text:
He is a man without a country, a family and a home. For more than a decade, Merhan Nasseri has been living in terminal one at Charles de Gaulle airport, waiting. For what, he doesn't know anymore
Manchester and London were delayed on account of weather, and Tel Aviv was a faulty wing flap. Tenerife, Johannesburg, Málaga and Marrakech had been canceled for various reasons, and stragglers from those flights were trying to figure out their next move on this humid night at the end of May. Some were arguing with the airlines; some were studying the ever shuffling flight board; some were headed off to nearby hotels, parched and ready for cold gin-and-tonics to ease the dull throb of their long day. A few scanned the terminal mournfully, searching for the right bench or piece of floor to camp for the night. Later it would make a good story: the purgatorial night spent in Terminal One at Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Meanwhile, the flight to Libreville, which was to leave in two hours, had brought a raucous horde to the Air Gabon counter, the women dressed in colorful gowns, a cacophony of clipped tribal dialects punching holes in the fabric of the terminal's white noise. The group, maybe 200 in all, had materialized suddenly, as if by incantation, and would just as quickly vanish in the night, in the silver gut of a 747 roaring southward over desert and veld for home. Like everyone in this place, they were apparitions, part of the incessant tide that rushed, then ebbed, that filled and emptied, filled and emptied—at moments leaving the airport a lonely beachhead, one that bore no trace of those who had just been there.
As the hour grew late, the terminal took on a nocturnal malevolence. To be inside this place was not unlike being inside the belly of a dying thing. Upon its completion in 1974, Terminal One had been hailed as a triumph, an architectural breakthrough built by Paul Andreu, who had proclaimed that he wanted the airport "to project the image of Paris and France as one of equality, and prowess in engineering and commerce." It appeared as a gray doughnut-shaped flying saucer—outer space brought to earth—with a burbling fountain at its open-air center. But over the years the fountain had fallen into disrepair and the water was shut off, revealing, behind its vapory skeins, a wreckage of rusted pipes and a cement shed, the inevitable artifacts of the future disintegrating, then becoming the past.
The whole world passed through this place, on the way to Paris, or from Paris, or simply using Paris to leapfrog to the next time zone. Disembodied voices called passengers to their gates, where they were delivered heavenward. Soccer teams and school bands tromped through, as did groups of old people wearing the same T-shirts or church groups wearing the same baseball caps. They sat reading or photographing each other. They went for coffee or hamburgers. They wheeled by in wheelchairs. And then they were gone.
The longer you hung around in Terminal One, the more mundane everything became. Had a herd of red on been unloaded from Jerba and wandered out of customs, it would not have been such a surprise. Had a planeload of mimes come from Nuremberg, they would have registered only as part of the passing circus, hardly remembered afterward. In this context, a great deal made more sense here than elsewhere, including perhaps Sir Alfred.
A friend told me about Alfred a few years ago, having heard of him on the Internet. Initially, she believed him to be a work of fiction: the man who had waited at Charles de Gaulle Airport for fifteen years, on the longest layover in history. But then, the man was real. It was said he could be found near the Paris Bye Bye bar. He'd be bald on top, with frizzes of wild hair on the sides and four teeth missing, smoking a gold pipe, writing in his journal or listening to the radio. It was said, too, that it really didn't matter what time of day or night or which day of the week one visited, for Alfred was always there—and had been since 1988.
The truth was that no one knew the whole truth about Alfred, not even Alfred himself. He was born in either 1945 or 1947 or 1953 and claimed to be Iranian, British or Swedish. In some ways, it was as if he'd been found in the bulrushes—or was still lost there. For years now, he'd lived mostly on the kindness of strangers, eating his meals at a nearby McDonald's, wandering the terminal's white-tile floor as if it were his own cathedral. Mostly, he passed time on the terminal's first level, in gurulike meditation, on a red bench before a big, filmy plate-glass window near a shop selling CDs. He sat in a tight envelope of air that smelled faintly of regurgitation.
Alfred's odyssey had begun when he was a young man from a well-to-do family living in Iran and had ended here on an airport bench in Paris, by mistake. Twenty years ago, while living in Belgium, he'd simply wanted to go to England by boat. But having rid himself of his identification papers during the voyage, he'd fallen into a twilight limbo as a nationless, unidentifiable person no one wanted, bounced from Belgium to England to France, where, finally, he'd been left stranded at Charles de Gaulle Airport. He'd lived there ever since.
My first visit to Alfred came on the night of the Air Gabon flight to Libreville. I was staying for a time in Paris during a two-month stretch of intense travel. Adding it up, I'd spent nights in no less than fifteen different hotels, making me the frenetic opposite of Alfred. For me, the sheer speed of life had begun to strip it of its meaning. I imagined him to be some sort of mystic, sitting still on his Himalayan mountaintop, the keeper of monastic truths.
It was late, and the airport was empty and gave an air of exhaustion, of an animal too tired to resist the thing crawling up its leg. Going down a flight of stairs from the second level to the first, I nearly bowled over a young, tan flight attendant in a powder blue hat, who seemed in a hurry to get upstairs. After her, there was no one but Alfred.
If all the dramas of farewell and hello unfolded on the floors above, Level One was a kind of wasteland. What shops there were—a good number had closed in the past years—were shut up for the night. I walked quickly, following the circle of the terminal itself. Where the exterior of the building was gray cement, its doughnut-hole interior was all glass, so that you could look up and see three floors above you. On the second floor were the airline counters as well as six preliminary boarding gates that led to moving sidewalks, called electric tubes, that crisscrossed in the air, carrying travelers up through the open center of the terminal to the third floor, to more gates, called satellites, from which passengers disembarked for their flights. On the fourth level were the customs hall and arrival areas. I could see the electric tubes crisscrossing over my head, and in various windows all the way to the fourth floor, flashbulbs fired as travelers collected final photographic souvenirs of friends or family frozen in time.
And then there he was, laid out like a body in a sarcophagus, a snoring heap of human on a red bench, surrounded by a fortress of possessions. I counted several suitcases, six Lufthansa luggage bos, two big FedEx containers—his life's possessions. There were clothes hangers and a collection of plastic beverage lids. On the table before him was a pile of McDonald's coupons. He was gaunt and angular. His skin was the sallow, almost purplish color of the white fluorescent light, except for the dark rings under his closed eyes. His sideburns and mustache were graying. The nail of his left pinkie was long and sharp, but the rest were neatly clipped. And despite the heat, he slept in a blue Izod windbreaker beneath a light airline blanket, a gift, it appeared, from a sympathetic flight attendant.
I made a lap, returned, and he remained absolutely still. The third time, believing he was really out, lost in some Giza of a dream, I paused before him, and as soon as I did, his eyes flipped open. He bore no expression, but then his face twisted as if he were in great pain or perhaps about to lash out; and yet before he could, before some unholy utterance came from his body, his lids fluttered shut and he fell back to sleep—back, it seemed, to his own mysterious crater in an obliterated landscape.
Once upon a time, before facts were eroded by dreams, before the man destroyed and re-created himself, he had been a boy named Merhan Karimi Nasseri, happily living with five siblings in the oil-rich south of Iran. His father, a doctor, worked for the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, while his mother assumed the duties of the household. By the standards of their country, they were rich and thriving in an area of Iran that was rich and thriving.
Merhan went to school, then college, where he took a psychology degree. But then, when he was 23, his father died of cancer. While he grieved, his mother notified him that she was not his real mother, that he was, in fact, the bastard son of an affair between his father and a Scottish woman, perhaps from Glasgow, who had worked as a nurse for the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. In order to protect her husband, who would have been sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, she had pretended the boy was hers. Now, in one blow, she sought to undo a life of lies. She banished him from the family. Merhan was still only a young man, smart and able, with a promising future. He was a person in forward motion who, until that moment, had known exactly who he was and where he was going.
Merhan argued with his mother, claiming that she had to be his mother. Wrapped into this argument may have been his father's estate and the inheritance he felt was due him. Merhan threatened to take his mother to court, and her rebuttal was simple: With whose money? In the end, they worked out an agreement. Merhan would leave Iran to study abroad in England, where he would receive a monthly stipend.
In Bradford, England, he enrolled in a Yugoslav-studies program for three years, until one day, without warning, his stipend ceased. He tried to reach his family in Iran, calling and writing but receiving no answer. After some months, he flew to Tehran, where he was detained, arrested and imprisoned. He was informed that Iranian agents in England had photographed him marching in a protest against the Shah, which made him a traitor. It was the first of what would be three prison stays.
When his mother, now not his mother, found out about his incarceration, she paid the proper bribes to the proper authorities to secure his release, but again with a stipulation: He would be given an immigration passport, allowing him to leave Iran, never to return. Which is just what he did. Though he needed another country that would receive him, one that would grant him refugee status, his eventual plan was to travel to Glasgow in hopes of finding his supposed birth mother, who he believed lived there under some variation of the name Simon.
