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April 17th, 2008, 05:09 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 2,850
Thanks Kuki........was just checking........enjoy following your cruise......
April 17th, 2008, 06:44 PM
Senior Member
First Mate
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Boca Raton
Posts: 466
Kuki, Do you know where the F-3 ships will be deployed and when they will be open for reservations?
Caribbean Princess
C. Destiny
N.Pearl Nov
C.Valor Sept '08
Ruby Princess
C. Freedom
C. Triumph
Navigator (TA)
Solstice '10
Costa Fortuna
C.Glory Sept '11
Brilliance '12
Mariner (TA)
Liberty OTS
C.Breeze '13
Serenade TA
C.Sunshine '14
Regal Princess (2)
Freedom OtS
Anthem OtS '17
Allure OtS
April 17th, 2008, 07:12 PM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
April 17- At Sea to Alexandria
The "suitcase saga" does appear to be drawing to a close. Earlier this evening the ship did finally receive written confirmation stating that the Port Agent was indeed in physical possession of my suitcase. It should be delivered to the ship tomorrow morning, and after my comments about the Port Agent, likely full of camel droppings. So it seems I will soon be reunited with my fruit of the loom.
I'm now very busy making arrangements for a big welcome aboard for my suitcase. My plan is to have the cabin decorated, and I've already ordered the romance package, complete with flowers and champagne, to make the moment we're reunited special. And I was thinking I'd make reservations at one of the really nice alternate restaurants for the old bag and I for dinner.
I wonder if the Captain would do a renewal of vows ceremony for me and Sam Sonite?
Now we'll get to be together at least until Apr. 25, when I have to fly through the infamous new Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport in London, where British Airways will get its opportunity to lose it when I fly to Miami.
Just to flash back to last night for a minute…
I attended an NCL U program last night, which was a presentation of Behind the Scenes from the Second City Troupe that's onboard. Much of it was a video presentation and discussion of now famous, some since deceased, Second City Alumni. It was interesting to learn some of the history of Second City, which originally began in Chicago, in its first incarnation at the University of Chicago, then became known as the Player's Theater Club, then the Compass Players, and in 1959 Second City. As Second City it became an almost instant success, and became known as the place for comedy in the Windy City.
The fame spread further in 1975 with the beginning of Saturday Night Live on television.
The current troupe on board consists of 8 people; an unusually high number, but it's be structured this way to expand the number of shows, and seminars they are doing on the Jade. Later in the cruise I'm hoping I'll get a chance for a sit down with all the members of the troupe for some interviews and fun, with the intent to write a feature article about them, and some of the new ideas they are going to be rolling out to go along with Freestyle 2.0.
Moving on to today's action….
Do you want a break from the fast paced port after port after port, running from tour to tour, from the Grand Bazaar, to Ephesus, to Santorinio, and to the Kossos Palace?
Well, today was not the day to stop.
Beginning at 9:00 AM this morning there's a digital presentation of the behind the scenes action by Paul Baya, and a Q & A session with the Hotel Director and the Captain. From there you attend NCL U for a seminar; the topic today, the daily lives of the Egyptians, with Dawn Brown. After that, and before the next NCL U seminar, you can head to the Sports Deck for organized Basketball with Sports Coordinator, Greg, or join in for some Morning Madness Trivia, or a discussion and demo of golf swings with Mike Vanyo , yet you can still make it back to the Sports Deck in time for the Free Throw Challenge.
While catching your breath, you can check out the sea day sales in the shops and the spa, until it's time for another session of NCL U, with the Art of Sushi and Sake Tasting.
These are just a sampling of the options this morning, and the afternoon schedule get even busier.
At noon today there's the special Gospel Lunch in Le Bistro, for $15PP you get an elaborate lunch while being entertained by the ship's singers with Gospel Music. I'd heard a rumor that the cover fee for this event was inclusive of all liquor. I'll bet the singing and guest participation gets louder as the booze flows freely. Free booze! Praise the Lord! Unfortunately the rumor was not factual; too bad, as it could have made for a great story.
Rather than the Gospel lunch we enjoyed a quiet lunch in the private section of Cagney's for the press group. Though lunch was terrific, I was looking out the window, down at the pool deck, where they were holding one of NCL's famed deck barbeques. The smoke wafting from the open Weber style charcoal grills with steak, chicken, and vegetable/noodle stir fry spreading their odors across the open decks is like a siren's call, drawing you to near .
This afternoon I attended the NCL U Beer Tasting at Tankards, at Bar City. About a dozen people attended, and the cost was $15 per person, plus gratuity. Frankly I felt the bartender doing the presentation didn't do a great job, and wasn't particularly informative. He spent most of the time simply reading from notes. I'm not a drinker, but had spent 30 years in the Bar business, so attended mostly out of curiosity.
This afternoon there was also a Margarita Madness NCL U event, and a Tequila Tasting NCL U seminar available. If I'd attended all of them I'd imagine I could have been a fairly intoxicated graduate.
Tonight our group met for a late dinner, at 9 P.M., in Paniolos Tapas Bar, the ship's Tex-Mex restaurant. I'm personally not a big fan of Tex-Mex cuisine, but certainly everyone's seemed to enjoy their meals, and the presentation was fabulous.
Even with the late dinner, everyone was attempting to retire early tonight because most are doing some sort of tour to Cairo. It's a three hour drive from Alexandria to Cairo, so the tours start early. I originally had booked one of the Cairo tours as well, but changed my mind early on, and cancelled. Having toured the Pyramids less than a year ago, and not looking forward to six hours riding the bus to and from, I decided to stay behind, and explore Alexandria on my own, and be around tomorrow night to participate in the Tony and Tina's Wedding event, the off-Broadway hit, that's now taking to the seas on the Jade.
April 17th, 2008, 07:18 PM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
Originally Posted by
Kuki, Do you know where the F-3 ships will be deployed and when they will be open for reservations?
When this cruise ends in Athens on Apr. 23 we head to the Aker Shipyard in France to witness the Keel Laying Ceremony of the F3.
At that time I'll no doubt have MUCH more to tell about the F3. Just keep watching here Apr 24, and 25th.
April 17th, 2008, 07:28 PM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
I have been mentioning AnneMarie Mathews, and Courtney Recht of NCL in some of these reports.
FYI AnneMarie is the Director of Public Relations, and Courtney is the Manager of Public Relations.
They've actually been reading these daily reports, just as you have, and have also had to listen to my other bad stories, jokes and whining in person.... and they've been VERY tolerant with me!
If there's any questions you'd like to ask of them, feel free to do so. I don't know if they'll feel comfortable to come out "hiding" and answer the questions directly.... but, if not, I'll certainly ask them to pass on their answers, so I can post them for you.
April 17th, 2008, 07:31 PM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
Originally Posted by
Kuki - some great shots! After showing them to my DH he is thinking of trying NCL. How do the rooms compare (size / space) to Carnival?
Sending good karma to your little red bag and making it to your room so you don't need to "freestyle"
After my last couple cruises on NCL, I've become a great fan of NCL, and a great fan of Freestyle!!
I highly recommend taking an NCL cuise! They are one the most innovative cruise lines in the industry.
April 18th, 2008, 02:25 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 602
did mrs kuki stow away in the bag is tat why it is not with you yet?
Eric Trautmann
Home Lines Doric 78, Oceanic, Homeric 85,Celebrity Horizon, Zenith,NCl Pride of America 05 (Honeymoon), Spirit 09-30-06,NCL Gem 12-29-07,NCL Spirit 5-17-08
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NCL Jewel
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April 18th, 2008, 06:33 AM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
Apr. 18 – Reunited in Alexandria
I'm truly "faklempt" this morning in Alexandria. I've finally been reunited with my dear Sam Sonite. Even though I had originally left the suitcase unlocked to fly, it arrived with all parts and possessions untouched. As we sat on the balcony chatting and catching up on Sam's misadventure getting here, it was obvious Sam was jet-bagged.
To celebrate we shared a totally decadent plate of chocolate covered strawberries.. and yes, that's all shaved white chocolate in the center.
I suggested Sam take a nap to unwind.
As most everyone on the ship, other than some crew had left the ship, for tours of Cairo or Alexandria, I snuck up (well.. they let me in) to the Private Sun Deck, and Courtyard area for Courtyard Villa guests. This is one incredible area.
Much more on that later today.
In order to await the arrival of my luggage I had cancelled my tour of Cairo and the Pyramids today. We had just visited the Pyramids in May 07, and I wrote about it then… so for information purposes I am copying and pasting the material from that date below:
NCL Jewel - Virtual Cruise
May 11 & 12 - Egypt.-
We arrived at the Star Dust Theater this morning, at the time stated on our excursion tickets (8:30 A.M.), to find that our excursion had already begun to disembark the ship, and head out to board the tour buses. We boarded our assigned bus, and shortly afterwards the buses pulled out and our tour began.
Today's tour was a scheduled 5 ½ hrs. dubbed "Highlights of Alexandria��?.
Fortunately on today's tour we had a much better combination of guide, driver and bus-mates. Our driver for yesterday's tour seemed to be the only driver in this hemisphere who was wanted to go the same speed as the camels.
Our guide for yesterday's tour warned us repeatedly to be VERY careful of the people who would accost us at all the sights we were going to be visiting, and be very careful making any purchases from them as we were sure to be ripped off in one way or another. He then proceeded to spend half the time of the 3 hr. ride to Cairo trying to sell things to people on the bus. "For our convenience��? the "special people��? on his bus could pre-order merchandise from catalogues, that they could pick up later at the Bazaar, which was going to be our last stop of the day. The purchases would be from suppliers at the Bazaar who he knew to be "trustworthy��? (and amazingly he said this with a straight face <wink>).
