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On episode #5 of the Cine-Cast, Cine-File associate editor Ben Sachs and contributor JB Mabe talk about the upcoming Ingmar Bergman series at the Gene Siskel Film Center; Ben and contributors Kyle Cubr, John Dickson and Dmitry Samarov discuss the Doc Films summer schedule; Mabe interviews Raul Benitez, film programmer for Comfort Film at Comfort Station Logan Square and lead programmer for the Chicagoland Shorts Volume 4 for Full Spectrum Features; and Ben and contributor Harrison Sherrod chat about the Bill Gunn films GANJA & HESS and PERSONAL PROBLEMS, as well as cult-classic LIQUID SKY, all of which played at the Film Center in June.
Listen here. As always, special thanks to our producer, Andy Miles, of Transistor Chicago.
International Media Mixer (New Experimental/Special Event)
Chicago Film Archives and DCASE at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion (Millennium Park) — Tuesday, 6:30pm (Free Admission)
Six years into their wildly generative Media Mixer project—an annual series of commissions bringing local filmmakers and musicians together to build new works of creative appropriation—Chicago Film Archives has gone global for the International Media Mixer, opening up its vast celluloid coffers to Italian artists Federico Francioni, Yan Cheng, and Giuseppe Boccassini. Conversely, a partner archive in Italy, Lab 80 film/Cinescatti, has made newly digitized archival films available to Chicago makers Lori Felker and Domietta Torlasco; curators Michelle Puetz and Karianne Fiorini paired each filmmaker with a musician from the opposite country to compose a soundtrack. Each of these ingenious cross-cultural couplings results in an inspired cinematic assemblage; as a suite, they amount to a real curatorial feat, and one of the season's essential moving-image events. Between the four, the Italian films drawn from the CFA tend more towards density and dispersal, gathering clips from across a cinematic spectrum that includes industrial films, home movies, scientific films, political documentary, and avant-garde abstraction. Giuseppe Boccassini's TEMPLE OF TRUTH (2018, 15 min) is particularly restless; a stunning mosaic of iridescent, pulse-quickening fragments. Thanks to Boccassini's keen eye for graphic matches and contrasts—and to Alex Inglizian's attentive electronic score, which swings ably between illustration and abstraction—these fugitive images miraculously begin to cohere into elemental clusters of energy, space, and texture. The urgency of Boccassini's montage erupts through snippets of war, race riots, and natural catastrophe: unlike many archival films, TEMPLE OF TRUTH seems less preoccupied with history than with the social and climatic convolutions of the present. Lori Felker and Domietta Torlasco's films, on the other hand, respond to the Italian archival material with a strong sense of retrospection. Torlasco's PARALLAX DASH (2018, 8 min) casts amateur footage in elegant split-screen juxtapositions that feel less analytical than poetic. Conjoining domestic interiors with expansive mountainous regions, Torlasco visually dramatizes her own work of reanimating private lives at vast geographic and temporal removes, discovering different modes of seeing between proximity and distance. Along with its images, the film's evocative text fragments and Stefano Urkuma De Santis' diaphanous lowercase score fall somewhere between parallel and counterpoint—something that could also be said for the relation of PARALLAX DASH to Felker's MEMORIA DATA (2018, 12 min), which culls many of the same shots to vastly different effect. The most conceptually concise of these four works, MEMORIA DATA mines home movies from the Italian archive to single out moments when on-screen subjects—some family members, some merely faces in the crowd—turn their eyes back to the camera. Combined with Patrizia Oliva's soft incantations and lulling loops, the effect is rapturous, if slightly unnerving. In the accumulation of awkward gazes, the gravitational pull of the lens comes to feel all-devouring, and Felker's edit certainly exposes the uneven gender dynamics of male cameraman and female object. But MEMORIA DATA moves far beyond critique to recover the emotional layers of trust, play, and social performance in these exchanges. Through precise gradations of slow motion and stillness, the past on screen pierces the present, recalling an observation by Laura Mulvey: "In the cinema, time as it passes becomes palpable, not in the fleetingness of a halted second but in the fleetingness of sequence in process, an amorphous, elusive, present tense, the immediate but illusory 'now' that is always experienced as fading into the 'then'." Whereas Felker's film meditates on the inevitable, Federico Francioni and Yan Cheng's OCTAVIA (2018, 14 min) seeks to capture the ineffable. Its dreamlike superimpositions and delicate strands of narrative continuity, threaded between divergent sources, beckon viewers into a visual labyrinth—one whose coordinates transform with every turn. As with TEMPLE OF TRUTH, OCTAVIA incorporates foley and sound effects alongside Tomeka Reid's affecting score, adding vital substance to its mirages without intruding on its essentially speculative nature. Named after a floating "spider-web city" described in the film's closing monologue by Italo Calvino, the work imagines found-footage filmmaking as a high-wire act between raw materiality and untethered imagination. Calvino wrote that "each life is an encyclopedia, a library, an inventory of objects, a series of styles, and everything can be constantly shuffled and reordered in every way conceivable." The four remarkable films making their U.S. premiere in this program prove that the same must be said about film archives as well. For this screening, all four films will be screened outdoors at Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion (as part of the summer screening series presented by the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events) with live soundtracks performed by the composers. MM
Andy Warhol's POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL (Experimental Revival)
Doc Films (University of Chicago) — Thursday, 7pm
One of Andy Warhol's best films, POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL is a profoundly moving portrait by accident: while filming his subject, the mesmerizing Edie Sedgwick, Warhol did not realize that the entire 33 minutes of footage he shot was out of focus. When he saw the result, he "reshot" the film of Edie lounging in her hotel room, talking on the phone, eating, and dressing. Then, in what is a great moment of cinematic inspiration, he decided to combine the two reels—the out of focus one followed by the "corrected" one. Sedgwick's manic qualities, her compulsive talking, her scattered thinking, and her charm all seem to be magnified by the visual obscurity. When we do finally get to see her properly, we are also "seeing" her in a new light, informed and transformed by our inability to see her in the first half. (1965, 67 min, 16mm) PF
Edgar G. Ulmer's THE STRANGE WOMAN (American Revival)
Doc Films (University of Chicago) — Friday, 7 and 9:30pm
By the ultra-thrifty standards of legendary poverty-row filmmaker Edgar G. Ulmer, 1946's THE STRANGE WOMAN is a lavish affair, a dressed-up period noir tailor-made by independent producer Hunt Stromberg for its star, the priceless Hedy Lamarr. After her contract with MGM expired in 1945, Lamarr specifically requested fellow Viennese expatriate Ulmer to helm THE STRANGE WOMAN for United Artists. Though in fact made on a modest budget, the film nonetheless gave the Ulmer the biggest canvas of his career; a master of turning shoestrings into lace, he was perfectly suited for this lurid tale about female social mobility, artificial virtue, and the economics of desire. Set in the wild North of 1820s Maine, this arch-Freudian GONE WITH THE WIND follows Lamarr's Jenny Hager as she frees herself from the abuse of an alcoholic, lay-about father by marrying a wealthy older merchant—only to set about seducing his young son. Viewed as a fantasy of unbridled female power, the film crackles with feminist appeal: watching Jenny rise in wealth and station as she ties feckless men in knots is simply thrilling, even if we know an inevitable "comeuppance" looms ahead. When Jenny's control starts to slip, the fabric of frontier society begins to unravel as well, figuring all of Bangor as an expressionistic shadow of her psychic distress. Does this violence signal the power of women's desire to overturn a fragile masculine civic order, or is it just a pretext for the third act's grotesque spasms of biblical repression? Seemingly cut from the same gynophobic cloth as other tales of stifled female sexuality (think John M. Stahl's 1945 LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN—adapted, like THE STRANGE WOMAN, from a novel by Ben Ames Williams), THE STRANGE WOMAN in fact depicts Jenny not as a murderous psychopath, but as a deeply conflicted domme, driven alternately to piety and perfidy. Ulmer's unparalleled modulation of darkness and light casts Jenny in surprisingly complex moral shades, but it's Lamarr who deserves the credit for fashioning such a beguiling character. Her performance is a model of deceptive legibility: precisely rendering each internal calculation with arched eyebrows and widened eyes, her real achievement is nonetheless in preserving Jenny's fundamental opacity, demanding her conquests (and the viewer) project the nature of her motivations for themselves. Such delectable flickers of illumination and obscurity, at the heart of every great Ulmer picture, demand to be seen on film; thankfully, Doc Films will be threading up THE STRANGE WOMAN in 16mm. (1946, 100 min, 16mm) MM
Raoul Walsh's THE ROARING TWENTIES (American Revival)
Doc Films (University of Chicago) — Saturday, 7 and 9:30pm
A manic Looney Tune, where soldiers hop into trenches like rabbits and two men can be knocked out with a single punch, transforms into a post-Expressionist drama (watch out for the METROPOLIS references!) charting the rise and fall of Jimmy Cagney, a bootlegger who uses a taxi service as a front. Raoul Walsh's Tommy Gun opera has the distinction of being funny enough to qualify as a comedy and epic enough to qualify as a tragedy. Conceived by Warner Bros. as a throwback to their scuzzy pre-Code gangster pictures, this pastiche (literally: some of B-roll shots are outtakes from the studio's early '30s movies) functions both as a downer the-world-moves-on ending to the genre and, aesthetically, a new beginning for both Walsh and American cinema (Martin Scorsese's filmography, for one, seems unimaginable without it). Jarring changes in tone, deep-focus shots, sight gags, rushing dolly-ins: this is primal, potent Walsh. The cast is pretty gully, too; third-billed Humphrey Bogart's image is so firmly entrenched in his later cynical good-guy roles that seeing him play an irredeemable douchebag packs a wallop. (1939, 104 min, 35mm Archival Print) IV
Boots Riley's SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (New American)
Various Venues
Boots Riley's debut feature about a black man who can only become a success in America by using a white voice at his bottom-feeder telemarketing gig is a trenchant, by turns hilarious and horrifying take on the state of our country. Cassius "Cash" Green (Lakeith Stanfield) can't make headway interrupting people's lives on the phone until an older coworker (Danny Glover) shows him how to use a white man's voice to project confidence and trust, enabling him to become the star of the office. But his newfound talent and riches come at the cost of losing his girlfriend and friends, who are all battling an economic system that is literally turning citizens into chattel. Riley uses conspiracy theories and surreal horror to illustrate the very real situation many Americans, but especially African-Americans find themselves in—trapped in a cutthroat system which values profit over basic human decency at every turn. While Armie Hammer's evil mogul may be an ugly caricature, he will not be unfamiliar to any halfway-informed resident of 2018 United States of America. His company, Worry Free, which offers food and shelter in exchange for freedom, is like a funhouse mirror version of gig economy juggernauts like Uber or AirBnB. They offer a cheerful illusion of independence as they're robbing their customer/workers of basic rights. By the time the horse-people appear I was ready to accept about anything Riley threw in front of me because his feel for setting and tone is so assured that even the most out-there moments fit the overall premise. He has created a parallel world not unlike the ones found in the work of Gogol, Kafka, or Paul Beatty's great 2015 novel, The Sellout, where people are turned into monsters and do outrageous and reprehensible things and no one bats an eye. Much of what he shows has already come to pass and the rest will as well unless we fight like hell against it. (2018, 105 min, DCP Digital) DS
Michael Powell's THE EDGE OF THE WORLD (British Revival)
Chicago Film Society (at Northeastern Illinois University, The Auditorium, Building E, 3701 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.) — Wednesday at 7:30pm
THE EDGE OF THE WORLD is an early major work directed by Michael Powell, who would go on to make, with Emeric Pressburger, some of the greatest British films (THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP, I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING!, THE RED SHOES). It takes place on a small Scottish island in the last days of its inhabitability, observing the stoic residents as they engage in a centuries-old way of life. Powell makes commanding use of the island's rocky landscapes, particularly during a sequence where two men attempt to settle a personal dispute by racing up the face of a mountain. This passage anticipates some of the brilliant suspense set pieces that occur throughout Powell's career while maintaining an ethnographic sense of ritual and place common to early documentary filmmaking. The film presents people living at the mercy of their environment, rendering nature at once majestic and forbidding. Powell's perspective animates not only the race up the mountain, but also a later motif involving a young woman trying to send letters furtively by hiding them in small wooden boats and floating them around the island. The climax, which concerns the islanders' evacuation of their homeland, is a little masterpiece of tension and release, a fleetly edited sequence that moves between the inhabitants' preparation to leave and the heroic efforts of the sailors who brave dangerously tall waves to rescue them. Preceded by Powell's 1941 short AN AIRMAN'S LETTER TO HIS MOTHER (5 min, 35mm). (1937, 74 min, 35mm) BS
Hong Sang-Soo's THE DAY AFTER (New Korean)
Gene Siskel Film Center — Check Venue website for showtimes
Art Institute of Chicago alumnus Hong Sang-Soo wrapped up an extremely prolific 2017 with his third film of that year, THE DAY AFTER. One very early morning, Bongwan (Kwon Hae-hyo) heads to the publishing house he runs after evading his wife's questions on why he has arisen so early. On his walk to work, he somberly reflects upon the affair he had with a coworker which ended only a month prior. Meanwhile, his wife finds a love note from his former lover at home and confronts Areum (Kim Min-hee), Bongwan's brand-new secretary, accusing her of being the object of her husband's desire. Hong playfully showcases themes of mistaken identity and its unintended side effects while blurring them under the veneer of ample alcohol consumption. Male misery has been somewhat of a specialty of in his films, and we come to find Bongwan openly invites these troubles into his life as he laments to Areum about the two women in his life. Unlike his other film that played at Cannes in 2017, CLAIRE'S CAMERA, THE DAY AFTER was shot in black and white, which not only amplifies Bongwan's melancholic state of mind but also imparts a sense of romanticism while juxtaposing it with morally gray decision-making. A slice-of-life film steeped in familiarity, THE DAY AFTER rounds out an impressive year of filmmaking for Hong Sang-Soo. (2017, 92 min, DCP Digital) KC
Ingmar Bergman X 2
Ingmar Bergman's SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT (Swedish Revival)
Gene Siskel Film Center — Saturday, 3pm and Thursday, 6pm
Falling on the lighter side of Ingmar Bergman's oeuvre, SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT is unlike his darker, religiously symbolic films that followed. Deeply personal with sexually frustrated undertones, it alternates between comedy and romance. Lawyer Fredrick Egerman (Gunnar Björnstrand) lives with his much younger, virginal second wife, Anne (Ulla Jacobsson), his seminary school-enrolled adult son, Henrick (Björn Bjelvenstam), and their promiscuous maid, Petra (Harriet Andersson). Fredrick's former mistress, Desiree (Eva Dahlbeck), comes back into his life, and the two quickly rekindle their old flame. It's revealed that she is currently the mistress to another married man, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm (Jarl Kulle). All of the characters come together at Desiree's mother's house for a dinner party where a tangled web is woven. SUMMER NIGHT calls to mind Renoir's THE RULES OF THE GAME wherein their respective high society aristocrats frequently cheat on one another and everyone wants to be with someone else—they are the antithesis of what is expected of them. Fredrick and Malcolm's terse rivalry pits the two against one another for Desiree's affections. Both men's virility is compared to an animal—Fredrick, an old wolf, and Malcolm, a tiger. Their prey are any of the nubile women around them, and both men are ravenous. A crescendo occurs at the film's climax when a game of Russian Roulette is decided upon as the only way to solve their quarrels. Bergman brilliantly likens sexual release to the gun firing, as one man lands the object of his affections and the other is left emasculated. SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT is a masterwork on sexuality, interpersonal relationships, and virtue versus vice; it is the embodiment of summer turning to fall. (1955, 108 min, DCP Digital) KC
Ingmar Bergman's SECRETS OF WOMEN (Swedish Revival)
Gene Siskel Film Center — Saturday, 5:15pm and Tuesday, 6pm
Thematically and formally similar to Joseph L. Mankiewicz's A LETTER TO THREE WIVES, Ingmar Bergman's SECRETS OF WOMEN centers on a group of upper-middle-class wives vacationing at the summer home they share with their families. As they wait for their husbands to arrive, the women share stories about personal crises, and these tales, illustrated in flashbacks, comprise the bulk of the picture. It's hardly as despairing as Bergman's later SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE, although it addresses some of the same topics: infidelity, sexual incompatibility, and the pent-up frustrations spouses hide from each other for the sake of preserving complacency. The first story is by far the most pessimistic. In this one, Rakel (Anita Björk) reluctantly agrees to sleep with her childhood sweetheart in hopes of finding sexual satisfaction, which she doesn't get from her husband. She quickly regrets the decision and confesses to her husband; the news drives him crazy, and he holes himself up in a shed with his shotgun. Bergman delineates the progression from order to chaos with a sure hand, and his firm control over the material highlights the messiness of the characters' emotions. The film gets steadily lighter from there: the second story follows a young idealist played by Maj-Britt Nilsson who manages to land a happy marriage with a Swedish artist after she has a baby out of wedlock with an American soldier; and the third looks at a middle-aged couple (Eva Dahlbeck and Gunnar Björnstrand) who are forced to examine their problems when they're trapped all night in a broken elevator. This final segment is a rare example of Bergman working in a comic register, and while comedy may not have come naturally to the famously brooding filmmaker, his masterful direction of actors makes the material flow more smoothly than it probably should. The whole film is marked by its earthy eroticism—a consistently impressive feature of Bergman's 50s work—and by Gunnar Fischer's confident cinematography, which achieves some gorgeous deep-focus effects. (1952, 108 min, DCP Digital) BS
Henri-Georges Clouzot's THE MURDERER LIVES AT NUMBER 21 (French Revival)
Gene Siskel Film Center — Friday, 2:15pm, Sunday, 3:15pm, Monday, 6:15pm, and Wednesday, 8pm
