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This Week In Punchy for the 24th of April 2013
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by LOLtron » Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:13 am
Punchy is back with more comics reviews for ya, there's a load of Avengers, some X-Men and Jupiter's Legacy!
Hi guys, welcome along to yet another instalment of the greatest comics review column that ever was and ever will be, TWiP!
This week is a strange one, firstly because there's no DC Comics here whatsoever, but also because there are 5 Avengers comics! That's a lot of Avengers, and I don't even read all of the franchise! There's also 2 X-Men books and 2 Fantastic Fours as well. But just in case you think I'm some kind of mainstream whore, there's also two original new Image series, including the long-awaited Jupiter's Legacy from Millar and Quitely!
As always, click the links to head to the forum threads.
Avengers #10– Jonathan Hickman continues to move his big story forward in small increments, as in this issue we follow up on whatever it was the 'Origin Bomb' did to Canada. I appreciate the fact that he's building a massive plot here, but it does mean that each individual feels somewhat lacking. My main highlights in this issue were the artwork by Mike Deodato, who seems to have made yet another leap in quality, this was quite beautiful art, with very interesting panel layouts. The second highlight was the friction between the Canadian version of SHIELD (Department H) and the USA, it was a cool example of politics being used well. It was also cool how Wolverine was aware of all the shady shit his country gets up to, he of course being a big victim of it. The revelation about what actually happened inside the dome was interesting, we saw the Avengers at various points in time, what was going on there? Or was it not time but alternate dimensions? It was all very confusing, but I'm sure it will all make sense in 30 issues time knowing Hickman.
New Avengers #5– Given that I absolutely despised #1 of this title, in which most of it was Black Swan nonsense, it should come as no surprise that I didn't really like this issue either. I don't care about this Black Swan character, her origin is stupid and the way she speaks is emblematic of the worst aspects of Hickman's writing. It's made even worse when Hickman chooses to gloss over what could have been awesome fight between The Illuminati and alternate universe Terrax for more prognosticating and nonsense words. At least he somewhat recognises that fact and has Namor call out Black Swan for talking gibberish, his presence has been a constant delight in this book, he's just such a dick. There are positives here, and I'm sure that this title will rebound again, the fact that our heroes kidnapped alterna-Terrax is very interesting, it's really fascinating to see these guys go even further and further down the dark path. The fact that the next incursion is in Latveria is also awesome, I can't wait to see how that goes down. Steve Epting's artwork was brilliant as usual, he's so good. So yeah, not the best issue of New Avengers, but there was enough here to make it not totally shite.
Uncanny Avengers #7– Wow! That really escalated quickly! I was expecting the threat of the Apocalypse Twins to kind of remain in the background for a little while before exploding, but nope, they're fully grown in this issue and are wreaking glorious destruction. They kill a Celestial for fuck's sake! That is hardcore. I think this issue may be the best work of Daniel Acuna's career so far, he is just perfect for drawing Celestials and other cosmic stuff, the bit space set-pieces here were truly awesome. But Acuna also equips himself well with the smaller, character stuff, as the Uncanny Avengers deal with the fall-out of Rogue killing Grim Reaper. I think it's very interesting that Remender is really exploring the PR side of being a superhero team. In this issue the more immediate threat to the team isn't Apocalypse or the Red Skull, it's the media! It's a different take, but it really works for this team. I especially liked the scene where Wasp uses her fashion-design background to show how she can make Mutants cool, make them hipster fashion items. This is building on the kind of stuff Grant Morrison did in New X-Men, and I find it fascinating. Also interesting is the fact that Wasp flirts with Havok, that would be a strange relationship for sure. I also really dug the stuff with Wonder Man and Scarlet Witch, Remender is dealing with stuff that was brought up way back in the Busiek/Perez days and then dropped, and the inner fanboy in me is delighted to see it being used. I should also give props to the brilliantly old-school and bombastic narration Remender is using in this book, it may not be for everyone, but it really adds to the scope of the title. I'm all for letting artists tell the story themselves, but sometimes you need some Kirby-esque over the top narration.
Young Avengers #4– I just can't shake the feeling that Young Avengers is trying way too hard to be cool. I enjoy it, but at times I cringe at Gillen's attempts to directly court the teenage, Tumblr audience. I think Gillen is a fantastic writer, but I think he's writing this book too much for people other than himself. That said, there was one truly fantastic scene in this issue, the one where Loki raises the possibility that Billy used his powers to make Hulkling fall in love with him. This is a brilliant idea, even if it is just Loki fucking with people. I have said many many times that I find the characters of Hulkling and Wiccan to be exceedingly dull, but this gives them much more depth. It was boring for them to be perfect elf-twinks in total love with each other and designed only for fan-fic, here there is conflict and a lot of sinister undertones. I can't wait to see how it all shakes out, if what Loki says is true, then woah, Wiccan is now actually interesting. This issue also contains some of the best artwork of Jamie McKelvie's career, seriously, the layouts in this book are insane. That two-page diagram-esque fight scene was brilliant and innovative, I've never seen anything like it in a superhero comic. I may find this title annoying at times, but fuck me, McKelvie is awesome.
Avengers Arena #8– I continue to really enjoy this title. Unlike Young Avengers, it is most definitely not written to please it's target audience, and it's all the better for it. Hopeless is constantly surprising me with this title, and you never know what to expect. This issue catches us up with all of our heroes who aren't dead yet, and there's plenty of great moments and surprises. I'm glad to see that Juston is still alive, but sadly his Sentinel isn't quite the same and he himself seems to have gone a bit crazy. The stuff with the Braddock Academy is also very good, everyone's shocked in the aftermath of Anachronism decapitating Kid Briton, and we get some cool revelations. There's our biggest hint yet that Bloodstone is gay and in love with Anachronism, which was expected, but cool to see. But the biggest surprise is that Apex, aka Katy, is not actually called Katy, but is a dude named Tim! WTF? That is bonkers. I think it's a real testament to Hopeless that in the space of only 8 issues, I'm as invested in all of these all-new heroes as I am in the ones I already know like the Runaways and Avengers Academy kids. Speaking of those guys, Chase finally reveals that he is now Darkhawk and starts to fight Sentinel, which is going to be awesome. This is one of the few books out there that is genuinely surprising each month, and it's due to the precise reason so many people online seem to hate it. It's because it's using lesser-known characters that people don't care that much about and is free to fuck with them as much as possible. The wanton slaughter is a good thing, not a bad one, most of these characters are more relevant in imminent death than they ever were before.
Fantastic Four #7– Last issue we saw the Fantastic Four at the beginning of the Universe, this issue they're at the end of it. I love the scale and ambition of this story, but it didn't really work for me as well as I had hoped it would. The weird aliens were kind of generic and they were surprisingly easy to fool. I did like that both Franklin and Valeria were famous even at the end of the Universe (Franklin likely for the right reasons and Val for the wrong ones), it's a shame that Marvel will likely never let the kids actually grow up, all we ever get is teases about their future, but it never pays off except in alternate futures. I've always been one to not really care about the logistics of time-travel stories, so can someone else explain to me how this one makes sense, if Blastaar is never sent back in time, then the FF never go forward in time, right? My brain hurts. It's cool that Ben is now going through his annual 24 hours as a human, that's a great concept from Hickman's run and it's cool to see Fraction use it, and have it be even more tragic due to the fact that he may not even be on Earth for his one day.
FF #6– Wow, if there's one man who can fill in for Mike Allred, then Joe Quinones is it, his work in this issue was absolutely brilliant and very much in the same tone as Allred's. I've been very impressed by Quinones' covers on Captain Marvel recently, but his interior stuff may be even better. I'm a sucker for cut-out diagrams of the Baxter Building like Kirby used to do, and this issue's may be one of the best ever. The plot in this issue was mainly stuff moving slowly into place, but there were some great moments. I especially liked Ahura's mental confrontation with his dad, Black Bolt, that was very cool, but then I love everything Black Bolt, such a bad-ass character. I also like how Fraction is taking the time to actually develop the Yancy Street Gang and to modernise them for the 21st century. It's also surprising me how dark this book actually is, with the cartoonish art from both Mike Allred and now Quinones and the bright colours of Laura Allred, you think this title is a whole barrel of kitschy fun, but there's a darkness beneath it, especially with Scott Lang, his nightmares, his talking to a picture of his daughter, it's moving and worrying. The ending of the issue was great too, the Negative Zone! Oh yeah, it's on. And also, what was with that scene where one of the Moloids declares that it's a woman? Are supposed to think that it's a transgender Moloid? Or it's just the first one to realise that there are different genders? Because I seem to remember some big-boobed Moloid women in Jason Aaron's Hulk run. Are we supposed to find it hilarious or is that Uncanny Avengers #5 levels of offensive? And I thought Hickman's FF was confusing!
