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Sunday, April 12, 2009
Publisher Q & A: David E. Roth of "Blue & Gray Magazine"
DW: What inspired you and your wife Robin to start your own Civil War magazine? Was B&G your first venture into publishing?
DER: When my parents took me to Gettysburg in the 1960s, I couldn't wait to go home. All I wanted to see was Abner Doubleday's statue, because I was (and still am) a big baseball fan. So I can not claim to have had an early interest in the Civil War. I am a "born-again" fan of the war, and as you know, converts are usually the most ardent and active, once they've seen the light. My interest came on strong in the 70s after I had graduated from college--with an accounting degree, not a history degree.
The idea for Blue & Gray came about in late 1982. I had just turned 30, and my wife Robin and I were both Civil War buffs. At the time there was only one Civil War magazine, and frankly, as battlefield trampers, we didn't think it was filling a need, at least not for our interest in touring Civil War sites. We thought we had found a niche. If our idea failed, we were young enough to recover. The rest is history.
At the time we started Blue & Gray in the family room of our home--our first and only venture into publishing--I was controller of a large construction and real estate development company in Columbus, Ohio. I'll bet you find that incongruous, considering how real estate development is always perceived as the enemy of historical preservation. Actually, the experience made me better able to understand both sides of the preservation story: it's almost impossible to save everything, so pick your battles wisely; and the worst way to begin a preservation battle is to name-call the developer and create the image of him in the local and Civil War press as a devil incarnate. Compromise is generally the key to any successful preservation effort, so positive lines of communication should be established early. Battlefield preservation was an important issue for Robin and me from the start.
DW: B&G has always been a family run publication. With the magazine going on 25 years of continuous operation, the arrangement has worked well for you. How do you feel this situation has contributed to the business success of your magazine?
DER: Being a family run operation has its benefits. You can't make hired help work as hard as family members with a common interest will work. Most people don't realize that there are only two of us who work here full-time. Our son Jason took over for his mom when Robin passed away in 1998. One of our daughters still helps out part-time, but she also has a full-time career of her own. My other daughter married a soldier and moved to Fort Bliss, Texas. Her name remains in the magazine as an honorary gesture since she was stuffing envelopes and doing filing long before it would have been legal to hire her.
Publishing in the old days was very different than it is today, thanks to computers. No more paste-up boards, late-night runs to the typographer, and expensive color separations. We're a lean, mean, fighting machine when it comes to what we do. Very little overhead here; the government could never produce this magazine. Having a business background has also been a tremendous advantage: better to get into Civil War history by way of a business background, than attempt to get into business by way of a history background. There's simply too many pitfalls for running a business these days.
The main ingredient for success: find what you love to do--what you have a real passion for--and it won't seem like a job, even when you're working harder and putting in longer hours than you ever would working for someone else. I should add that I'm a CPA. Twenty-five years ago, I didn't have the same passion for auditing, taxes and running numbers on development projects, as I did for the Civil War and military history, and that passion has only grown over the years. Now the only taxes I do are my own. I have no hesitation at all in saying that Robin and I made the right decision 25 years ago. It was meant to be.
DW: I was a pre-teen when you started B&G — so I can't quite say I've been with you from the beginning (although I have gathered many back issues over the years) — but I think it is accurate to say the magazine format has been transformed over the years. The General's Tour has always been around and secondary features have come and gone, but I think the most significant format change is the one from a more traditional multi-article format to a single, lengthy feature article. Personally, I believe it was a positive move that contributed to the uniqueness of your publication, allowing for a main article much more detailed and expansive than that found elsewhere within the medium else along with a bigger and better tour guide. What was your own thinking behind the move, and was it a controversial issue among the staff?
DER: The General's Tour was intended to be the magazine's unique feature from the very beginning, but at first we thought there should be a variety of other columns: reenacting, wargaming, collectibles, common soldier, off the beaten path sites, even an occasional fiction and poetry section. My editor's letter in the issue at the printer as I write addresses the evolution of the magazine, since that issue not only completes our 25th year in business, but concurrently marks our 150th issue published. While we still have an occasional back roads, collectibles, and common soldier column, they are considered fillers around the main theme. When we started the magazine, industry insiders cautioned us against becoming too "theme oriented," as it was said to be the kiss of death in publishing. We pretty much ignored them--maybe from our own ignorance about publishing, or perhaps because of the sheer exhilaration we felt at the time--and allowed the feature to grow, and everything else was built around the main theme. A few years ago we even eliminated our news column, called Camp Talk, to allow more room for the feature presentation. Now, with the internet, anyone can find brief write-ups on people, places and events by googling. I think our concept has now come into its own.
DW: B&G is remarkable for its constant improvement over its lifespan in all areas of content and presentation. It's perhaps even more impressive that you were able to keep the subscription rate the same for such an extended period (although it has increased recently, I swear it remained at $19.95/yr for 20+ years!) without excessive ad clutter. Through all the economic fluctuations and peaks and valleys in Civil War interest level over the past quarter century, how were you able to pull this off?
DER: This goes to the lean, mean, fighting machine mentioned above. Our price increases over the years have been the result of postal increases first, and ink and paper prices second. We've also created a product that has more copyright value than the typical magazine. Not many others have a demand for reprints of sold-out issues. Also, because we're theme oriented, the market for back issues is very good. While unsold copies on the newsstands get destroyed by distributors, and there's nothing we can do about it, here at the office we never have to throw an issue away. Some issues have been reprinted in magazine format, others in book format. Something that many magazine publishers do when they begin to have some success is expand into other magazines. Rather than do that, we made a sideways move, stuck with the subject we know most about, and got into Civil War book publishing.
DW: B&G does a very good job of drawing its features from all three major theaters. Approximately, how many feature article submissions do you get in a year, and what is your selection process?
DER: We hardly ever select an unsolicited manuscript for a General's Tour feature. We ask someone to do a feature who is the historian at a battlefield park; or has written (or is writing) a book, and is acknowledged as an authority on the subject; or, a historian who has been referred to us by someone we know well and respect their opinion. Having the best people write for us translates into having to make the fewest corrections.
DW: Given that the research and writing ability of prospective authors varies greatly, the annotated feature article presentation has been pretty consistent (in recent years, even more so). How much editorial involvement goes into the writing of each feature article? Are they typically reviewed by expert readers?
DER: We don't use outside readers. The only outside editorial person is Rick Sauers, my book review editor. I work with the authors, generally meet with them at the featured battlefield or historic site (there are always exceptions), and when it comes to the text, it's just the two of us. There's usually a few disagreements about wording or style, and sometimes interpretations of events, but they get worked out amicably, most of the time. Again, it's all about having the best people write for us.
DW: I am a great fan of your cartography, the quantity and depth of detail of which is unequalled by any of the other magazines. Captions note that you base them upon materials gathered by the feature article author. Could you outline for us the process you go through in creating your maps?
DER: The authors know best what happened, so I let them show me what they want displayed on the maps. In some cases, they supply copies of old maps, such as those in the Official Records Atlas or from a regimental history, or a past history of the battle. These often cause problems, because they were drawn from memory long after the battle, or are out of scale despite being done by professionals, or at least recognized authorities of the period; a Jed Hotchkiss map I once started to use as a base had a landmark off by a full mile. The best thing an author can supply are mark-ups of the action on a base map.
The first thing that has to be done is nail down the base map. I use GPS and satellite photos/maps to position landmarks that existed at the time of the battle, then let the author's narrative flow around those fixed points. I call this "mapping the text." How many times have you read an article, then looked at the accompanying map, and it's as if you're looking at two completely different battles? It's important to me, and it seems perfectly logical, that the narrative should match the map, which sometimes does not happen when articles are illustrated with maps from other sources. I believe this is also true of photographs, and it's why I personally do all the layouts: don't put a picture of a guy on Pg. 10 just because it looks nice there, if he's not mentioned until Pg. 20. This is where too many cooks can spoil the broth. In the case of Blue & Gray, the text editor, photo editor, cartographer, and layout guy are the same person. It guarantees continuity.
DW: B&G is a bi-monthly publication. Can you give us a bit of an inside view of how you spend your time as editor/publisher in preparing each issue for publication? I understand that you personally photograph and "walk the ground" with each feature article author.
DER: Even before our first issue came out, I received a letter from someone in the Civil War community, who shall remain nameless, but that person said that I would be so busy with the business of publishing that I would need a professional editor to handle the manuscripts, visit the battlefields for the tours we were planning to do, take photographs, and write the tour guides. A resume was attached to the letter. I thought, wait a minute, this person wants my job.
Yes, I am the luckiest Civil War enthusiast on the planet, because I get to walk the battlefields with the person recognized as the authority on that field. That said, the person who shows me around is not necessarily the feature article author. For example, when we decided to do a series on Chickamauga, I contacted Jim Ogden, historian at the battlefield park. As is my custom, I asked Jim if he wanted to write it. He was emphatic that there was only one person who should write about the Chickamauga campaign and battle: William Glenn Robertson. So, Dr. Robertson did the writing, while Jim Ogden was my tour guide. The two had worked together so long that the flow of putting the issues together was nearly seamless. I recall that the only thing they disagreed on was the precise location of Stevens' Gap. Since Ogden controlled the turf, and Robertson the text, we went with Ogden's choice of location in the driving tour.
There is a book that could be written about incidents over the last 25 years of touring battlefields, from a dead body in the woods at Lincoln's boyhood home in Indiana, to the bear encountered in West Virginia while looking for Corrick's Ford, and perhaps the most fascinating site I ever visited, the place where the 4th Texas Mounted Volunteers' wagon train was blown up in the New Mexico desert, and because of the ecology of the area, it appeared as if the incident had happened only a short time before we arrived.
DW: You've been experimenting with offering select back issues on CD-ROM. Have you been pleased with the response? Also, do you believe offering back issues as digital downloads viewable on a computer or hand held electronic devices like the Sony Reader or Amazon's Kindle device to be a viable business option for magazine publishers?
DER: The CD-ROM has not gone over all that well. I don't think the downloads to a digital reader would be a good option for us, or for the reader. From what I know of the Kindle, it would be very difficult to display full-page maps at a readable size. We haven't explored it that much, so maybe I should not comment.
DW: Do you have any new plans for the magazine that you're able to talk about?
DER: No new plans. Just keep doing the same thing that has brought us through the last 25 years. I have been truly blessed to be able to publish Blue & Gray and look forward to many more years of serving "those who still hear the guns." I want to thank everyone in the Civil War community who has made it possible. Someone said to me recently that they feared we would soon run out of battlefields to feature. Not true. There are plenty we have not done yet, and there are others that we did long ago that could use updating, like the two recent issues on Fredericksburg written by Frank O'Reilly. Thanks, Drew, for allowing me this opportunity to respond to you and your internet Civil Warriors.
DW: Thanks to you for your time, Dave.
For anyone wondering what the 150th (Volume XXV Issue #6) issue will be, it's Battle of Richmond, KY: Union Disaster in the Bluegrass State with B. Kevin Bennett.
5 comments:
- Chris EvansApril 13, 2009 at 4:01 PM
Thanks Drew for the great interview with Mr. Roth. I have always enjoyed Blue & Gray magazine and have many back issues including some wonderful ones on Western campaigns like Perryville and Franklin from 1984.ReplyDelete
One part of a sentence caught my attention, "from a dead body in the woods at Lincoln's boyhood home in Indiana". Do you happen to know the full story behind that one? Kind of macabre but I have never heard of that before.
Thanks again for the excellent interview,
Hi Chris,ReplyDelete
Thanks for writing. No, I didn't follow up on the dead body thing. I have heard of 'bad results' happening to people coming up to them and yelling "Civil War Times Illustrated rules!".
- Chris EvansApril 13, 2009 at 9:08 PM
That's Funny!ReplyDelete
Thanks again,
That was very interesting -- made me want to re-up my subscription, which lapsed years ago.
I was especially interested to note that the "most fascinating" site he ever visited was in New Mexico. I wouldn't have predicted that. I do remember the striking photos of that discarded debris in some B&G issue way back when.
Same here. I need to dig up my New Mexico Campaign issue. That would have been amazing to see. I bet it's all erased now.
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In preparation for the Shanghai 2010 World Expo Sparch Architects has designed this master plan for the International Cruise Terminal. The Terminal includes a cruise welcome center, office space, courtyards, as well as a green corridor along the Huangpu River. Arup Engineering is responsible for the energy efficient design of the welcome atrium, which includes an innovative river water cooling system, natural ventilation and photovoltaic cladding.
Most of the Cruise Terminal has already been constructed, and all that remains is to finish the Shanghai Chandeliers, a 40 meter tall glass clad portal, the centerpiece of the Cruise Terminal. One of the main focuses of the project was to provide urban open space for citizens and tourists to enjoy, including a pedestrian street, gardens, and festival space. The Cruise Terminal will be able to accommodate three large cruise ships and 1.5 million passengers per year. Most of the terminal facilities are placed underground to allow for more open space on the ground level as well as six office pavilions.
Engineering and sustainability for the office pavilions was designed by Arup Engineers and includes natural daylighting as well as ventilation routed through central atria with louvered skylights. A double skinned glass facade provides a barrier for the buildings, providing space for air to circulate in the summer to keep the buildings cool and then insulation in the winter. Cooling is also aided by an innovative river cooling system, which uses cool water from the Huangpu River. Additionally canopies on the office roofs is covered in a photovoltaic membrane sized to provide enough energy for the outdoor lighting and public spaces.
Via Designboom

