text:
An ad hoc Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) committee meeting yesterday concluded that a fire which broke out at Formosa Petrochemical Corp's Sixth Naphtha Cracker in Yunlin County's Mailiao Township (麥寮) in July 2010 had a negative impact on the surrounding environment and that the company must outline its response strategies in light of the case.
The meeting was held using information based on the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (環境影響評估法) and the committee requested that Formosa Petrochemical Corp present an environmental impact investigation report on the accident. It added that the conclusions drawn from the findings of a third ad hoc committee meeting which took place in March require that the company come up with a response strategy for possible future accidents.
However, the EIA committee said the causal relationship of the accident and the negative impact on the nearby environment was unclear and needed to be discussed further.
Before the meeting took place at the Environmental Protection Administration, several representatives from civic environmental protection groups, academics and local aquaculture farmers held a protest in front of the building.
The activists and aquaculturalists presented evidence arguing that the collective mass death of ducks and fish near the plant after the fire was suspected to be connected to pollution created by the accident.
Taiwan Water Conservation Alliance spokesperson Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) said about 2,500 ducklings at a nearby duck ranch died en masse on the morning of July 27 and they believe the deaths were directly related to the acidic dust which was released after 584 tonnes of heavy oil were ignited during the accident.
"The fire burned for almost three days and the duck ranch was located to the east of the plant with winds blowing from the southwest during those days," Chen said, adding that a heavy rainfall occurred around 1am on July 27, just hours before the sudden death of the ducklings.
A member of the Changhua Medical Alliance for Public Affairs Yang Joe-ming (楊澤民), said that according to the EPA's monitoring data from that period, levels of PM2.5 (particles under 2.5 micrometers in diameter), as well as damaging ozone, exceeded regulated standards in both Chunghua and Yunlin Counties by 16 and 11.1 times respectively.
During the meeting, Formosa Petrochemical Corp said its investigation into air quality, water monitoring and soil quality, as well as tests for heavy-metal in fish and crustaceans raised near the plant, showed that pollutant levels were all within regulated standards and that there was no scientific evidence to prove the animals' deaths were caused by pollution from the plant.
However, Yunlin County Government's Agriculture Bureau said excess amounts of heavy metal substances — up to five times the level that can kill rats in laboratory tests — were found in aquatic products.
Two local aquaculture farmers who raise Taiwan tilapia and clams said large amounts of their water-based livestock died after the incident, but the company was not willing to compensate them for their losses because they could not bring any scientific evidence to prove their case.
Yunlin County Deputy Commissioner Shih Keh-he (施克和) said the Supreme Administrative Court had already ruled that the accident had caused severe air pollution and so the company should stop shirking its responsibilities by saying it had caused no harm to the environment.


text:
Mobile phones are a complex mixture of several hundred components, many of which contain heavy metals and hazardous chemicals. These cause pollution and put workers at risk when the products are produced or thrown away. Discover what dangerous substances are in many phones.
© Greenpeace
1 - 12 of 5649 results.
You can't see them but your mobile phone contains many toxic chemicals.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sentinel Atmospheric Toolbox
The Atmospheric Sentinel Toolbox, which is based on the Basic Envisat Atmospheric Toolbox project (BEAT), provides scientists with tools for ingesting, processing, and analyzing atmospheric remote sensing data.
The toolbox consists of a set of libraries, command line tools, and interfaces to IDL, MATLAB, Fortran, and Python that allow you to access data from a range of atmospheric instrument product files. The VISAN package contains an application that can be used to visualise and analyse the data that you retrieve using the BEAT interface.
The current primary instruments supported by the toolbox are GOMOS, MIPAS, and SCIAMACHY (ENVISAT), GOME (ERS-2), OMI, TES and MLS (Aura), and GOME-2 and IASI (MetOp).
The toolbox is provided as Open Source Software, enabling user community participation in further development and quality improvement.
Tutorial and Test Data: http://www.stcorp.nl/beat/download/
Product Formats: http://www.stcorp.nl/beat/documentation/codadef/
Documentation: http://www.stcorp.nl/beat/documentation/
Open Source Development
The Sentinel Toolboxes and full source code is distributed freely under the GNU GPL license.
Open source makes software inherently independent of specific vendors, programmers and suppliers. The software can be freely distributed and shared by large communities including the source code and the right to modify it. This ensures that there isn't a single entity on which the future of the software depends on and allows for unlimited improvements and tuning of the quality and functionality of the software.
As open source, future evolution and growth of the toolboxes will be possible by the community of users and developers that contribute back to the project.
Issue Tracker
User Discussion Forum/Support and Feedback
Please send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com if you have any questions and/or remarks regarding the toolbox


text:
Monday, December 20, 2010
To the left, to the left...
4 comments:
If you really want to understand this "privilege/entitlement" stuff you have to read the book C Street. It breaks the thoughts of the few down.
- Ryan Hauck said...
I'm a 30+ year South Carolina resident. The Civil War commemorations that are being held here make me vaguely uneasy; I think the anniversary should be noted, but definitely not *celebrated*. I think if you don't commemorate the Civil War, history eventually forgets just how awful and divisive and evil and powerful the institution of slavery was--powerful enough to rip apart a country. Most commemorations are staying tasteful and trying not to glorify or romanticize the event as far as I can tell, but then again this is SC. There are more than just the "lunatic fringe" trying to revise history. I actually have personal acquaintances (i hesitate to call them friends anymore) who are in the modern secessionist movement. So while that stuff is real and tangible and not insignificant, I think it's safe to say that the whole state doesn't feel like that.
I agree with all of the content of your post; I just wanted to point out that not everybody in SC is a crazy person. :)
I'm from Mississippi originally, though I haven't been back in five years (ever since Hurricane Katrina chased my folks off to Kentucky). I grew up in an atmosphere where the Confederate flag was a symbol of "Southern Pride". Hell, I attended Jefferson Davis Elementary School (until it was renamed for a local philanthropist in 1980), and stayed in Mississippi schools until I graduated from MSU in the early 90s.
For all the faults of my history education, nobody ever pretended that the Civil War wasn't about slavery.
Fuck South Carolina and their Treason Festival. Sideways.
(And while I'll argue that most people who fly the Confederate flag honestly don't intend anything racist by it, it's decades past time for them to grow up and realize what it truly means.)
- Unknown said...
Born in Louisiana as a descendant of plantation owners, raised in TX and say FUCK THEM.