Guardians Of The Galaxy #2– If I was one of those comics fans who got offended at the drop of a hat, I would be absolutely furious at this comic. HOW DARE BENDIS INSULT CAPTAIN BRITAIN LIKE THIS? IT'S BRIT-PHOBIC! Or something like that. But I'm not a dick, so I just laughed at Iron Man being his usual cocky asshole self and got on with my life. See how easy it is? This was another strong issue of GotG from Bendis and McNiven (and Sara Pichelli too, who is just getting better and better), they really bring the action in this issue, it's some of the best space-fighty stuff I've read in a while. It's both fantastical and real at the same time. This issue is divided into two, the first being the aforementioned awesome action-movie fight scene, and the second being a flashback to J'Son of Spartax (Star-Lord's dad) gathering a bunch of other Cosmic King-types like Gladiator and Annihilus and the Supreme Intelligence and trying to convince them to take out Earth. This was a very good scene, as J'Son (and Spartax) deftly lays out years of Marvel continuity and explains in a way that makes sense why little old Earth is such a big threat. I think my favourite thing about this issue is how bad-ass Bendis has made Rocket Raccoon, I always liked him before under DnA's pen, but here, he's a hardened killer, the repetition of 'murdered you' was cool as heck. It's clear that Bendis sees Rocket as the 'Wolverine' of this team, and now Drax like you might expect. I'm still not sure even this take on the character will work in a movie, but hey, it's awesome in the comics and that's what's most important.
Uncanny X-Men #5– I was initially sceptical when I saw that Frazer Irving would be drawing an arc of Uncanny. I love Irving's art, but I doubted whether it would be a good fit for such mainstream characters. Luckily, Bendis seems to have realised this and has given Irving a story to draw that takes place in his kind of milieu, Limbo. I was very impressed by the art in this issue, it really worked. The main focus here is of course, Magik, a character I don't really know that much about. I guess I missed the story where she came back from the dead, but ever since then, she's been kind of hard to like, and almost a villain really. In this issue Bendis goes some way towards making her sympathetic again, whilst at the same time reminding us of just how dangerous she is. Magik is not just a mutant, she's also heavily involved in, well, magic, and it makes her a unique, powerful character. The scenes where she flips and takes out Dormammu were fantastic, and the way Irving's art depicted the hellfire was something else. As we've come to expect from Bendis' X-Men titles, he makes room in amongst the crazy, big stuff that's going on for some humorous and telling character moments like the Stepford Cuckoos reacting badly to flirting or Tempus getting a crush on Cyclops. I also liked OG Angel's tentative conversation with Magneto, where he's surprised by how less crazy Mags is these days. Both of Bendis' X-books continue to be just brilliant, I can't separate them, can anyone else? Which is better, All-New or Uncanny?
Wolverine & The X-Men #28– It's the conclusion of the field-trip to the Savage Land, and what an enjoyable arc this has been. The artwork from Ramon Perez has been excellent, and it allowed Aaron to focus on a smaller grouping of his insanely large cast and give each of them a lot more character development. Hell, you could even say that Wolverine himself has grown because of this story, which is rare for him. I think my favourite moment in this issue was the unexpected bad-ass that is Eye Boy. He's a mutant with a power that could be considered incredibly lame, but Aaron is looking at it differently from most, and you get to see how it may actually be useful to have eyes all over yourself, not only would you have awesome aim, but you'd be able to see things others wouldn't, like picking up on little tics like Sherlock Holmes or something. Eye Boy, the baddest man in comics, ladies and gentlemen. Also interesting was the hint that there's still some of Old Broo inside the mind of his current savage self, and that Quentin Quire had a moment of heroism! It's also cool that Glob Herman has now formally defected to the Hellfire Club, and that Sauron is involved with them! That's pretty damn exciting. What else… hmm.. oh yeah, Dog! He's a surprisingly effective villain, because he's not really a villain, I actually felt sorry for him in this issue, I wonder what's next for him? It looks like next issue is set in the future, more time-travel shenanigans, which should be good, will he, or his future self, be involved?
East Of West #2– Hickman and Dragotta's crazy sci-fi western continues, and I'm really digging this book and the entire world that has been created here. I know I complain about Hickman and his portentous slow builds, but I think it works much better here in a self-contained creator-owned universe than in the Marvel Universe. Here, I'm just enjoying learning more and more about his alternate world and any hint is a good thing. There were some truly bravura sequences in this issue, especially the opening, where the 3 Horsemen ended up killing their way through almost all of the Government before they found a new President that meets their criteria. I also really liked the scene where the new President meets her opposite numbers from each of the other Nations that make up America. It was pure exposition, but I'm already very interested to see what's behind the likes of Cheveyo and John Freeman and what's going on in their countries. Just like with Saga, it's clear that Hickman has a real handle on this world and it's deep back-story, and as long as he packs the rest of the issues with as much intriguing and exciting stuff and keeps Death as an amazing bad-ass then I'm pumped to find out more. Nick Dragotta's artwork is great too, his work meshes wonderfully with Frank Martin's colours and the book just looks beautiful. This is such a good comic so far and I have so many questions, why are the leaders of the world trying to end the world? Why would Death have a wife? Is the big Indian dude palling around with Death able to turn into a Tiger or something? What's the deal with the upside down Triforce? Is Death actually Link? I dunno!
Jupiter's Legacy #1– I'm sure everyone was looking forward to this comic. Mark Millar doing a massive superhero story once more, and he's joined by none other than Frank Fucking Quitely. How could it not be great? Well, the artwork is of course up to Quitely's usual high standards (I know some people don't like his work, but quite frankly, those people are idiots), this is a beautiful looking comic and I'm looking forward to poring over it in the coming weeks before #2 comes out. As for the story itself, it's promising, but it's not all there yet for me. We open in 1932, as a group of intrepid explorers are searching for a mysterious island that their leader believes will help them save America from it's economic and social woes. They find the island, and for unexplained reasons, become superheroes. Jump cut to the present day and these superheroes are still around, but the real trouble is with their ne'er-do-well children, who are more interested in making money and fucking around than saving the world. It's an interesting high concept, as Millar's creator-owned work always is, but so far we're only at the introductory stage, and not much more than scene-setting has taken place at this point. There are some very interesting bits here and there, the argument between Utopian (the Superman analogue) and his brother was very good, and kind of a summation of the last 20 years of superhero discourse, should they interfere in the real world? Millar and Quitely's last collaboration in The Authority featured heroes that most definitely did interfere, will they do so here? Just like in The Authority, Millar does really well at exploring the idea of superheroes as celebrities and interestingly, showing how America is just as fucked now as it was in 1929. But I still think the real story of Jupiter's Legacy won't start until #2. Do we know how long this series is going to run? I thought I heard 4 issues at one point, but I'm not sure if that's right. I think this world is rich enough to warrant maybe 12 issues if Quitely can do that. One thing that stood out to me was how much this comic seems like Millar's love letter to superheroes as a whole, the whole 'summit of American aspiration' thing, it's powerful stuff, and much more earnest than the normally cynical Millar. His last earnest comic was the wonderful Superior, I hope this can be as good as that, it already looks as good.
I hope you enjoyed this one, it was pretty long, but I think each comic had something interesting about it. My favourite book this week was probably Uncanny Avengers #7, it was just crazy, I mean, they killed a Celestial!
Next week should be good too, DC are back in full force with new issues of Aquaman, Action Comics and more. As well as more Marvel, including Francavilla on Hawkeye, an intriguing new arc of Iron Man and more Thanos Rising.
Follow me on Twitter @NiamSuggitt and visit my blog niamsuggitt.tumblr.com. There's a link to my review of Iron Man Three on there and an article about Superman and Lois Lane that turned out to be pretty controversial.
Written or Contributed by Niam Suggitt
by Draco x » Sat Apr 27, 2013 11:01 amNice reviews, Punchy.
by Punchy » Sat Apr 27, 2013 12:01 pm
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Talk:St. Petroc Monastery (Cascades, Tasmania)
I'm not sure why the whole article was deleted - the article as part of the Orthodoxy in Australia series was okay. The attempt at character assassination on a monastic wasn't. I'm a little suspicious based upon the statement 'baptized and chrismated by ROCOR due to "previous ordination"' - suggesting a lack of familiarity with reception into the Orthodox Church, or the standard practices of ROCOR. In any case, the article should stick to the facts of the monastery - and the ecclesiastical life of its members. Information from ROCOR AUS/NZ would be best. And, of course, the article should be under the title Saint Petroc Monastery - its official title (no 'of' and Saint unabbreviated.) - Aristibule
- I reverted the blanking. Feel free to edit the article to be more correct and charitable. —Fr. Andrew talk contribs (THINK!) 20:01, 2 November 2005 (CST)
I corrected minor items, removed the bio for now until an official one is received from the Archdiocese: I believe that is the source for the episcopal biographies on Orthodoxwiki? In any case, the bio was irrelevant to the article and included details that don't pertain to the life of a monastic. The numbers of those at the monastery has changed over time - novices have come and gone. I'll flesh out the article later from official sources, and also provide a companion article for sister monastery in the US. - Aristibule
- Most of the bios on OrthodoxWiki are from official sources, news sources, and historical references. That is, they're verifiable and documented, especially when including potentially controversial information. —Fr. Andrew talk contribs (THINK!) 20:19, 2 November 2005 (CST)