The Siskel presents a new digital restoration of Henri-Georges Clouzot's directorial debut. Made while France was under Nazi occupation, this is a lighthearted whodunit full of whistling-past-the-graveyard humor. Pierre Fresnay—who would go on to star in Clouzot's much darker LE COURBEAU (1948)—is Wens Vorobeychik, a detective charged with catching the mysterious serial-killer Durand, who literally leaves a calling card at the scene of his crimes. Vorobeychik (which is Russian for sparrow) is alternately aided and hampered by his aspiring songbird girlfriend, played by the irrepressible Suzy Delair. Every person the pair encounters is an oddball of one kind or another, which keeps the movie bouncing along to its merry conclusion. Nothing Clouzot would make hereafter would be quite as buoyant, save perhaps for QUAI DES ORFÈVRES (1947), which was also anchored by Delair's lust-for-life screen persona. Not unlike many of the best American screwball comedies this film was doubtless patterned after, the crime plot is mostly an excuse for a series of sharp verbal and visual gags. The undercurrent of dread, doubtless unavoidable from the circumstances under which Clouzot had to work, is mostly pushed to the margins of the viewer's consciousness by a cast and camerawork bent on delivering rapid-fire zingers to prevent maudlin wallowing. Still, it is abundantly clear that no one involved is free to truly speak their mind or live as they'd like to. All any of them can do is laugh at bizarre predicament they've found themselves in, which is a message as useful then as it is today. (1942, 84 min, DCP Digital) DS
Ofir Raul Graizer's THE CAKEMAKER (New Israeli/German)
Gene Siskel Film Center — Check Venue website for showtimes (week one of a two-week run)
In Berlin, a soft-spoken baker, Thomas (Tim Kalkhof) becomes lovers with a married Israeli, Oren (Roy Miller), who visits his cafe just for his wonderful cookies. When Oren dies in an accident in Jerusalem, Thomas moves there, befriending Oren's widow Anat (Sarah Adler) and young son, baking for her cafe, and, eventually, becoming her lover. All the while, he keeps his life with the late Oren a closely guarded secret. A personal, understated tale of doomed love, THE CAKEMAKER, the first feature by Israeli-born, Berlin-based filmmaker Ofir Raul Graizer, is not earth-shattering, but it's worth seeing—for the uniformly fine performances, especially, but also for the precise, canny modulation of Graizer's storytelling, his pleasing way with a curvilinear narrative line. There's careful attention to detail: note the toy train in the dead man's box. The actors, especially Kalkhof and Adler as Thomas and Anat, say a tremendous amount non-verbally, through expression, glance, gesture, touch. (Notice how deftly the film toggles between their points of view.) Many shots are wordless. Already, Graizer grasps an essential strength of the medium: it gives us the human face as canvass for an internal life which, forever the province of the novel, must remain mysterious to us. Grazier wants to explore the problem of identity—the disorienting feeling of always living in between worlds: religious and secular, Israel and Germany, gay and straight. How hard it is for a human to stand alone, to not be defined by nation or sexuality. The movie's very title existentially restricts Thomas's identity to the one role he has carved out for himself: he's the cake-maker, and that's how he expresses his connection with other people. Thomas is essentially a big kid, who's probably never felt like a "real" anything in his life. He's always isolated, gazing from the outside at visions of community, the rules and traditions of which the film sees as both nurturing and suffocating. When he's absorbed in his work, kneading the dough, he's happy. His work is his comfort and his company. His cookies, cakes, and pies make people happy—so good Anat has to lick the plate. There's a dark side to the film, as well. In a certain light, Thomas is faintly creepy. Especially when Grazier intercuts scenes of him making love to both Oren and Anat, the betrayal of Anat feels so intimate it's faintly incestuous. Yet it seems the faithless Oren did truly love Anat, in his way. Is the film's point that, absent community strictures, Oren could have been himself in the first place? Or is his sexuality beside the point, and he simply fell in love with someone else—with Thomas? How, finally, should we see these two men? There's a moving shot of Anat, again wordless, that seems to offer a clue. Her visage reads, to me at least, like a vision of forgiveness, and even mercy. Graizer's made a slight but special film, a quiet debut about the mysteries of other human hearts, and our own. (2017, 105 min, DCP Digital) SP
Michael Patrick Jann's DROP DEAD GORGEOUS (American Revival)
Music Box Theatre — Friday and Saturday, Midnight, and Wednesday, 9:30pm
Imagine my surprise when I went to research the film and discovered that not only was DROP DEAD GORGEOUS a commercial flop, but that it was also panned by critics at the time of its release. Surely, I thought, everyone loved the film as much as I did when I was a preteen, wearing out the hot pink-sheathed VHS on a small TV in my bedroom, relishing its perverse takedown of people and places eerily similar to those of my own Midwestern upbringing—but they didn't. "Broad, obvious and thuddingly unfunny!" wrote John Hartl for the Seattle Times. "As mean-spirited as movies come!" declared Susan Stark for Detroit News. "The ideas are funnier than the images," demurred Robert Ebert, no exclamation point. I wondered how my understanding of the film's reception could have been so distorted, but then I remembered: it was 1999, and people learned about films through large-scale advertising campaigns and half-page reviews in the newspapers that still hit their doorsteps every morning, neither of which I cared much about at the ripe old age of 11. And we didn't have the Internet as we now know it, with digital advertising and social media and the like, to inform our opinions, or, should those be unshakeable, at the very least our awareness of a film's success or failure. Back then, movies like DROP DEAD GORGEOUS seemed to exist in a silo, or better yet, seemed to belong only to us, the kids sitting in our rooms alive with the delight of discovery, wishy-washy moviegoers and curmudgeonly critics be damned. (Oh, the irony.) I almost can't imagine what it'll be like watching it in a theater with a crowd, though I can say that, a few egregiously off-color jokes aside, it holds up. To Ebert's point, DROP DEAD GORGEOUS, directed by Michael Patrick Jann and written by Lona Williams (herself a beauty pageant survivor), isn't filled to the brim with laugh-out-loud moments. Really, it's more clever than anything, exaggerated enough to be amusing and infinitely quotable, but still disconcerting in its authenticity. (Kudos to production designer Ruth Ammon for capturing the existential malaise that is a small-town parade...or a small-town anything.) For those not cool enough to have watched it a million times throughout the early aughts, the film is a mockumentary à la Christopher Guest about a teen beauty pageant in Mount Rose, Minnesota. Quaint though it may seem, the competition is fierce: Becky Leeman (Denise Richards), daughter of the town's richest family, is a shoe-in to win, figuring that her mom (Kirstie Alley) is head of the pageant organizing committee. The crowd favorite, however, is Amber (Kirsten Dunst), whose origins are decidedly more humble; her mom (Ellen Barkin) does hair out of their trailer, and family friend Loretta (Allison Janney) is around to curse people out as needed. Still, Amber dreams of being a beauty queen like her idol, Diane Sawyer. Things go awry after a contestant is killed in a freak farming accident. From there, people start dropping like flies, and it's obvious who's behind the calamity—but the show must go on. At the risk of intellectualizing a movie that perhaps doesn't warrant it, it's among a handful of films that makes tangible the emotional violence of being a young woman. Yes, beauty pageants are dumb and hardly worth the drama, but try telling that to a 17-year-old girl who's been taught that beauty and popularity are synonymous with success and respect. It's a film that makes you take it seriously, even as you're sniggering to yourself over its wry cuts and quippy one-liners. The performances are superb; it's Michael Patrick Jann's only feature-length film (he was a cast member on MTV's The State and directed the majority of its sketches—he now directs television), but he proves himself adept as a director of actors in larger-scale projects. No talent goes wasted, from Dunst's girl-next-door charm to the unbridled je ne sais quois of the late Brittany Murphy, who plays another contestant along with a young Amy Adams. The standouts, though, are the moms and their unruly friends: Alley is truly horrifying as a god-fearing helicopter parent, and Barkin delivers as a down-on-her-luck hairdresser who literally becomes stuck to her ever-present beer can. But, of course, Janney is the real scene-stealer; if I cared about the Oscars, I'd say her win for last year's I, TONYA was influenced by the greater of the two outstanding performances. (Janney says she's approached more about this film than she is about The West Wing.) Whether you're revisiting DROP DEAD GORGEOUS or seeing it for the first time, it'll be the "most smartest" decision you've made in awhile. (1999, 98 min, 35mm) KS
Lorna Tucker's WESTWOOD: PUNK, ICON, ACTIVIST (New Documentary)
Music Box Theatre — Check Venue website for showtimes
Lorna Tucker's tribute to iconoclastic fashion designer Vivienne Westwood is probably not exactly what the filmmaker or its subject hoped it would be. Westwood's reticence to cooperate with Tucker is palpable throughout and the haphazard pace and editing of the film indicate that Tucker struggled to find an adequate form for the portrait she was making. Still, she manages to capture enough of the spirit of the cantankerous designer to make this documentary worthwhile for anyone interested in the fashion business and in the inherent tensions between art and commerce which are central to every creative industry. Tucker does not provide enough context for a novice to grasp Westwood's historical importance in her field but the wealth of archival footage featuring luminaries such as Malcolm McLaren, Christina Hendricks, as well as countless supermodels, designers, and financiers make clear that her work is worth celebrating. The activist part of the film is the most problematic. Westwood has publicly denounced Tucker's film for minimizing Westwood's abiding passion for promoting environmentalism and other leftist issues in favor of revealing her professional and personal squabbles. Yet the designer looks most tone-deaf and out of touch in the clips where she's rallying crowds for the causes she holds dear. There's something grotesque in seeing this haute couture creature act as if she's leading the masses to storm the palaces of power, no matter how sincere and righteous her beliefs may be. Westwood's struggle to be taken seriously by the fashion establishment is a leitmotif throughout so it's a bit ironic that she mostly makes a fool of herself when she's away from her craft. Whatever image filmmaker and subject were striving to put forth, on screen Westwood is a fierce, irascible force of a woman who, well into her seventies, has no intention to stop kicking against the pricks. (2018, 83 min, DCP Digital) DS
Abbas Kiarostami's THE TRAVELER (Iranian Revival)
Filmfront (1740 W. 18th St.) — Monday, 8pm
NOTE: Spoilers! Abbas Kiarostami considered THE TRAVELER to be his first "true" feature, and it was also the first film where he worked "alone with [his] actors, without scripted dialogue," as he once told critic Jonathan Rosenbaum. It's also the last film he shot in black and white. If you're anything like Qassem, the young protagonist of this compact work, not even an exhausting combination of perpetually-departing-just-as-you-arrive buses and trains would deter you from getting to a screening of it. But it's not a film that Qassem hopes to see; rather, it's a soccer match in Tehran. He raises the money for his bus fare by stealing from his mother, pretending to take photos of his classmates, and selling his friends' soccer equipment. Once in Tehran, he waits several hours to buy his ticket and then another few hours for the game to start. Sadly—and ironically—he misses it after he falls asleep outside the stadium. Considered by Rosenbaum to be Kiarostami's first masterpiece, it introduces motifs that appear in many of his later films, such as oblique journeys and inconclusive conclusions. THE TRAVELER is about a child, just as most of his early films were about children, something he wouldn't make a film about again after HOMEWORK in 1989. One might say that Kiarostami's career matured just like a child going into adulthood, with the themes of his films progressing accordingly. Yet Kiarostami's camera here is indiscriminate; Qassem's quest is treated as seriously as Mr. Badii's in TASTE OF CHERRY, the plight of the child given as much weight as that of the adult. The former's determination is admirable despite his underhanded tactics, though such machinations result in a guilt-induced nightmare. This dream sequence is unique in Kiarostami's work, and it's perhaps even out of place in a film that borders on neo-realism. In CLOSE-UP, Hossain Sabzian, the man whose arrest for impersonating Mohsen Makhmalbaf is the basis of the film, remarks that he's the child from THE TRAVELER who's left behind, in retrospect adding further gravitas to Qassem's ill-advised tenacity. Showing with an unannounced short film. (1974, 70 min, Digital Projection) KS
William Friedkin's THE FRENCH CONNECTION (American Revival)
Northbrook Public Library (1201 Cedar Lane, Northbrook) — Wednesday, 1 and 7pm (Free Admission)
Relentless. Gene Hackman's sensational turn as Popeye Doyle only works because of his foils: jaded, unflappable Roy Scheider and bourgeois, urbane Fernando Rey. And New York City, as much a character as any human being on screen. Friedkin thrusts us into the middle of a hellish, grubby, chaotic city, a place where the glass of beer sitting on the bar gets drugs, cigarette butts, and junkie's works dumped into it so Doyle can mix up his patented milkshake. Handheld, documentary-like camerawork, working hand in glove with jagged, quick cutting; the car chase may never be duplicated for sheer adrenaline, but the little offhand details are what make the film a fully formed world. The bicycle in Hackman's apartment, ugly wallpaper in Weinstock's living room, orange drink in the subway, nighttime steam rising from the pavement. Don Ellis' soundtrack is also key to the atmosphere, rife with spooky horns and percussion. The shootout in a dripping, ruined warehouse serves as an abrupt, almost existential ending. It seems to pose the question: "Is that all there is ... to life?" (1971, 104 min, DCP Digital) RC
Tim Wardle's THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS (New Documentary)
Music Box Theatre — Check Venue website for showtimes
Note: Spoilers! Playing like an unholy amalgam of THE TRUMAN SHOW, a human-interest puff-piece, and the Stanford Prison Experiment, this documentary about three identical twins separated at birth is a fascinating tale in an imperfect package. When three 19-year-old New Yorkers in 1980 accidentally discover each other they become instant celebrities, making appearances on the Phil Donahue Show and the like, and living it up at hotspots like Studio 54. But when their three sets of adoptive parents go searching for answers this feel-good fairytale quickly goes very dark. The Jewish adoption agency that placed the triplets with three families of different classes seemed to be using them and other twins to run a study to determine the effects of nature versus nurture. After one of the brothers commits suicide, his survivors are even more intent on learning the circumstances of their adoption but their efforts are frustrated by bureaucratic red-tape. The brothers and the only families they've ever known are justifiably outraged to have been treated like lab rats. The study they were part of was never published and most of those who ran it are dead or keeping mum about their intentions. The fact that a Jewish organization sponsored a program such as this less than twenty years after the Nazis' eugenics experiments is equal parts baffling and horrifying. One junior staffer, now a distinguished elderly woman with sparkling eyes, insists they didn't know they were doing anything wrong. At times, Wardle needlessly inserts reenactments and slo-mo cinematography to tart up his movie; this has become de rigueur since Errol Morris revolutionized the look and feel of documentaries, but these flourishes can't obscure the power of the story Wardle is telling. More questions are raised than answered, as is often the case in actual life rather than fairytales. (2017, 96 min, DCP Digital) DS
The Chicago Film Society (at the Music Box Theatre) screens Derek Burbidge's 1981 UK music documentary URGH! A MUSIC WAR (96 min, 35mm) on Monday at 7pm. Preceded by M. Henry Jones' 1977 short THE FLESHTONES IN "SOUL CITY" (2 min, 35mm Archival Preservation Print).
Chicago Filmmakers (5720 N. Ridge Ave.) screens John Bolton's 2016 Canadian documentary AIM FOR THE ROSES (102 min, Digital Projection) on Saturday at 7:30pm.
The Twisted Oyster Film Festival takes place Wednesday-Friday, July 18-20. More info at www.twistedoysterfilmfestival.com.
Black Cinema House (at the Dorchester Art + Housing Collaborative, 1456 E. 70th St.) screens episodes from two web series: Angela Dugan's THE CAT LADY CHRONICLES and Justin Casselle and Adam Lieberman's WHY DON'T YOU LIKE ME? on Friday at 7:30pm. Free admission.
The Goethe-Institut Chicago (150 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 200) screens Fatih Akin's 2007 German/Turkish/Italian film THE EDGE OF HEAVEN (122 min, Video Projection) on Thursday at 6pm. Free admission.
The Instituto Cervantes (31 W. Ohio St.) screens Iciar Bollaín's 2010 Spanish film EVEN THE RAIN (105 min, DVD Projection) on Tuesday at 7pm. Free admission.
Also at the Northbrook Public Library (1201 Cedar Lane, Northbrook) this week: Andrew Haigh's 2017 UK film LEAN ON PETE (121 min, DCP Digital) is tentatively scheduled for Saturday at 10:30am (open captioned), 2pm, and 7pm (not confirmed by our deadline; check their website for any update); and Guillermo del Toro's 2006 film PAN'S LABYRINTH (118 min, Unconfirmed Format) is on Thursday at 7pm, as part of the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie Discussion Group. Free admission.
ArcLight Chicago screens Ang Lee's 2000 film CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (120 min, DCP Digital) on Tuesday at 7:30pm.
Also at the Gene Siskel Film Center this week: Michael Mayer's 2018 film THE SEAGULL (98 min, DCP Digital) plays for a week; and Marta Nováková's 2017 Czech Republic/Slovak film 8 HEADS OF MADNESS (107 min, DCP Digital) is on Friday at 8pm and Saturday at 5pm.
Also at the Music Box Theatre this week: Christopher Dillon Quinn's 2017 documentary EATING ANIMALS (94 min, DCP Digital) opens; George Dunning's 1968 animated film YELLOW SUBMARINE (85 min, DCP Digital) is on Friday and Saturday at Midnight; Looney Tunes on 35mm (approx. 3 hours, 35mm; free admission) is on Saturday at Sunday at 10am; and Terry Gilliam's 1991 film THE FISHER KING (138 min, DCP Digital) is on Tuesday at 7pm.
At Facets Cinémathèque this week: Mila Turajlić's 2017 Serbian/French/Qatari documentary THE OTHER SIDE OF EVERYTHING (100 min, Video Projection) and Jeannie Gaffigan's 2018 stand-up comedy film JIM GAFFIGAN: NOBLE APE (70 min, Video Projection) both have weeklong runs; and Jonathan Hacker's 2018 documentary PATH OF BLOOD (92 min, Video Projection) has a single screening on Saturday at 10pm.
The Chicago Cultural Center hosts the Cinema/Chicago screening of Wei Te-sheng's 2017 Taiwanese 52HZ, I LOVE YOU (110 min, Video Projection) on Wednesday at 6:30pm. Free admission.
Comfort Film at Comfort Station Logan Square (2579 N. Milwaukee Ave.) presents an outdoor screening of Clifford Smith's 1925 silent western THE WHITE OUTLAW (50 min, Video Projection), with live musical accompaniment by Mkot Pt., on Wednesday at 8:30pm. Free admission.
Sinema Obscura presents TV Party (s2e7) on Wednesday at 7pm at the Logan Theatre (2646 N. Milwaukee Ave.). The program includes a selection of shorts and trailers, followed by local filmmaker Lew Ojeda and Tyler Pistorius's 2018 film DONALD J. TRUMP: A VERY WHITE HOUSE CON JOB.
Currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago: Cauleen Smith's single-channel video SPACE IS THE PLACE (A MARCH FOR SUN RA) (2001) is in the Stone Gallery; Gretchen Bender's eight-channel video installation TOTAL RECALL (1987) is in Gallery 289; Joan Jonas' MIRROR PIECES INSTALLATION II (1969/2014) is in Gallery 293B; Frances Stark's 2010 video installation NOTHING IS ENOUGH (14 min loop) in Gallery 295C; and Nam June Paik's 1986 video sculpture FAMILY OF ROBOT: BABY in Gallery 288.
CINE-LIST: July 13 - July 19, 2018
MANAGING EDITOR // Patrick Friel
ASSOCIATE EDITORS // Ben Sachs, Kathleen Sachs, Kyle A. Westphal
CONTRIBUTORS // Rob Christopher, Kyle Cubr, Michael Metzger, Scott Pfeiffer, Dmitry Samarov, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky


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So why did I call this place heaven? I'll give you a little hint.
This is just the other side of Port Charlotte from where we are staying. So it would be rude not to drop in and say hello, right? So drop in we did. This had to be the most relaxed distillery tour I've ever been on. For a start none of that "no pictures inside" thing. And then instead of looking inside one of the bonded warehouses from just inside the door / behind an iron gate / from the outside, we could just wander freely inside it. I suspect that's not hugely interesting normally. But this is no ordinary distillery. Looking round the shop these guys have done more variations than anyone else I know. But they also buy in other casks, and sell single casks for collectors, keeping them here to mature. So a wander round unearths whisky from all over the country, owned by people all over the world.
Then on to the tasting. Again not a case of "Here's the 12 year old" or "We have three to try from". Oh no! After picking up a drop of the 10 year old the conversation went like this.
Me: Nice drop the 10. Is there anything else to sample?
Tourguide: There sure is
Me: Ah what have you got.
Tourguide: What would you like?
Me: …. :-O
So a few samples later we walked out having spent a small fortune in their shop. Not all on whisky I'd like to say.
Right onwards and …..well, onwards.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Shanghai has set up the first "eight categories" intelligent garbage bin access control system. The system integrates many functions such as identity identification, information screen, port scanning, surveillance camera, mobile network and so on, which can carry multiple tasks. In March of this year, it was clearly stated that according to the actual situation of residential areas, the collection containers should be set up scientifically and reasonably, and the collection containers should meet the needs of the four types of garbage. At present, in many garbage classification areas in Shanghai, the garbage can houses are being transformed in accordance with the requirements of the "Plan". Some of the communities have begun to try out intelligent garbage can houses. The reporter saw this in the village of Pule er village. Eight categories of intelligent garbage bin house access control system through monitoring devices, real-time monitoring of garbage delivery site, effectively identify the accuracy of garbage classification, guide residents to achieve the correct classification, improve the efficiency of management.