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Today the United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Sackett v. EPA (10-1062)[1] that Chantall and Michael Sackett may bring a Federal civil action under the Administrative Procedure Act ("APA") to challenge the issuance of an EPA compliance order that had prevented them from building a home on their land. The importance of this ruling is that it constitutes a victory for due process for all Americans confronted by the EPA with crime.
Congress invents a new crime on average every week for every week of the year.[2] Departments of the Executive Branch have established regulations and rulings that further criminalize innocuous crime (what I mean here by innocuous is "crime" lacking the existence of any wrongful or criminal intent on the part of the alleged wrong-doer). These often esoteric regulations number in the hundreds of thousands. There are steep economic costs to all this rule making and quite often they are borne by ordinary Americans with limited resources-unable to fight a government with comparatively unlimited prosecutorial and administrative budgets. A case that illustrates this well is that of that of the Sacketts.
Keep in mind, the Federal government spends billions of dollars on prosecutions based upon theories of strict liability for obscure crimes honored more in their breach than by their rule often because the crimes lack definition. On example, which is at the heart of the Sacketts case is the Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act prohibits, "the discharge of any pollutant by any person," without a permit, into the "navigable waters." The term "navigable waters" is defined in the Clean Water Act as, "the waters of the United States," §1362(7). The problem, identified by the Court in its ruling today, but has been obvious to so many of us for decades is that no where is the meaning of "the waters of the United States" defined or made clear. Not anywhere.
While ignorance of the law is never a defense for its violation, no American can be apprised of or know, not even the most seasoned and ancient criminal defense lawyer, all the hundreds of thousands of statutes and regulations any American must prescribe his conduct by at all times so as not to run afoul of the law.
In the Sacketts case, a couple in rural Idaho in 2008 were days away from clearing away their land (land which is close to Priest Lake but landlocked), in order to build their home. They had obtained all requisite local licenses and permits. The EPA visited them and announced that they were to cease and desist building or in any way doing anything with their land because it was on Federal wetlands and their affecting their land in any manner would constitute a violation of the Clean Water Act. The Sacketts asked for proof. The EPA pointed them to National Fish and Wildlife Wetlands Inventory. When the Sacketts showed the EPA that their property was not listed as a wetland according to the National Fish and Wildlife Wetlands Inventory, the EPA simply declined to provide any further rationale for its decision. It did however, issue an administrative compliance order stating that the Sackett's failure to cease and desist doing anything on their land would result in penalties of up to $75,000 per day for violations of the Clean Water Act plus possible criminal prosecution. The Order also required that the Sacketts fence off their property after replacing all the landfill they had cleared, replacing all the vegetation that had been removed, and that they monitor their now fenced in land, that they were not to otherwise touch, for a period of three years. The Sacketts asked the EPA for a hearing on the order but the EPA refused.
Due process would have required that the Sacketts receive some opportunity to be heard by the EPA or some reviewing entity. The Sacketts filed a complaint in Federal court for a review of the EPA's order under the APA. The Federal court dismissed the Sackett's complaint (the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently affirmed the dismissal) on the grounds that they could not review the order because it was not a "final action" from EPA.
The Supreme Court's opinion written by Justice Scalia found that the Sacketts did have a right to judicial review of the Administrative Compliance Order because the Order "has all the hallmarks of APA finality" because it imposes legal obligations, states the penalties and other repercussions of non-compliance, and according to the EPA, final in that the EPA did not think it was subject to any further EPA review. Other than coming to Federal Court, the Sacketts had no other means of redress.
The Government argued that allowing judicial review of EPA actions would impede the EPA's ability to regulate land as efficiently. This is almost like saying that were there a judicial review (a actual check and balance on the EPA), of the EPA's compliance orders, the EPA would not be able to act with as much unbridled power. Justice Scalia was not impressed by the Government's logic when he replied that the APA's presumption of judicial review applies to other agencies and it,
is a repudiation of the principle that efficiency of regulation conquers all. And there is no reason to think that the Clean Water Act was uniquely designed to enable the strong-arming of regulated parties into "voluntary compliance" without the opportunity for judicial review–even judicial review of the question whether the regulated party is within the EPA's jurisdiction
My favorite part of the decision was the concurring opinion written by Justice Alito, which ought to comfort property owners having to contend with the EPA, and chastises Congress for the perfectly unclear nature of the Clean Water Act.
Justice Alito writes,
The position taken in this case by the Federal Government–a position that the Court now squarely rejects– would have put the property rights of ordinary Americans entirely at the mercy of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees.
The reach of the Clean Water Act is notoriously unclear. Any piece of land that is wet at least part of the year is in danger of being classified by EPA employees as wetlands covered by the Act, and according to the Federal Government, if property owners begin to construct a home on a lot that the agency thinks possesses the requisite wetness, the property owners are at the agency's mercy.
The Sackett's get to return to Federal court but there is no guarantee they will prevail. This is far better than giving them or anyone else no recourse whatsoever when the EPA seemingly arbitrarily decides to violate an individual's property rights. Justice Alito,
The Court's decision provides a modest measure of relief. At least, property owners like petitioners will have the right to challenge the EPA's jurisdictional determination under the Administrative Procedure Act. But the combination of the uncertain reach of the Clean Water Act and the draconian penalties imposed for the sort of violations alleged in this case still leaves most property owners with little practical alternative but to dance to the EPA's tune. Real relief requires Congress to do what it should have done in the first place: provide a reasonably clear rule re- garding the reach of the Clean Water Act.
Sadly, Justice Alito's admonishment to Congress will likely go as far as the saying of throwing pearls before swine. Congress ought to pay more thought to what laws it writes. The Due Process Clause of the United States Constitution requires that no one be made to guess, when their life and liberty is at stake, as to the meaning of a criminal statute. Violation of the Clean Water Act carries with it the possibility of criminal prosecution. Laws enforced by the EPA and other departments of the Executive Branch that carry the penalty of a loss of freedom must be absolutely clearly in apprising all of what conduct is prescribed and what is not. All must know what the Government commands or forbids. The Sackett case is an illustration of this but there are only about 300,000 other regulations that may or most likely may not apprise otherwise law-abiding Americans what the Government may or may not punish.@
R Tamara de Silva
Chicago, Illinois March 21, 2012
R Tamara de Silva is an independent trader and lawyer
1. http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/10-1062.pdf
2. From 2000 through 2007, Congress enacted 452 new criminal offenses. http://www.heritage.org/Research/Factsheets/2011/04/OVERCRIMINALIZATION-An-Explosion-of-Federal-Criminal-Law


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Kathleen Ortiz, junior agent at Lowenstein Associates. Not only is she fun and young and hip, but she actually agreed to talk to us on video when we did our Pub Tips Vlog. Lucky for you, Kathleen agreed to talk to Kody Keplinger again, as long as no cameras were involved this time. She was kind enough to answer a few questions, and she didn't hold back at all!
KODY: Thanks for joining us, Kathleen! So, first off, why did you decide to become an agent?
KATHLEEN: In the words of my best friend, "You're a reading and editing nerd."
The truth: I love slush. Let me tell you how many jaws drop when I say that, lol. Most editors and scouts sit back and say, "God bless you." I just really enjoy reading what writers have produced, picking out the ones I fall in love with, and helping them shape and mold it into something that can be great. I enjoy working with my clients, talking them off the ledge when they're in the middle of revisions or receive a rejection, and cheering them on when we get positive feedback.
KODY: Oh my God, I love slush too! As an aspiring agent myself, I have to know, how did you get into agenting? (School, internships, etc)
KATHLEEN: I was the one who knew exactly what she would do with her life since age four. I was going to be a veterinarian and work with marine mammals. ::strikes superman pose:: I worked at a veterinary clinic for six years (through college), moved up from secretary to assistant nurse to surgery nurse, attended a special high school magnet program for pre-veterinary students, took pre-veterinary courses at the local college while I was a senior in high school and skipped off to college to work toward my pre-veterinary B.S. I even volunteered regularly for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida in their food prep, sea turtle show (I was the girl who stood in the tank giving facts to the audience) and even got to work with an adorable dolphin named Nicholas.
I was convinced that was my track (did I mention since age four?) and did everything to gain experience. Then I had the most amazing composition teacher freshman year of college who flat out told me, "If you don't go into some field of publishing, it'll be a waste of talent." I had always loved reading (I was the kid who always had a book in my purse) and editing (friends put up with a lot of my spelling corrections senior year), so I took some English electives, hated them (that whole poetry/classics thing? Not really for me) and thought she was crazy. She sent me to the journalism building to prove me wrong. I talked to the dean, signed up for some magazine/newspaper publishing electives and poof! I was in love.
Just like with veterinary medicine, I wanted to gain experience in publishing. In four years I worked (simultaneously, for the most part) as an online editor for UWirePr.com's arts/entertainment section (claim to fame: I interviewed Joss Whedon ::first pump::), an editorial assistant in charge of the teen section of Ballinger Publishing, a tutor (and co-creator of the online portion) for our university's writing lab, a writer for Get 'Em Magazine, a resume/cover letter critiquer, and a writer for our university's paper.
After that I moved back to my hometown, got my own place and started teaching. I knew I wanted to work in publishing, but I really wanted to take a few more classes on interactive media design before I broke into the book publishing industry. I had the most amazing mentors in college who told me flat out "in five years you're going to be grateful you did this. You won't have the time if you work now in the business so take a year or two, brush up on your interactive and online skills and then go for it."
Best. Advice. Ever.
I taught high school for a couple of years (English, Web Design, Yearbook, TV Production, list goes on), LOVED my students, but had to keep true to my goal.
Applied for grad school and 30-some internships. I landed two internships with the amazing Caren Johnson Literary Agency and Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation. Moved to NYC, worked my butt off at the internships and prepared for the new semester. Applied for a lot of jobs and was called in for three interviews. Got the job with Lowenstein Associates and am now Foreign Rights Manager and Associate Agent.
I think the most fascinating part, to me at least, is that every single job I had since high school has helped lead me to where I am today. Even working at a veterinary clinic helped, because I used to be an incredibly shy person and it forced me to interact with a variety of people on a daily basis. Agenting is a lot easier when you're not shy :)
My parents always told me that if you find something you love to do, you'll never work a day in your life. While veterinary medicine was something I'd wanted to do since I was four, and even though I loved working with animals (and still do – friends and family still call for medical advice), I just couldn't see myself doing it forever. It was more of a chore, and I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Working in publishing is just amazing for me. I love what I do, and while it has its up's and down's like every other job, I can honestly say I can't see myself working outside of this industry.
KODY: Wow, that is a great story! So, I'm curious, what are you looking for right now as far as manuscripts go?
KATHLEEN: I'm currently building my client list and am looking for chapter books, middle grade, and young adult – both fiction and non-fiction.
I'm open to all types, from dark and 'edgy' (sorry Kirsten) to light and funny. What would I love to find? If a well-written romance with the male point of view and a great voice fell into my lap, I think I'd record a YouTube video of my very embarrassing happy dance. I'd also love to find both a creepy YA thriller that makes me not want to sleep when I'm done (then I know you've done your job as a writer) and a steampunk with fantastic world building. As far as chapter books/middle grade goes, I'm all about finding the next RAMONA or MANIAC MAGEE.
KODY: I know you also work in foreign rights. Can you talk a little bit about what you do in that field?
KATHLEEN: If I wrote everything involved with foreign rights, it'd be about 10 pages long, lol. I'll give it in a nutshell, though. I'll use this fake book title: DA BEST BOOK by Stu Dent
So I sell DA BEST BOOK to Awesome Publisher. Once it's sold, if the agency has kept the foreign rights (not all do), I draw up a little packet with the book description, author bio, publisher info, anticipated pub season, etc and contact both scouts and our foreign agents (I'll be doing a post next week on who they are). If it's non-fiction, I do mad research to see which countries the book will appeal to and throw in a few personalized facts and figures for that country. For example, a book on Civil War history? Most likely no one outside the US is going to care. A book on wars throughout history? Definitely target those countries involved. Then I pass on the electronic manuscript to whoever requests it.
The trick is staying organized and following up on everyone you send the information to. If you don't hear back, you nudge them; if they want ARCs and promotional pieces before deciding, you make a note to send that once it comes in; if they want to make an offer, you research what former offers were like and counter with a request for a better offer; etc.
It's an interesting process and definitely requires a LOT of organization on the foreign rights person's part. But I really enjoy it, because I like seeing what sells in other countries, and I like promoting our agency's clients.
KODY: Wow! I didn't know a lot of that! So cool! Now, we can all benefit from the next question. From an agent's perspective, what is the biggest mistake a writer (agented or unagented) can make?
KATHLEEN: I think there are two things a writer can do as a disservice to themselves, regardless if they are agented or not agented:
1. Like Laura Whitaker said in the YA Highway video, you are your biggest advocate. If you're not willing to do the research, to do the work (both fun and tedious), or consider constructive criticism, you're doing yourself a great disservice. I hear of a lot of writers who think once you're agented, then you're set to go. Getting an agent is just the first step (ok – second. Completing you manuscript is the first step). You still have revisions and edits and advice and waiting while you're looking for a publisher. Never stop believing in your manuscript and never stop working to make it the best possible work you can produce.
2. Don't burn your bridges. Just like agents rant about writers on Twitter and blogs, I totally understand if writers want to do the same. The difference? A) most agents don't give too many specifics – we gripe about general things we see. B) we do it to both gripe and educate other writers on how not to query. The only education one gets from reading a Tweet or blog post saying "Agent Y is a friggin ass because they had such a short form rejection" is that you are bitter. Agents get rejected too (it sucks when editors reject our clients' manuscripts), but we don't throw up Tweets and blogs that say "Editor X can kiss my happy ---." It's unprofessional and we don't want to burn our bridges. Besides, they're our colleagues and we too learn from their feedback and know that every editor has different tastes.
KODY: Great advice! Okay, so you're pretty active on social networks like Twitter. What are the advantages of social media?
KATHLEEN: I think, for a writer, social media is a huge advantage. Too many writers focus on "must build my audience!", which is important but not necessarily the first thing you should go for – especially if you haven't landed an agent or sold your book, yet. Social media is great for networking with others who are in the same boat you are and also who can become a support system for you. Groups like the Tenners and YA Highway can be excellent gateways into networking with other people who are also pursuing their writing careers.
KODY: Do you have any advice for writers using social media? (Where to draw the line, etc)
KATHLEEN: If you find your normal writing process interrupted by the need to Tweet, blog, or Google random, non-writing related things, then either give your Ethernet cord to someone to hide (if it's a desktop) or ask someone to lock the wifi function on your laptop. It's good to network and connect, but if it affects your job (writing), then it's doing you a disservice. Reading all the blogs and Tweets in the world on how to get published won't help you if you're not actually writing something to publish.
KODY: Ugh. I think we all struggle with distractions. Now, backing up a bit, when it comes to queries, what kinds of things are insta-rejections?
KATHLEEN: Three major things:
- You don't follow submission guidelines: if you e-mail me a query instead of filling out that form we require, you're getting deleted. I get at least five a day, and it just makes me shake my head because there isn't a web site out there that says "e-mail me your query!" (and if you find one, let me know).
- You query me with a genre I don't represent: it really amazes me how many screenplay and picture book queries I get. I don't represent either of those and I'm not looking for either of them. Do you want an agent to take on your work if they're not only not passionate about your genre but also completely out of the loop on the world of your genre? If an agent says "middle grade, only," then it means their connections are in that age range only. They probably don't have editor contacts or know what the market is for your non-fiction historical proposal. Go for agents who represent what you write – you want them to not only like it but also be up-to-date on what's going on.
- Calling me "sir." Last I checked, I'm female. I'm quite VERY certain there's no question to that. If the fact that "Kathleen" is a female name doesn't tip you off, at least do your research. Check out my blog, Twitter, Publisher's Marketplace page or agency's web site. All pronouns about me are "she."
Seriously, though, while I know the "Dear Sir" isn't meant as an insult, it's a red flag you were too lazy to type in my first or last name. I'm not looking for lazy clients. I want hard-working, I'm-gonna-do-my-research, passionate clients who want to reach their publishing goals. If you're not willing to start at the query stage, then I'm not the agent for you.
KODY: To follow up that question, what kinds of things really catch your eye?
KATHLEEN: A great hook. Even if the rest of the query isn't as stellar as it should be, if you have a great hook, I'm requesting pages. I totally get that some people just have issues with queries and that's ok with me. But you have to grab me somehow.
I'm also a big fan of personalization. A lot of agents don't care how you say you found them, but I like when writers put a little effort. It cracks me up when they say "I see your web site states that you've represented dozens of writers in sci-fi." ::pauses to check web site:: Um, yea. Doesn't say we take sci-fi and I'm not really on the web site (yet – stay tuned for my page to be revealed). So while I don't need a dissertation on how you found me, it's also nice when it shows you aren't just making stuff up either. :
KODY: Good to know! Okay, so as an agent, I'm sure you are also an avid reader. Who are some of your favorite YA authors at the moment?
I'm a really big Holly Black, Neil Gaiman and Melissa Marr fan. Their world building and intricate plots are just completely intriguing and make me want to keep reading. I also enjoy Claudia Gray, Justine Larbalestier, Pam Bachorz, Libba Bray, Simone Elkeles, Maureen Johnson, Suzanne Collins, Kody Keplinger (*ahem* I had the pleasure of reading the DUFF and will most certainly purchase a copy – no lie: pre-order yours NOW. You WON'T be sorry), the list goes on and on. Kickin' it old school? Philip Pullman and L.J. Smith (specifically THE FORBIDDEN GAME trilogy).
KODY: *blushes* Aw, Kathleen! Guys, I swear I did NOT make her say that! Okay, is there any other advice you would like to give to writers at any stage of the game?
KATHLEEN: If this is what you want, don't stop practicing your craft and gaining experience. Conferences, critique groups, even Twitter chats like #kidtlitchat and #yalitchat can be SO much help when you're starting out. Use all the tools available to you to help improve your craft.
Thank you so much for joining us, Kathleen! We always love hearing from you!
Everyone, keep an eye on this agent. She is going to rock the publishing world, I assure you. Make sure to subscribe to her helpful agenting blog, Neverending Page Turner.