So he left. It's not known or remembered what ran through his mind as he boarded the plane that took him from Tehran to London, leaving his homeland and family behind. It's impossible to know if he'd been struck so hard by these events that he'd already lapsed into amnesia, if he felt betrayed and reeling in space.
Over the next several years, starting with England, Merhan appealed to at least seven countries for asylum, until Belgium granted him refugee status in October 1981. He settled in Brussels, working in a library, studying, receiving social aid. After saving some money, he approached the British Consulate to make sure he could visit Glasgow with his papers and was told there would be no problem. He purchased a ticket to England by boat, and once aboard, believing that he now occupied British soil because he was standing on the deck of a British ship, he placed his papers in an envelope and in a mailbox on board the ship, dispensing with them, sending them back to the Brussels office for the UN High Commission of Refugees.
This, of course, was an act of self-perdition that can't be explained and that immediately became the genesis of Merhan's woes. When he arrived in England and could show no papers proving his identity, he was sent back to Belgium, where, in turn, he was returned to England. To be rid of him once and for all, and playing a game of trans-national hot potato with his fate, England then randomly sent him by boat to Boulogne, France, where he was arrested and sentenced and served four months in prison for trying to enter the country illegally. After his release, he was given eighty-four hours to leave France and went to Charles de Gaulle Airport to see if by flying to England he might have better luck.
He didn't. Arriving in London, he was detained and returned to France, where, out of money and ideas, he settled into life at Terminal One. At first, he was simply one of those stranded travelers, waylaid for a night on his way elsewhere—then another night, and another. Since it was his belief that buying another ticket was the fine line between being a prisoner and a free man, he began asking fellow travelers for assistance. After two years, he again went up the electric tube to the satellite, again he boarded the plane, again he landed in London, and again he was expelled.
Returning to Charles de Gaulle, he was arrested once more for illegally entering the country and sentenced to six months in prison. After his release in 1988, he returned to Terminal One, perhaps out of sheer habit, packed and ready but with nowhere to go.
So much had happened since his arrival, if not to him then to the world at large. Reagan, Thatcher and Mitterand had given way to Bush II, Blair and Chirac. Communism had fallen; Rabin assassinated, Manhattan attacked. As the years passed—through war and famine, AIDS and SARS—he sat near the Paris Bye Bye bar, gleaning bits from the radio, occasionally watching the television set that hung in one of the restaurants. He renamed himself Sir Alfred. He was motherless, fatherless, homeless, moneyless, sitting still in a place where humanity moved frantically. Alongside a river of tinkling cell phones and half-drunk coffees hastily disposed of, he chose to live his life—most of which was packed into Lufthansa bos. He now insisted that he'd been born in Sweden and renounced all connections to Iran. He refused to speak Farsi. He refused to answer to his original name at all, even when his freedom was at stake.
For seven years, Alfred's lawyer, a bearded public advocate named Christian Bourguet, tried tracking down Alfred's identification papers in Brussels, the ones Alfred had mailed from the boat. Once he had those in hand, he, in turn, was able to procure from the French government a visa and a titre de voyage, a kind of passport that would have finally allowed Alfred to go to England. But when Alfred saw that the documents were issued for the Iranian national Merhan Karimi Nasseri, he became churlish, refusing to sign.
"Belong to someone else," he said in his Farsi-accented English, and so sealed his fate. On the temporary identification papers he held, both parents were simply marked by an X.
"I am an X, too," he said.
After watching him sleep, I went to see Alfred again the following day, about midmorning. The sun beamed in bright forms through the windows that looked out on the wrecked fountain and lit the shadowy corners. The first level was bustling with Monday travelers and, for a moment, seemed much less sinister, much more like your standard sterile airport, with bodies ebbing and flowing in streams past Alfred's table or up the electric tubes to the satellites. For his part, Alfred was pleased to have a visitor, probably would have been pleased to meet anyone who stepped out of the moving crowd long enough to say hello. He cleared a small table in front of him and commandeered a nearby chair. For a man who'd made a life of sitting still, he looked relatively fit, with strong-seeming arms.
When he spoke, however, his voice was weak, and he claimed he hadn't uttered a word in two months. Mumbling more to himself than to me, his words swam three-quarters of the way across the table, then back again. Occasionally, a cluster reached my ear. Everything he said cloverleafed back into his "case," though it was nearly impossible to determine what that case was—after all, his lawyer had solved his immediate dilemma by securing the papers that set him free. He vehemently claimed that Merhan Karimi Nasseri was free to go but that Sir Alfred wasn't. Soon I came to regard any mention of his "case" as shorthand for everything he had forgotten or chosen to forget, as code for a mysterious process of healing that called for the complete exorcism of the past.
He said he believed his real mother was still alive in Glasgow and that he would find her. "I hope not to be here by Christmas," he said with the pained smile and resignation of a man who'd most certainly be here by Christmas or who was simply talking about some Christmas in the far future, after a nuclear winter.
When I asked if, after fifteen years of this isolation, he felt he'd be lost in the world if he left the airport today, he said in his clipped English, "No, why? Same world." When I insisted that, if anything, these past fifteen years had in some ways drastically altered our daily existence—citing the rise of computers, cell phones and the nearly instantaneous changes in everything from food to fashion—he said, "Not worried."
After about a half hour of this kind of chat, his excitement began to peter out into that preordained moment, one that would repeat itself again and again, when, as I still sat across from him, he would simply raise a newspaper between us, like letting down a curtain, and begin reading. So this was good-bye? To let him gently off the hook, I announced that I was going to stretch my legs, and was answered by a single rustle of the paper. Then I walked a bit, figuring it probably didn't matter when I returned to him, as his sense of time must have been more like that of an animal who moves slowly, gauging the day by light and dark, or months by the weather.
On another evening, I asked how he'd spent his day, and he said he'd listened to the radio for five minutes and had brushed his teeth. That was all he'd managed in fourteen hours. He sat in a dull torpor, occasionally rubbing his head or working his jaw muscles, that blank stare taking in everything and nothing at once. Travelers streamed past, sometimes stealing a glance at him and his fortress. "People pass me by but don't touch," he said cryptically. When I asked what he'd learned about human nature here, in a place so transparently full of emotion, he said, "Everyone has their own function. They are mostly indifferent." When I pressed him about what function he served, he said, "I am sitting here, waiting."
At first I was intrigued by the mere logistics of a life spent waiting. No matter how little one accomplished in a day, Sir Alfred had accomplished less. His life rode no discernible narrative arc, and he had seemingly embraced the absurdity at the center of existence to the point where his sitting in place seemed like a political protest, seemed so meaningless it had to have meaning.
Yet Alfred had a few self-made purposes: waking, shaving, protecting his nest. He rose between six-thirty and eight in the morning. He would yawn, stretch and sometimes pull out a hand mirror, check himself and maybe shave with an electric razor, right there on his bench. He didn't limit himself to shaving in the morning, though. He shaved after lunch or before bed; he shaved in midconversation or while spooning a McDonald's sundae, a McFlurry, into his mouth or in midconversation.
He had his choice of two nearby bathrooms; he preferred the smaller and quieter of the two because it was closer to his bench and had a shower. Even though his belongings blocked the red bench from intruders—and he used a table and chair effectively to provide reinforcement—he still sometimes had to shoo people away, tired passengers looking to recline and, finding no comfort in the metal benches that had replaced the plush red ones three years before (all except Alfred's), mistakenly chose to brush aside his mess and sit or lie down, at which point Alfred appeared like an offended rooster, bristling and crowing and kicking up dust. "Okay, my place," he said. "Out now, thank you."
On occasion, there were other things that organized his waking hours. Someone had recently given him a carton of Thai cigarettes, for instance, and every day he gave me a progress report on how many he had smoked and how many were left. He said he normally smoked only a few a day, though a rough count over one afternoon suggested he smoked a few more than that. There were times when lighting up must have constituted his day's greatest ertion.
Sometimes he made a trip to the bank upstairs, where he had his savings account. While he was gone, a shopkeeper would guard his belongings, though a number of his bags were merely stuffed with newspapers, some with articles related to his case. Still, he'd recently lost a collection, most valuable to him, of Time magazines, so there was an ongoing need to be vigilant. Stung by the loss, he told me he now limited his wandering. Even though the first level of Terminal One didn't seem to have air-conditioning and though it was now sweltering, he hadn't stepped outdoors to get a breath of fresh air in a month.
"I dream sometimes of going through the window and reaching the sky," he said.