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We deliver maths and statistics workshops throughout the academic year. Bookings for these workshops open two weeks in advance, click here to book now. Currently we offer the following workshops:
Maths Workshops
In order to enrol on ANY teaching course you need to pass a numeracy skills test. This workshop is designed to introduce you to the structure of the tests as well as to familiarise you with the maths involved; both written and mental arithmetic. This is a highly interactive session so please come along ready to share ideas and do some maths!
In order to enrol on ANY teaching course you need to pass a numeracy skills test. This workshop is designed to introduce you to the structure of the tests as well as to familiarise you with the maths involved; both written and mental arithmetic. This is a highly interactive session so please come along ready to share ideas and do some maths!
This is an opportunity to revisit the foundations of some algebraic topics such as: simplifying expressions, expanding and factorising, solving equations and rearranging formulae. These topics may underpin mathematical aspects of your course, so this session is your chance to deepen your understanding of algebra and increase your confidence.
Statistics Workshops
This is a hands on session where you will discuss what you would like to learn about your calculators, carry out some calculations such as finding a mean, standard deviation and correlation coefficient and identify possible pitfalls with using your calculator. (Models FX83, FX85 ONLY).
This workshop is for students about to embark on a research project that will require the use of a questionnaire to collect data and information. At the workshop you will learn to design a questionnaire by considering your research and what survey questions will provide you with the data and information you will need to carry out the analysis. The design is dictated by the information you want to collect, therefore we will consider types of questions, layout, order and delivery. Remember a well thought out questionnaire will make it easier for your participation group to respond and give you useful data!
This workshop will provide you with an introduction to statistical analysis mainly focusing on descriptive statistics. For descriptive statistics, the data is initially described and summarised using graphs and statistical quantities (e.g. frequencies, percentages, mean, median, bar charts etc). The workshop will explore the different data types, their characteristics and how to distinguish between them. These steps are essential for setting the scene and carrying out any statistical tests.
Once the descriptive statistics is reported, an analysis of the data set can be carried out. Depending on your research question and type of data collected or gathered, there are various statistical tests to choose from. This workshop will cover techniques to help you choose the right statistical test to analyse your data and draw conclusions. It will also explain what a p-value is and how this can be reported in relation to your research question(s). Note this session will not deal with interpreting and reporting finding. For that, please see the workshop on Reporting your statistical analysis.
Coming soon!
Coming soon!
Coming soon!
Coming soon!
This session looks at conventions for reporting findings of statistical analysis and will help you to interpret results from other papers and studies. Note this session will not deal with statistical analysis. For that, please see workshops on descriptive and inferential statistics.
Coming soon!
We offer faculty workshops that are specific to certain modules. To find out whether this applies to your course, get in touch during our drop-in hours or email email@example.com.