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The one bright spot in the American economy continues to be the growth in U.S. exports. The Chicago Tribune reports today:
The economy is chugging along on the strength of foreign demand, even as many Americans cut back on basic purchases outside of food and fuel.
That was the message in Tuesday's report on the trade deficit, which unexpectedly narrowed in June despite record prices for oil and energy imports.
Demand for exports rose 4 percent, the biggest monthly gain in 41/2 years, to the highest level ever. Foreign customers snapped up $164.4 billion in American-made automobiles, electronics, food, industrial supplies and other products, the Commerce Department said.


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Well Nektarios, it seems you thought I was trying to insinuate, wrongly might I add, that all converts are stupid. Nowhere did I say this. Nor did I mention anywhere that the entirety of converts all do the same thing. You seem to be generalizing. Nevertheless, you can't deny the fact that there are people who seek constant attention and want someone to tell them how to live their lives. This is what attracts people to cults. I am very familiar with the role of the Spiritual Father in the Orthodox tradition. What I think is wrong when the Spiritual Father goes beyond Spiritual Father, and becomes a person's GURU of sorts.
Call me stupid, but why do people read so much into this Harry Potter stuff? It's just like the Matrix, people write tomes on possible interpretations.If you enjoy reading Harry Potter, by all means go ahead, but I don't see any particular reason to write essays on why it is good/bad.
Thus I find it incredibly annoying when someone who isn't even Orthodox pontificates on Elders being guru cultists and a phenomon of converts.
In England, the first book was called "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." I wonder if the title had remained the same here in the States whether there would have been such a backlash against the books. You have to admit that changing "philosopher's stone" to "sorcerer's stone" might give Christians pause.
Personally, I am an adult Orthodox Christian without an Elder (Staretz, Geron) to guide me. Sometimes, however, I think this seeking after eldership can go too far and result in a cult around the Elder, even if the Elder does not encourage such, IMHO. I do have my parish priest, who is also my normal father-confessor, however, and I do know a hieromonk and another parish priest fairly well, and if I have questions of a spiritual or moral nature, I raise them with them. But as far as the Harry Potter books, I don't see them as important or influential enough in my own life to even bother my confessor, the hieromonk or the other priest with such trivia.Hypo-Ortho
Cults can form around anyone, even JK Rowling and Harry Potter. Nobody is above deception in this regard.
My thoughts are that it is strange we readily accept and recommend others to read Harry Potter, but we question the influences of an Orthodox Spiritual Father as cultic.
Why should any Elder actually read Harry Potter to have an opinion about it?
I too have noticed among some people, converts of course, that a "cult of elder" does in fact take place
Regarding Harry Potter... I believe on this forum we have demonstrated the following:1) There is nothing Christian or Orthodox about it, but some Christians will go to much trouble to try and justify this work of fiction. They will also stoop to justify their opinions by comparing SAT scores and talking about whether or not they are cradle-Os or converts.
2) It has a very deep influence on those who read the books. I would almost say it has a greater impact on adults than children. I haven't met anyone yet who hasn't gotten totally wrapped up in them.
3) There is a near cult-like religious following of readers who will undoubtedly buy, read and keep reading all the books. Some have read the 900 page book multiple times since it was released. All in the name of entertainment... How can this be a "good thing?"
If you want to be entertained... we certainly can watch our life tick away, feeding our own fallen imagination while we escape into a realm of JK Rowlings fallen imagination... However, let's not argue about whether or not the books have merit beyond a purely worldly and pagan work of fiction. There really is little difference between JK Rowling, Steven King and/or Robert Jordan.
If the Church is a hospital of souls, it's important to find a good doctor to be your spiritual father. Certainly, we are all fallen, but there are some who are purified or trying to be purified... Some may even be illumined... My spiritual father isn't a monk, he's a married priest who is the chaplain of a monastry. He lives very piously and tries to teach us moderation in all things. I have not asked him about Harry Potter, but I know in similar circumstances he hasn't given blessing to read such things. The monastry is also one of Elder Ephraim's.
Our imaginations are fallen...
Feeding our imagination is not exactly the best way toward deification. Neither would be eating lots of food, sleeping too much, or doing a whole lot of things that some might consider "delights"... most of all me. Notice that these things aren't all-together bad, but they can be.
We can blow much wind at this debate, but I believe those who say HP is evil do not need to dig too deeply in order to find what they are looking for.
Let's compare just one thing... I don't have much time... This will be short.JRR Tolkien & CS Lewis versus HP...JRRT & CS both used magical elements in their books... BUT, it was the bad guys who were considered witches and wizards... There was no glorification of magic in itself. From my memory, those who were given powers (good and evil) were created that way, with the power...
I disagree firmly with your opinion about "delights" and "entertainments" in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were not "fallen" and did not have the same sort of need for modern entertainments that we currently call "delights".
JRRT & CS both used magical elements in their books... BUT, it was the bad guys who were considered witches and wizards... There was no glorification of magic in itself. From my memory, those who were given powers (good and evil) were created that way, with the power...
HP in it's own humanistic way takes a child and leads him through an education in the black arts...
The problem with JK Rowling is not that the word "magic" is used, but that the entire basis of the story is that a boy is studying to be a warlock. I can't see how this is defensible in the name of entertainment. I'll repeat what I said before... There is no difference between JK Rowling, Steven King or Robert Jordan... Those who attempt to "conjure" a Christian message are being dishonest with themselves.
I think you can say ~ In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and post with charitable and prayerful intentions.
This topic was locked. I don't know why exactly, and so I'm going to go out on a limb and unlock it. The argument that one cannot intelligently and accurately say something about a book without having read it first seems true enough. I know I haven't read HP; I have enough to read without it, and such things just don't interest me, and quite frankly, I am not sure why so many chase after HP to the extent that it seems to be pop culture madness rather than great literature. But I don't pretend to be an authority on it. On the other hand, I wonder how absolute this is. Can a person take issue with a book without having read it and not come across as talking outside of both sides of one's mouth? Depending on the reason, I think one could make that kind of case. Certainly, I think that, at the very least, some would say it is always better to err on the side of caution when discouraging the reading of HP. So, I'm opening up the thread again so that interested people can discuss these things. But I want to see the discussion carried out in a civil manner. In some posts, snide comments seem to be made, and there are hints of sarcasm. Surely, one can make an intelligent argument either way without resorting to this sort of thing. If I begin to see that this is impossible, I will not hesitate to lock it again. Thanks.
Hypo-Ortho, I heard from a friend that HP V has been released as a book on tape/CD. Perhaps you could "read" it that way, if you can get it from the library.Ebor
Heres my 2 cents.I personally rather see kids reading, even if its absolute crap, than say watching TV or sitting around eating junkfood.Bobby
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Six Movies with Books as Horrifying as 'Evil Dead''s Necronomicon
Outside of Cthulhu, the Necronomicon might be the most infamous creation of horror author H.P. Lovecraft's career. The book, allegedly written by mad Arab Abdul Alhazred, first turns up in the author's 1924 short story The Hound – and from there, it's become arguably the most infamous title in the history of the dark arts. Impressive, since it doesn't actually exist.
Like so many of Lovecraft's creations, the Necronomicon became a pop-culture touchstone only after the author's death. In the years since Lovecraft's passing, the book has served as a key plot element in many different novels, movies, comics and television shows, becoming the most obvious choice whenever a tale calls for a grimoire that can bring about bad things.
Fede Alvarez's reboot of Evil Dead (in theaters now) is the latest film to use Lovecraft's manifest of the macabre as a focal point – which isn't the least bit surprising since Sam Raimi's earlier films helped make the text a household name (although, it should be noted that the spellbook used in the original film was entitled the Naturon Demonto and was a Sumerian riff on the Tibetan Book of the Dead. The Necronomicon didn't appear until 1987's Evil Dead 2, and was rechristened the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis). Yet, for as evil as the Necronomicon is, it's hardly the only bad book to be featured in a Hollywood film. Here are six other terrible tomes you wouldn't want to have on your Kindle.
The Book of the Dead – The Mummy
Stephen Sommers' 1999 reimagining of The Mummy is interesting in that it features not one mystical book, but two. This high adventure finds treasure-hunters Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz unintentionally reviving Imhotep from his ancient slumber after Weisz reads a page from The Book of the Dead aloud.
The revived high priest then goes after everyone who disturbed the tomb of his love, and it's only with the power of the Book of Amun-Ra that Fraser and Weisz can wrap things up once and for all.
In the grand hierarchy of evil books, The Book of the Dead is pretty potent stuff – the power to resurrect the dead is one that can be used in a lot of dangerous ways, although it seems unlikely to actually lead to mankind's complete downfall. Despite not having potentially world-altering capabilities, this piece of supernatural nonfiction is still dangerous enough to make our list.
The Three Mothers – Inferno
"I do not know what price I shall have to pay for breaking what we alchemists call Silentium, the life experiences of our colleagues should warn us not to upset laymen by imposing our knowledge upon them." -- The Three Mothers, E. Varelli
Our next book of forbidden knowledge has no inherent magical powers or rituals, but reading it will reveal secrets better left unknown…
The Three Mothers figures prominently into Dario Argento's 1980 film Inferno. The title, which is the spiritual successor to the director's Suspiria, features another of the director's wicked "Three Mothers" – witches who rule the world from their elaborately designed homes in New York, Freiburg and Rome.
Suspiria focuses on the first mother, Mater Suspiriorum (the Mother of Sighs), while Inferno looks to expand the mythology and focuses on Mater Tenebrarum (the Mother of Darkness).
Irene Miracle opens a door better left shut when she discovers an old book entitled The Three Mothers. The strange tome was written by an architect named E. Varelli, and describes how these three wicked witches rule the world from their secret homes. Miracle becomes convinced that she's living in the same building as Mater Tenebrarum based on clues in the book -- and she and her brother become embroiled in a fight for their lives as the witch empties her cauldron in an effort to keep her identity a secret.
Varelli's The Three Mothers might be the least powerful occult artifact on our list, but it's still worthy of mention because cracking it open tends to always unleash the darkness.
The Collected Works of Sutter Cane – In the Mouth of Madness
"…as in the same second he saw them spill and tumble upward out of an enormous carrion black pit, choked with the gleaming white bones of countless unhallowed centuries. He began to back away from the rip as the army of unspeakable figures twilit by the glow from the bottomless pit came pouring at him toward our world."– In the Mouth of Madness, Sutter Cane
While most of the books featured on this list are dusty tomes long forgotten, books that require a Herculean effort to obtain, the works of one Sutter Cane are terrifying because of how easily accessible they are. You could march right down to your local Barnes & Noble and pick up any one of the author's books in paperback format for a few bucks in the cinematic world John Carpenter creates in his 1995 movie.
Cane's work – a series of Lovecraftian pastiches with Stephen King overtones -- serves as the catalyst for the end of the world in John Carpenter's underappreciated film. Titles like The Hobb's End Horror might sound cheesy and innocuous, but Cane's collective fiction is something much darker – an invocation designed to spread madness and resummon the Elder Gods -- masquerading as popular fiction. His final creation, In the Mouth of Madness, is the culmination of his multistage ritual. Bad things await everyone who reads it.
The collected works of Sutter Cane are one of the most dangerous collections of forbidden knowledge on the list, if only because the reader has no idea that he's stumbled on to something incredibly powerful and malevolent. Sam Neill learns that the hard way in the film.
Interesting trivia: most of the text attributed to Sutter Cane is actually taken from H.P. Lovecraft's works.
The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows – The Ninth Gate
We start our next chapter in this tale of frightening film fiction with a book authored by Lucifer himself: The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows.
The Nine Gates sits at the center of Roman Polanski's mesmerizing The Ninth Gate – an occult thriller starring Johnny Depp based on Arturo Perez-Reverte's novel The Club Dumas. In the film (which branches off from the novel), Depp is tasked with determining which of three remaining copies of The Nine Gates is legitimate for his shady employer.
The real book contains a ritual allowing the owner to conjure Lucifer directly – and presumably acquire great power. However, figuring out which book is legitimate proves more dangerous than Depp's character ever imagined.
In the pantheon of cinematic books of forbidden knowledge, The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows is right up there with the best of them. Anything that allows a person to conjure the devil directly has to be bad news, right?
The Book of Eibon – The Beyond
Woe be unto him who opens one of the seven gateways to Hell, because through that gateway, evil will invade the world. – The Book of Eibon
Lucio Fulci's The Beyond is one of my favorite Italian horror movies. A woman renovates a hotel built on one of the seven gates of Hell (funny how Fulci tells us there are seven, while Polanski says there are nine. Ryuhei Kitamura's Versus, meanwhile, posits there are 666…) and opens it – bringing forth a zombie apocalypse (which was only included to appease a German marketplace that was crazy about zombies at the time of the film's release).
Yet, amidst all the zombies, face-eating tarantulas, and other gory goodies in Fulci's film, there's also The Book of Eibon. The question is, is the book part of the cause of the supernatural shenanigans or the solution? Fulci never makes that 100% clear.
What is clear is that the eldritch tome – which was first mentioned by author Clark Ashton Smith and later appropriated by Lovecraft (it appears in The Dreams in the Witch House, The Horror in the Museum and The Shadow Out of Time) – is filled with arcane knowledge and forgotten lore. If you stumble across this one in the stacks at your university library, we think it's best if you turn around and walk the other way…
Interesting trivia: The Book of Eibon was the second time Fulci used a piece of occult literature in his work. The Beyond's spiritual precursor City of the Living Dead utilized The Book of Enoch in a similar fashion.
The Grand Grimoire – Warlock
The spell book. All witches keep grimoires, yet one is indestructible, one is the bible of black magic - the Grand Grimoire. Always witches have lusted for it, and now, here, I find a page - one lone page! -- Redferne
We wrap things up with one of the most powerful books ever featured in any film – The Grand Grimoire.
The Grand Grimoire is right up there with The Necronomicon – at least as it's portrayed in Steve Miner's 1989 film Warlock. What's so special and terrifying about this creepy codex? It contains the true name of God – and if satanic minion Julian Sands finds it and says that name backwards, it will undo all of creation. Yikes.
The text in the film is so powerful that it's been separated into three sections and hidden across America in hopes of preventing anyone from recovering it and unleashing the dark magic contained within its pages. Sands' warlock uses all the powers of Hell at his disposal in an attempt reassemble the treatise, with only a 17th-century witch hunter (Richard E. Grant) and an '80s party girl (Lori Singer) standing between him and his goal.
Interestingly enough, The Grand Grimoire is allegedly a real work of nonfiction that contains instructions for summoning Lucifer in order to make a pact with the dark lord.
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Definition of inker
n. - One who, or that which, inks; especially, in printing, the pad or roller which inks the type. 2
The word "inker" uses 5 letters: E I K N R.
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c - nicker d - kinder kirned f - knifer i - inkier j - jerkin jinker l - linker relink p - pinker s - inkers reinks sinker t - reknit tinker w - winker
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Book review: The Blind Men and the Elephant
This excellent book by David Schmaltz challenges the reader to examine the fundamental views they have of themselves and their work. It asks: What do you want? What is your purpose? Can you find 'your project' within each project you undertake? If you cannot enagage and participate meaningfully on a project, then can you - should you - participate at all?
Some sample quotes:
- "A healthy human system... reveres variety over similarity, choice over command"
- "We need more than horseflesh on our projects today - we need the active questioning judgement of every [individual]"
- "There are always 101 good reasons why I can't plan my project yet... No one wins this contest by generating 102 good reasons to plan. They win by generating one small reasonably good reason to plan anyway and then just getting started"
- "Don't allow yourself to be a Village Idiot, dependent on others to tell you the meaning of your own experience"
'Blind Men' is short, well written, inspirational and thought-provoking, and I can't recommend it highly enough. It lays bare the lack of humanity in a typical project environment, and considers what would happen if the Master-Slave relationships that bind us were stripped away to allow true group coherence to emerge. Read it!


