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BACKGROUND IMAGE: iSTOCK/GETTY IMAGES
- FeatureAnalyzers bulk up for storage
- FeatureAuto provisioning still a tease
- FeatureiSCSI Products Flood Market
- FeatureBeyond basic RAID
- FeatureCisco Joins FC Switch Club
- FeatureVeritas raises the bar with NetBackup 4.5
- FeatureProtect Data at Rest
- FeatureWhere Does Midrange End and Enterprise Begin?
- FeatureEasing the Pain of NAS Backup Headaches
- FeatureHIPAA Prompts Hospitals to Reconsider Storage
- FeatureWhere ATA arrays can save you money
- FeatureSuperparamagnetic limit
- FeatureHigh-Availability Switches Still a Moving Target
- FeatureTame e-mail storage - before it eats you alive
- FeaturePay the right price for storage
- FeatureWhich new technologies are worth it?
- FeatureBook Review
- FeatureBehind the firewall
- FeatureLower your costs by implementing enterprise-class libraries
- FeatureIt's not all gloom and doom for the storage industry.
- FeatureSnapshot: Block-based storage
- FeatureThe good--and bad--of storage vendor independence
- FeatureWhat are they thinking?
iSTOCK/GETTY IMAGES
Auto provisioning still a tease
Vendors can't deliver full automation yet, but here's what limited help you can get.
Today, storage automation software can help you do more with limited resources. But most vendors concede that the really cool stuff - such as giving storage the smarts to detect and fix problems, retrieve different types of information and protect itself from unauthorized access - is still a work in progress, and it will be quite a while before automation makes good on its full promise.
|Standards everywhere
The discipline will evolve over the next two to five years into a more solid corporate citizen. It may take that long for the industry to duke it out over the various storage management- and automation-related standards-in-progress (see "Standards everywhere").
In the meantime, be prepared for this technology to set off the hype-meter, much like storage area networks (SANs) and virtualization before it. Different vendors define automation according to whatever product they've got at the moment, which makes an in-depth discussion on the topic the same as "trying to get your arms around Jell-O," says Dianne McAdam, an analyst at Illuminata in Nashua, NH.
Much of what's out there currently works only with SANs or with network-attached storage (NAS) devices and thus presumes that a shop has most or all of its storage already networked. Only a few storage-automation setups deal with direct-attached storage (DAS). (See "A sampling of provisioning software,") Also, while there's a bevy of third-party software vendors that purport to work with multiple suppliers' storage devices, most of these are start-ups trying to blaze the trail. For their part, the brand name hardware vendors are all involved in automation efforts in some form, but most work only with their own storage devices - at least for now.
So what exactly is automation software? In its purest form, storage automation is the process of turning manual tasks into things the system manages by itself, with little or no human intervention required. This can include jobs such as storage provisioning, backup, restore and other tasks managed by an application or by the user. The goal is to translate business needs - such as an Oracle database that needs to be accessible round-the-clock - into a series of specific storage-related actions that the system can deal with on its own.
According to Marco Coulter, a divisional vice president at Computer Associates International, Islandia, NY, automation software today can capture the steps to perform a task (workflow), and access the tools needed from a central point, allowing centralized automation. It can also integrate the tools with the best practice workflow to guide non-skilled parties through the task, and automate tasks and refocus staff on business objectives.
Policies can be put in place to mandate that each desktop user is allowed only 200MB of storage, for example, and if anyone tries to sneak by that limit, the storage administrator must be alerted. Or maybe the offending user is sent an automatic e-mail saying they can't do that and what options exist for the overflow.
Likewise, automation software can be set up to morph an existing storage setup into a hierarchical storage management (HSM) system. Any data not accessed in, say, 30 days can be moved to tape and the administrator notified.
Most automation software works by discovering the various storage devices attached to the SAN or NAS. As devices are added or changed, the automation software knows this and keeps itself up to date. Once the devices are accounted for, the software then tries to determine usage information, such as which applications rely on each various storage device, how often it's accessed and what percentage of the device is full and empty.
Then the specific corporate policies are put in place, such as notifying an administrator before assigning more space to an application. Once those policies are in place, the software can really start to do its work. CreekPath Systems Inc., Longmont, CO, claims volume creation on the array level can be as automated as the customer wants it to be, says Paula Dallabetta, director of marketing.
"On an EMC box, we can go in at the .BIN file to create additional volumes, zone it and then close it at the volume management level," she says. Of course, if administrators don't want all that done behind the scenes, they can specify at which points in the process they want to be involved or asked before the system continues onto the next step.
One of the oldest automation players is InterSAN, Scotts Valley, CA, which provides SAN management software called Pathline. Pathline's three-tier architecture includes specialized agents that talk to different storage subsystems, a core software platform running on Solaris and handles management and integration tasks and a database that tracks it all.
Most shops assign storage in a multistep process filled with grunt work, says Karen Dutch, vice president of marketing. Although SANs offer flexibility in meeting storage needs, the downside comes with redundant, multiple paths that could fulfill any potential storage request. Therefore, an administrator needs to check out different subsystems to decide what's currently free and where it's located. Then the administrator needs to match up the specific application's needs - i.e., if it's an accounts billable system that needs high availability or redundancy - to what's available in various SAN subsystems. Most shops have giant spreadsheets to keep track of storage availability, which then needs to be updated manually any time a change is made.
Finally, the administrator needs to use element tools to do the technical provisioning steps, including LUN masking. All these steps must be done in the correct order.
Dutch claims that Pathline turns this into a one-click process that can be done in less than a minute, vs. approximately an hour for an expert using traditional methods to provision a single LUN on a single server. Not only does this save time, but the provisioning can be handled by a business user.
All told, automation software can mimic whatever policies and procedures you've already got in place, or it can help you redefine and quantify policies that have perhaps been too squishy for too long.
The biggest problem facing automation vendors is that their software needs to work with all the various interfaces used by storage vendors. "As long as an array vendor opens its functions through an API, we can automate the process," says CreekPath's Dallabetta. "But if the hardware doesn't have an open API or uses a command-line interface, then we can't manage it." For example, she says, IBM's Shark system does "not have any public APIs, although they're in the process of providing this."
ProvisionSoft, a recent entrant into the storage automation market, gets around this problem by layering on top of the management software that comes with big-name storage arrays. In the initial release, its DynamicIT works on top of EMC's Enterprise Command Center (ECC) and HP/ Compaq's StorageWorks, with more integrations in the works. That way, mundane tasks such as zoning and LUN masking are left to the hardware-specific packages, leaving DynamicIT to make automated provisioning decisions based on metrics such as current server and storage environment, policies, past usage and SLAs.
Like breathing
Dan Tanner, an analyst at the Aberdeen Group, Boston, MA, likens the situation to the central nervous system in a human body. There are things that we don't control, such as breathing on a regular basis, but that we could intervene with if we choose - such as holding our breath when we walk through an area with dense gasoline fumes. Likewise, the vision with storage automation is to have policies or other classes of things that the user can and should intervene with - from a business perspective - and then things below that are automatic and are never touched by human hands.
Chuck Hollis, vice president of markets and products at EMC Corp., defines three types of automation. One is the automation of repetitive tasks, such as scheduling backup and verifying it's been done. Second is integrating related tasks for an end-to-end solution, such as provisioning storage and making the host bus adapter, file system and related storage piece enabled to do the task.
The third type of automation is something Hollis calls "coaching with expertise," which is basically a system that helps users, for instance, find 100GB of storage for a new application in a system that's already maxed out.
EMC's automation plans
"If you take a look at automation today, you'd be sorely disappointed," Hollis admits. Currently, EMC can automate things such as performance service levels. But if an application requires a certain level of service and isn't getting that level, the administrator can be notified and corrective actions suggested. EMC software can also automatically fix capacity problems. If the NT file system should be 90% utilized and is heading over that limit, the system can automatically add more storage.
But these features only work across EMC's own arrays, Hollis says. The company's AutoIS initiative, announced in October 2001, is about taking these tasks and automating them across Hitachi, Compaq, NetApp, and other storage hardware. EMC's StorageScope already does this to some degree by integrating storage management information from different vendors and then presenting it in multiple views. Likewise, the firm's Resource Availability software monitors host-based operating systems, databases and other pieces and reports on the status and usage of related storage resources.
The next releases of both these products - as well as Workload Analyzer, which tracks performance metrics - will have "more intelligence" about other vendors' hardware, Hollis says.
Longer term, over the next two years, Hollis envisions real-time performance analysis, with suggested corrective actions, across different vendors' arrays, switches, servers and applications. "We're staring that right in the face," he says. Another key initiative is replication management across different vendors' gear, including remote replication for things such as disaster recovery, application testing and version control.
IBM's building bricks
At IBM, the company is getting ready to deliver on StorageTank next year - that will be the company's first serious foray into policy-based storage automation. Beyond that are initiatives such as eLiza, which focuses on self-healing servers, storage and software. The goal is to make storage more able to detect and fix problems, retrieve different types of information and protect itself from unauthorized access.
"The idea is to provide more of a mainframe mindset in a distributed storage world," says Brian Truskowski, chief technology officer at IBM's Storage group. "Over time, we'll see more things like having more instances of a [a logical partition] LPAR, where something else can take over in case of failure." These are features that have been long available in mainframes that are moving into distributed storage architectures.
Longer term, IBM is investing in a concept called intelligent storage bricks, Truskowski says. "They have knowledge of other bricks or components in the environment," including gear made by vendors other than IBM. They can also plug into today's storage architectures, he says. If one brick becomes overloaded or unable to function, another can take over. "If you buy storage in the form of intelligent bricks, there's a certain autonomic intelligence that eases the management of the environment."
Still, these bricks are a ways off - IBM is looking at this project as a research activity, not quite yet as a product. In the meantime, the company is investing in something it calls domain wizards - software that can help manage and automate storing an Oracle database on the Shark. "This won't help with the entire environment, but it can help optimize something specific," Truskowski says.
Are customers ready?
Most users aren't prepared for a fully automated storage setup, either, because their policies are murky or because they don't really have a handle on how storage could work in a perfect universe. Others may never want everything automated, says Illuminata's McAdam. "A lot of customers don't want to relinquish that kind of control. It's a leap of faith they'll have to take."
Gary Fox, vice president and director of enterprise data storage at Wachovia/First Union Bank in Charlotte, NC, agrees. "We would like to see that kind of automation, but it's got to be a rules-based system that we have some governance over," he says. "We have to be able to set parameters - not just let it go out and grab more space for something." The reason, he says, is that most organizations "don't police themselves very well," and someone has to be able to make judgments about how things are done. Indeed, Fox's group exists mainly to allocate storage space to the bank's internal customers.
For some users, McAdam compares the situation to when software installation became automated. As an "old systems programmer," she didn't know whether she could trust if the automation would really work. But over time it proved itself, and she realized that it was "great" because it helped her get home at night.
She envisions this type of push-back among storage administrators, too, until companies realize that automation ultimately helps reduce risk. "A lot of outages in the data center have to do with human error," and automation reduces that hazard, she says.
However, according to Stephan Elliott, Director of Storage Management for the Hurwitz Group in Framingham, MA, before the storage department can even think of deploying policy management software throughout the organization, it needs to get all its ducks in line to make sure there's buy-in on the political, cultural and legal issues surrounding policy management. Elliott says, "The human element to policy management is the most difficult part - the technology is much easier to deploy."
CA's Coulter sees the day when storage policy-management decisions - such as adding more storage or when to move data to long-term archiving - will be made within the company's business units instead of within the IT or storage department. "Why not put the power into the hands of the people who are paying for it," Coulter says. He concedes that systems administrators will still be responsible for installing the storage gear and seeing that things hum along smoothly, but Coulter says the people who work in the business units have a much better idea of their storage needs than the people in IT.
But back to the present: EMC's Hollis says only a few of his customers are currently investing in heavy-duty storage infrastructure software, including automation. These are shops mostly in the financial services, telecommunications and large-scale manufacturing industries that are also automating as much as they can elsewhere in their IT architectures, too. He sees storage automation becoming more of a mainstream force in about two years.
Related problems
Automation can open up a rat's nest of questions about storage policies and procedures. Some key concerns are:
- What's the right set of policies?
- If the automation changes the IT workload, how should the IT group be restructured as a result?
- What services, training and education are needed to help use automation tools to their maximum potential?
"Automation requires a top-down storage approach," says Bill North, director of storage software research at International Data Corp., Mountain View, CA. Customers that automate only pieces of the complex puzzle are at risk. Without knowing what the application requirements or storage requirements are, one can't be sure about the quality of the resulting automation.
As North says, "There's a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done before we can get there. We're in the 'walk before you can run' stage."


