the surface right now. To me, the best way to approuch this transit is to stay focused on the ppotentially positive outcome of personal/collective (social) transformation, and personally staying open to changing when neccessary.
Most Active Member
Posts: 1264
Re: How to handle Pluto transit thru Capricorn
Reply #5 on:
May 24, 2009, 04:16 PM »
Wow Deva and Lesley!
Such great insights!
Thank you! Your words will help and comfort so many, as well as bring understanding about this transit.
I love this discussion because it is so NOW!
Posts: 2
Re: How to handle Pluto transit thru Capricorn
Reply #6 on:
Jul 03, 2009, 08:43 PM »
Excellent answers everyone.i might add also that with pluto in capricorn destroying [sometimes literally] structures it gives us the chance to rebuild our lives and society in better better ways and teaches us to be more resourceful .it can also be easier to get rid of things that we have been stuck in.
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For Immediate Release
December 14, 2009
(Philadelphia, PA) Twelve works by Moore students and alumnae from the juried exhibition Art in City Hall: Fairmount Park's Colonial Elite, will be on display from December 14 through January 31 at the Fairmount Park Welcome Center in Love Park.
The featured artists are Angela Murdoch, photography & digital arts; Diane Johnson, photography & digital arts; Susi Hartsell, Illustration; Sara Lenton, Illustration; Lorraine Gonzalez, Illustration Alumna; Jacqueline Gardner, Illustration; Justin Provenzano, Illustration Alumna; Victoria Dominguez, Art Education; Shanna OLeary, Illustration and Kelly Wood, Photography & Digital Arts.
In October, Moore partnered with The Park House Guides of the Historic Fairmount Park Houses, a volunteer group of about 100 members, to present Fairmount Park's Colonial Elite, the fall 2009 Art in City Hall exhibit. The exhibit was up through Dec. 6.
The juried exhibit, designed to increase the city's awareness of the Historic House Museums of Fairmount Park, featured artist interpretations of the seven houses: Cedar Grove, Laurel Hill, Lemon Hill, Mount Pleasant, Strawberry Mansion, Sweetbriar and Woodford. The featured work of more than 40 Moore sophomore, junior and senior students and alumnae represented a variety of mediums.
Cash awards totaling $1,350 were presented. Each artist was encouraged to sell their artwork commission free once the show was installed.
Christine Mifsud '80, a graphic design graduate of Moore and a volunteer Park House Guide and Belena Chapp, Director of Moore's Locks Career Center, as part of an outreach initiative of the College, organized the exhibition and recruited students and alumnae. Fairmount Park's Colonial Elite was installed under the direction of Tu Huynh, Director of Art in City Hall.
As part of the process, participating students visited the various historic houses last spring and summer through a combination of independent work and classroom assignments. Park House Guides provided tours for the students and individual visits continued throughout the summer.
Part of Moore's mission to educate women for careers in the visual arts is to provide opportunities for students to collaborate with Philadelphia's cultural organizations through a variety of programs, including Emerging Leaders in the Arts and Business Scholars in the Arts scholarships and the Culture in the Classroom program, as well as the required internships that often pair students with a practical experience in the region's non-for-profit sector.