With an unimaginable amount of time on his hands—growing old, alone, and having to look only to himself for the answers to life's mysteries—Alfred created his own mythologies, a basic religious impulse. But Alfred's view of the world had more to do with how McDonald's had siphoned money from him when France converted from francs to euros in 2002, or how the French postal service conspired to no longer deliver mail to him from all over Europe—some of it containing money—sent by people who believed he was a symbol: of courage, of bureaucratic bungling, of soulless modern life swallowing us whole, of our human existential dilemma writ large.
When a noticeable growth appeared on his head a few years ago, he blamed it on "coffee and fake cola products." He showed me a photograph of his head from 1999 with the incontrovertible proof of a large, unsavory bump, "just there, jellifying," he said. The airport doctor, a short, busy man with bad teeth whose office was less than fifty yards from where Alfred sat, had watched it grow. Finally, he intervened, taking Alfred from the airport—one of the few times he'd ever left—to a nearby hospital, where the growth was removed. Yet in Alfred's retelling of the incident, he had performed the operation himself, in the bathroom, as a kind of medieval bloodletting.
In fact, the longer he sat there, the less Alfred seemed to remember, or the more fantasy merged with the few events of his life, casting out all other bit characters. Rejected by humanity, he now rejected humanity. The outside world was simply extraneous. His mind was panes of stained glass, rearranged in some self-satisfyingly inscrutable design.
When asked what he could recall of his boyhood in Iran, he could conjure only three distinct memories:
- He had lived in a stone house.
- He had been held down in a chair and stabbed repeatedly by actors in a theater, who had tired of him shouting out their lines when they forgot, though that had allegedly been his job.
- He had nearly died in a car accident that never took place.
When pressed to fill in the details, he would only add, "A house like those in England" or "You have to ask them why they stab and stab" or "I jump and run."
When I asked to see his collection of photographs, thinking they might catalyze his memory, most turned out to be of inanimate objects in the terminal: the revolving door in a wild snowstorm; an abandoned suitcase the bomb squad had exploded, leaving confettied paper everywhere; a counter in one of the nearby shops that had been dusted for fingerprints after a break-in. The rest of the photos were of him, either standing solo, staring straight into the lens, or posing with various passersby, none of whom he seemed to remember.
When I pressed him to identify someone, anyone, that he spoke to in the airport, anyone with whom he had a human connection, he claimed to have known one of the employees at McDonald's for four years. When I asked his name, Alfred said, "I have no idea."
It's possible that the most religious moments occur in airports rather than in churches. This is not blasphemy but a fact of modern life. Apprehension, longing and the fear of complete disintegration—what palpably animates an airport full of passengers about to take to heaven at the speed of sound—is what drives us to our gods.
Over the course of a few weeks, I looked forward to seeing Alfred for perhaps no other reason than he seemed glad to see me too. In some ways, I came to see his dilemma as a question of faith. After so many betrayals, he feared the world beyond his red bench. The red bench was his hovel, home and haven—and yet occasionally he made the motions of wanting to break free. One day, for instance, I found him checking the classified ads in the paper, declaring that he was looking to buy a car. Perhaps it empowered him to say so, but it seemed impossible: Sir Alfred behind the wheel, on his way to Who-Knew-Where. As he squinted at the classifieds, I was struck by the poignancy of his circumstance, the strength—if delusion—of his hope, an abnormal man living out of time, attempting to take on the mantle of a normal life.
I asked if he was angry about having lost fifteen years of his life in this black hole at Terminal One. "No angry," he said. "I just want to know who my parents are." Are you happy, then? I asked. "I used to be," he said, "but now I'm stuck between heaven and hell." When I asked if he believed in God, he nodded his head as if he were drawing the letter U with his nose; that was neither yes nor no. "Believe in soul," he said. "Your soul is not separate from your function, but it is also more. Your soul is your dream, your dream life, your dream world, and it walks around with you, wherever you go."
Then he gestured to his kingdom of stuff, his bags packed with newspapers and magazines, with his meager clothing and pictures of exploded suitcases, with endless pages from his journals relating the day's radio news. "Nothing has changed for me except I have more baggage," he said. He leaned back and rubbed his head, where the bump had once been, with a kind of superstitious care. "But I'm prepared," he said. "Other people stay in this place for a couple of hours. They arrive and go to cars that are waiting, or buses. They come and go up the electric tubes to the satellites. When it's my turn, when I am called, I'm ready to go to the satellite."
Eventually, I paid a visit to his lawyer, Christian Bourguet. During the reign of the Ayatollah Khomeini, Bourguet had been Iran's lawyer, had been the man who arranged the ayatollah's Air France ticket from exile back to Tehran in 1979 and had secretly negotiated with the Carter administration for an end to the hostage crisis, an end he said should have come about nine months before it did. On the wall was evidence of Bourguet's work during that time: a couple of framed personal letters from Jimmy Carter.
He told me that, when he'd first met Alfred, the man had been quite lucid in the telling of his story, but that over time he had become "free of logic," and so his story kept changing. After Alfred suddenly asserted he was Swedish, Bourguet asked how he then had traveled from Sweden to Iran. "Submarine," Alfred said. Perhaps he was crazy now but, Bourguet argued, he'd arrived there by several steps. "Assume that you are 23," he said, working a piece of clay in his fingers while chomping on the stem of his pipe. "You've finished your studies in psychology, your father dies, and at that exact moment, your mother says, 'I'm not your mother.' You have brothers and sisters, but not anymore. And because you are illegitimate, you are a nobody in your country. You have no rights. And so you ask, 'Who is my mother, then?' You leave your country, only to return to be imprisoned, and then leave with nowhere to go, whereupon you are imprisoned again—and then once more.
"In your mind, you have renounced this person and this name that was formerly you, but when, years later, you go to get what you think is your freedom, the papers identify you as that person. How strong does a man have to be to resist so many big shocks?"
But then, I wondered aloud, why not simply sign the documents and afterward legally change his name? "Let me tell you something," said the lawyer, rocking back in his chair, a ball of flame from his lighter disappearing into a nest of newly packed tobacco. "He's not leaving the airport. He's no one outside the airport. He's become a star there. Or he feels like a star—and acts like one. If you come with a camera, he knows his best side. Otherwise, his personality has broken into pieces."
He sucked deeply on the pipe, placed the clay on his desk and looked up, shaking his head in pity. "I'm afraid the sad fact is that he's now completely destroyed."
The last time I went to see Alfred, it was evening, and a storm had blown over Paris, the wind moving the leaves like so many small fluttering wings, lights falling in slick, watery dabs over pavement, over the Seine itself. Cool air came rushing to replace the humid day, but when I entered the terminal, the ghost of that hot day was still trapped inside. I proceeded with my routine, making laps on the floors above before seeing Alfred. I stood for over an hour in arrivals near an expectant group waiting for a delayed flight from New York City. I meant to leave after five minutes, but with each passing second I found myself further embroiled in the small dramas of each party—the little girl with a sign that read you are home, papa; the three hippie amigos badly playing guitar and bongos to everyone's annoyance; the woman, so prettily dressed in white, who already couldn't hold back tears.
Later I found Alfred sitting on his red bench, shaving. Behind him, through the plate-glass window, lay the wreckage of rusted pipes, a reminder that at one time something spectacular had occurred out there. It was late and empty again. The white-tile floor seemed to sweat; the scent of regurgitation hung in the air; and here was my guru, my holy man, my ayatollah, opening and closing his mouth, ercising his jaw muscle. Then he started to speak. "I don't smoke for three days," he said somewhat bitterly. That was it. That was all he could muster.
If anything, with each day Alfred was becoming another inanimate object in this airport, devoid of memories. Soon, I imagined, he would forget the stone house or being stabbed or the car crash that had never taken place. He would forget that there'd ever been a guy at McDonald's whom he once remotely knew or maybe even the exact reason that he still sat here.
Shortly, his newspaper came up between us and rustled once. Good-bye. People washed past on their way upstairs for flights to Hamburg, Dublin, Oslo. Instead of leaving him entirely, I walked over to the bar, bought a beer and settled in a window a third of the way around the circle. I drank my beer and then another. From where I sat I could look up into the windows on each floor of Terminal One. I could see through twenty-four different windows, and in each of them, twenty-four different scenes played out: people saying good-bye, sobbing, laughing, lost in meditation, confused, in transit. To have heard their thoughts would have been to let loose all the joys and woes of the world.
Across the way, Alfred readied himself for bed, then lay down and, despite the heat, pulled his thin blanket over his body. After twenty minutes or so, he seemed as if he were in a dream: His legs rose up and his knees lightly bumped each other; then his legs went down again. He was someone out of an epic or a fairy tale, someone shipwrecked or lost or trapped forever in an unsolvable nightmare. And yet, stripped of everything, he was his own god.
Above, the electric tubes were lit brightly in the night, and from the vantage of the basement you could see the crowns of people's heads reflecting off the glass ceiling of the tubes as they were lifted toward the satellites. If you sat long enough, looking down on the crowns of their heads, you could have imagined yourself an angel. And it occurred to me that if you sat long enough thinking such dangerous thoughts, you might never leave, too.