As well, while traveling on the bus, he tried to sell us books and DVDs on Egypt. When he chose to share actual information about the sights with us he was quite informative. However I felt like I had been captured and held captive by an infomercial, and it made me more uncomfortable than the small space between rows of seats on the bus.
Once we approached Cairo I was amazed and shocked. I'm not sure what I expected, but our guide told us Cairo is a city of 18 Million people. It's of course a sprawling city, but what shocked me the most as we traveled through the city towards the Pyramids, is the incredible number of unfinished, and seemingly abandoned buildings. They are everywhere, and anywhere… good areas, or bad areas, it didn't seem to matter.
The guide explained that normally when getting married it is the responsibility of the male (or his family) to supply the "flat��? or home for the bride. And these flats (apartment/condominiums in "western��? terms), can be very expensive in relation to what the average Egyptian earns. Therefore, a family may start out building a one storey "flat��? or home on a small piece of land in the city, then as the years pass, and the families grow they build another "flat��? above their own, then another above that, and another, and so on. In many instances this process can go on for a very long time, so many of these buildings can stand unfinished for 20 years or more. The differences between the standards of living here, as compared to the western world, are obvious, and quite startling.
There are satellite dishes atop most of the structures, even the unfinished, or barely standing residences, and that type of access may help explain how some people in this part of the world may feel "hard done by��?, or resentful of the western world.
As we arrived at the Pyramids, some of the depressing thoughts that had been running through my mind while seeing the city and it's people disappeared, at least for a short while. The sight of these structures is nothing short of spectacular!
The hucksters and local thieves are evident all over the sight… though the Tourist Police are present to try and watch over them. We got to witness police on camels chasing after suspected thieves who were also on camels.
The guides took us to three different areas to view the Pyramids from different perspectives, and then we moved on to visit the Sphinx. To get a more up close view of the Sphinx requires going along with large crowds through some narrow passageways. I had become a bit friendly with the "security officer��? from our bus (the one with the machine gun) <G>, and he offered to speed our way through the crowd. Somehow, with a man in suit, who everyone in the area was armed, the crowds got quite passable.
We had a fair bit of free time at the Pyramids and Sphinx to explore.
From there we moved into downtown Cairo and boarded very nice river cruise boats to "cruise��? the Nile for about an hour. They served a buffet lunch onboard that was very, very tasty. So good, in fact, that it surprised me. I guess my expectations were low. The lunch service was friendly and efficient, and the experience quite enjoyable. During our time onboard we were entertained by a belly dancer (who interacted with the crowd) as well as a "Tangora dancer��? ( a mid eastern male dancer doing a traditional dance).
After our Nile River cruise we were taken to the Citadel of Cairo, and the large Mosque, which sit high on a hill with panoramic views of the city. This is the Mosque containing the tomb of Muhammed Ali (not the boxer). We were allowed to tour the Mosque freely, and take pictures freely as well.
Once outside, on the grounds, the views of the city, the skyline, and the Pyramids in the distance are breathtaking.
Our last stop for the day was at the "Bazaar��? our guide talked about early in the day. This was not what would come to mind when one thinks of a mid-eastern Bazaar. It was a high priced three storey high shopping center. We were given a short explanation/demonstration of the ancient process of making Papyrus, and then time to shop.
Our bus was late leaving here as some of our bus mates just had to hold up everyone else on the tour to save another $10 off their purchase, and then, at the end yet more time as the guide had to go back in to get his "commission��? on all the sales for our bus.
Today's tour of Alexandria went much more smoothly, and was much more relaxing. Alexandria is a much larger city than I had expected as well; over 6 Million citizens. While there's no doubt it shares some of the same problems as Cairo, there's also some very beautiful areas, and upscale hotels, as well as beautiful beaches. A very long road, the Corniche, runs for a very lengthy stretch along the ocean, with no traffic lights. There are underground cross walks for pedestrians to get from one side of the road to the other.
As it's getting quite late, I'll begin another post on the Alexandria portion of our visit tomorrow.
Here's a link to a photo gallery of our Cairo visit.
April 18th, 2008, 07:48 AM
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: England
Posts: 10
Very pleased you got your luggage at last, it looks happy to be back with you
I am so pleased I found this site and I am finding your reports very helpful.
That private sunning area looks amazing, but we are only in a mini suite.
We decided to try a cruise as my husband can't fly this year, and we live about 2 hrs drive from Southampton. Also the freestyle appealed as we weren' sure about the formal dining for our first time.
Roll on June 14th, I am looking forward to it more than ever now, and we can't lose our luggage as we go in and out of Southampton.
April 18th, 2008, 08:58 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,502
I'm so glad to see that you and Sam have been reunited!!!!!!! Maybe you should buy a tracking device to put in him before his next big adventure. :-)
NCL was very wise to have you come along on this cruise and write all about it. I've never considered an NCL cruise before, but after your reports, I'd really like to give them a try.
Thanks for all the reports and the pictures. Now don't run off with and join that comedy group. I bet you'll feel right at home with them.
April 18th, 2008, 09:20 AM
Mike M
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: You're Looking At Me
Posts: 24,363
Once again Betty and I have enjoyed reading your virtual cruise. It was a contributing factor in us booking the last minute Norwegian Jewel 5/5 Baltic cruise. We just had to get a Freestyle 2.0 fix.
I'm glad you are having a wonderful time and that you and Sam can now have a "private" moment together. If you're ever interested I got a hot little Coach number I can fix you up with.
Enjoy and I look forward to your next installment!
Take care,
Mike (Avid cruiser and luggage pimp)
Cruisemates Community Leader/Moderator
"There is a great difference between being well traveled and just having been to many places." ~Me
"Fear is the assassin of dreams." ~Me
April 18th, 2008, 09:25 AM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: on my computer
Posts: 27,229
Wow, Its about time! Sam is actually looking rather good, considering he must be going through major jet lag.
Message Boards Moderator
April 18th, 2008, 09:34 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 2,617
Now I would suggest you not let Sam out of your sight for a minute. Too bad you can't get him a seat next to you on your flight back.
You do look very relaxed as you are laying out by the pool in what appears to be different clothes than the past almost week.
ncl, carnival, HAL, Costa, RCI, commodore,chamdres,celebrity,Princess
April 18th, 2008, 11:34 AM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
Continuing Apr. 18
As I hadn't gone off to a tour of Cairo I did have a lot of the spaces on the ship to myself today. I mentioned earlier checking out the beautiful sun deck area reserved for the passengers in the Courtyard Villas. I also visited the Courtyard area everyone in those suites shares, with its own pool, whirlpool, loungers and tables and chairs.
Though not for those of us on tight budgets, the Garden Villa, Courtyard Villas, and Suites on these ships are amongst the first on the ship to sell out for almost every sailing. And, for those who can afford the luxury, with good cause. I didn't get to visit these suites this trip, as they are all sold out, but I've seen them before, and without doubt they offer some of the most fabulous accommodations available at sea.
Now with additional Freestyle 2.0 upgrades they are an even more attractive option for those accustomed to traveling in luxury. If you book a suite or Villa on a Freestyle 2.0 ship, and here's a list of some of perks:
- Bliss Collection by NCL bedding- pillow top comforters, down comforters, fine linens, and Euro pillows
- Special Platinum colored key card – for ship-wide recognition. (They gave me the Platinum Key Card, but I have to close my eyes to pretend I'm living the princely life in a suite).
- Complimentary Bottle of Champagne
- Butler and Concierge Service
- Private Breakfast and Lunch in Cagney's Restaurant
- Private Breakfast and Lunch in the Courtyard
- 6 choice pillow menu
- MP3 player connections.
Aside from Butler service in your suites or villas, the Courtyard also has its own dedicated Butler. I even noticed the gigantic bowl of M&Ms the butler was putting out for snacks.
If I knew the exact date I was going to win the lottery, I'd be booking my Garden Villa right now to make sure space was available. Naturally I'd be booking Courtyard Villas for all of you to come along.
Honestly, if I were filthy rich, I can't imagine a much better way to have a great party than booking all of these villas, and filling them with family and friends. What a party that would be! And what a dream!!
Below is the Breakfast/Lunch area at Cagney's.
April 18th, 2008, 11:55 AM
Senior Member
Cruise Maniac
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: State College - PA
Posts: 191
Kuki - so glad to see Sam settling right into your shared room
Hopefully, Sam didn't have so much fun with out you that he decides to depart at Heathrow :evil:
I have loved your review so far and look forward to the rest of your round the world adventure.
Sensation (without KathieLee) July 2001
Paradise (smokefree) March 2002
Valor (inaugural season) May 2005
Truimph May 2007
Fascination (1st time w/DD) May 2008
Pride (with DD & DS) November 2009
April 18th, 2008, 12:47 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 2,617
well, we are going to Lauglin for our 50th anniversary party and wedding vows renewal in just less than 4 weks. I intend on hitting the big jackpot (playing pennies and nickels I want you to know) the first thing I will do with the money after paying taxes is:::::: stay in the courtyard suite on any NCL ship, I am not particular.
ncl, carnival, HAL, Costa, RCI, commodore,chamdres,celebrity,Princess
April 18th, 2008, 01:01 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Northern California
Posts: 1,003
Hello Suitcase!
Kuki, glad to hear you suitcase saga has ended. I am impressed the way you were able to maintain such a good sense of humor. Most people would be looking for someone to sue. Mike
Travel Mike's Future cruises: Mariner Galveston 2-26-12,Magic Galveston 3-4-12 NCL Pride of America Hawaii6-2-12 HAL Statendam 9-9-12 Vancouver
April 18th, 2008, 01:16 PM
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: England
Posts: 10
As someone new to cruising I am loving this report and have decided I will do something similar when we go on 13th June, this is where I will be posting
April 18th, 2008, 01:57 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: On the lido deck with drink of the day
Posts: 13,392
For Kuki and Sam:
Reunited and it feels so good
Reunited 'cause we understood
There's one perfect fit
And, sugar, this one is it
We both are so excited 'cause we're reunited, hey, hey
One part age; three parts liquor!