To take a tour of the historic houses of Fairmount Park, visit http://www.fairmountparkhistoricsites.org/index.html
Student/Alumnae Award Winners:
Mount Pleasant
Angeline Nesbit - fine arts: 3D - 1st Place Best in Show Award
Christi Montgomery - textile design - Honorable Mention
Vanessa Longworth - Mount Pleasant House Award
Cedar Grove
Kelly Wood - photography & digital arts - Cedar Grove House Award
Sweet Briar
Angela Murdoch - photography & digital arts - Honorable Mention
Breana Copeland - photography & digital arts - Sweet Briar House Award
Lemon Hill
Kathryn Finn - fashion design - 2nd Place Award
Ykaterina Shoykhet – illustration - Lemon Hill House Award
Laurel Hill
Justin Provenzano - illustration (alumnae) - Laurel Hill House Award
Dana Osburn - fine arts: 2D - 3rd Place Award
Lisa Murphy - fine arts: 2D - Honorable Mention
Marie Elcin - textile design (alumnae) - Honorable Mention
Lorraine Gonzalez - illustration (alumnae) - Woodford House Award
Strawberry Mansion
Zoe Locklear - illustration (alumnae) - Strawberry Mansion House Award
Moore College of Art & Design educates students for inspiring careers in art and design. Founded in 1848, Moore is the nation's first and only women's art college. Moore's career-focused environment and professionally active faculty form a dynamic community in the heart of Philadelphia's cultural district. The College offers nine Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees for women. A coeducational Graduate Studies program was launched in summer, 2009. In addition, Moore provides many valuable opportunities in the arts through The Galleries at Moore, a Continuing Education Certificate program for adults, the 91-year-old acclaimed Youth Art Program for girls and boys grades 1-12, The Art Shop and the Sculpture Park. For more information about Moore, visit www.moore.edu.
December 14, 2009
Twelve works by Moore students and alumnae from the juried exhibition Art in City Hall: Fairmount Park's Colonial Elite, will be on display later this month at the Fairmount Park Welcome Center in Love Park.


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This week Elaine asked us to create a "jar full of tangles". There are many different ways to that I could have approached this, but here's how I interpreted it:
Please excuse the blueish paper (I was trying to use up a piece of scrap card stock), my wonky jar (I should have used a real jar for reference), and my inept shading. I somewhat managed the in front/behind thing with the spheres, but I wouldn't work that in with making them round-ish. Oh, well. Something to work on.
Next week, it's my turn to pick the Zentangle challenge. Have we done a "winter" theme yet? Since this crappy winter weather doesn't seem to know when to go away (we're getting another brutally cold blast of it this week and next), I think we should take this opportunity to do a winter theme. I'm hoping it's going to warm up soon and this will be our last chance!!! *she says with a hopeful sarcastic grin* I hope someone will let me know if we've already had a similar challenge. I do have something else in mind if that's the case.
Be sure to check out the other "jar" creations on Books and Quilts. If you'd like to join us, please do so by linking your post to the Mr. Linky on Heather's post.


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As we all are waiting in excitement for the final release of SQL Server "Denali" I'm going to look at the new TSQL functions it brings for developers. The first function is EOMONTH. EOMONTH stand for "End Of MONTH".
MSDN Description
Returns the last day of the month that contains the specified date, with an optional offset.
Syntax Format: EOMONTH ( start_date [, month_to_add ] )
Start date specify the date for which to return the last day of the same month. Month to add is an optional parameter to add months to the specified start date.
TSQL Example
Basic example for EOMONTH function:
DECLARE @start_date DATETIME = '08/10/2011'; SELECT EOMONTH (@start_date) AS Result; --Result: 2011-08-31 00:00:00.000
As you can see when I specify the 10 August 2011 the last date of the month is 31 August 2011. You can specify the start date as DATETIME or as a VARCHAR value. EOMONTH will do a implicit conversion of the VARCHAR to DATETIME.
Example to get next month last date:
DECLARE @start_date DATETIME = '08/10/2011'; SELECT EOMONTH (@start_date, 1) AS Result; --Result: 2011-09-30 00:00:00.000
Now by adding the optional parameter of 1 to the EOMONTH function you ask for the next month last date. As the example shows the result is 30 September 2011 for the input of 10 August 2011. If I change it to 2 then I will get the second month after the specified date.
Example to get previous month last date:
DECLARE @start_date DATETIME = '08/10/2011'; SELECT EOMONTH (@start_date, -1) AS Result; --Result: 2011-07-31 00:00:00.000
This example show how to get the previous month last date from the specified input date. You simply make the optional parameter minus. The input was again 10 August 2011 and the result for EOMONTH function was 31 July 2011.