text:
Holidays are very special at Villarreal ES and Christmas time is no exception. Students and staff wore various items each day, depending on the theme of Christmas socks, ugly sweaters, head gear, or jingle bells.
On Monday, staff members held a contest to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas. The office staff won Most Expressive with their helpful elf aprons; Most Creative went to the kindergarten team which had a Christmas tree, presents, and Frosty; and the third grade team received the Most Original award for their "seven swans a swimming."
Swans: Erlinda Valderas, Daisy Garcia, Andrea Zelenak, Allison Messick, Paula Madrigal, Kim Martinez, and Estella Munoz.
Elves: Brenda Gallardo, April Mata, Melissa Perez, Marie Vidarrui, Raquel Fernandez, Gracie Rodriguez, and Terri Falcon.
Presents, etc.: (Front), Oralia Gonzalez, Lisa Orosco, Maria Moreno, and Camille Sosa, (Back): Kathy Rackley, Sara Escobar

subset: commoncrawl


text:
PRINCETON – This month marks one year since Princeton's Buddy Bags program first came to plan.
Throughout the year, the program has striven to conquer hunger in area children by providing two breakfasts and lunches on the weekend to those whose primary source of nutrition is through the free meal program at the schools.
The idea began with Mark Frank, a member of the Princeton Elementary School Board. He said while he was touring the schools, he became aware of students whose only nutrition came from the school lunches. The unsettling experience stuck with him, as his church — the First Christian Church of Princeton, was brainstorming ideas for an outreach program to help the community.
"I threw the idea out there, and everybody jumped on it and said, 'That's what we're doing,'" he said. "So we started the program here at church."
After much discussion, planning and organizing, the program kicked-off in May, providing breakfasts and lunches to 10 students within the PES District.
"We wanted to start with the youngest first because they were the most needy," said Frank.
The program quickly expanded, and eventually students from Malden Grade School, Princeton High School, Princeton Christian Academy and St. Louis Catholic School were added to the packing list.
It didn't take long before several civic organizations and churches from the Malden, Princeton and Tiskilwa area got involved by providing volunteers, food and monetary donations to assist the program.
A Facebook page and website were set-up to help further promote the program, and fundraisers were planned to raise money for food.
Today the program's core group consists of about 30 volunteers, and the churches and organizations take turns packing the meals each month. Today, the program provides meals for 60 students.
"When it started off, I thought it would be a one-man show or two-person show, and it is 100 people. It's 100 people, and it's just amazing what's come of it," said Frank. "Everybody's working together for a common goal, and what better thing could you do to feed those kids that are hungry?"
Volunteer Sandy Rose works in one of the schools where the Buddy Bags are provided.
"It's rewarding to see it going back to the kids that I work with and see on a day-to-day basis," she said. "I see kids that are excited to get this food."
Volunteer Karen Tunis thoroughly enjoys volunteering for the program and said packing the food gives her and her daughter a great activity to work locally to help the kids in community.
"It's a really nice thing for a mother and daughter to do," she said.
Out of the 110 days in the calendar school year, the program provides breakfasts and lunches for all but four days. A packing room and "mini-grocery-like store" are set-up at the First Christian Church. Frank said it took less than $200 of the starting donations to purchase shelving and carts that help store the bulk amounts of food in the church.
"It's a small room, but we try to make as much of the space as possible to store," he said.
The cost per bag is about $5. Each bag is packed with various items ranging from Pop-tarts to fruit granola bars and instant oatmeal to canned tuna, Spaghetti-Os and macaroni-and-cheese.
Frank explained all the collected food must be pre-packaged. A lot of the food has to be ready to eat once opened, for students who don't have the ability to heat up or cook food.
Volunteer Linda Berry said the big thing people don't realize is there is a hunger issue in the area.
"I think there are some people who just jump to conclusions that Mom and Dad just don't want to feed their kids or they're gone, but there's underlining things," she said.
Looking into the future, Frank said the program expects to see a growing number of students on the packing list.
"It's going to grow. It's going to keep getting larger ... Since we started, we've only had one week that's gone down in numbers," he said.
The group currently working to become a non-profit program in order to qualify for grants to fund the growing need.
The group is also gearing up to host their first craft vendor show from 8 to 3 p.m. March 2 at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church to continue their fundraising efforts for the program.
Comment on this story at www.bcrnews.com.


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Join over 80,000 others who are connecting with their cousins and common researchers!
FamilyTreeCircles is easy and free.
Born in Cincinnati, OHIO on June 11th 1992 In the Christ Hospital. My Mothers name is Roswitha Elisabeth Long Maiden name Heine born and raised in Mannheim, Germany. My Fathers name is Christopher John Dick born and raised in OHIO.
That's all for now but i'm sure there is more to come :)


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Sorghum beer
Reactions to and impressions of commercial and home made beers and beverages. Travelling and experiencing beers from around the world.
Moderator: slothrob
3 posts • Page 1 of 1
Sorghum beer
I just tried my first one of them and I really liked it. My brother in law has a wheat allergy and hasn't been able to drink beer for a while. I found this one from searches of the net and then found it for sale locally. I am very impressed with the flavor for a beer made without barley. I want to try and make him a back of home brew like this in the future. Have any of you tried any of the sorghum beers?
- yaturaz
- Pale Ale
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:58 am
- Location: CA,USA
RE: sorghum beer
Nope...never tried any. What does it taste like?
Visit my blog @ http://www.wottashomebrewblog.blogspot.com
On Tap:
HL Pale Ale
HL Lite Lager
HL Simcoe Pale Ale
HL Wizeguy Weizenbock
HL Reveur Saison
HL Dry Stout
HL Kentucky Common
On Tap:
HL Pale Ale
HL Lite Lager
HL Simcoe Pale Ale
HL Wizeguy Weizenbock
HL Reveur Saison
HL Dry Stout
HL Kentucky Common
- Strong Ale
- Posts: 361
- Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2005 10:00 am
- Location: Florida
I've tried a couple of them, Redbridge and New Grist (think that was the name). I also know someone with a wheat allergy and plan on doing a sorghum brew at some point.
- caughtinamosh87
- Light Lager
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 7:24 pm
- Location: Mesa, AZ
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I came across this amazing fan-made Blade Runner poster just now and had to post this. The composition, the color, it's all there. Plus it's using Tommaso from Lost Type Co-Op, one of my personal favorites from their collection. Anyone know who did this? Google Images was a no go, so I'm hoping to get this person some credit.
Found through quiet as a shadow


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Down Offer Stream of New Song 'Witchtripper'
Down have released a brand new song titled 'Witchtripper' off of their their six track EP disc called 'EP One' which is set to drop Sept. 18 and is part of a four part series of EPs.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, frontman Phil Anselmo spoke candidly about his original criticism of the song title, "Somebody would suggest to me, 'Hey, man, that might make a killer song title.' And at the time I'm like, 'You're out of your f—ing mind. There's no way I'm gonna call a song 'Witchtripper."
After giving in to the idea of 'Witchtripper' and giving the riffs of guitarist Pepper Keenan and the beats of drummer Jimmy Bower a chance, Anselmo says, "I was like, 'OK, check this out, you dicks. 'Witchtripper' you want, 'Witchtripper' you will get'"
"I laid it on them, and sure enough, they were right – it worked, as usual. So there goes the genius of Phil Anselmo. Always doubting, and I'm the last one to get it," he says.
'EP One' will be Down's first batch of new music in five years since their third studio album 'Down III: Over the Under.'
Anselmo also spoke about his present expectations and letting the music come naturally to him. "Right now I'm looking forward to the public's consumption and letting them hear it. I'm not sure if it's gonna break any ground. I never put any expectation on any friggin' record I do."
He went on to say, "We didn't overanalyze anything. We just let the songs kind of unfold, and once it felt right, there was no reason to go back."
Down continue to push forward and are gearing up to head out on the road in the fall for a U.S. tour which kicks off on Sept. 18 in Fort Worth, Texas. For a full list of dates and cities, go here.


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- Join MAR
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Course Description
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The First Time Buyer Specialist 1 - Master the Market 4-hour course is designed to arm you with a thorough understanding of the issues facing today's first time home buyers in order to offer them the highest level of buyer representation. Learn specific strategies and the characteristics that define the different generations of buyers as well as those in their families that they may ask for help and advice.
REGISTER: https://store.car.org/car-education/learnmyway/master-the-market-ftbs1-learnmywayr-1-9-18.html?acc=c7e1249ffc03eb9ded908c236bd1996d
During this training you will learn how to:
Please note: Purchase of this course is for use by a single person and may not be broadcast, recorded or shared by more than one individual. If you are interested in showing this course in your office, please contact Education at email@example.com for Broker Pricing Information.


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Breaking News Emails
President Barack Obama lauded the Senate's advancement of a bill to extend jobless aid on Tuesday as a "very important step" and called on Republicans in both chambers to back the legislation "without obstruction or delay."
"Voting for unemployment insurance helps people and creates jobs and voting against it does not," Obama said in remarks at the White House.
"We have got to get this across the finish line without obstruction or delay and we need the House of Representatives to be able to vote for it as well," he said. "That's the bottom line."
Obama's remarks came shortly after the Senate voted 60-37 to begin formal debate on the unemployment insurance extension, which would offer a three-month extension of the long-term aid to 1.3 million Americans. Those benefits halted on December 28 when Congress failed to reach a deal to continue the program.
In his first public appearance since returning from a two-week vacation, Obama excoriated the argument -- put forward by some conservatives -- that offering insurance to the long-term unemployed "saps their motivation to get a new job."
"That really sells the American people short," he said.
Making both an economic argument and a "moral case" for extending the benefits, Obama said Americans believe in helping each other in the case of misfortune.
"We know that, there but for the grace of God, go I," he said.
The congressional fight is far from over. Although six Republicans joined all present Democrats to advance the bill in the Senate, many lawmakers say they want the $6.4 billion cost to be offset by spending cuts – an idea that the White House previously rejected.
And House Republican leaders say the current Senate proposal is not enough.
In a statement after the Senate vote, House Speaker John Boehner said the aid extension must be paid for and contain a larger plan for job creation.
"One month ago I personally told the White House that another extension of temporary emergency unemployment benefits should not only be paid for but include something to help put people back to work," he said. "To date, the president has offered no such plan."


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Make Bread Dough Like a Pro With A Stand Mixer
A heavy-duty stand mixer is a great appliance for making bread dough. You can use the dough hook for both mixing and kneading. If the dough isn't coming together with the dough hook, switch over to the paddle attachment and mix just until the ingredients are combined, then switch back to the dough hook.