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Students participating in undergraduate research had the opportunity to present their projects to others in the local scientific community during Hamline's first annual Fall Research Symposium. The event was sponsored by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) which recently provided Hamline with a $1.1 million grant to support undergraduate research in the sciences. "It's always exciting for us when our research students are able to share all their hard work," said Biology Professor Jodi Goldberg. "They're working ten weeks, 40 hours a week, spending a lot of time in the lab, experiencing the ups and downs of research, and I think this is a really good way to learn how to present data and share findings with the scientific community."The grant from HHMI is being used to develop a new program called Engaging Science Students through Investigative Research. This expands the university's science education programs and funds additional research opportunities for undergraduate students pursuing degrees in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, pre-med, and pre-health science. This is the largest grant Hamline's science department has ever received and allows for 22 additional students to conduct summer collaborative research projects. "Especially in the sciences, doing a real research project is a significant experience and one that undergraduates will remember," Chair of the biology department, Dr. Pres Martin said. "It gives them a lot of insight into what a research career may be like."Students participating in research projects dedicate their summers to the work in order to find answers to common problems. "It's exciting. You spend the whole summer trying to figure everything out and the reward is presenting it," said Lynn Sandhofer, a student researcher. Students at the fall symposium presented their findings, whether they were preliminary or final, on posters set up around the room which explained their topics, research methods, and conclusions. Among the dozens of projects, student Ingrid Haugan presented her research about how water interacts with different surfaces. "If we understand this, we can engineer bridges that don't rust and other structures that need to be resistant to water exposure" Haugan said.Among the other opportunities for Hamline research students throughout the year is the chance to present their findings at academic conferences across the country. Hamline traditionally sends one of the largest groups of students to the annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). Find out more about the HHMI grant.
To find out more about what it's like for students to present their work at conferences like NCUR, watch the video below.

subset: commoncrawl


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However, Pennock frequently ridicules the Bible and is generally contemptuous when referring to creationists.
No results found in .
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.


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We're not sure how surprising this is, exactly, but it seems the late, great indie-rock band Pavement will be reuniting and playing a benefit show at Central Park's SummerStage. It's not until September 2010, so you have plenty of time to find a sitter. But the news still resonates! Word of the reunion appeared on Brooklyn Vegan last night, and a Sept. 21 show has since been confirmed by Pitchfork.
It's easy to be droll about Pavement, a band that made a game of being more droll about itself than anyone else could possibly ever be. But it's also worth remembering just how important and significant Stephen Malkmus and his merry band of travelers were. Their combination of glib "whatever" sensibilities with fiendish devotion to things like underground culture and John Ashbery made for a true epochal world-view. And their songs have been aging uncommonly well.
Stay tuned for more news. (Remember, this is 2010 we're talking about here.) But it seems safe to go ahead and wonder what it'll be like to hear Malkmus storm through "Fight This Generation" on the other side of the fight.


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AL International (JCOF) Posts Record Third Quarter
BusinessWire – 11/07/2012 4:30 PM ET
Pre Tax Profits Jump 160%
SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov. 7, 2012– AL International, Inc. (Pink Sheets: JCOF) (www.alintjcof.com), a global direct marketer of lifestyle and nutritional products and gourmet fortified coffee, releases record revenues and profits for the third quarter of 2012. The Consolidated Financial Statements will be posted on www.pinksheets.com later today.
AL International Consolidated Third Quarter 2012 sales were just over $ 20.6 million vs. just over $10.4 million in 2011 representing a 98% increase in revenue. The company's Gross Profit for the same period was just over $12.4 million vs. just under $6.7 million representing an 86% improvement for the 3 month period versus the year prior. Corresponding Expenses for the 3 month period were just under $11.9 million vs. just under $6.5 million representing an 82% increase in expenses. Pre Tax Net Income from operations for the 3 month period ending September 30, 2012 showed a $311 thousand profit vs. a $119 thousand profit in 2011 representing a 161% improvement in profitability. The company reported $1,028,000 in EBITDA, versus negative EBITDA of ($150,932) for the same quarter for 2011.
Dave Briskie, CFO, stated, "We are pleased that our bottom line is improving. We rolled out a strategy to improve profitability late last quarter. The plan is designed to improve profits on a quarterly basis through the fourth quarter of 2013. Posting 5% EBITDA, as a percentage of sales, in the early stages of our profitability improvement plan is nice progress."
Steve Wallach, CEO, added, "The significant improvement in profitability and EBITDA, combined with better inventory management systems, has led to a strengthening of our balance sheet and has significantly improved our cash flow."
The company hosted a shareholder update call today at 4:15 EST. If you wish to listen to the replay of this conference call, please visit the Investor Relations section of AL International's website: www.alintjcof.com .
About Youngevity(R) Essential Life Sciences
Youngevity Essential Life Sciences (www.youngevity.com ), headquartered in San Diego, CA, is a nutrition and lifestyle-related services company dedicated to promoting vibrant health and flourishing economics. Founded in 1997 by Drs. Joel Wallach, DVM, ND, and Ma Lan, MD, as AL Global, Inc., the company adopted the name Youngevity in 2006. Youngevity is the only network marketing company to have a qualified FDA Health Claim. Dr. Wallach's work has been published in more than 70 peer-reviewed and referenced scientific journals and books.
About CLR Roasters
CLR Roasters (www.cafelarica.com) was established in 2001 and is a wholly-owned a subsidiary of AL International. CLR Roasters produces coffees under its own Cafe LaRica brand, as well as under a variety of private labels through major national sales outlets and to major customers. It also produces a unique line of coffees with health benefits under the JavaFit® brand.
About AL International
AL International, Inc. JCOF (www.alintjcof.com) is a fast-growing, innovative, multi-dimensional company that offers a wide range of consumer products and services, primarily through person-to-person selling relationships that comprise a "network of networks." The company also is a vertically-integrated producer of the finest coffees for the commercial, retail and direct sales channels. AL International was formed after the merger of Youngevity Essential Life Sciences (www.youngevity.com) and Javalution Coffee Company JCOF in the summer of 2011.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release includes forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions. These statements are based upon current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and include statements relating to the Profitability Improvement Plan and future plans to improve profits. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in our forward-looking statements include, among others, the ability to implement our business plan and growth strategy through acquisition and the continued growth of our distributor base. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release based on new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.
Source: AL International, Inc.
AL International, Investor Relations
Dave Briskie