subset: commoncrawl


text: Sorry for the language level - I do not speak English. On the server will be optionally available to all users of content management systems: Drupal and Concrete5. Question: how is it best to make use of the advantages of working with ISPConfig3. Best if it was possible to access via ftp to the subfolders with the files of users, but not to the core CMS, and the administrator must be ftp access to the core CMS. Method 1 - better. Multidomain CMS for multiple users - core in one folder - folders with files of users - with symlinks to the core - how best to do with ISPConfig3? Manually add symlinks in the filesystem for each user web folders? Method 2 - worse. Multidomain CMS (with core) for multiple users without ftp access - how to do it in one folder? Domain Aliases in ISPConfig3 as other domains (in the same folder) do not work well - some scripts in CMS incorrectly interpret the path (correctly for the base domain).


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text: Time Of Your Life2 - Green Day sur Guitariff.nete: Tue, 05 May 1998 16:59:31 -0400 Chords: Gmodal :320033 C9 :032033 Dsus4 :000233 Em7 :022033 Verse: (play each line twice, then go to chorus) G C9 Dsus4 |-------3--------------3--------------3------------3------| /| |----------3-------------3--------------3------------3----| / | |-------------0------------0--------------0-----2------2--| | |---0--------------0--------------2-----------0-----------| | |------------------------------3--------------------------| | |-3--------------3----------------------------------------| __|__ Then it repeats, so it almost sounds like it goes C9, Dsus4, Gmodal. So, after the end of the Dsus4 bit, go straight to the G bass note. Em Dsus4 C9 G __ |------3------------3-------------3------------3----------| / \ |--------3------------3-------------3------------3--------| | | |----------0-----2------2-------------0------------0------| / |---2----------0---------------2------------0-------------| / |----------------------------3----------------------------| / |-0---------------------------------------3---------------| /____ Okay, tab 1 at the top is played through twice, then play tab 2 twice. That's the verse. Then, the next bit is played once. That's the chorus. Not terribly complex, but, hey this IS Green Day, after all. Em G Em G ___ |------3------------3------------3-----------3------------| / \ |--------3------------3------------3-----------3----------| | | |----------0------------0------------0-----------0--------| __/ |---2------------0------------2-----------0---------------| \ |---------------------------------------------------------| | | |-0------------3------------0-----------3-----------------| \___/ Em Dsus4 ___ |------3---------3------| / \ |--------3---------3----| | | |----------0---------2--| __/ |---2----------0--------| \ |-----------------------| | | |-0---------------------| \___/ Okay, now, it's important that you go straight back into the opening G of the verse, because the Dsus4 sort of leaves you hanging there. Then play the first half of the verse once through, then start it all over again. Lyrics Intro: G C9 Dsus4 G (start singing) (the fingerpicking here is same as verse (see above)) Verse 1: G C9 Dsus4 G Another turning point a fork stuck in the road G C9 Dsus4 G Time grabs you by the wrist directs you where to go Em Dsus4 C9 G G make the best of these days and don't ask why Em Dsus4 C9 G It's not a question but a lesson learned in time Chorus Em G Em G It's something unpredictable in the end it's right Em Dsus4 G (where verse riff cuts back in) I hope you have the time of your life. (Start struming G C Dsus4) Verse 2: G C9 Dsus4 G G take the photographs and stillframes in your mind G C9 Dsus4 G Hang it on a shelf; it could've been good times (couldn't get this line, fix it if you know it) Em Dsus4 C9 G Tatoos and memories and asking on trial Em Dsus4 C9 G For what it's worth it was worth all the while Chorus Instrumental(Strum over Violins) Chorus End with Tab 1 and then |---------| |---------| |--2------| |----0----| |------0--| and end on a G |---------| once again, that address is email@example.com Witty sayings: "Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train" "You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friends nose." "I think that if rock'n'roll had another name, it would have been called Chuck Berry" - John Lennon