Practical Example
My practical examples are using the AdventureWorks2008R2 database for Denali which is available here. Let look at a practical example for EOMONTH function:
DECLARE @begin_date DATETIME = '01/01/2007', @end_date DATETIME; SELECT @end_date = EOMONTH(@begin_date, 3); --Result: 2007-04-30 00:00:00.000 SELECT SUM(TotalDue) AS 'First Quarter Purchase Total' --Result: 145291.7959 FROM [AdventureWorks2008R2].[Purchasing].[PurchaseOrderHeader] WHERE OrderDate > @begin_date AND OrderDate < @end_date
In this example I calculate the first quarter purchase total for the year 2007. I specify a start date and use the EOMONTH function to calculate the last date of the quarter. Now it is easy to just sum up the TotalDue column for records between the begin date and end date.
As you can see the EOMONTH function makes it allot easier to get the last day of a month and it helps to make your TSQL code smaller and more understandable. Let me know what you think about this function addition in SQL Server 2011 Denali or if you have any questions.
Categories: Denali, SQL Server


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Happy Birthday Wishes Belated
A birthday is one of the few days a year that we can truly tell our loved ones how special they are to us, and we want to make sure that we honor them and make them proud, even on their birthdays. Birthday is a very special occasion in One's life. They are a day… Read More »


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Barry Eisler is guest blogging at MJ Rose's well known site, and he's sharing his take on marketing for writers.
Pretty much all of what he says is on the money and worth studying. But I don't think he takes his comments as far as he should.
One of the things Barry and I agree on is investing in your own career as if it were stock.
Investing in yourself does two major things. First, it compounds your publisher's efforts in getting your name out there, establishing a brand, and selling books. Second, it shows your publisher that you're willing to invest your own time and money into building a career.
I invest between 1/3 and 1/2 of my income on promotion. Most of it goes toward travel. I think conventions are essential in my genre (mystery/thriller). So are the several dozen indie bookstores that specialize in mystery. These should be visited.
I spend a lot of time and money doing online promotion, have an extensive mailing list, and am always running contests on my own dime.
I was fortunate that my publisher sent me on an eight city tour. While they set up 8 events in 11 days, I used the time to sign stock at 97 other stores in the areas they sent me.
Were they impressed? Yes.
The single most important thing an author must do is to make sure their publisher is happy. That means earning out your advance, being gracious and easy to work with, and making an effort promoting and marketing.
It's hard work, and I'd rather spend the money on bills, but at this early stage in the game I have to show my publisher what I can, and will, do in order to succeed.
I know too many mid-list authors who are wondering why their careers are stalled---or finished. I don't want to be one of them.
Which is why I'm continuing my drive-by signing campaign, planning onhitting 300 more bookstores in the upcoming months.
Though having co-op placement (window, register, dump box, new release table, and end cap space that your publisher pays for) allows for a higher profile display and likelier customer purchase (and signed copies add to that), you don't have to have ten books in the store to benefit from a drop-in signing. Even Mary Midlist with two paperbacks in the Romance section can benefit.
Never underestimate the importance of the human contact, in this case author/bookstore employee. Impress someone working the register at a Border's, and she'll read your book. Once she's read you, she's a fan. She can handsell you. She can keep your books on the shelf even when the home office says they need to be stripped. She can reorder more copies even though the computer says she shouldn't.
I've had bookstores handsell dozens, even hundreds, of my books. All because they met me.
Plus, in almost every drive-by I did, once the books were signed the employees promised they'd be prominantly displayed. I didn't even have to ask. Though I'm fortunate to have some co-op placement, in many cases my books were spine-out in the Mystery section. But once I signed them, they were moved to an end cap by the bookseller.
Booksellers like to meet authors, and they like to display signed books. It shows customers that they have a connection with authors, and that authors value their store enough to sign there.
Remember--my publisher didn't tour me for my first book, and I had no co-op. But I did a lot of drop-ins, and my publisher noticed, leading to a larger print run, more co-op and advertising, and a publisher tour.
Recruiting your publisher is hugely important. But selling those extra books is important too, even if it is only a few hundred.
Let's say you have a two book hard/soft deal.