Freedom of the Seas 2012
Carnival Splendor 2010
Carnival Freedom 2008
Carnival Elation 2007
Celebrity Infinity 2006
Carnival Ecstasy 2005
Carnival Paradise 2004
Star Princess 2002
Viking Serenade 1994
April 18th, 2008, 06:52 PM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
Tony and Tina's Wedding
I enjoyed getting ready for dinner tonight. For a change, I had a choice of what to wear to dinner. It was a surprising treat to use my own toothbrush tonight as well.
Another two members of the press group arrived to join the cruise today. One had actually flown in to Istanbul the same day as I had, but somewhere between leaving New York City, and arriving in Istanbul, she'd lost or misplaced her passport. And with no sympathy or any offer to look for another solution, and without a blink of any eye, authorities in Istanbul had put her right back on a flight back to New York City. When she arrived back to JFK in New York City she found her passport had shown up there. She stayed a few days, and then flew in to Cairo yesterday, stayed overnight, and joined the ship today. That situation certainly sounded like much more of a pain in the "derriere" than losing your luggage.
Most of the others in the group left the ship today for shore excursions to Cairo. AnneMarie and I stayed onboard, and then tonight, joined by the two new arrivals, we went to dinner at Papa's Kitchen, before going to Tony and Tina's Wedding being held in Spinnakers. At Tony and Tina's wedding they do serve a pasta buffet, but we decided to go to dinner prior to attending "the wedding".
The Veal Marsala I ate the last time we ate there was so good, I had it again, and it didn't disappoint. The cover charge at Papa's Kitchen is $10 PP.
As we left Papa's Kitchen to make our way to the Spinnaker Lounge, we passed through the Garden Café. As part of the Freestyle 2.0 upgrades, in the evenings the tables are now set with table cloths, as well as place settings for a casual alternate dining experience. Even the special section that is set aside for a children's buffet, is set up in the evenings with table clothes and full place settings; quite cute.
Tony and Tina's wedding begins with meeting the families over drinks; though as is customary you don't see the bride before the wedding. You do however meet the cast of characters; the Nunzioto and Vatali families from New Jersey, and my favorite character, Vinny Black the lively caterer and co-owner Vinny Black's Coliseum, where the wedding takes place. All of the characters are played as caricatures, and do an excellent job of staying in character throughout the evening, even in interpersonal exchanges with members of the audience.
This is only the second cruise where they've attempted this event on one of the NCL international ships, and they admittedly chose a bit of an odd evening to do it, during an overnight stay in Alexandria, where many of the passengers were not back onboard yet, from their very full day excursions to Cairo. Even so, they seemed to draw a reasonably sized crowd.
It's a very interactive event, and once it starts to draw crowds, it will get to be more fun, and I think it will grow to be quite a popular event.
This was just another example of how much effort NCL is putting into offering an extremely broad variety of entertainment onboard.
April 19th, 2008, 02:47 PM
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: England
Posts: 10
Still enjoying your reports, thank you very much.
Can I ask if the new Elemis products are now provided in the bathrooms?
It does say on the info we have on 2.0 that they will have these upgraded toiletries in all cabins, but have read a review that says they are not there yet.
April 19th, 2008, 08:14 PM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
Day 2 Alexandria – Apr.19
I have absolutely incredible news today from Alexandria… the self serve soft ice cream machines work now! I had the Raspberry.
The Jade spent the overnight tied up at the pier in Alexandria. There were a large number of passengers who spent the night in Cairo, to extend their ability to tour the Cairo area. This morning there were many buses at the pier once again, for all those who'd booked tours of Alexandria.
On our previous visit, less than a year ago, we did a major tour, so I made the decision this time to Freestyle – sleep 'til whenever. I awoke, enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, and set out to wander the area of Alexandria closest to the docks, on my own.
If your ship overnights in Alexandria as the Jade does, and you're up for a bit of adventure, as opposed to the ship's tour, it is possible. Just as you exit the ship you pass a small bazaar (shopping area) selling Egyptian souvenirs. Continuing on towards the bridge that exits the docks, to the left are many taxis waiting to offer passengers tours. It seemed here you could quite easily get a tour of some of the major sites in the brochure for a couple of hours for less than $20. Several offered me a one hour tour for $5. But, who knows if I would have been brought back to the ship for that price, or sold into slavery.
I had decided I was just going to let my feet do my touring, and be my guide. As I exited the gate for the docks, I had to show my passport (keep it with you, and keep it safe). Exiting the gate you immediately step into the hustle and bustle of Alexandria. First you pass through the gauntlet of livery drivers, offering horse and buggy tours. After saying no thank you 40 times, I found myself standing in the street, almost in the center of a busy traffic circle. Getting back to a sidewalk, I began to stroll. The first thing I found is there are no traffic signals. To cross the streets you simply have to estimate the amount of traffic flow, and its speed, and determine if you can get to the other side of the street without being hit. I think the Egyptian drivers view the pedestrians as entertainment; not real desire to bounce you off their hoods, but enjoying the frightened looks on your faces.
As I wandered the streets I found it interesting that the best looking buildings faced the main boulevards, but at each corner, if you looked off the boulevard, the conditions deteriorated quite quickly.
As you stroll, every building seems to have small shops selling something. Some of the store fronts are just kiosks, no larger than 20 sq. ft., but these are obviously the livelihood for many citizens. Each one you pass invites you to come in a take a look at their goods. It would have been easier to stroll if I was wearing a T-shirt that said No Thank You in BOLD letters!
However, it should be noted that I did not ever feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Mind you, it was broad daylight, and I'm 6' 4" and depending on when I last ate, about 220 lbs. (since I'm in Egypt, make that 100 Kilos).
Wandering down several side streets it seemed almost each street led to another market or bazaar. If you're not easily intimidated it can make for some interesting shopping, or just sight-seeing. It does also require a bit of a sense of direction. If you wander from the main street some of the side street markets do take some twists and turns. I left the ship about 10 A.M. and walked back onboard about 1:00 P.M. In the three hours I saw quite a bit, and said no thank you 19,203 times.
Returning to the ship I found many more of my fellow passengers onboard than the previous day. The sun was shining brightly, with temperatures in the mid 80s Fahrenheit, so I went out to relax by the pool. The "Waikiki Pool" area is amongst my favorite at sea. I'm not sure why, but it feels much larger and more wide open than those on other ships. There are two pool areas, and the one beneath the Bali Hai Bar, as well as the whirlpools on that side are clearly marked Adults Only. This pool has a nice "feature" water fall on one end. The other, larger pool, where children are allowed, has a large water slide.
The Pool Deck has a considerable number of tables and chairs, which is appealing to me personally, as I'm not a sun-lounger type (I feel I am going to be stretched out horizontally soon enough).
With the Freestyle 2.0 upgrades, all the sun-loungers have flip up signs to call for bar service. Though amusingly, one of the other writers, Jennifer Glatt, noticed one of the flip signs has a typo. (Well, I
was amused; the NCL Public Relations people probably not so much.
The pool-side waiters also carry spray bottles of cool Evian water to spray to cool off guests in the hot sun.
Considering that bottles of Evian are sold in the cabin mini-bars for $640 a bottle, I just take an empty bottle to the pool and have the waiters spray directly into my bottle each time they pass by.
Upon returning to my cabin this afternoon I found a letter of apology from the Front Desk Manager to Sam Sonite and I for our separation, along with a copy of the incident report. I understood from the get-go that NCL was in no way responsible for losing my luggage, and did everything they could, with many ship to shore phone calls, to locate Sam.
Sadly I think this is a problem faced by all the cruise lines sailing throughout Europe, with guest arriving from all reaches of the globe. It's truly surprising to me that so many people's luggage does arrive to its intended destination. Those of you who've been reading my cruise reports for some time know that I am the lightning rod poster child for air travel fiascos. Hopefully my record in this department reduces the odds of it happening to you.
This has now passed, and I'm now feeling great and so relaxed, I think I'm going to just open my closet doors and stare at my things for several hours.
The ship left Alexandria about a half hour later than scheduled due to some late arriving tours. Three more travel writers joined the group today as well. We met for cocktails, then enjoyed dinner in the Teppanyaki Room, the Benihana style Japanese restaurant (cover charge $25 per person). At this restaurant the entertainment provided by the chefs is almost as important to the experience as the quality of the food. The room seats 32, at four different cooking tables, and there are 4 dining times available each evening.
BTW… an important note, and savings, for those who like to dine early; in Cagney's, Le Bistro, Papa's Kitchen, and Jade Garden, if you dine between 5:30 and 7:00 P.M the cover charge is 2 for 1! So you can eat early, and eat often!
Tonight at 10:30 was another event held that is yet another extension of the Freestyle 2.0. It's the "White Hot Party" held in the Spinnaker Lounge. There's no cover charge for this event. Everyone is encouraged to wear white, and there's "White Hot Party" T-shirts for sale outside the door, for those who didn't pack anything white. I was surprised to find the room jumping when I entered.
The cruise activities staff created a very high energy atmosphere; they got very involved with the passengers instigating the fun, and it was obvious a great many of the passengers were enjoying it. I was taken by the size of the crowd in attendance after two very full and busy days in Egypt. There was even a "special" appearance by members of the bar staff, called the "Ship n' male Dancers".