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Andretti: 'Never Doubted Team, Myself'
Andretti Autosport entered the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season with three entrant championships, two Indianapolis 500 victories and 36 wins since 2003. The knock, however, has been what had the four-car team led by Michael Andretti done lately.
Earning the series championship and winning the Indy 500 in '07 with Dario Franchitti, the team collected four victories and 57 top-five finishes (of 58 collective races among seven drivers) the succeeding three seasons. In the first half of this season, Andretti Autosport already has equaled its Victory Circle appearances of 2010 and '08.
Marco Andretti's exciting duel with former teammate Tony Kanaan to the checkered flag in the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer under the lights June 25 at Iowa Speedway, in which he prevailed by 0.7932 of a second, followed up Mike Conway's win in mid-April on the streets of Long Beach.
"It was a big win for us for sure," said team owner Michael Andretti, who has 42 Indy car victories on his ledger. "I think a lot of people were really pounding on us and thought we were down and out, but I can tell you this team has got tons of fight in it and we are never out."
On the .875-mile Iowa Speedway oval, Andretti started 17th and weaved through traffic to move into second behind Franchitti with a Lap 152 pass of Takuma Sato. He overtook Franchitti two laps later. A determining factor to remaining up front, and setting up the race to the finish with Kanaan, was a Lap 184 pit stop when Andretti's No. 26 Team Venom Energy car charged out ahead of Franchitti's car. Andertti and Kanaan exchange the lead in the final 47 laps, with Andretti grabbing the point for good on Lap 232.
"I'm happy for all the Venom guys; they did a great job," Michael Andretti said. "The last pit stop they brought him out P1. They did it when we needed it. It was just really truly a team effort, and Marco drove a hell of a race there in the end. He was beating the best. He had Tony out there, he had Dario, (Scott) Dixon and he drove very well there in the end.
"I'm just so happy and relieved for (Marco). There's been a huge monkey on his back, and it was on mine, as well. There was just a lot of pressure on us, him as a driver, me as an owner, because of some of the past things that happened at Indy and stuff. So to come back and win like this, it was just a great, great day."
In the nine races, its lineup of Danica Patrick, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Conway and Andretti have amassed four top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Patrick posted her third consecutive top 10 in the No. 7 Team GoDaddy car after starting on the front row, and Hunter-Reay started and finished eighth in the No. 28 Team DHL/Circle K/Sun Drop Citrus Soda entry.
Andretti gained four positions in the standings to eighth with the win.
For the third-generation Indy car driver, the 78-race gap between victories (Aug. 27, 2006 at Infineon Raceway as a 19-year-old rookie) was a rocky road of racing experiences and maturation.
"We've been in a position to win a lot of races and we've come up short," said Andretti, who had three runner-up finishes between wins. "I never doubted the team, never doubted myself. I always said as soon as the stars were aligned and a little bit of luck goes my way that we'd be sitting here.
"I think it's just the drought, so to speak, just made me appreciate what we have here in IndyCar racing. From the drivers to the teams, it just makes us appreciate being here that much more because we know we beat those guys. The competition is unbelievable."