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TUESDAY, May 12, 2009 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials said Tuesday that they're seeing some complications among pregnant women as the swine flu continues to spread across the country.
"Pregnant women are at higher risk of complications of influenza, whether it's the seasonal influenza or pandemics of the past. We are also seeing some severe complications in women with this year's novel H1N1 virus," Dr. Anne Schuchat, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's interim deputy director for science and public health program, said during an afternoon teleconference.
The CDC is investigating 20 cases of pregnant women with the swine flu, several of whom experienced complications, Schuchat said. Complications can include pneumonia, dehydration and premature birth.
"It is very important that doctors who are caring for pregnant women they suspect may have influenza, that they issue prompt treatment with antiviral medicines," she said.
Doctors can be reluctant to treat pregnant women with antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza, and pregnant women may be reluctant to take them out of fear that they may pose a risk during pregnancy, Schuchat said. "Experts who have looked into this situation strongly say that the benefits of using antiviral drugs to treat influenza in a pregnant woman outweigh the theoretical concerns about the drugs," she said.
Of the three swine-flu related deaths in the United States, one involved a 33-year-old pregnant woman from Texas who had other health problems before she was infected with the virus.
Schuchat said Monday that federal health officials were shifting their focus from individual cases of infection to trying to project what is likely to occur with the virus in the fall. Because the new virus -- technically called H1N1 -- is a highly unusual genetic mix of bird, pig and human viruses, health officials worry that it could continue to mutate and return in a more virulent form for next winter's flu season.
The CDC is concerned with what will happen as this new virus moves into the Southern Hemisphere, where the flu season is about to start. The agency is also preparing for the virus' likely return in the fall to the Northern Hemisphere, Schuchat said.
As of Tuesday, there were slightly more than 3,000 confirmed cases in 45 states and the District of Columbia, with three confirmed deaths and 116 people hospitalized. All three patients who have died in the United States had underlying health problems before their infection with the flu.
Testing has found that the swine flu virus remains susceptible to two common antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, according to the CDC.
Schuchat said Monday that the confirmed cases were likely just the tip of the iceberg. Many people who become ill don't seek medical attention and are never tested for this strain of flu. "The numbers we are reporting are a minority of the actual infections that are occurring in the country," she said.
Reporting Monday in the journal Science, researchers from the World Health Organization said the swine flu epidemic has pandemic potential and is likely to be comparable to other 20th century pandemics -- at least in terms of its spread.
The report also suggested that the true number of -- largely unreported -- swine flu infections in Mexico, the outbreak's epicenter, possibly had already reached 32,000 by the end of April. The World Health Organization's official tally for Mexico stood Tuesday at 2,059 confirmed human infections, including 56 deaths.
The United States has now surpassed Mexico -- believed to be the source of the outbreak -- as the country most affected by the epidemic, according to World Health Organization statistics. As of Tuesday, the agency was reporting 5,251 confirmed cases of swine flu in 30 countries, with Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom having the most cases outside of the United States and Mexico.
Meanwhile in Mexico, federal health officials said Tuesday that the worst seemed to be over despite more deaths. The country's death toll rose Tuesday to 58 deaths and 2,282 confirmed cases of swine flu -- a rise of two deaths and 223 more cases since Monday. But Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said this reflects a testing backlog: The last confirmed case was May 8, the Associated Press reported.
Also Tuesday, Swiss drug maker Roche Holding AG said it was donating enough Tamiflu for 5.65 million people to the World Health Organization.
More information
For more on swine flu, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


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Bringing More Energy to the Table
From world-class cuisine by award winning Chefs David Dennis of Le Mistral and Frederick Brown of Wyndham Houston West Energy Corridor to family friendly dining under the live oaks at Grisby Square, The Energy Corridor brings more to the table. In fact, it offers over sixty distinct dining experiences.
So whether you're ready to treat a deserving client or significant other to seven courses of upscale fine dining, or you only have time for a quick, casual power lunch, The Energy Corridor has it all. Italian, Greek, Asian, barbeque, Texas sized steaks, seafood, pizza, burgers, you name it. The choices are as diverse as the rich cultures that make up our energetic community. View our dining directory.
Staying Power
With nearly 4,000 rooms offered by the 25 excellent hotels, extended stay suites and motels within The Energy Corridor, finding welcoming lodgings is easy. Energy Corridor hotels provide convenient accommodations for dignitaries from around the world, an interim home for families relocating from across the globe and even a weekend getaway for mom and dad.
Hotels in The Energy Corridor also offer excellent spaces for meetings and conferences. Whether you are holding a private meeting or hosting 100 or more business associates, you're sure to find lodging and meeting options to meet your specific needs. View our lodging directory.


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A Singer in a World Gone Mad
In his novel The Star of Algiers, the Algerian writer Aziz Chouaki tells the story of a talented musician whose career takes off just before the Algerian civil war, of all times. Kersten Knipp read the book
There must be a sound no one has ever known before. Something new, unheard of, a blend of every possible musical genre. A style that combines Atlantic and Mediterranean music in a way that has never been attempted before.
The sounds of the Caribbean are part of this new style too, bringing everything together, interweaving the melodies of the continents in a bold new way. And underlying it all will be Arab rhythms, the lightning drum and percussion beats, the nervous, energised pressure of the cities of the Maghreb. That's how the Algerian answer to Michael Jackson has to sound.
Magic of sounds
And that's how he starts out, Moussa Massy, the would-be superstar out on the shores of the sea, a wasteland and mountains of refuse before him, behind him the children of a run-down housing estate with an enchanting name: "Mer et Soleil".
Sun and sea – there is plenty of that here, but there is even more of something else: dirt, poverty, desperation; stranded wishes, shattered futures; damaged and eventually mortally wounded confidence. Labyrinthine anxiety lifted only by drugs: hashish, coke and of course zombretta, a zesty mix of syrup and methylated spirits for a guaranteed high.
Yet above it all, at least to start with, floats music, the magic of sounds, the warm breeze of the notes that carries Moussa away, releasing him. Perhaps for ever, but at least for the length of every single song.
Toxic atmosphere
Born in the Kabylie region in 1951, Aziz Chouaki has mastered the art of coupling the sublime and the sordid, the lightness of creativity and the weight of depressing reality. This mastery prevents his novel The Star of Algiers from falling into two different traps: the one of pretentious cultural idealism and the other of the dull topoi of socially critical literature.
What marks his book out is the juxtaposition of music and its surroundings – creating an inescapable tension that will bring Moussa Massy to his knees, but which lends the text itself a page-turning fascination.
And yet Chouaki had to do little more than simply describe the situation in Algeria in the early 1990s. The country has been sagging under the dead weight of the FLN's single-party government for thirty years. Nothing works any more, no one hopes any more, most people have settled into the general depression. Or that's the way it seems.
As we find out, though, the country's dissatisfied have been gathering for years in the FIS, the Islamic Salvation Front. The unfortunate elections that were annulled, plunging the country into civil war, are still looming ahead.
Yet there are abundant and disconcerting signs of crisis. Bearded men at every turn: old men and young men, men who still expect something out of life and know they will come to nothing under the FLN.
The esprit de corps is strict, the atmosphere in the city is toxic. Women have to cover their heads, musicians have to turn their backs on the devil's music.
Star of the show
Moussa counters this abhorrent bigotry with music – at least while he can. And things do seem to take a turn for the better for him. He gets more and more gigs at better and better venues.
In the end he even performs on stage at "Triangle", the city's hottest club where the jeunesse dorée, the wealthy and beautiful hang out. It looks like a bright future awaits him – and Moussa has talent.
No writer could stage that rise to fame better than Chouaki, who used to play in several bands himself and has obviously retained his instinct for musical intensities.
And the reader certainly feels the Eros of the music, the magic of the sounds. Moussa both absorbs and exudes this magic. The reader can all but hear his exaggerated tones, his vocals condensed almost to a scream.
And just like his idol Michael Jackson, Moussa choreographs his appearances around himself, focusing the musical energies, the whole point of the show around the singer. "20,000 dinars in total, 8,000 for yours truly. That's only right: I'm the star. It's no joke, singing for over five hours with just one short break."
A country's wounds
Chouaki has written a fantastic music novel. Above all, however, it is a novel about the tragedy of music, or more precisely: the tragedy of the musician himself. A tragedy not due to art itself nor timeless, a tragedy that can be precisely dated in time and place: Moussa's tragedy is rooted in the fact that his career takes off in Algeria in the early 1990s, of all times and all places.
At that time it is almost doomed to failure. Not just the general economic depression is a hindrance to his musical career – the Islamists' insane abhorrence of art plays its part as well.
They step up the pressure on Moussa, who loves music more than anything else. Yet this love too is doomed – and Chouaki describes with impressive precision and empathy the devastations to which this artistic failure, threaded through with streaks of forlorn hope, drives him.
Yet in the end, the worst defeat is of Moussa's own making. The world is a colourful place, but its diversity no longer comes together in his music, nor in his life. The terrible end he eventually comes to inflicts deep wounds – not only on Moussa, but on the country as a whole.
Kersten Knipp
© Qantara.de 2009
Translated from the German by Katy Derbyshire
Aziz Chouaki: The Star of Algiers, translated from French by Ros Schwartz and Lulu Norman, is published in English by Graywolf Press in the USA and Serpent's Tail in the UK.
Interview with Yasmina Khadra
"The Arab World is not just a Postcard with Dunes and Caravans"
Yasmina Khadra is the pseudonym of Mohammed Moulessehoul, a former major in the Algerian Army, now full time novelist. In this interview with Richard Marcus, the exiled writer talks about his writing and the differences between Western and Arab culture
Interview with the Algerian Novelist Boualem Sansal
"There Are Parallels between Islamism and National Socialism"
In 1945, following the Second World War, many prominent Nazis sought refuge in Arab countries. The Algerian writer Boualem Sansal has addressed this chapter of history in his latest novel. Martina Sabra met him in Frankfurt, Germany
Publication of Arab Literature in English
Change of Paradigm
There have for a long time been complaints that there is far too little Arab literature translated into English, and that what is translated tends to be sensational novels or non-fiction that re-inforce stereotypes. However, there are encouraging signs that the picture is changing, as Susannah Tarbush reports