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Today, organizations of all sizes and across all industries are using marketing analytics tools. These systems inform decision-making and can help provide a better return on investment (ROI) on companies' marketing and sales efforts.
This guide will help you understand the landscape of marketing analytics software and the features these platforms tend to offer, so you can make a better decision.
Here's what we'll cover:
What Is Marketing Analytics Software?
Common Marketing Analytics Applications
What Type of Buyer Are You?
Key Considerations
Marketing analytics platforms contain of a variety of applications used by sales professionals, advertisers and marketers. These tools streamline processes through email management, social media management and marketing automation. They also provide greater insights about customers to convert more sales leads.
Most marketing analytics tools are cloud-based systems that integrate with major customer relationship management (CRM) platforms. They can also integrate with other Web analytics services, such as Google Analytics.
Below is a list of some common marketing analytics applications. Note that these may be offered individually, as best-of-breed products, or in an all-inclusive suite, depending on the vendor.
|Lead management
|Assists with collecting information on leads, such as demographics, business size, industry segment and predicted purchasing behavior. This helps sales professionals plan properly during the sales process so they have a higher chance of converting the lead.
|Marketing automation
|Automates a variety of tasks, from data collection and reporting to email marketing, social media marketing and beyond; integrates the processes of these applications so users don't have to repeat tasks. Allows users to plan campaigns across all channels seamlessly.
|Email management
|Assists with email campaigns, allowing users to blast emails to thousands of leads or customers. Provides insights into click-through and open rates and allows for A/B testing.
|Search engine reporting
|Tracks key performance indicators for search engine marketing efforts, such as keyword rankings. Typically produces reports, charts and graphs to represent this data.
|Social media management
|Manages social media accounts across a variety of channels to ensure consistency among campaigns.
|Data management
|Stores data and offers pre-built tools for data analysis, so users don't need to build their own complicated spreadsheets. These pre-built tools can include formulas, calculators, graphs and reports to help marketers better understand how their activities are performing.
|Advertising management
|Tracks effectiveness (e.g., click-through rates, bounce rates) of online ads placed on websites or in search engine results pages.
In general, marketing analytics platforms are not industry-specific. A wide range of businesses can benefit from using these tools.
That said, different types of organizations will have different needs based on what sort of marketing they do. For example:
Retail and e-commerce. Online retailers need highly specialized applications that provide insight into their customers' purchasing habits. For example, an online retailer will want to know what causes "shopping cart abandonment," or what their customers are likely to buy next based on previous purchases.
Retailers should look for marketing analytics tools with strong e-commerce integrations, preferably with the software and applications they are already using.
B2B. Business-to-business (B2B) marketing relies on relationship-building. The time to complete a single sale can take months or even years. B2B marketers and sales professionals can benefit from software that helps nurture these relationships without overloading sales leads. For example, lead management software can automatically remind marketers to follow up every month or so.
Professional services. Digital marketing is now essential for professionals in fields such as accounting, law and consulting. These businesses tend to spend less on advertising and marketing. They'll want to ensure they're maximizing the ROI for their digital marketing strategy, and automate as much of the process as possible to reduce overhead costs.
With marketing analytics solutions, professional-service businesses can see which campaigns have the greatest impact. They can also draw stronger correlations between marketing strategies and the leads they generate.
Marketing analytics solutions are not necessarily more difficult to use than other types of business software. However, its recent emergence means even veteran marketers might be unfamiliar with how it works, and will need some training to use it effectively. Once users make it over the initial learning curve, it should be smooth sailing.
When shopping for new analytical tools to strengthen your marketing initiatives, consider:
User-friendliness. How easy will it be for existing and new employees to learn the system? Read reviews of different platforms to get an idea of how difficult it will be to train employees. You can also demo potential platforms to get a sense of which one will be easiest to use.
Scalability. Do you expect to expand your marketing efforts across more channels as your business grows? If so, you'll want a feature-rich platform—one that offers most of the applications listed above—so the software can grow with you. With cloud-based systems, adding new users or additional applications is typically an easy process.
Pricing. How much do you want to spend? Most analytics platforms are subscription-based and are usually priced according to business size (e.g., as a function of the number of users on the platform). The good news for small businesses is that these platforms scale with you, and can be very affordable for small numbers of users.
Our service is simple and 100% free to customers like you because software vendors pay us when we connect them with quality leads. You save time and get great advice. Vendors get great referrals. It's a win for everyone!


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User:D2 racing
Sylvain Alain was born in March 26 1979. He owned a computer for the first time when he was 10, a Tandy 1000 SL2 without a HDD. After finishing his High School(École secondaire), he went to the CEGEP(exist only in Quebec) to complete his CEGEP diploma in computer science (DEC Technologie des Systèmes Ordinés). In 2000, he started to work as a programmer for the Gouvernment IRS in Quebec City. Years later, he was promote as Security Analyst for the Gouvernment.
He started to use Linux in 1997 when he had to install a Red Hat CD to pass an exam. At that time, Linux was use a lot at his CEGEP, because it was the first CEGEP to ban Microsoft product. Indeed, he didn't have the chance to code a single line inside a Microsoft Environment....still today :P
He started to use Linux on daily based during the year 2002-2003 with Debian Woody,Fedora Core 2 and 3, Ubuntu, Mandrake 10 etc ...
He started to use Gentoo back in 2005 after a course at the University Laval in Quebec City.
He joined the Gentoo Global moderator staff in december 2008 because of his French/English knowledge and also because of his technical skills.
He started to use Funtoo when Daniel Robbins released one of the first versions of Metro(1.3) back in 2008-2009 to build some custom Gentoo-Quebec stage3.
Finally, in September 2010, he started with the same 4 friends Funtoo-Quebec website(Guy Fontaine,Laurent Duchesne,Claude Fleury,Bernard Tremblay) to help his good friend Daniel Robbins and to offer the French support for Funtoo.
He created with his 4 friends Gentoo-Quebec website in december 2007 after using Gentoo for 2 years on daily base. And in September 2010, Funtoo-Quebec was officially create to support the French community.


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Could NYPD Have Handled #MyNYPD Better?
Call it a social-media fail. The NYPD's plan to engage Twitter users backfired when users hijacked the hashtag #myNYPD. Should the police have anticipated the response? Social-media strategist and Syracuse University assistant professor Anthony Rotolo discusses on the News Hub. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the ... the police department ... as officers and Twitter yesterday in the past and nine and like ETE ... Zach leaving it helped ... pay for the police department quickly hijacking hashtag and posting pics of alleging police retaliate ... joining us with his take is Syracuse University assistant professor in social media strategist in tier it all out ... in the case for being here ... so where did the NYPD go wrong ... well there's a there's a few places here but most importantly ... I think they went wrong in failing to do what I would call in my class ... listing stage in our research stage when you're going to launch a social media effort like this ... it is very important to take a look at the community that you're going to be addressing ... and assess the potential pitfalls or something like this ... and it also it's a very important to build a rapport with your audience ... well in advance of calling on the crowd to weigh in as as they did ... you can go a long way to the research ... in even looking at other similar campaigns in similar departments to determine ... if there are things in your environment that are going to get dressed up and and ... you can bet that those voices are going to be louder in the next so I think the first inning was ... was not being realistic about what the audience may not think ... that the piano like he thought they were doing we have a comment and the MIP thoughtful they think ... the NYPD is creating new ways to communicate effectively with the community Twitter provides an open forum for an uncensored exchange and this is an open trial of good for our city ... but you ... need me fooled this before we saw DXJ piano hashtag ... Nissan to make these storied past and how did they not coming ... sch well heeled it's a really good question ... I would assume that any organization is large the NYPD that its stock through the potential outcomes of something like this as you would expect they will win ... what would see the opportunity for ... foreign negative comments being shared in a campaign like this ... I think that oftentimes as ... organizations rushed to the summit of the appeal of social media efforts ... with good intentions as ensure that the NYPD at ... the state will tend to overlook the potential for ... will really make social media most powerful which is leveling the playing field between goes discussing ... so it's no longer the NYPD actual enjoying this opportunity to speak from the pulpit ... or two at two p somehow sequestered from this type of dialogue ... in a social media conversation ... though at the end users are as loud as the organization that starts the conversation ... and then I think it's easy to forget that especially if your intentions are good to us at that time it seems to indicate by NYP is there anything at


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Choir's Blog - What do you feel about Us
We will like to know your feelings about us.
Please make comments.
We will like to know your feelings about us.
Please make comments.
1. I decree and declare that your light will bring forth New Dawn.
2. I decree and declare that all your blessings will locate you in 2019
. 3. I decree that no evil shall befall you nor any plague come near your dwelling place.
4. God settled Abraham, he settled Isaac and settled Jacob. He will settle you this month.
5. I declare celebration in your home, marriage, business, job, family in Jesus name.
Welcome to your month of "New Dawn".
Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls.


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America's Frustrating Team
Well Cowboys Fans is it time to worry yet? I don't know about you but I am really getting frustrated with this team. I am by no means ready to throw in the towel but as I am sure we all know, something has to change, something has to fire this team up, something has to give these guys a kick in the pants. I must say at least one thing is consistent, and that is their inconsistency.
At times you see them walk the ball down the field like they are playing against a college team, then for the next few drives they cant get out of their own way. It is hard to put the blame on just one player or one aspect of this team, it does appear to be an entire team issue. I love Romo don't get me wrong, but it is hard to find much to list him as an "Elite" quarterback from what we have seen over the years, granted it has only been a few. Do we blame Romo? Maybe at least partially. How about Offensive Coordinator Jason Garret? A couple years ago he was thought to be an up and coming coaching prospect, or at least a successor to Wade Phillips. But there are times he makes me want to pull my hair out of my head as I scream at the television "Why?!?!, why did you call that play?!?!"
Then again, when they click and the team rolls down field you see the plays that are called and understand his potential. I guess I am just venting, there is still plenty of football to go for this season and plenty of time to right the ship. One thing I do notice is the lack of intensity, lack of heart. I will never abandon ship, I will ride it to the end whether that be the promise land and the Lombardi Trophy, or to the bottom of the abyss, I will be there the whole way. I just don't know how much more we fans can take, it seems like we get close, expectations high then things like the Seattle Playoff game a few years ago, the Eagles game last year, and the other oh so close games just out of reach enough to raise my blood pressure.
OK, I feel a little better now, thanks for listening and sorry for popping off. I will keep the faith, ride the lightning, cheer and cry with all of you. Lets believe in our boys, we are due, our time is almost here.