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The weird science of invisibility has entered uncharted waters. By altering the sea floor in just the right way, it should be possible to hide an object floating on the sea from passing waves, a fluid mechanician predicts. The technique might help to protect ships and floating structures from rough seas. And because the scheme works entirely differently from the "cloaks" developed to hide objects from light and other electromagnetic waves, it breaks new ground for research.
"This is great fun and a brilliant idea," says Ulf Leonhardt, a theoretical physicist at the University of St. Andrews in the United Kingdom.
In ordinary cloaking, the idea is to smoothly funnel light around an object so it emerges on the other side of the object as if nothing had been there. The basic theory behind that approach is called transformation optics. It envisions literally bending space and time so that light will flow around the object. The theory then shows how to simulate that warping of space and time by surrounding the object with a "cloak" with precisely tuned optical properties. The cloak consists of an assemblage of metallic rods and rings known as a metamaterial. Since 2006, researchers have fashioned rudimentary invisibility cloaks for radio waves and even for light.
Now, Mohammad-Reza Alam, a fluid mechanician at the University of California, Berkeley, has come up with a different method that, in principle, can cloak an object floating on the sea such as a buoy or an oil-drilling rig from water waves rippling across the surface. To begin, Alam notes that the ocean water tends to separate, or "stratify," into two layers: a colder, denser layer below and a warmer, lighter layer above. And just as waves can zip across the surface of the water, they can also ripple along the interface between the layers. Alam's idea is simple: As a surface wave approaches an object, transform it into an interfacial wave that will pass beneath the object. Then, once the interfacial wave has passed the object, transform it back into a surface wave. (See figure.)
To make that happen, Alam takes advantage of a key difference between the surface waves and the interfacial waves. For the same frequency of oscillation, the interfacial waves will have a much shorter wavelength and lower speed than the surface waves above. That makes it possible to transfer energy from the surface wave to the interfacial wave by placing a patch of wavy ripples on the sea floor in front of the object that have a wavelength that's tuned just right. The precise condition is easiest to understand in terms of "wave vector," essentially one over the wavelength: The wave vector of the ripples must equal the difference in the wave vectors of the interfacial and surface waves.
The energy transfer takes place because both types of waves "feel" the bottom, Alam says. And a second, identical patch of ripples on the other side of the object turns the interfacial wave back into a surface wave. Alam demonstrates the technique with computer simulations in a paper published 23 February in Physical Review Letters. To make a cloak for multiple wavelengths of surface waves, one need only add multiple patches on the sea bottom, he reports in the paper.
Could such a simple idea have real-world applications? Quite possibly, says Marc Perlin, a fluid mechanician at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. "This thing would work, I think, to protect offshore structure," Perlin says. "I think it has a lot of potential."
Of course, as Perlin notes (and Alam acknowledges in the paper), the real sea is much more complicated than the idealized model in the analysis. For example, it generally has a gradient of density, not two definite layers. And the surface ripples with many waves of various wavelengths and not just waves of one wavelength. However, those factors would likely only reduce, not eliminate, the effectiveness of the device, Perlin says. Even an imperfect cloaking device that didn't completely squelch surface waves could still be useful, he says. "If they wanted to use it to provide a zone for protecting fishing boats, a zone to huddle in, then it might work," Perlin says.
The new scheme works only in the context of layered seas, Leonhardt notes. Nevertheless, it provides a wholly new take on cloaking, he says. "It's more limited [than transformation optics]," he says. "But on the other hand, it's a new twist on the idea of cloaking and could inspire others to pursue other new directions."


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The "Sons of Anarchy" come out swinging in this teaser for the show's upcoming sixth season, which is set to begin in September on FX.
The network on Thursday released the teaser, which shows Jax (Charlie Hunnam) fighting with Clay (Ron Perlman) while Bobby (Mark Boone Junior) tries to keep Tara (Maggie Siff) and Gemma (Katey Sagal) from tearing each other apart.
Hopefully this is a sign that Tara, who was led away in handcuffs at the end of last season, will be out and able to tell Jax what a scary ahole he's becoming.
Season 5 was filled with betrayal and bloodshed, but show creator Kurt Sutter promises the most violent season yet come September. That fits with the clip: The whole club seems to be going after each other.
So buckle up for another intense season.
Want more? Discuss this article and others on Show Patrol's Facebook page.


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Reprise Wide Shut
'Don't You Want To Go Where The Rainbow Ends?'
That, may, very, well, be, the, most, inviting, invitation, in, the, HISTORY, of, movies, EVER!,!,!,!,! I would give up eating Popeyes & See's Candies for life to trade places with Tom Cruise in this teeny tiny lil crazy/sexy/cool crazy/beautiful scene/gif. If only life could be A-B repeated like this gif with super hot women that totally want to bang you in a Stanley Kubrick movie with awesome lights illuminating hotness in the foreground and things and stuff in the background!!!!!
If you've seen the movie, you know Tom Cruise doesn't end up going where the rainbow ends cause he has to go upstairs and help revive Sydney Pollack's ODed hooker whore prostitute lady friend. we all make mistakes in life, but in movies, Tom Cruise should totally be going to where the rainbow ends AND THEN help tackle Sydney Pollack's hooker whore prostitute issues, AND THEN return to where the rainbow ends, AND THEN make sure it NEVER ENDS!!!
and then?
oh, and btw, this is probably the first gif I ever fell in love with, circa 1999
and never 9get


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Death investigations
About Death Investigations in Ontario
In Ontario, death investigation services are provided by the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service.
The Office of the Chief Coroner works closely with the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service to ensure a coordinated and collaborative approach to death investigation in the public interest. Together, the Chief Coroner and Chief Forensic Pathologist provide dual leadership for Ontario's death investigation system that strives to provide services of the highest calibre.
The Office of the Chief Coroner serves the living through high quality death investigations and inquests to ensure that no death is overlooked, concealed or ignored. The findings are used to generate recommendations to help improve public safety and prevent further deaths.
In Ontario, coroners are medical doctors with specialized training in the principles of death investigation. Coroners investigate approximately 17,000 deaths per year in accordance with section 10 of the Coroners Act.
The Ontario Forensic Pathology Service provides forensic pathology services in accordance with the Coroners Act. It provides medicolegal autopsy services for public death investigations under the legal authority of a coroner. The Ontario Forensic Pathology Service performs over 7,500 autopsies per year.


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Meeting 158.
The XML Processing Model (XProc) WG will meet on Thursday, 29 Oct 2009 at 11:00a EST (08:00a PST, 16:00GMT, 17:00CET, 01:00JST+, 09:30p India) for one hour on the W3C Zakim Bridge, +1-617-761-6200 (or +33-4-89-06-34-99 or +44-117-370-6152), passcode 97762# ("XPROC").
Note: W3C teleconferences are scheduled on "Boston local time" and the United States moves to " standard time" on Sunday, 1 Nov 2009. I believe that British Summer Time and European Summer Time both ended on on Sunday, 25 Oct 2009. That means this call will be one hour earlier on 29 Oct and will shift back to it's "normal" time in those locales on 12 Nov 2009.
XProc uses the
#xproc IRC channel on
irc.w3.org:6665 (or via the
web interface).
The IRC channel is used for managing
agendas, minutes, and other aspects of the teleconference, so please
join us there if at all possible.
See the XProc WG page for pointers to current documents and other information. If you have additions to the agenda, please email them to the WG list before the start of the telcon.


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By ,
Published January 13, 2015
Police in North Carolina say an attempted armed robbery has turned into a hostage situation at a drug store.
Police in Belmont were called to the CVS store shortly before 2 a.m. Friday.
Police Chief Charles Franklin says a gunman fired several shots at the first officers to arrive and they returned fire.
Police say the standoff became a hostage situation and state and local officers are on the scene, including the Gastonia Police SWAT team.
A negotiator is in communication with the gunman. A police statement says three hostages were released shortly after 4 a.m. It was unclear if there were other hostages in the store.
Sgt. John Wilson says there have been no injuries.
Streets in the area have been blocked off. Belmont is about 15 miles west of Charlotte.


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Author's Note: When Arizona House Bill 2281 was used to dismantle the Mexican American Studies program in Tucson public high schools earlier this year, books used in the courses were removed from classrooms—in at least one school as students watched. Most of the titles, but not all, were by Latino writers.
Instead of swallowing their dismay, several students documented what they witnessed through social media. That's how members of the Houston-based writers' collective Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say heard about what happened in Tucson. Incensed by the stifling of knowledge, they organized the Librotraficante (literally, "book traffickers") book caravan. Their goal was to "smuggle" the "contraband" books back into Tucson, and bring attention to what critics contend is a troubling combination of anti-intellectualism and the state's anti-immigration stance enacted earlier.
Nuestra Palabra members worked with partner organizations along the caravan route to hold press conferences and celebrate Latino arts and culture at several Librotraficante book bashes. In addition to the public events, the five-day journey stopped in six cities, seeding Librotraficante underground libraries along the way. This is a reflection on riding the Librotraficante caravan, which took place in mid-March.
SEEDS. My parents were farm laborers for part of their young adult lives. They did that body-leeching work in the hot Texas sun, picking and hauling cantaloupe, watermelon, onions, and anything else that required a human hand.


