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Thursday, June 30, 2011
Follow the Yellow Brick Road!!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Come Scrap with Us!!
Twelve Hour Open Crop with SGD's!
Just imagine ... no laundry ... no kids ... no hubby looking for his keys ....
Just you and your projects!! Twelve hours of scrappin' bliss!!
Full use of our tools available, including Cricut, Cuttlebug, Big Shot, Zutter & more!
Light snacks & refreshments available for you all day long!
Restaurant & variety store in plaza should you need anything else :)
Bring your projects & scrap with us all day!!
Saturday, July 2: 9am - 9pm
only $15 + taxes
Join Sheila, Andrea and I as we scrap the day away!!!
You will definitely get a sneak peak at July's Scrapbooking Kit as both Sheila & I will be creating with it!! Have a tiny peak:
Come On!! You know you want to!!
See you there!!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Canada Post Update!!
Mail delivery is to resume as early as June 28.
If you had a parcel that was caught during the postal dispute, please let us know if you do not receive it by July 7th.
We will be continuing to track all of these parcels throughout the next coming week.
We truly value your business & hope your day is fantastic!!
Die-namics by My Favourite Things!!
My Favourite Things is not just a stamp company!!!
"My Favorite Things is thrilled to introduce Die-namics. Our EXCLUSIVE, American made, line of steel dies that we are sure will be an essential ingredient in your paper crafting from THIS moment forward!"
The steel dies can be used in either the Cuttlebug or Big Shot, here is the stacking info that My Favourite Things provided on their site:
Rolled flowers are such a hot item right now and the rolled daisy is a new twist!! I can't wait to get my hands on it, and that stamp & die combo.....well lets say it might end up in my shopping bag too!!
Happy Tuesday!!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Cheri & Aimee have done it again!!!
Copic Intermediate Card Class with Cheri & Aimee!!
If you are somewhat familiar with Copic Makers,
We invite you to join Cheri & Aimee for an intermediate Copic Card Class!
You will be making two adorable cards featuring Copic Markers!!
Take your knowledge a step further with our amazing instructors.
Click here to visit Aimee's Blog
Wednesday, June 29: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost is $20 + taxes
Registration for this class required by June 27 to allow Designers enough prep-time
take this Class & receive a 20% discount on all regular priced, in-stock items throughout the store!
If you have your own markers, please bring to class for your own personal use.
Class markers will be on hand to share if you do not have your own.
*Please note that payment is required at the time of registration.
Payment by phone may be done by VISA/MasterCard 519-473-5751
Friday, June 24, 2011
Last Chance for Two Amazing Classes!!!
MME 6x6 Paper Pad Card Class with Rose!!
Let Rose show you how to make the most of your 6x6 paper pads!!
With this class you will receive a full 6x6 Paper Pad by MME!!
Rose will teach you how to make four wonderful cards ... with endless possibilities for the rest of your paper pad!
You won't believe what Rose can do with this paper pad!!
A variety of mediums and tools will be used.
Sunday, June 26th: 11 - 1:00 Cost is $25 + taxes
To take this class, please register with us by Friday, June 24 to allow our Designer enough time for prep-work
*Please note that payment is required at the time of registration.
Payment by phone may be done by VISA/MasterCard 519-473-5751
**Please bring scissors, paper trimmer & adhesives to class with you
Beautiful Spellbinders Mini Album with Kim!!
Kim is the Diva of all Divas when in comes to mini albums!!
This gorgeous mini album is made using Spellbinders!!
Makes an ideal gift or keepsake for a special event.
Sunday, June 26: 2 - 4pm Cost is $25 + taxes
To take this class, please register with us by Friday, June 24 to allow our Designer enough time for prep-work
*Please note that payment is required at the time of registration.
Payment by phone may be done by VISA/MasterCard 519-473-5751
**Please bring scissors, paper trimmer & adhesives to class with you
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Road Trip!!!
Heirloom Productions Novi Rubber Stamp & Paper Arts Festival!
Join us for a fun-filled day at the Novi Rubber Stamp Convention in Novi, Michigan!!
Saturday, August 6th, 2011!!!
Transportation is by the Great Canadian Touring Company!!
Cost is: $57 Cash Only - Payment must be in cash – we cannot accept cheque or debit.
Ticket cost includes round trip bus ride, admission ticket to the event, tip for bus driver, all taxes and a special little goodie bag from SGD's!!
Register with us ASAP - We will rent two buses if the demand is there :) Register with us before July 20th. 519-473-5751 Full payment is required at time of registration.
Canadian Passports are mandatory! If you do not have a valid passport, you will not be allowed on the bus.
Three pick-up places:
#1 - Ramada Inn – Exeter Rd. - 6:15 am sharp!
#2 - Oxford & Wonderland (in Sears Plaza parking lot) – 6:40 am sharp!
#3 - Scrappin' Great Deals – 7:10am sharp !
We are on a tight schedule – be ready to board bus at least 15 minutes early!!
The Event is being held at the Rock Financial Showplace .... we are talking shopping at it's best!!!! The showplace will be transformed into a Stamper's Haven featuring ..... including art rubber stamping; scrap/memory books; card-making; paper crafting; book arts & calligraphy arts! Visit them online at www.heirloompro.com Shop until you drop!! Make & Takes …. Demo's ….. the latest & the best!!!!
Bus will be leaving the event at 5pm sharp. We will be leaving from the Convention Centre – it is your responsibility to be on the bus by 5pm sharp!! We cannot go over this time frame due to driver regulations so please bring a watch & keep note of time :) Bring a snack for the bus, just in case you get a bit hungry. There are lots of snacks/drinks at the event location - very reasonably priced.
Note: The bus will be available for you from 10am – 1:00pm in case you need to drop anything off or get anything. The bus will not be available from 1 – 4:30.
Depending upon the demand, we may be booking a second bus. Please register with us early to avoid disappointment! If a second bus is required, we need to let the bus company know as quickly as possible. With registration we will require: Your full name, phone #, confirmation of valid passport, where you will be boarding bus, and $57 cash. Sorry, we cannot offer refunds – but should something come up last minute, we will try to help you sell your ticket.
Do not miss this fabulous fun-filled day!!!!
Register today!!!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Surprise Blog Candy!!!
Check out these awesome pictures that FERN took of our store a few weekends ago!!
There are many more on her blog as well! Thank you so much Fern for posting about your day trips to our store! An excerpt from her blog:
"When I threw open the door to Great Scrappin Deals, I was surprised to see a very large room stocked with crafting suppies of all kinds.I was mostly impressed by their selection of Cuttlebug folders. Cuttlebug had just come out with their line of companion folders and I was keeping my eye on several US online retailers to see when they would have them in stock. At the store, they were already available and modestly priced around $20/set. In fact, the store's selection of embossing folders is really vast - everything from Tim Holtz, Sizzix and Crafts-Too (a UK import). "
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Want to see what SGD looks like on the inside??
Thanks to Mr. Sheila who filmed this video and gets to take full credit for choosing the background music hee hee!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Get Your Sketch On!!
Get Your Sketch On with Kim & Carol!!
Whether you are a beginner just starting out .... or a seasoned true-blue addict - this class is for you!!!
Join our fabulous Designers for creative inspiration.
Using the sketch featured below, we will help you bring your photos to life in true scrapbooking style!
This month's sketch is from Page Maps:
Bring 5 - 8 of the same-themed photos to class, along with your basic tool kit. As part of this class, you will be able to pick papers & materials to enhance your photos! You decide which photos you want to work with & our Designers will assist you from there!
Friday, June 17th: 6:30 - 8:30pm Cost is $12 + taxes
Please note: minimum of 4 required or class will be cancelled
As a bonus; you may stay after class and crop the night away until midnight. Your cropping fee of $5 is on us! When registering for class, be sure to let us know if you are staying to crop afterwards.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Shipping Update!!
This morning Canada Post announced a lock-out for it's workers. For those of you with parcels currently in transit, please be assured that we will be tracking every parcel. Should anything be delayed by more than 7 days over normal delivery time, we will be refilling & resending your orders through Canpar. Please give us 24 hours to complete our tracking process. Any customer that may be affected by this will be contacted by us personally to let you know the situation. Effective immediately parcels will be shipping via Canpar. Together we will get through this & we truly appreciate your patience during this time. Our focus remains untouched - we will continue to provide our amazing customers with all of their crafting needs as quickly as we can. I've always said that no therapist could ever do for me what crafting does ....
Our passion for this wonderful hobby of ours is as strong as ever & we will get your goodies to you!!
Our Sizzlin' Hot Sale Event is Back!!!
Our amazing Sizzlin' Store-Wide Event is back!!!
Save 25% Store Wide!!
Girlfriends, this includes clearance!!
Please remember that clearance is sold on a first come basis
We cannot guarantee availability of items in clearance
Excluded: store-made kits, 10 daily, crops, classes, gift cards
Have you seen everything that is new this week?!!
Well over 400 new items have arrived since June 1st!!
Have fun ladies!!
Above offer valid until Sunday, June 19th @ midnight
Shop on-line or in-person!!
No coupon necessary, discounts will appear as you go through the checkout process
Please note:
offers cannot be combined with other store discounts or orders you've already placed
pick-up orders: please allow a minimum of 48 hours for order processing
We will email you once your order is available for pick up
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Last Chance for Anja's Latest Amazing Class!!
All Occasion Card Class with Anja!!
Anja will show you how to make four breathtaking cards!
This class features use of Spellbinders, Cuttlebug & Heartfelt Creations!!
Outstanding creativity!!
Thursday, June 16th: 7 - 9pm Cost is $25 + taxes
To take this class, please register with us by Tuesday, June 14 to allow our Designer enough time for prep-work
*Please note that payment is required at the time of registration.
Payment by phone may be done by VISA/MasterCard 519-473-5751
**Please bring scissors, paper trimmer & adhesives to class with you
Another Project!!
Using the June Scrapbooking kit!! I had a bunch of paper left over, so I thought I would do something a little different with it. My niece's 4th birthday is coming up so I made her a little canvas with her name on it to hang in her room. Something pretty, and flowery for the sassy little lass!! Here is a close up:
To see the whole canvas, and for details on how I made it just pop over to my blog!!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
New items on my 'must have' list...are they on yours too?
The other day while at SGD I found something that I had never seen before and had no idea what you would use it for. Which obviously means that I become obsessed with finding out hee hee. It's the Tim Holtz Glassine Paper Pad. Thankfully Tim knows how to read my mind and has put together a picture tutorial to inspire us...and make me have to buy it tomorrow ;)
Here is the link to Tim's blog describing this fantastic product!!
Next Up is a product I have been
Click here to see the full product line up at SGD including a tape runner for $5.28 and a 2 pack of refills for $6.48!!
Last thing I would like to mention for now is that I am really getting into the whole Art Journal craze. I found some Gesso, watercolour paper I cut into book size and now the Helmar 450 adhesive. Now to start actually making the book lol. I have heard of the term smash book as well and it is a similar idea in some ways but a faster one. I watched the video above and well...I am hooked. I am a keeper of receipts, movies stubs and menus from special nights and now I have a place to put it all besides in the junk drawer (which hubby cleans when I am out and throws out my precious keepsakes thinking it's just garbage). What do you think after watching it? Would you like to see us carry product to help make a Smashbook of your own?
hijacked by Lori: YES - I definitely need everything to make my own smash book - loved it all, but when she pulled out the printed tape to attach the feather, my heart flipped. HAVE to have it all!!
SGD's June Card Kit is ready to be rolled off the shelf!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Finally.....SGD's June Scrapbooking Kit is Ready!
Here are some close ups of the embellishments we included this month:
There are a ton of die-cuts in this kit - flourishes, hearts, a Tim Holtz birdcage & bird! Brand new Jillibean Soup button blossoms & butterfly stick pins, as well as the latest trend - Baker's twine! Basic Grey pearls and an office tab, Prima flowers & chipboard elements, MME brads and a journalling card; and a title card "Moments", cut from a Tim Holtz Sizzix die.
Do these colours not scream "SPRING IS HERE!!" After the rainy April & May we had, June had better be about sunshine!!
Sheila and I scrapped together at the last all day crop at the store, using this kit. Lots of friendly competition, but mostly there is a whole lot of inspiration for each other! I love how Sheila is now "fussy cutting" embellishments out of the patterned paper!!! You go girl!!! And she once again managed to out produce me - FIVE layouts she got out of this kit. Yes, FIVE! And here they are:
Sheila's notes:
"As an extra medium; I used the brand new Viva Décor Glass Effects – LOVED this new product!! Made hearts look like candy-apple-leather! I used the Distress-it-all Zutter machine a lot for rough edges – love this look!!! I used the actual papers to cut out some of my embellishments – what a great way to save $$ This was a wonderful Spring-inspired kit to work with!!"
And Lori's two layouts:
You can check out my blog for more detailed descriptions on how I created these two layouts!!!
More details about our monthly scrapbooking kit can be found on our store website..here! Regular price of the kit is $34.98, but if you join our monthly kit club - you will save 15% off that price!! How cool is that??!! It also ensures you never miss a kit! All of our kits are LIMITED EDITION, so when they are gone, yep, they are gone!!
So there you are! The wait is over! Thanks for looking, we'd love to hear some feedback!! Oh and we are planning July's kit now...think "Journey"!!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Life Documented
Sheila is almost back to 100%, so we will be getting the June kits posted shortly!! I know you are all anxious to see them!
Canada Post is having rotating strikes, so packages could be delayed 2 - 5 days depending on your location - or not delayed at all!! We thank you for your patience!
Now for some good stuff! We introduced a new company to our store a month or so ago, called SIMPLE STORIES. We are really impressed with this company. Beautiful paper and a ton journalling cards. They have been designed to work with WRMK divided page protectors. Of course you can design with them however you like, but sometimes we could all use something quick and easy!! Have a look at this video featuring "Simple Stories, Life Documented Collection Kit" ,
How simple is that? And such a beautiful finished product!! LOVE IT!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
June comes in with a bang...or should we say sprain??
**excerpt from this week's newsletter. Don't get our newsletter? Click here to sign up and just scroll down to the right side of the home page!**
Girls just wanna have fun! ..