Book #1 has a print run of 15,000. Your publisher expects to sell half of that, 7500, which is a standard sell-through for a new author.
But because there wasn't a lot of promotion, or co-op, you only sell 7000. Still respectable, but you aren't knocking their socks off.
Book #1 goes into paperback. They might have projected a 50k print run, but because hardback sales were weak, this drops to 40k. That means less promo dollars, less in-house enthusiasm, less puch from the sales reps to get the book into stores. No one wants to back a loser.
And for Book #2, the hardcover run also goes down, to 12k. Book buyers see this, view what sold previously, and buy less. Again, you have a smaller promo budget, less in-house enthusiasm, and your chances for a second contract don't look good.
The key to fixing this is promotion. Getting your name, and yourself, out there and selling the books. Ads, reviews, library talks, conferences, conventions, internet marketing, snail mail campaigns, website contests and booksignings. Meeting the booksellers and the fans is what can make the difference.
The Whiskey Sour paperback was released 2 months ago, but the hardcover hasn't been remaindered yet, even though it's been out for 15 months, because it is still selling. Because I'm the one selling it. Slowly but surely.
I'll be super candid here; this business scares the crap out of me. I spend hours in bookstores, hand selling, and am shocked by how few books sell. Those that do sell are because the buyer knows of the author, either by reading previous books or hearing about the books some how. The amount of books sold to browsers---those folks who will plunk down $25 on a new author they've never heard of---is very tiny.
Even a recent NYT bestseller sold 4900 paperbacks in Waldenbooks chain in 3 weeks.
Do the math. There are 700 Waldenbooks stores nationwide. Each sold about seven books in 21 days, or a book every 3 days.
One book every three days is not a lot (and these are paperbacks). Each day had ten hours worth of traffic--between 300 and 1000 customers a day, and for two out of every three days, her new book went unsold.
And she's a known name with a huge fanbase. She'll sell better than any of us.
Chances are, Waldenbooks will get two or three copies of your book, where they'll sit on a shelf for 4 months, then get returned for credit. because no one is going to buy your book if they've never heard of you.
Go to a bookstore. Look at the bestseller rack. Sit and watch it for eight hours (I've done this dozens of times). See how many copies of Lee Child's new one sell. You'll be lucky to see one get sold. And he's Lee Child.
There are exceptions. The Traveller. The Historian. DaVinci Code. Potter. 5 People in Heaven. But it's doubtful you'll be an exception.
So who is going to sell these books?
You are. That means meeting the booksellers. Meeting the fans. Signing stock. Doing drop-ins.
Signed books have a better chance at selling. Signed books that the bookseller recommends are an even better bet.
Do this as often as you can.
Of course, the single greatest form of advertising in the publishing business is... short story sales.
By the end of the year, I'll have had stories and articles in 4 issues of Ellery Queen (250k circultation each), 3 issues of Writer's Digest (180k circ. each), 1 issue of Alfred Hitchcock (250k circ), 1 issue of The Strand (50k circ,) 20 other magazines and anthologies (150k circ.) including the upcoming THRILLER anthology edited by James Patterson (which sold for the biggest advance in the history of anthologies and will get huge press and a huge release.)
That's my name in almost 2 million magazines and books. But not just my name---my writing. And my writing is a much better form of advertising than any three color brochure or tiny b/w ad in the back of Mystery Scene.
If people read and enjoy a short story, they'll seek out the books. I have 1000's of emails from fans that back this statement up.
Cost to author: free, or you get paid. There's a time investment, but spending a week on a story that reaches two hundred thousand people seems to be a good return, plus you have the story forever. Writer's Digest reprinted my first article in two other publications (Novel Writing Magazine and Selling Your First Book magazine).
Which brings up the hackneyed expression "think outside the box."
The more that you learn about the way publishing works, the more that ideas spring to mind about who to best exploit it.
I found an agent in an unconventional way. I studied the industry and figured out what should work, even though all the how-to books said otherwise.