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Pioneering Music Educator Brenda Brenner to Present Carleton Convocation
Submitted by Jessica Paxton on Fri, 02/08/2013 - 3:57pm
Feb 15 2013 10:50 am
Location:Skinner Memorial Chapel, Carleton College
Brenda Brenner, a violinist and pioneering music educator who is currently an assistant professor of music at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, will deliver Carleton's convocation address on Friday, Feb. 15. Brenner's talk, entitled "Finding Our Shared Humanity: Cross-Cultural Connections in Music," will discuss her influential work with underprivileged and underachieving elementary school students in Bloomington, Ind. Convocation is held from 10:50-11:50 a.m. in the Skinner Memorial Chapel, and it is free and open to the public. Convocations are also streamed live and can be viewed online at http://apps.carleton.edu/events/convocations/.
Brenner has been widely recognized for her work in music education; she has attempted to perfect methods of teaching music to children and to tie music education to overall improvement. Brenner has led a program (funded by anonymous donors) that brings string instruments to Fairview Elementary School, which serves low-income sections of Bloomington. Brenner and other instructors, including Brenner's own students from IU, teach first-grade classes at Fairview several times per week as part of the program. Brenner's research explores whether music education can have a positive impact on children's lives and on truancy rates. Brenner has said that she hopes to create a model for other schools in Indiana, where musical education in public schools generally does not start until fifth or sixth grade.
"I'm not just teaching where to put your fingers and how to sound good on the instrument; I'm teaching a whole variety of different skills that are necessary," Brenner told IU's website before the start of the program. "And if there turns out to be no measurable academic effect, that's OK with me too, because we're going to have a great time, and we're going to love to play the violin together."
Brenner is no stranger to Carleton; she taught in the music department before leaving in 1993 to take a position at Indiana University. She previously returned last September for a concert with Carleton pianist Ken Huber, a long-time collaborator who has performed with Brenner in concerts across the United States. Before coming to Carleton Brenner served as an instructor at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, where she was a member of the award-winning Augustine Quartet. In addition to her teaching position, Brenner is also the assistant director of the IU String Academy and the IU Retreat for Professional Violinists and Violists, and she teaches and conducts in the IU Summer String Academy.
For more information about this event, including disability accommodations, contact the Carleton College Office of College Relations at (507) 222-4308. The Skinner Memorial Chapel is located on First Street between College and Winona Streets in Northfield.


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June 1, 2009
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The award-winning 2008-09 campaign for the MIT women's cross country and track & field teams continued last week as the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released the final standings for the Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year Award. The Engineers finished sixth among all Division III programs by virtue of their impressive performances at the NCAA Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Teams received points based on their finish at the three Championship meets with the lowest total score determining the award winner.
In November, the Cardinal and Grey achieved a 10th place finish in its first ever team appearance at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship. Tech then captured the Division III New England Indoor Track & Field Championship before finishing in 16th at the National meet. In the spring the Engineers added another New England Division III title before securing a top 10 showing at the NCAA Outdoor Championship.
In addition to these performances, MIT earned seven All-America honors while the cross country and outdoor squads each won New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) crowns for the second time in three years.
After leading his teams to this unprecedented run of success, Halston Taylor was rewarded with the NEWMAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year award while also to being named the USTFCCCA New England Women's Track and Field Coach of the Year.
Wartburg College received the initial Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year honor. Wartburg earned six points in the 2008-09 school year, finishing fourth overall in the cross country Championship in the fall to earn four points, and capturing National Championships in both indoor and outdoor track & field for two additional points. Tech finished with a total of 38.5 points, the lowest score of any program in the New England region.


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Photo: Starbucks might be known around the nation for their coffee, but they also make some pretty good kickstands :)
So yeah, it was 50 degrees when I left this morning. 50. That doesn't sound bad at all, does it? That sounds like a good time to throw on my MTB shorts and maybe a long sleeve t-shirt for my trip to the bus. I wore a long t-shirt (grey) and a white t-shirt over that for a little extra warmth and visibility, and my lime reflective vest over that.
Note to self, 20+ miles is a bit of a haul when you're cold! I should have worn my windbreaker and my full-finger gloves. My legs weren't too bad in shorts, surprisingly.
Anyhow, it was a pleasant ride. I left a bit later than I did on Monday, to get down town closer to 6:45 than to 6:20. As I approached the intersection of Merriam Lane and Johnson Drive, I saw something ahead. Blinking lights and a bright yellow jacket... Another commuter? The bike was pretty far ahead but seemed to have a single pannier on the drive side.
I picked up the pace a bit to reel in the cyclist, if for nothing more than to exchange greetings and salutations, and caught up around Antioch. As it turns out, it was an older woman named Karen who's been commuting by bike for longer than I've been alive. She lives in JoCo somewhere and works at the IRS. I guess there are a few other bicycle commuters that use the same route as well, including her husband on occasion. It was kind of cool to actually run into someone... ANYONE else that commutes by bike. Monday, with the exception of exchanging a wave with Jeff who was going the other direction, I was the only cyclist in sight. Caroline and I parted ways around Boulevard Brewery, and I continued onward.
Initial reaction to the panniers? AWESOME! Having the weight balanced and lower-slung than being strapped down to my rack is great. The bike's handling feels a bit sluggish compared to when the weight is on my back, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Even with all the extra weight, the Trek 1200's handling isn't any worse than my unencumbered Diamondback Outlook hybrid.
Anyhow, I'm going to try to warm up for a bit before riding the last few blocks to the office. Tonight's ride should be more pleasant, in the low 70's. I'll get out of town a little later than I wanted to, since I have a performance review with my boss today starting at 4:00, which is when I usually try to hit the road.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
B2WW Day 3: Chilly!
Photo: Starbucks might be known around the nation for their coffee, but they also make some pretty good kickstands :)
2 comments:
- A Midnight Rider said...
It is nice to meet other commuters. I see a couple daily but as I approach, they avoid eye contact looking straight ahead or down. That's going to play into my game plan next week when I have my camera.
All done for this week in SouthCoast Ma. with the nasy weather. Too bad, I was planning the full 30+ mile each way on Sunday.
- May 16, 2007 8:27 AM
- Brett said...
I've been seeing a few commuters on my route recently. I saw one yesterday and one on Monday.
I like your blog btw. Keep up the good work.
- May 16, 2007 11:23 AM
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text: Korean Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - 6 Month Gym Membership in Yeonhui Dong (175,000 won) Speak Korean Now! Korean Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in 6 Month Gym Membership in Yeonhui Dong (175,000 won) Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Buy/Sell/Trade Forum View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message cutebeccaJoined: 08 Sep 2005 Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 12:22 am Post subject: 6 Month Gym Membership in Yeonhui Dong (175,000 won) The CHS gym in Yeonhui-dong (near Sahruga Supermarket) was having a 2-for-1 special on 6 month memberships. I paid the 6 month price, of 350,000won and I got two 6month memberships. If you want my second 6 month membership, we could split the price. 175,000won is really good for a 6 month membership. The gym is small, but it is convenient (if you live in Yeonhui dong) and it is open 24hrs/day, except for weekends and national holidays. Your membership would start whenever you want. It doesnt start when my membership starts. So if you want it to start next week, that's ok, and if you want it to start next month, then thats ok too. We just have to go into the gym together once to transfer my second 6 month membership into your name. It's very simple : ) PM me if you want it. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Buy/Sell/Trade Forum All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Forums:----------------FAQJob-related Discussion ForumGeneral Discussion ForumOff-Topic ForumTravel ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumBuy/Sell/Trade Forum You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Contact Dave's ESL Cafe Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved. Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group TEFL International Supports Dave's ESL Cafe


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Mike and Ike Original Fruits 2.12 OZ (60g)
Mike and Ike from Just Born
In 1940 Just Born introduced a fruit-flavoured range of candy called Mike and Ike. 70+ years later it is now one of the most recognsiable candy brands in America, if not the world. Here at American Soda, we LOVE Mike and Ike candy, so much so that we strive to get every new flavour combination the company produces.
The Mike and Ike characters split up in 2012 due to creative differences as part of a clever advertising campaign. As part of the promotion, every box of Mike and Ike candy had one or the other name scratched out, presumably by the other - see the image on the right!
In 2013, Just Born announced that the pair are getting back together. Fans of Mike and Ike are rejoicing at the news. We're just enjoying the movie trailer style ad campaign they've put together. Watch it for yourself in the Video tab!
This product is Gluten free
Sugar, *Corn Syrup, Modified Food Starch, Pear Juice from Concentrate, contains Less than 0.5% of the Following Ingredients: Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Confectioners Glaze, Carnauba Wax, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Magnesium Hydroxide, E
*Produced from genetically modified maize. **May have an adverse effect on activity & attention in children. Imported by CL Trading Ltd. Unit 3-7 Littlemoss Business Park, Droylsden, M43 7EF.