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The goal is to always design lessons around you as an individual to help you reach your goals as an artist and musician. Whether it's guitar, bass, songwriting or production this metho
A word from Kyle K:
"I love music! To me, it's a way of life. From listening to playing to writing and of course teaching. I grew up with music all around me at school and home. My dad was a piano player and teacher so music has been a part of my life since day one and I want to share what I have learned. Everyone has a unique musical talent and I enjoy helping them find it. I believe that anyone can be an excellent musician. Playing an instrument should be a fun and creative adventure. Whether it's strumming at home, playing out in the clubs, or writing the next big hit, I will do my best to get you there!
My musical life began when I was in 5th grade and my dad bought me a saxophone, which I played for over 12 years. I quickly learned how fast I could improve if I simply kept playing with focus. When I hit my teen years I fell in love with rock music and mowed enough lawns to buy my first guitar. I jammed and wrote songs with many other musicians and several bands over the years. We played countless shows and released a few albums. Now I write and produce music and sound design daily for TV, Film and Trailers for companies like Disney, Universal, MTV, NFL and many more.
I started teaching 11 years ago and found that it is one of my favorite things to do. Helping others grow into great musicians is rewarding and fun. I've learned that from grade school to retirement, each student is a unique and special individual. My lessons reflect that fact so that we can reach all your goals together. *My personal goal is to get my students to understand and write music that will stay with them and encourage them to continue."
All lessons take place in a fully operational Digital Recording Studio and dedicated lesson room. Gaining real world playing experience with current technology is a definite advantage over traditional lessons. This also allows the student to capture ideas when songwriting and provides a unique playing experience. Imagine looking back years down the line, listening to something you wrote and hearing the improvements and your own personal music history. That's what writing and recording as you learn is all about.
*** Lesson Details ***
Everyone is different, and every lesson should be suited to fit the individual. Depending on the type of lessons (guitar, bass, music production, theory, etc.) the style teaching will be adjusted to fit. It's all about YOUR goals and needs.
Each student is going to receive lessons based on their preferences of genre and style of music they desire to play. I expect my students to practice regularly and have a good time as their abilities and knowledge grow. By working together, we can focus on goals and problem solving to get you to the next level of play. Most importantly, we are going to have a blast while we learn to play music!
*We'll start slow and build your knowledge base with each lesson.
*You can expect to understand what you are playing AND be able to write your own music is desired.
*You will be given everything you'll need to succeed including custom made drums and songs to play with so you can improve at home.
Let's start learning and improving today!
*** Studio Equipment ***
Fender Telecaster
Fender J Bass
Schecter 7 String
Schecter 6 string Hellraiser
Italia Modena Electric gtr
Danelectro U2
Peavey T60
Seagull Acoustic
Egg shaker
Line 6 Spider amp
Vox Valvetronix amp
Novation X-station
KRK Rokit monitors
Alesis monitors
Presonus monitor station
Shure SM57
GT55 Condenser
Ableton Live Suite 9
Guitar Rig 5
Superior Drummer
Dozens of Virtual Instruments
Music stand
Guitar stands
Mic stands
*** Travel Equipment ***
I currently do not travel. My studio is the #1 advantage for learning!
*** Specialties ***
*Instruments: Guitar & Bass -Rock, Blues, Metal, Indy, Folk and Americana styles.
*Production: Ableton Live, Recording, Mixing, Mastering, Programming, Virtual Inst, MIDI, Production, Sound Design.
*General Music: Theory, Songwriting, Producing.
· Ableton · Online
· Ableton · Online
· Ableton · Online
Kyle K.
Kyle K.
About Udell H.Close
Theory is a very important part in learning to play and sing. I teach the meaning of notes, the types of notes, and how to read notes. I teach the meaning and purpose of the music, staff, timing,accidentals, phrases, and all other fundamentals of theory.
My method of teaching makes it fun and easy to learn.
About Udell
I am a graduate of Evans Academy of Music in Buffalo, New York. I have studied music at Cuyahoga Community College.
*** Lesson Details ***
I have great patience in teaching. The piano and organ lessons start with music theory which is studied each lesson. The lessons develop into
*** Studio Equipment ***
Studio is at a church with separate music rooms for training. Each room has a piano and organ inside and seating is available.
*** Specialties ***
I start with description of notes, meaning of symbols, measures, lines, spaces, learning to read notes, how chords are formed, teach scales and chords, introductory theory, simple sheet music of popular songs. My genres are mainly popular music, jazz, and gospel.
· Piano · In studio
· Singing · In studio
· Piano · In studio
Udell H.
Udell H.
About Keith P.Close
View Full Profile
Knowing Music Theory is so important to one being a complete musician. I have a practical approach that I can teach you. I use music theory a lot when I write songs and change keys to tunes. Music is a universal language. In order to communicate with other musicians you have to know music theory. And I can help you understand what is needed to be a good musician.
About Keith
Teaching is my passion. I do not teach for the money, although I do get paid, but what I charge is really reasonable by today's standard. I teach because I enjoy helping people learn how to play the guitar as well as other subjects. I have so much knowledge that I want to share that knowledge with oth
Because of my experience and educational background, I am able to help my students learn what they "need to know" in order to play the songs they want to play. Students will benefit from my unique teaching methods. I won't waste any time learning things that don't apply to your personalized objectives. You tell me what you want to be able to do and I will teach you what you need to know to get there. I have a easy going personality and a user friendly teaching style tailored to the students individual needs.
Here is some more information about my experience and educational background.
I've been a working musician almost my entire adult life. I'm performing around 60 gigs a year in three different bands. Each band I perform in is different and unique. I also perform from time to time as a soloist. When one dedicates their life to music the way that I have, it's not hard to find work. I have more work than I need. I love playing music so much that I now do it for the pure enjoyment. It's really difficult to do all the music I enjoy playing with just one band, that is why I play in three.
I'm am a student of the guitar as well as a teacher. You never stop learning. I'm also a Husband, Father, Son, and yes a grandfather.
Here is a little about my musical background. I started teaching guitar lessons to a few students in my home in 1978. Wow can't believe it was that long ago. That led me to teaching private guitar lessons at two different music stores as well as guitar class for an adult continuing education program. After a run of 15 years and graduation with a Masters degree in Adult Learning and Development I became a serious student of the guitar studying around the country and in Canada. During this entire time I performed as a working musician in several bands. I am also a singer and songwriter. In 2017 my band Canyon Wind released our 3rd Album of all original music. I wrote or co-wrote all the songs.
*** Lesson Details ***
I can teach a student how to:
Read music and tablature
Form and play chords needed to play songs
Music Theory and ear training
Good Timing
Proper right and left hand technique
Both Lead and Rhythm techniques
Acoustic and Electric guitar
And I can help the experienced player break bad playing habits and advance to higher levels of playing.
I like to incorporate visual and audio aide as well as demonstration when I teach.
I use all or part of these teaching methods and more in order to enhance the learning experience. I always base my instruction on the needs, abilities and goals of the student..
*** Studio Equipment ***
Basement studio w/ guitar, amps, keyboard, pa system, vocal microphones and seating for parents
*** Specialties ***
Country, Blues, Light Jazz, Classic Rock, Motown, Soul, Bluegrass. Acoustic and/or Electric guitar and Ukulele.
The Ukulele is a unique instrument and it's amazing how easy it is to play when you've developed great technique the way I have by playing the guitar. So if you're a guitar player and would like to branch out on the Ukulele I can show you how. Even if you don't play the guitar or have a desire to I can teach you Ukulele if you're a beginner. It's a fun instrument to play.
Right and left hand technique is so important. I spend a lot of time making sure you develop great technique. It's amazing how many guitar students come to me with bad technique. I can help you clean up your playing by developing proper technique.
I can teach people how to play both "Lead and Rhythm Guitar, Soloing, Chords, strumming patterns, chord progressions, and a little finger picking. I teach how to use a plectrum, which is also called a pick. I'm primarily a flat picker when playing lead guitar and I love strumming away at playing rhythm. Learning how to play lead guitar is fun but when you think about it 90% of most tunes is made up of playing rhythm. It's so important to learn how to be a great rhythm player. In a band they call it playing in the pocket. but if you are a soloist supporting your own singing or in a duo where you are accompanying a vocalist playing solid rhythm is a great skill to have under your fingertips.
If you write your own music I can teach you music theory. You want to learn how to write your own music. I can guide you and teach you how to develop song structure, hooks and great melody lines to your tunes.
On the guitar most guitar players play by ear but if you desire to learn how to read music I can show you. I coach both singing and playing as well as preparing for performance. Both on vocals and guitar. I have never had just a vocal student but I encourage students to sing while they play. So if that is there desire I can help. I'll show you how to play guitar scales you can use for vocal exercises. While studying voice at Baldwin Wallace I learned how to play the vocal exercises my teacher was showing me on guitar. I can pass this knowledge on to you.
If you play in a band, or desire to play as a duo or soloist. I have the experience to guide you along your path. There is an art playing with others that can't be overlooked. If that is the direction you want to take your in good hands with my guidance.
Some of my students just want to play in the comfort of their own home. Maybe only with their dog or their significant other listening. They find great joy in doing this and have no desire to ever really perform in public. And that is GREAT! When you break it down to the least common denominator, we do this for the love of music. I love music and the joy it brings to my life. You can experience the same joy that I have so why not let me help you? Let's face it.... is there really a better instrument to learn than the guitar? From my perspective there is not. And it's never too late to start.
· Ukulele · In studio
· Guitar · In home
· Guitar · In studio
Keith P.
Keith P.
About R. ROBIN G.Close
View Full Profile
To teach the student the type of music theory appropriate to their instrument. Music theory it's wonderful to know for anyone who has the desire to compose.
About R. ROBIN
Hi, I'm Robin and have been teaching voice, piano and music theory/composition for many years. I have had a professional career in singing, songwriting and performing, beginning at a very early age. I welcome new students and love bringing out the best in every individual. I also specialize in vocal audition preparation, bringing the student to a higher level of performance, ready to impress and make a great presentation when auditioning. I've had several students audition for The Voice and America's Got Talent, as well as, numerous local productions. Below I'll go over a few things I consider very important with a few of the subjects I teach.
For voice lessons, I specialize in teaching what the student has a desire to learn, together with great technique that will last a lifetime. I emphasize breath and diaphragm
For piano lessons, I combine great technique with a lot of music theory. For piano lessons, I do require the student having 24-hour access to a piano or keyboard. It's nice to have an 88-key, weighted key digital piano or keyboard. If you don't have an 88-key instrument, you want to strive for that. I prefer the student own a 'real' piano, if possible.
When it comes to composition/music theory, I love making it easy to learn, so it is never overwhelming. Learning theory properly can open up a whole world of songwriting. Having a heavy background in composition, I love the creativity that can happen utilizing the tools of music theory.
I can teach students with some special needs. Please use the tool "Ask A Question" to correspond with me more about this. Also, I do have 45-minute slots available, it may just not be reflected in my schedule, as the calendar doesn't allow me to show 15-minute time increments. If you have any questions about my schedule, please just shoot me the question and we'll talk about it!
My home studio is a fun, relaxed atmosphere and even though I focus heavily on technique, we're always going to have FUN learning and enjoy what we're accomplishing! Please keep in mind that when you schedule with me, I can only hold a time slot for one week for you. Also, if you are under 18 years old, you MUST have an adult sign up and pay for lessons for you. Thanks and I so look forward to meeting you!
· Singing · In studio
· Singing · In home
· Singing · In home
About George F. H.Close
The availability listed on the calendar is NOT my FULL availability. Because I am a full-time teacher AND performer, my schedule flexes throughout the year and the hours listed are a limited window of what I may actually have for you. I am very flexible and try to accommodate everyone. Depending on the time of year, I usually have night hours on two days a week and teach on many Saturday mornings / afternoons as well. Click on the 'Ask George F. A Question' button on the right if you have any questions about availability or be sure to ask your TakeLessons rep about the schedule as you go option when you set up lessons for the first time so we can find a time that works for both of our schedules.
*** Lesson Details ***
My teaching method is very practical and customized to every individual. I do not believe that you can use the same style with every student because everyone learns differently.
Although I teach music ...
About George F.