I've been selling my books in unconventional ways as well. I'll spend 6-8 hours in a bookstore, shaking the hand of everyone who walks in. I've met thousands of people, and sold thousands of books. Not too many other authors take this approach.
I consider short story sales and drive-by signings essential to a career, and I've been preaching this for a while. Not because Writer's Digest told me so. Because I looked at the industry, found a niche to exploit, and exploited it.
These methods may not work for everyone. But other methods could.
Necessity is the mother of invention, and authors need to find better ways to sell their books, or else they won't last long in this business.
Learn all you can about publishing. Not only from the outside, but from the inside as well.
You're a consumer, as well as a writer. What makes you buy a book? Figure that out, and concentrate your efforts on reproducing that effect for other consumers.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
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Halestorm Unveil 'Love Bites (So Do I)' Video
Halestorm debuted a rocking first single 'Love Bites (So Do I)' from their upcoming album 'The Strange Case Of…' and now the band has unveiled a kick-ass video to accompany the tune.
The black and white footage is all about the band and their amazing energy. The beautiful Lzzy Hale shows off her shredding skills and her vigorous vocal cords.
The songstress talked about the tune to Noisecreep, saying, "The song is my little stab against the media's portrayal of love." She goes on to say, "Your heart cannot be measured or judged by the quizzes in magazines and scenes in movies. So for both boys and girls I tell you this, love who and how you want, and for God's sake when love bites, bite back! That bitch can eat her heart out!"
Lzzy's younger brother Arejay Hale also shows his force behind the skins as he goes off behind his drum set. In Loudwire's exclusive interview with Lzzy Hale she talks fondly of Arejay, saying, "From a big sister point of view, just making this record, I'm so proud of him."
She continues, "It takes a lot to surprise me with him because I know him so well and I found myself leaning into the drum room while he was cuttin' the drums and looking at the guys like 'I didn't know he could do that.' He's awesome." For the full interview with Ms. Hale go here.
Watch the Halestorm 'Love Bites (So Do I)' Video [via Noisecreep]


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As we gear up for the 2013 Academy Awards, airing Feb. 24, The Root is speaking with black Oscar winners and nominees — past and present — about the prestigious honor.
(The Root) — Lee Daniels is a known risk taker who doesn't take no for an answer. It's not an option for him. And his persistence clearly pays off. His production outfit Lee Daniels Entertainment's first film, 2001's Monster's Ball, made Academy Awards history when Halle Berry became the first African-American woman to win an Oscar for best leading actress. Though he wasn't nominated that year, people became intrigued by the brown-skinned director and producer with a head full of coils.
Fast-forward and Daniels, 53, is now a two-time Oscar nominee — he netted best director and best picture nods for 2009's Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire — and has become one of Tinseltown's sought-after filmmakers. A magnet for top-tier talent, Daniels just wrapped directing an all-star cast for The Butler, a historical account of a butler who served eight U.S. presidents, featuring Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Alan Rickman, Terrence Howard and Jane Fonda. The movie will be released later in 2013. And when asked about a rumored Janis Joplin biopic in the works, he told us "maybe."
Daniels, who talked to The Root recently, exclusively shared his colorful commentary on Django Unchained, his experiences directing Oprah, why he's avoided the Hollywood blackout and why he loves Spike Lee.
The Root: You have an all-star cast filled with Oscar winners and nominees for The Butler. Do you think we'll see you listed among the nominees next year for this film?
Lee Daniels: I have no idea. I hate you for that question. What are you trying to do, drive me crazy, already? [Laughs.] Don't even put it out there — I can't take it! It makes me too nervous to think about it.
You know why? Because when I do films, I don't think about it like that. I think about bringing truth to the screen and entertainment to the audiences, and anything else is really icing on the cake. Because if I do a movie to get an Oscar, it's silly. It doesn't work like that. You have to work from a place of truth and try to entertain people.
TR: What was it like getting best director and best picture nominations for Precious?
LD: It's a fun ride. It's a very, very hectic one, though. It's busy, busy, busy, busy, busy. And I felt like my feet were barely touching the ground because you were whisked off and doing one interview after another, then one party after another. It's exhilarating. It's fun, exhilarating and a lot of hard work.