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By Rudy Ropp
With no Dodgers or Angels making the cut, here's a look at my 10 favorite bounce-back players who should deliver the most bang for your buck this season:
John Axford, Indians, relief pitcher:
After averaging 35 saves in his first three seasons, Axford lost his closer job in April and wound up with zero saves. Milwaukee traded Axford in July to St. Louis, where it was revealed that he was tipping his pitches. Still armed with a high-octane fastball that produces a plethora of strikeouts, Axford could be a top-10 closer that's going in the 17th round.
Curtis Granderson, Mets, outfield:
The Grandy Man was done in by two errant pitches last year, fracturing his forearm in spring training then his pinky in May. He was limited to 61 games, resulting in just seven homers after averaging 42 the previous two seasons. The groupthink on Granderson moving across town from the Yankees to the Mets will result in far fewer homers with the switch in ballparks, but he was only marginally better in Yankee Stadium over the past three season – 49 homers at home to 42 on the road. Granderson could return fourth-round value at a 10th-round price.
Jason Heyward, Braves, outfield:
Despite a second-half surge after being inserted into the leadoff spot, Heyward's production fell from 27 homers to 14 and 21 steals to two over the past two seasons. Heyward has Kemp's ceiling without all the surgeries and can be a top-20 player being drafted in the sixth round.
Tim Lincecum, Giants, SP:
The two-time Cy Young winner is coming off a second straight disappointing season, averaging 10 wins with a 4.76 ERA in that time. His main bugaboo has been the long ball, which if he gets back under control in cavernous AT&T Park could make him a top-20 starting pitcher being drafted in the in the 20th round.
Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks, catcher:
Montero slumped from 88 RBIs in 2012 to 42 last year and dropped from a .286 average to .230. He maintained his normal walk rate and didn't see a major uptick in strikeouts. It appears the bad season was mostly just a case of too many balls being hit right at defenders. Montero should be able to get back to being a top-10 catcher that you can get around the 20th round.
Angel Pagan, Giants, outfield:
Pagain was felled by a hamstring tear last year that eventually required surgery and cost him over half the season. He was coming off a three-year run where he averaged 33 steals and nine homers, but managed just nine steals and five homers last season. Concerns over how the hamstring injury may affect the 32-year-old's basestealing have Pagan going in the 21st round, about ten rounds later than he went the year before. As cheap as Pagan can be had, there's very little risk for what could be a tidy reward.
Josh Reddick, A's, outfield:
Reddick was bothered by wrist problems all season that wound up needing surgery in October. Reddick followed up his 32-homer breakout of 2012 with just 12 homers last season – five coming in a two-game outburst in August. There were two very good signs hidden in the disappointing season – his walk rate rose to a healthy 10.4% while his strikeout rate fell to 19.5%. The surgery was more of a cleanup, so I'm confident a big-time bounce-back is coming from the powerful outfielder being drafted in the 18th round.
CC Sabathia, Yankees, starting pitcher:
The Yankees ace never looked to be at full strength last year coming back from offseason surgery and finished with an unsightly 4.78 ERA. A thinned-down Sabathia picked up steam as spring training went on, giving me confidence that he can get back to being the 230-inning horse he was. He's going in about the 15th round but could pay off like a fifth-rounder.
Mark Teixeira, Yankees, first base:
Teixeira suffered a wrist injury last spring training that would eventually require season-ending surgery after a brief 15-game stint where he hit .151. His swing's been a little slow to come around this spring training, but the chance to get a player who averaged 34 homers and 110 RBIs in his first 10 seasons is too much to pass up in the 16th round.
Dan Uggla, 2B, Braves:
Uggla has been prone to long slumps before, but he was unable to break out of a tailspin that resulted in a .179 average last season. He was having vision problems that were addressed with lasik surgery last August, but the results didn't show on the field with a .091 post-surgery average that got him left off Atlanta's postseason roster. Uggla has looked good this spring and could get back to his 30-homer ways for the low price of a 24th-round pick (if your draft even goes that far!).
B.J. Upton, Braves, outfield:
In the pantheon of bad seasons, Upton's 2013 campaign ranks down there with the worst of them as he hit .184 with nine homers, 30 runs and 26 RBIs in 126 games. Fantasy owners are completely writing off a player who averaged 17 homers, 84 runs, 69 RBIs and 37 steals in his first five full seasons. Even a modest recovery would make him a steal going in the 21st round.
More Fantasy Baseball at www.rotoace.com.


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Garvey "The Chosen One" - BMF (DC Remix) [Unsigned Hype]
"DC based rapper Garvey "The Chosen One" remixes BMF and immortalizes Washington, DC head-hitter, Wayne "Silk" Perry. The government has called him a hit man, a contract killer, and even DC's worst-case scenario. Also, Tony Lewis a legend on Hanover Place and beyond. He was the partner of the District's most notorious drug dealer, Rayful Edmond III, whom authorities described as the city's largest cocaine importer, bringing in millions of dollars of Colombian cocaine each week from Los Angeles. The video directed by Bob Smoke was filmed on Hanover Place and features Tony Lewis Jr."
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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After starter Joe Berger missed Thursday night's game and backup Cory Procter left the game with a knee injury, the Dolphins might on the surface seem to be dealing with something of a crisis at the center position today.
Relax. They are not.
Berger, who started Miami's first nine games of the season after beating out Jake Grove for the spot, is expected to return to the lineup against Oakland when the Dolphins visit the Black Hole Nov. 28. It's not so much that Berger is expected to recover in time from the knee injury the team listed for him in declaring him out last week, although that apparently should be the case.
It's that, according to a club source, the "personal issue" that Berger is attending to should be sufficiently resolved by the week of the Oakland game.
The source declined to specify what issue Berger is dealing with but it seems clear that it as much as the knee is the reason the player missed Thursday's game. And again, the club expects the issue to be handled when Berger, who has been away from the team for a time, returns to work.
So the Dolphins don't necessarily need to go shopping for a starting center. They don't have to worry about continuing to play left guard Richie Incognito at the center position as he did much of Thursday night.
The team should be fine once Berger handles his business.
Follow me in twitter. No, really ... follow me.


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Choose from over 101 baby sharks or simply adopt them all! Discover their personalities as you feed, clean and care for your new pets. Bring out your pet's talents by training your shark in a variety of fun and wacky activities. Enter your shark into pet shows and earn money to buy exciting upgrades including toys, food, clothes, accessories and more! The more tricks you teach and the more games you play, the more fun you'll have! You'll never be bored with so many new best friends to pamper, play with and love!
Source: The Developer Website.


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Home > News & Events > Wayland Press Release Archives > 2002 News Releases > November 2002 > Wayland students share trip testimonies before BGCT visitors
Wayland students share trip testimonies before BGCT visitors
Two students from Wayland Baptist University shared testimonies about their summer mission trip to Kenya during the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting held here Nov. 11-12.
Jodi Henderson, a senior from Lubbock, and Mike Smith, a senior from Kingwood, had only a brief part on the Missions Emphasis Program held Tuesday night in Baylor University's Ferrell Center. But they were able to join with dozens of others who shared how missions work is being accomplished by Texas Baptists in the state and around the world.
The two students were "interviewed" during the program by Phyllis Gamble in a style similar to a television news magazine. Others presenting included the Singing Men of Texas, who toured in China; volunteers with Texas Baptist Men, River Ministry volunteers and a woman who ministered to visitors in Salt Lake City during the Winter Olympics.
Henderson and Smith were among 13 students who spent three weeks in Kenya along with Wayland Baptist Student Ministries Director Donnie Brown and Dr. Vaughn Ross, professor of science and former missionary to the country. The group worked in orphanages and with street children, did construction work for the Nyeri Baptist Academy and shared the gospel door-to-door among the Samburu tribe.


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Screech Owls - Box 9
Welcome to the Eastern Screech Owl Research Project. The purpose of this project is to study the Eastern Screech Owl behavior during the winter roosting and spring nesting periods. The winter roosting period is typically between October to March, and the nesting period from March to June. During the fall of 2011 PixController discovered an Eastern Screech owl roosting in one of the nest boxes they had put up. They quickly installed a webcam into the box to watch the owl. On advice from local screech owl expert, Dick Byers, they installed several more owl boxes in the same area and started a study to monitor their behavior. Although screech owls are fairly common little is known about their behavior since they are nocturnal.
During the first year of monitoring the owl boxes there eas a red phase owl using the boxes which was named Hunter. In 2013 PixController expanded the study to include six owl boxes in a dry wetland area which was called: "study area 1". Study area 1 has owl boxes #1 to #6. Three further owl boxes were installed in an over grown farmland field which is called study area 2, owl boxes: #7, #8, and #9. In study area 1 there is also an external pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) which we can remotely control and view all five cameras for an outside view. Study area 1 and study area 2 are about 300 yards apart.
This project is fully funded by PixController Inc. and by donations from our viewers for educational purposes. If you would like to know more about the project or become involved for educational purposes please Contact PixController. They would love to hear from you!
A major part of the success of this project belongs to Dick Byers of Stahlstown, PA. Dick's intimate knowledge of the screech owls has helped attract the birds and keep them in the study area.