text: Transcription: SoundWent to this last night. It's part of the National Galleries collaboration with various colleges. They've done animation with Saint Martins and shorts with the London Film School, which I haven't checked out yet.So the 9 students from Ravensbourne College got to pick from all the paintings in the NG and come up with some sound design to accompany. I was impressed with a couple, the ones that used voice and language, but some were like weak incidental film music scores with a few sound fx thrown in. The films arn't available online yet, but they will be soon. May 23, 2008 by Curtis James


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Historical | Bespoke | Artisanal
When we met with the team at Gieves & Hawkes, we discovered sartorial artisans with over a century's worth of heritage and expertise.
They were in a bind. Their previous world-renowned agency had just gone bust, leaving the essential English brand on the edge of losing its digital presence completely. We stepped up to the challenge and migrated their Magento site silently over to our hosting platform. Within days their online life was assured.
Visit gievesandhawkes.com


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On Saturday, December 16th, you're invited to stop by the Palmaris Room at Tomasello Winery in Hammonton, anytime from 12-5pm, to try the Tomasello Rudolph Tini and other specialty cocktails which will be available for purchase along with beer, wine, light fare and Tapas. Bring your friends and family for a Holiday Happy Hour at Tomasello Winery!
- This event has passed.


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Hiona Holiday Hotel- Palekastro -Eastern Crete
It is situated on the outskirts of the village of Palekastro approx. 400 metres from its centre and is set back approx. 35 metres from the road leading to the sand and pebble beach of Chiona and the small traditional fish tavernas approx. 1900 metres away.The hotel has 35 rooms, all decorated in a neo-classical style, all with their own private WC/shower, telephone, fridge, TV, air conditioning and balcony, enjoying views of either the surrounding hillside or the village.
The hotel facilities include a swimming pool at the exterior in a size of 83 sqm,a reception area with a lounge joining on to the breakfast area. Anna, the young owner, is always eager to help her guests with anything they may need and make their stay an enjoyable one.
All necessary shops, cafes, restaurants plus nightlife facilities are to be found in the village of Palekastro.


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Bc Side-to-Hire
Brilliant Chemistry created Contract-to-Hire 2.0. It allows you to judge team fit before committing to a permanent hire.
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Want to verify a mutual fit before hiring? Side-to-Hire Verifies a mutual fit before hiring employees, reducing the risk of a bad hire.
Talk to someone today on Brilliant Chemistry's Side-to-Hire


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May 8, 2015
Sullivan's Salvos 5/12/15
In this edition:
*Dane County
*The American Electorate
*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
*Did You Know?
*Dane County
A large group of Johnson County representatives traveled to Dane County, Wisconsin on May 4 and 5 for a series of tours and discussions. Our entourage included 14 Johnson County employees, 3 Iowa City employees, and two citizens who paid their own expenses. I will write about this in greater detail later. For now, here are a few thoughts:
*The governments of Dane County and City of Madison were wonderful hosts. They were all very helpful and personable.
*We have EXACTLY the same problems! I read their equivalents of the local paper, the University paper, and the alternative weekly. If I didn't know better, I would have thought I was reading the papers from home.
*Dane County and Madison do not have all the answers, but there are certainly things we can learn from visiting with them.
*Troy Gardens is a fabulous model for the future development of the County Poor Farm!
We spent time on jail overcrowding, disproportionate minority contact, racial equity, affordable housing, tiny houses, local foods, and more. All in all, this was probably the best trip I have ever taken as a Johnson County Supervisor.
Thanks to the staff and elected officials in Dane County for the fine hospitality, and thanks to our own Andy Johnson for all his hard work in arranging this wonderful trip!
I am not offended by being called a "politician". In my book, anyone who chooses to run for elective office is a politician by definition. According to Merriam Webster, I am pretty close. They define politician as: a person who is professionally involved in politics, especially as a holder of or a candidate for an elected office.
Yet many elected officials are very put off by the term "politician". They prefer "elected official", ""public official", "public servant", etc.
Three things: First, when did the word politician become a dirty word? If you don't like being called that, don't run for office! Secondly, you will never get to control what folks call you. Like George Costanza, you cannot pick your own nickname! Finally, I get called many worse things! If it gets no worse than "politician", I'll take it!
*The American Electorate
We are reaching the time of year where pundits spend a lot of time describing voters and voter behavior. I happen to believe they are usually wrong. Here, then, is my take on the American Electorate:
I think the American Electorate breaks into 7 groups: Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Other Parties, Average Folks, Don't Care, and People with Barriers. Let's take a look at all 7 groups:
About 20% of the US electorate are Republicans. These folks are going to vote virtually 100% of the time, and will almost never cross party lines.
About 18% of the US electorate are Democrats. These folks are very likely to vote (though not quite as likely as Republicans) and will almost never cross party lines (though they are slightly more likely to do so than Republicans).
Those two groups are pretty easy to understand. The press seems to misunderstand the others.
About 10% of the US electorate are Independents. (No Party is the actual registration status in Iowa.) This group watches the news, and votes regularly, though not in the percentages as those affiliated with political parties. These are the folks who vote for Barack Obama and a conservative City Council. They routinely voted for both Karen Kubby and Jim Leach. They might lean a bit left of center on more issues than not, but will never admit it. They HATE talking politics; the topic is uncomfortable. The majority (but not all) of these folks supported the GOP in '68, '72, '80, '84, and '00. The majority (but not all) of these folks supported Democrats in '64, '76, '92, '96, '08, and '12. This is essentially the group over which hundreds of millions of dollars are spent every two years.
About 2% of the US electorate belong to Other Parties, or pretend they do. This group includes Libertarians, Greens, Socialists, etc. This group spends a lot of time complaining (and rightfully so) about our two party system. In exchange for their frustration, they like to drive the two major parties crazy. They know that every percentage point matters, so this small group is able to punch well above its' weight.
The group I am calling Average Folks makes up about 30% of the electorate. These people do not follow politics much, and are unlikely to vote except in a Presidential election, if then. While it might be fair to characterize this group as low information voters, they are not stupid. They are just busy. They are working longer and harder for less. They are likely to have second jobs. They have kids and elderly parents for whom they need to care. It is a struggle to maintain housing and transportation. Life is hard, and these folks are fighting the good fight. With the possible exception of Obamacare, they have not seen either party do much for them since 1964. They have not completely said "screw it" like our next group, but they see little reason to vote.
The sixth group I am calling Don't Care, and they make up about 10% of the electorate. This group has decided to throw in the towel. This group believes all politicians are crooks. They see no reason to vote, and mentions of politics bring out hostility. These are the people who slam doors in the faces of canvassers.
The final group I am calling People with Barriers. This amounts to about 10% of the electorate. These folks have not necessarily thrown in the towel, but voting just ain't happening. This includes people in prison and jail; people who have criminal records; very elderly people; people with disabilities; eligible immigrants; basically people for whom the barriers to voting are just too high.
What do you think? Have I characterized things correctly, or not?
*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
Save the date! The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding our Annual Hall of Fame Awards event on Saturday, May 16 at 7pm at the Coralville Marriott.
Please join us for coffee, desserts, and plenty of old war stories! A cash bar will be available. Parking is available for a small fee on either end of the building.
The Hall of Fame inductees for 2015 are: Gary Sanders, Ro Foege, Pat Ikan, and Dennis and Robin Roseman. We hope you can join us in recognizing this remarkable group!
Tickets are available for a $25 suggested donation. People who cannot afford that amount should still feel welcome, but please call 354-7199 so we can get a count.
Sponsorships are available at the following levels:
$100 includes two tickets
$250 includes 4 tickets
$500 includes a whole table (8 tickets)
Checks can be mailed to:
Johnson County Democrats
PO Box 1773
Iowa City, IA 52244
If you have any questions, please contact Rod Sullivan at 354-7199 or firstname.lastname@example.com. We hope you will join us for a fun evening, and lend your voice to those who are honoring these very deserving people. We look forward to seeing you!
*DID YOU KNOW? Voter turnout in US Presidential elections peaked at 82% in 1876. Since 1968, voter turnout has ranged between 49% and 59%.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
"Sullivan's Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.
If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at firstname.lastname@example.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.
As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or firstname.lastname@example.com. I look forward to serving you!