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Malcolm Smith: Tough to swallow
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Every day Malcolm Smith worked out hard and waited for his email to ping or his phone to buzz or a text to arrive inviting to him the 2011 NFL Draft Combine, the great February audition before April's selection weekend.
Smith sweated through the tedium of individual drills, knowing that his chance to follow his brother Steve into the NFL was coming quickly.
Sure his senior year at USC hadn't been the exhilarating showcase season he had hoped for and the eating disorder that had bothered him for several years was common knowledge among the hyper-critical general managers and scouts, who sometimes assess college athletes as if they thoroughbreds at the Keeneland Yearling Sale.
But Smith knew in his heart that if he just got the chance at the combine he could show the league just how valuable a linebacker he could become. Like so many athletes at this tipping point in their careers, Smith only asked for a chance.
Alone in a hotel room outside Los Angeles, Smith wept when he got the news. He called his mother. He called his brother, St. Louis wide receiver Steve Smith.
"I was just hurting," Smith said. "My whole life I dreamed of the opportunity to show some things on that level and when it didn't happen, that really hurt me. It felt like, whatever I had done (in college) just wasn't enough. That still bothers me to this day."
His brother told him to stay focused. He reminded Malcolm there were dozens of undrafted free agents playing in the league.
"You have the talent," Steve told him.
And Malcolm had a chip on his shoulder, a chip that should almost be part of the Seattle Seahawks' logo.
Every NFL team has players who believe they've been disrespected. Every team has players with chips on their shoulders; players with something to prove; players who think that if they just get their chances.
Every team has a handful of these players. The Seahawks have a roster full of them. From cornerbacks Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman; from Russell Wilson to Marshawn Lynch, from Bobby Wagner to Golden Tate, this team is loaded with guys who came into the league with something to prove and have proved themselves.
"We all have a common goal," Smith, 23, said before a recent practice. "We have aspirations to be a really special group. We want to do something great. We want to do something that lasts. And the fact that we're all similar in age and a lot of us came from similar circumstances like we feel like we were doubted and we weren't perceived the way we should have been, that might be something that they figured out upstairs (Seahawks front office).
"Maybe they figured out that we were all very competitive and that we could feed off each other. But we try to play with that attitude. We try to keep that (feeling of being disrespected) in mind. You always know where you come from and how you got to the place where you are and the journey that you've been through. Everybody on our team has a story and we really, really, really, really, really – I don't know how many times I said really --want to win. It's really important to us."
But doesn't every team want to win? I mean, aren't the 0-and-8 teams desperate to win?
"Maybe it's just a different degree of wanting to win for us," Smith said. "Maybe it's the way we hold each other accountable. Maybe the way we don't want to be the one who's jeopardized that for the guys next to them."
Nothing scares away teams like the hint of a health issue. In Pasadena, at the end of Smith's sophomore season, the Rose Bowl-bound Trojans were eating in the Beef Bowl, the annual prime rib bacchanal at Lawry's when Smith began experiencing difficulty swallowing. In the next months, his condition worsened.
"It really scared me," he said. "I didn't know what was going on."
He was diagnosed with a condition that caused his esophagus to shut down. After spring football, before his junior season, Smith had surgery.
"I was coming off a good spring, but recovery was tough," he said. "I got sick. I lost about 30 pounds. It was just a battle to get back. When the season came I was still struggling with swallowing and gaining weight. I really had to focus on my diet to get to where I needed to be."
Even now Smith has to eat very slowly. He eats food in small amounts and drinks a lot of water.
"I always pictured myself playing in the NFL, so I don't think I was ever deterred," Smith said. "It was just that there were obstacles in the way. I'm sure my parents and my family were worried, but I stayed focused on whatever I needed to do to play."
Despite the fact Smith didn't go to the Combine, despite the eating disorder, the Seahawks chose him in the seventh round of the 2011 draft. It was a show-me kind of pick for the Seahawks, a shot at redemption for Smith.
Smith had played for Seahawks' head coach Pete Carroll and linebacker coach Ken Norton, Jr. at USC and his former coach, knowing Smith's competitiveness, decided to make a leap of faith.
At the moment of the draft, Smith admits, he was underwhelmed by the call. Even Seahawks' general manager John Schneider said to him on the phone, "You don't sound too excited."
"I don't think I was as grateful as I should have been at the time," Smith said. "It was more like a sigh of relief for me because it was so late in the draft. I was definitely appreciative, but it was a long day and it definitely took a toll on me."
Smith remembers Ken Norton, Jr. being especially hard on him when Smith came to Renton for a pre-draft workout. He showed Smith film of what Smith says were, "the worst plays I ever made in my life."
"When I came to visit Coach Norton wasn't very nice," Smith said. "He was really tough on me. Man, he destroyed me and at one point I was like, 'Man I don't even want to play here.' I was really upset. But I know that he always does things for a reason. He was my coach for three years at USC and I think he was just messing with me a little bit."
Three seasons later, although Smith is listed on the depth chart as backup linebacker and special teams player, he is, in truth, the fourth starting linebacker on a team that runs a 4-3 defense. That means he doesn't get on the field as much as Wagner, K.J. Wright and Bruce Irvin. But when Smith has started, in place of Wagner, or whenever he's been called upon this season, he has been as good as any of the Seahawks' very good linebackers.
He doesn't have the long arms of Wright. He isn't as fast as Wagner. At 226 pounds, maybe he's a little light for his position, but Smith is stout at the point of the attack. He reads defenses and puts himself in the right positions.
He was all over the field in wins over Carolina and Arizona. He forced a safety against San Francisco and made a jaw-dropping, open-field tackle last month on Tennessee's Chris Johnson.
The Seahawks were criticized last April for not drafting a linebacker. Smith has rendered the criticism moot.
"When you're a reserve player, you never know when you're going to get your opportunity," Smith said. "You never know what the scenario's going to be. I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to start some games. I just want to make the most of those opportunities. I really love playing and I think it shows when I play."
Malcolm Smith got his chance in Seattle, where he found a team of like-minded players with something to prove. Read
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What happened to David Tennant? He used to be the Time Lord; now he's the Wildlife Voiceover Lord. I've still got his soft Scottish brogue ringing in my ears from that big bird extravaganza; now here he his again, doing Wild About Pandas (BBC2). Well, I guess it does involve Edinburgh, so perhaps it's all right.
We're following Tian Tian and Yang Guang on their journey from China. How do you send pandas halfway across the world? FedEx, as it happens, though it's more complicated than just bubblewrapping them and having someone sign at the other end. They have special crates and their own plane, plus vets and minders. No seatbelts, though; what happens if they hit turbulence? They might escape. Pandas on a Plane – it could be a movie. (Probably not a very exciting one – they'd just sit on their arses and chew bamboo, cutely.)
Pandas do still travel as cargo, unlike koalas, who are so delicate they need a seat. How cool would that be, on a long flight, if you got to sit next to a koala. Beef or chicken? Just some eucalyptus leaves? One second sir, I'll just check ...
So Tian Tian and Yang Guang touch down, and their disappointment is immediately obvious. "We were hoping for Rio, or New York," their sad eyes say. But Alex Salmond is pleased, clearly seeing it as some kind of political victory. In fact, they're a present to the UK, so if Scotland were to gain independence (or lose dependence, depending on how you look at it), then they'd probably have to give Tian Tian and Yang Guang back. Or transfer them to London Zoo. Ha.
There were no tricky questions, no talk of Yang Guang's illness (colic, they said; I think it was depression). And no mention of the BBC magazine controversy (Tian Tian was selected as one of its Women of 2011), nor of the jealous penguins throwing their own poo at the panda visitors, unhappy about being upstaged in the black-and-white stakes. This was more of a glossy celebrity whitewash. Cute, though, if you like pandas. I don't, really; they remind me of police cars.