TR: Oprah seems to be very excited about being cast in The Butler, which is her first movie since 1998's Beloved. She's been tweeting photos of herself on set. What was it like directing her?
LD: Directing Oprah was fabulous. It was wonderful. She's wonderful. She is a very enlightened human being, very caring. She wasn't what I expected; I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't that. It was a joy, an utter joy. And I'm trying to find something else with her to do.
TR: Some people felt Django Unchained shone a light on part of the African-American story. What do you think?
LD: You know, this is a first because I've avoided this question. But I'm going to give you the real. Django Unchained — I was deeply hurt by the movie. I was deeply offended by the movie. The movie made me angry. [Quentin Tarantino] has no right to our word; he has no right to that n-word. None. None. And thank you, Spike Lee, for speaking up and for having the balls to speak up. Thank God Spike Lee finally spoke up. I thought I was going crazy. Nobody else said anything; it was like everybody else thought it was great. No, it's not great for you to use "nigger," man! Who do you think you are?
I can't talk about it because it's very upsetting. And I'm expressing my opinion just like everybody expresses their opinion about my films one way or the other … There were great performances in the film. But I think African Americans, because we're so hungry to see ourselves on the big screen, we'll see anything.
TR: Do you think black people are a little too sensitive when it comes to in the n-word?
LD: No, I think we have to be sensitive about it. Anyone who's seen my movie The Paperboy knows exactly what I'm talking about. I make a big deal about the usage of the word. That word is a nasty word. It's a vile word. I think that we own the word. Period.
I can't judge from a white man's perspective if he's using the n-word. He made that word up in a negative way, so if he's using it, then it's negative to me. He has no right to it. I think that we own the word and we can do with it as we will … Does a woman like being called "bitch" a certain way? … Do Jews like being called their derogatory word? There's always that word that will send a certain person that it is said of into rage. It should. Do I like being called "fag"? No, no! I'm sorry; you don't own that — I do.
LD: I don't think he's a hater. I love me some Spike. Spike Lee is the reason why I'm here now. I love me some Spike Lee! I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't inspired by him. He inspires me every day; he inspires my work with what he did to African-American cinema. He's incredible. It's almost a joke that people don't recognize that. It makes my blood boil that people don't recognize what he has brought to our cinema.
TR: Louis Gossett Jr. said to The Root that he'd like to see filmmakers like you or Spike Lee do a movie on real-life Djangos or cowboys like a Nat Love or Bass Reeves. Is that an option for you?
LD: Yeah, yeah! I got one in my repertoire coming; I got one coming. Yep, I'm developing something. It's not during slavery but right after slavery.
TR: For years there's been talk about blacks being excluded from the Oscars. You seem to have evaded that.
LD: It's not about the academy. It's about cinema being made so that it can be embraced by the academy, because when black people do their thing, we do our thing. And we'll be given accolades for it because when we're on, we're really on. We have to figure out how to get it on so that we can be recognized by the academy.
The hard part is getting cinema made … Nothing is more powerful than an African-American actor at his best. Just like nothing's more powerful than watching an African-American singer or dancer or athlete. We are the stars of what we do when we're on.
TR: From your perspective, why is it such a struggle to get quality black movies made?
LD: My struggle is my own struggle in life, so I can't speak for everybody's struggle but, rather, mine. And my struggle has not been that difficult because I just don't take no [for an answer]. But I think that people give up — we give up easily. We don't recognize the power that we have.
Let me be very honest: Nos have been coming in very less [often], if at all, now because I've got them so much in the past that I know how to dodge them, and I know exactly how to navigate and know what expectations to put on myself. And you know, mounting Precious was a difficult task. A lot of nos did come in for that film, and so now I just know what to do to avoid the nos.
Previously in the Black Academy Awards Series: Oscar Champ Sounds Off on Image Awards.
Aisha I. Jefferson is a frequent contributor to The Root. You can follow her on Twitter or visit her at aishaiman.com.