text:
Looking for the Hillary Clinton Taliswoman Necklace?
April 07, 2017
Huma wearing our necklace at Disneyland!
Photo: TMZ
Click here to see article....
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April 07, 2017
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September 02, 2016
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© 2019 Billy Zeemann.


text:
The Green Organic Dutchman Announces Closing of C$17.3 Million Over-Allotment Option to its $132.26 Million IPOSpotlight Companies Follow |
The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX:TGOD) is pleased to announce that it has issued an additional 4,726,500 units (the "Over-Allotment Units") at $3.65 per Over-Allotment Unit raising additional aggregate gross proceeds of $17,251,725 pursuant to the exercise of the over-allotment option (the "Over-Allotment Option") granted to a syndicate of agents co-led by Canaccord Genuity Corp. as sole bookrunner and PI Financial Corp., and including Industrial Alliance Securities Inc., INFOR Financial Inc., Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. and Mackie Research Capital Corporation, in connection with its recently completed initial public offering (the "IPO") which closed on May 2, 2018.
After taking into account the Over-Allotment Option, TGOD will have raised aggregate gross proceeds of $132,263,225 under the IPO by issuing an aggregate of 36,236,500 units of the Company, including the Over-Allotment Units. The terms of the Over-Allotment Option are more particularly described in TGOD's amended and restated prospectus dated April 20, 2018 which is available under TGOD's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
"We are extremely pleased with the markets' support of our IPO, which is the largest to date on the TSX in the cannabis space. The additional funds will support the Company's plans of becoming the world's leading brand of organic cannabis. The further investments by Aurora Cannabis Inc. ("Aurora") (TSX:ACB) in both the IPO and the Over-Allotment Option bring Aurora's total investment in the Company to $78,145,562 and further validate TGOD's business plan and value. The partnership with Aurora has been excellent with great cooperation across all departments of our organizations. We could not ask for a better partner," said Robert Anderson, TGOD's Co-Chairman and CEO.
Each Over-Allotment Unit consists of one common share (a "Common Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant being a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable into one Common Share at the price of $7.00 per Common Share until May 2, 2020, subject to an acceleration right whereby the Company may provide written notice to the registered holders of the Warrants (a "Warrant Acceleration Notice") that the expiry time of the Warrants shall be accelerated to a date which is 30 days after the date of such Warrant Acceleration Notice, if, at any time, the volume-weighted average trading price for the Common Shares is equal to or greater than $9.00 for any ten (10) consecutive trading day period.
No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The securities of TGOD have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws. Accordingly, the securities of TGOD may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of TGOD in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. is a research & development company licensed under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ("ACMPR") to cultivate medical cannabis. The Company carries out its principal activities producing cannabis from its facilities in Ancaster, Ont., pursuant to the provisions of the ACMPR and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) and its regulations.
The Company grows high quality, organic cannabis with sustainable, all-natural principles. TGOD's products are laboratory tested to ensure patients have access to a standardized, safe and consistent product. TGOD has a funded capacity of 116,000 kg and is building 970,000 sq. ft. of cultivation facilities in Ontario and Quebec.
Prior to the completion of the Offering, the Company developed a strategic partnership with Aurora whereby Aurora made a $55 million investment for an approximate 17.5% stake in TGOD. Aurora exercised its option to maintain its pro-rate position in light of the IPO and the Over-Allotment Option and has now invested approximately $78.1 million in TGOD. In addition, including the IPO and the Over-Allotment Option, the Company has raised approximately C$290 million dollars and has over 5,000 shareholders.
In the interest of full disclosure, we call the reader's attention to the fact that Equities.com, Inc. is compensated by the companies profiled in the Spotlight Companies section. The purpose of these profiles is to provide awareness of these companies to investors in the micro, small-cap and growth equity community and should not in any way be considered as a recommendation to buy, sell or hold these securities. Equities.com is not a registered broker dealer, investment advisor, financial analyst, investment banker or other investment professional. We are a publisher of original and third party news and information. All profiles are based on information that is available to the public. The information contained herein should not be considered to be complete and is not guaranteed by Equities.com to be free from misstatement or errors. The views expressed are our own and not intended to be the basis for any investment decision. Readers are reminded to do their own due diligence when researching any companies mentioned on this website. Always bear in mind that investing in early-stage companies is risky and you are encouraged to only invest an amount that you can afford to lose completely without any change in your lifestyle. Equities has been compensated with cash, common shares and/or warrants for market awareness services provided.
DISCLOSURE: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors, and do not represent the views of equities.com. Readers should not consider statements made by the author as formal recommendations and should consult their financial advisor before making any investment decisions. To read our full disclosure, please go to: http://www.equities.com/disclaimer
|The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.


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Herobrine is a community-made creepypasta who have long been rumored about his existence. Some truly believe that he's a rare creature who sometimes occur in-game but there has been no evidence to support that claim so far. This add-on implements Herobrine in-game — for real. You'll be able to summon him by building a very specific structure and then fight him in a boss battle.
You can summon Herobrine by building a statue using four Soul Blocks (replaces iron blocks) and one Soul of Herobrine (replaces pumpkins). The iron golem has basically been replaced by Herobrine.
Herobrine has almost too many powers to count. He can teleport, shoot fire charges, spawn primed TNTs and summon wither skeleton minions. I guess you could sum it up by saying that he's incredibly dangerous.
How to kill Herobrine?
After you have spawned Herobrine you will see him for a few moments, and then spawn a meteor shower before disappearing for a while. If you survive past this then he will appear again but this time call a wither skeleton to his assistance before disappearing again. Then he will really start to haunt you.
He'll basically spawn TNTs, summon monsters and just continuously teleport around. The only time when you will be able to harm him is when he starts to blink. This is when you need to use all your power to strike him and if you're good enough also kill him.
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text:
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - Treasurys stayed negative early Thursday, pushing yields up, after economic reports showed initial claims for jobless benefits increased last week and housing starts jumped due to a change in how the government collects data. Two-year note yields rose TMUBMUSD02Y, +0.00% 6 basis points to 2.49%. The Labor Department said unemployment claims rose 18,000 to 366,000 in the week ended July 12. Separately, the Commerce Department said home construction starts rose 9.1% in June. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch expected the pace to decline 2% to 959,000 homes. New construction of single-family homes fell 5.3%. Treasurys were under pressure earlier as U.S. equity futures pointed higher after J.P. Morgan Chase JPM, +2.40% and Coca-Cola Co. KO, +1.00% announced better-than-expected earnings.
Treasurys remain lower after jobless claims, housing data
Quote References
+0.00 +0.00%
+2.52 +2.40%
+0.54 +1.00%