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July is Smart Irrigation Month, which reminds us that to be wise in how we irrigate our Landscapes and Gardens areas. Water is our most precious resource. It is very important to conserve our water during the hot summer months and when in drought areas of the country. Conserving your water will save you money as the price of water continues to rise.
Here are some smart ways to water your garden or landscape:
You don't need to water your lawn every day. During the summer months you only need to water every five to seven days. Your lawn only needs about one inch of water a week. You can buy a rain gauge to help keep track of how much water your grass is getting. The best time to water your lawn and plants is early in the morning or at night when the temperature is lower.
Mister Landscaper sells a timer that you can set to water your landscapes & garden beds when you want to. This will make smart watering very easy and avoid over or underwatering your plants. Mister Landscaper also sells a DIY easy to install low-flow Micro and Drip Irrigation kits that will use 50% to 70% less water then standerd irrigation. This will help keep the green in your garden as well as in your wallet! In the long run you will save water, time and money. Using mulch or graound cover also helps to retain moisture in the soil which means you have to water less overall.
For Smart Irrigation Month Mister Landscaper created a coloring book as a fun way to help teach kids about how to water wisely. You can download it by clicking this link.
Some other simple tips to save water and re-use it in the garden are...
If you are going to take a bath use the water after you are done to water your plants.
If you take a shower put a bucket in the shower to catch the water. When you are done use it to water your plants.
Rain Barrels, we have all heard of them. Getting one set up is not that hard, and you can use Micro and Drip Irrigation with them. Companies like Aqua Barrel make small pumps that cary the water in the barrel's to attached hoses for easy use. Check them out at http://www.aquabarrel.com
If you have any other smart watering tips you can join us on Facebook. We would love to hear from you.
I want to wish all of you a smart watering day.


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Frying Pans
There are no products matching the selection.
A frying pan is one of the basic pieces of cookware in commercial kitchens. Frying pans are used for frying, searing and browning food on a stove top burner. Frying pans come in a variety of materials depending on the dish you are cooking and the kind of range you are cooking on. Choose a metal material such as stainless steel or aluminum fry pan. You may want to invest in a cast iron frying pan or a ceramic frying pan. Another thing to consider when shopping for a frying pan is what foods you will be using your pan to cook. You may need a non-stick pan, such as a ceramic frying pan.