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AUSTIN, Tex. - Seven Gaucho swimmers traveled to Texas over the weekend to compete at the AT&T Winter National Championships. The event included elite swimmers from around the country, including many Olympic Champions, and was held at Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center at the University of Texas.
Sophia Yamauchi, Andrea Ward, Emma Hunt, Marissa Neel, Randy Aakhus, Wade Allen and Tim Freeman made the trip to represent UCSB at the meet.
Tim Freeman had a successful weekend after setting the school record in the 100 breastroke with a time of 53.60. He broke his own record of 53.90 that he set in 2010. His school record time was good enough to place him in the 'A' Final where he would finish eighth with a time of 53.81. Freeman also swam in the 200 breaststroke and advanced to the 'B' Final where he saw another eighth place finish (1:59.26).
Wade Allen advanced to the finals in all three of his events. After advancing to the 'A' Final in the 100 butterfly, Allen finished eighth with a time of 47.56. In the 50 freestyle he advanced to the 'C' Final and finished fifth (20.15). In the 100 freestyle Allen would take another fifth place finish in the 'C' Final (44.31).
Sophia Yamauchi also advanced to three finals in all three of her events. In the 200 IM she would place fifth in the 'B' Final with her time of 1:59.49. She placed eighth in yet another 'B' Final appearance, this time in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.80). In her last individual event, Yamauchi would qualify for the 'C' Final and finished in second place (2:12.78).
Andrea Ward and Randy Aakhus each advanced to one final of their own. Ward advanced to the 'B' Final in the 100 butterfly where she would touch the wall in fifth place with a mark of 54.12. Aakhus made it to the 'B' Final in the tough 400 IM and came away in eighth place (3:56.52).
The Gaucho women also competed in the 4x50 relay. The team of Neel, Yamauchi, Ward and Hunt advanced to the 'B' Final and finished in third place (1:44.12).
Out of 13 colleges and universities that competed, the UCSB men finished in seventh place and the women finished in eighth.
UCSB is back in action at Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 15.


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23 September 2015
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Our team of professionals has managed all types of events. Whether it is a Royal wedding in Palaces of Rajsthan, Promotional event in malls, Annual event for company employees, or a Live Concert of famous artist. Nothing is small or big for us because we manage every event with the same dedication, integrity and passion. We have discovered the most exotic and exquisite event venues in India as well as overseas. In Rajasthan we are associated with 150+ hotels & resorts, hundreds of vendors to provide best and most elegant wedding planning and corporate event management services. Besides Pune, we also provide event management services in all over India. What makes us different is Experience. Our philosophy is to provide unforgettable experiences and for that we always keep ourselves exploring around. We know every event we manage is a reflection of your social image that is why we provide the international class venues, exquisite decor, finger licking food, and best artists to bring unique and unforgettable experience for your guests. We provide tailor made event management services depending upon your need and choice.
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text:
Like this! Above is a sample of the game's Korean voice track compared with the English voice track. While some non-Korean speakers seem to think this voice track is pretty groovy (even saying they'd prefer it over the English track), many Korean speakers aren't exactly thrilled.
Case in point? At around the 2:17 to 2:20 mark, the woman's Korean is a little "too cutesy" for some players.
Jongsu Chang contributed to this article.


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DETROIT — People are finally replacing the cars and trucks they held on to during the economic slump, giving a big boost to U.S. auto sales in November.
Chrysler, Ford, Nissan and Hyundai were among the companies reporting double-digit gains from last November, which is normally a lackluster month because of colder weather and holiday distractions. This November, buyers were lured by good deals, improving confidence in the economy and the need to trade in older cars.
"Consumers are just starting to say 'it's time to start spending money again,' " says Larry Dominique, executive vice president of data for the TrueCar.com automotive website.
An early blitz of holiday advertising helped convince some people that it was a good time to buy. Ken Czubay, Ford's vice president for U.S. sales, says dealers saw the same rise in sales that other merchants did on Black Friday and the Saturday after Thanksgiving
Several analysts expect the pace of U.S. auto sales to be the fastest in more than two years. They project the annual rate for November to range between 13.3 million and 14 million cars and trucks after carmakers finish reporting new vehicle sales Thursday. That's a far better rate than the 12.6 million through the first 10 months of the year.
Sales could even approach the 14.1 million annual pace from August of 2009, when the government offered big rebates for drivers to trade in their gas-guzzling clunkers.
Car companies expected sales to improve as people who held on to cars during the economic downturn return to the market. The average age of a car on U.S. roads is a record 10.6 years, according to Polk, an auto industry research firm. And the rate of cars that are scrapped has surpassed sales for several years.
"There were a lot of people that waited quite a bit of time to get a vehicle," says Ryan LaFontaine, whose Michigan car dealer chain sells 16 foreign and U.S. brands. He says commercial truck sales were strong during the month.
A better selection of cars at Toyota showrooms also brought more shoppers back into the market. Many buyers spent the summer waiting for those inventories to improve after the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan squeezed supplies, says economist Jenny Lin, who works for Ford Motor Co.
Toyota's sales rose 7 percent for the month, the first time the company has seen a year-over-year increase since April. Sales of the subcompact Yaris more than doubled. Sales of the Prius hybrids — which now include the original car as well as the new Prius V wagon — were also strong.
But Honda Motor Co. continued to struggle, partly because of flooding in Thailand that forced the company to slow down U.S. production. Honda sales fell 10 percent for the month.
Chrysler Group LLC's sales rose 45 percent from a year earlier. They were led by the Jeep Compass small SUV, which had a nearly ten-fold increase in sales. Jeep brand sales rose 50 percent, while Chrysler brand sales nearly doubled on strong demand for its 200 and 300 sedans. Chrysler raised its incentives to nearly $3,300 per vehicle, up 6 percent from October.
At General Motors Co., buyers snapped up small cars and pickup trucks. Sales of the Chevrolet Cruze compact rose 64 percent, while the Silverado pickup, GM's top-selling vehicle, saw sales jump 34 percent.
"We are seeing a broad spectrum of customers return to the market," says Don Johnson, GM's U.S. sales chief. GM's overall sales were up 7 percent.
Ford's sales rose 13 percent, fueled by the new Explorer SUV, whose sales more than tripled over last November.
The increases reflect improving consumer confidence, which rose to its highest level since July last month, according to the Conference Board.
Attractive leases also spurred sales. Dealers offered good terms because low interest rates and high used-car values make leased vehicles worth more when they're returned. GM, for instance, is offering a Cruze lease at $169 per month for 39 months.
According to TrueCar.com, an auto pricing site, the average industry spending on incentives such as leases and low-interest loans was $2,534 per vehicle in November, up 2.5 percent from October.
Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of the auto information site Edmunds.com, estimates that 200,000 to 300,000 buyers who held off purchases over the summer and are coming back to the market now. But he thinks sales could soften this spring once those buyers are exhausted.
"I wouldn't view this as suggestive of a fundamental economic rebound," Anwyl says. Instead, he expects the recovery to continue the bumpy progress it has seen all year.
Other automakers reporting Thursday:
— Nissan Motor Co. says sales were up 19 percent. The new Versa small car led sales with a 38 percent increase, but SUV and truck sales also rose 32 percent.
— Hyundai Motor Co. says sales rose 22 percent thanks to sales of the new Elantra, which jumped 44 percent.
— Volkswagen AG says sales were up 41 percent on the strength of the new Jetta and Passat sedans. Volkswagen sold 6,018 Passats in November, compared to 374 last November.
Life & Culture
Artists wanted for Maine International Film Festival
New England Patriots
NFL is investigating whether laser was pointed at Brady in AFC title game
The Maine Forecast
Caribou breaks its record for all-time snowiest January
Local & State
Sea-level rise hurting Maine real estate values
Maine home sales, prices hit record highs in 2018