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Magic: The Gathering Online reimbursement will end as of the next update, according to MTGO Director Worth Wollpert.
'Look, MTGO has a unique problem – it's created an online economy but without any of the traditional levers used to control markets', Wollpert says. The 'economy' is that of 'tickets', a product available within the game used to enter events, but also traded for other online products amongst players.
'The biggest problem we face, and this is important in an election year, is that of deflation. Every time we reimburse someone's entry fee because lag made them click through their blockers step, or the program crashed and they timed out, or a bug meant that they didn't gain life from their Zulaport Cutthroat… sorry, there are too many consistent, fixable problems to list them all…' Wollpert stares sadly into middle distance, fondling his terms of employment.
Each time a reimbursement claim is successful, the player recovers their tournament entry fee – but also keeps their opened product for sealed and draft events.
'This drives down the purchasing power of a ticket, or 'tix'. The market is flooded with free cards, undermining the price of those cards, which makes investors less likely to spend money on digital cards, further reducing the price'. This, Wollpert says, has led to the drop in value of cards like Splinter Twin, once worth over ten 'tix', and Jace, Vryn's Prodigy, which has cost more than fifteen.
'To stabilise the market, we have decided to suspend our reimbursement program indefinitely. This will increase business confidence and guarantee the continuing profitability of MTGO.
This giving out of 'free' cards has to end. People pay their entry fee knowing that they are playing on a substandard platform that is frankly an embarrassment in 2016, and that it could crash at any time – they accept the risk, and have to deal with the consequences. How dare they demand to be compensated when they still gain the enjoyment of drafting eighteen cards before the program randomly logs them out?
It's absurd to think that your five tix might be able to buy two Tireless Trackers one week but three the next – who is going to buy Tireless Tracker if their value drop so much almost overnight?'
When pressed on other options, Wollpert is less forthcoming.
'I mean, sure, we could make sure the program worked properly. Or we could keep reimbursing people as we improve the program. But realistically, we have a captive audience and can do whatever we fucking want.'
ORCs contacted declined to comment, though one anonymous source claims that WoTC were taking the profits to Isengard.
Card Name: Birthing Pod
Mana Cost: 3 Phyrexian Green
Converted Mana Cost: 4
Types: Artifact
Card Text: (Phyrexian Green can be paid with either Green or 2 life.)
1 Phyrexian Green, Tap, Sacrifice a creature: Search your library for a creature card with converted mana cost equal to 1 plus the sacrificed creature's converted mana cost, put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.


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Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System
Donna Mueller,
Chief Executive Officer
Mission Statement:
Administer a cost-efficient retirement plan that provides lifetime pension payments to public employees and serves to attract and retain a quality workforce.
IPERS investment return
IPERS investments meet actuarial assumed
IPERS service scores compared to other
public pension systems
IPERS benefits are administered
cost effectively
IPERS Trust Fund is invested cost
Highlighted Measure:
Percent by which IPERS meets
its total fund portfolio investment
return objective (a passively
managed benchmark comprised of
indexes for each asset class
within the Investment Board's
target allocations). Measurement
is taken twice a year on a rolling
10-year basis.
Data Source: IPERS
Updated 11/28/2018
this is important:
Provide effective investment of the IPERS Trust
Fund to meet payments of current and future pension
What we're doing about this:
IPERS seeks to add value over market returns in order to help reduce the unfunded liability of the System. IPERS Board and Staff continue to evaluate different approaches in terms of management and types of investments. Staff is implementing a risk management program that will keep the focus on funding the pension liabilities and seek to add value by preserving value in bad markets - when added value matters the most.
Highlighted Measure:
Percent by which IPERS investment
return, on a rolling 10 year
basis, meets the 7.0% assumed
actuarial annual rate of interest.
this is important:
The actuarial soundness of IPERS fund is very
important as it ultimately describes whether
IPERS has sufficient funds to pay all of the
promised benefits.
What we're doing about this:
While the impact of the Great Recession is still evident in the investment returns, IPERS longer-term investment performance has usually exceeded actuarial assumptions. IPERS' annualized investment return of 8.22% for the five-year period ended June 30, 2018 is over the actuarial investment return assumption of 7.0%. While forecasts of market returns for the next ten years are expected to be low by comparison to recent history, IPERS will continue to invest in a conservative and practical manner - attempting to maximize returns on risk within a disciplined risk budgeting framework.
Highlighted Measure:
IPERS' quality of service score
as ranked against peer public pension
systems within the benchmarking
services compiled by Cost Effectiveness
Measurement, Inc.
Data Source: Cost Effectiveness Measurement, Inc.
Updated 03/25/2019
this is important:
Since IPERS has no peers in state government, it is important
to benchmark services against those provided by other public
employee retirement systems. The CEM benchmarking effort
involves approximately 64 leading pension systems in the
U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia. CEM measures quality
of service delivery in fourteen service categories ranging
from communication, counseling, payments, and service to
employers. In twelve of the fourteen service categories, IPERS'
service measures were just below the peer average. IPERS
uses the benchmarking analysis in each of the measurable
service areas to improve services to employees and employers.
The overall "quality of service" score of 84
was close to the peer median score of 86. Over the past twelve
years, IPERS' quality of service scores have been consistently at the score of 80-84.
What we're doing about this:Results from the benchmarking study is being used to improve the quality of services and the efficiency of services by applying innovative approaches and best practices.
Highlighted Measure:
Percent by which IPERS benefit
administrative costs are less
than peer average administrative
costs as measured by CEM per
active member and annuitant.
NOTE: The larger the percentage is that IPERS is away from
the average cost of other
peer public pension funds
the better.
this is important:
It is important to strive to control costs but still deliver
the highest level of service possible. For the seventeenth year
in a row, IPERS succeeded in keeping costs low. IPERS' cost
in 2018 was $51 per active and retired member.
This compares to the peer average cost of $96 per active
and retired member in 2018, which is down from $99 in 2017.
What we're doing about this:
The data clearly show that IPERS has been successful
in this area as we are the lowest cost system
in our CEM peer group of public retirement systems.
Highlighted Measure:
Percent of total fund market
value spent on investment administrative
this is important:
It is important
to continuously strive to control investment
management costs but still seek the highest
possible return on our investments.
What we're doing about this:
IPERS investment costs have remained fairly steady over time, and IPERS is considered to be a "low cost" fund by CEM Benchmarking, Inc. given the complexity of the IPERS investment program. While low costs are an objective, IPERS will utilize higher cost, less liquid investment strategies, such as private equity, real estate, and timberland investments, when it is believed that such strategies will improve the long-term risk-adjusted return on the investment portfolio. IPERS continues to evaluate the effectiveness of its investment program and improve it through a more robust risk management program.
Questions and Feedback | About this Site


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So everyone starts getting a chub at the mention of Kemper. But I am asking a serious what is the BFD with these?
First - I have heard a number of bands and seen them in use. You know what? Not once did I go "HOLY MOTHER OF TONE &^$%" or "WHERE THE %$#$ is [insert name of famous tone god]???? HE MUST BE BEHIND A CURTAINN SOMEWHERE!!!!"
Second, I have played one on two occasions in my favorite Sam Ash - so I played long and loud enough.
OK - it'a a modeller. Sounds just fine. Same as any other modeler these days. Yeah - lots of amps and cabs, half of which all sound the same to my old shot ears. And effects - OMG; The delays sounds as good as....any delay!
Defend this over-hyped, feature bloated, ungodly expensive piece of "So what?"


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Schlagwort-Archive: busch
Lumangwe & Kabwelume Falls – Die Lumangwe- & die Kabwelume-Fälle
9 pictures (All look best fullscreen!)
The Kalungwishi River in Northern Zambia is truly the jewel of that area. Coming down from a remote mountain range of over 1.600 meters altitude, the river is flowing down in northwestern direction towards Lake Mweru. On its last 80 kilometers the Kalungwishi passes three falls of which Lumangwe Falls is the first one. Weiterlesen


text: Share: Comments Print January 18, 2015 at 12:36 PM Russell Wilson throws INT, but Seahawks make goal-line stand Posted by Seattle Times staff The Seahawks' first offensive possession after Sherman's interception did not last long as Russell Wilson threw an interception on third-and-7 from the Seattle 23. The pass was intended for Jermaine Kearse, but it was tipped into the air and picked off by free safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. (Watch video of Wilson's interception here) That was just 2nd INT of Russell Wilson's postseason career. The 1st came on a Hail Mary against Atlanta in 2012. — Jerry Brewer (@JerryBrewer) January 18, 2015 That ball was off of Kearse's hands but looked like Wilson forced that throw into a tough spot. — Jayson Jenks (@JaysonJenks) January 18, 2015 But the Seahawks' defense toughened up, stopping the Packers twice from the 1-yard line and ultimately forcing the Packers to settle for an 18-yard field goal by Mason Crosby with 8:07 to go in the first quarter. A key moment came on the interception, when the Packers were penalized were penalized for taunting at the end of Dix's interception return. Instead of having the ball at the 4-yard line, the Packers started at the Seattle 19. How bad does that Packers' taunting penalty look now? — Jayson Jenks (@JaysonJenks) January 18, 2015 Big goal-line stand by #Seahawks means Packers settle for field goal and 3-0 lead. All things considered, not a bad outcome. — Larry Stone (@StoneLarry) January 18, 2015 Comments


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And then I added, and unless you Elena is not having an orgasm from anal sex ..?
To my surprise it as frankly as I said, and I asked her.
Yes, but I feel a woman and my daughter is still a girl.
After that, the answer she got picked up an empty cup and went to the sink to rinse it from the coffee. Free random cam chat sex.