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WASHINGTON -- A former U.S. Naval Academy football player was acquitted Thursday of sexually assaulting a classmate at a party, bringing to conclusion a case that began almost two years ago and drew wide attention at a time when the military is under scrutiny for how it handles sexual assault cases.
The judge, Col. Daniel Daugherty, acquitted Joshua Tate of Nashville, Tenn., of one count of aggravated sexual assault. During the trial, prosecutors argued that the woman Tate was accused of assaulting was too drunk to consent to sexual activity. But Tate's attorneys disagreed, arguing the woman was in control of her body and making decisions for herself.
The judge said Thursday in announcing his decision that the facts of the case "present difficult and complex questions." And he said that the vast majority of testimony at the three-day trial, testimony by midshipmen who attended the party where the alleged assault occurred, was shaded by alcohol consumption and the passing of time. But the judge concluded prosecutors had not proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt, the standard required for conviction.
Tate's case was being closely watched case as the military tries to improve the way it handles sexual assault cases. A Pentagon report released last year estimated that as many as 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted in the prior year and that thousands of victims are unwilling to come forward out of fear their careers might be derailed.
Jason Ehrenberg, one of Tate's attorneys, said after the ruling that the military's focus on improving its sexual assault response had impacted the case, and he criticized what he said was a clearly political environment that had pushed his client's case along. He said it never should have reached trial.
Still, he said his client's acquittal showed "the system worked." He said his client's reaction to the decision was "one of great relief." And he called Tate, now 22 and in his third year at the Academy, a "good young man."
An attorney for the woman at the center of the case, meanwhile, said in a telephone interview after the judge's verdict that "deeply disappointed doesn't adequately describe" his client's reaction to the case's outcome.
Ryan Guilds said his client was "appalled by the lack of accountability" and said the case's outcome was a result of a "flawed military system" for reporting and investigating sexual assault. Another one of the woman's attorneys, Susan L. Burke, said in a statement that the woman "hopes legitimate reforms of the military justice system will occur because of her case and those of other survivors."
The Associated Press generally doesn't name alleged victims of sexual assault.
More than a dozen witnesses testified at Tate's trial. That included the alleged victim, who testified for more than five hours over two days. She said she drank heavily on the night of the party in 2012 and didn't remember being sexually assaulted. But she said she soon saw rumors on social media that a woman had had sex with multiple partners at the party, and she believed the rumors were about her. She said she confronted Tate, who confirmed they'd had sex.
Prosecutors initially accused not only Tate but also two other students, all of them football players at the time, of sexually assaulting the woman during the party at an off-campus house in Annapolis, Md., where the school is located. Tate was the only student ultimately brought to court-martial, the military's equivalent of a trial.
In addition to the sexual assault charge, Tate also faced charges of lying to investigators. The judge did not decide those Thursday, however, returning the decision on what to do to the head of the Naval Academy. Ehrenberg, Tate's attorney, said after the decision that he believed his client would be offered a deal: voluntarily resign from the Academy and the charges will be dropped. Ehrenberg said Tate's career in the Navy is over, but what he will do next is uncertain. He'd still like to be a football player but also wants to teach.
It's been up to the head of The Naval Academy, Vice Admiral Michael H. Miller, to decide how to proceed in the case. He previously decided not to go forward with courts-martial for the other two students, Tra'ves Bush of Johnston, S.C., and Eric Graham of Eight Mile, Ala. The military held an Article 32 hearing, which resembles a preliminary hearing in civilian court, in August and September of 2013. Following that hearing Miller decided in October not to pursue charges against Bush.
Charges against Graham were dropped in January. Prosecutors had recommended that move after a military judge said statements Graham made during an investigation would not be admissible during a military trial. The Academy confirmed in February that Graham was in the process of resigning from the school.
Just hours before the verdict in Tate's case, a separate court-martial unfolding in Fort Bragg, N.C. also ended in favor of the defense.
Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Sinclair was reprimanded and docked four months' pay but avoided prison time for carrying on a three-year affair with a captain who later claimed she had been sexually assaulted.


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How to Deal with Credit Card Debt
There's no doubt that credit card debt is a problem. More than 30 million people have a credit card in the UK, and many of those have more than one.
It stands to reason, then, that credit card debt accounts for a significant proportion of the grand total of �1.1 trillion personal debt in United Kingdom.
Credit cards are an incredibly useful way to buy goods whether in store or online and the idea of paying for expensive items or holidays etc and putting off the day when you actually have to part with your own cash is very appealing, not to say tempting.
Unfortunately, temptation can get the better of you and before you know it, you have more credit card debt than you can handle.
The most important question you have to ask yourself is: can you handle having a credit card(s) without letting your debt get out of control? Do you have a history of overspending where credit cards are concerned?
If that�s the case, the simplest solution might be not to have a credit card at all and just use a debit card or of course cash for all your transactions.
But if you can trust yourself not to spend irresponsibly with a credit card, it is still important to use it sensibly and it will help to follow some of the basic rules.
There are more than 1,000 different cards to choose from so you really will be spoilt for choice, but you have to make the right choice. You should look further than the high street for the best deals as often it�s the bigger names that carry the bigger interest rates. Search on the internet for sites that compare different cards and their rates.
Without doubt the best way to use a credit card is to pay your balance in full every month. That way, you won�t have to worry about interest mounting up and also you can be sure you are not spending more than you can afford, thus allowing your debt to spiral.
Paying the minimum amount every month is no way to handle a credit card because it will take you literally years to pay off a relatively modest debt as the interest is allowed to mount up. Worse, of course, is paying nothing at all from month to month as you could also be charged penalty fees.
If this isn�t possible, then it is more important than ever to make sure you are not paying more interest than you need to, which brings us to�
You cannot have failed to notice the multitude of credit cards on the market offering a very tempting 0% interest rate. The downside of these is that the 0% interest only lasts for a limited period, after which you could find you are paying an excessively high rate.
There is a way round getting tied into unfavourable interest rates by this initially attractive proposition: once the 0% interest rate finishes, simply switch your balance to another card offering 0% interest for a limited period. And when that finishes� well, you get the message.
Even if you don�t want to get on the 0% interest merry-go-round, you should still assess the credit card market regularly to see if it would be worth your while switching your balance elsewhere. There is no point in paying extra interest when switching is so easy.
The best advice as far as store cards go is leave well alone. The interest rates these cards carry are ridiculously expensive when compared to ordinary credit cards. Sometimes they offer money-off incentives. If you are tempted by these, make sure you pay the balance in full every month to avoid paying the excessive interest.
Tell the credit card company about it. Don�t just sit there and watch the unpaid bills drop through your letterbox. That way, the interest will just get bigger and the charges pile onto your original debt.
All reputable credit companies will be open to suggestion and willing to negotiate because they want to make it as easy as possible to recover the debt.
Enlisting the services of a professional debt counsellor can be beneficial for negotiating with your creditors � they can sometimes get the interest frozen and are experienced at securing more favourable terms for repayment.
It pays to change your attitude by taking advantage of the credit card companies rather than letting them take advantage of you.
For more information on credit card debt, go to: http://www.debtcounsellors.co.uk/credit_card_debt_free.htm
-->by: John Porter
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Structured Settlement Annuity
progressive slot


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Follow this tag to curate your own personalized Activity Stream and email alerts.
Leading architects on both sides of the Atlantic hit out at the institute this week after American architect Richard Gage, part of the group Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth, delivered a lecture at RIBA HQ on Monday night.
The venue was booked by fellow American and RIBA member Craig Phillip Kiner, an associate at Zaha Hadid Architects. — bdonline.co.uk
Institute reviews policy after controversial event booked by Zaha Hadid Architects associate The RIBA is reviewing its policy on hiring out 66 Portland Place following a storm of criticism over its hosting of a group claiming that New York's Twin Towers were brought down through a... View full entry
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Saranac debuts exclusive Upstate Lager at Turning Stone's Upstate Tavern (video)
VERONA >> Fred Matt, president of the F.X. Matt Brewing Company visited the Upstate Tavern at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino on Tuesday to debut a brew that will be exclusive to the casino.
Upstate Lager--consisting of four different kinds of hops and wheat--took six months to develop after the Turning Stone approached Matt with the idea for the brew.
"We're just proud to part of Turning Stone, the Upstate Tavern and supporting local," Matt said.
The Tavern opened this April on the second level of Turning Stone Resort and Casino. Many of the menu items include local food and ingredients. It also features a selection of area craft beers including Saranac, Ithaca Beer Co. and Ommegang as well as beer from Good Nature Brewing in Hamilton.
Matt noted that the partnership between the two businesses should be an example for other companies throughout the state.
"It's really important is that we all be a little more supportive of New York State businesses," he said. "I put an analogy that if New Yorkers were as loyal to New York products as Vermont is to Vermont this state would be better fiscally. I think Turning Stone has obviously been a good economic driver and Upstate Tavern celebrates New York State products."
Kelly Blazosky, president of Oneida County Tourism said that these kinds of collaborations add to the attractions in the area.
Besides using local food and beverages, the Tavern also features local materials used from reclaimed barn boards to the bar and the windows that were salvaged from Rome Cable.
The Upstate Lager will only be sold by the Turning Stone Resort and Casino. The lager is $6 a draft or $3 during happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. each day.
For more information visit: www.turningstone.com/dine.


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Look, despite what Texas A&M officials want to do (to Texas, which is stick it where the sun don't shine), the reality is that Aggie Nation is not changing addresses to the SEC.
Why? Simple, really. 1) No financial incentive for the SEC. The SEC is getting megabucks and megapress from its current status. Adding Texas A&M, while gaining viewers from Texas, really doesn't increase the standing of the SEC as a whole, and the SEC's TV deal with ESPN and CBS currently in place doesn't expire until 2024. When it comes to revenue sharing, adding A&M will end up being akin to too many hands in the cookie jar, so to speak. The increased scheduling nightmare for the members of the SEC West Division would have to be overcome as well. 2) No 14th team. The SEC is really adamant about keeping the divisions equal, and that means there would have to be a 14th team added. And it can't just be ANY 14th team, the SEC would want a major player or a major market. Florida State? Nope – Florida won't stand for it. Georgia Tech? Ditto. North Carolina? No way are they leaving the ACC and their Tobacco Road rivalry. No, the real answers would have to be either Virginia Tech or… Florida International (which is in Miami). And yet, neither of those schools are leaving their respective conferences anyway, so it's a moot point.
No, Texas A&M is not jumping ship this season. But the Big 12 has reason to worry. Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have to be seriously thinking about that Pac-12 offer they rejected now.