text:
Mike Litos relays a fond, albeit embarrassing memory from his freshman year at VCU. It was 1986, J.D. Barnett had already packed up and left for Tulsa. Although they did not know it at the time, the Rams were sliding into an extended period of mediocrity. Like Haley's Comet, the program would emerge to win a conference title in 1996 before heading back into another orbit of so-so basketball around the sun, or something like that.
Litos grew up on Tobacco Road, where basketball is religion and your affiliation with Duke or North Carolina (no offense, N.C. State) is akin to being a Hatfield or a McCoy. Schools always packed the house and you had to get to the game at least an hour ahead of time to get a seat in the student section.
Those experiences are what caused Litos to convince his roommate and a couple of other guys to catch the first bus down to the Richmond Coliseum for the Rams' home-opener that season. After much prodding, they relented.
"When we got there," he says sheepishly. "We joined the other four students in the building in the student section."
The atmosphere Litos witnessed during VCU's 73-51 win over Richmond on Dec. 9 might as well be light years away from that first game. That night, the Rams played before their seventh consecutive sellout of more than 7,600. Some 2,000 students packed the end zones to form what he calls – and many agree – the best atmosphere in the CAA. He knows it wasn't always this way. He also believes he knows the night when it all began to change, when the gods of basketball fanaticism began to favor VCU. It was when the Verizon Wireless Arena at the Stuart C. Siegel Center (formerly the Alltel Pavilion) went from a nice, functional building to a "weapon": It was Feb. 26, 2005. Some fans refer to it as "The Michael Doles Game".
The Siegel Center opened in 1999 as a raucous, sellout crowd watched the Rams upset Louisville. But by 2003, the novelty had worn off. The Rams hadn't really won anything since the mid-nineties, and even that was fleeting. During the 2002-03 season, Jeff Capel's first as head coach, the Rams' average home attendance was 4,108. VCU's first three home games that season drew a paltry 2,111, 2,341 and 2,090 fans. Even home games with Richmond (5,695) and Old Dominion (5,077) didn't fare demonstrably better.
However, in 2003-04, Capel led the Rams to their first CAA crown since 1996. Upstart VCU even put a scare into Chris Paul and Wake Forest before dropping a 79-78 decision in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. But the Rams' newfound success didn't necessarily translate at the box office. Attendance climbed slightly, to 4,640 in 2003-04 and 4,815 in 2004-05.
At the time, Litos said the building could get loud, but he referred to it as "standard loud", almost as if it were a perfunctory gesture by the crowd.
On Feb. 26, 2005, UNC Wilmington, in the midst of its most successful string of seasons in program history, rolled into the Siegel Center. It was Senior Day at VCU, and while the Rams were a relatively young team, they were bidding farewell to elder statesmen Michael Doles and Derrick Reid.
A crowd of 7,283, the largest of the season, packed the house. Not only were the Seahawks one of the CAA's main attractions at the time (you'll have to trust me on this), but Doles was a beloved Ram.
The game couldn't have gone worse for VCU for the first 34 minutes. UNC Wilmington was every bit as good as advertised, while the Rams were awful, shooting 29 percent (9-of-31) in the first half. With 5:25 remaining, the Seahawks led 58-39. Get out your keys. The crowd, Litos says, "was just about moribund".
The comeback started slowly, almost unnoticeably. Doles missed a 3-pointer, but junior Nick George grabbed the rebound and laid the ball into the basket. Capel put on the full court press. With 4:44 left, B.A. Walker's 3-pointer slammed off the front of the rim, bounced two feet in the air and fell into the hoop.
The press started to work. The normally sure-handed Seahawks began to get sloppy. Turnovers piled up and the Rams chipped away. With just over a minute remaining, Walker hit a three to make it 66-59.
Then things really got crazy.
The Seahawks just needed to hold onto the ball, bleed the clock and knock down free throws. They couldn't do any of that. Halston Lane missed two free throws and VCU's Jesse Pellot-Rosa drove and scored with 36.0 left, 66-61. Doles tipped the ensuing inbounds pass off of UNCW's Ed Spencer and out of bounds. Now the crowd is really into it. Can this be happening? The odds are still long, but…
By now, Doles was fully in a zone. Think Michael J. Fox as "Teen Wolf" zone. Seconds later, Doles stopped two feet inside the 3-point line and buried a 17-footer. Wilmington, in full panic mode by now, turned the ball over near midcourt. Doles calmly dribbled to the top of the arc and buried an inconceivable game-tying 3-pointer with 25 seconds left. At that point, the crowd came completely unglued. Roof-rattling, foot-stomping, hands-on-head bananas unglued.
The Rams would eventually win the game in overtime 72-71. Doles finished with 22 points and four steals and Litos says the building never felt the same again.
"When Doles got that steal and hit that three, I never remembered a singular moment where that building exploded like that," Litos says.
Over the next six years, the Rams built a consistent winner. In 2007, fan interest spiked when Eric Maynor's "dagger" felled Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Another NCAA berth came in 2009, as well as 2011's stunning Final Four run.
VCU made winning 20 games or more, as well as the postseason, the norm. Fans began flocking to the Siegel Center. Students, whose presence could be considered enigmatic at best previously, took a real interest in the program. The Rowdy Rams, VCU's student fan organization, has grown from 220 members to 1,110 in the last year alone.
The Rams averaged a Verizon Wireless Arena record 6,645 fans per game last season. That record is in already in serious jeopardy this year. VCU sold out its first three games of the 2011-12 season and is hoping for another when UNC Wilmington visits again on Dec. 17.
After years of so-so crowds, the Siegel Center is legitimately a scary place for the opposition.
"It would get loud and get frenzied before, but it was the standard loud and standard frenzied that you'd expect from a college basketball crowd. But that was the first night it exploded," Litos says. "Now they've just taken it from that step. Now that level is the norm. It's only gotten better from that moment."
If you're coming to see the Rams this weekend, just make sure you catch that first bus down to the arena. We mean it this time.
VCU 72, UNCW 71 ot (Box Score)


text:
Venice Blvd. A street filled with too many cars, sign-spinners on the corners and Affordable Portable cell phone stores all around. When I was working in this area near Culver City/Mid City, I'll admit, I wasn't very into it. It is cluttered, busy and pretty much in need of a major manicure. Walking around here, it was common to be approached by drugged up runaways or all-day bus riders – harassing me for some change. But this is Los Angeles, love it or leave it. The good thing is though, things get much better here in the cloak of darkness. After the sign spinners have spun their asses off, cell phone shops have closed and the day zombies have retreated, one thing does stand out on Venice Blvd. – the taco trucks.
I usually don't pay attention to the taco trucks for some reason. I love my taco stands and tables because I can stand there and watch. It's as close of an experience as you'll get in Mexico – it's real street food. Just visit York Blvd. in Highland Park or Pico Blvd. near Pico/Union area. When Jeni and I were in Mexico City last, there was sheer excitement and assurance. For what? For the fact that no matter which taquero we approached, we were in good hands. Tacos as low as 10 for $1. Nice.
But as usual, for the last 4-5 years, Bandini of Great Taco Hunt has scoured only the best for Angelenos. Although he doesn't favor the offals and entrails as much as I do, one thing he does love is al pastor. Especially from this particular truck on Venice Blvd. My friend, who some of you may know as the twitterific, Tricerapops, texted me one night to meet him here after he had read Bandini's posting. Yes sir! A man with triplets needs to get out and breath some smoggy LA air once in a while, right?
We parked in the taco truck lot, which was also a gas station, and met up with Tricerapops. There were about 10-15 people standing around. Some ordering from a cashier who stood outside the truck, some people loading up on their condiments and some people just hanging out.
Aside from the food being prepared in the truck, there were also a few people huddled around a spit. One look at the yellow object atop the spit like a star on a Christmas tree, I knew why Bandini had been so excited about this place. Al pastor con pina tacos... a Mexican favorite. Instead of the usual white onion placed on top for aroma, a pineapple is set in. From wikipedia, tacos al pastor is a dish that originates in Puebla, Mexico, by way of Lebanese immigrants. If you've had delicious shawerma, you've basically had a less spicy version of al pastor!
What is different here than other taco stands that offer pineapple with their al pastor tacos is that the pineapple is kept atop the spit. I'll explain why this is critical. Al pastor con piña isn't a new thing. Plenty of stands and trucks do offer the pineapple topping, but it's not the way I like it. I've eaten some taco stands run by families from Guerrero and Jalisco. I get really stoked when I see the pineapple on the spit but the horror begins once the taquero cuts the al pastor and pineapple slices onto the griddle. Aye! From there, they chop up the meat and fruit into something similar to a bizarre stir-fry from a bad Chinese take-out place. All they need now is hot & sour soup and a fortune cookie. Ugh! The 'Mexican stir-fry' is now flavored by the grease from the previous cooked meat, which could be anywhere from buche (pig stomach lining) to lengua. Not that it's a bad thing but flavors are lost! By now, your pineapple taco has gone from Mexico to China in like 5 seconds. Just not my thing. This needs a major rewind.
I stood by the taquero operating the spit. Like a cellist with his bow, he swipes the mass of meat with his sharp knife. In the other hand, a warm tortilla catches the fallen meat. The meat is moist, flavored nicely and never touches the griddle once.
And with one flick of the wrist, he lobs a thin slice of pineapple into the air and catches it with the taco "mit". All of this happening in pure harmony. This is not as easy as it looks because the taquero must also watch that the meat "merry-go-round" never gets burnt. He has to know when to turn the heat on or off. Not cooked long enough, you're going to get trichinosis. It's overcooked and you're suddenly eating at Chipotle. It has to be just right.
And here is the final product. The moist meat, red salsa and sweet, smoky pineapple slice marry together to become this small, flavor-packed bomb. And only $1. I do have to say that I think the salsas can use some work but as a whole this is the experience close as you'll get to Mexico City. The taqueros of Leo's are from Oaxaca, but they offer Mexico City-style (D.F.) . In all fairness, I have been here at least three times already and twice, the al pastor meat was perfect when the place was crowded. When the lines were dead, I noticed the meat was only mediocre. Just keep that in mind.
I also recommend trying the al pastor con piña in quesadilla form for a take on Mexican ham and pineapple "pizza". Ask for less cheese (poco queso) so that it doesn't overpower the delicate pork slices and pineapple. This was delicious – like candy!
Read more!
Thanks for reading. And thanks to the Great Taco Hunter for everything he's eaten for us.
Leo's Tacos
La Brea/Venice (76 Gas Station)
Everyday 6 pm - 2 am
La Brea/Venice (76 Gas Station)
Everyday 6 pm - 2 am