Paul Baya
AnneMarie Mathews of NCL, and Armando DaSilva, Hotel Director
Sailing the port intensive, tour intensive itinerary that we're sailing, some lines would scale back on the events and activities they schedule. This is most certainly not the case with Freestyle 2.0. In fact, there's been so much going on throughout the cruise I haven't found the time, or sometimes the energy, to check out all the entertainment options available. Simply put, it's just not possible to do it all during the course of one cruise, even if it is a 13 day cruise. You really do have to "Chose to Whatever".
I'm certain, along the way, reading this you've noticed my own typos and grammatical errors. Just please give me a bit of leeway, as I am writing many of these late at night, when returning to my cabin.
April 19th, 2008, 08:25 PM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
Originally Posted by
Still enjoying your reports, thank you very much.
Can I ask if the new Elemis products are now provided in the bathrooms?
It does say on the info we have on 2.0 that they will have these upgraded toiletries in all cabins, but have read a review that says they are not there yet.
The Elemis products unfortunately have yet to arrive, other than hand lotion. Tomorrow I'll try and find out when they are expected.
April 20th, 2008, 11:15 AM
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Caribou River, Nova Scotia
Posts: 17,721
Kuki, I am at a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale, and I just had to check in and see if you were reunited with yur suitcase yet! I am so glad to see that you are, and I loved the pictures, they were hilarious!
No time to read the entire story, but I will catch up later. Enjoy the rest of your cruise, and I should tell you that so far so good for our luggage. It all made it to the hotel. It remains to be seen if it all makes it on the ship later today!
April 20th, 2008, 06:47 PM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
Day at Sea- Apr. 20
Another opportunity for a Freestyle morning – sleep 'til whenever.
But once I got moving, it was a non-stop day. We began the day in a leisurely enough fashion, with the Jazz Brunch at Le Bistro, which carries with a $15 pp cover charge. The crowd was slight, the brunch menu was not, with quite an extensive selection of buffet items as well as served entrée choices.
Here's the brunch menu and some pictures of Le Bistro.
As many of these Freestyle 2.0 events are new, they will be experimenting with timing and dates for when they're going to be held. After brunch we set out to tour some of the ship, and get a look at some of the changes made to bring the ship to the desired standards of 2.0.
I've previously mentioned the use of the Star Bar, and Cagney's extension for suite guests, but also new is the Latitudes Member's Lounge, on Deck 12. It's available to all members of NCL's Latitudes Past Passenger Program; which is everyone who's previously sailed NCL.
Just down the hall from the Latitudes Lounge is the ship's library, which now features a complimentary coffee set up, as well as an honor system for checking out books. The intent is to give it more of a "Barnes & Noble feel", as an area for reading and relaxing.
Another change on Deck 12 is out doors on the Pool Deck. The idea is to create a more relaxed atmosphere pool side. You'll no longer find pool games such as Sexy Legs Contests, nor will you find steel drum reggae bands hammering out Caribbean tunes. Throughout the day a solo guitar artist plays easy listening music. It's intentionally being transformed to somewhat of a quiet zone.
I'm well past the need for children's or teen programs, but we toured these facilities as well. NCL divides their programs into 3 age ranges; 2- 5, 6-9, 9-12. Over 12's have their own separate Teen facilities. The Teen Center is very similar to an adult lounge, with an extensive drink menu, very similar to adult drinks, only without the alcoholic content. There area has a large flat screen television with all the latest games, i.e. Wii, Xbox360, etc. as well as a computer center, and free to use foosball, air hockey tables, and video juke box. And it is supervised during operating hours. After touring the facility I longed to be 15 again.
The children's facilities are available for the younger age groups on port days as well. If parents choose to leave their children on the ship while they tour the ports there is a $5 per hour charge. Only children already toilet trained may be left.
We also toured the Ying and Yang Spa. It's a very large well equipped spa, with all manner of treatment rooms, including acupuncture, thermal suites, etc. I'm hoping to try out a treatment before the cruise ends. I heard they do some facial treatment that can make me look like Brad Pitt. Or perhaps they'll just give me drugs that will make me think I do.
Afterwards we met with Hotel Director, Armando DaSilva for a Q&A session. We discussed how the implementation of 2.0 affected his job and his perspectives. He did say that as 2.0 had just recently been implemented the most noticeable effects have been the positive responses from the guests.
We discussed a little bit some adjustments they've made with staffing to improve in service areas. One change was to have staff throughout most of the restaurants dress in more standard uniforms. This somewhat seemingly insignificant change allows them the flexibility to move wait staff around to the different restaurants as demand in those restaurants change through dining hours. I thought this to be a very innovative and well thought out approach.
I offered one question about the 2.0 "perk" being listed as "dedicated check in, and priority disembarkation" for those in balcony cabins and mini-suites. I inquired because it struck me, with so many balcony cabins and mini-suites on the ship, that this would be an awfully difficult perk to deliver. Armando stated this wouldn't be an issue on the Jade because of the itinerary she sails, and the varying arrival and departure times of guests, and with that I agree. However, until I hear from someone on how they plan to deal with on ships with different situation, such as on Caribbean itineraries, I'll have to be left wondering.
I've whined in an earlier daily report about the error in locations of the desk and vanity tables in the cabin; with the smaller and oddly angled table having the Ethernet connection, and telephone, and being darker because of the television shelf located just above it. I had assumed that all cabins in the category would suffer from the same design flaw because they are after-all simply completed modules put in place during the ship's construction. Though they are indeed modules, I've found that not all these cabins are in fact the same, and not all suffer through what I perceive as a design flaw.
I haven't yet been able to get what sounds like a reasonable explanation, but I'll keep trying, and see if there's any way to get a list of which cabins are set up which way.
Later this afternoon I was given the opportunity to meet with the ensemble cast of Second City, to interview them, learn a bit about them and the Second City program, and to chat about their lives at sea. I mentioned how much I had enjoyed the one show of theirs I got to see, and what a talented group I thought they were. I'm going to write a feature article about them and our meeting at a later date. Interesting stuff, I promise.
This is a picture of the Second City ensemble (minus one member who was feeling ill), and Guest Activities Director (and guitar hero) Paul. We met in one of the private "what ever" rooms, next to Medusa's Lounge. You can use these private rooms for a group Wii or Karaoke get together or party.
Second City is currently on 7 NCL ships, but at the moment, on all ships other than the Jade they do two shows during a normal seven night cruise. On the Jade this ensemble is doing full shows 5 times during the cruise in Spinnaker's, plus a number of NCL U seminars. Today they did an NCL U session for kids, titled Class Clowns. They told me that kids groups are a lot of fun to do, because the kids are used to role playing; tell a child they're a doctor, and they are. Tell them they're a pilot and they are.
Tonight, after dinner, I headed up to Spinnaker's to see the Second City troupe again, and once more they demonstrated how talented a group they are.
After watching their show I went to check out the casino for the heavily promoted Monte Carlo Night.
Jason, the Master of Ceremonies for all the shows was there pumping the crowd for this event as well. He's been all over this ship throughout the cruise, and kudos to him for his high energy. It's contagious, except for old sloths like me. Jason was also my favorite character, Vinny, at Tony and Tina's Wedding.Here's a shot of Jason and the Jester at Monte Carlo night.
By the way, we had dinner tonight at 6 P.M., back at the Pacific Garden Dining Room. I thought tonight's menu the weakest selection of the cruise, but it was certainly edible. It just didn't wow me as much as the previous meals have.
Tonight I'm trying to get to bed a bit earlier than I have been. Tomorrow's port of call is Corfu and I have a ship's tour booked.
Ah yes.. talked to Mrs. Kuki back at home and they've had a spring snow and ice storm, so I'd much rather be here!
April 20th, 2008, 09:39 PM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Boston
Posts: 20,424
I feel as if I am right there with you, so, save me a seat by the pool please;):)
Trip, with her book & tea!
Chat Hostess & Board Moderator
April 21st, 2008, 08:07 AM
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: England
Posts: 10
Still avidly reading and loving your reports.
It all seems a bit lively to us, I am wondering now if we will be the oldest on board when we go. Are there many in their 70's on there I wonder.
April 21st, 2008, 12:23 PM
Senior Member
Cruise Maniac
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: State College - PA
Posts: 191
Kuki - wondering if you can break down what restaurants charge extra and which are included. It seems to be that even charging $10 pp isn't that much but with what you already have given NCL for the cruise why charge again? I will say we went to Scarletts on Carnival Valor and thought it well worth it. But it seems all or most of the dining rooms charge. Just some clarification please. Thank you and keep the pictures coming!
Sensation (without KathieLee) July 2001
Paradise (smokefree) March 2002
Valor (inaugural season) May 2005
Truimph May 2007
Fascination (1st time w/DD) May 2008
Pride (with DD & DS) November 2009
April 21st, 2008, 07:43 PM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
Corfu – Apr. 21
What are they going to do with the Pyramids?
Last night, while playing blackjack at Monte Carlo Night I was chatting with a fellow at the table about the cruise, and I asked how he enjoyed Egypt. He went on to explain that he was very concerned. He said Egypt seemed to him to be in such a state of poverty, and with all the decaying buildings he saw, he was really worried about what they were going to do with the Pyramids.
I was very tempted to ask if he felt they should be moved to a more affluent country, but I decided I should get out of this possible "Second City skit", and change the topic of conversation.
I'd set my wake-up call on the telephone for 8 A.M., and was up in time to enjoy the sail in to Corfu. It was foggy, and made for a rather heavenly looking entry to the harbor.
James Byrd and I were doing the same tour this morning, the Colorful Towns Tour, so we decided to meet for breakfast at Cagney's before the tour.