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Private Parties
We'll do the cooking and mix the drinks while you and your guests enjoy the festivities.
The semi private room holds up to 40 but we can make special arrangements for larger groups.
Most popular options are our Taco and Fajita bars!
Stop in, call, or email for more information!
Fiesta can also prepare large quantities of our food for you to take home!
Gift Cards
Give a Fiesta Cancun gift card!
Any denomination!
Available for purchase in our Cantina.


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Stars seek improved effort as they battle Bluesby Davis Harper
BLUES (11-7-2) at STARS (10-9-2)
TV: NHLN-US, FS-Midwest, FS-Southwest
Last 10: St. Louis 5-3-2; Dallas 5-4-1
Season series: This is the second of three season meetings, and the second at American Airlines Center. In the first, David Perron scored twice during a three-goal second period for the Blues and St. Louis held on for a narrow 4-3 victory.
Big story: St. Louis and Dallas both entered the shortened campaign with high expectations, but neither team has been able to sustain the type of hot streak necessary to meet them. The Blues are coming off a win against Edmonton on Friday, just their second in five games, while the Stars fell to the Oilers on Thursday for their fourth loss in six outings.
Team Scope:
Blues: So far this season, St. Louis hasn't exactly been the lock-down defensive outfit hockey fans have come to expect. The Blues allow 2.80 goals per game and kill only 80 percent of penalties, good for 18th and 20th in the NHL, respectively. But with a few more 60-minute efforts like the one they put forth Friday against Edmonton, the Blues could again be among the League's defensive elite. After conceding two first-period goals, St. Louis put a vice on the explosive Oilers attack, allowing only 10 shots over the final 40 minutes and 17 for the game. The Blues scored twice in each of the final periods to skate off with a convincing 4-2 win.
"I thought our second period was excellent," coach Ken Hitchcock said, referring to a period in which Kevin Shattenkirk snapped an 0-for-14 streak with a power-play goal. "I thought we did a lot of good things in the second and really started to take the game over."
Stars: It's been a season of trends for Dallas, and unfortunately the most recent trend seems headed in a negative direction. The Stars ground out a 5-4 overtime win in Columbus on Tuesday and headed home to face Edmonton, a team Dallas had gone 11-1-0 against in its previous 12 meetings. The Oilers went some way to erasing that history by shelling the Stars on their home ice, 5-1. Edmonton took 38 shots and scored in every period, with Dallas managing only a late Jaromir Jagr goal on Oilers backup Devan Dubnyk.
"I told players not to be at the rink tomorrow," coach Glen Gulutzan said after the game. "This was a stinker."
Who's hot: Blues rookie Jaden Schwartz skated on the top line with T.J. Oshie and David Backes on Friday, injecting some needed energy along with a goal and an assist.
"The line was good," Hitchcock said, "but he was the catalyst. He played very well. He played the right way, which was really good to see. I thought he gave the line some real moxie. They were able to read off of him. I thought he played his best obviously for us."
Injury report: Schwartz got his chance on the top line due in part to some key injuries to Blues wingers. Alexander Steen (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Saturday, while Andy McDonald (knee) and Vladimir Tarasenko (concussion) are day-to-day. … Philip Larsen (undisclosed) and Aaron Rome (foot) are day-to-day for Dallas, while Ray Whitney (foot) is expected back by mid-March.


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Cancer in remission for Neb. boy who made TD run
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The young boy with cancer whose touchdown run at the Nebraska spring football game was viewed by millions on the Internet is in remission, his father said Monday.
Jack Hoffman, now 8, captured the hearts of Nebraska football fans when, with the players' help, he ran 69 yards to score during April's intrasquad game. His scamper was viewed nearly 8.4 million times on YouTube and replayed on national television. The video also won an ESPY award as the "Best Moment."
Jack's father, Andy Hoffman, said the good news about the brain tumor came after an MRI test.
"Doctors came in and said this tumor is rock-solid stable," Hoffman said, noting doctors compared Wednesday's MRI to a baseline MRI done in June and saw the malignancy had stopped growing.
The encouraging news was tempered by warnings from the doctors: More than half of all kids in Jack's situation have relapses.
"We pray like crazy and hope Jack isn't in that segment," Hoffman said. But it's a long journey, he continued, "and the doctors have done a good job of preparing us."
Jack's tumor grew back after two surgeries in 2011, and it occupies a spot near his brain stem. The location is considered inoperable now, Hoffman said, but that could change.
The boy's future is filled with MRI scans: one every three months for the next year, every six months for the year following, and then once a year.
Jack is a second-grader at a school near the family's home in Atkinson, a city of about 1,240 people in north-central Nebraska.
The rest of his family will continue to raise money for cancer research through the Team Jack Foundation.
"We're not living life in fear," Hoffman said. "We're busy living."


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Chew on this: The heat is on!
Americans are heating up their favorite dishes, pouring on the hot sauce. And as Jane Wells found out, the hotter - and we do mean hotter - the better.
Plus, next time you pour yourself a cold one, why not try a beer milkshake! Tom Rotunno saddles up to the bar for a taste test.


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Schaeffler applies cookies to secure an optimal use. With the further use of this website you accept the application of cookies. More Information
Technical Product Information | 2017-05
Deep Groove Ball Bearings Generation C
Single row
Single row deep groove ball bearings are the most commonly used bearings in electric motors. They are cost-effective and have high axial and radial load capacities, are suitable for high speeds and operate with low noise. In the sealed version, the bearings are lubricated for life.
The product range of the Schaeffler Group includes all with inside diameters from 6 mm to 850 mm.
To ensure smooth running of deep groove ball bearings, it is important to choose the correct operating clearance and set a certain amount of axial preload. Our application engineers will help you choose the optimum design based on the parameters of the application. For example, the axial preload should be one to two percent of the dynamic load rating.
But with motors that are subjected to severe vibration, the preload can be increased to three to four percent of the dynamic load rating. This preload is achieved by using one or several springs depending on the bearing size and electric motor.
Deep groove ball bearings belong to the silent bearing types. The standard deep groove ball bearings from FAG, from smallest to largest diameter earn top ratings by best technical production quality of all components and by an interior design which focuses equally on load capacity and low noise.
Especially with small and medium size electric motors, low noise and less energy consumption are of extra importance. As a consequence FAG took measures to further enhance mid-size deep groove ball bearings.
The new Generation C Deep groove ball bearings are more silent, have lower friction and are available with optimized sealings.


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This blog discusses current weather, weather prediction, climate issues, and other topics
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Darkness and Now Redemption
Let's begin by examining a plot of cumulative solar radiation on my department's roof since the beginning of December through the end of the month (the numbers on the bottom are the number of hours into the month). This is a measure of the total solar radiation you could have soaked up at any point in the month. The black line is for December 2012 and red is normal (past 13 year average). For the first few days we were getting normal sun, but then we started falling behind more and more. Yes my friends it was darker much than normal.
A good way to start the New Year. And a happy new year to all of you!
14 comments:
Ha ha! I spent most of the month in Hawaii. Turned out to be a good choice this year. I usually go in January. Nice to be back and see the sunshine.
- January 1, 2013 at 11:01 AM
Btw, Happy New Year Cliff! Thanks for the effort you put in this fine blog of yours.
- January 1, 2013 at 11:03 AM
- Unknown said...
Happy New Year, Cliff.
This week we received a burn ban in Snohomish and Pierce counties. King does not have one. I've seen this a few times. Driving from a clear Bellevue last night we encounter fog in Canyon Park as we drove into Snohomish Co. So, is the a reason why King County is clear? Elevation difference, more upper level wind? Or is it politics that keeps the burn ban off in King Co.?
- January 1, 2013 at 11:49 AM
- Damnthing said...
- January 1, 2013 at 12:22 PM
- Jenni @ RainyDayGardener said...
Happy New Year Cliff! Thank you for writing your blog, I enjoy reading it on a regular basis! Cheers, Jenni
- January 1, 2013 at 2:36 PM
- Pelle said...
Happy new year Cliff, thank you for all you do, you are my sunlamp!
- January 1, 2013 at 4:23 PM
- RLL said...
Fog throughout the day, did not warm up beyond 34.0, but the snow cover (all 2 inches of it) did make it brighter.
- January 1, 2013 at 4:53 PM
- J said...
yeah--fog all morning till noon then fog again by 3:30--Cathcart area-the usual fog place when elsewhere has sun
- January 1, 2013 at 6:11 PM
- AstroPete said...
Pardon the somewhat nerdy questions, but is the variation from normal statistically significant (I'd be surprised if it wasn't)and out of curiosity, how "noisy" is the data from year to year for December, i.e. how much variation is there.
Thanks much
- January 2, 2013 at 11:46 AM
- Thompsonized said...
Happy New Year Cliff :)
- January 2, 2013 at 12:38 PM
Ok, Cliff! What's your take on the "hint" of cooler temps and possible snow for the middle to end of next week? Is it too far out to be hopeful and excited? I want snow!
- January 2, 2013 at 7:39 PM
- Unknown said...
Happy New Year, Cliff! An online comic I love called Wondermark posted a comic today that I thought you would enjoy, since it's meteorology-related:
- January 2, 2013 at 9:32 PM
- KurmudgeonlyYours said...
I rather thought it was a little more dreary than in the past.
Happy New Year to you and thanks for all your expertise and insight over the year.
- January 5, 2013 at 9:29 AM
- FernCreek said...
As I recall, last spring the long-term forecasters were saying that La Nina was gone and we had shifted into an El Nino pattern, indicating that we would have a drier-than-normal winter (as I understand it).
Since that's obviously not what has transpired, I was wondering if you would please address this in a future post.
- January 7, 2013 at 1:34 PM


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New IP Watchlist Ranks Countries On How Well Their Copyright Laws Serve The Public
from the alternative-to-the-special-301 dept
Consumers International has decided that there's no reason that the USTR gets to have all the fun, so it's been releasing its own IP Watchlist ranking countries based on how pro- or anti-consumer local IP laws. In other words, Consumer International judges IP laws around the globe based on IP's actual purpose: to benefit the public. The actual report (pdf and embedded below) is a good read.
The US actually does fairly well. We're helped along by the fact that we actually have things like "fair use" in the law. The UK, however, comes in near the bottom. The report also highlights the ridiculousness of pushing stronger enforcement in some of the poorest countries in the world:
Malawi is a politically-troubled, least-developed country where more than half of the population lives below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day. One would have thought that IP enforcement should take a back seat in such a country, in favour of measures designed to ensure the satisfaction of the population's basic needs of food, water, clothing, shelter, and medical care.It's worth noting, by the way, that the top three countries on Consumer International's list -- Israel, Indonesia and India -- were also on the USTR's Special 301 "Priority Watch List" as having the worst IP regimes last year. But, as Consumer International shows, they actually have the best IP regimes when it comes to serving the needs of the public. That seems to show just how ridiculous the USTR's Special 301 list really is.
Yet Malawi was one of four poor countries in which Interpol chose to conduct an anti-counterfeiting campaign in 2009, and in which the local police often join IP-holder organisations in conducting copyright raids against local traders. Is this noholds-barred, developed-country model of IP protection and enforcement truly the most appropriate model for countries like Malawi?


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Becoming: Michelle Maddex reflects on her time at SCU
Michelle Maddex
One day a few weeks ago I woke up at 4 am panicking about graduation, "who will I be when I leave here?" I wondered, seriously concerned that as I drove away in June my identity would suddenly dissolve. After attempting to deny the fact that I was graduating stopped working, I moved into a pretty consistent state of anxiety. This year especially Santa Clara has felt 100% like home. The pieces have come together and I finally know who and where to go to find peace, joy, inspiration and love. And leaving behind those people and spaces is one of the scariest things I can imagine.
Santa Clara is the first place that has been truly mine, where I haven't had to worry about taking care of other people or being the glue that holds my family together. In the past four years I finally had the chance to become me in a deep and genuine way I never allowed myself to before. I have found myself, found God and found a community that has nourished me so much. The anxiety I've been feeling is not based in a fear of what's next, but rather in a fear of leaving behind a place that has become home and friends who have become family.
When I came to Santa Clara I called myself a universe person. After surviving a really hard year with my family and ending up at my dream school I knew there was something more involved than my own resiliency. I thanked the universe regularly but was resistant to religion and God because my experiences were either of boring masses that meant nothing to me or stories of exclusion and judgment. Then I came to Santa Clara and found SCCAP where I met people who were loving, accepting and committed to faith and social justice. I started going to the 9 pm mass and met numerous people who showed me that religion was not synonymous with judgment and exclusion. I was introduced to a God that was loving, accepting and wanted peace, equality and justice for everyone.
Junior year I studied abroad at the Casa in El Salvador where my whole world was turned upside down. I came face-to-face with deep suffering in a community of people who couldn't always feed their children, whose homes collapsed when it rained, and who had the strongest faith I had ever encountered. Why did they have to experience so much suffering and how could they have such strong faith when they were living with so little? Where was God in their suffering? As I struggled with these questions, the Salvadorans taught me about liberation theology and the God they believed was with them, accompanying them in their suffering. Everyday I heard "gracias a Dios," thanking God for each other, the food on the table, the sunshine, every little thing they had. And "primero Dios" when you said goodbye, because only God could give us another day together. Again, they challenged my idea of God and introduced me to a loving, present and compassionate God.
At the same time, they taught me to be vulnerable and, for the first time, I let myself feel, I stopped trying to be strong and together and started to open up to my own pain that I had been hiding from. I delved into and struggled with my own pain, and felt more alive, more genuinely me, and more in touch with reality than I ever had.
Then the four months ended and it was time to come home. Although I had changed, most things back home hadn't. So many people were unaware of the suffering that existed outside of their comfortable bubbles, and people I had come to love were still struggling to put food on the table in El Salvador. I felt alone, lost, and didn't know where I fit in at SCU anymore. Just like resiliency wasn't the reason I had survived in high school, strength and determination were not enough to get me through that time.
I didn't want to be at Santa Clara, I wanted to be in El Salvador where at least I was in touch with the suffering and surrounded by community. But as hard as I tried to resist finding my home again, Santa Clara provided me with the community and spaces to slowly bring the light back into my life. JC [Landry] invited me to read at a reconciliation service and, crying through the entire service, I realized that I needed something else. I couldn't do this alone and I couldn't keep dwelling on the past; I had to move forward somehow.
In the spring I went on the silent retreat and for the first time in my life I asked God for help. I never even knew how to ask the people around me for help, let alone some abstract divine presence who I was afraid would judge me for not knowing or being enough. But feeling stuck and suffocated by that deep pain, I had to surrender my pride and fear and ask for help. I had slowly opened up to a different idea of a God who was loving, compassionate and not judgmental, and I finally let myself take a chance at my own personal relationship with him.
I started to pray, even though I had no idea what I was doing. I came back with a new hope that I would make it through this time. Through the Search community, writing a talk on reconciliation and slowly opening myself to God and the community at Santa Clara, I started to feel at home again.
These intentional communities that are committed to faith and justice are what make Santa Clara home. They give us the chance to ask the hard questions, be honest and vulnerable with one another, acknowledge the suffering in the world and find hope in a communal desire to make change. Through Search, SCCAP, Sunday night mass and so many incredible people on this campus, the person I found in El Salvador came to life at SCU. These communities showed me that the two places did not have to be separate but were connected in so many ways. I found what I loved about El Salvador at SCU--the things that made both home. And I when I wake up at 4 am afraid of leaving I find comfort knowing that I can find communities of faith and justice wherever I go, it just takes a little searching.
Next year I am going back to El Salvador to work at the Casa as a Community Coordinator. I will be living with students who are studying abroad, accompanying them as they too come face-to-face with suffering. And although leaving Santa Clara and my communities is scary I am so blessed to be going back to the place where I first found what really matters.
Sometimes I worry about returning to the country that opened me up to so much pain, but I have found that I am most alive when I am close to suffering. I am motivated by the honesty, strength, vulnerability and faith of people who suffer but know something about God that so many of us who have lived comfortable lives don't know. I cannot understand their suffering, their joy, resiliency and strength, but to me that is proof there is something more out there, and in El Salvador it's hard not to feel close to the God of compassion the Salvadorans first introduced me to.
Again and again at Santa Clara we hear about finding our passion and going out to serve the world. The past four years have been full of people and experiences that have motivated me to make that a reality. Sometimes staying at Santa Clara forever sounds a lot less scary. But slowly I am seeing how easy, selfish and comfortable that would be. The nourishment I have found here is not meant to just live in me; I have to take it forward with me and share it with the world.
When filling out my application for the position at Casa I thought about the way it transformed me. The love, wholeness, community and honest understanding of the world I found there. Next year I get to continue to live into that and accompany students while they too find that. We as college-educated students are amongst the most privileged people in the world and I believe it is my responsibility to use that privilege to make change. I hope to continue to understand the reality of suffering so many are experiencing and live deeper into finding my place as a privileged white person in a world of inequality.
My decision to go to El Salvador next year isn't necessarily the typical after college path. Lots of people look at me funny when I tell them what I'm doing and when I told my dad I got the position all he said is "how will you pay for your loans?" I am going to be far away, poor, and may come back more confused about what to do next than I already am. But my time at SCU has not taught me that I should be starting a life long career next year simply because it is comfortable. It has taught me that what's important is finding my passion, learning about the needs of the world and combining the two into this thing they call a vocation. I am the best version of myself in El Salvador, I come to life accompanying others, being vulnerable and close to suffering. I know that next year I will be alive in a way that is honest, in touch and loving, and I hope that I can come closer to finding what that means long term.
Santa Clara is preparing us to take a commitment to social justice, faith, love and each other out into the world. In the last four years I have grown into a relationship with God that is about serving, loving and working for justice and I have found strength to carry that beyond SCU. I used to think I was supposed to be strong for everyone else, but I have found that being honest, vulnerable and asking for help brings us together. I have found wholeness in my brokenness and in the brokenness of the world. We find community, God, home and love in that suffering. Santa Clara has shown me that, rather than being about judgment and exclusion, a relationship with God and a home in the church is about love--about finding it, spreading it and living out of it.