text:
Hello, my crafty friends! I have another simple card for you using the Build A Valentine stamp set!
Click HERE to see all of my new Valentine stamps and other goodies for Valentines!
Your frog is adorable. I love the touches of glossy accents. The use of vellum for the dragonfly's wings is such a good idea. I have yet to try cutting vellum with my Cricut. Great work.ReplyDelete
Super cute card...love the wings of the dragonfly and the stamp set is AWESOME!!!ReplyDelete
Adorable card! I love the little dragonfly.ReplyDelete
Toadally cute. :) The gloss accents really look fabulous on him.ReplyDelete
Cute card! I love the Glossy Accents on his spots and mouth... adds a great look!
lovin' the toad!ReplyDelete
I am starting to wish I kept my cricut now. This layering look and the 3d is fun. I need to start trying this on some of my cards!ReplyDelete
This is really cute, it is making me think about the valentines for my kids already!! But that is good because I won't be up super late the night before!!!ReplyDelete
Oh my, how cute is this card. The glossy accents on the frog and dragonfly just give the card a fabulous look!! I am just loving the vellum wings and glitter glue on the dragonfly. I can see this sentiment used is so many ways. Great stamps.
Very cute and I love that you mixed the two cartridges.
This card is Toad-ally adorable! The dragonfly is awesome! Love it and your new stamp set. TFSReplyDelete
And who thought a Toad could be so cute.
"Sunshine HoneyBee"
Cute card! I love how you created the dragonfly with his vellum wings!ReplyDelete
Toadally great card. Love the glossy accents and your sentiments work so well.
Jayne x
Your frog card turned out WONDERFUL!! I LOVE the vellum for the wings on the dragonfly! Beautiful! TFSReplyDelete
Toadally adorbs Kimberly as always!!! I love your style!!! Linda Harris email@example.com
Very cute card. The eyes and the spot on the frog look very awesome. Like the size of the card. Thanks for share with us.ReplyDelete
This card is so adorable! I love how you made the dragonfly so cute. Thanks for sharing.
This card is adorable!! I love the use of the glossy accents.
salido99 at msn dot com
This card is "toadally" cute. You are really twisting my arm (lol) into buying these stamps.ReplyDelete
That frog is just to doggone cute. Thanks for a chance at your super stamps.
I just love your frog, another great card.
Cute card! Thanks for sharing your ideas and talents.
scrapbooknut67114 at gmail dot com
What a great card. I love that frog.
Really cute card- I love that the wings of the dragonfly are vellum- they look so real! :)AmyReplyDelete
Super Cute!
I toadally love this card!ReplyDelete
This is Toad-ally adorable!!! Just had to go with it....love your card:) So stinken cute Kimberly and I LOVE, LOVE your stamp sets:) I need to get my hands on them:)
Maybe my sweet Valentine will buy them for me..
Thanks for sharing your sweet card and thanks for a chance to win:)
Sherrie K
Super cute!! Love this toad! Your card looks great, Kimberly!!
I love your toad and your extras!!
love the stamp set and your toad is amazing!!ReplyDelete
The card is so cute!! Love the Toad & Dragonfly!!
This is so cute! Something about that frog says "I'm too sexy for my spots"! ;-)ReplyDelete
Such an adorable frog! Perfect sentiment!
cutie!!! adorable frog with a cutie dragonfly.. :) love the colours and glossy accents!!ReplyDelete
cute little frog. and looks easy enough to make. may have to give it a tryReplyDelete
Too cute!
Jessie G
goodjessie at hotmail.com
So darn cute, I love his eyes and that dragonfly is adorable!!
I love the glossy accents, so cute :)ReplyDelete
Love this!!! TFS joy4umetoo at hotmail dot comReplyDelete
Hi Kimberly!
I just have to smile when I see your "toadally adorable" card...love the cute little dragonfly too :)
Who said a Dragon-fly's Beauty can't be cuaght?
..or at least try to ay way..and make a real big
effort at that, WITH GREAT RESULTS AT THAT!!
Frogtasic... had to do it so sorry.
Dawn RI
I am sure your little frog is a prince in disguise because he is so darn cute. And such a gentleman by not eating that adorable dragonfly... Love it!!!!ReplyDelete
O I can just "CROAK" for this lol! I love this card and I love the Glossy Accents, GREAT TOUCH!
letilliaslaughter at yahoo dot com
So adorable TFSReplyDelete
Toadally awesome card! I really love the way you did the dragonfly...he is adorable.ReplyDelete
These are great Valentine's for kids!!!ReplyDelete
He is sooooo cute! I am LOVING your dragon fly...the glitter on vellum for a natural curl...sweet! Your "simple" cards, Kimberly, are simply adorable!
rynmich92 at gmail dot com
This card is toadally cute! Love the frog and the fact that you added glossy accents.ReplyDelete
Love love this card!!! Everything on it is so stinkin cute starting with that adorable frog and the dragonfly's wings are amazing. Love your stamps!!!
plese.cathy at yahoo dot com
Toad-ally cute! I love that you used a dragonfly to embellish!
Oh I love this card so much! Love the toad, but that dragonfly is way cute!
very cute card. tfs.ReplyDelete
I love the glossy spots. It helps to add something to it.ReplyDelete
I love that your cards use cartridges I actually have! Very cute.
Oh my gosh, this is the cutest thing! I will have to try to make something like this. Love it! Regina
This is just to cute. Love it.
So funny-love that dragonfly!ReplyDelete
That is one adorable toad! Thanks for the chance to win. deegeescraps at gmail dot comReplyDelete
Love the frog and that stamp set is awesome :)ReplyDelete
So toadily awesome!! I just recently got this cartridge and was thinking of using it soon for some Valentine's Day cards. So fun!


text:
5 White Sales for a Fresh Start on a Budget
The holidays are but a memory and we're all ready to start fresh. January happens to be the customary time when retailers discount their bedding and bath supplies. Known as white sales, this is a great time to freshen up your essentials for two very important rooms — bed and bath.
• Cuddledown As part of their Winter White Sale, Cuddledown has discounted comforters – like this 1000 Fill Power European Goose Down Batiste Comforter – as well as bamboo towels, mattress pads and sleepwear.
• Pottery Barn This White Sale is stocked with a fairly wide selection of bedding and bath essentials. Shown here: Textured Organic Bath Rug, normally $36 - $44, discounted to $29 - $39.
• West Elm While the sale at West Elm isn't billed as a White Sale, they are offering 20% off select bath and bedding, including the Lexington Quilt and Shams.
• The Company Store They may be looking ahead a bit, but The Company Store is thinking spring with their White Sale Event. Fans of color, like this Solid Jersey Knit Set, this White Sale is for you!
• Macy's The Macy's New Year Sale is offering 40% - 60% off bedding closeouts, like this Hotel Collection Bedding.
(Images: 1. Stephen's Warm Modern Loft. All others: As credited above.)


text:
Above this race of men stands an immense and tutelary power, which takes upon itself alone to secure their gratifications and to watch over their fate. That power is absolute, minute, regular, provident, and mild. It would be like the authority of a parent if, like that authority, its object was to prepare men for manhood; but it seeks, on the contrary, to keep them in perpetual childhood: it is well content that people should rejoice, provided they think of nothing but rejoicing. For their happiness such a government willingly labors, but it chooses to be the sole agent and only arbiter of that happiness; it provides for their security, foresees and supplies their necessities, facilitates their pleasures, manages their principal concerns, directs their industry, regulates the descent of property, and subdivides their inheritances: what remains, but to spare them all the care of thinking and all the trouble of living?
Was there a greater political prophet than Alexis de Tocqueville? I think not. He wrote about American society and government nearly 200 years ago, and his brilliant insights into American culture specifically and political theory more generally are as relevant today as they were when he first wrote, if not more so. It's as though he possessed a crystal ball and saw the ascension of petty tyrants like Michael Bloomberg.
If Mayor Bloomberg gets his way, and it looks like he will, large sodas and other sugary drinks will be a thing of the past, at least at restaurants, movie theaters, cafes, and stadiums across the five boroughs.
Under the mayor's proposed plan, drinks at these locations would not be over 16 ounces. If businesses break the rule, they'll be hit with a $200 fine.
Thomas Farley, the city's health commissioner, said the measure is a new way to fight obesity. He estimates that over 60 percent of New Yorkers are overweight.
Aside from the bogus statistics – I grew up in New York City, and 60% of the people are overweight only if the ideal weight is "anorexically thin" – this is yet another attempt by Nanny Bloomberg to dictate to the people of New York how to live their lives. You may remember Mayor Mike from such public health efforts as banning smoking pretty much everywhere and banning the evil known as transfats.
Even if one agrees that it is good for people to not smoke and to eat healthy, is there no end in sight to these efforts to control the daily lives of citizens? You know, other then when it comes to those same citizens aborting their children because they're only girls.
Let's leave aside the fact that such a ban would be futile as, after all, customers could just order multiple beverages. This is yet another effort to control behavior. Certainly this is not the most egregious assault on personal liberty in this nation's history, but that's sort of the point, and that was Tocqueville's point as well. It's the little things that get you. In other words, the real danger in democratic governments isn't large-scale deprivations of liberty (though these are certainly possible as well), but rather the minute, insufferable attempts to manipulate people and treat others as though they were children.
That said, this story is yet another corrective to the old saw that it is social conservatives who want to control every aspect of our daily lives. If Michael Bloomberg is a social conservative, then I'm afraid to know what I'd be labeled.
But have no fear New Yorkers. Even if Mayor Mike takes your giant sodas away, at least he won't be touching your donuts.


text:
#82 Sharp or Spiky
Pretty self explanatory why I'd choose this shot for sharp and spiky... I like the DOF (depth of field) too :o)
#37 Feet
Perhaps an odd take on the subject "feet" but I thought it would be a bit of fun. Paw prints are related to feet aren't they? :o) DD1 got a nail art kit for Christmas and we tried it out last night.
#64 Bottles or Jars
I just HAD to catch the colours in this jar of cherries sitting on the counter while the sun peeked out this morning.
Until next time....