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"Right now, I am aware of the first star."
We are sitting on grass and pine needles near a collapsed old hunting cabin, four adults and 15 young teens playing a game of "right now" in the middle of the woods. There are a few snickers and moans, but everybody tips back to look at the sky.
It is the first night of our three-day, seventh-grade backpacking trip, and we are gathered around a dim, battery-powered lantern on the ground (sacrificing roasted marshmallows to observe the fire ban). This is the youngest group I've ever taken into the wilderness and for many, it is their first time in the backcountry. We hiked three miles in this afternoon, carrying full packs, most of the weight resting on still-forming bodies wearing borrowed equipment.
"Right now, I am aware that the rustling of the leaves in the wind is similar to the sound of the river."
Finally, for the first moment all day, the students themselves stop rustling. There is, for what feels like an eternity, no whining, no complaining, no shouting. There is the breeze, a single star, and the North Fork of the Big Thompson River, babbling just loud enough behind me that I have to lean forward to hear the next student speak.
"Right now, I am aware that the air is getting colder."
After setting up camp and eating dinner, the students — this is part of Shining Mountain Waldorf School's middle-school curriculum and outdoor education program — are finally easing into their surroundings. They snuggle into each other, a few cradling steaming cups in be-mittened hands. Earlier this evening, several cook groups knocked their stoves over while preparing dinner (thankfully, without starting any fires or causing any injuries). A few hours later, more carefully this time, they fired up their stoves again to make hot drinks before the evening circle, this time without incident.
"Right now, I am aware of the taste of mint tea in my mouth."
Sometimes, the mountain speaks for itself.
Kurt Hahn, the founder of Outward Bound, said, "The aim of education is to impel young people into value-forming experiences." Wilderness settings, whether high seas or Rocky Mountains, are ideal places to provide said impelling.
Which is why we are here. To teach the unteachable — teamwork, compassion, self reliance, responsibility, all difficult ideas to explain in a classroom, but things that sometimes surface when a group travels into the woods together.
Right now, I am aware that we have successfully inserted these young people into in the Comanche Peak Wilderness, where we will — unpredictable weather and hormone-spiked attitudes permitting — provide a safe, inspiring blend of mountain freedom and teachable moments. Like spilling your noodles in the dirt.
Those girls were faced with immediate consequences: Go hungry or take food out of other meal rations. Being clever, hard-nosed teenagers, they chose neither option, of course, and instead attempted to pick up, rinse and reheat the noodles.
It didn't work out so well, but as we stood over by the teachers' tent, we could hear their laughter across the meadow as they disappeared down the hill to fetch more water.
Joshua Berman is a Spanish teacher and outdoor education instructor at Shining Mountain Waldorf School. On the Web at JoshuaBerman.net and on Twitter at @tranquilotravel


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Last night, I watched Jeremy Clarkson throw a McLaren P1 around spa. It was an amazing sight, and it gave me chills. But this article is not about the P1. It is, in fact about something much, much tamer.
I should now point out that this is going to be a bit lengthy. so, fair warning: you're in for quite a read here!
Ok, now that those who don't want to read have left, let's get down to business!
After watching the previously listed top gear episode, I went to the living room, and watched the Olympics. Whilst watching them, the consumer reports magazine for march 2014 caught my eye. "yay, some boring car journalism" was my first thought, and then I noticed what car was featured. It was the new, 2014 E250 BlueTec AWD.
This was not quite the read, it was quite dry, like consumer reports tends to be. Then I noticed the car's score. It scored a 98. Yes a Ninety-eight. That is the best a fossil fuel vehicle has ever scored in consumer reports. it is one point shy of the family friendly combustible rocket, the Tesla model S. At first, I was taken aback. "An overpriced, diesel, automatic four cylinder sedan just set the record in consumer reports? No it must be a typo!" This was my initial reaction, but then I thought about it for a bit.
You see, the E-class has gotten the nickname "The German taxi" over the years, and it's not hard to see why. The E250 is especially true of this. The numbers make it out to seem very good from an everyday usability point of view. The 370ft-lbs of torque made by the 2.1liter diesel are enough to pull you along any road at a very respectable rate of speed. The 7-speed automatic might not be the best transmission for us enthusiasts, but it is a really damn good setup. Plus, the AWD system is another bonus that adds to this car's usability.
Yes, I do know the E250 is not the most exciting car in the world, but all the aspects of it have truly lead me to believe it is the best rounded car that has ever been on sale.
It is large enough to take a trip in, efficient enough not to break the bank, fast enough to be a proper high speed cruiser, nimble enough to perform well on those twisty roads, and definitely priced reasonably.
Ah yes, the price? a smidge over $60,000. "What? for a 4 cylinder diesel automatic family sedan?! are you mad?" might be your reaction, but think about it; Can a Porsche Boxter do anything this can't on a day to day basis, with the exception of taking it to a track and flogging it? The answer is most probably no. Now you might also say "Aha! but a VW Golf 4Motion TDi is also a 4 cylinder diesel family car, and it's about $32,000 cheaper! what can you say about that?" I can't say anything. It's true, the golf is a better deal by a mile. The reason why I still consider the Mercedes the superior car is the fact that it is a Mercedes. Call me a badge snob, but I expect something with the three pointed star to last, and last for a while! There have been many stories of old diesel Mercs hitting over 500,000 miles on the factory engine. I believe this car is headed down the same path, and that at some point in 2054 I'll pass one on the Freeway of tomorrow. I will look at it, as it slowly, with great pride and dignity, accelerates to the speed limit, in that fashion that only old diesel Mercs can.
This is why the E250 is such an amazing machine, because it is what a Mercedes Benz really should be; A big, comfortable, efficient technological marvel, slowly aging and gaining a specific gracefulness that only an old Merc can obtain.


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Senior Matchmove Artist
Job Description
Responsible for reproducing the geometry, camera movement and object movement of a live-action shot in a 3D environment.
1. Quality Control files received from outsource vendors.
2. Conform any Lidar scans, Survey Data or matchmove specific geometry for Matchmove Artists prior to starting a sequence
3. Work with animation and modeling departments to ensure accurate camera track.
4. Problem solve and predict potential problems related to scene setup and continuity.
5. Accurately reconstruct 3D geometry based on photographs.
6. Ability to perform camera tracking / object Matchmove / character Rotomation / scene layout
7. Ability to communicate with colleagues and work as part of a team
8. Ability to take direction and willingness to address comments and make changes
9. Ability to deliver on schedule, working under pressure if required
Position Requirements
1. Mastery of core 3D principles: rotation, translation, scale, gimbal lock.
2. Thorough understanding of 3D camera principals: lenses, distortion, parallax, camera projection, overscan, counterpins.
3. Artist must be well versed with Maya and 3D Equalizer
4. Artist should have at least two years of experience working on feature films.
5. Artist must be able to take direction and work in a team-orientated environment; great communication skills are a must.
6. Minimum of 3 years experience


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Angus Council's trading standards service is urging people to stay safe in their homes by saying a firm "no" to cold-calling doorstep traders.
The council is refreshing its 'Doorstoppers' project this week with the introduction of new door/window stickers.
Householders are encouraged to display the stickers which tells unwanted doorstep traders to go away – those who don't are committing a criminal offence and consumers should report them to the council's ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778 or at any ACCESS office.
Council leader councillor Iain Gaul said: "This is the fourth week of 'Scam Awareness Month' and with the focus on doorstep crime, it is an ideal opportunity to refresh our 'Doorstoppers' project.
"Angus Council is committed to protecting our citizens from doorstep callers who scam, cheat, steal and intimidate – especially our more vulnerable and elderly, who should be left in peace in their own homes to enjoy life.
"Doorstoppers highlights, and helps combat, the problem of doorstep sellers who prey on these vulnerable consumers by raising awareness of the problem and providing practical help and information on the many ways in which consumers can protect themselves from rogue traders on the doorstep."
Stickers are available in all Angus Council ACCESS offices, ACCESSLine and libraries.
In 2005, the Doorstoppers initiative was launched in Angus to disrupt and deter doorstep crime.
It is a multi-agency initiative, including trading standards, social work, neighbourhood watch, the police and includes many third sector partners.


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CEOP has been working with Becta and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Internet Proficiency group and GridClub to create this cool Cyber Café.
GridClub is an award-winning online education site for 5 to 12 year olds, at school and home, covering all school subjects. GridClub won an ISPA award in 2004 for its ongoing contribution to internet safety.
SuperClubsPLUS is a social learning network for 6-11 year olds to create, communicate and collaborate in a safe online environment. All members are registered through their primary schools and the only adults allowed are CRB (police) checked teachers and our professional mediators.


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The start of district play didn't seem like the start of a new season for the Los Alamos girls basketball team.
Some of the same problems that hindered the Hilltoppers during non-district made an appearance in their 45-29 District 2-5A opening loss to Del Norte on Wednesday in Albuquerque. Los Alamos fell to 5-14 overall and lost a district opener for the first time since the 2013-14 season.
"It's all going to depend on how much fight they got in them," Los Alamos coach Josh Archuleta said. "I pulled my seniors aside and I told them... 'It's up to you girls on what legacy you're going to leave. If you're going to go out there and give a performance like that, then I'll invest the time with the underclassmen.'"
In non-district play, the Hilltoppers struggled offensively but were kept in games by their intensity on the defensive end. The same scenario played out early in Wednesday's game. Los Alamos didn't score until the 2:15 mark of the first quarter but its defense kept Del Norte (10-7 overall, 1-0 District 2-5A) from pulling away early on.
The Knights opened up a 10-4 lead before Elena Abeyta's layup with eight seconds remaining cut Del Norte's first quarter lead to 10-6.
Mike Kluk said going into district play on a three-game losing streak had an affect on his Los Alamos boys basketball team.
The Hilltoppers lost their fourth straight game after dropping Tuesday's District 2-5A opener 65-62 against Del Norte at Griffith Gym. Los Alamos, which dropped a pair of games last weekend to Artesia and Lovington, fell to 8-10 overall.
"Mentally they're just down with four losses in a row and that's tough. We have to figure out how to break that," Kluk said. "The last three games before this we turned the ball over way too much. Tonight, we didn't turn the ball over that much but we couldn't stop their penetration. We did not take care of business on the defensive end."
The Hilltoppers led 39-36 going into the final quarter but the Knights (9-8 overall, 1-0 District 2-5A) began their comeback with a triple from Elijuah Hogan that cut Los Alamos' lead to 46-44 with six minutes left to play. Vincent Goodman scored the Knights next six points to give them a 50-47 lead.
The Los Alamos boys basketball team dropped a pair of troublesome road games this past weekend.
The Hilltoppers fell to Artesia 56-44 on Friday night, and dropped a 53-49 decision to Lovington on Saturday.
Los Alamos got off to strong start against the Bulldogs and garnered a 13-9 lead after the first quarter. Artesia responded in the second frame by outscoring the Hilltoppers 15-6 and taking 24-19 lead at halftime. Artesia continued to execute in the third quarter and extended its lead to 43-30, before fending off Los Alamos in the final eight minutes.
Against Lovington, the Hilltoppers led 12-11 after the opening eight minutes and maintained a point lead as the teams were even 8-8 during the second quarter. Trailing 20-19, the Wildcats used a 14-point third quarter performance to take a 33-22 lead heading into the final frame. Lovington sealed the win by outscoring Los Alamos 20-17 in the fourth.
After the back-to-back losses Los Alamos fell to 8-9 overall and will open District 2-5A play at 7 p.m. against Del Norte at Griffith Gym.
It's questionable why the Los Alamos girls basketball team played one of the state's perennial powerhouses five days before that start of District 2-5A play.
But the Hilltoppers (5-13) did and now have to ensure that Friday's 67-21 loss against Eldorado at Griffith Gym won't have a daunting affect during district.
"This is hands down the best team we've faced all season," Los Alamos coach Josh Archuleta said. "We just summed it up as a measurable loss. It can definitely have a positive or negative affect in district. But I told them I would rather lose like this against a good team than lose a close one to a team in our district."
Archuleta said he knew it was going to be difficult to generate offense against a stifling Eagles defense. But Los Alamos made it even more difficult by turning the ball over 16 times in the first half. The Hilltoppers also didn't capitalize from 10 Eldorado turnovers in the second quarter, as the Eagles went into halftime with a 34-9 lead.
Los Alamos limited the turnovers in the second half but was unable to limit Eldorado's offensive prowess. The Eagles got off to a 9-0 start in the second half and outscored the Hilltoppers 33-12 in the final 16 minutes.
The Los Alamos boys basketball team dropped a road game to Taos 49-46 on Tuesday night.
The loss snaps a three-game winning streak for Los Alamos and it was the first since Dec. 30, 2016.
Taos scored a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to drop the Hilltoppers record to 8-7 overall. The Tigers improved to 7-8 and remained unbeaten at home this season.
It was evenly matched for the full 32 minutes, as the teams went into halftime tied 22-22. Taos outscored Los Alamos 17-12 in the third quarter and the Hilltoppers were unable to hit open shots in the fourth quarter.
This was Taos' first win against Los Alamos since Jan. 3, 2015.
Los Alamos failed to capitalize on a quality opportunity to go into District 2-5A play with an affirmative winning streak. Now, the Hilltoppers will travel to the Southeastern part of the state to face Artesia at 7 p.m. tonight and Lovington at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Capital came away with two wins in the opening District 2-5A duals of the season at Griffith Gym.
The Jaguars opened the duals with a 53-27 victory over Albuquerque Academy, before concluding Wednesday night by downing Los Alamos 55-15.
Against the Hilltoppers, Capital garnered seven pins in weight classes 120, 126, 132, 130, 170, 180 and 195. Los Alamos didn't score until Trevor Brown pinned his opponent to cut the Jaguars lead to 27-6. After Brown's pin, Capital rallied to score 25 unanswered points to take command of the match.
Los Alamos managed to get a victory after defeating Academy 46-30. The Hilltoppers got pins from Brown, Devin Atencio, Dylan Irish, Sam Harvey and Milo Light in their win against the Chargers.
Academy got a 12-9 lead when 126-pounder Clay Cosby pinned Israel Gellis. Neil Deherrera tied 12-12, before the Chargers regained the lead in the 138-pound match.
A 9-0 performance by Reyes Mendez, coupled with Dylan Irish's pin, gave Los Alamos a 28-18 lead. But the Chargers didn't faze and took a 30-28 lead after a pin in the 182-pound match. Harvey and Light secured the Los Alamos victory by pinning their opponents, while Patrick Irish won by forfeit.
When playing Taos, teams just have to worry about limiting Aaliyah Quintana.
The Los Alamos girls basketball team did that in the second half en route to a 42-31 victory against Taos on Tuesday at Griffith Gym.
Quintana scored 12 of the Tigers (8-6) 14 first-half points but the Hilltoppers (5-12) limited her to only seven in the final 16 minutes.
"We had some scouting film on her," Los Alamos coach Josh Archuleta said. "She had set the state record (for points in a game) for a couple days. We knew that she was an offensive threat. Our goal was to deny her as much as possible.
"She had been averaging 28 points a game, no matter who they've played. I have to give it to Los Alamos because she didn't go for 28 on us and we got her a little frustrated."
Los Alamos had a tougher time containing Quintana in the opening half, as the Tigers took a 7-6 first quarter lead. The Hilltoppers did manage to stop other Taos players from contributing and used a 16-point second quarter to garner a 22-14 halftime lead.
The Los Alamos boys basketball team is winning close games at the right time.
After claiming an impressive 52-49 comeback victory against Belen on Friday, the Hilltoppers defeated Santa Fe High 55-53 in overtime on Saturday at Griffith Gym.
After Saturday's win, Los Alamos improved to 8-6 overall and claimed its third straight victory. The Hilltoppers traveled to face Taos on Tuesday after the Los Alamos Monitor's print deadline.
Not only will the wins result in resume builders, but they will also contribute towards confidence for Los Alamos, as District 2-5A play begins in less than a week.
'Toppers edge Demons in OT
This season, a win against Santa Fe High is a Class 6A win that any team would want.
And the Hilltoppers got that win by outscoring the Demons 10-8 in the overtime period. During that run, Antonio Trujillo hit a 3-pointer to give the Hilltoppers a lead that it didn't relinquish.
The Los Alamos girls basketball team dropped an opportunity on Saturday to finish a regular season tournament on a high note.
After holding Piedra Vista to only 10 points in the first half, the Hilltoppers were outscored 33-7 in the second half and fell 43-28 in the third place game of the Lady Tiger Rumble in Aztec.
The Hilltoppers still led with two minutes left in the third quarter but a Piedra Vista bucket gave the Panthers a 24-23 lead that they wouldn't relinquish.
In the second round on Friday, Los Alamos fell to host Aztec 61-33.
The Hilltoppers allowed 17 points in the first half, before falling apart defensively in the second half and allowing 44 points. Los Alamos also led 18-17 at the half but struggled on offense in the final 16 minutes and was limited to 15 points.
Los Alamos moved to 4-12 overall after the tournament and hosted Taos on Tuesday after the Los Alamos Monitor's Wednesday print deadline.
This time Los Alamos didn't shy away in the fourth quarter.
Down 44-34 entering the final quarter, Los Alamos hit crucial shots and made defensive stops to pick up a big 52-49 win at Belen on Friday night.
"That was probably as patient as we've been all year," Los Alamos coach Mike Kluk said. "Usually when we get down six or eight points, we try to win it with our next shot. Tonight, they were really patient, got really good shots and even got three 3's in a row in one stretch. We didn't panic so much when we got behind."
The Hilltoppers had every excuse to panic being down by 10 with eight minutes remaining. But instead, Los Alamos executed on offense, including back-to-back 3's from Ramon Roybal and Jack Stewart that cut Belen's lead to 46-42 with 6:20 left in the game.
A contested jumper from Anthony Trujillo gave Los Alamos its first lead of the second half, 48-47 with 1:25 remaining. After Trujillo's go ahead jumper, the Hilltoppers managed to keep the Eagles from getting good looks and with 30 seconds left, Cade Gasway rejected a Belen attempt to tie it. The Eagles got a decent look from 3-point range but the shot was off the mark.
Copyright © 2018
The Los Alamos Monitor is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Los Alamos County and Los Alamos, NM, and the surrounding area.


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Making a big impression at Saratoga on debut was Majestic Bloom (2f Majestic Warrior x Desert Bloom, by Hennessy), who cruised clear to win in a dominant display.
Prepared by George Weaver for Jim and Susan Hill, Majestic Bloom was sent off at 7-1 without the benefit of Lasix and proved far too good when accelerating down the running to win the five and a half furlong contest by two and a quarter lengths.
A $150,000 purchase from the OBS March 2YO Sale, Majestic Bloom is the third winner for minor winning Hennessy mare Desert Bloom.


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Big Blue Links for (a big) Saturday:
– Ben Cohen of the Wall Street Journal on how the Cats and Cards aren't local.
College-sports rivalries have always been fueled by fans who remember insults that occurred before the current crop of players was born. But as college sports blossom into a national obsession, fewer and fewer players at blue-blood programs are locals. An analysis of Kentucky's and Louisville's rosters over the last 40 years shows that Ware's remarks were statistically accurate. In the last 10 years, 27% of Kentucky and Louisville's players came from the state, the lowest number of the last four decades.
– Mark Maloney of the Herald-Leader reports on Rick Pitino saying the players cannot invest in the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry like the fans do.
"So it's a big game, but I coached eight years at Kentucky and I'm going on 13 (at Louisville); I've been to 21 contests. There's only been one BIG game for me, and that was when they took our national championship away two years ago (in the Final Four). That was a big thing for us. We had a shot at a national championship and they took it away. … This is just a very big game on your schedule, and you should enjoy it. But it's much more important for the fans than it is for the players."
– ESPN has some stats to know for today's game.
Kentucky also needs its young guards to be able to handle the swarming press and backcourt defense of Louisville if it wants to add to its recent run of success against its rival. The Cardinals force turnovers on 26.6 percent of their opponents' possessions, fourth-best in Division I, and average nearly 10 steals per game. Louisville takes advantage of those miscues, converting them into more than 21 points per game, which leads all major-conference teams.
– Jerry Tipton of the H-L reports that John Calipari wants the Cats to cut through the clutter.
In assessing his team, Calipari sounded like former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who famously responded to criticism of the U.S. war effort in Iraq by saying, "You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time." Kentucky (9-3) will play Louisville as the same freshman-oriented team that earlier lost to No. 2 Michigan State, No. 20 Baylor and No. 18 North Carolina by a combined 14 points.
– Ben Roberts of H-L says Pitino doesn't like battling Calipari for one-and-dones.
Pitino recently lost a well-publicized, one-on-one battle with UK Coach John Calipari when five-star power forward Trey Lyles announced he would sign with the Cats over the Cards. Though most recruiting observers predicted Lyles to Kentucky, the news apparently caught U of L's coach off guard. "I thought we were going to get Trey Lyles. It really shocked me that we didn't get him," Pitino said. "But it taught me one of my thousand lessons I've learned in the past two years."
– My column says it doesn't really matter how Pitino and Calipari build their programs, since both are successful.
"(There are) a hundred different ways of coaching, a hundred different ways of playing, how you approach this," Calipari said Friday. "I mean, we've had four-year guys, too. We've had three-year guys. But we've also had guys that have been one-year guys, and the good news is our guys have gone to the league and done well."
– Jeff Borzello of CBS Sports on how Pitino's stumbles have made him better.
"I was ready to leave Kentucky," Pitino said. "I was the only coach to leave Kentucky on a high note, without anything going wrong. I had eight years of Camelot; every single day was great. I don't regret it because I learned so much in Boston. I learned why we failed; I learned how to do it better the next time. I learned about humility. I grew with the Celtics."
– Tipton's notes lead with fact a high NCAA Tournament seed could be at play today.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi sees no need to put make-or-break labels on the Kentucky-Louisville game in Rupp Arena. "I think there's a huge difference between 'desperate' and 'desirous,'" he wrote in an email this week. "The truth is neither of these teams has done much out of conference (Louisville even less than Kentucky, in fact). And both would see their profiles enhanced significantly with a win."
– Guy Ramsey writes for CoachCal.com on UK freshman Dominique Hawkins.
Hawkins, a Richmond, Ky., native, knows what he's talking about because he grew up a UK fan. While he was home for Christmas, his mother reminded him of a UK-U of L game during his youth that gives some insight into the emotion woven into the fabric of the rivalry. "My mom just told me that I was crying one game," Hawkins said. "I can't really remember, but I think I was really little when I was crying that game."
– Eric Crawford of WDRB makes his case for his Louisville-Kentucky pick.
THE CASE FOR LOUISVILLE. The Cards, over the past few games, have begun to understand a few things on defense. Their zone has been a bit better. Without Peyton Siva and Gorgui Dieng, there has been a learning curve. But during the holiday break, with the opportunity to practice outside of the NCAA's 20-hour rule, the Cards have had a chance to work on their defense. They've also had the ability to craft a game plan for Kentucky.
– Rick Bozich of WDRB on who needs it more.
This is not the Louisville-Kentucky basketball game we were fussing about in October. Not even close. Those were the days when Kentucky earned 27 first-place votes in the pre-season Associated Press college basketball and Louisville earned 14. They were ranked number one (UK) and number three (Cardinals). But that was only going to be a temporary thing. By the time both teams got to Rupp Arena on Dec. 28, they'd be ranked one and two. It was a temporary thing, all right.
– Tim Sullivan of the C-J says this game won't be the final word on one-and-done.
The University of Kentucky's head coach has nearly cornered the market on elite recruits, so much so that a coach as successful and competitive as Louisville's Rick Pitino is reluctant to go head-to-head with him on a hotshot prospect. Yet the constant churn of Calipari's program, where players arrive with the expectation they will soon be leaving, means UK is perpetually playing catch-up on the mental aspects of the game.
– Kyle Tucker of the C-J writes that Louisville is a big test and big opportunity.
As it stands, Kentucky (9-3) has slipped to No. 18 in the polls after losses to No. 5 Michigan State, No. 11 Baylor and No. 19 North Carolina. The Cardinals (11-1), ranked sixth in the Associated Press poll and fourth in the coaches poll, represent the Cats' last chance for a marquee win before the start of conference play. "How many opportunities do we have in games like that?" Kentucky coach John Calipari wondered aloud Friday. "How many are we going to have from here on in?"
– UK athletes surpass 3.0 GPA for third straight semester.
– Brett Dawson of Cats Illustrated writes that Louisville gives UK another crack at a top-tier win.
So far, Kentucky hasn't looked much like a top 10 team. Calipari admitted on Friday that his team isn't "what everybody" — including he — predicted it was to start the season. "This is a team game," Calipari said. "It's not a collection (of players); it's a team game. And we weren't the kind of team — we're only now beginning to be that kind of team."
– Card Chronicle has the quotes from Rick Pitino and Russ Smith previewing the UK game.
Pitino: Julius Randle is such a unique talent. He can beat you in the post with that spin move, he can square you up and beat you with his front to the basket, and he can beat you in the air. They're the best lob team in the country.
– Russ Smith on UK-U of L.
– Andrew Cassady of KSR says a tough schedule has UK ready.
One of the best factors in determining a team's worth is their KenPom rating. Tomorrow the Cats will be taking on the highest rated KenPom team in Louisville who ranks 1st in offense and 6th in defensive efficiency. If the Cats are going to win they will indeed need to play like a team as they did earlier this year against Providence. That game they got a major performance from WCS who nearly got a triple double with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 blocks.
– Seth Davis of SI.com picks UK to win a close one.
For reasons that escape me, Rick Pitino put together his schedule like a man whose program is in rebuilding mode as opposed to one that returned its core from a national championship team. The Cardinals' only tough game was against North Carolina in at Mohegun Sun in Connecticut–and they played awfully in a 93-84 loss.
– Eric Lindsey writes for Cat Scratches about UK's golden opportunity.
Those three losses to nationally ranked Michigan State, Baylor and North Carolina came by a combined 14 points and away from the friendly confines of Rupp Arena. "They're all top-10 teams," Coach Cal said. "It's pretty hard to beat those guys. And obviously we're not — three minutes to go in all those games, it's a one-point game and we were right there — we're not ready to win those games yet. This team in February is not going to be what it is right now. Guys will get it."
– Glenn Logan of A Sea of Blue on a writer's surprise.
This is a worthy read, and even though there is nothing at all to surprise the Kentucky fan who reads this site or any one of several others like it, the response from Calipari's former players seems to surprise the author a bit. I think he went into this expecting negative feedback from them — in particular the mercurial Cousins.
– Brian Rickerd of the State-Journal says it is size vs. experience.
To be more specific, Louisville guards Russ Smith and Chris Jones appear to have the potential to eat up Kentucky's Harrison twins. I was wryly amused by the comment from Louisville-area radio host Jody Demling this week, who said: "I'm curious to see Louisville quicker guards against Kentucky's slower, poutier guards." But Andrew and Aaron Harrison came to UK this year rated as two of the 10 best prep players in the country, and they have the size at 6-foot-6 to give Smith and Jones trouble.
– Rob Dauster of College Basketball Talk on the beauty of UK-U of L.
In fact, what makes the game so intriguing is the unknown. This is not an exaggeration: There is nothing that could happen in this game that would surprise me, save for Willie Cauley-Stein hitting 10 threes or Chane Behanan hitting all his free throws. Louisville is one of the best teams in the country. They are currently sitting at No. 1 in KenPom's rankings, posting the nation's most efficient offense while slotting in fifth in defensive efficiency.
Photo of Rick Pitino at last year's Final Four by Associated Press
Links of interest


text:
August 9, 1950 Memorandum from J. G. Vann to Dean J. H. Lampe with enclosure
I am enclosing herewith two conformed copies of the above
indicated contract with the
been executed and are for your file. I believe you stated that
one of these to him.
Enclosures (2)
Contract No. AT-(40-1)-1032 between the
the design of a a low-power nuclear reactor suitable for on-campus use in university
research operations primarily on an unclassified aid/or declassified basis.
Certain other topics also are to be included in the study. In partial fulfilment
of this contract, a report has been prepared by
entitled, "Program Administration and Installation Design of the Nuclear Reaotor
Project at
use at
It is intended that this report present to the Commission the
general plan of the project, the prelininery design of the nuclear reactor, and
a consideration of the health and safety hazards associated therewith, in
sufficient clarity in the principle features and essential details, to pernit a
definite decision now by the Commission that the project may or may not be carried
to completion.
The studies have been carried to the point where the next logical
step involves procuring an architectural firm for detailad planning of the
reactor building and engaging engineers and draftsman for the construction of
working blueprints for the reactor. State College is reluctant to take these
steps until a definite approval of the general plan of the project is assured,
since an inherent commitment of a considerable sum of money is involved.
In preparing the attached report, it was intended that all principles
of operation, details of reactor design, environmental conditions and other
important factors likely to be of importance in overall consideration of the
project be described and discussed, If any essential features are not included
or are not clearly described, we shall he happy to have then pointed out and we
will attempt to provide the requisite information promptly. It would, however,
prove a very time consuming task, which really should be a part of the program
involving preparation of working drawings for construction of the facility, to
present and describe all the minor details of the building layout and reactor
Therefore, if the attached report does present sufficient in-
formation on the essential features to be used as a basis for decision, even
though many details are yet to be described, approval of the proposed project
by the Atomic Energy Commission is requested. Such approval would not only
provide us a justification for continuation and expansion of our design studies,
but would also furnish us evidence of a program, tangible and concrete, on
which our requests for further financial assistance could he based. Thus
far our explorations of major finennial support have been presented, of
necessity, on a somatt contingent and hypothetical basis.
Very sincerely yours,
Clifford K. Beck, Head
Department of Physics
cc: Dean J. H. Lampe
Chancellor J. W. Harrelson
W.D. Carmichael, Jr.
R. W. Cook
Kenneth Pitzer (2)
Joseph Platt (2)
George Weil


text:
Delhi is deluged by our own trash
Delhi is a violent city. We live with this fact, not so much because we are brave and resilient, but because we don't have an option. We make do. We hope for the best.
As citizens of the crime capital of the country we are used to crime: rape, burglary, murder, road rage, female infanticide. These crimes don't happen on the periphery, they happen to people like us who live in the heart of the city's so-called posh areas. I know friends whose old parents have been murdered. I know friends whose cars have been smashed up in road rage incidents. I know friends whose houses have been burgled in broad daylight. I know women who have been pushed around physically by men over a parking spot argument. I know friends who have been beaten to pulp by bouncers.
The government comes up with new guidelines and suggestions, all of which put the responsibility on the victim. Instead of protecting the victim, the government puts curbs on her. Do not work after eight. Be home before sundown.
Better still, don't work at all. No stags allowed in clubs, as if all men are criminals. Soon they'll be telling parents not to have children, for these children will grow up soon, and want to hold jobs, and go clubbing, and that will only lead to crime and chaos. Better to have a zero child policy. The government seems to be saying: Let's turn Delhi into a ghost town. When there are no people, there is no crime. Like in Mohenjodaro today.
To say that rape is a reprehensible act is to state the obvious. But each time a rape takes place, the debate about violence in the NCR takes on gender overtones. The discourse then becomes one about crimes against women-Delhi's women have to be protected from Delhi's men. The truth is that Delhi's men are as vulnerable to gratuitous violence as its women. While they might not get raped, they are under constant threat of being attacked with iron rods, or anything that comes to hand: hammers, fists, boots, guns and knives.
A friend of mine was dragged out of Cafe Morrisson in South Ex-he wasn't stag but with a woman-and beaten up mercilessly by the bouncers. When his lady friend realised what was going on, she called the manager-luckily an acquaintance of hers. He came out and put a stop to it. I've been kicked out of Hard Rock Cafe in Saket-fortunately they didn't land any punches-for reasons still unclear to me. It's an act of catharsis for the thick-headed bouncers who don't know what to do with their strength-it has to come out some time. It's a bit like nation states stockpiling arms until it reaches a point where the military feels: what's the point of having all these toys unless we use them? Let's go to war!
Just the other day, a friend and I were having a bite at the Twenty Four Seven in GK2 at one in the morning. We were standing at a counter and having hotdogs when a group of men came and put their stuff down on the same counter we were at. The message was clear-get the hell out or else. This is our territory. We had no option but to scoot. One man was bragging about how many rape cases he had filed against him. I felt I wasn't in GK2 but a small town where local goons rule and exercise absolute power. Unprovoked firing is the norm in Delhi.
It is difficult to talk about Delhi's endemic culture of violence without talking about Delhi's physical location. We can't do this because it is politically incorrect. When Sheila Dixit blames the states that share a border with Delhi, she faces a backlash. But Delhi does share its borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, two states with a horrible record of crimes against women, from honour killings to infanticide to rape. Where Sheila went wrong was in excluding Delhi from the list.
Not all crimes are committed by 'outsiders'; Delhi too is part of the matrix. We all know south Delhi has high rates of female foeticide. In fact Delhi, UP and Haryana are all afflicted by a brutal macho culture (unlike, say, Kolkata where women are literally worshipped), and it would be foolish to ignore the role this culture has played in Delhi becoming the crime capital of the country-a city that is unsafe for men, women, tourists and senior citizens, in other words just about everybody who is not a goon.
In Delhi, the battle lines are drawn between the literate rich and the illiterate rich. I use these terms broadly. It's the difference between those who are in sync with the multicultural ethos of a big city where men and women go about their business and leave each other alone, and those, on the other hand, who have citizenship of the big city via money and power, but no understanding of how a big city really works.
The literate rich includes the middle class, and the illiterate rich might include kids who have been to Bishop Cotton, say, so literacy isn't about the schools you have attended. It's more a battle between the cosmopolitans and brown trash.
Strangely, it's the bars and clubs with strict rules, those which charge a bomb to enter, those who don't allow stag entry, those who have a battery of bouncers, which attract the worst brown trash. Violence is always in the air in these places. People-like-me avoid these places like the plague, places where sullen men wear expensive watches and polished shoes and full sleeved black shirts, and the women LBDs. There are oases. Like the bar 4S in Def Col where women can sit at the bar and have a drink, where there aren't any bouncers, where men can go in groups wearing shorts and sandals. 4S has never seen a brawl because brown trash don't go anywhere near it-they go to flash malls in Gurgaon or Saket, where they can flaunt its money to others of its ilk, places that provide it with a context.
Hauz Khas village has become another such safe enclave, where the literate rich can hang out without fear. Middle class kids with a bit of capital run the cafes here; many are not from traditional business backgrounds, but young people with an entrepreneurial spirit who want to do something different. There are independent bookstores selling books by small presses, screenings by feminist documentary filmmakers, book readings...stuff which doesn't attract brown trash, the illiterate rich with a penchant for violence. The Village, as it's now called tongue-in-cheek, just like Patparganj was jokingly called Left Bank, is one of the safest places for women to hang out. The Village is where you take on the village.
Delhi is a rough and violent place no doubt, but those of us who live here also love it. I just hope that our ranks will swell, until it reaches critical mass, a point where brown trash feels uncomfortable, and is forced to behave itself-where it feels, oh, I can't do this here; a city where rich rusticity is forced into an urban mould; a city where young men don't brag about rape cases filed against them at the top of their voices, because it is simply not done.
The unconditional love for Dehli runs deep. As a friend who is moving to Bombay wrote on his Facebook wall: "Even though I don't have an 8pm urge to rape, or a dying need to get a car's length ahead, I am a North Indian boy. And I am going to miss you Delhi. Sniff."


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Compilations / Mixes / Remixes / Reissues
EPs / Cassettes / Mini-Albums / Singles
In a bit of a departure from previous years' installments, the 2015 round-up of artists' picks extends beyond the concept of musical favourites to focus on things that made life worth living and brought the individuals in question joy. We are indebted to those who contributed to the article and thank them for their generosity, not to mention the countless hours of pleasure their music brought us in 2015.To set the tone, here's a small sampling of things that brought textura joy in 2015: the wondrous voices of Anneli Drecker and Anne Garner; conducting interviews with long-time musical favourites Greg Osby and Pye Hastings; falling in love all over again with Caravan's In the Land of Grey and Pink; reading Nick Drake: Remembered For A While and The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft; watching the Criterion DVDs of Safe, The Black Stallion, and The Thin Blue Line; and spring horseback riding in Costa Rica and fall concert-going in New York.
Chantal Acda The Balustrade Ensemble Chronotope Project Lara Downes Anneli Drecker Kit Wilmans Fegradoe Anne Garner Tania Giannouli Lullatone Deborah Martin [MIIIIM] Missy Mazzoli Roger O'Donnell Michael Robinson Roomful of Teeth Smile Down Upon Us Cara Stacey 36 Marshall Watson Zen Land
Chantal Acda (#10 album: The Sparkle In Our Flaws, Glitterhouse)
Many things touched me in 2015: musically, I really enjoyed Peter Broderick's Colours of the Nightsuch a wonderful musician and great Swiss bandand there's this Belgian book that made my cry that might be translated into English by now: Griet op den Beek with Kom Hier Dat Ik Je Kus. I went to see Shabazz Palaces and loved every minute of itso refreshing!and this summer I had the chance to finally take my kids and mum to the place I call home: Iceland. We rented a little house in the middle of fields and with a view of a volcano. I also went horse riding with my daughter, far away from people and roads, which made me so happy.
The Balustrade Ensemble (#7 album: Renewed Brilliance, Serein)
Moments in 2015 by The Balustrade Ensemble: Rediscovering Spirit of Eden while rolling through the hills of upstate New York on a bus; FM transmission as a beautifully unpredictable musical distortion; attending a live broadcast of Eurovision Song Contest in Vilnius; taking in Waves by Charles Lloyd; immersion in countless timbral gauntlets including Susumu Yokota, Toshimaru Nakamura, and Tatsuro Kojima; concluding that the best sounding drums are either broken or direct from a tree; Yugoslavian films of the 1970s from the Pacific Film Archive (Gerdy the Wicked Witch); sourcing acoustics in Hudson; the long-awaited new record by Butterfly Child; and the work of Willem van Genk and his collection of raincoats.
Chronotope Project (#39 album: Dawn Treader, Spotted Peccary Music)
(Jeffrey Ericson Allen) Things that made life worth living in 2015 included falling in love with a wonderful woman; reading Tolstoy's epic novel War and Peace, the most profound and life-embracing piece of literature I have encountered; prolific creative output and several significant formal advances in my artistic work; much philosophical reflection, poetry, letter and journal-writing; and an increased sense of vitality and somatic awareness through the practices of yoga and exploration of Continuum Movement, as pioneered by the late Emilie Conrad. It's been a banner year on every front, and I'm profoundly grateful.
Lara Downes (#8 album: A Billie Holiday Songbook, Steinway & Sons Records)
The things that brought me joy in 2015: seeing old friends and making new ones on my musical travels; being part of the beautiful centennial celebration of the artistry of Billie Holiday; beaches on Kauai; a new puppy; cardamom ice cream; the Schumann Piano Concerto; working with and learning from my tremendous creative collaborators; the poetry of Langston Hughes; cashmere; the ability to binge watch TV shows on airplanes; growing backyard vegetables; Frank Sinatra; white gardenias; double rainbows; and, most of all; the incredible luck of being able to make music in this world, every single day.
Anneli Drecker (#1 album: Rocks & Straws, Rune Grammofon)
Many things brought me joy in 2015: Great music by many Norwegian artists such as: Ane Brun's When I'm Free, Jaga Jazzist's Starfire, and Eivind Aarset's psychedelic IE. I also listened a lot to Beach Club's Depression Cherry, Anne Garner's Be Life, and the new Tame Impala.
Films: Nightcrawler by Dan Gilroy, where Jake Gyllenhaal plays a very convincing sociopath, the very honoured magic realism drama Birdman by Mexican director Alejandro Gonzales, who also made 21 Grams! I've always loved Edward Norton and think this is one of his best roles ever. Also have to mention the Japanese movie The Tale of Iya and the very warmhearted and funny Of Horses and Men from Iceland. Another movie I could recommend is the French/Norwegian/Danish Louder than Bombs by Joachim Trier, who also directed one of my all-time favourite movies Oslo 31.august.
Books: I' ve mainly read textbooks this year since I am a PhD student, but if I were to mention one book it would have to be Michel Hollebecq's The Mao and the Territory. Other than that, I'm a sucker for anything by Neil Gaiman and Murakami.
Kit Wilmans Fegradoe (#17 album: Issa, Important Records)
Things in 2015 that made life worth living: the wide breadth of world music I graciously encountered through the World Music Network; a deeper connection towards Jazz Fusion and a deepening love for Mahavishnu Orchestra; a slowing of my time and the importance of rest; the art of listening closely and gently; the wonders of performing and sculpting an atmosphere; the joy of moving through things that can be uncomfortable; the many brilliant musicians I have seen this year in Bristol. Finally, wanting to connect with people in a greater way, which has led to 2015 being a truly memorable year.
Anne Garner (#4 album: Be Life, Slowcraft Records / Unperceived Records)
This was a weird and wonderful year, some of the best bits were: the magical birthday walk with my husband on Hampstead Heath, watching dragonflies circle and herons transform from statues to birds of flight. Reading Tolkien's short story Leaf by Niggle, Room by Emma Donoghue, The Soap Lady by Renee French, and Cecilia Ruiz's Book of Memory Gaps. Bathing in the wondrous animation of The Song of the Sea. Hearing James Murray and Rothko live, discovering Bobbie Russon's subtle, uncanny art. Looking after and falling in love with a beautiful little dog. Running in the woods. Drawing my weird little cave creatures and writing my next album.
Tania Giannouli Ensemble (#9 album: Transcendence, Rattle)
2015 was such a full year. Some of the things that made life worth living during the last months were: the joy to see the realization of my second album Transcendence together with a wonderful ensemble of friends and fellow musicians, Tarkovsky's Nostalgia in an open-air cinema, watching Youth by Paolo Sorrentino and Theeb by Naji Abu Nowar, re-discovering Echoes by Pink Floyd, listening to Giya Kancheli's Chiaroscuro, and Avishai Cohen's concert in Bozar. Playing the piano in an empty and totally silent ancient Greek temple on an August's night. A walk on a sunny autumn's afternoon on a beach of the North Sea. The Sea. The Olive Grove.
Lullatone (#4 EP: The Sounds of Spring, Lullatone)
2015 was full of exciting projects and adventures at Lullatone HQ. The main thing that made our days was moving into a new studio near our house on the outskirts of town. It is next to a giant park and surrounded by old people tending to gardens every morning. It fit with our writing style so much more than the hipper one we had downtown the year before. We also listened to lots of podcasts like 99% Invisible and read books like How Music Works by David Byrne. Giving a talk and meeting so many interesting people at Ableton's Loop event in Berlin was one of my favorite weekends for sure. Here's to making 2016 even better!
Deborah Martin (#34 album: Eye of the Wizard ; # 07 reissue: Under The Moon, Spotted Peccary)
To be able to create with music a sense of hopefulness in today's world always has a profound effect on me as an artist. I am grateful for the opportunity in 2015 of releasing Eye of the Wizard, a broader scope of focus, and being able to hear Under the Moon, my first solo project, remastered so it could be presented as I originally envisioned it twenty years ago. Travel has always been an inspiring point in my creative process and 2015 presented me with the fortunate experience of traveling to India, a colourful land with a rich diversity of cultures. In April I honoured the one-year passing of my father and in December celebrated the one-year birthday of a granddaughter. There are many blessings and much to be thankful for, and I wish to all listeners out there a beautiful and hopeful 2016.
Missy Mazzoli (#11 album, Vespers for a New Dark Age, New Amsterdam Records)
Music is usually the thing that reminds me that life is worth living. 2015 was full of amazing concerts including R.B. Schlather's staging of Handel's Orlando at the White Box Gallery, Heiner Goebbels' staging of Harry Partch's Delusions of the Fury at the Lincoln Center Festival, and Berg's Lulu at the Metropolitan Opera. I've also been obsessed with the new albums released by Holly Herndon, Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Kendrik Lamar, and Oneohtrix point never. On a personal note, surfing in Santa Cruz with seals and sea lions, and out on the Rockaways with God-knows-what lives in that water, and spending time out at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley made 2015 a rich and wonderful year indeed!
[MIIIIM] (#38 album: [MIIIIM], #3 EP: Mansfield Reformatory EP, Sparkwood Records)
(Michael I. Iannone) As the Earth once more completes its yearly solar circumnavigation, and the mystery of existence hurtles forward indifferently, I find myself deeply grateful for the bounty of gifts bequeathed to me: a healthy, vibrant, and loving family; a wonderful girlfriend whose commitment borders on the miraculous; two albums made possible by the exemplary people at Sparkwood Records; a personal sense of growth, wisdom, and deepening contentment; the vinyl reissue of And Their Refinement of the Decline by Stars of the Lid; and the passionate and enthusiastic presence of Senator Bernie Sanders, as he continues to give voice to progress and counter the radical insurgency that is the republican party. [MIIIIM] hopes that all is well.
Roger O'Donnell with Julia Kent (#26 album, Love and Other Tragedies, 99X/100)
What made my 2015 special? Musically I continue to be underwhelmed about what anyone is doing. It seems there's no such thing as new anymore, but let's not be negative; there is still enough old music to listen to until somebody decides to venture again into the unknown. I was introduced to Hiatus Kaiyote and had passes for their show which I sadly missed. I rediscovered or possibly discovered really for the first time Joni Mitchell via Herbie Hancock's album The River. I listened to a lot of Weather Report and liked Jose Gonzalez's new record. I saw Ex Machina and loved it. I watched Veronika Part, prima ballerina at ABT in NYC, perform, which was breathtaking. I realized a dream in staging a scene from an upcoming ballet I've written on the Kremlin Palace stage at a gala with all the stars of Russian ballet. I fell out of love with politics, apparently all civility has been lost and discussion has become argument. I got drunk with one of my heroes, designed the cockpit of my new plane, and flew to LA for my best friend's 50th birthday. Not a bad year?
Michael Robinson (#16 album: The Spirit Pool, Azure Miles Records)
for tangerines and oranges and mangos and some evenings having such juices added to vodka or gin for homeless cats of all shapes and colours emerging out of bushes or out of nowhere following me and wanting to play when I go for walks (I wish I could find homes for all of them) for lyricists like Johnny Mercer, whose words are as eventful as the music of the songs collaborated on without such lyricists it's impossible to say how instrumental jazz would have developed for Poncho Sanchez representing the highest form of the art of music performance with his band affording us breathtaking vistas of the magnificent culture he represents for Richard Davis for making the acoustic bass soar like his ancestral kora (an instrument he never heard of before we spoke!) and for confirming my intuition that he was profoundly influenced by Ravi Shankar I also loved Richard's story about dining with Charlie Parker at a favoured hot dog establishment after moving from Chicago to Manhattan we have Pink's here at La Brea and Melrose, but nowadays I enjoy thinking about having a chili dog when passing by and that seems to be enough ....
Roomful of Teeth (#2 album: Render, New Amsterdam Records)
Estelí Gomez, soprano: For me: tea. A creature comfort I could travel with, share with friends, carry around in both quantity and variety, and use liberally anytime anywhere to feel more at home--tea made life better on many occasions in 2015.
Martha Cluver, soprano: On April 8, 2015 (my 35th birthday) while on a Teeth tour in Texas, my twenty-month-old daughter,who I'd brought with me, said Momma to me for the first time. Caroline Shaw was also witness to that amazing event. Best birthday gift ever!
Caroline Shaw, alto: Blue sky. It's either that or Beethoven's opus 127.
Virginia Warnken, alto: Modern medicine.
Dashon Burton, baritone: To Pimp a Butterfly! Epic, Melancholic, Systolic, Urbanely Bucolic ... I just can't take it! It's everything!
Cameron Beauchamp, bass: The love, patience, and resilience of my wife and son.
Smile Down Upon Us (#30 album, Smile Down Upon Us, wiaiwya)
(Keiron Phelan) In my own doings I was delighted, this year, that the second Smile Down Upon Us album (rather neatly titled Smile Down Upon Us 2 and some six years in the shaping) saw the light of day so, many thanks to my other half moomLooo in Tokyo, all of the band, John Jervis of Where It's At Is Where You Are records, and Masami Shimomura of Yacca. I'm equally satisfied to have completed the third littlebow album (called Three as, with me, the poetry never stops), said band now including harpist Brona McVittie alongside myself and Katie English. We're going long, going vocal, and even going atonal!
In my book, stand-out releases of 2015 included the sumptuous song-suite of Anne Garner's Be Life, the impressive soundscapes of David John Sheppard's Vertical Land, the near genre re-defining joy that is Isnaj Dui's (aka our' Katie) Dioptrics. Lastly, praise for the out-of-the-blue songwriting classicism present on Louise Le May's debut album, A Tale Untold, who I can only compare to Kate Bush without any annoying bits. Except possibly better!
Outside of music I was overjoyed that England won the Ashes (look it up, dudes) and even more surprised than overjoyed. I was stunned and totally gobsmacked by Robert Icke's adaptation (and near demolition) of Aeschylus' Orestia at the Almeida Theatre, London. A three-and-a-half hour-long, gut-wrenching, white-knuckle ride that I will never forget as long as I live. It ain't all about Indie
Finally, I was tickled pink to accidentally become matey with Milton Reame-James, keyboard maestro with the early 70s (classic) line-up of the insanely insane Cockney Rebel. There's a small part of me that will forever be twelve years old. I intend to keep things that way.
Cara Stacey (#22 album: Things That Grow, Kit Recs)
2015 has been an intense year. Things that made my life worth living this past year would be: returning to the Cape Town sun after time away; experiencing and recording the dawn chorus on the banks of the Limpopo river in South Africa; Sarathy Korwar's new album Day to Day; performing with new and old friends in London; David Rycroft's historic recordings from southern Africa; a motorbike ensemble performance on a hot evening in warehouse with Juliana Venter, Galina Juritz and others; the Angel Breakfast Club pancakes and berries; the endless trees of Johannesburg; The Bugle podcast and its restorative powers; and the sound of the Ligwalagwala bird as it flies past while I write this.
36 (#31 album: Void Dance ; #1 EP: Sine Dust, 3six Recordings)
(Dennis Huddleston) Here is my list of my favourite games of the year, with a few small words for each game:
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: It took me 3 attempts to get into The Witcher 2 before it finally clicked with me. No such problem with Witcher 3. I can say without hyperbole that it is quite simply one of the greatest games I have ever played. Lot's of games these days have huge worlds, but few felt so alive or as engaging as The Witcher 3 to me. I think a big part of the appeal is how human the characters feel. Most fantasy games resort to the usual good vs evil tropes, but nothing is black and white in this game. Everyone is flawed in their own way. The Bloody Baron in particular was one of the most maturely written characters I have seen in almost 30 years of playing video games. It has set a new bar in RPG's and I can't wait to see how CDPR handle Cyberpunk!
Bloodborne: The Souls series pretty much rejuvenated my love for video games. Dark Souls 1 in particular was a phenomenal achievement. I put a ridiculous amount of hours into it (often at the neglect of my own work and family... Sorry!) but no regrets! I found the sequel somewhat disappointing in comparison, but when Bloodborne came along earlier this year, it brought back all the great memories again. Unbelievable art direction and sound, combined with razor-sharp gameplay mechanics. You can clearly see the Lovecraft influence, but no one designs a game world quite like FROM Software. The DLC was amazing too. Miyazaki is a genius. I hope they keep making these games for years to come.
SOMA: This was the biggest surprise for me this year. I enjoyed Amnesia a lot, so I was quite piqued about the developers trying their hand at a hard science fiction game. Rather than the intense horror sequences, SOMA excels the most for me in the quiet scenes, where you're left contemplating the hard questions it poses and how you would respond in similar circumstances. Walking along the sea-floor was something only video games could achieve. It's a fantastic story, with a wonderfully rich atmosphere. The ending in particular stuck with me a long time afterwards.
Ori and the Blind Forest: Another big surprise for me. I bought this on PC after seeing the positive reaction to the XB1 version and I loved it from start to end. Although I was initially struck by the beautiful graphics, it was the tough-as-nails gameplay that really delivered for me. A difficult game, but incredibly rewarding. Lovely, heart-warming story/characters too and a fantastic soundtrack.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain: MGS1 was and still is one of my favourite games of all time. Although the story got ridiculously convoluted in subsequent games, I still love the quirky, silly weirdness of it all. MGSV is a very different game to it's predecessors though. I was a little skeptical that they'd be able to pull off a successful open-world stealth game, but wow, they really did deliver. Gameplay-wise, it's near-perfect. They absolutely nailed the emergent gameplay concept and you really do feel like you have limitless ways to achieve any objective. However, it's far from perfect. The story and the characters felt a little off in comparison to the previous games, but more importantly, it just didn't feel finished to me. It ended abruptly and honestly, I felt a little deflated after putting in so many hours and years of my life invested in the story. Still, as a stealth game, it cannot be beaten. It's a shame that the developers had so many problems with their publisher and that we'll likely never see another true Metal Gear game again.
Other games that just missed out of the top 5 of the year for me: Undertale; Fallout 4; Batman: Arkham Knight; Journey (PS4).
Marshall Watson (#6 EP: Vibration Attention, Loöq Records)
There were a few things in 2015 that made life worth living. As for tunes, C.A.R's "Idle Eyes" (Roman Flügel Remix) has rocked my ears since it came out in 2014, but hearing it dropped in the mix by John Talbot here in SF this year was pretty special. Also, the release of the Jodorowsky's Dune soundtrack by Kurt Stenzel on beautiful double gatefold vinyl makes me smile. I helped produce this album, so it's particularly awesome to see the record come out on Light in the Attic. Lastly, I caught Underworld in LA live at the Hollywood Bowl playing Dubno. Seeing them play Skyscraper at sunset was definitely a highlight of my year.
Zen Land (#36 album: Zen Land, Warped Music)
(Michael Zentner) Finding textura in 2015 definitely contributed to my appreciation of life along with a lot of personal production and achievement (the basic thing that makes life worth living for me), while, at the same time, learning not to take it all too seriously.
January 2016


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Seattle Sounders have announced the stunning capture of Tottenham striker Clint Dempsey.
Spurs revealed that the United States captain was returning to Major League Soccer after just one season at White Hart Lane.
And the Sounders have confirmed the deal, with majority owner Joe Roth telling his club's official website: "This is a historic day for Sounders FC and our fans. Clint is a world-class soccer player who can take this club to a higher level."
Dempsey was paraded in front of the Sounders' support before their home match against Dallas at CenturyLink Field.
Roth continued: "We have been consistent in our message to the fans that we will spare no expense to win trophies."
Owner and general manager Adrian Hanauer added: "In doing something of this magnitude we had to make sure we had the right player. Clint Dempsey fits that mould.
"He is a proven winner, a leader and a competitor who we believe will raise the bar for this organisation on and off the field."


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Analyzing Washington Redskins Rookie Alfred Morris' 39-Yard TD Run in Week 4October 2, 2012
When Alfred Morris shifted and rambled his way through the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defense for a 39-yard touchdown run, he gave the Redskins an 18-point, second quarter cushion.
The play showed just how effective the Redskins have become at executing head coach Mike Shanahan's zone-running scheme. Here's a look at how Washington's zone-blocking freed Morris for a big score against the then top-ranked run defense in the NFL.
The Redskins have been outstanding at outnumbering defensive fronts on the play side in the running game. The screen shot below shows one way they've been able to do it.
The Redskins align two tight ends to the left side with Fred Davis as the in-line blocker, next to left tackle Trent Williams. The highlighted portion shows Logan Paulsen just behind in a flex, H-back position.
The Buccaneers only have seven defenders in the front, so the Redskins alignment gives them a pre-snap win on the left. By not bringing a safety down to adjust, or stacking a linebacker on that side, the Tampa Bay defense is presenting a soft edge to the Redskins.
At the snap, the Redskins blockers shift and create room for others to quickly move into space. The screen shot below shows how Washington's zone-blocking locks down the first and second levels of the Buccaneers' defense.
The first highlighted portion shows Davis(83), take on the defensive end and seal the edge. This allows left tackle Trent Williams(71), to slide inside and take out the defensive tackle.
With Williams on the tackle, left guard Kory Lichtensteiger is free to move up to the linebacker level. The second highlighted portion shows Lichtensteiger and Paulsen block both the middle and weak-side linebackers.
Morris now has a natural and huge hole to attack. The final significant contribution is made by much-maligned wide receiver Josh Morgan(15). The screen shot below shows the wideout moving across to make a key block.
The highlighted portion shows Morgan intercepting advancing safety Mark Barron, who has moved down from his deep position to meet Morris in the hole. This telling effort leaves Morris one-on-one with the last defender cornerback Eric Wright(21).
Morgan's contribution is certainly part of the play design, as you can see him clearly turning and moving inside to look for the safety, in the second of these screen shots. Morris then held up his end, outwitting Wright with a subtle step and a deft turn, to complete the longest scoring run of the Redskins young season.
Blocking like this is why so many runners have thrived in Shanahan's zone-based system and why many pundits often believe any back can run effectively in it. The Redskins front five still struggles in pass protection, but there's no doubt they have become technically refined and efficient in executing zone-blocking.
If they can continue to work this effectively, Morris should have no trouble producing similar big plays against any defense. If any Redskins fan is having a vision now, it's of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan spending 40 minutes of next Sunday's game standing on the sideline.


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Give the gift of laughter!
Rooster T. Feathers now offers stored-value gift cards! Perfect for the comedy lover in your life.
Available in any amount starting at $25 with no fees. Includes a gift envelope. Valid for admission, food, and drink. Can be used for phone orders, so you can always get Priority Reserved Seating using a gift card. (Sorry, but the gift cards can't be used with our online ticketing system at this time.)
To stock up on Roosters gift cards, call us at 408.736.0921 or stop in the club during business hours. (Postage will be added for priority mail phone orders.)
Small Print:
This prepaid gift card is redeemable for admission, food, and beverages at Rooster T. Feathers Comedy Club. All guests must be 21 or older with valid ID. Two-item minimum purchase per person applies at all shows. This card cannot be redeemed for cash except where required by law. No value until activated. This card is not subject to an expiration date, and there is no fee for inactivity. This card will not be replaced if lost, stolen, or damaged. Use of this card constitutes acceptance of these terms.
Gift giving just got a whole lot funnier.
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