As I was about to leave the cabin the Front Desk called saying I had to return to my passport to the Desk, before I could go ashore. When we boarded the ship they collected all the passports, and just prior to arrival in Egypt, they were all stamped with "visas", and we had to pick them up to go ashore. They asked us to return the passports to the Front Desk yesterday, but I admit to intentionally not turning mine in again. I wasn't sure what the purpose was of having to turn the passports back over to the ship, and I had thought I'd got away with keeping mine, until the phone call this morning. Rats! Now we're going to have to stand in line again to pick them up before disembarkation.
After breakfast I obliged, and turned in my passport, and met James at the Stardust Theater, to head off on our tour. I mentioned James in an earlier report but a bit more about him today, as we got to have a more significant chat during our day on Corfu.
James is 20 years old, and works for NCL America, on the Pride of America. He's been working as a waiter in the buffet area, and just a few months back, for his own enjoyment began a blog, telling his stories of working on a cruise ship (which you can find at shipblogger.com). Recently his blog came to the attention of NCL, and the Miami offices became interested in the concept. They've had some discussions about a more "official" relationship between NLC and James' blog, but for the time being, it is his own. However, as a bit of a reward for his work on his blog, the corporate offices invited James to join this press group on this cruise, and our upcoming visit to the shipyard in France, for the Keel Laying Ceremony for the new F3.
I think it's a wonderful story about a young man showing initiative, and being rewarded for it. James was willing to go take a job on a ship, and work hard and long hours to set out on an adventure and travel, that may soon be more adventure than he ever dreamt of. Even though I'm more than twice James' age, I relate very well to his story.
Of all the travel writers included on this press trip, aside from James, I'm the only one who would not by definition really be considered a "professional journalist". I was a businessman, who fell in love with cruise vacations, who had the good fortune to be "struck by lightning" when I was asked to join CruiseMates nine years ago, and given a shot become a cruise travel writer. It still occasionally mystifies me that I am paid to write about cruising, and it probably mystifies you too… possibly more than occasionally!
So it's really nice to see someone else enjoy the same sort of good luck, even though I think the world has enough cruise writers, and I'd prefer less competition in the arena, not more.
I enjoyed spending a good portion of the day with James, and getting to know him. Next time you're sailing on the Pride of America look for James, and be sure to say hello!
Now, on to our tour of Corfu…
Corfu is in the Ionian Sea, and with high humidity, and very hot summer temperatures is one the greenest of the Greek Islands. The tour today actually reminded me of why I don't often enjoyed large organized ship's shore excursions. Our guide on today's tour had a very drone, monotone delivery, and sounded as though she was simply reading from a guide book she'd just bought at the souvenir kiosk in the terminal. She seemed to just ramble on, never stopping to ask if anyone had any questions.
At one time during the tour, while we toured the Achillion Palace, and the Palace gardens, we were standing by a statue, and as we were waiting for the rest of the group to catch up and gather, I asked her if she had any idea of the date the statue was sculpted (I was curious to know if I was looking at an original or a replica). Her response was to tell me to wait until the group gathered. It seemed it was too much trouble to repeat one sentence twice. Later, when she did answer, she told us the statue was "from the early 20th Century. This simply demonstrates the luck of the draw in tour guides.
There were, I believe, 6 buses on the same tour today, and some people I spoke to on other buses thought they had terrific guides.
When the bus reached an area of Corfu Town that I sort of recognized, from a previous visit, I let her know that I was leaving the tour, and would find my own way back to the ship. James decided to come get lost with me, and with me leading the way, we did just that. At one point the young man had the nerve to say "maybe we should go this way?" and he was right. Eventually we found our way, and walked the couple of miles back to the ship.
I earned my right to eat lunch by the time I got back to the ship, and today the afternoon treat for me was strawberry soft serve ice cream.
Tonight we dined at Le Bistro, at 7:30 P.M. Le Bistro is NCL's signature restaurant and it didn't disappoint. I had my favorite, cream of mushroom soup in a bread bowl, with a beef tenderloin entrée, and the chocolate fruit fondue to finish. A wonderful meal, with excellent conversation, found us leaving the restaurant at 10:30. Afterwards I spent an hour at the blackjack table before retiring to the cabin. For some strange reason I seemed to have lost my voice tonight. I tried to say something at dinner, and someone else's high pitched voice came out.
During dinner tonight I did learn from AnneMarie that NCL is changing the pricing of the alternate restaurants. Tomorrow she'll get me the new list of specific pricing.
However, interestingly, she did say the cover charges are being lowered in some restaurants, and in some cases, where there was an extra surcharge for certain menu items (like the Osso Bucco at Papa's Kitchen), those surcharges would actually be removed. This is great news for NCL fans, and tomorrow we'll have all the details to share.
AnneMarie also let me know that new flip signs for the sun loungers have been ordered to replace the grammatical error that Jennifer had pointed out. We got a good another good chuckle over that one.
The last bit of news from our dinner conversation was the Elemis products - which have arrived, and are being used in the both cabin bathroom liquid soap dispensers, shower gel, and shampoo dispensers. The products are presently being used; they are now just waiting for the labels for the dispensers. There are also small containers of Elemis hand lotion in the cabin washrooms. The top suite categories feature more additional Elemis product selections.
The Jade will be arriving in Katakalon, Greece at 4 A.M. The Captain explained the early arrival is due to the first come, first served, docking policies at the port. The Captain wants us to have a good berth, and therefore his goal is to have us their early. It is a short port visit though, as we're schedule to leave at 2 P.M.
Tomorrow is also the last day of the cruise. As is the case with all great cruises, I am amazed that this one is coming to an end "so quickly". Twelve nights have passed in the blink of an eye. Even with my luggage fiasco, it's been a wonderful cruise that's left me quite exhausted.
I became a big fan of NCL after my cruise on the Dawn in 2006, and my taste for the Freestyle product grew even stronger in 2007, after sailing the Jewel. Now, after getting a glimpse of the Freestyle 2.0 upgrades, I do believe that NCL is very likely the leading innovator in the cruise industry.
If you've enjoyed this Virtual Cruise and learning about Freestyle 2.0 along with me, you really should experience it for yourself by joining us on our CruiseMates Broadway to South Beach Group Cruise this coming October, when the ship will be repositioning from New York City to Miami. Just click on the link in my signature below to learn all the details for this SUPERB deal!
You'll find Freestyle 2.0 on ship's throughout the NCL fleet by June of this year.
Though the cruise is ending in another day, this story is not. When we disembark on Wed. morning, we fly from Athens to Nantes, France, where on Thursday we'll take you to the Aker Shipyard to participate in the Keel Laying Ceremony for what is soon going to be NCL's new pride and joy, the F3. F3 (no one is even giving a hint- if they know- of the possible name), is the first of a new class of ship for NCL which will be yet another step in the continuing evolution in Freestyle Cruising.
There are 3 different Jade galleries in our photo galleries, with many more pictures I haven't posted in the daily reports, if you'd like to take a look.
April 21st, 2008, 07:58 PM
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Right here :)
Posts: 22,500
Originally Posted by
Still avidly reading and loving your reports.
It all seems a bit lively to us, I am wondering now if we will be the oldest on board when we go. Are there many in their 70's on there I wonder.
No need to worry at all. There is a lot going on, but the beauty is you do only as much as you like.
The fact is on longer cruises such as this the crowd generally is an older demographic. You'll find LOTS of fellow 70 somethings onboard.
This cruise had a large cross section of age groups and nationalities on board.
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text:
Organizing Must-Have: 5 Trays to Love
Trays are the handiest of things around a home. They corral clutter on a desk, vanity or bathroom counter. They carry meals from stovetop to dining area. They're your small space liquor bar on the coffee table. And in your entryway, they're the catchall for keys, mail and wallets. The tray's usefulness seems endless!
My favorite feature is the tray's wonderful knack for making clutter appear magically tidy. I always place a large tray on the bathroom counter for house guests for their toiletries, personal care and jewelry. It makes them feel more at ease because they have their own designated space in the bathroom. Plus, it keeps messy house guests from taking over the bathroom.
Shown above from left to right:
(Images: As credited above.)
Apartment Therapy supports our readers with carefully chosen product recommendations to improve life at home. You support us through our independently chosen links, many of which earn us a commission.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The USA Pro Challenge kicks off today in Aspen, Colorado, with a 66-mile circuit race. From there the route gets progressively harder, as it takes riders on a challenging journey through the Rocky Mountains. The race will visit eight host cities for the starts and finishes of each stage, ranging from Aspen and Steamboat Sprints, to the state capitol of Denver. All told the race will cover nearly 600 miles. Here's a stage-by-stage look at this year's testing race:
Stage 1: Aspen Circuit Race – Monday, Aug. 19
The new for 2013 Aspen/Snowmass Circuit may be short on distance, but it packs a punch that will welcome the riders to Colorado. Consisting of three 22-mile laps, 66 miles total, Stage 1 includes 3,080 feet of climbing per lap with minimal recovery. Each lap will see the racers fight for position onto the narrow, but beautiful Maroon Creek Bridge, then grind up to Snowmass Village. A quick descent leads to two short, but steep climbs and a quick loop through downtown before doing it all again. Pair that with a starting elevation of 7,900 feet and you have one tough opening day.
Stage 2: Aspen to Breckenridge – Tuesday, Aug. 20
The familiar battleground of Independence Pass will be anything but easy as riders ascend the 12,000 feet climb, the highest point reached in any professional cycling race. Then they'll continue on through some familiar spots as the race zooms through Buena Vista, Fairplay and Alma, before tackling Hoosier Pass from the south this year. But before crossing the finish, riders will have to conquer the nasty 15 percent grade of Moonstone Road in the heart of Breckenridge, before bombing down Boreas Pass to the waiting crowd.