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Google aiming to buy dot-lol cyberland, and not just for the lulz of it
Vint Cerf sniffs potential creative innovation in gTLDs
Google has revealed it is jockeying for a variety of top-level domains (TLDs) including .lol and .google.
The ad giant went public with its plans on Thursday after ICANN's deadline passed for applications for new web address extensions.
The search engine behemoth has applied for TLDs that include .youtube, .google and .lol, which have "interesting and creative potential" according to Google's chief internet evangelist Vint Cerf.
LOL is, we're afraid to point out*, the abbreviation for "laugh out loud" so, for example, Google might choose to use it for online comedy channels.
Web overseer ICANN, which opened the floodgates to new so-called generic TLDs, plans to reveal who applied for what TLD on 13 June. Any contested TLDs could end up in an auction, with the highest bidder claiming the dot-word.
Cerf explained that the TLDs that Google had applied for fell into four different categories: trademarks such as .google, domains related to the company's core biz like .docs, branded domains such as .youtube and the aforementioned TLDs that offer "creative potential".
"We're just beginning to explore this potential source of innovation on the web, and we are curious to see how these proposed new TLDs will fare in the existing TLD environment," Cerf said.
"By opening up more choices for Internet domain names, we hope people will find options for more diverse - and perhaps shorter - signposts in cyberspace." ®
* Your reporter can't help but relay an unfortunate story about a friend-of-a-friend's misuse of LOL in a sympathy card. The sender wrote "I'm so sorry for your loss. LOL" without realising that LOL - in common parlance - DID NOT mean "lots of love". Oops.
Sponsored: Detecting cyber attacks as a small to medium business


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I had come to hike along trails deep into the forest, explore living archaeological sites and maybe do some horseback riding. But what I remember most from my first visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is cheap souvenir stores, mini-golf courses and a dirty and depressing motel room. That's because I made the mistake of choosing Pigeon Forge as my gateway town for this Tennessee park. Convenient? Yes. Pleasant? No.
Over the past three years, I've visited hundreds of national and state parks in the course of my Trans-Americas Journey (www.trans-americas.com), most with similarly dismal gateway towns.
It took some digging, but I've discovered that many must-see parks from coast to coast have alternative gateway towns, some with new, convenient and pleasant places to stay:
Arches National Park, Utah
The place: A new Hampton Inn in Moab, Utah, adds 81 much-needed rooms to this adventure base camp town. The hotel is 10 minutes from the entrance to the park (www.nps.gov/arch) and has an outdoor pool, free breakfast and guest laundry ($149-$179). The hotel plans to offer jeep and rafting safaris.
To do: Moab Monsoons (www.moab photoworkshops. com) is a one-day outdoor photography course designed to give visitors to Moab and Arches National Park the skills needed to best capture the area's beauty.Zion National Park, Utah
The place: Opened by a former Zion National Park (www.nps.gov/zion) shuttle bus driver, the Cable Mountain Lodge (www.cablemountainlodge. com) in Springdale, Utah, is a welcome addition to this bed-and-breakfast-filled town just a stone's throw from the south entrance of the compact but varied park, which offers everything from canyoneering, to the heart-stopping Angel's Rest hike, to the chance to see endangered California condors. Some of the hotel's 50 rooms ($89 to $139) feature jetted tubs, fireplaces and full kitchens and all rooms have in-your-face views of Cable Mountain. Even better: There's not a doily, lap cat or nosey host in sight.
To do: Zion Canyon Giant Screen Theater (www.zioncanyontheatre.com), located next to Cable Mountain Lodge, just switched to digital 3D and is now the largest digital 3D theater in the western United States.Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
The place: Della Terra Mountain Chateau (www.dellaterramountain chateau.com), at the Fall River entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park (www.nps.gov/romo), has 14 luxury suites ($225 to $295 per night with breakfast) each featuring sitting nooks with arched windows, fireplaces, soaking tubs, walk-through jetted showers and private balconies with hot tubs. The Chateau will also have a lodge room with a four-sided stone fireplace and waterfall, private spa treatment rooms, a dry heat sauna, espresso bar, library and theater.
To do: The Rooftop Rodeo (www.rooftoprodeo.com), from July 7 to 12 ($15 adults, $5 children, $20 box seats). So named because of the 7,500-plus-foot altitude of Estes Park, where the event is held.Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
The place: With 8 million visitors a year, Great Smoky Mountain National Park (www.nps.gov/grsm) is the country's most-visited national park. Watershed Cabins (www. watershedcabins.com) in Bryson City, N.C., offer luxury cabins ranging from a one-bedroom treehouse to four- and five-bedroom cabins ($150 to $450) with full kitchens, 600-threadcount Egyptian cotton linens, down comforters, pillowtop mattresses and a hot tub. And it's all just 20 minutes from the Deep Creek entrance to the park.
Also consider: Dancing Bear Lodge (www.dancingbearlodge.com) is 3 miles from the Townsend entrance to the park in the town of Townsend, Tenn., known as the "Peaceful Side of the Smokies." It's actually closer to the park than the traditional gateway towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Translation: No strip malls, Elvis museums, mini-golf courses or musty-smelling motel rooms. Dancing Bear Lodge provides a homey, stylish and slightly swank base camp. Lodge rooms are $99 weekdays and $149 on weekends; cabins, some with full kitchens, are $229 to $259 weekdays/$189 to $209 weekends; call 1-800-369-0111 to reserve at these special rates.
To do: Special events celebrating the 75th anniversary of the park are scheduled throughout 2009.Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Utah
The place: The View Hotel (www.monumentvalleyview. com) is the only noncamping accommodation within Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, http://www.navajonation parks.org/htm/monumentvalley.htm. Each of the 95 rooms ($195 to $215) has jaw-dropping views because the hotel was built high on a ridge with an unobstructed vista down the formation-filled valley. Rooms on the top floor, called the Starview Level, feature skylights for nighttime views, as well. A spa and pool are being planned.
To do: Sunset on the Mittens, an iconic sandstone formation that really does evoke a child's mitten.Saguaro National Park, Arizona
The place: Westward Look Resort (www.westwardlook.com) in Tucson, Ariz., dates to 1912. The historic 244-room resort ($89 to $189 including breakfast) is just 20 miles from Saguaro National Park (www.nps.gov/sagu) and recently underwent a multimillion-dollar makeover. Inspired by the resort's 80 acres of desert landscape, the new look is focused on desert colors and traditional Spanish-American furniture.
To do: The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (www.desert museum.org) just west of Tucson is less a museum and more an interactive 2-mile stroll through a meticulously curated zoo and botanical garden celebrating the best the Sonoran Desert has to offer, including 1,200 types of plants and desert animals ranging from cougars to butterflies.Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
The place: It requires a dramatic, wildlife-filled two-hour bus ride across the park to reach Camp Denali & North Face Lodge (www.campdenali.com), which was grandfathered in as an official concessionaire of the park system and therefore allowed to stay within the boundaries of Denali National Park and Preserve (www.nps.gov/dena). Camp Denali & North Face Lodge trumps the competition with cozy lodge rooms and 18 hand-crafted cabins with wood-burning stoves, handmade quilts and luxury (yes) outhouses with views of Mount McKinley. Three-night packages are $1,425 per adult and include transportation to and from the lodge, three gourmet meals per day, guided excursions and use of canoes, mountain bikes and fishing gear. It all certainly beats the jumble of T-shirt shops and hotels outside the main entrance to the park, where most visitors stay.
To do: Denali is one of a precious few parks in the United States that don't require visitors to stay on established trails, because there aren't any. Staff members are ready to lead guests on outings through the trailless tundra.Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah/Arizona
The place: Amangiri Resort, Spa and Villas in Page, Ariz., will open in late summer or early fall just a few miles from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (www.nps.gov/glca), one of the nation's premier houseboating destinations. The extremely high-end 34-room resort, which will offer private houseboats and provide transportation/tours to Grand Canyon National Park (www.nps.gov/grca), is being built on 600 dramatic mesa- and canyon-filled acres.


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Government of Massachusetts
The form of Massachusetts government is provided by the Constitution of the Commonwealth. The legislative power is exercised by the bicameral General Court, composed of the Senate and House of Representatives. The executive power generally is exercised by the Governor, along with other independently elected officers, the Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, and Auditor. The judicial power is reposed in the Supreme Judicial Court, which superintends the entire system of courts. Cities and towns also act through local governmental bodies that possess only the authority granted to them by the Commonwealth over local issues, including limited home rule authority. Most county governments were abolished in the 1990s, although a handful remain.
The capital of Massachusetts is Boston. The seat of power is Beacon Hill, which is home to the legislative and executive branches. The Supreme Judicial Court occupies nearby Pemberton Hill.
There are 151 departments or agencies in Massachusetts, and over 700 independent boards and commissions.[1] The Governor exercises direct control over many of the largest agencies, but only indirect control over independent entities through appointments.
Elected officials
The statewide elected officials are:
Other elected officials are:
- Massachusetts Governor's Council Elected every two years
- District attorneys - Independently elected by district
- Sheriffs - Independently elected by district
Some executive agencies are delegated by the legislature with the responsibility of formulating regulations by following a prescribed procedure. Most of these are collected in the Code of Massachusetts Regulations.
Governor's cabinet
The governor has a cabinet of ten secretaries.[2] In general, they supervise the state agencies which are under the direct control of the governor.[3] Eight of the secretaries preside over the "Executive Office of" their respective areas.[4]
The state legislature is formally known as the General Court, reflecting its former judicial duties in the colonial era. It is composed of two houses: the Massachusetts Senate, which has 40 members, and the Massachusetts House of Representatives, which has 160 members. All members in both houses face election every two years. The Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives presides over the House of Representatives, is its chief leader, and controls the flow of legislation. The President of the Massachusetts Senate is the presiding officer of the Senate.
The General Court is responsible for enacting laws in the state. A bill signed by the governor, or passed by two-thirds of both branches over his veto, becomes a law. Its session laws are published in the official Acts and Resolves of Massachusetts, which are codified as the General Laws of Massachusetts.
The judiciary of Massachusetts is the branch of the government that interprets and applies the law of Massachusetts, ensures equal justice under law, and provides a mechanism for dispute resolution. The Massachusetts court system consists of the Supreme Judicial Court, the Appeals Court, and the seven Trial Court departments:
- Superior Court
- District Court
- Land Court
- Housing Court
- Juvenile Court
- Probate and Family Court
- Boston Municipal Court
The judicial power in Massachusetts is reposed in the Supreme Judicial Court, which superintends the entire system of courts. In addition to appellate functions, the Supreme Judicial Court is responsible for the general superintendence of the judiciary and of the bar, makes or approves rules for the operations of all the courts, and in certain instances, provides advisory opinions, upon request, to the Governor and Legislature on various legal issues. The Supreme Judicial Court also oversees several affiliated agencies of the judicial branch, including the Board of Bar Overseers, the Board of Bar Examiners, the Clients' Security Board, the Massachusetts Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee, and Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services.
Local government
Massachusetts shares with the five other New England states a governmental structure known as the New England town. Only the southeastern third of the state has functioning county governments; in western, central, and northeastern Massachusetts, traditional county-level government was eliminated in the late 1990s. All of the land in Massachusetts is divided up among the cities and towns and there are no "unincorporated" areas or population centers, nor townships. Generally speaking, there are four kinds of public school districts in Massachusetts: local schools, regional schools, vocational/technical schools, and charter schools. District attorneys and sheriffs are elected by constituencies that mostly, but not entirely, follow county boundaries; they are funded by the state budget.[8][9] Though most county governments have been abolished, each county still has a Sheriff's Department which operates jails and correctional facilities and service of process within the county.
The state has an Open Meeting Law, enforced by the Attorney General, and an Public Records Law, enforced by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.[10] A 2008 report by the Better Government Association and National Freedom of Information Coalition ranked Massachusetts 43rd out of 50 states for government transparency, and gave it a failing grade of "F" taking into account time, cost, and comprehensiveness of access to public records.[11][12] Access to government records and the actions of the Secretary in enforcing the law became an issue in the 2014 campaign for the office. Incumbent William Galvin cited his previous requests that the legislature revise the Public Records Law to make access easier.[13] The governor claims to be exempt from the Public Records Law.[10]
See also
- Politics of Massachusetts
- Law of Massachusetts
- Law enforcement in Massachusetts
- Open standards in Massachusetts
- ^ http://appointments.state.ma.us/Default.aspx
- ^ http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3subtopic&L=3&L0=Home&L1=Our+Team&L2=Cabinet&sid=Agov3
- ^ http://www.mass.gov/bb/gaa/fy2010/app_10/ga_10/hcdefault.htm#agencies
- ^ 6A MGL 16, effective June 30, 2009
- ^ a b 6A MGL 16
- ^ http://www.mass.gov/bb/gaa/fy2009/app_09/sect_09/h034.htm
- ^ http://www.mass.gov/bb/gaa/fy2009/app_09/sect_09/h120.htm
- ^ a b http://www.rcfp.org/massachusetts-open-government-guide/foreword
- ^ http://www.nfoic.orgs/default/files/results1.pdf
- ^ http://www.nfoic.org/states-failing-foi-responsiveness
- ^ http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/09/13/secretary-state-galvin-faces-criticism-for-keeping-government-secrets/e70pa1N2jfwTzKQyrLMWSL/story.html
Further reading
- Organizational structure of the Government
- Center for Public Integrity; Global Integrity; Public Radio International (2011-). "Massachusetts". State Integrity Investigation: Keeping Government Honest. USA.
External links
- Mass.Gov


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You are here: Home ‹ Board index ‹ Welcome ‹ Members
Happy Birthday Fluffs!!!
This is the forum for members of the message board. Introduce yourselves or wish each other Happy Birthday.
7 posts • Page 1 of 1
Happy Birthday Fluffs!!!
Fluffys Birthday is on Christmas. Please wish her a Happy birthday.
Re: Happy Birthday Fluffs!!!
Happy B'day dear Fluffy!
Re: Happy Birthday Fluffs!!!
Happy Birthday!
One person's craziness, is another person's reality. ~ Tim Burton
Re: Happy Birthday Fluffs!!!
Happy Birthday Nicola!!
Happy Birthday Nicola!!
Jim Carrey Movies/Series/Books in 2019:
Sonic the Hedgehog, Kidding (Season 2) and Untitled novel
Join Jim Carrey Online on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, VK and Snapchat
Re: Happy Birthday Fluffs!!!
Happy Birthday, dear Nicola!!! I wish life an weather treat you good.
Merry Christmas!
I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad...
Re: Happy Birthday Fluffs!!!
Happy belated b-day. It's been a few days since I was last on here..
I hope you had a swell time!!
Schmoyoho-oh-oh-oh accent on the YO!
Re: Happy Birthday Fluffs!!!
thanks for the birthday wishes folks, they mean a lot ....i love you folks..
7 posts • Page 1 of 1
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|Mobile Site
|eMail Author
|Caption Comp
|Monthly Poll
|Sudden Death
|Colour Key
|Cookie Usage
|Series :
|The Next Generation
|Rating :
|Disc No :
|Episode :
|First Aired :
|16 Nov 1992
|Stardate :
|Director :
|Jonathan Frakes
|Year :
|Writers :
|Naren Shankar
|Season :
|Guest Cast :
|Data and Crusher really put up a poor showing in their discussion of life. First she claims it is "what enables plants and animals to consume food, derive energy from it, grow, adapt themselves to their surroundings and reproduce". Data quickly points out that fire meets these criteria but is not alive. Crusher says that it does not count because it is a chemical reaction, and says that you could use the same argument for growing crystals. Data then asks about himself, claiming he does not grow or reproduce yet is considered to be alive. On a strictly factual point, both have made mistakes. Data claims that he does not reproduce - yet in "The Offspring", he clearly considered Lal to be his offspring. Crusher claims that crystals are not alive, yet both the crystal from "Home Soil" and the Crystalline entity from "Datalore" and "Silicon Avatar" are (or were) alive. Crusher's ruling out of chemical reactions as being alive makes little sense also - what is a person if not a collection of chemical reactions? And whilst Data has been declared to have sentience and equal rights to others, I don't know that he has ever been stated to be alive as such.
Currently, in order to be considered alive something must grow, consume food, excrete waste, respire, reproduce, move all or part of itself and respond to stimuli. Fire does indeed meet some of these criteria, but does not respond to stimuli and so is not alive. It's unclear how the crystal life forms in Trek would fare under this definition, but Data would probably not be considered alive.
|Great Moment :
|I love the exocomps - they're so cute!
|Body Count :
|One exocomp.
|Factoid :
|In the original script, the role of the exocomp was taken by everyday items like wall terminals and household appliances! Then these became the "metacomps", but that name was changed to "exocomps" when Metacomp was found to be the name of a real company. Only two exocomps were built for the episode - a third was added via special effects. All were controlled completely by puppeteers, who were also painted out via special effects.
|Copyright Graham Kennedy
|Page views : 20,563
|Last updated : 20 Feb 2015