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Ramirez gets first start with Twins on Sunday
BALTIMORE -- Wilkin Ramirez made his first start with the Twins in right field against the Orioles on Sunday, leaving Darin Mastroianni as the only position player yet to start a game for Minnesota this season.
Ramirez, who made the club as an extra outfielder and pinch-hitter after a strong showing in Spring Training, went 1-for-3 and scored the winning run. He last started in a big league game on July 11, 2011 with the Braves, and has appeared in two games earlier this season as a pinch-hitter, going 1-for-2 with an RBI double. He hit seventh in the lineup on Sunday.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he thought it was a good time to get Ramirez in a game, as Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel is actually tougher on lefties, so left-handed hitter Chris Parmelee -- who homered in Saturday's win -- was benched in favor of Ramirez.
"Righties have some success here against him so it's a good opportunity to get him in there," Gardenhire said. "Parm had a good night there last night and now he can sit back. Wilkin needs some at-bats, and not just pinch-hitting."
Mastroianni, meanwhile, is still nursing a bruised left ankle and isn't ready to play nine innings. But Gardenhire is hoping Mastroianni can start a game in Kansas City this week or next weekend against the Mets.
"He's going to have to go out there and play soon," Gardenhire said. "I've tried to bide my time using him in certain spots but it's about time. They told me a couple days."


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2in. Wide, Stretch and Recoil action
20 feet long,
7,000 lb. Max. Vehicle Weight
Uses 15,000 lbs. webbing
Do not get trapped without it!!
Part # 02922-25
15,000 lbs.
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MSRP $34.95 Your price 24.95
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I have these Keeper Tow and Recovery straps in a large variety of widths, lengths and rating capacity. The rated capacity for these straps range from 10,00lbs to 30,000lbs.
The Red Jeep Clubs store wants to be your premier source for Jeep Accessories, and Rock Crawling products and DVDs. If this product 2 inch x 20 foot Recovery Tow Strap is not what you are looking for please browse our other
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APB: RELOADED Hack will allow you to add extra Money, Credits, Wall Hack, Aimbot! APB RELOADED Hack work with PC connect. Trainer is very simple to use and you can easily add Money, Credits, Wall Hack, Aimbot in your account with just one clicks of cheats game button. All changes will be made to improve your future game. Giving You ... Read More »
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Rio airport workers strike on eve of World Cup
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Workers at Rio de Janeiro's two airports declared a partial work stoppage beginning at midnight Wednesday, on the eve of the opening match of the World Cup.
Rio's Galeao international airport is expected to be one of the country's busiest during the monthlong soccer tournament. The walkout also would affect Santos Dumont airport, which provides domestic service, including flights to Sao Paulo, where the first World Cup game was being held Thursday.
Unions representing workers at the two airports including check-in counter clerks, baggage handlers and janitorial staff have been seeking for months raises of at least 5.6 percent and special bonuses tied to the World Cup.
A union representative said only 20 percent of workers would walk off the job for 24 hours initially. The official agreed to discuss specifics of the walkout only if not quoted by name because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly.
A labor court in Rio issued an injunction ordering the unions to maintain staffing at 80 percent of normal levels or face fines of up to $22,400.
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Disk B is 100% same in both dumps, but that contains Part 1 of game actually. And it is single sided, (since it asks after selecting Part 1 to insert disk 2, always (simple thing, what only our SPS megaexpert can not see (and yes, I have double sided drive in Steem ! ).
Indeed, you're right, disk 2 in this game is used for Stage 1. I've seen most of the time game on Atari ST being double side and single sided (ex: Dragonflight, Ivanhoe just to name a few) using a 2nd or 3rd disk single sided, to be used with ST machines using only a single sided drive.
My bad about ATW.
Side B of disk 1 is same 100% in both dumps practically - the section containing data is it, other is irrelevant. It holds audio data for start, and silly bug is present in Magnum release too. Btw. it is 10 sectors/track, unlike other parts.
Yes, Disk 2 use 11 sectors per tracks, all glued one after another
Impossible to replicate or copy this without an hardware solution
And here comes what is different: plenty of files on disk 1, side A does not match - and they are files of Part 2. Graphic errors are visible right at start of Part 2, when start from Magnum compil. STX image. So, it is just not good. Should be replaced at AM.[/quote]
Yes it is broken....
SCP dump is flawless, that is what can say now. Enjoy this game folks, if can
Well the KF dump is flawless too, so far. It can be written back on real disk and then played


text: Around 20,000 Syrians chanting freedom slogans marched on Thursday at the funerals of nine protesters killed by security forces in the southern city of Daraa, witnesses said. "The blood of martyrs is not spilt in waste!" they chanted in Daraa's southern cemetery. The nine were among at least 25 people shot dead by security forces on Wednesday, residents said. A witness told Al Jazeera that more than 100 people were killed. He said many people have gone missing and bodies have been dragged away from the streets. The town was in chaos, he said. A hospital in Daraa had said earlier that it had received the bodies of at least 25 protesters who died in confrontations with security forces. "We received them at 5pm local time on Wednesday (1500 GMT). They all had bullet holes," the official told Reuters news agency on Thursday. The AP news agency quoted an activist as saying that some residents of the southern town are holding a sit-in to protest the killings. The activist, who is in contact with residents in Daraa, said the situation is still tense, with a heavy presence of security forces in the streets. He said dozens of people were holding the sit-in in the al-Mahata neighborhood near the city centre. Inspired by the wave of pro-democracy protests around the region, Daraa residents have held protests since last week. Earlier, human rights activists said at least 15 people have been killed in Daraa. Residents said security forces shot and killed six people including a doctor who was giving aid to the injured at the Omari mosque, where most of the protests took place. A rights activist also told AFP news agency that security forces had opened fire on mourners attending the funeral of those killed in Daraa. Call for Friday protests Meanwhile, pro-democracy demonstrators in Syria have called for mass protests across the country on Friday. Activists used social-networking sites to call for the protests, which they dubbed as "Dignity Friday." Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, reporting from Damascus, said violence broke out in Daraa when residents from other towns clashed with security forces as they tried to enter it to help residents there. A youth activist in the Syrian capital, who remains anonymous, told Al Jazeera that his contacts in Daraa said that "dozens of people" had died in clashes. "Many there want to take down the government, and want more freedoms." he said. Our correspondent said there was a heavy security presence in Daraa, with the army, anti-terror police and riot police all deployed in the city. Journalists are not being allowed to visit the city, and several of those who attempted to do so last night had their equipment confiscated by authorities. 'Need for radical change' Checkpoints have been set up by security forces at all entry points to the city. There was also no mobile phone network coverage in Daraa on Wednesday. State television showed what it said were pictures of a weapons stockpile inside the Omari mosque [EPA] Syria's state-run television station reported that an "armed gang" attacked an ambulance at the Omari mosque, killing four people. The victims were a doctor, a paramedic, a policeman and the ambulance driver, according to SANA. Later on Wednesday, state television showed what it said were pictures of a weapons stockpile inside the Omari mosque, including pistols, shotguns, grenades and ammunition. A Syrian official told the AFP news agency that the governor of Daraa had been sacked following the killings. Authorities have arrested a leading campaigner who had supported the protesters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday. It said Loay Hussein, a political prisoner, was taken from his home near Damascus. A number of Syrian towns and cities saw demonstrations in recent days despite the country's emergency law which bans protests that has been in place since 1963. Violence condemned The United Nations, France and the United States condemned the violence. Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, called for "a transparent investigation into the killings". A spokesman for the US state department said Washington was alarmed by the situation and urged Syrian authorities to "exercise restraint and to refrain from violence". "We are deeply concerned by the Syrian government's use of violence, intimidation and arbitrary arrests to hinder the ability of its people to freely exercise their universal rights. We condemn these actions," said Mark Toner. On Tuesday, Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged Syrian authorities to halt the excessive use of force. "The government should carry out an independent, transparent and effective investigation into the killings of the six protesters during the events of 18 and 20 March," Rupert Colville, a spokesman for Pillay, said on Tuesday. SOURCE: Al Jazeera and agencies Politics Middle East Syria's Civil War