Stage 3: Breckenridge to Steamboat Springs – Wednesday, Aug. 21
Stage 3 of this year's USA Pro Challenge is wide open for the taking. After leaving Breckenridge, Swan Mountain Road provides a great launch pad for breakaways as the riders weave north to Kremmling, but it's all just a prelude to the day's main showdown on Rabbit Ears Pass. Climbing the challenging eastern slope will give the climbers a chance, but they will have to hold off the sprinters for 20 miles after cresting the top as they head downtown Steamboat Springs.
Stage 4: Steamboat Springs to Beaver Creek – Thursday, Aug. 22
Stage 4 is the Queen Stage of the 2013 USA Pro Challenge. It features some previously used terrain, but with some added spice. One thing is for sure, the road to the final podium in Denver goes straight over Bachelor Gulch. A new start in Steamboat will send the race off onto new country roads around Routt County. This roller coaster of small hills gives way to a gentle route south until the racers have to climb up from the river bottom at State Bridge. That's just the beginning, as the new approach to Beaver Creek will now send the racers up the new climb of Bachelors Gulch. The relentless grade with pitches up to 18 percent will do real damage. After Bachelor Gulch, the leaders still have to race down a technical descent and power up the final 2 km climb to Beaver Creek Village.
Stage 5: Vail Individual Time Trial – Friday, Aug. 23
The last time the USA Pro Challenge visited Vail, the Time Trial was decided by 58 hundredths of a second. Competition will be equally fierce this time around, but the names may change a bit. The course's roots are in Colorado racing lore and trace back to the Coors Classic. The route starts in Vail and climbs most of the way up Vail Pass. The gentle grades of the first half of the course give way to a steady climb for the last three miles.
Stage 6: Loveland to Feet Collins – Saturday, Aug. 24
With a flat speed-fest scheduled for Sunday in Denver, any contenders for the Leader Jersey will have only this stage left to make a move. The outskirts of Loveland will see the racers off as they spend some early miles on the flat windswept plains passing through Windsor and back to Loveland. Then it's up Big Thompson Canyon where things will heat up. Split north onto Devils Gulch, the race's last King of the Mountains competition, before hitting Estes Park and back down Big Thompson. Horsetooth Reservoir provides one last chance for aggression on its steep rollers. If no one gets away here, look for the sprinters to have their day.
Stage 7: Denver Circuit Race – Sunday, Aug. 25
After six days of fighting over mountains trying to stay with racers 20 or more pounds lighter, the sprinters will have their day in Denver. The Denver Circuit takes the best parts of the 2011 and 2012 Denver stages and combines them into a new circuit. It still hits all the Denver highlights – LoDo, City Park, Civic Center Park. There isn't a bad viewing spot. Watch for early breakaways, and then watch the teams cue up and try to set up their sprinters for the final push to the finish line.


text:
The Boo Crew-Bundle
By Lisa Rosa Designs
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Celebrations Everyday Family Friends Holidays - Halloween Kid Fun
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- Type: Bundle Pack
- Designer: Lisa Rosa Designs
- Software Category: Holidays – Halloween
- Download Size: 336.3 MB (approximate)
Design Elements
- Digital Papers: 40
- Page Elements: 82
- Monograms Characters: 64
Designer Notes
Unfortunatly, we don't have Halloween here in Brazil... but judging by everything I see on american movies and series, it seems to be the funniest party! And The Boo Crew was designed with that in mind! In bright and chearful colors, full of flowers, ribbons, leaves and the cutest halloween characters, it's perfect to scrap your little one's halloween tricks!
Image Quality
High-resolution (print quality) JPG and PNG files (with transparency).
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Easy install directly into My Memories Suite software. Purchase My Memories Suite
General use installer for other software applications (i.e., Adobe Photoshop & Photoshop Elements, Paint Shop Pro, etc.).
Album and Photobook templates are intended for installation in the MyMemories Suite software only.
The General download will still contain all of the digital paper and page element files and template pages in a flat jpeg format so that you can recreate the template.
The layered pre-built pages are not available in the general download.
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All download options are available after checkout by clicking the "Access Your Downloads" provided on the order confirmation page. You may also access your downloads after logging into the My Account section located at the top right of the website.


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07 December 2009|
|Article Index
|Page 2
|All Pages
At the beginning of the year, the plan for the Drift Emporium team was clear – high displacement, torquey V8 motors were going to be the theme under the hood. Originally, both G35's and Kenji's S15 were converted to Nissan-powered VK56 engines, a motorswap pioneered by Chris Forsberg just three short years ago. While the 300hp that the VK puts out isn't much to hype up, the 400 lb-ft of torque which kicks in around 3000 RPM is perfect for slideways action. Of course, Drift Emporium wasn't happy with just dropping a stock motor into the car – Jim Wolf Technology cams and valvesprings upgraded the rotational mass, with custom headers, transmission adaptor plate, motor mounts, and oil pan placed the motor into the Silvia engine bay nicely. Never seen this engine and chassis combination before? That's because this is believed to be the world's first Nissan V8-powered S15!!
One of the known issues with the VK56 engine in the S-chassis is the clearance of the intake manifold. Drift Emporium teamed up with the folks at Extrudabody to develop a prototype individual throttle body system mated to a custom adaptor plate and tuned with a Haltech ECU to make some jam from the V8 engine and greatly improve throttle response. All the power is driven through a custom Exedy triple, custom one-off aluminum driveshaft, and Tomei 2-way LSD. Although a lot of custom work went into the engine setup, the whine of this V8 coming from under the hood of the S15 and the equally head-turning drivability makes this car a serious threat to the competition!
On the outside, the car is hard to miss. Color-shift MAZiORA paint was laid by none other than Kenji Yamanaka himself – that's right, he's a driver and the artist behind this project! Here is a bit of trivia; Kenji has painted nearly every car he has driven over the past few years, and this job is his favorite. Walking around the car, the Vertex bodykit is one of the baddest on the S15 chassis and has been accented with a Buddy Club carbon fiber wing. The SSR Type-F 18-inch wheels make for a timeless combination running BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW II tires with JIC FLT-RS coilover suspension that make the magic happen on the track. Mothers Car Care provides the entire Drift Emporium team with cleaning products to keep the tire rubber off the amazing paint, and Ultimate Auto Boutique takes care of any body damage and repairs between rounds, which can and will happen!
Inside the cockpit, BRIDE racing seats hold Kenji in place while he drifts, Takata 4-point harnesses keep him strapped down, and the custom Drift Emporium gold-painted fully-welded roll cage keeps Kenji and any lucky ride-along participants safe. A'PEXi gauges monitor the engine vital signs up front and a custom switch panel keeps everything in easy reach. A custom battery box holding an Optima red-top and fuel cell are secured in the trunk for safety. Going over this car with trained eye, it's clear to see that every aspect of this drift car has been carefully planned from start to finish.
Kenji Yamanaka is still a force to be reckoned with in the drifting world. When his ITB'd V8 S15 starts up, the sound is unmistakable and the power is there to cause a real disturbance. With partners like Jim Wolf, Signal Auto, and BFGoodrich behind them, Drift Emporium is sure to be one of the most stylish and most innovative teams in US drifting! The 2007 Formula D rookie of the year Michihiro Takatori will be piloting the car in 2010.
Read on for Full Spec Sheet


text:
Grand Theft Auto IV Walkthrough
|Deconstruction for Beginners (cont.)
|Playboy X
Now, if you take a look at the construction compound as a whole, you'll realize that there are in fact two major structures. The one you infiltrate first is on the east side, and you'll generally be working in a westerly fashion. In other words, once you climb the structure on the right, you'll clear that structure before working leftward and clearing the other structure. En route, you'll have to deal with numerous union leaders and their cohorts. Remember to chuck your grenades to clear out groups of foes, or well-hidden enemies, and of course grab any health you encounter as well.
The one well-hidden enemy is located on the rooftop of a building you can't access, so be sure to spot that enemy on the HUD and use your sniper rifle to do him in. Otherwise, remember what we said earlier -- clear the structure as you go and head westward after an area is cleared. Be extremely careful not to fall into unfilled holes in the structure that will lead to your demise (or, at the very least, a pretty bad injury). Those pitfalls are at times hard to spot, so keep a keen eye out.
When you get to the western end of the series of structures, you're in good shape. A helicopter will show up, depositing more foes to help, and worst yet, giving union leaders a chance to escape. Therefore, when the helicopter shows up, rush the location of the helicopter, blazing through enemies in between you and the chopper. This will halt any escape plan and stymie the advance of any reinforcements. Thereafter, climb down a nearby ladder to the ground and clear the westernmost structure of the last union leader. And with that, this epic mission comes to an end, much to Playboy X's satisfaction.