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Maddux's 300th victory
Trevor Time: 400 saves
Trevor: King of Closers
Rivera: 500 saves
Pedro: 3,000 strikeouts
Smoltz: 3,000 strikeouts
2007: Milestone Madness
Rare & Memorable Feats
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Hitting Streaks
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Triple Crown: Batting
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Unassisted Triple Plays
Year in Review
2012 Year in Review
2011 Year in Review
2010 Year in Review
2009 Year in Review
2008 Year in Review
2007 Year in Review
2006 Year in Review
2005 Year in Review
2004 Year in Review
2003 Year in Review
2002 Year in Review
2001 Year in Review
Nick Adenhart
Jack Buck
Gary Carter
Larry Doby
Bob Feller
Mark Fidrych
Josh Hancock
Ernie Harwell
Harry Kalas
Joe Kennedy
Darryl Kile
Harmon Killebrew
Cory Lidle
Tug McGraw
Bob Murphy
Dave Niehaus
Kirby Puckett
Phil Rizzuto
Robin Roberts
Bob Sheppard
Warren Spahn
Remembering 9/11
September 11, 5 Years Later
Remembering Lou Gehrig
Remembering the VT Tragedy
Ted Williams
Special Reports
Felix Hernandez: No-hitter
Six Mariners combine: No-hitter
Homer Bailey: No-hitter
Matt Cain No-hitter
Johan Santana: No-hitter
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Francisco Liriano: No-hitter
Roy Halladay: No-hitter
Matt Garza: No-hitter
Edwin Jackson: No-hitter
Roy Halladay: Perfect Game
ken Griffey Jr. retires
Dallas Braden: Perfect Game
Ubaldo Jimenez: No-hitter
Mark Buehrle: Perfect Game
Jonathan Sanchez: No-hitter
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The Mitchell Report
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Casey at the Bat
Tony Gwynn retrospective
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Edgar Martinez farewell
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Dominican Béisbol
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Japan Series History
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Negro Leagues
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Comparing the two leagues
Doby, Irvin: More togetherness in Negro Leagues than Majors
By Tom Singer
Monte Irvin's best years came when he was playing for the Newark Eagles in the 1940s.
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson's first footprints in Ebbets Field's infield dirt signaled the beginning of an era.
But they also represented the end of an era for the Negro League veterans who followed him to the Majors and for countless others who would never experience playing for the Kansas City Monarchs or Homestead Grays or the other clubs that comprised the Negro Leagues.
It was the end of the age of innocence, of games played and lives lived with a tight bond. Baseball anywhere else was never the same.
"We were young, talented. Coming out of the Depression, we'd never been anywhere," recalled Monte Irvin, a two-time Negro League batting champ who joined the New York Giants in 1949. "The Negro League gave us a chance to earn a few dollars playing a game we'd play for nothing.
"It was very thrilling to travel around the country. The Negro League took us to places we'd never been before."
"Negro League Baseball was the kind of baseball I'll never forget," said Larry Doby, the one-time Newark outfielder who became the American League's first Black player on July 5, 1947 when he joined the Cleveland Indians. "I loved playing with those folks.
"It was much easier playing with those guys. It was a lot easier just being one of the guys."
Watch now>
Award winners
Jimmy Rollins and Juan Pierre accepted Legacy Awards last week from the employees at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
The motives
Branch Rickey had several reasons for signing Jackie Robinson to a pro contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Historian Steve Goldman has the details.
Segregated Baseball: A Kaleidoscopic review
While the very existence of the Negro Leagues was necessary because of the racial divides in the United States, black baseball not only survived -- it excelled.
Traveling show
Barnstorming was common place in the Negro Leagues.
They were all just "one of the guys," members of an irreplaceable brotherhood.
"The camaraderie of the Negro Leagues was so much greater," concluded James A. Riley, a Negro League historian. "Most of the guys were young, seeing the world for the first time. Because of the circumstances, they rode the same bus, ate in the same restaurant, stayed in the same hotel."
Or as Irvin put it, "You were playing with your own. After games, we'd get together and do things together."
The opportunity to cross the Majors' erased color line was not only a chance, but an obligation, to their families and to an entire race.
"We knew the Majors was where the money would be," Irvin said. "It behooved you to leave the Negro Leagues and succeed there. That's where growth would come from."
The pleasures became less private, and more profound.
In the anthology, "This I believe," Jackie Robinson himself reflected on a moment near the end of his first big-league season with bursting pride: "At the beginning of the World Series of 1947, I experienced a completely new emotion, when the National Anthem was played. This time, I thought it is being played for me as much as for anyone else. This is organized Major League baseball and I am standing here with all the others; and everything that takes place includes me."
Compared to such impact on history, the big-league adjustments transplanted Negro Leaguers had to make seemed like minor inconveniences.
In 1947, Larry Doby became the first African-American to play in the American League.
"I'd heard the words many times before," Irvin said, lightly, dismissing the verbal abuse. "It just made you want to perform well, to get them off your back. We were venturing into a new field and didn't know what to expect.
"Life in the Majors was a little more difficult. After games, everyone went their separate ways. But you got used to that; that was no problem, either."
The game was the same, but the approaches to it differed greatly. As Riley summed up, Negro Leaguers just showed up, played, had a great time. When they reached the Majors, they were introduced to a new regiment.
"The White leagues were more structured," Riley said. "In the Negro Leagues, you didn't get the instruction Major Leaguers got. Natural talent just developed. They learned from doing. They didn't have coaches. A lot of times, they didn't even have managers, just players who got a few extra dollars for also acting as the manager."
They were special days. Borrowing from literature, Riley characterized the Negro Leagues as "the best of times, and the worst of times." But the mind's scrapbook invariable celebrates the highs.
"I've been to a lot of reunions of Negro League players," Riley said, "and they never dwell on the hard times. They're always celebrations of the good times they had."
Tom Singer covers the Angels for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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last year in Muiden we had great weekend again, organized by Ruud. His efforts were highly
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This year we aim to organize this is Edam. Sent me a note or post a reply if you want to join.


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Jul 13, 2004 | ISBN 9780679737117
An astonishing accomplishment . . . [A] detonation of talent that threatens to incinerate competitors for miles around." —The Christian Science Monitor
"Rush has now produced three books so full of brainwork, contour, sinew and laser light that we don't want to leave home without him." —The New York Times Book Review
"Wild and wonderful. . . . Whether the matter under scrutiny is marital wrangling or guerrilla rebellion, Rush's observations are brutally accurate—and funny." —The Seattle Times
"The depth and richness of Norman Rush's second novel, Mortals, give him his own shelf in the canon"—New York Magazine
"Brilliant . . . Mortals is a deeply serious, deeply ambitious, deeply successful book. . . . Its central achievement has to be the fidelity with which it represents consciousness, the way in which it tracks the mind's own language. . . . The two hundred or so pages in which Rush describes what is in effect a small African civil war seem to me some of the most extraordinary pages written by a contemporary American novelist." —James Wood, The New Republic
"Remarkable . . . Rush [is] as challenging and surprising and uncompromising as ever." —Time
"It's no small feat to write engagingly about love, religion, philosophy, and war, and it's no small feat to end up with something that dances on the line between earthy and stately. Each of [Mortals'] 715 pages is ripe with more ideas and insights than most authors try to get into a chapter. Mating was magnificent. Mortals, as hard as it is to believe, is even better." —Fortune
"Psychologically acute, meticulously written [and] ambitious. . . . Should help console those still unreconciled to Graham Greene's death." —San Francisco Chronicle
"Rush's political wisdom, honed by the years he spent working in Africa, is enhanced by an acutely moral literary sensibility and his core humanity; together, the traits . . . imbue his work with depth and grace." —The Boston Globe
"Complex and accomplished. . . . In both its wry-yet-forceful narrative style and its generous conceptual research, it is a worthy successor to [Mating]." —The Washington Post
"Few other books so powerfully convey the uneasy connection between intimacy and absurdity, the way that the minutiae of everyday domestic life can become so loaded with meaning . . . . Read it if you care at all about some very old, very vexed questions–about matters such as the knowledge of good and evil, or the nature of human wisdom and human folly." —Houston Chronicle
"Broadens the scope of [Rush's] fiction while going deeper into the human dynamic of a country in the midst of profound upheaval. Mortals envelops the reader in a manner that modern fiction too rarely attempts . . . no one caught in its sweep will want the experience to end." —Chicago Sun-Times
"Bitterly funny. Mr. Rush has a canny understanding for Africa, a profound appreciation for the fine points of romantic love, a muscular style of description, and an eye for character so frighteningly sharp that it argues against running across the man at parties." —The Economist
"The great joy in reading [Rush's] work is that it seems to proceed from an unshakable belief in the capacity of the novel to embrace everything: global poltics, the nature of love, race relations, philosophy, religion, literature, the exact feeling of the dust in Botswana. . . . There is no denying its intellectual meatiness and its moments of intensity." —Newsday
"A novel as ambitious and spell-binding as his first. . . . Rush weaves an astonishing array of subjects into his story, from Freud, religion and politics to life, death and Africa. Rush is a master of his characters' minds. . . . Within [their] intense internal dialogues are thought-provoking, smart and often hilarious nuggets." —The Baltimore Sun
"The sheer energy and ambition of Mortals seems to mock its creator's earthbound status. . . . Reader[s] will be justly rewarded for persisting to the explosive climax that rips this novel's civilized veneer wide open." —The News & Observer (Raleigh)
"Breathtakingly ambitious. By the book's end, Rush has given us masterful slices both of Africa's indelible beauty and of its ongoing chaos. Rush is a real seer, and he captivates us with his audacious fictional vision." —Elle
"A serious work that calls attention to the indissoluble link between the public and the private. . . . You'll find it hard not to be impressed with the scope of Rush's vision." —The Miami Herald
"[Rush] is economical with language, choosing the best words to distill ideas and express them in gems . . . [He] has real affection for Botswana and its people. His rendering of the cadences of their speech is just right." —St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"A masterwork of literary art . . . Mortals is a beautifully written, well-executed novel. It is written with passion, grace and flair. . . . Rush has a rare and beautiful gift of making readers feel true empathy for his characters. . . . A triumphant follow-up to Rush's Mating." —Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"Full of situations that range from subtly humorous to near slapstick that reveal an unusually keen human insight." —The Denver Post
"Mortals is brilliant in its presentation of milieu, the heat, the squalor and the human misery of Botswana. The reader is immersed in an exotic culture and its political and social history rendered vivid by Rush's prose." —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"Well worth the wait. . . . Rush's prose, wit and insight provide so many delights. . . . Mortals should solidify his reputation and win him new readers." —The Oregonian
"Wild and wonderful. . . . Rush inhabits the restless synchopative rhythms and associative bedlam of a male mind consumed by jealousy, disillusion and fading altruistic dreams. His observations are brutally accurate and funny." —The Charlotte Observer
"[An] absorbing and variegated novel . . . effortless and riddled with surprises. . . . For readers hankering after a novel of ideas, it doesn't get much better than this." —The New York Observer
"The ideas are a brilliant bonus. The writing itself is intensely readable: not dry but juicy. It is rare for a novel of consciousness to be also a novel of action, but it is one of the distinctions of this book to be both." —The San Diego Union-Tribune
"Lucid, luminous, proudly literary prose. . . . Makes the erudition of Rushdie or Frazen seem show-off frippery by comparison." —The Village Voice
"Has the feeling of one of Evelyn Waugh's satiric excursions into Africa. . . . The author's keen intelligence and his experience of the multifariousness of Africa provide some generous rewards." —San Jose Mercury News
"Brilliant . . . moving. Mr. Rush shows once again that he is one of the most intelligent and patient psychologists now writing fiction. The reader is not likely to find a better novel this year." —The New York Sun
"Compellingly intelligent and intriguing . . . Hugely complex, deeply intelligent, engagingly garrulous." —LA Weekly
"Rush's latest delivers on his extravagant promise. Not only is Mortals every bit as rich and densely textured as its predecessor, but its thrillerlike plotting adds a whole new dimension." —Time Out New York