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AMERICUS - The Georgia Southwestern men's basketball team outscored Armstrong Atlantic State University 23-9 over the final 7:12 to rally for a 75-63 victory on Monday evening in the Storm Dome.
With the win, GSW surpasses its win total from a year ago while improving to 14-3 overall and 6-2 in the PBC. Armstrong falls to 6-10 overall and 3-6 in PBC play.
The Hurricanes stumbled out of the gates against Armstrong. The Pirates built a 23-12 lead over the opening nine minutes. Alan Arnett and Jamon Hawkins accounted for all of GSW's points during that time until Daryl Davis knocked down a 3-pointer with 10:57 left before the half to cut the Armstrong lead to 23-15.
The Pirates eventually stretched their advantage to 12 points, 31-19, before Arnett and Hawkins struck again, this time with 11-consecutive points for the Hurricanes to pull within four, 34-30. The sides swapped buckets over the final minute and Armstrong took a 36-32 lead into the halftime break.
An Eric Eversley jumper with 16:34 remaining in the second stanza gave Armstrong an eight-point lead, 45-37. The Hurricanes struggled to gain much ground on Armstrong over the next seven minutes and with 9:44 left on the clock Hichem Benayad-Cherif knocked down a jumper to put the Pirates ahead, 51-46. That basket would prove to be Armstrong's final field goal of the night.
Free throws were all the Pirates could muster the rest of the way. Hawkins drained a 3-pointer with 7:12 left to give GSW its first lead of the night, 55-54, and moments later Davis and Johathan Brooks threw down back-to-back thunderous dunks to shift the momuntum to the home side. The ensuing 3-point basket by Hawkins capped a quick 11-1 run that gave GSW an 11-point lead with four minutes to go and put the game on ice for the Hurricanes.
Southwestern shot 43.9 percent from the floor in the contest while Armstrong shot 34.5 percent. GSW held Armstrong to just five baskets in the second half (5 of 24). The Pirates were 0-for-10 from 3-point range over the final 20 minutes.
The Hurricanes dished out four more assists (14-10) while forcing Armstrong into six more turnovers (19-13). Armstrong showed why they're the top team in the league when it comes to cleaning the glass, pulling down 17 more rebounds than the Hurricanes (49-32).
GSW had season-highs with 12 steals and 10 3-point baskets.
Arnett led all scorers with 24 points. He was 8 of 15 from the floor, added four assists and grabbed a team-high 10 boards. Hawkins connected on 5 of 8 attempts from beyond the arc en route to his 19-point night. Brooks chipped in 18 points, four assists and four steals.
A trio of Pirates paced Armstrong with 13 points apiece. Eversley, Benayad-Cherif and Emmanuel Tiluscar locked in the baker's dozen. Montel Baines added 10. Eversley snagged a game-high 12 rebounds.
Game three of the Hurricanes four-game home stand comes Thursday when Southwestern hosts North Georgia at 7:30 p.m. A ceremony will be held five minutes prior to opening tip as the court in the Storm Dome will be named after former GSW men's head basketball coach Randolph Barksdale.


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Kills and Controls Insects and Powdery Mildew!
Garden Guys Garden-Neem is an environmentally friendly alternative to chemically based insecticides and fungicides. This naturally derived formulation effectively controls COMMON BUGS, TREE AND SHRUB BUGS, FLOWER BUGS, VEGETABLE BUGS, HOUSEPLANT BUGS AND POWDERY MILDEW!
USDA BioPreferred
OMRI Listed (Organic Materials Review Institute)
The only trouble I had with this is that it doesn't work on ants :( Not all products work on the same bugs though so that is completely normal. It will get rid of those pesky bugs on your garden plants though in a natural way!
Dragonfly Organix All-Purpose Cleaner (one 24 oz. bottle)
Dragonfly Organix All-Purpose Cleaner is a safe and environmentally preferable alternative for removing dirt, grease and grime. Now you can reduce exposure to harsh chemicals while employing powerful cleaning action for a wide range of tasks. Dragonfly Organix All-Purpose Cleaner is safe to use around children and pets. It is perfect for the nursery, playroom, and food prep areas. Use with confidence on counter tops, cabinets, floors, kitchen appliances, showers, fiberglass, tile, metal and wood. There are no petroleum solvents.
Love how this is a safe product to use on my counters and tables without the worry that I have gotten off all of the residue prior to the children touching it. It didn't tackle the grime in the shower, the stuff that needs serious elbow grease though. If I have it all degrimed though I believe that this product would keep it from reaccuring.
Dragonfly Organix Odor Eliminator (one 2 oz. travel size)
Powerful and fast, Dragonfly Organix Odor Eliminator uses a unique plant-based formulation that eliminates the toughest odor problems. The special odor-cleaning action absorbs the odor on contact. It is effective on a wide range of odors, including smoke, footwear, sporting equipment, pet and waste odors.
This odor eliminator works great in the bathroom and in the trash cans. After we took the garbage bag out I sprayed it in the can, let it dry and came back to a refreshing scent. I typically am afraid to smell the can after I take out the bag, but the odor eliminator really does work!!
Healthier Homestead Egg Wipes (one 25ct canister)
USDA BioPreferred plant-based formulation gently cleans the egg of soils after laying. One cloth cleans up to a dozen eggs depending on the soil level. Just wipe the egg with the soft biodegradable pop-up cloth. Dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Store cleaned eggs in the refrigerator. Used cloths can be tossed in the compost bin.
My favorite product!! One wipe easily cleans a dozen eggs! Yes you can just use water on the eggs, but sometimes that is hard to get them clean, plus you run the water and waste it. I loved the bubbling of the wipes to get my eggs nice and clean. Best you can put the clothes in the compost bin!! As we consider selling eggs to friends and family I think the Egg Wipes are going to give us the cleanest, healthiest eggs for ourselves and customers.
Check out the Garden Guys on the Radio!!
Green Revolution Radio! With the addition of some great music and lots of laughs, the Garden Guys discuss the latest products, methods and ideas for "green living" in an effort to make the world in which we share safer for present and future generations. Join the fun Sunday mornings 7am - 9am (EST) on 96.9 FM WTKK Boston Talks and streaming live at www.garden-guys.com or download any of their podcasts http://www.garden-guys.com/podcast.html. Some of the Garden Guys' previous guests include the Governors of Massachusetts and Vermont, Deputy Secretary of the USDA Kathleen Merrigan, NOP Director Myles McEvoy, USDA BioPreferred Program Manager Ron Buckhalt, authors, environmentalists, TV personalities and many more. Be sure to not get caught with your plants down and tune in to the only dirty show the entire family can listen to as the Garden Guys promise to keep you 'Down to Earth, Up to Date and On the Air!
Listen to the Podcasts here: http://www.garden-guys.com/podcast.html
You can hear it live on Sunday Mornings 7 am – 9 am EST here: http://www.garden-guys.com/index.html
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Eastern Connecticut - 1, Farmingdale State - 0
Purchase, N.Y. – With the only goal of the game coming in the 22nd minute, the Rams fell 1-0 to Eastern Connecticut on day one of the 2013 Valiant Classic hosted by Manhattanville College on Friday afternoon at GoValiants.com Field.
The first great chance of the game came off the foot of Eastern Connecticut junior Whitney Mantel in the 12th minute. The Warriors' leading scorer went in one-on-one with Farmingdale State sophomore keeper Breanna Blair (Littleton, Colo.), but her shot from the right side of the box was stopped by Blair and her defense was able to clear out the rebound.
But Eastern Connecticut still managed to get on the board first just about 10 minutes later, as senior midfielder Nicole Leonard connected for her first goal of the year. Sophomore Maggie Sayers served the ball into the box for Mantel, and she redirected the ball to Leonard for the put away.
Eastern Connecticut did not manage a shot in the second half, but the Warriors played solid defense and kept Farmingdale State to only one shot on goal to preserve the win.
Farmingdale State (1-2) held a 10-5 edge on shots, but the Warriors (3-0) held the 3-2 advantage on shots on goal. Eastern Connecticut's junior goalkeeper Rachel Skelton made two saves for the win, while the Rams' Breanna Blair finished the game in defeat with two saves.
Eastern Connecticut and Farmingdale State will both return to action tomorrow on day two of the Valiant Classic. ECSU will take on Buffalo State in game one beginning at 4:30 p.m., while Farmingdale State will take on host Manhattanville at 7:00 p.m. Live video will be provided for the Farmingdale State/Manhattanville game at http://www.govaliants.tv/.