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text: Regis College Final Evaluation This assessment instrument is intended to provide the intern and faculty sponsors with feedback concerning both general and specific professional skills and competencies. You are asked to be objective and candid in your assessment and to discuss it with the intern. Assessment ratings range from 1 to 4 as follows: 1 Unsatisfactory (Rarely demonstrates this ability/does not meet expectations) 2 Fair (Sometimes demonstrates this ability/meets expectations) 3 Proficient (Usually demonstrates this ability/sometimes exceeds expectations) 4 Exceptional (Always demonstrates this ability/consistently exceeds expectations) n/a (If any criteria are not applicable to this internship experience, please check N/A) Internship Overview Student name * Internship site * Date internship began * Number of hours completed * Ability to Learn Asks pertinent and purposeful questions 1234n/a * Seeks out and utilizes appropriate resources 1234n/a * Accepts responsibility for mistakes and learns from experiences 1234n/a * Takes appropriate risks and is open to new experiences 1234n/a * Reading/Writing/Research Reads/comprehends/follows written materials 1234n/a * Communicates ideas and concepts clearly in writing 1234n/a * Conducts research/gathers data 1234n/a * Listening & Oral Communication Skills Listens to others in an active and attentive manner 1234n/a * Effectively participates in meetings or group settings 1234n/a * Asks for direction when needed 1234n/a * Demonstrates effective presentation skills 1234n/a * Creative Thinking & Problem Solving Skills Seeks to comprehend and understand the big picture 1234n/a * Demonstrates an analytical capacity 1234n/a * Breaks down complex tasks/problems into manageable increments 1234n/a * Brainstorms/develops options and ideas with input from others 1234n/a * Professional & Career Development Skills Exhibits self-motivated approach to work 1234n/a * Demonstrates ability to set appropriate priorities/goals 1234n/a * Exhibits professional behavior and attitude 1234n/a * Seeks to understand personal strengths and weaknesses 1234n/a * Manages personal expectations consistent with work role 1234n/a * Shows interest in determining career direction 1234n/a * Interpersonal & Teamwork Skills Supports and contributes to a team atmosphere 1234n/a * Relates to co-workers effectively 1234n/a * Manages and resolves conflict in an effective manner 1234n/a * Demonstrates assertive but appropriate behavior 1234n/a * Organizational Effectiveness Skills Fits in with the norms and expectations of the organization 1234n/a * Interacts effectively and appropriately with supervisor 1234n/a * Seeks to understand and support the organization's mission/goals 1234n/a * Demonstrates a sense of responsibility and confidentiality 1234n/a * Basic Work Habits Reports to work as scheduled and on time 1234n/a * Exhibits a positive and constructive attitude 1234n/a * Dress and appearance are appropriate for this organization 1234n/a * Character Attributes Brings a set of values and integrity to the job 1234n/a * Behaves in an ethical manner 1234n/a * Demonstrates cultural competency 1234n/a * Open Cateogy: Industry Specific Skills Are there any skills or competencies that you feel are important to the profession or career-field (represented by your ogranization) that have not been previously listed in this evaluation? If so, please list these skills below and assess the intern accordingly. Industry specific skill and rating * Industry specific skill and rating * Industry specific skill and rating * Additional Feedback What are the student's strengths? Please comment. * Are there areas for student growth? Please comment. * Overall performance ExceptionalProficientFairUnsatisfactory * I have reviewed this evaluation with my intern YesNo * Evaluator's Information Evaluator's name * Title/Position * Date * Email *


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Disclaimer: It's probably a good thing that I don't own any of this, because I definitely couldn't do this even a quarter as well as our wonderful J.K. Rowling.
George watched from the corner of his eye as his best friend, twin brother, partner in crime, and confidant laughed with his girlfriend. On the other side of the common room. As far away from George as possible.
"Oi, Weasley," he heard. "It's your turn."
George snapped back to reality. Lee Jordan, his REAL friend, was trying to get his attention. "What?"
"Exploding Snap." Lee spelled out, looking as though George needed some time at St. Mungo's insanity ward. "You know, the game we've been playing for the last quarter of an hour? It's your turn. If you don't hurry, we might not make it to the end of this one. The cards look like they'll blow any time now."
But George wasn't listening anymore. By this time he'd once again become distracted by Fred and Angelina, who by now were nearly snogging in the middle of the crowded common room.
"All right, then!" exclaimed Lee as he stood, gathering up the cards, carefully, so as not to spark an explosion. "You, my friend, are no fun tonight."
George didn't care. He was watching Fred and Angelina, who were far too occupied with each other to notice the jilted brother sitting across the room. He couldn't take it any more. "I'm going to the library," he announced to Lee, who was sucking on a finger burned by the now flaming cards. George had been so distracted that he hadn't noticed the loud BANG! that had just sounded off next to his ear. "I...er, I have a History of Magic essay that I need more notes for."
As he stood up he could've sworn that he heard something like "poor jealous bloke" come from Lee, but he kept going.
How could Fred just abandon him like that? How could he break up the best practical joke team in Britain? All just for a girl. Angelina was all right, but George couldn't see what Fred saw in her, besides her Quidditch talent. And she was pretty, and had a good sense of humor. And she was nice. But other than that...what did she give Fred that could make him give up his twin brother?
George followed this line of thought for a good quarter of an hour, wandering around the halls, until he decided that he had better head to the library so as to get a book that he needed anyway. It wouldn't do to go back to the dormitory and have Lee tease him because he hadn't gone to the library, but instead had moped around the castle. He didn't need the whole school to know that he went on walks by himself, even if this was really the first time that he'd done so. All because of HER...
He opened the door into the library, to find it nearly empty. It was nearly curfew, and only those who didn't want to hang out with their house mates were here. And Hermione, but she was always here. She was Ron's girlfriend, and so he'd been spending more time here as well. In fact, there he was, coming up behind her. Probably trying to convince her to put the books away for a while. George wondered what Harry did, now that his two best friends were an "item." Did he wander the castle alone? Or did he have other friends that he spent time with? After all, he was the Boy-Who-Lived. He would be very popular.
Then George remembered. Harry and Ginny were together. Was he the only single Weasley at Hogwarts?
Last year, he'd gone to the Yule Ball with a Ravenclaw (thankfully not a prefect-he didn't want to be taking a leaf out of Percy's book). She'd been very nice, and she was pretty, but he'd really only asked her because both Fred and Lee had brought dates. He didn't want to be the only one of his friends without a date. They had remained friends afterward, but had agreed to leave it at that. Now she was going out with some Slytherin sixth year. Was that all anybody thought about? Snogging? George knew that when he found someone, she wouldn't just be a snog partner.
So occupied was he with his thoughts that he didn't notice the person who walked up behind him, until she touched him on the shoulder. It was Angelina. "Hey, George." she greeted him.
George glanced up at her, and narrowed his eyes. "Where's little Freddy?" he asked, mockingly.
Angelina sat across the table from him. "He went to bed. He has a big day tomorrow. We all do." She smiled. "Or had you forgotten that we've got the first Quidditch game of the season tomorrow?"
"Er, well..."
"As Captain, I'll pretend that you answered me promptly with a 'No, ma'am'" She grinned at him. "I should be in bed, and so should you, but I figure we have some things to talk about."
"Like what?" George asked, with a mix of surliness and pure interest, which is an interesting mixture.
"Like the problem you obviously have with me and Fred. And your tendency to list to the right while flying, but we can talk about that later."
"What are you talking about?" George asked, innocently.
"Damn it, George. I'm not going to play these games with you. You know precisely what I mean." she let out a sigh that sounded more like a growl. "The whole school has noticed the big green monster on your back."
George lost it. "You know what it's like to have your best friend, your favorite brother, all of a sudden go off and snog with some girl and you have nothing else to do, no one else to go to? You know how lonely that makes you? You know how..."
But Angelina cut him off. "Pince," she muttered, jerking her head toward the desk where Madame Pince was looking sharply at them. "Let's go. We can talk somewhere else."
He placidly followed her out of the library, into the Gryffindor Common Room, which was now nearly empty. They sat by the fire.
Finally, Angelina broke the silence. "You know, you're all Fred talks about." She smiled. "He's always on about the great times that you two had together. I think it would be great to have a brother like you. I've always wanted a brother."
George took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "I guess it's just hard for me to see all my siblings off with other people. Even Ron and Ginny...even they have Hermione and Harry."
"Just remember, George, that they're always going to have their own lives. Just as you will always have your own life. Fred told me about your plans to open a joke shop. He even told me about the money Harry gave to you two. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." She reached and put a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Even so, you will both have lives outside of the joke shop. You'll meet someone one day, and Fred will be jealous that you never spend any time with him any more." She smiled knowingly at him.
"I don't know where I'll be in all this. I love your brother, George, and I would love to spend my life with him, but these things change. Neither of us knows what we're going to be like next year, or even next month. That's why I need to make sure that the two of you don't come out of this hating each other. I can leave anytime I want, and the same is true with any girl that might come into either of your lives, but you two will still be brothers. You'll still be twins. And that's a bond you can't break so easily.
"And Fred and I should do our part to make sure that you don't feel lonely. We can still hang out with you-if you don't mind the occasional snogging break." He rolled his eyes, then grinned mischievously. "And no, you don't get to join in. Unless you find yourself someone else. But you'll have to find another corner."
George snorted at that. Then he sobered. "I guess it was just kind of hard this year. I mean, last year, even after the Yule Ball, the two of you were still...you still talked to me and Lee and everything. But this year, even during the summer...Fred was always writing to you and even when he wasn't, he was talking about meeting you in Diagon Alley, or you coming over, or anything about you. And after Harry and Hermione came, I didn't even have Ron and Ginny to talk to. And who wants to talk to Perce?
"It just felt like the whole world was abandoning me. Fred's always been the really flashy one. We'd both work out the plans, but he was the one who'd announce them to the world. He would make sure that everyone knew who was behind the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and who had charmed the tapestries to belch every time someone walked by. And when we got back here and Fred didn't spend anytime with me at all, I just couldn't take it anymore. I was all alone. It's no fun playing practical jokes when there's no one to laugh with. And no one notices just George. They notice Gred and Forge, and sometimes even just Fred, but not George. Then tonight, when the two of you didn't even look at me and Lee, I just couldn't even think anymore, I was so mad."
Angelina nodded. "I'm sorry that we made you feel so excluded. It's just that...well, we didn't think that you and Lee wanted to be around us while we're being so..."
"Mushy?" George provided.
"Yeah." she smiled. "We figured that you wanted to play your game, not watch your brother and his girlfriend snogging. I think I know what our problem is."
"What's that?"
"Communication. None of us wants to tell the others what we want, so as not to insult anybody, but that also means that we don't feel like we can get along. You understand?"
"Yeah," George looked thoughtful. "I promise not to be insulted if you won't be."
"Good. Agreed, then." She stood up. "I'm going to bed. If tomorrow you're so tired that you fall off your broom, I will take no excuses, Weasley." She started up the stairs, to her dormitory.
"Wait, Angelina." George held up his hand, as if to stop her. She turned around. "What about you? What do you want?"
She smiled. "I'd love to have a brother, George."
A/N:I need to thank my wonderful beta reader, Yolanda, and Incurable Romantic,too, for being my idea bouncer. And Zsenya for helping me fix this thing about fifty times (crazy Macintoshes...)


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Simple Shoes' 'Green Toe' line of shoes realizes their commitment to environmental sustainability. With footwear constructed from hemp, jute, bamboo, crepe and cork and on occasion, recycled car treads and coming in 100% post-consumer recycled shoe boxes, this Vegan Footwear is perfect for the Vegetarian Shoes and Bags Customer.
Simple Shoes also maintain tough contracts with the factories used to make their footwear to control labor conditions, outsourcing and quality.


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Why You Should Read 'Cloud Atlas' Before the Movie
Welcome to The Last Sci-Fi Blog, a column dedicated to science fiction on film.
The Sci-fi Book Club: Cloud Atlas Is Experimental Science Fiction at Its Best
Cloud Atlas made its big premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival a few days ago and it was not surprising that reactions were all over the place. Anyone who has read the book could have predicted that (read the Movies.com review of the film here).
Many people (including yours truly) rushed out and bought the book following that epic six-minute trailer that hit a few months ago. After all, when you write a science-fiction blog on a movie website, the sight of the Wachowski siblings making a movie that involves hover car chases is the kind of thing that hits you right in some kind of special sweet spot and immediately sends the message: "I should probably read this thing, huh?"
Those who jump into the novel of Cloud Atlas hoping for immediate science-fiction action gratification will be let down. In fact, they'll be let down for about 150 pages (of a 500 page book). As we discussed last time, Cloud Atlas is a "secret science-fiction" story that deviously withholds its true genre for some time, only letting you know what's really going on after you've let your guard down.
Like the film, the book follows six seemingly unrelated stories that take place across many locations and occur centuries apart. Unlike the film, the book takes its time with each story, slowly moving from one to another, not introducing the gripping sci-fi story until you've made your way through a dramatic (and slightly, intentionally dry) 1840s journal, a series of letters from an aspiring European composer in the 1930s, a conspiracy thriller in 1970s San Francisco and a dry, conversational comedy tale taking place in modern-day England. Each story ends at the halfway point, often with a cliffhanger.
After these four stories, you finally get your clone revolution story and your post-apocalyptic adventure tale. Like the others, the clone story concludes incomplete, but the final story is told complete and occupies the exact center of the novel. From there on, we revisit and conclude each story in reverse order, finishing right back were we began, with that 1849 journal. It's a magnificent and wildly experimental structure, a "nesting doll" effect that lets you peel back the layers and explore, piece by piece, how each of these stories are truly interconnected.
It's also completely uncinematic, which is why the Wachowskis and their cowriter-codirector Tom Tykwer have apparently completely ditched it. A special note: I haven't seen the film, but the reviews I've read (and the trailer itself) make this entirely clear.
Instead of letting each story exist on its own, the film appears to blend the stories together into a feature-length montage, constantly crosscutting and jumping through time and space. While the novel's message of interconnectedness and reincarnation is by no means subtle, it's a slow burn of a revelation. I can't help but wonder how the film will modify this message by stripping away the structure. Will it be obvious? Too cloying? Will what I found intensely moving on the page ring false and cheesy on the screen? I'm not in Toronto right now, so I'm not sure. The one thing I do know is this is a remarkable book that is undoubtedly going to offer a completely different experience than the film and should be worth reading in any case.
Although I'd shelve Cloud Atlas in the sci-fi section of my bookshelf since the entire thing ultimately concludes and pivots on massive, fantastical concepts, not enough praise can be tossed at author David Mitchell for navigating multiple non-sci-fi genres and styles. He does it with an ease that's simply overwhelming and humbling. One of the reasons why the shift to sci-fi is so incredibly compelling is that Mitchell is at home with every genre: the six stories in Cloud Atlas aren't just separated by time, they're separated by genre and writing style. The clone revolution story is hard sci-fi and written as such. The post-apocalyptic story, taking place long after society has crumbled, is written in a evolved/devolved English that forces the reader to translate every sentence as they read. The '70s thriller story feels exactly like the kind of novel you'd pick up at the airport for that long flight. And so on. Each story feels completely different than its predecessor.
Yeah, this may be science fiction at the end of the day, but it's also a book about the very nature of storytelling. Whether you're telling a tale around a campfire, recounting your transgressions to the authorities, pitching a movie, writing a quick and dirty thriller, writing letters to your lover or keeping a journal on a pacific voyage, you are telling a story. Who came before you, where you are and when you are? You may not notice it, but those define the genre that you live in.
Having that revelation was just as mind-blowing as anything I've seen or read all year. I can only hope that the movie can make me feel similarly.
Adapt This: The Manhattan Projects
I don't care if it goes to television or to the big screen: someone needs to buy the rights to Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra's comic series The Manhattan Projects. It's not only one of the best comics on stands right now, it's one of the best things in the world of entertainment right now.
It's a concept that'll appeal to both sci-fi fans and history buffs (at least those with a sense of humor): when the United States government brought together the nation's greatest minds to develop the atomic bomb, they ended up going much, much further. Utilizing the names and basic histories of the real scientists and soldiers involved with the Manhattan Projects, Hickman creates a sinister and darkly hilarious alternate/secret history of the United States in the decades after World War II.
How do we know that Oppenheimer wasn't murdered by his equally brilliant but certifiably insane twin brother, who "collects" multiple personalities through mass murder? How do we know Albert Einstein didn't open a gateway to another dimension and find himself replaced by an evil version of himself from another world? How do we know that Harry K. Daghlian died from radiation poisoning? Maybe he became a being composed entirely of sentient radiation, which is pretty handy when you need a clever way to commit genocide against a hostile alien race that has Earth in its sights.
It's silly. It's weird. It's kind of a slap to the face of the people who actually worked on the real Manhattan Project, but it's also a brilliant tale of science gone very, very, very wrong. The series' combination of history, mad science and irreverence is a truly unique combination. Science going horribly wrong has rarely been this much fun.
Not to mention, any series that suggests that Franklin Delano Roosevelt's mind was transferred into a rudimentary computer upon his death and he continued to run the country through ticker tape is worthy of your time.
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2018 FANDANGO MOVIES.


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HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The Coker College men's soccer team is ranked 10th for the second consecutive week in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America and Continental Tire Division II Men's Southeast Region poll.
The Cobras had their third straight perfect week, defeating North Greenville (3-0) and Queens (2-1). They finish out the regular season with a Conference Carolinas matchup versus Limestone at 7 p.m. Saturday at home.
The NSCAA/Continental Tire College Rankings are an indicator of week-to-week status of qualified programs. For more information about the NSCAA College Rankings, visit www.nscaa.com/rankings/college.
Based in Kansas City, Kan., the National Soccer Coaches Association of America is the largest soccer coaches' organization in the world.
Since its founding in 1941, the NSCAA has grown to include more than 30,000 members who coach both genders at all levels of the sport. In addition to a national rankings program for colleges and high schools, NSCAA offers an extensive recognition program that presents nearly 10,000 individual awards every year. The NSCAA fulfills its mission of coaching education through a nationwide program of clinics and week-long courses, teaching more than 7,000 soccer coaches each year.
For more information, contact Chris Dougherty, manager of athletics media relations, at 843-383-8018 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Coker College readies undergraduates for personal and professional success through a distinctive four-year program that emphasizes a practical application of the liberal arts as well as hands-on and discussion-based learning within and beyond the classroom. Coker is ranked among the "Best Colleges" in the South by U.S. News & World Report as well as The Princeton Review. Located in Hartsville, S.C., Coker is within two hours of the cultural, financial and recreational resources of Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach.


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- Heavyweight
Price could fight Fury in July
British heavyweight prospect David Price believes a fight with Tyson Fury could feasibly happen next summer.
Price, 29, was able to claim the vacant British and Commonwealth titles after Fury chose to vacate them rather than be somewhat coerced into a fight with the Liverpudlian in 2012 - with the younger man now preparing to fight Kevin Johnson in a WBC world title eliminator as Price has since focused on beating a number of domestic names.
Price is set to fight Matt Skelton in one such bout on Friday, but has now claimed a keenly-anticipated meeting with Fury could happen in as little as six months - if all sides can reach an agreement on the split of the proceeds.
"It could, genuinely happen, maybe in July next year," Price told the Liverpool Echo. "We are going to have to sit round a negotiating table and come to terms with how the business of the fight is going to be dealt with.
"I know I would want Frank Maloney to promote the fight, because it will be better business for me, or even for it to be a joint promotion so that I still get my share.
"At the end of day, without me and Tyson Fury, the fight would not be happening so we deserve the lion's share. So we're all going to have to sit round the table and get the best out of it."
He added: "It is easy for people to say 'they should just fight each other' but this fight is only going to happen once so when it happens it has got to be right. It has got to be for the right reasons and the right money for both fighters.
"As far as building that fight, I'm happy to let him keep talking. His words are exactly that - just words. And they don't bother me in the slightest but they are getting people interested in the fight.
"I bring people to the fights because of my boxing ability and punching power but he brings people because he's a bit of a comedian. But I also accept that he is a good fighter as well so it's a good fight, if it can be made."