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May 27, 2016
Getting to know Saracens with Alistair Hargreaves
Saracens club captain Alistair Hargreaves gives us the inside track on Saracens' Aviva Premiership final squad.
The Sarries skipper who has been sidelined for tommorow's English rugby showpiece with a knee injury takes us through his teammates from 1-23.
Alex Goode: "Deservedly Aviva Premiership Player of the year. Outstanding in every way. Also known as Kryptonite or the Drone."
Chris Ashton: "A real head scratcher as to why he's not heading to Australia this summer. Phenomenal player. Filthy rich. Cashton."
Duncan Taylor: "One of those annoying people who is good at everything. Quite possibly the most laid back man in the universe. His selection as Players Player of the Year speaks volumes of his character and his standing within the group."
Brad Barritt (c): "The most competitive man alive. An inspirational leader and hates losing on and off the pitch. At the heart of everything we do at Saracens and according to my sources in the backs, the worst footballer at the Club."
Chris Wyles: "Like a fine red wine, gets better with age….and usually gets you hammered. Might be why I started a brewery with him..."
Owen Farrell: "The ultimate pro. Passionate and knowledgeable. He's taken his game and this team to new heights this season."
Richard Wigglesworth: "Mouthy, quick-witted and an absolute all-rounder on the pitch. Class."
Mako Vunipola: "Not bad for a 45 year old….show me that man's passport. 100th game for the Club tomorrow, is growing as a leader and is continually driving himself and those around him."
Schalk Brits: "Unpredictable, unconventional, unbelievable. His endless energy and positivity is infectious."
Petrus Du Plessis: "Beetlejuice. His scrummaging is significantly better than his chat. One of the best tightheads in the game. Still waiting for that phone call from Eddie."
Maro Itoje: "Should be playing 6."
George Kruis: "An unsung hero. A huge capacity to work hard and manages to keep a smile on his face despite copping an awful amount of flack. A legend in the making."
Michael Rhodes: "Frank the Tank is an incredibly popular man with an outstanding lid. Uncompromisingly hard with a work-rate almost as big as his bottom lip."
Will Fraser: "The comeback king! His positivity in the face of adversity is astounding. Will surely wear the England jersey soon. Needs to lose the beard though…leave it to the pros."
Billy Vunipola: "Keeps getting better. Best No8 in the world, and the most ridiculous laugh you've ever heard."
Jamie George: "An incredibly Girthy bloke who everyone absolutely loves. Has mastered every skill in the book (except dancing). Will be a force for England for many years to come."
Richard Barrington: "An old school character who is endlessly entertaining. Refreshing to see in the modern era."
Juan Figallo: "Been to the brink and back with injury but has comeback with an incredible attitude. Always working, always learning. Contributes in every aspect to the team."
Jim Hamilton: "Famed as a brawler and a mauler but don't let the tattoos and icy glare fool you, he's charismatic and witty with wicked sense of humour. Has a man crush on Cashton"
Jackson Wray: "Has a side profile of an African wildebeest. Devastatingly physical and someone who lives the values of the club through and through. At the heart of the Class of '08."
Neil De Kock: "An incredibly talented youngster with so much potential. Keep your eye on this one, he's going places!"
Charlie Hodgson: "An incredibly talented youngster with so much potential. Keep your eye on this one, he's going places!"
Marcelo Bosch: "Epitome of cool on and off the field. A true gentleman and a joy to be around. Duncan Taylor once told me he 'wouldn't mind being him'. Some accolade."


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Jamaicans say Independence day means little to them
What does Independence Day mean to you?
SOME Jamaicans have long argued that although the country achieved official independence on August 6, 1962, successive governments have, through policies and actions, failed to reflect that. The Jamaica Observer North & East asked Jamaicans living in the northern and eastern sections of the island: What does Independence Day mean to you?
It means that we are responsible for ourselves. When we became independent it was so nice, but now it seems as if we are going backwards.
I was at the National Stadium when we got independence. Yes, I am an old lady; I born 1947. I was happy that day. Everybody was happy. I don't know, though, if we needed independence though because we are not doing so well.
Independence nuh mean much to me. We're not independent; we're always depending on people for things. If we did independent, we would produce more for ourselves.
We wouldn't haffi import nuff a di basic goods weh we use every day. Mi nuh really a celebrate Monday (today). It just mean she mi nuh have work. Mi just a take di day as a rest day; mi nah really celebrate nothing.
Independence Day nuh mean nothing to me. It's a day of spending or celebrating fi all those who celebrate it. Mi nuh really celebrate certain things and this a one of them.
That is my philosophy. Independence Day just cost people money. That is all. We not independent. We depend on too much other people and country fi be independent.
My understanding of independence is, and I can be wrong, when you don't haffi rely 'pon certain country or depend on people. You can provide for your citizens. That is when you independent and Jamaica nuh deh right deh so right now.
When a country independent, it means you do things for yourself. Jamaica not independent. We haffi a get things from foreign.
We always haffi a get help from foreign, so we're not independent.
I work every day, so it's just a regular day for me too. As long as mi have health and strength mi work.
Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the printed copy available at http://bit.ly/epaperlive
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Oh, Canada: Olympic beer from US 'politely declined' in April Fools' joke
The Canadian Olympic Committee has crafted its own version of an April Fools' joke, reporting that Canada has refused the two cases of beer won after a friendly wager between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper during the Sochi Olympics.
Canada won both the men's and women's hockey games in Sochi, and the US eventually made good on its bet, sending two boxes of special White House brew to our neighbors to the north:
@NSCPress YES! Thank you! The @WhiteHouse beer is safe & sound in #AmbDoer's office… for now 🙂 #viewfrom501 pic.twitter.com/AjHp0DNFPU
Article continues below ...
— Connect2Canada (@connect2canada) March 10, 2014
Only now, Canada's Olympic Commmittee has whipped up a jokey faux report saying the two boxes were not acceptable — "politely declined," as per the Canadian way:
"We were a little disappointed, to be honest," Canada's ambassador to Washington Gary Doer said upon seeing the two cases of White House brewed Honey Ale and Honey Porter awaiting him at the Canadian embassy.
"My staff and I kind of looked at each other thinking, 'I thought we were getting beer, eh.' We had no idea what to do with this mishmash of boiled homegrown honey."
The report went on to read that "someone would have to re-pack these cases of 'beer' (air quotations), and ship them back to the White House with a Sorry, no thank you card."
The jabs don't end there:
"Of course, we rarely ever lose at Olympic hockey anymore," the ambassador chuckled, "so we should've seen this coming. It's our fault and we want to sincerely apologize to our American friends."
One junior staffer from Toronto suggested time has come to cease these types of bets over hockey games. "As a Leafs fan I can tell you there is no point in hoping American hockey players will come through for you. It just leads to disappointment for everyone," the young man said while filling out a return to sender bill for the courier.
Oh, Canada. Couldn't leave well enough alone, eh?


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OSWEGO, NY – Harry R. Smith, 91 of Oswego, passed away on Monday May 21, 2018, at Oswego Hospital.
Harry was born in Oneida, NY, to the late Daniel and Flossie (Hilton) Smith
He served in the US Army and was a World War II veteran with citations of Army Occupation Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal.
Harry retired from the Oswego County Highway Department.
He is survived by his loving wife of 16 years, Karen Litzenberger Smith; siblings Fred (Patricia) Smith and Joan Smith; children Cyndy Leonhardt, Nancy (Edward) Monette, Roger Smith and Frank Smith; step-children Phillip Slocum and Daryl (Kristopher) Ferrara; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Services will be held Friday May 25, at the New Haven Community Alliance Church located at 4175 State Route 104, Mexico, NY.
There will be calling hours from 10 a.m. – noon, with a memorial service immediately following the calling hours.
Burial to follow at the Fayetteville Cemetery.
Contributions can be made in Harry's name to the New Haven Community Alliance Church, 4175 State Route 104, Mexico, NY 13114, or the Oswego County Humane Society, 29 W. Seneca St., Oswego, NY 13126.
James A. Menter Funeral Home has care of arrangements.


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Huang Xiaojing
|This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2010)
Huang Xiaojing (Chinese: 黄小晶; pinyin: Huáng Xiǎojīng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: N̂g Sió-cheⁿ; February 1946 - ) is a politician of the People's Republic of China and a former governor of Fujian Province.[1]
A native of Fuzhou, Fujian, Huang started working in September 1969, and joined the Communist Party of China in December 1973. He has served as the director of United Front Work Department of Communist Youth League Fuzhou municipal committee, the secretary of CYL Fuzhou committee, and vice secretary of CPC committee and governor of Gulou District of Fuzhou. In April 1993, he became the secretary of CPC committee in Longyan Region and the administrative officer. In April 1995, he was elevated to vice governor of Fujian Province. He became a standing committee member of CPC Fujian committee and vice governor of Fujian in December 2001. He was elected as vice secretary of CPC Fujian committee and vice governor in December 2003. In December 2004, Huang was appointed as the acting governor of Fujian by the standing committee of 10th Fujian People's Congress, and in January 2005, he was confirmed as governor of Fujian Province.
He was a member of 17th Central Committee of Communist Party of China.
- ^ "Biography of Huang Xiaojing". China Vitae. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
|This article about a Chinese politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


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Rejoice! The Lord Has Anointed Me | Breaking Open the Word at Home
posted in: Breaking Open the Word at Home | 0 |
Reading Time: 5 minutes
We call today Gaudete Sunday because "gaudete" means rejoice. In the readings for this Sunday, Dec. 17, we're given a reason to rejoice — because God's justice is at hand. He has come to save us, and we receive this in our … Read More


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Savory Italian and Herb Vinaigrette
BRIGHT & FRESH - Bright red wine vinegar is perfectly balanced with fresh basil, thyme and oregano, creating a savory and versatile vinaigrette. The ideal "go-to" vinaigrette, it pairs wonderfully with chicken and roasted vegetables.
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Made with ingredients of extraordinary quality — each recipe represents a commitment to culinary excellence and real food that is both convenient and flavorful. Full bodied and bursting with flavor, Lucini® Artisan Vinaigrettes are specially blended to provide a versatile dressing that adheres well to greens, adds punch to sandwiches and brings new depth to meats and poultry when used as a marinade.
Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Water, Organic Red Wine Vinegar, Basil, Sea Salt, Garlic, Oregano, Thyme, Granulated Red Bell Pepper, Black Pepper, Xanthan Gum.
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