The availability listed on the calendar is NOT my FULL availability. Because I am a full-time teacher AND performer, my schedule flexes throughout the year and the hours listed are a limited window of what I may actually have for you. I am very flexible and try to accommodate everyone. Depending on the time of year, I usually have night hours on two days a week and teach on many Saturday mornings / afternoons as well. Click on the 'Ask George F. A Question' button on the right if you have any questions about availability and/or be sure to ask your TakeLessons rep about the schedule as you go option when you set up lessons for the first time so we can find a time that works for both of our schedules!
I've been playing and singing music professionally for about 25 years. As a family
I bring a balanced and personalized teaching style to my lessons, based on a well rounded education and wide range of real-world life experience. I have a B.A. in Liberal Arts and have performance experience on many different fronts, from local rock cover bands to Top 40, from acoustic soloist to fronting a nationally touring Metallica tribute.
I come from a musical family - my father is also a pro musician. The biggest thing I've learned as a teacher of guitar, bass and voice is teaching the instrument has only made me a bigger student. The learning process never ends and that is one of the great things about music.
No matter where you are with the instrument - a beginner picking it up for the first time, or a seasoned pro of 10 years that just needs help "putting it together," I believe I can help you to get wherever you want to go.
Regarding availability - make sure to inquire if you don't see a time open that suits you - I am flexible. I perform 4-6 times a week and teach full time. Flex lessons tend to work very well.
· Singing · In home
· Singing · In studio
· Singing · In home
George F. H.
George F. H.
About Noel S.Close
About Noel
Pianists & other Musicians continue exploring here:
A professional music venue hosts spring and fall recitals; Instruction from a paid performer; I hold a Master of Music degree and an Ohio Teaching Certificate!
*** Lesson Details ***
As one of my students, you can come to expect a friendly welcome at the beginning of the lesson and then throughout expect our main goal to be helping you make your best music possible. I possess a wealth of knowledge and skill collected from decades of practice, master classes, winning competitions, earning degrees and performing both in bands and as a solo artist.
I am relaxed and happy, disciplined and product-oriented while at the same time understanding th
· Piano · In home
Thank you!
· Guitar · In home
Noel S.
Noel S.
About Aaron F.Close
Learn the basics of music theory and how to apply concepts to composition, improvisation, and performance.
About Aaron
My students have earned spots in orchestras such as the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, Cleveland Institute of Music Prep Orchestra, the Harvard Summer School Orchestra, and Boston Arts Academy.
If you send me a message, please include the following information:
1) Why do you want to learn music?
2) What types of music do you listen to?
3) What experience/how many years do you have of playing music?
4) How old are you?
5) What are your goals with music?
I have worked with 4 year olds
· Cello · In studio
· Piano · In home
· Cello · Online
Aaron F.
Aaron F.
About Jacob C.Close
View Full Profile
I teach basic music theory. The skills I teach can be applied to all aspects of music.
Here are some subject areas I teach:
Keys/ Scales/ Modes
Seventh Chords
Roman Numeral Analysis
About Jacob
Every student is different and learns differently. As an experienced teacher, I believe we need to have a multitude of routes to the same destination. I also believe in the potential for greatness in every student. It takes hard work, but I am happy to guide your child to reach their full potential. The majority of my teaching is centered on creating a beautiful sound and making music.
· Trumpet · Online
· Trumpet · In studio
· Trumpet · In home
Jacob C.
Jacob C.
About JunZhao(Ryan) D.Close
Enhance your singing, playing, or songwriting skills with an understanding of how music works! Music theory lessons can help you learn and memorize music faster, perform with more confidence, and add variety to the music you write
About JunZhao(Ryan)
My name is JunZhao Deng, originally from Guangzhou, China. I am a classically trained pianist, with my bachelor's degree in music education from Xinghai Conservatory of Music and my master's degree in piano performance from Kent State University.
Over the past 10 years, I have taught private lessons to students of all ages and playing levels. Students who study with me can expect to gain a better understanding of music theory as well as technique. I strive to push my students to their maximum potential, and will encourage them to participate in concerts, competitions, etc.
In my career, I have performed in numerous competitions in China, such as the DeYiShuangQing Piano Competition, winning awards s
I am personally trained in classical music, but I have a great respect for all genres of music, and encourage my students to listen and play more than classical.
· Piano · In studio
· Classical Piano · In studio
· Classical Piano · In studio
JunZhao(Ryan) D.
JunZhao(Ryan) D.
About NANCY H.Close
View Full Profile
Music theory should just be a part of learning how to play the piano. Learning music is like learning a new language. Music theory explains everything from how to read music to harmony, chords, rhythm, melody and much, much more. As you advance it helps you to understand all types of music and why it sounds the way it does.
About NANCY
I enjoy teaching both children and adults. As I teacher I am patient and encouraging. Lessons should be interesting and fun but also focused on my teaching you the foundations of playing and practicing.
While my background is primarily in classical music, I really enjoy exposing my students to all types of music as they learn the piano. I play the piano, harp and harpsichord and have performed in everything from solo recitals throughout the United States, music festivals and freelance work with the New York Philharmonic to musicals on broadway.
· Classical Piano · In home
· Piano ·
· Piano · In home
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It's the final countdown. Do do doot do, do do doot doo doo. Lorena, Kerry, and Chris are still standing. I have no idea how the final finals will work, as they seem to change it every season (two finalists! three finalists! one finalist and a goat!), so who knows what will happen at the end of this episode.
The Quickfire is to test the chefs' communication skills. There is a confessional-like whisper wall set up at each workstation which the chefs must communicate through to their unnamed partners. Each chef must dictate to their "mystery teammate" and instruct them on how to make a dish identical to their own. I think I speak for everyone when I say this is a really, really complicated set-up for what will likely be a not-that-entertaining payoff. The mystery teammates are (no surprise) our critics - Ruth Reichl, Francis Lam, and James Oseland (who is revising his Mister Rogers sweater look - huzzah!).
The critics are doing some really horrible accents to throw off the chefs. Ruth's is like some kind of eastern European mish mash, James is trying to sound like Art Smith, and Francis is speaking in only one-syllable words and going slightly Creole? It's ridiculously stupid and painful to watch.
After their 20 minutes of cooking and yelling is up, three solemn but surprisingly muscular PA's pull the walls back to reveal the partners. The chefs are of course just tickled pink they were cooking with their own critics. Hugs galore.
Chris and James' shrimp dishes look very similar - even down to the plating. Curtis tastes each and says "I actually can't decide which I like more!" to which James responds, "Oh, just shut the f--- up." Sassy Molassy! Lorena and Francis didn't get their pasta cooked in time so they present a saute of swiss chard with chicken and stuff on top. Curtis likes the sauce but wants something to put it on. Kerry and Ruth created a sauteed chicken dish with bacon, rosemary and swiss chard cream. Their plating is quite different — Ruth used half a chicken while Kerry's is just small pieces. Hilariously Curtis likes Ruth's dish better.
Curtis judges based on the similarity of the dishes between partners and overall taste. The winning pair is Chris and James' shrimp (or "prawns" if you're gonna be all Australian about it). Chris takes home another $5K for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, bringing his total to $41,000 so far for the cause.
Elimination Challenge: Curtis explains that to battle its failing schools, Las Vegas' Southwest Career and Technical Academy has created a culinary curriculum. Each chef will be paired with two of the Academy's culinary students to create a dish. These are high school kids.
The catch? The chefs don't know what they will be preparing - they must use the students' dishes as the basis for their creation. AND the chefs are only directing, not cooking the food. They are not allowed to touch any part of their dish, they must teach and explain to the students. This is so cool. Seriously, not to get all sappy here but this is what Top Chef Masters should be all about - testing these experienced chefs on their ability to pass on their skills to help up and coming wee chef-ettes.
The chefs meet their young apprentices. All the kids seem terrified to be on camera and are painfully intimidated by this whole situation.
Each pair of students has prepared a pretty pedestrian meal - pork tenderloin, stuffed chicken, lasagna. The masters must reinvent the students' dish and get them up to master level.
There is a truly touching shot of Chris explaining to the kids how what a pig eats affects its flavor - how in an ideal environment, you want a pig eating fallen apples, hazelnuts, and watercress. The look on these kids' eyes when he's describing this is priceless. I honestly got wee butterflies in my tummy. There was magic in that moment.
The chefs take their teams to Whole Foods for ingredients. Chris definitely seems to be hitting it off with his guys the best. He opens up about how he struggled in school and wasn't an ideal student in his high school days. His two protegees are clearly hanging on his every word and thrilled they've been paired with him.
Lorena is talking a bit too philosophically ("Money will come....if you have the passion") and Kerry is dryly going over his team's to do list ("We will roast the bones and then do the chicken.") and all four of their kids look bored or slightly worried.
Quote #1 of the ep, from Kerry: "I can take a lot of time to explain technique, or I can push them; and I'm hoping that they are these little dry sponges that are just going to absorb this in short order." Let me guess: Kerry has no children. He tries to high five his guys after shopping and I swear to god he makes Mitt Romney look hip.
Back in the kitchen, the teams have 2.5 hours to get their dishes ready. The chefs are not allowed to touch the food. Chris moves around this rule defly and demonstrates to the kids how to cut the pork tenderloin. That actual piece of meat he cut won't be used, but he's just shown them the right way to do it. Let it be known right here and now: I am officially in deep crush with Chris and I want him to win.
There, I said it. His way with these kids is absolutely inspiring. Everyone should be so lucky to have such a dedicated teacher. Lorena and Kerry aren't embracing this visual learning style and are mostly just barking. Kerry in particular is really being harsh ("No no no, WAY too thick!"). At least Lorena is praising and encouraging them as they move along.
Chris' protegee Emilio explains their dish to Curtis, that it's the same pork concept but that they are working to "make the dish round, like Chef taught us," and I almost want to cry. Seriously! Top Chef Heartstrings!
Lorena has a similarly touching moment, when she learns that her apprentice JoJo has Type 2 Diabetes. The charity she's playing for, The Alliance for a Healthy Generation, works to prevent childhood obesity and improve children's healthy eating habits so she's really taken aback by this news and is motivated to win.
Quote #2 of ep, from Chris: I'm very proud of you guys.
Lacey (his apprentice): I'm very proud of you, too.
Along with the critics at the table are the students' principal, their culinary instructors, and their families.
Chris' team serves first, which is good as they plated their dishes really early. Chris didn't expect the kids to be so efficient with their plating so his only worry is that the dish sat too long. They serve a pork loin with hazelnut brown butter, apples and watercress. Lacey and Emilio's moms have tears in their eyes. So do I.
Lorena's team serves up family style three meat lasagna and arugula salad. Jhane and JoJo's parents are really proud and the dish wins high praise from the critics.
Kerry's crew, Brittany and Erwin, admit that he was a little stressful to work with but they are excited to present their Florentine-inspired chicken with orzo and asparagus ragout. I hope the asparagus is good because it seems like Kerry spent half the prep time telling Brittany she was cutting it wrong. James Oseland declares it the best creamed spinach he has ever had. Wow.
The students come into the dining room and present their parents with flowers (seriously? I can't cry anymore!). Curtis assures them each dish was amazing.
Judgement time. All three chefs head to the critics' table.
Quote #3 of the ep, from Curtis: "For the first time I can honestly say that none of you cooked a good dish. But your students all cooked fantastic dishes."
The judges don't have that much criticism about the dishes, Ruth questions Lorena's choice to stick to the strict interpretation of lasagna and James did notice that Chris' salad seemed a bit wilty since they plated so quick. Francis merely gushed about Chris' brown butter sauce at length.
The winner? Kerry. I am genuinely surprised. Ruth tells him that he really pushed his kids to a place they didn't know they could go. Kerry wins $10K for City Harvest and a place in the finale.
Curtis excuses Lorena and Chris to the wine room (I love how in Masters it's 'the wine room' and in every other show it's 'the stew room'). Chris is convinced he's going home for his soggy salad. Lorena says it's 50/50.
Back at the table, Ruth declares that Lorena's dish was not restaurant quality, that it was merely a nice home cooked meal. James cranes his neck and snaps, "Ruth Reichl! Do you need an exorcist?" Granted, he meant "exorcism", but it was still pretty hilarious.
Curtis likes the herbaceousness of Lorena's salad (that's twice!). James rags on Chris' "sad, wilty" salad and then Ruth offers that HE needs an exorcist. Francis chimes in that he really disagrees with James. This is the most heated, interesting critics' table ever! Or it's more likely just really good editing. James offers up that he can't pick one to go home and states, "I quit." They laugh but we're nonetheless moving on to decision time.
The chef who won't be moving on to the finale is ... Lorena. "OK," she states, gracefully. Chris exhales. Chris is quietly grateful and hugs Lorena. These guys are CLASS ACTS.
So it's down to Kerry vs. Chris for the finale next week. Though I can't guess who will win, my heart is firmly in Chris' corner. The preview shows lots of sweating, yelling, and Chris making lots of apologies. I will bite my nails down to the quick until next Wednesday night.
Correction from last week's recap: a terrine is not the same as a tureen. I know this. My spellcheck does not. Feel free to point out all my mistakes via Twitter: @operatornumber9.


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For those of you that can watch the show, you'll know I have been called "the granny". Well ermmm yes that is what I am. It is a title I wear with the greatest pride. I know it was said as a derogatory statement, but I don't take it as a critiscm, I take it as a compliment. Many of my friends and others in the world would give everything for their children to receive the blessing of a child. I know what my blessings are. And this is a big one.
This week I became a granny for the second time as Jamie Harley Mchugh made his appearance into our lives.
So I am sorry for the break in transmission with stories on the blog….. grannydom is wonderful.


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Following on from recent announcements by TVNZ and MediaWorks (TV3 and Four), Prime unveiled its 2013 season line-up yesterday, and they're looking more competitive with the major networks than ever.
With new exclusive rights to programmes from America's CBS network, they've got a clutch of drama series with some big names attached.
One that may stand out for Kiwis is Jay Ryan who played Kevin in local hit series Go Girls. He'll star in a modern re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast as doctor Vincent Keller, who enlisted in the army only to have his DNA altered in such a way as to make him a beast, forcing him into hiding. He's still a nice guy underneath though, saving damsels in distress across New York - which is how Detective Catherine Chandler (played by Kristin Kreuk, best known for her role in Smallville) discovers his existence, and realises he's intertwined with her own past.
Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis star in Vegas, which continues America's current obsession with stylish dramas set in the 50s and 60s. They play nemeses in a battle for power in 1960s Vegas - Quaid as a rancher turned reluctant sheriff who's not happy about the swelling number of high rise casinos and escalating corruption, and Chiklis as a Chicago mob man determined to make Vegas his town.
Elementary is another re-imagining of Sherlock Holmes telling the famous stories in a modern setting - but unlike the BBC's version, Elementary makes Holmes (played by Jonny Lee Miller) a recovering alcoholic who's been sent to New York after falling from grace in London, and turns Dr Watson into a woman - an addiction specialist played by Lucy Liu.
Prime will also add two British drama series to its line-up - BBC series Prisoners' Wives, and medical drama Emily Owens MD - and fans of True Blood, Game of Thrones, Strike Back and Monroe will also be happy the shows are returning with new seasons. The channel is also wading into the current affairs sector by taking 60 Minutes from TV3 and local political discussion show Back Benches from TVNZ.
There will, of course, still be a strong emphasis on reality and lifestyle shows (Top Gear, River Cottage, Man vs Wild, various series revolving around Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and so on) and this is where Prime's new local content sits too, with shows like Shearing Gang, New Zealand From Above, and Christchurch doco series Aftermath. It's also adding to the overwhelming number of singing format shows on the box with American Idol and America's Got Talent, but those who fancy a bit of British musical fun will be delighted to find Prime has added award-winning, anarchic quiz show Never Mind the Buzzcocks to their line-up.
- TimeOut


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Events + Gatherings
New Look. New Apparel. Sturgis Bound.
July 26, 2016
Hot on the heels of their recently signed partnership with Colorado's ImageSellers, Klock Werks is proud to announce a new apparel line! It's all about top-quality clothing for the recently launched, modern website, GetKlocked.com! The new line released just in time for Sturgis with the Color Block Long Sleeve shirt. This unisex, premium tri-blend shirt […]Read More


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This week will see plenty of familiar names and experienced players let go by NFL teams as they make their way down to their opening day rosters.
None of those names or players are on the list of players let go by the Rams on Monday. St. Louis cut 11 players from their roster and they all qualify as the kind of anonymous roster filler that teams carry throughout the preseason.
The players cut on Monday are kicker/punter Brett Baer, wide receiver Demetrius Fields, wide receiver Andrew Helmick, long snapper Jorgen Hus, quarterback Tim Jenkins, defensive tackle Al Lapuaho, linebacker Joseph Lebeau, tight end Colby Prince, wide receiver Raymond Radway (pictured), cornerback Robert Steeples and offensive lineman Graham Pocic.
The moves leave the Rams with 77 players on their roster. Two more moves must be made by Tuesday afternoon's deadline to drop to 75 players.


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Almost since the Occupy Wall Street movement began, everyone from pundits to the person-in-the-street have offered their $0.02 on what the OWS movement "should" do next. The number of columns and blog posts offering such advice naturally increased after the midnight sweep of Zuccotti Park, complete with media black-out. And they will probably not subside even after the OWS movement's successful nationwide day of action.
The advice is almost always the same: Do something else.
This advice usually comes in many forms, one of which — conveniently enough — have been offered up a Financial Times columnist.
Gary Silverman urges Occupy activists to "find the love," offering his example of sharing what may or may not have been stolen fried chicken with latenight Washington DC club goers.
The experience left me with an appreciation which has only grown over the years for the power of small kindnesses. I know for a fact that the provision of fried chicken to a stranger creates the potential for connection and communication.
I would argue that one of the great tactical flaws of the Occupy Wall Street movement has been its failure to go beyond expressing frustration and to find ways, however symbolic, to serve the actual people living and working around its encampments.
Silverman's advice, like all the rest of it, sounds well-intentioned. After all, he's just offering the OWS movement advice that he thinks will boost it's chances of survival in the long-term. But it sounds so much like the retorts I've heard in countless debates with right-wing activists on countless issues, which usually go something like this: "What about (fill-in-the-blank)? Why aren't you protesting about that issue? Why don't you do something about that?"
It's a smart tactic, because it puts the other person on the defensive. Either they stammer out a response about why they aren't addressing said issue, make it a point to explain at length how they are addressing said issue, or brush it aside as "not the point." The first two responses, if one takes the bait, signal your opponent that they have successfully changed the subject. The third is likely to make you sound cruel or thoughtless, which your opposition will readily exploit.
This tactic not only creates a false dichotomy. Either you're doing something about "this" or you're doing something about "that," but you can't do both, so you have to chose. (And the assumption is the fill-in-the-blank issue is "better" or more worthy than the one you're already working on.)
It also assumes that you're not already doing something about "that." Though Silverman, given his failure to find a homeless person to share either his southern fried windfall or his ill-gotten chicken wings, says he isn't suggesting that OWS open up a soup kitchen, he ignores that occupations across the country were already "serving the people" by taking care of the homeless in cities that can't or won't take care of them.
In just under two months, the Occupy movement has managed to turn the countrys attention toward social inequality. As many in the movement struggle with unemployment, student debt and unaffordable mortgage payments, words like foreclosure, debt and joblessness have reentered the public discourse.
More recently,as the number of homeless people at Occupy encampments climbs,the conversation has shifted toward the growing but often hidden dilemma of homelessness in America.
One of the countrys largest occupations can be found in Portland, Oregons Chapman and Lownsdale Squares, where an estimated 500 people spend their nights in a sprawling encampment of tents. Many of them are homeless.
The movement is well aware that there are downsides to inclusiveness. Theres been some rowdiness, theres been drinking, theres been some people fighting on occasion, Silvermanadmitted, adding, Were trying to self-police as best we can.
In addition, tending to the needs of the homeless could potentially divert energy away from theoccupation'sinitial goals.
The last sentence in the blockquote above reveals the real genius of the "Do something else" diversion: "Doing something else" may divert your energy away from your initial goals. Not that feeding the homeless isn't an important thing to do, or that OWS activists weren't already doing that. Before joining the OWS movement, many were involved and remain involved in any number of movements and organizations serving any number of social needs or causes.
The other part of Silverman's advice for OWS amounts to morphing into a more "well-behaved movement," one that disrupts daily life as much as possible, and is thereby less likel to really change the status quo. I'm reminded of a saying I heard in college, one that historian Laura Thatcher Ulrich scribbled in her research notes in the 1970s, and used as the title of her 2007 book: "Well-behaved women seldom make history."
Well. Well-behaved movements seldom make history.
The bottom line is that the Occupy protests are disruptive. That's the idea. That's the idea of any serious protest movement: to be disruptive — to stop business as usual — to force the media and the society at large to focus on a critical, fundamental problem.
When Rosa Parks refused to go to the back of the bus in Montgomery she was being "disruptive." So was the bus boycott that followed.
When the sit-down strikers that founded the United Auto Workers refused to leave the plants in Flint, Michigan in the 1930's, they were being "disruptive."
When Gandhi led tens of thousands of Indians in the civil disobedience that ultimately toppled British Imperialism, he was being "disruptive."
When thousands of Wisconsin workers refused to leave the State Capitol in Madison earlier this year, they were being "disruptive."
When the people of Egypt occupied Tahrir Square in Cairo they were being "disruptive."
The protesters who dumped tea into Boston harbor in 1773 were being "disruptive."
The idea of the Occupy Movement is to occupy Wall Street and other public spaces to demand that American government and business pay attention to the elephant in the room — the exploding inequality in wealth and power between the 99% and the 1%.
It may not be the best analogy, but look at it this way. Herman Cain might not have been a presidential candidate, if Rosa Parks hadn't cause a disruption in the front of the bus while Cain went obediently to the back of the bus.
I won't presume to offer advice on where the OWS movement should go, or what it should do next. Instead, I make just two earnest requests.
Don't go silent. You have shifted the national dialog and by the power of your central message made media and political elites take notice, and forced them to at least talk about inequality where before they focused exclusively on austerity.
And, please, don't become a "well-behaved," movement that doesn't inconvenience or make anyone uncomfortable, and therefore changes nothing.


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'CRASH'…The back door burst inwards, the frame splintering apart showering glass onto the kitchen floor. Three dark figures rushed into the dark room, glass crunching under their black high leg boots. Covered from head to toe in black and with raised fire arms in the shoulder, the three intruders quickly made their way into the inner confines of the dwelling.
No lights were on, no one seemed to be down stairs, all was quiet apart from the dull thud of boots on living room carpet. All three made their way to the bottom of the stairs and without a second glance ran up two steps at a time. The first crouched at the top whilst number two went left into the first bedroom and number three went right into the second bedroom.
From entering the building to getting upstairs exactly 15 seconds had passed.
The silence was broken by shouts of protest from the second bedroom. "What the f**k! Who are you?" accompanied by the noise of someone hurriedly trying to get out of bed. "Piss off from me, I'll have you you f****r!" The other two figures in black joined their colleague in the second bedroom. A light switch was flicked and a single bare light bulb illuminated all within the room.
On the edge of the bed trying to pull on his dark blue 'Adidas' trackie bottoms with one hand and fumble for a knife with the other was 'Bezza' . His eyes screwed up against the sudden bright light, his lips curled back against nicotine stained teeth and his scrawny drug riddled, benefit assisted frame started to rise from the bed. Looking down at him were three figures dressed in black, all armed and all totally focused on Bezza.
"Stand still or I will punch your f*****g teeth so far down your throat you'll have to shove a toothbrush up your arse to clean them!" The first black figure in the room lowered his weapon and curled his black gloved fist in front of 'Bezza'. The other two black clad figures quickly searched the room for any signs of weapons or incriminating evidence.
Bezza did not heed the warning from in front of him and attempted to push past his uninvited guests. 'CRUMP' went Bezzas nose as gloved fist connected with facial protuberance. Blood and snot flew lazily through the air and landed on the beer stained wall next to the bed. Bezza staggered backwards and slumped against the wall. Both hands came up to his face in a desperate attempt to realign his broken nose.
"F****rs!!!" screamed Bezza as he tried to launch himself at the nearest man in black. Next came the sound of the wardrobe has it exploded into pieces as Bezza was sent flying into it. As he scrabbled to get up out of one of MFI's discounted range of bedroom furniture, the first man in black stepped up and using both gloved hands slapped him hard on the ears at the same time. A slight cupping of the hands gave out a kind of muffled "CLOP" noise as Bezzas eardrums burst. Bezza was not having a good night!
Howling with pain and eventually gaining his feet Bezza finally began to focus on who was in the room with him. "Who are you f****rs, what do you want?" He warily looked at the three men in black facing him. The only tell tale sign of who they were was a small camouflaged patch on their right shoulders…it said 'SWAB'. " "Are you Police you b*****ds?" Bezza began to regain his composure "Because I can have you done…for assault…ah know my rights! I'll get you all sacked and I'll get loads of compo you f*****g b*****ds!"
"SWAB" Special Wounds And Bandages. And we hear you've been a naughty little boy Bez!" The leader of the three spoke through his respirator as he stepped towards him. "What have ah done…I aint done nowt! Prove it you w****r!" Bezzas night was about to get a whole lot worse. But he didn't know that…yet! Shaking his head to try and stop the ringing and to try and gather his thoughts he quickly darted for the bedroom door. Before he had reached the door a black clad arm came out and 'necked' him.
Bezza lay there on the floor gasping for breath with pain coursing through his throat, through his ears and through his nose. "You…You little piece of shit…have been taking the piss with your 'rights' so we have been asked to have a chat with you to see if you will mend the error of your ways?" Bezza kept grabbing at his neck and trying to speak but found it difficult. Rolling onto his side he started to pull himself up onto the bed.
"What ave ah dun then?" Bezza croaked between gasps. "What have you done…? Well let us see…assaults on men, women and children, theft of cars, aggravated burglaries, robbing a pensioner in the street of her handbag, criminal damage, vandalism, benefit fraud, drug possession with intent to supply, possession of offensive weapons… and…crimes against fashion! In fact looking at your record you have over 70 offences racked up!"
"Dunt madder doh does it? Cos ah can do what the f**k ah want can ah? An youse lot cant touch me cos I've got rights! You lot are so dead when I find out who you are!" The leader of the three man SWAB team moved ever so closer to Bezza and stared long and hard into his eyes as if eyeing up his prey before the kill. Every now and then the leader would tilt his head to one side and then to the other as if he was inspecting a new type of insect.
"Anyway what the f***k is SWAB? Its nowt cos my rights come first dunt they youse b*****ds?" The leader removed his respirator and looked at Bezza through the eye slit of his nomex balaclava. "Well we have different hats in SWAB. We have our Police hat for law and order issues…and we have an Ambulance hat for trauma emergencies and the like!" Calmly the SWAB team skipper moved back a couple of feet from Bezza as he rose from the bed.
"F***k me! So you lot are sent to try and scare me…I aint scared of nowt!…I'm brick I am!" And with that Bezza tried to once again make good his escape. "SNAP" Bezzas knee cap shattered with the blow from the butt of a Colt Commando assault rifle. "I thought you might not be persuaded to mend the error of your ways…so let me introduce you to our other hat… meet Justice Hat!" The third SWAB team member moved effortlessly round to face Bezza.. and brought his weapon upto bear. Muzzle resting against Bezzas head the third member said "Nothing personal pond scum!" And with that he pulled the trigger…..!!!!!!!
I awake and look around to find the alarm clock going off! Just another couple of minutes in bed. And with a nice warm fuzzy feeling I drift off back to sleep….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
(Foot note: this is as a result of a conversation with a Police officer on what should happen to some of these scrotes. I think he should be made Chief Constable…but somehow I dont think he will get the job…mores the pity!)


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MAIN PAGE | "How To" Book | Article Index | CMA | Links | Hébert Website
|If you have any interest at all in Acadian history and heritage, then you owe it to yourself to get this CD. Trust me, it is well worth it.
|Here is a run-down of
the parts of the CD (with
links to those sections at Portage's site).
1) History of the Acadians
Timeline, Deportation info, and Information on some of the places they lived
2) Voyage to Acadia:
14 places to visit today; includes slide shows and Quicktime VR 360 degree displays
3) Culture & Traditions
Music (samples of a number of Acadian-Cajun musical artists)
Genealogy (basic information on the Acadians)
100 word Acadian Dictionary (can have them pronounced audibly)
Folklore (several stories)
Evangeline (complete text and some background info)
Women of Acadia
4) Acadia of the Maritimes
The complete text of one of the best resources on the Acadian culture.
In a number of places, you can click on the screen and a word or section and you will hear it spoken. Also, hidden within all of this are a number of video clips and several printed works. Besides the Acadia of the Maritimes text, you also get sections or all of the following (plus more):
the Odds: A History of the Francophones of Newfoundland and Labrador
Online ordering
(through MaritimeTrading.com of Canada; price - $59.95 Canadian)
Online ordering
(through Pelican Publishing of Louisiana; 1 (800) 843-1724 or 1 (888) 5-PELICAN)
(price - $59.95 US, but last time I checked, Pelican was giving 30% off internet orders)
MAIN PAGE | "How To" Book | Article Index | CMA | Links | Hébert Website
Copyright © 1997-99 Tim Hebert


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With three days to go until Election Day, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll released today shows President Barack Obama maintaining his advantage over Mitt Romney when it comes to the electoral college map.
Nationally, the poll shows the race virtually deadlocked, with Obama holding a slight lead over Romney among likely voters, 48% to 47%.
But results from Ipsos' tracking in the swing states shows Obama with an edge in several crucial battlegrounds — including Ohio, whose 18 electoral college votes are considered critical to either candidates' path to 270 electoral votes.
According to the survey, Obama leads Romney among Ohio's likely voters, 48% to 46%. Obama also holds a slim lead — 47% to 46% — in Virginia, another key swing state. The poll found the race tied in Colorado and Florida at 48% and 46%, respectively.
Romney has long been at a disadvantage in the electoral college. It is hard to imagine a path to victory for the Republican candidate that does not include winning Ohio. And while the race remains close — both nationally and in the swing states — a victory in the Buckeye State is looking increasingly less likely for Romney.
"It's really a game of inches. It's extremely close, but things look pretty optimistic for Obama, I would say, if you do the electoral math," Ipsos pollster Julia Clark told Reuters Sunday.