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BRISTOL, Tenn. – After two years of being off the mat, King University Cheer will step on a spring floor in Atlanta, Ga. to compete at Cheersport Nationals this weekend. The competition will be held in the Georgia World Congress Center on Saturday Feb. 16 and Sunday Feb. 17. Teams from all over the nation will represent their schools with names including those of top and most-recognizable stature.
Cheersport is one of the biggest and most well-known stages for cheerleading competitions consisting of high-school, college, all-star, club, international and special needs teams. The Lady Tornado will be competing in the College Level-4 division both days against East Tennessee State University, Polk State College, UNC Chapel Hill, Widener University, University of Georgia, Savanna State University, and Brenau College.
Each team will bring a routine that last no longer than 2:30 seconds comprising of pyramids, tosses, tumbling, jumps, dance, transitions, and partner stunts. King University Cheer has been working on their routine since October and feels well prepared.
"The girls have been strength training, doing individual practices, and team practices five days a week while cheering basketball games," said Coach Amber King. "It's been a long, tiring road but now that we are within a few days of the competition everything is finally coming together and we can see the final product. We are ready to perform our routine and are just happy to be going."
The squad has improved drastically this year in all of their skills and will have some tough competition this weekend. Coach King said that the goal is, "to do our very best on the floor and represent our University with humble attitudes".
Coach King continued, "It's always hard to know what the judges look for and what styles they like, but at the end of the day it's about the progress that we have made as team more so than what size trophy we come back with."
The Tornado will compete Saturday at 11:48 a.m. in Arena B5 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Sunday they finish out their weekend competing at 12:20 p.m. in Arena B5 and awards will be held at 1:40 p.m. Scores will posted Saturday evening after the first round and can be found at http://www.cheersport.net/nationals.asp?content=results. Cheersport will also be updating their Facebook page regularly.
Click here for the official homepage of the 2013 Cheersport National Championships.
King University Cheerleading will also be competing at CANAM Nationals in Myrtle Beach, SC March 15-17th.
"We have some very talented girls this year and I am excited to watch them take the floor and represent King University," said Coach King.


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EVGA GTX 660 Superclocked is, as the name suggests, a factory overclocked card, which gives it a slight advantage over the reference GTX 660 right out of the box. For a card priced at about €220, it spews out quite nice performance at 1920x1080, in most games and with detail settings maxed out. AMD's competitor, the HD 7870, turned out a bit faster, but it may depend on the games of choice. The GTX 660 Superclocked fared particularly well with antialiasing on and almost caught up with the GTX 660 Ti. Compared to the last generation, this is a significant performance increase.
EVGA uses dual slot cooling that looks like the reference solution but is actually tuned a bit to provide quiet operation. Although the thermals are slightly higher than we'd have liked, they're still far from the red zone, so a worthy compromise. Our additional overclocking for the GPU and memory also went well.
EVGA GTX 660 Superclocked is a card is a great bang for buck and is sure to strike a chord with many gamers. It's the cheapest Kepler based card that will cause serious damage and although arguably a tad overpriced, most won't care - and rightfully so. If you're looking for a new card to spend long winter nights with, then EVGA GTX 660 should definitely make your list.


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Category: Canadian Cinema
O Canada…we see thee rise, The True North strong and free! : Reassessing Canadian Cinema
It has only been in the past year that we at Krasker began tagging titles in our catalog with the subject heading Films: Feature Foreign (Canadian/Quebecois French), but the need for such a designation is clear. Canadian cinema is fertile ground for critical analysis–a country whose home-grown talent offers up a unique perspective on the world and which is, increasingly, exploring this point of view with daring visual gusto.
Too often Canadian filmmakers have been overlooked in this country–or rather their "Canadianness" has been overlooked, as scholars and critics treat their works as a sort of extension of U.S. cinema, thereby blurring the borders that define Canadian cultural and aesthetic experience to the point of invisibility. Furthermore, when an attempt to distinguish Canadian Cinema from our own is made, Canadian film is all too often portrayed as a counterpoint to the United States experience–the quirky neighbor to the North, a pale imitation of the United States, Hollywood on a shoe-string budget in a colder climate. Adding a complicated layer to these modes of interpretation is the long-standing tradition of Hollywood, lured by financial incentives, to use Canadian locations as "stand-ins" for places in the United States. Indeed, the repackaging of Canada as the United States has been a profitable business for our northern neighbors, and an ironic detriment to the native Canadian film industry. A shrewd analysis of this practice's effect on global and native perceptions of the Canadian cinema can be found in David L. Pike's essay (featured in Bright Lights Film Journal) Across the Great Divide: Canadian Popular Cinema in the 21st Century.
So "What does Canada say about us?" cries the US! Often the answer is a smug confirmation of the States' "superiority," with portrayals of Canadians as quaint, ineffectual rubes that stand no chance of undermining the U.S.'s premium on "savvy". One consistent Canadian response to this arrogance is to revel in self-deprecation, exploring the Canadian "inferiority complex" through the medium of comedy, a tactic that, when taken to its subversive extreme has succeeded in launching a huge cream pie in the puss of its southern cousins. At the epicenter of this rebellion is the iconoclastic comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall, whose television show which ran in the 1980s and 90s set the gold standard for Canadian rebellion–in contrast, the weak as water cuppa served up by fellow comedian Mike Myers missed the mark with its air of pandering to Hollywood's perception of Canada as a nation with a perpetually low self-esteem.
And hence we return to the sad state of affairs that Canadian film has rarely been assessed in its own right, leaving us to ponder the question, "What is the Canadian voice, if not merely a tentative acquiescence to U.S. superiority?" Like most cinema produced outside the U.S., it has been credited with a greater cerebralness, taking stock in the hallmarks of independent cinema: less flash, more talk, more thought. Indeed, one of the seminal works of Canadian cinema, Patricia Rozema's I've Heard the Mermaids Singing (1987) is a film that sensitively portrays people whose lives fall outside the false glitter and glamour of the Hollywood dream factory, and has been warmly embraced as a story that rings truer than the template-driven popcorn movie. However it must not be overlooked that Rozema's masterwork offers up a unique and daring aesthetic that helped usher in a greater emphasis on avant-garde sensory experience and it is crucial to note that one of the major attributes that increasingly distinguishes Canadian film today is the realm of the visual–as more and more filmmakers push the envelope of ocular rapture.
The visual? Ocular rapture? Canada? Again we confront the limitations people feel compelled to place on Canadian artistic expression. Yet to discover Canadian cinema as a landscape with more to offer than snowy vistas and maple leaves is to be delighted–and one such filmmakers that exemplifies this trend (and whose work can be found in the Krasker collection!) is Guy Maddin.
It is hard to describe the work of Guy Maddin…a few words and phases come to mind: a pastiche, cinematic collage gone wild, a fusion of silent era filmmaking aestethic and the contemporary, certifiably insane. Perhaps you just have to check it out for yourself and two works in our collection that Maddin is perhaps most identified with are The Saddest Music in the World (2003) and Brand Upon the Brain! (2006). The Saddest Music in the World tells the warped saga of a Winnipeg-based brewery owner Lady Port-Huntley (Isabella Rosselini), who also happens to be a double amputee covetous of a man's glass prosthetic limbs, and her deranged search for–you guessed it!–the saddest music in the world. She launches an international contest to find this elusive musical treasure and subsequently several storylines converge as people race to Winnipeg for the contest. Maddin sets his Winnipeg in the dark days of the Great Depression, and appropriately plumbs the depths of 1920s and 1930s cinema in creating an at times overwhelming visual experience. If Joseph von Sterberg and Busby Berkeley had a child, who then proceeded to go on an acid trip and take us a long for the ride, the result would be this film.
Along the way, Maddin makes some deft observations about U.S.-Canadian relations: one of the central characters is a patriotic Canadian at odds with his American ex-pat son and visions of a drab Winnipeg are tensely juxtaposed with over-the-top Hollywood styling. Furthermore, the at-all-times surreal aesthetic constantly considers and challenges stereotypical perceptions of Canada as the United States's "plain Jane cousin," and in so doing, Maddin casts Canadian filmmaking (and Canadian filmmakers) in the role of aggressor–assaulting the viewer with a visual feast that makes the usual U.S. fare taste bland in comparison.
Brand Upon the Brain! likewise provides a stunning visual experience, but whereas The Saddest Music in the World also revels in the aural Brand goes in the very opposite direction: it's a silent film. Intriguingly, it is a film about Guy Maddin…or at least a version of Guy Maddin. In Brand we follow a young Guy as he wiles away his days on a strange island he will one day inherit. Mystery and odd characters abound, naturally, and the viewer can't help but wonder what is Maddin trying to say about himself and his art? The silent film device begs a connection between the Canadian artist and a "silencing" of Canadian culture in general; the silence of Guy's world makes the viewer ever-presently aware of it. At a time when sound film is the norm, the realm of the quiet grabs our attention as much as the silent screams of the bold cinematography and production design make us cock our heads to listen. It is worth noting that the original film did not have a recorded sountrack and upon initial screenings boasted live accompianment and foley artists for the production of sound effects–creating further distance between the Maddin's Canada captured on screen and the ability to create a sound, a voice if you will, that people will pay attention to. A musical score was added later, however, and is provided on the Criterion DVD release available in the Krasker collection.
~By Mary Bowen, Krasker Film/Video Services


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