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Six film festival stories
FILM- Filmed art: Spice Bush bends 'truth'
Department of confusion: Charlottesville filmmaker Kevin Everson says that the audience for his new film, The Spice Bush, can expect "a false narrative." By way of explanation, he says, "Every photo, video, or film is a lie, because it's only a perspective of the author."
Though Everson studied fine art and photography in Ohio, the UVA art prof says he was soon drawn to expressing himself in a "time-based" medium.
His films focuses on working-class black Americans going through the task of "everyday labor," he says. "I grew up in that kind of environment, so I know the deal."
But the everyday subject matter of The Spice Bush soon breaks from its documentary beginnings. "Around the 47th minute, it starts to flip on you," he says, and fiction takes over.
Such a film defies conventional description, and while it deals with the Civil Rights era, "I don't want you to see that this is a window onto anything," Everson says. "You're always going to be reminded that it's a film."
Everson, 39, teaches filmmaking at UVA. His shorts have appeared at the Virginia Film Festival (last year), Sundance, and other festivals.
He describes The Spice Bush as a "collage." That seems apt considering that he uses mini-DV footage and still photography as well as his own 16mm footage, "found" 16mm, and 16mm doctored to resemble found footage.
Everson favors 16mm because "it has an element of past tense to it."
Still, he emphasizes the manipulation of truth. "You're never watching a documentary or a film," he says. "You're always experiencing this art object, but you just happen to be in a dark room with a light object, and you're sitting in a seat. It's a different way of absorbing the content."
Spice's cast includes Everson's three-year-old daughter as "a kind of Greek chorus," and his 20-year-old son. The director's uncle plays a major role, discussing his tenure as a school bus driver during Civil Rights-era Mississippi.
While scavenging for material, Everson discovered how hard it is to get found footage with African Americans in it, unless it's about the Civil Rights movement. "Nobody," he explains, "documented or filmed blacks unless it was newsworthy."
Spice is his first feature-length film. He calls it "a kind of exercise to see if I can sustain this content for a longer period of time."
The Spice Bush shows on Sunday, October 31 at 4pm at the Vinegar Hill Theater.
FILM- Junior achievement: Senator's son follows NASCAR
Published October 28, 2004, in issue 0343 of the Hook
"I've always been a gearhead, ever since I was a kid," confesses auto racer/filmmaker John Warner Jr. "It's just in your blood."
"You live life at 110 percent," he continues to wax. "It's like being in a war or flying a fighter jet. The risk factor makes it very, very compelling."
Several years ago, however, Warner, 42, found himself more intrigued by a camera's viewfinder than by his jumpsuit, helmet, and goggles. While he was racing at the Texas World Speedway, he conceived of a series of documentaries on NASCAR's history.
"I just fell into it," Warner says. "It was a pet project, and it grew into three films."
First stop: to chronicle the life of pioneering black racer Wendell Scott. Warner found Scott's existing bio-pic, Greased Lightning (1977), "junky," he says. He was surprised that there was no biography of Scott.
Warner interviewed Scott's family– "an amazing bunch of people," he says– for The Wendell Scott Story. He followed it with two more documentaries, the latest of which, The Golden Era of Nascar, also plays at the Festival.
Son of longtime U.S. Senator John Warner, the filmmaker has raced since the '80s. The 1986 UVA graduate formerly designed computer graphics for commercials and film. This will be his first time presenting his work at the Festival.
While the documentaries are a labor of love, he admits that it's also a commercial venture. "We plan to sell the films in a box set to the NASCAR crowd."
Warner points out that NASCAR's popularity is not strictly a Southern phenomenon: It has caught on all over the country as well as in Mexico and Europe.
The Golden Era opens with NASCAR's "really wild" early days just after World War II. Warner says veterans were "the ones who really built the sport" using their wartime knowledge of engineering and aerodynamics.
"That's a component that people don't realize– how brilliant these guys were," he says.
"It's basically a story that's never been told in its entirety before," Warner says. "NASCAR has kind of glossed over its early history. It's changing, now."
Warner hosts a screening of The Wendell Scott Story on Saturday, October 30 at 10:15am in theater 5 of the Downtown Regal Cinema. At 4pm that same day, he hosts The Golden Era of NASCAR in Culbreth Theater.
FILM- Bullitt's double: The accidental stuntman
Published October 28, 2004, in issue 0343 of the Hook
There's virtually nothing that stuntman Loren Janes, 73, hasn't seen or done in Hollywood. He's donned falsies and doubled as Debbie Reynolds, raced into an exploding house for Earthquake (1974), and careened into hellfire in The Ten Commandments (1956), among countless death-defying feats.
But Janes admits that his life-altering plunge into stunts was inadvertent.
While teaching trigonometry and calculus in Los Angeles, Janes performed dives for students at the school's large pool. One student, the son of "a big shot at MGM," Janes explains, described his teacher's gymnastic acumen to his father. The "big shot" desperately needed a diver for an Esther Williams vehicle, Jupiter's Darling (1955).
Janes was hired– and a stuntman was born.
He went on the double for Steve McQueen in various films including Bullitt and The Great Escape. Work kept rolling in. The school principal handed him a choice of careers: stunts or trig.
"I said, 'See you later,'" deadpans Janes, "and that was 48 years ago."
He remains proud of his profession's upstanding reputation. Stuntmen and -women "know what we're doing," Janes says. "None of us have egos. We don't throw temper tantrums. We're always looking after everyone, to make sure nobody gets hurt."
Of his co-workers, Janes recalls John Wayne with special affection. Wayne deeply respected stuntmen, he says, so much so that when Wayne caught director Otto Preminger abusing one while shooting In Harm's Way (1965), the Duke decked Preminger.
Other co-workers he remembers less amiably. Janes' pithy description of Stanley Kubrick, who directed him in Spartacus (1960): "terrible."
After hundreds of films, Janes became disenchanted with the movie industry. His countless classic co-stars, he recalls, were "just fantastic people." By contrast, he says, "You work with the big stars today, and they're learning their lines on the set... They're just horrible to work with."
He's appalled at how many talented stunt people have been replaced by computer effects, which he claims are "hurting everybody" in films.
While shooting Spider-Man (2002), Janes says, he had an epiphany: "Wait a minute– I've been doing this 48 years. I've never broken a bone. I'm 70 years old. What am I doing this for?"
That was when he quit, he says, and it was on stage 27, the exact soundstage where Jupiter's Darling had been shot.
"I said, 'That's it– I started here, and I'm quitting here.' And that's the finish."
Loren Janes hosts a screening of Bullitt (1968) Saturday, October 30, at 1pm at Culbreth Theater. On Sunday, October 31, he screens a new documentary on his life and career, Diary of a Stuntman, co-hosted by his son-in-law, local WINA radio newsman Bruce Sanborn. Admission for this special screening in Newcomb Hall at UVA is free.
FILM- Chrystal's keeper: An Ozark Mountain daredevil
Published October 28, 2004, in issue 0343 of the Hook
Actor/director Ray McKinnon spent a decade trying to get his first feature film produced.
"Nobody was interested," McKinnon, now 43, recalls. "Who wants to make a hillbilly art film? Finally, I said, 'Heck, I've gotta make a movie.'" The result was McKinnon's 38-minute short, The Accountant (2001).
"If I fail," he recalls thinking, "only a few people will be pissed off... mainly, kinfolk who loaned me money."
But in 2002, when The Accountant won the Oscar for Best Live-Action Short, suddenly producers found the idea of his feature "artistic instead of crazy," he says.
Now complete, Chrystal, stars Billy Bob Thornton as ex-convict Joe, and McKinnon's wife, actress Lisa Blount, as Chrystal, Joe's estranged wife. McKinnon co-stars as the "despicable" Snake, along with his frequent collaborator, Walt (The Shield) Goggins.
As a native Georgian, McKinnon says Chrystal's southern setting was a natural choice. He kids that his hometown's tallest hill was the interstate exit ramp.
McKinnon is recognizable from his acting work in films like Apollo 13 and in HBO's Deadwood. He's perhaps best remembered, though, as the loathsome Vernon Waldrip, Holly Hunter's suitor in 2000's O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Chrystal first occurred to McKinnon while he was visiting his wife's Ozark Mountain relatives. He became fascinated by people who are attracted to living in a place that's isolated and remote– specifically, rural Arkansas.
McKinnon hopes audiences regularly assaulted by mega-budget action movies will be drawn to Chrystal. "If you watch their posture," McKinnon observes of typical action audiences, "they are, literally, pinned back in their seat."
(Although Chrystal does feature violence, he says it's realistic, not cartoonish and admittedly "not pretty to look at it.")
Getting Chrystal distributed is McKinnon's next goal. "We want people to experience it in a theater," he says. "Occasionally," he says, "you need movies where you can move forward, or up."
Ray McKinnon hosts Chrystal's regional premiere at 7pm on Saturday, October 30 in theater 4 of the Downtown Regal Cinema. Also in attendance will be David Koplan, Lisa Blount, and Walt Goggins. Tickets are still available. At 10am that morning, he hosts a free film acting workshop at UVA's Helms Theater.
FILM- Hellman's Blacktop: Make of it what you will
Published October 28, 2004, in issue 0343 of the Hook
One of the most laconic entries in Virginia's "Speed" Film Festival is director Monte Hellman's Two-Lane Blacktop (1971). The film follows a cross-country road race pitting two stoic, anonymous racers against a bizarre character known as "G.T.O." Complications arise when an underage hitchhiker vies for the trio's affections.
This simplistic plot and elliptical storytelling of Rudy Wurlitzer became something of a cult classic under Hellman, who spoke recently with the Hook.
After interviewing "every possible actor"– including Al Pacino and Robert De Niro– for his lead, Hellman says he saw musician James Taylor's photo on a billboard and thought he looked perfect. When Hellman interviewed Taylor, "That was it," he says.
The Beach Boys' Dennis Wilson plays Taylor's mechanic.
Hellman's frequent collaborator, Warren Oates as G.T.O. "took the work seriously, but he didn't take himself seriously," Hellman says.
A meeting with teenager Laurie Bird "literally became the inspiration for the role" of the hitchhiker, Hellman says. After Bird auditioned, he spent six months interviewing professional actresses, and only then cast Bird.
Hellman says that he wanted the actors not to become the characters, "but to find a way for the characters to become them."
Was anything cut from the film? "The question is: what wasn't cut?" Hellman quips. Blacktop was condensed to 105 minutes from 210, and he says the extra footage was destroyed– with no regrets. "I didn't keep cutting away if I thought it was gonna be better with it in."
Hellman continued directing after Blacktop, serving as executive producer on Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1991). He and Tarantino planned other collaborations, but these suffered "death by committee," he says.
"In a funny way, it's not my kind of movie," he admits of Blacktop. "I like more story-oriented subjects. I think for what it is, I'm proud of it, and I think it's unique."
Now working on a western, Hellman offers no guidance about interpreting his ambiguous film. "I don't think about those things when I'm making a movie," he states. "I'm just trying to tell the story."
To him, Blacktop works as a kind of Rorschach test.
"If I do have any intent," he laughs, "that's what it is!"
Two-Lane Blacktop screens Thursday, October 28 at 7:15pm, and Saturday, October 30 at 4:15pm, both at the downtown Regal cinema, but Hellman will not be present.
FILM- Mid-life recovery: Preve takes to filmmaking
Published October 28, 2004, in issue 0343 of the Hook
"I always liked film," says local filmmaker Ricardo Preve, "but I never thought I'd being doing it." Now, Preve, 46, wages cinematic war.
Against globalization, that is. A native of Argentina, Preve was laid off from his high-level job with an international paper company three years ago. Stuck in a mid-life crisis, he wondered if he should "go back to making money for a big corporation."
But a director friend, Fernando Spiner, steered him towards filmmaking. Three years later, Preve has produced as many films.
Despite its title, Preve's 2004 globe-spanning documentary, Mondovino, "is not really about wine," he says. "It's about losing your cultural identity, or fighting for it in the face of overwhelming forces to make everything taste the same, look the same, sound the same."
Preve also produced Tango: A Strange Turn, an unusual choice of subject considering that Preve and Tango's director, Maria Garcia Guevara, are from a generation when, if "you were a teenager, you would not be caught dead listening to tango."
That explains why Guevara knew nothing about the dance. But while researching the film, Preve says, "She absolutely fell in love with tango. She listened to more than 2,000 tangos, she learned to dance it, and met the [film's] characters."
The film follows the recent tango revival among Argentina's youth, who are "making some great tango music and reviving a tradition that's very Argentine," Preve says.
Preve has just finished two years spent shooting his directorial debut, a not-for-profit humanitarian documentary about chagas, a disease affecting millions of impoverished South Americans [See "Killer movie: Filmmaker turns disease into documentary," a January 29 story in the Hook].
By Hollywood standards, Preve freely admits, his films' budgets are "probably the bar tab on a slow night on a shooting holiday." That hasn't stopped him, however, from creating two interesting entries in this year's eclectic local festival.
The Saturday, October 30 screening of Tango: A Strange Turn is sold out. A repeat performance has been added for Sunday, October 31 at 7:15 pm in the Regal Cinema downtown where Mondovino plays at 10:15am that morning.


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3 Pregnancy Myths You Shouldn't Believe
3 Pregnancy Myths You Shouldn't Believe
When you find out you're pregnant your thoughts often turn quickly from excitement to wondering what kind of 9-month journey you're in for. You may have heard that closely-timed pregnancies result in less morning sickness or that carrying a girl will result in more. But is there really any truth to these myths?
We looked at three of the most common beliefs about moms and their pregnancies and reviewed hundreds of Circle of Moms members' comments to figure out which, if any of them hold up.
1. Do Closely-timed Pregnancies Trump Morning Sickness?
Morning sickness is a symptom of pregnancy that everyone wants to avoid, and few do. Circle of Moms member Shavaune C. swears that if you have two pregnancies very close together, the second pregnancy will be much easier, virtually symptom-free. Her reasoning is that your body is already accustomed to pregnancy hormones, and therefore will require little adjustment. Jade B.'s experience echoes this: after enduring tremendous morning sickness, swollen breasts, and severe mood swings when she was pregnant with her son a little more than a year ago, she's now halfway through her second pregnancy and has had virtually no symptoms.
On the other hand, many Circle of Moms members report exactly the opposite experience. Cathy L.'s two pregnancies, also close together, were almost identical in nature: she had clear skin, little weight gain, and mild and infrequent morning sickness. Cassandra S.'s first pregnancy was like a non-event; she barely even knew she was pregnant. But the second time around she was sick almost constantly for the first few months, and was so tired she could barely function.
2. Can Dietary Changes Create a "Symptomless" Pregnancy?
While symptomless pregnancies aren't rare, they're somewhat uncommon — so much so that Jade B. thought there was something wrong when she didn't experience swollen breasts, nausea, or tiredness. But it turns out that she had a perfectly normal pregnancy, and now has a healthy son. Serenity C. could not even feel her contractions during labor, though the fetal monitor was registering them. (Now there's a accomplishment many of us would like to learn how to achieve!)
Some women claim that what you eat influences whether or not you will have a relatively symptom-free pregnancy. Nancy T. says that eating spicy Thai food and regularly monitoring her blood sugar caused her to experience very few symptoms throughout her pregnancy. And Sara B.'s constant citrus cravings kept morning sickness, and all other potential symptoms, at bay.
But spicy food of any kind gives many pregnant women severe heartburn, and citrus made Corinne T. so nauseous she couldn't even stand the smell of orange juice.
3. Do Girls Make for Harder Pregnancies and Less "Glow"?
Some of the popular myths about gender and pregnancy are that you won't have as much morning sickness with a boy, and that with a girl, it can be severe. It's also often said that women pregnant with girls don't "glow" as much as those pregnant with boys, because a girl baby "steals the mother's beauty."
Circle of Moms member Charity T.'s pregnancies suggest that the first myth, that girls make for tougher pregnancies, is pure bunk: She wasn't sick at all with her boy, and was extremely sick with her next baby, a girl. Elizabeth B.'s three pregnancies were an unpredictable grab bag of experience. With her first two (a girl and then a boy) she was sick for much of the first trimester. With her third, a girl, she had almost no symptoms at all. And she can't think of anything that might account for these differences.
As far as skin and beauty go, Rachael H., who has never had problematic skin, had terrible outbreaks during both of her pregnancies — both boys. Perhaps they were trying to steal their mother's looks?
These moms' reports suggest that trying to predict what a pregnancy might be like is, well, pure folly! Each mom, and each pregnancy, is unique. The most we can do is hope for the best, and roll with whatever come our way.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.


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The annual improvement assessment considers the likelihood that an authority will comply with its duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement.
The work carried out since the last Annual Improvement Report (AIR), including that of the relevant regulators, is detailed in this report.
Based on, and limited to, the work carried out by the Wales Audit Office and relevant regulators, the Auditor General believes that the Council is likely to comply with the requirements of the Local Government Measure (2009) during 2017-18.


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Taste Coffee with the Pros at MadCap in Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids, Michigan, may not be at the top of your brain along with Portland, Seattle, or Melbourne for great coffee...but clear aside some room and let it dwell there alongside the greats. Local roasters MadCap have built national acclaim by sourcing excellent coffees and presenting them to their smaller-city audience and international competition stages alike. Their 2011 Los Lobos coffee from Costa Rica won a Good Food Award, and barista-owner and barista Trevor Corlett and Ryan Knapp have made it to some of the highest ranks of the competition stage. But more importantly—to them and to you—is their goal to change how everyday people think about their coffee.
We visited their first ever seated Sunday coffee tasting, a new format offered for limited hours once a week during which patrons are seated restaurant-style, and offered a specific selection of seasonal coffees from the day's menu, where they are actively encouraged to talk, taste, and learn. (The idea recalls Square Mile Coffee Roasters' espresso-free Penny University pop-up in London of 2010, which led guests through a patiently curated tasting experience.) Served in both horizontal and vertical style flights—three coffees one way, or one coffee three ways—even the novice palate won't help but make note of where the coffees compare and diverge.
African coffees took the stage at this particular tasting, which featured the Ethiopia Kochere, Ethiopia Ardi, and the Kenya Karatina single-origin coffees all roasted by MadCap. We selected a three-way flight of Kenya Karatina, roasted for espresso and brewed as espresso and macchiato, and a V60 pourover cone, roasted for filter brewing.
The guided exploration serves enough for two, and necessarily stimulates a conversation about taste—the kind coffee experts wish were happening at home all the time.
"Obviously the idea is getting people to taste coffees somewhat in the way we are," says Corlett of the Sunday structure. "Even across three ways of preparation, there's going to be a common thread throughout. In a flight setting it's unavoidable to become aware of the similarities and differences."
The coffees—which arrive all at once, not for the faint of heart —are paired with local seasonal foods to cleanse the palate, as well as complement the coffees. (A somewhat overfluffy housebaked scone is, it turns out, perfect for resting one's palate between sips.) With a mind on the lifespan of each drink, we turned first to the espresso shot—very sweet and bright but full of puckery tart blackberry flavors. Next was the macchiato, so ultralush you'd mistake it for a cappuccino if it wasn't gone in half the time. The darker, deeper tones of the rich fruit in this Kenyan stood out in this much more sweetness-forward preparation. Finally, a smooth cup of pourover-brew of the same concoction yielded a new dimension of juice, with the same tart finish, a little creamy overtone and a little bit of green grape.
And beyond the opportunity to taste so many variations of a coffee, or a region, all at once, is the less common opportunity to open a greater dialogue about what one is tasting. The tablecloth atmosphere helps you take it more seriously, too—no one's taking their laptop out today.
"In a busy cafe setting, you can't actually have in-depth conversations, but I've had the chance to sit down with people today and talk about process, regions, seasonality, and how that effects the way a coffee tastes the way it does," said Knapp.
Once the door to tastings like this is opened in people's minds, the room to grow one's coffee palate can flourish. And though Grand Rapids may not be on your flight path, tasting and comparing—as formally or informally as you like—can happen anytime, anywhere, and can open a rabbit hole of coffee curiosity, and appreciation of all the complexities that lie within the increasingly better coffees we have access to no matter where we live.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Welcome to Watch List, where we identify five things on TV to watch while you stay at home and celebrate the arrival of September. Ah, September, the month that tricks you into believing fall is coming, only to dump August temperatures upon you. LET'S GO!
UNLV/WISCONSIN – 8:00PM (ESPN) College football is BACK! Touchdowns! Cheerleaders! Drunken student sections! Bowl official stripper parties! Questionable NCAA eligibility rulings! Poor academic ratings! Sousaphones! It's all here for your enjoyment once more. You get a full slate of games over on ESPNU (Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky ooohhhh!), and you get the headliner matchup on the ESPN mothership. It's not the most glamorous matchup out there, but it's football and it's real and you will be happy. ANTICIPATION: FOOTBALL!
LOUIE – 10:30PM (FX) How great was that Afghanistan episode last week? What an unbelievable hour of TV. That thing deserved to win Emmys AND Oscars, it was so well done. I can't say enough good things about this show. If you don't watch it, you are a bad person. ANTICIPATION: HIGH!
LAST CUP: ROAD TO THE WORLD SERIES OF BEER PONG – 11:04PM (Spike) Remember those guys in college who took drinking games wayyy too seriously, and completely forgot that the whole point of drinking games is to socialize and have fun? Yes, well those guys are on this show. ANTICIPATION: AT COLGATE THEY CALL IT BEIRUT!
PROJECT RUNWAY – 9:00PM (Lifetime) This has been an entertaining season so far, especially with Olivier eating it during the track and field challenge last week (have a nice fall!), but it's becoming quite clear that none of these designers are very good. I think Kimberley is probably your winner. Also, Bert is this year's Michael Costello. Discuss. ANTICIPATION: DESIGNERS DON'T LIKE PERSNICKETY OLD PEOPLE!
RISING: REBUILDING GROUND ZERO – 8:00PM (Discovery) Learn about the building of the new 9/11 memorial and the brand new transit hub built in the wake of the attacks ten years ago. ANTICIPATION: BITTERSWEET!