text:
Buffalo Stew With Fry Bread Crust
1 lb of buffalo stew meat
1 teaspoon of baking powder
4 potatoes
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons of oil
seasoning salt
tomato sauce or jar of spaghetti sauce
fry bread dough
Heat the oil in a stew pot, chop the onions add to heated oil. Cook for a couple of minutes. Rinse your stew meat add to the onions add the seasoning salt to taste and add tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce stir well covering all the meat add 1/2 cup of water get it boiling let cook for about 30 minutes add the potatoes, cover and let cook through.
Then make your bread crust.
A pinch of sugar gives the bread a yummy taste and makes it softer. Mix all the dry ingredients together then add your liquids make a soft dough roll out on a floured surface when 30 minutes has past take stew off the stove let it cool and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes then put your stew in a deep pie dish or casserole and top with the rolled out dough. Bake for about 20 - 30 minutes.
Contributor: John Koda Miller


text:
An HIV Vaccine Preparedness Study
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00000915
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : August 31, 2001
Last Update Posted : June 24, 2005
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The purpose of this study is to estimate the rate at which a certain population becomes infected with HIV. The individuals examined in this study are people who are expected to take part in future studies of HIV vaccines and nonvaccine HIV prevention studies. This study also examines the chances of becoming HIV-positive based on certain risk factors under conditions that are similar to the conditions that would exist in HIV vaccine and non-HIV prevention studies.
Before studying the effectiveness of a potential HIV vaccine, it is important to learn about the range of HIV risk behaviors in the potential participants of these studies. The probability of HIV infection associated with these risk behaviors should also be examined. This study is designed to increase the ability of HIVNET to put into place HIV prevention trials, to increase the diversity of trial participants, and to target populations at highest risk for HIV infection.
|Condition or disease
|HIV Infections
|Behavioral: Vaccine preparedness
|Not Applicable
Vaccine preparedness studies are necessary in order to prepare for launching preventive HIV vaccine efficacy trials. It is important to gather information on the risk of HIV infection among recruited populations, the extent and stability of HIV risk behaviors in these populations, and the risk of HIV infection associated with risk behaviors. This vaccine preparedness study is designed to expand the capacity of the HIVNET to implement HIV prevention trials, increase the diversity of its participant population, and further target populations at highest risk of HIV infection.
Participants complete a total of 6 scheduled study visits: 2 at baseline, 2 at follow-up 6 months later, and 2 at follow-up 12 months after enrollment. Participant risk behaviors and knowledge of and attitudes toward HIV vaccine and other HIV prevention trials are assessed at each time point. HIV infection status is tested by standard HIV ELISA and Western blot at follow-up, as well as at participant request throughout the study. Participants are instructed to recognize and report suspected primary HIV infection based on symptoms or high-risk exposures. HIV pre-test, risk reduction, and post-test counseling is provided in accordance with CDC standards of practice. Participants who become infected with HIV during the study are counseled and referred for medical and psychosocial services.
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Enrollment :
|4892 participants
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|HIV Vaccine Preparedness Study
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria
Participants meet the following criteria:
- HIV-seronegative.
- Available for 6 months of the study. (Note:
- Participants who plan to move from one study location to another are eligible.)
- Willing and able to provide information for locator purposes.
- Report one or more of the following risk behaviors:
For men:
- Intravenous or intramuscular injection of any drug on an average of 3 or more days per week during the last 3 months.
- Anal intercourse (receptive or insertive) with one or more other men in the last year.
For women:
- Intravenous or intramuscular injection of any drug on an average of 3 or more days per week during the last 3 months.
- Having a current male sex partner who is infected with HIV.
- Having a current male sex partner who has injected drugs in the last 5 years.
- Having 5 or more male sex partners in the last year.
- Diagnosis of syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, first episode herpes, pelvic inflammatory disease, and/or trichomoniasis in the last year.
- Exchange of sex for money or drugs in the last year.
- Use of crack cocaine in the last 12 months.
See General Inclusion Criteria for required risk behaviors.
Volunteers must be:
- HIV-positive through HIVNET testing or HIV-seronegative by EIA.
- Presently in a sexual relationship of at least 6 months duration with the intention to remain with this partner for the duration of the study.
- Willing to identify and recruit this sexual partner to which he/she has disclosed or will disclose HIV serostatus.
- Willing to receive counseling and HIV testing (HIV-seronegative partners only).
- Willing to agree to be interviewed with their partner and individually.
- Willing to continue engaging in sex with their partner.
- Willing to participate in a couples-based condom promotion intervention.
- Willing and able to attend each scheduled intervention/follow-up study visit.
Exclusion Criteria
Co-existing Condition:
Persons with the following symptoms or conditions are excluded:
- An obvious psychological or psychiatric disorder that would preclude provision of informed consent or otherwise contraindicate study participation.
- Any condition which in the opinion of the principal investigator would interfere with achieving the study objectives.
Men at risk through anal intercourse only are excluded if they:
- Currently have a single HIV-seronegative partner with whom they have been in a mutually monogamous relationship for at least 2 years.
Men and women at risk through injection only are excluded if they:
- Have been participating in any methadone drug treatment program for at least the last 6 months.
- Currently obtain over 50 percent of needles/syringes for injection of drugs from a needle exchange program.
- Meeting the following extremely high injection risk criteria overrides the exclusion criteria for injection risk as outlined above:
- Using a needle or syringe after one or more known HIV-positive persons 2 or more times in the past 3 months.
- Using a needle or syringe after persons of unknown HIV status in the past 3 months provided the following two conditions are true:
- (1) report using a needle or syringe after someone else 2 or more different times in the past 3 months and (2) report using a needle or syringe after 3 or more different persons in the past 3 months. (This second criterion could be met in 3 episodes of injection with a single injection partner, if the participant used a needle or syringe after a different person each time. Alternatively, the criterion could be met in a single episode of injection, if the participant used a needle or syringe after 3 or more persons had used a single set of works.)
Concurrent Medication:
- Enrollment in an HIV vaccine trial, unless approval is obtained from the Data Management Committee Project Officer.
Risk Behavior:
- See General Exclusion Criteria for excluded risk behaviors.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00000915
|United States, California
|Los Angeles County / Health Research Assoc / Drew Med Ctr
|Los Angeles, California, United States, 90059
|United States, Illinois
|Univ of Illinois Hosp at Chicago
|Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612
|United States, Maryland
|Johns Hopkins Univ
|Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21205
|United States, New York
|Bronx Lebanon Hosp Ctr
|Bronx, New York, United States, 10456
|New York Blood Ctr
|Bronx, New York, United States, 10456
|New York Univ Med Ctr
|New York, New York, United States, 10016
|United States, Pennsylvania
|Univ of Pennsylvania / HIVNET
|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
|United States, Rhode Island
|Miriam Hosp
|Providence, Rhode Island, United States, 02906
|Study Chair:
|Dave Metzger
|Study Chair:
|George Seage
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00000915 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|August 31, 2001 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|June 24, 2005
|Last Verified:
|March 1999
Keywords provided by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID):
AIDS Vaccines
Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
HIV Infections
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
Immunologic Factors
Physiological Effects of Drugs


text:
Walking the dog the other morning, I noticed someone had put out a box of glassware on the sidewalk. This is not uncommon, I guess people are cleaning their garages. Spring Cleaning.
I looked a little closer, and noticed it was cocktail glasses, mostly Martini Vs, but there were a few prizes in the box.
Wow, a true Nick and Nora size Martini Glass! Also, as a bonus, from Harolds Club in Reno.
On his twenty-fifth birthday, February 23, 1935, Harold Smith Sr. opened a tiny gambling club in Reno, Nevada. He had come to "the biggest little city" because California was cracking down on the carnival games his family ran in the Bay Area, and in 1931 Nevada had legalized gambling. Smith called his place "Harold's Club"—with an apostrophe—and it was to become one of the most famous gambling place of its day and one of the first modern casinos. (The apostrophe later disappeared from the name.) The new club measured only 25 feet by 150 feet, and featured one roulette wheel. It lost money, and after a few months Harold's father, Raymond I. "Pappy" Smith, arrived to turn things around as general manager. In the meantime Harold had been joined by his brother, Raymond A., who during the Great Depression could not find work in his banking profession.
Pappy soon developed a reputation for trying anything, including letting players bet on which hole a scampering field mouse would enter. The stunt gained Harolds its first national publicity. It was a prime example of Pappy's genius for promotion that gave the club a major advantage over its rivals, which were dingy, unappealing places leery of advertising their business. The most famous promotion involved "Harolds Club or Bust" roadside billboards erected worldwide, and other advertising took the same adventurous tack, publicizing the club anytime and anywhere it could.
I think Patrick Gavin Duffy calls this a California Cocktail Glass, it is seriously thick and heavy. Can't wait to freeze this glass and pour in a Manhattan!
This tiny coupe is kind of cool, with the yellow stem, though I'm not even sure if it will hold an ounce.
This larger classic coupe is better, with its fancy stem.
Awesome, a Gin Fizz, aka Irish Coffee, glass! I actually wanted to track one of these down during the "Fizz" section of the Savoy Stomp, but it proved elusive, unless you wanted to spend a lot of money for one branded with Buena Vista. I prefer "Harolds".


text:
Hollywood Front Group Rounds Up 4,000 Letters Sent To Congress, Pretending It's 100,000
from the hollywood-math dept
The answer is no. Anyone who takes a few seconds to investigate recognizes that this is a slick studio-run operation... from the same studios that use creative math to never pay royalties to actors in even some of the most successful movies of all time.
So is it really any surprise that they're playing fast and loose with the facts when it comes to puffing up their support. Yesterday, CreativeAmerica (and the MPAA) hyped up on Twitter that members had sent over 100,000 letters to Congress in support of PROTECT IP/E-PARASITE. Of course, if you actually went to CreativeAmerica's website, where the letter generator existed (and, again, unlike all of the letter generators for those against these bills, on CreativeAmerica's site, no creativity is allowed -- you can only send their exact message) you see the following:
Oh, and let's just take a look at the "reasons why people signed" the petition that CreativeAmerica is so proud of. It looks like almost half of the people who chose to leave a message are asking how to "unsign" the petition, because they didn't realize that the group was an astroturf group looking to go against the best interests of actual artists. Here are a few examples: