text:
What happens to the frogs and toads during the winter?
Dustin – Huntsville, UT
As the temperatures continue to drop you will begin to notice that your pond, once full of life, is now starting to look like abandoned arctic tundra. Gone are the cool summer nights spent on your patio and deck watching fireflies tastefully illuminate your lawn while being serenaded by a choir of frogs and crickets.
While you are inside cuddled under blankets for the season where do your web-footed friends spend their winter? The winter retreat of choice will depend on the type of frog you have hanging around your pond. You will commonly find either some variety of frog frequenting the shallow areas or shoreline of your pond and toads farther inland rummaging about your gardens or front lawn. Both are very similar but can usually be identified by a few visual characteristics. Frogs tend to have smooth glossy skin that feels slimy to the touch while toads have dry lumpy skin. The eyes of a frog tend to protrude further from its head than those of a toad. A toad will usually have poison sacks located behind their eyes which help prevent them from becoming a snack for larger predators.
As frogs are cold blooded they will begin to slow down as their body temperatures drop. When winter arrives they will go into a state of dormancy and wait out the cold weather. The hibernation strategy varies between species of frogs. Toads tend to bury themselves in leaves or mud while frogs can pass the winter at the bottom of your pond below the ice. Frogs produce a type of glucose in their bodies that will allow them to freeze solid and still be able to survive. As the temperatures begin to rise in the spring their hearts will begin to beat again and they will begin to thaw. When they are once again mobile they will actively search for a place to mate.
Since frogs have an arsenal of survival skills to get them through the winter there is not much you have to do to help them survive the cooler months. Instead focus on keeping yourself warm and healthy and try your best to enjoy the snow and beautiful landscapes this winter brings
POND TALK: Do frogs frequent your pond? How do they adapt to the changing season in your area?
Filed under: Benefits of Owning, Frogs, Pond & Lake | Tagged: animals adapting to winter, body temperature, cold blooded, frog vs. toad, glucose, toad, toads, winter |

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Furey Heads to the Olympics
By Anna Fiorentino
August 2012 • CoolStuff
On August 8, Sean Furey '04, Th'05, '06 will compete in the Men's Javelin Throw for an Olympic medal. The 29-year-old San Diego resident, originally from Methuen, MA, finished 12th in the World Championships in 2009, and went on to win the U.S. National Championships in 2010, before placing fourth in the Olympic trials. Furey found a few minutes before heading to London to talk to us about attending Thayer, preparing for the games, and the benefits of being an engineer and an athlete.
How did you prepare physically and mentally for the Olympics?
Leading up to my departure for London on July 31, I followed the same high-intensity, low-volume training schedule that I use in the regular season, while continuing to work at my regular part-time job as a defense contractor for Raytheon. That routine involves swimming, sprinting, lifting, doing gymnastics, flexibility training, and mostly throwing. My personal best is 82.73 meters, and that ranks me in the middle of the pack—about 16th in the world. I'm one of about 50 in the preliminary round competing for 12 spots to move on in the competition.
I am just as nervous as I would be for any of the top American or world meets. The aura around the Olympics could add pressure, but I think I'm doing a good job of keeping that out of my head and focusing on how to execute my throws. Since I was in high school I have been a good thrower, managing to win a couple of state championships. I always knew I could be one of the best throwers in the world—if you want to make it to the Olympics, you have to believe you can be the best.
Can you talk about experiences or individuals at Thayer who shaped your career as both an athlete and an engineer?
I still use the statistics and technical estimation skills I learned from Ron Lasky, both at Raytheon and in my javelin career. Thayer forced me to stick to a very rigid schedule, and to eliminate procrastination. I actually enjoy that I get a mental break from javelin when I'm working and from work when I'm training.
How do your worlds as an engineer and an athlete cross?
Just being able to think like an engineer—to make quick decisions and do quick calculations—gives me an advantage in the javelin. For five years I have recorded all kinds of information in training journals, from the number of throws I make, distances, and the weights of the implements I throw, to technical cues such as the position of my leg. This allows me to go back and see what worked for me and what didn't. Using a training journal is common, but most don't record in the level of detail that I do, and unlike most, I am able to understand what is truly a trend versus a coincidence.
What was it like working on the Turbo Javelin for your ENGG 390: M.E.M Project?
Tom Petranoff owns a company called Turbo Javelin that makes training javelins, which are basically injection molded three-foot spears that replicate the flight of a javelin. Tom asked us to come up with research on how to make a low-cost training javelin that breaks down into smaller pieces. He was looking for an indoor training tool that was easy to produce and travel with, and inexpensive. We came up with a report that met his criteria, and after a few iterations of the material research we did he developed the training javelin.
It was a fun project and amazing to work so close to something I am so passionate about. Thayer teaches you to find something you're passionate about—your own problem—and solve it.comments powered by Disqus


text:
Assemblyman Luis Alejo, D-Watsonville, seemed to be keenly attuned to the interests of lobbyist Rusty Areias on Tuesday during a hearing of the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Too attuned, in the minds of some observers, who note that Alejo's campaign fundraiser in Sacramento, Julie Sandino, is Areias' wife.
Alejo was one of three Democrats on the committee who raised concerns before Tuesday's meeting about the "heavy-handedness" of state Sen. Jerry Hill's proposed bill to allow public access at Martins Beach. Billionaire venture capitalist Vinod Khosla ended a decades-old practice of allowing the public to enjoy the beach in exchange for a parking fee after he bought the land in 2008.
Hill's original bill would have instructed the State Lands Commission to purchase access to the secluded San Mateo County beach through eminent domain if Khosla refused to allow visitors to return.
Hill, a Democrat, agreed to weaken the language of the bill, SB"‰968, so that it would merely give the commission the option of using its eminent domain power. But Alejo proposed another amendment, strongly backed by Areias, that would have taken the possibility of eminent domain off the table, gutting the bill.
The bill ultimately cleared the committee without Alejo's support. His opposition to the coastal access bill is noteworthy given that his rural, largely agricultural 30th District spans most of Monterey County, including the Big Sur coast.
Asked if Alejo's connection to Areias had anything to do with the assemblyman's comments Tuesday, Alejo spokesman John de los Angeles emailed:
"The assemblyman is very supportive of public access to Martins Beach. However, in committee, the assemblyman made it very clear that he is supportive of the bill but disagrees with the eminent domain provision because it runs contrary to the owner's property rights. The assemblyman looks forward to supporting the bill once it comes to the Assembly floor provided that the author fine-tunes the bill with the appropriate balance between property rights and the public's need for access."
Josue Garcia likely to receive 'revolving door' exemption
To some at San Jose City Hall, Josue Garcia was just the type of fellow the city's "revolving door" lobbying rules were designed to tether. Garcia spent a decade working for the Santa Clara and San Benito Counties Construction and Building Trades Council under Neil Struthers, its former chief executive. Garcia left to become chief of staff to Struthers' brother-in-law, San Jose City Councilman Xavier Campos, a job he held until fall 2012, when he went to work for a fire protection industry trade group.
But Garcia rejoined the building trades council early this year as its new chief executive after Struthers stepped down.
San Jose's revolving door rules bar former city officials from plying old friendships and insider knowledge to return as lobbyists for two years after leaving city employment. The council may, however, grant exemptions, and Garcia requested one.
"I think Mr. Garcia fits the ordinance in the way it was designed," Mayor Chuck Reed said at the council's last meeting as it considered Garcia's waiver request. "And he should wait a few more months before he starts lobbying the city."
The divided council, however, granted the waiver on a 6-5 vote over the objections of Reed and council members Johnny Khamis, Madison Nguyen, Pete Constant and Pierluigi Oliverio.
Garcia noted that so much time has elapsed since he worked for the city and submitted his waiver request that the restriction will expire in three months anyway.
"We believe that if the proposal is denied," Garcia told the council, "the construction community will not have a voice."
Among those granted exemption requests were former redevelopment agency officials left jobless when the state eliminated redevelopment. Others include Dean Munro, who had been a staffer of former Mayor Tom McEnery before leaving to work for the arena authority, and Pat Dando, the former vice mayor who later became chamber of commerce president.
City Attorney Rick Doyle said Munro and Dando qualified for outright exemptions because both went to work for agencies that, unlike the building trades council, receive direct funding from the city.
Councilman Sam Liccardo, whom Reed has endorsed to succeed him as mayor, didn't see the need to deny Garcia's request.
"He's waited 21 out of 24 months already," Liccardo said.
Time for a Senate vote? But the World Cup is on
Did a little World Cup fever get in the way of the California Senate's work?
During Thursday morning's key game between the United States and Germany, which threatened the American team's advancement in the soccer tournament in Brazil, veteran Sacramento Bee Capitol columnist Dan Walters told his Twitter followers that the Legislature's upper house was "having difficulty getting quorum to floor."
"World Cup?" he speculated, adding that Sen. Norma Torres, D-Pomona, cited "preoccupation with U.S.-Germany soccer game as reason not to take up a bill."
We asked Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg's office whether his colleagues were entertaining themselves on the public's time and got this response from his media guy, Mark Hedlund:
"Twitter hardly an accurate news source. No, a quorum was established. Not uncommon that it takes a few minutes for Senators to get to chambers, especially on Thursday when floor session starts at 9 a.m."
Walters noted later that the Senate did muster enough votes to undo one of Sacramento's dumber mandates, sending Gov. Jerry Brown a bill to repeal a law requiring chefs and bartenders to wear plastic gloves.
Sending Dave Fadness wishes for a speedy recovery
Hard as it may be to accept, there are times when even IA has to abandon snark. Such a moment came when we heard that Dave Fadness, a former San Jose council candidate and a leader in the VEP neighborhood of South San Jose, suffered a serious and potentially debilitating injury early this month. As his friends tell us, Fadness fell June 2 as he was climbing to his attic on pull-down stairs. He reportedly suffered severe spinal cord injuries, although he has been able to undertake some forms of physical therapy. He remains at an undisclosed hospital. For now, his family has asked that he receive no phone calls or emails.
Fadness, 72, is on the more conservative end of San Jose's liberally tilted political structure. Earlier this year, he penned an op-ed piece that took issue with the city's plans for a new sales tax, suggesting that money could be saved by contracting out firefighting. Fadness also has served on multiple planning and transportation committees. He is a genuinely good man concerned about the city's development. We wish him well.
Internal Affairs is an offbeat look at state and local politics. This week's items were written by Aaron Kinney, John Woolfolk, Scott Herhold and Paul Rogers. Send tips to email@example.com, or call 408-920-5782.


text: RECAP: Red Bulls U17 (1) vs. Baltimore Armour (0) Tweet Red Bulls U17's held on to a 1-0 victory against Baltimore Armour on a surprisingly hot September afternoon. But it was not only the temperature that was high, as tempers began to boil over towards the end of the match, when the Baltimore keeper was sent off in the 90th minute of play. The game started as a cagey affair, both teams feeling out their opposition. Though there were not tons of chances created in the first half, New York had the lion's share of possession. The two sides were tested mentally and physically as the sun beat down on the turf at The Peddie School, headed into the half tied 0-0. A breakthrough finally came when Balthazar Saunders played an excellent ball into Scott Taylor, finishing to the bottom corner in front of his own team's bench. Lineup: Alex Bobocea, Chris Tiao (Bryce Lebel 45'), Hamza Shehata, John Tolkin, Connor Mauer, Kejiel Watt (Diogo Rebelo 45'), Balthazar Saunders, Dylan Sullivan, Amir Daley (Matthew Acosta 80'), Peter Stroud, Scott Taylor (Sean Ryan 80') SCORING SUMMARY Minute: Score: Goal: Assist: 54' 1-0 Scott Taylor Balthazar Saunders Back to news


text:
Saturday, February 08, 2014
Send a link to a friend
On Sunday, February 9 at 3:00 P.M.,
the congregation of Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1409
Pulaski St., Lincoln will welcome their new Pastor,
Candida Johnson. Central/Southern Illinois Synod of
the ELCA Bishop S. John Roth will preside at the
Service of Installation. A reception will be held
following the service to honor Pastor Turner.
Pastor Turner comes to Lincoln from Warren, MI, a
Detroit suburb. Pastor Turner graduated from Trinity
Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, OH. She had
previously attended Ecumenical Theological Seminary
in Detroit. Pastor Turner has previously served as
Associate Pastor at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
in Bloomfield Hills, MI and currently has been
serving at St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Warren, MI
as a stated supply pastor.
The family of Immanuel cordially invites the
community to participate in the Service of
Installation as they welcome their new pastor.
Recent articles
Back to top


text:
'Flash' a striking and simple piece from the Lucy Pittaway cycling art collection
Open Edition Print
This image has been printed on archival quality 315gsm Fine Art Paper using industry standard light fast inks. Each print comes personally signed by the Artist and is available in two sizes.
Print Size: 38cm x 38cm (15inch x 15inch), 46cm x 46cm (18inch x 18inch)
This image is also available as a 'Little Print'. See 'Little Prints' collection.
Minimum basket spend must equal £5.95
|Delivery Time
|Delivery Cost
Cards, Notebooks
|2-3 days
Family Organisers, Calendars & Mugs
|2-3 days
|2-14 days*
|Mounted Prints
|2-14 days*
|Framed Mini Prints
|2-14 days*
|Framed Prints
|2-14 days*
|4 Weeks
*Items in stock will be dispatched within 2 to 3 days
Items not in stock may take up to 14 days to be delivered
A collect in store option is also available at checkout.For International shipping rates please click here
We employ security measures to protect your information from access by unauthorised persons and against unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction and damage. We will retain your information for a reasonable period or as long as the law requires.


text:
United Way Silicon Valley wants to connect eligible local families with free tax services through its "Earn It! Keep It! Save It!" program.
Tax preparation services are provided by trained, IRS-certified volunteers at 53 Volunteer Income Tax Assistant sites at area libraries, nonprofits, churches, community centers and credit unions.
In addition to English, Spanish and Vietnamese, tax preparation help is offered in Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Farsi and Arabic.
To qualify, income must be less than $52,000 a year.
In addition to preparers, this year there is a free online tax preparation service for those earning $58,000 or less at myfreetaxes.com/uwsv/ allowing eligible residents to prepare their taxes themselves online.
For a list of VITA sites and times services are offered go to 211scc.org/vita/ or call 211. Many sites are walk-in, but some require appointments.


text:
Worlds Apart Lyrics
Lying all alone, wishing you would call. Writing all my thoughts has broken all my bones. You gave it all up, you threw it all away. There's nothing I can do. What do I think you've done? You know it's even worse than what's in my head. You don't believe me when I tell you: I don't want to be a fraud and pretend that everything's fine. I won't be here when you get home. I'm not gonna sit here and die. I'll follow through again this time, I'll swallow swords spit out my pride. I'll be just fine. You read me like a book. You know I'm running out of legs to stand on. I won't believe you when you tell me: These old habits die so hard, there's no intervention in sight. There's no point in calling you. We're just gonna stand here and fight. I'll follow through again this time. I'll swallow swords spit out my pride. I'll be just fine. You fill my head with endless lies, you're killing me, I'm killing time. I'll be just fine. So maybe one day the pain will go away. And I will see your face, I won't even care. I'm changing all the locks cause I can't change you.


text:
Earlier today, Nintendo revealed that it wouldn't be developing the next Smash Bros. game. While creator Masahiro Sakurai is helming the game, his studio isn't taking the development lead on the title. Namco Bandai is.
That might make some very happy. It also might make some very sad. It made one Japanese gamer so concerned that he tweeted Sakurai, calling Namco Bandai "incompetent" and asked Sakurai not to have the game maker develop the upcoming Smash Bros..
Sakurai's reply was curt and frank: "Knock off the looking down on them with narrow-minded thinking."
The twitter user who initially sent Sakurai his tweet has since deleted his own account.
ニシくんは偏見でバカにするなよw [2ch]


text:
Who's On First?…
"I consider this position I am playing in as a bench role"…
These were the words of Yankees GM Brian Cashman on January 6th regarding the current Yankees outfield. Cashman is apparently looking for a right-handed bat to complement Brett Gardner in left. Let's see if these words still hold true on, say, February 23rd. I guess we'll check back at that time to see if Cashman held true to his words.
An intriguing option in a platoon situation is free agent outfielder Rocco Baldelli. Rocco has had medical issues the past few years and suffers from channelopathy, but in a limited role, he might be a viable option. He appeared in only 62 games last season for the Boston Red Sox, batting .253 with 7 home runs and 23 RBI's. I don't know what the future holds for Rocco, but if he can overcome his medical condition, he might thrive in a part-time position. I am sure the price tag would be enticing to a GM looking to keep the payroll under $200 million…
Jim Rogash/Getty Images
I am warming up to the idea of Reed Johnson as a possibility for a potential platoon, but as each passing day goes by and Johnny Damon remains a free agent, I am hopeful that his price tag falls far enough that he fits into Cashman's budget. If the Yankees could get Damon to come back for one year, it would be an ideal situation and Johnny could test the free agent waters next fall.
It's tough when you pull up a New York paper, and the leading Yankees story is the signing of pitcher Sergio Mitre to a one-year, $850,000 deal. Okay, I accept that the possibility that Mitre will be significantly improved since he'll be further from his elbow ligament replacement surgery (July 2008). But to spotlight him in the New York tabloids is a bit much. I do not see Mitre as more than a bit player in 2010. Maybe he'll prove to be the second coming of Aaron Small but who knows…
Sipkin/New York Daily News
Peter Abraham says that Chien-Ming Wang is ready to move on from the Yankees. I am still a bit perplexed why the Yankees didn't try to give Wang one more chance. Maybe there's a possibility that he could still return, but I would hate to see him experience a rebirth in Boston (not that they need another starter with that rotation). Actually, if it were me, I'd go to Seattle. The Mariners are definitely poised to make a run in what should be Ken Griffey, Jr.'s final year. The Mariners have made some great acquisitions this off-season. Sure, they lost Adrian Beltre, but they've acquired Cliff Lee, Casey Kotchman, and Chone Figgins. But like with Damon, I do hope that Wang finds his way back to the Bronx.
Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger
I was sorry to see David Cone leave the YES Network. There was always something very re-assuring about Coney as a player and as a broadcaster. I can't say that I was pleased when he decided to go to Boston to pitch, but he is a class guy. Whatever the future holds for Coney, I hope that it's what he wants to do.
Congratulations to pitcher Joba Chamberlain for being a winner of the Thurman Munson Award (which acknowledges excellence in competition and philanthropic work in the community). The award will be given on February 2nd. This is definitely a preferable off-season event over a DUI. I am glad to see Joba's growth and maturity in a very positive direction.
Sports Illustrated, courtesy of Microsoft
My weekend football predictions:
Cincinnati Bengals 21, New York Jets 17
New England Patriots 31, Baltimore Ravens 20 (Okay, this is for my friend Julia!)
Arizona Cardinals 27, Green Bay Packers 17
Dallas Cowboys 33, Philadelphia Eagles 31
The only problem with my predictions is that it would bring the Dallas Cowboys to Minnesota to face the Vikings. This, of course, is the match-up that has haunted me for many years. On December 28, 1975, I was watching the Cowboys and Vikings in the NFC Divisional Play-offs. It appeared that the Vikings had the game in hand until Roger Staubach threw the unbelievable Hail Mary pass caught by Drew Pearson as Nate Wright fell to the ground. I remember exactly where I was, where I was standing, and my reaction. Fortunately, I've had the Yankees all these years to give me some "relief" from the disappointment…
When can we start talking about baseball?…
Let's Go Yankees! 🙂


text:
Skip to main content
Add Me To Your Mailing List
Member Login
Share This Page
Share this page on Facebook
Share this page on Linkedin
Share this page on Twitter
Who We Are
Mission and Vision
Become a Member
Past Events
Upcoming Events
Int'l. Palladium Medal
Othmer Gold Medal Award
Winthrop-Sears Award
Member Forums
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
Palladium Medal
Awarded biennially to an individual who has distinguished himself or herself by reason of outstanding contribution to the chemical industry of such character and scope as to enhance the international aims and objectives of the Société de Chimie Industrielle..
Read more
Scholarships and
The purpose of Société is to aid and encourage the utilization of scientific and engineering developments by the industry, and promotion of chemistry in public opinion, especially among the young and in the education system.
Learn more
Member Center
Our membership is comprised of corporate and individual members from industry, finance, research, government, academia and the media who have an active interest in the chemical and related industries and a willingness to participate in and support the activities and objectives of the organization.
Access member center
Click to make a tax-deductible donation to
Société de Chimie Industrielle's educational mission.
Who We Are
Société was founded in 1918 in New York as the American Section of a French parent. Today, Société is an independent organization involved in a number of non-profit activities: sponsoring a noted monthly meeting program, open to nonmembers, at which prominent CEOs, government leaders and scientists from the chemical and related industries share their views on important industry developments; granting fellowships and scholarships to students pursuing the study of chemistry; honoring individuals who have contributed significantly to the industry; and providing a variety of other services to individuals and companies in the industry.
Member Spotlight
To be named


text:
SEIZE DC! Because, well, we're sick of the sociopaths!
Sign up to receive Seize DC alerts:
Citizens for Legitimate Government, http://www.legitgov.org/ (CLG) calls for protest – SEIZE DC!
Why SEIZE DC?
Endless, illegal, murderous and bankrupting war abroad; endless, brutal and bankrupting attacks on the vast majority at home—this is what we protest.
Ten years ago, with the illegitimate installation of Bush as "president," Citizens for Legitimate Government made it its mission to expose the coup and to oppose the Bush occupation of the White House. We predicted that the installation of Bush was merely the precursor to an era of illegal and undemocratic undertakings on the part of the U.S. government--policies that had begun at home and that would extend across the globe. Unfortunately, we were right. And we were right to say that this era would not and has not ended with Obama. In fact, it continued unabated and gained in intensity.
In 2008, we witnessed a supposed change of guard with the election of Barack Obama. But even before the election took place, we suggested that Obama, rather than being an agent for change, was in fact a cleverly constructed mirage to enable the financial, corporate and military oligarchy to continue on the same course, in fact, to do so with without the degree of opposition that was building to the Bush regime. What we have witnessed is not 'change you can believe in,' but, where Obama and most Democrats in Congress are concerned, belief you can change.
From Bush to Obama, we have seen not a change in policies, not a reversal, not even a 'failing' to change course, but the exact opposite: a determined continuation, extension and increase of the very same policies.
Rather than an end to imperialist wars, we have witnessed the increase in scope and the extension of war into other countries. Rather than two wars, we now have four.
Rather than policies favouring 'Main Street' as promised, we have witnessed the unprecedented transfer of wealth into the coffers of the banks, corporations and military contractors. We have seen record corporate profits while social misery for the working classes continues to rise, with unemployment not seen since the Great Depression and record home foreclosures. We now have austerity imposed on the vast majority while those who caused the financial crisis with wars, bailouts and corruption, pay little or no taxes and enjoy record profits.
Instead of restoring civil liberties, we have seen their further erosion with the extension of the Patriot Act, the increase of surveillance on the web, and a declaration by the president of the right to assassinate American citizens without any legal sanction whatsoever.
Indefinite detentions have not only continued under Obama, but he has also made sure that proven innocence is no cause for release.
This is but a short summary of the reasons for SEIZE DC!
How to SEIZE DC?
We protest "peacefully," although not passively. We do not accept marching orders. This is how we protest.
For 10 years, we have witnessed the absolute formalization of protests—the seeking of permits, the placing in quarantined zones, the appropriation of 'free speech' and the pro forma 'right to dissent,' treated as a purely formal and meaningless expression. We say, enough! We need no permission to free speech or the right of assembly. We seek no one's permission and will not have our protest cordoned off from and made irrelevant to the functioning of a murderous and tyrannical oligarchy. We will not be corralled or controlled. Our protest is a seizure of DC, by which we mean an attempt to seize the attention of the city and the nation so that its policies of seize and destroy may end.
More details on the protest schedule to follow soon.
Lori Price, Editor-in-Chief
Sign up to receive Seize DC alerts!
Seize DC calls for you and/or your organization's endorsement.
Endorse Seize DC: firstname.lastname@example.com
General inquiries: email@example.com
Contribute to this action by clicking here.
Secret Service visits CLG member, asks about Seize DC --In two-hour session, Secret Service agents ask, 'What do you know about SeizeDC?' By Lori Price 03 Jul 2011
URL of this page: http://legitgov.org/seizedc


text:
Monday, 27 September 2010
Tristan und Isolde, Philharmonia/Salonen, 26 September 2010
(concert performance)
Tristan – Gary Lehman
Isolde – Violeta Urmana
Brangäne – Anne Sofie von Otter
King Marke – Matthew Best
Kurwenal – Jukka Rasilainen
Melot – Stephen Gadd
Shepherd/Young Sailor – Joshua Ellicott
Steersman – Darren Jeffery
Bill Viola (visual artist)
Peter Sellars (artistic collaborator)
Philharmonia Voices (chorus master: Aidan Oliver)
Philharmonia Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor)
As autumn hit London with a vengeance, my ensuing cold ensured that I missed the opening concert of the London Philharmonic's new season: Vladimir Jurowski conducting Zemlinksy and Mahler. I was determined therefore not to miss the Philharmonia's opening salvo. Almost irrespective of the results, it was quite a statement to open with Nietzsche's 'opus metaphysicum of all true art,' Tristan und Isolde. Billed as a concert performance, it was not really, though I could not help wishing that it had been. Peter Sellars's direction, or 'artistic collaboration', is restrained: generally a good thing in Tristan, which needs very little 'doing', though that very little can make all the difference. Would that Bill Viola showed such or indeed any restraint with his 'video art'.
I saw his projections first at the Opéra national de Paris, two years ago. Then I was irritated and distracted, though there was a little more in the way of staging. Here, there was slightly less staging, which worked at least as well. The Royal Festival Hall was used imaginatively, singing from boxes providing, for instance, a nice impression of the ship: it actually put me in mind of the use of the same space for Nono's Prometeo in 2008. However, I discovered on returning home that my distraction and the rest of my response tallied precisely with what I had written about the Paris performance, so my hopes for further understanding or at least ability to set Viola on one side were dashed. The Southbank Centre's publicity read: 'This concert performance will be set against the stunning backdrop of Bill Viola's film projections, further exploring the emotional subtexts of the work.' Rarely, however, did these projections begin truly to engage with the work, let alone to explore texts or subtexts.
Distraction remains greatest during the first act. 'Act I,' to quote Viola, 'presents the theme of Purification, the universal act of the individual's preparation for the symbolic sacrifice and death required for the transformation and rebirth of the self.' We are in the world of Orientalism – or 'the Hindu and Buddhist traditions of Tantra that lie submerged in the Western cultural consciousness'. One wonders whether Viola has ever read Edward Said; he certainly seems blissfully unaware of the pitfalls of evoking 'the East' in such a way. Sellars made him aware of 'this connection to Eastern sources,' but the outcome was hardly a drawing into 'Wagner's 19th-century work'. The first act represents anything but purification; it is instead a reawakening and a headlong rush into catastrophe. As I commented last time, the death that approaches is not sacrificial, but the selfish bidding of Schopenhauer's Will. (Schopenhauer's Orientalism might have been well worth pursuing: no such luck.) As the act progresses, the video projections of ceremonial purification seem merely disconnected rather than daringly contradictory; worst of all, they make it difficult to concentrate on the surging musical drama. Some images later on work better: that across the sea at the beginning of the third act, for example, and the magical reverse drowning of the conclusion. But for the most part, this is a display of superimposed self-indulgent Californianism. Candles are lit, of course, since candles show 'spirituality'. Indeed, throughout, the imagery evokes the tedium of 'New Age' self-fulfilment, which could hardly be further from Wagner's vision – and which is not sufficient of a counterpoint to evoke true contrast either.
The musical performances were of course a different matter – and it was a sad thing that they were sometimes overwhelmed. Esa-Pekka Salonen steered a sure course through the work, though the miraculous opening prelude began with excessive ponderousness. Though JPE Harper-Scott's programme note made a powerful case for Tristan as an avowedly tonal drama – I shall return to this at the end – Salonen tended to stress the presentiments of late Mahler and Schoenberg rather than the Romanticism of Wagner's score. Tristan's delirious monologue responded especially well to this approach: I am not sure that I have ever heard it sound so clearly as a male Erwartung. But to return to Nietzsche's description of this as art's opus metaphysicum, it was the metaphysical that was really lacking. Furtwängler, whose recording with this orchestra, remains the first choice of any sane – and perhaps even insane – listener, could not have been more distant. The Philharmonia played extremely well, the strings sounding more German than I have heard them in a while. It was all a little too clinical, though, too well-drilled. Often, I found myself asking: yes, but what does this mean?
Violeta Urmana's approach was rather different, not in the sense of metaphysics but in assimilating her role to nineteenth-century grand opera. She sang very well and made as dramatic an impression as one could reasonably hope for, but this was Isolde as diva. Her concerns again seemed resolutely of this world, the possibilities of the Schopenhauerian noumenal failing to register. On the more earthbound level, a little Nilsson-like sarcasm or irony would have helped too. Gary Lehman marshalled his resources well as Tristan. His was not a large-scale portrayal, but he did much more than get through the role, which is in itself a rare achievement. The delirium of the third act was perhaps a little too Lieder-like, but it was conveyed, albeit without those metaphysical implications expanding its horizons yet further. Matthew Best's vibrato was somewhat intrusive as King Marke, especially during the second act, but his third-act forgiveness was humanly credible. I found the vowels of Jukka Rasilainen a little too much in a tradition that seems to mark Finnish singers in German – it must be something to do with the language – but otherwise he did fair enough service, if without scaling the heights or the depths. Anne Sofie von Otter's Brangäne, however, was impressive in its detailed response. If hers is not the sort of voice I immediately think of for the role, one should retain an open mind in such matters. Her way with the poem was second to none, and her relative coolness, suggestively different from the typical Brangäne, fitted well with Salonen's approach. I was especially impressed by Joshua Ellicott's Shepherd: quite heart-rending, as moving a rendition as I can recall.
To return, briefly, to the matter of tonal or atonal (to steal from Schoenberg's Three Satires), this performance made me reconsider my position somewhat. I am broadly in agreement, or at least I was, with Harper-Scott and others, for instance Roger Scruton, who insist upon the tonal underpinning of Wagner's score. I now worry a little more, however, that such a reading, tracing its roots ultimately to Heinrich Schenker's analytical approach, carries with it the danger of underselling what happens in between the opening Prelude and Isolde's transfiguration. We do not, I hope, simply sit waiting for the end, for that final cadence. Indeed, the generative association of Wagner's motivic web as well as his harmony carry with them important seeds of the serial constructivism that could lead twentieth-century composers to expansive, open-ended new universes of sound. There is a strong tendency towards the totality in Wagner's work, of course, but there is also resistance within the material. Salonen's intimations of Schoenberg heightened this sense – which rethinking, whatever my reservations, is testament to a successful performance.
4 comments:
- Doundou Tchil said...
Yow ! Thank goodness I didn't read the programme notes, I would have gagged about "orientalism" and "spirituality" ! Luckily I was able to blank out the candles bit but now I remember it was an allusion to the candle offerings in a church, which was pretty circumlocutous. In a semi-staging there's too little room to develop ideas that aren't directly from the performance. That's why abstraction works so much better.
- 27 September, 2010 15:25
That's a good point about tonalism. Like you I'd tended to resist the idea of Wagner as atonal, but the program note clearly goes too far and almost has the effect of a reductio ad absurdum. After all, Tristan could hardly be more resistant to conventional ideas of resolution!
- 27 September, 2010 16:53
Great to read your thoughts. I was seriously considering this, but decided to give it a miss in the end - having heard Lehman's Tristan a few years ago at the Met, I was very underwhelmed. However, I did think that Urmana did well in Act II at the Proms a month or so back.
Big shame you missed the LPO's opening concert - it was one of those nights where musically, it wasn't uniformly perfect, yet I wouldn't have missed it for, well, nearly the world. I still have the feeling that Jurowski presented his Mahler, a work in progress.. but there were some magical moments - mostly in the first part and bits of the Langsam. Petra Lang was magnificent, drawing the whole concert hall in towards her in a totally absorbing oh mensch. Can't wait to hear her in the Deutsche Oper's new Les Troyens in Dec.
A bit off-topic, but Aleksander Madzar is in town - I think in Wigmore soon.. His Rach3 with the London Schools Symphony Orchestra was worth infinitely more than the £15 I paid. Incredible playing - I don't know why he is so (relatively) uncelebrated. And one thing struck me during the concert - audience disruptions came from the adults whilst the many young people in attendance, some surely under 10, were completely still and attentive. There is some hope for the future audiences!
- 30 September, 2010 15:59
- Mark Berry said...
Perhaps an age limit should be imposed from time to time upon audiences then. I have just returned home from an LSO concert at the Barbican (review to follow). In the row behind me, a relatively elderly woman, who looked as though she should 'know better', spoke loudly throughout the concert. When I turned around - several times - she merely grinned and on one occasion started laughing. I don't think it was that she found Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony sidesplitting, but who knows?
- 01 October, 2010 00:45


text:
Some programs of remedy take weeks to complete and will trigger negative effects.
Log in to comment or register here.
What is Pligg?
Pligg is an old community - Kliqqi is the next and is also obsolet. But here at SEXone you can bookmark your newest fresh porn in seconds on air!
Latest Comments
ac repair altamonte springs fl anchortext asian women aging funny bags under eyes cucumbers results casino online cheap jerseys cheap jerseys china cheap jerseys free shipping cheap jerseys from china cheap nfl jerseys click here discuss online casino online gambling online gambling agency pikdo poker silicone bracelets silicone wristbands sky777 sky777 online casino sky777 singapore test tightening the skin with laser treatment visit here wholesale jerseys wholesale jerseys from china wholesale nfl jerseys wholesale nfl jerseys from china 먹튀검증


text:
Ian Poulter Joins for the Closing Dinner of the Triubuto Ferrari Rally
A beautiful sunset on the fairway at the Cordevalle Resort in San Martin, California was a fitting setting for the awards dinner for the Tributo Rally: Pacific Coast 2013. The presence of renowned golfer and Ferrari aficionado Ian Poulter added the quintessential cherry on the cake to a perfect day of driving, camaraderie and festivities under the starry California sky.
Driving a stunning route from Santa Barbara to San Martin, the rally snaked through valleys and canyons, vineyards and orchards, desserts and damns. Drivers who were the most precise, curious, timely (and of course cautious) were rewarded for their efforts with prizes ranging from one-of-a-kind artworks, to attending the upcoming Formula One race in Auxtin, TX and the Ferrari Corso Pilota driving school.
The rally will finish tomorrow morning upon arrival on the lawn at Quail Lodge to join in the Motorsports Gathering. Ian Poulter will then graciously host a round of golf on Saturday in Pebble Beach to add to the weekend's many unforgettable events to come.


text:
Refine your search
Marks Hall Gardens and Arboretum at Marks Hall Estate
Marks Hall Gardens and Arboretum
Marks Hall Road,
A tree collection from all the temperate areas of the world set in more than 200 acres of historic landscape provides interest and enjoyment throughout the year at Marks Hall. Follow the paths through the Arboretum, where you can see beautiful vistas and a host of exotic trees from around the world.
Highlights include the Millennium Walk, designed for structure, colour and scent on the shortest days of the year; the largest planting in Europe of Wollemi Pine and the inspired combination of traditional and contemporary planting in the 18th Century Walled Garden.
This impressive Garden combines the best of contemporary and traditional design and includes both long established shrubs and interesting new plantings. The double border is the longest in East Anglia.
Beyond the Gardens and Arboretum, there are woodland walks where wildlife abounds, many species having survived on this site for hundreds of years.
The Visitor Centre, housed in a restored Essex barn, offers information, Shop and Tea Room serving morning coffee, light lunches and teas, with homemade cakes available all day. Our home cooked soup is always welcome after a morning walk or before an afternoon stroll around the spectacular Gardens and Arboretum at Marks Hall.
Suitablity for the Disabled: WCs. Guided Tours: By arrangement. Parking: Limited for coaches. Suitability for Dogs: No dogs in Arboretum. Dogs permitted on Woodland Walks.
Opening details
The car park is free.
Standard Admission (inc gift aid) admission to the Gardens, Arboretum and Woodland Walks:
Adults £6.10, Adult concessions (senior citizens over 60 and the disabled) £5.50 , Children (aged 5 to 16) £2.75, Under 5's Free, Family Ticket (two adults and up to four children) £14.50.
Admission (excl gift aid)
Adults 5.50, Adult concessions (senior citizens over 60 and the disabled) £5 , Children (aged 5 to 16) £2.50, Under 5's Free, Family Ticket (two adults and up to four children) £13.
By Road:
Between B1024 and A120 North of Coggeshall. Follow the brown signs from A120 Coggeshall Bypass.
- Baby changing facilities
- Coach parties accepted
- Credit cards accepted (no fee)
- Disabled toilets
- Facilities for groups
- Facilities for educational visits
- Gift shop
- On-site catering
- On-site light refreshments
- Picnic site
- Public toilets
- Regional Tourist Board Member
- Accepts groups
- Facilities for conferencing
- Facilities for corporate hospitality
- Children welcome
- Disabled access
- Dogs accepted
- Guided tours for groups
- Smoking not allowed
- Venue approved for civil marriage
- Wedding receptions
Suitablity for the Disabled: WCs. Guided Tours: By arrangement. Parking: Limited for coaches. Suitability for Dogs: No dogs in Arboretum. Dogs permitted on Woodland Walks.


text:
Man alleging Chicago Police torture released from prison
PONTIAC, Ill. >> A man who says Chicago police tortured him until he confessed to a rape he did not commit walked out of an Illinois prison on Wednesday after spending 30 years behind bars.
Stanley Wrice's release from the Pontiac Correctional Center came a day after Cook County Judge Richard Walsh overturned the 59-year-old's conviction, saying officers lied about how they had treated him.
The ruling was just the latest development in one of the darkest chapters of Chicago Police Department history, in which officers working under former Lt. Jon Burge were accused of torturing suspects into false confessions and torturing witnesses into falsely implicating people in crimes.
Wrice has insisted for years that he confessed to the 1982 sexual assault after officers beat him in the groin and face. And a witness testified at a hearing Tuesday that he falsely implicated Wrice in the rape after two Chicago police officers under Burge's command tortured him.
He was sentenced to 100 years in prison.
Now that Walsh has ordered Wrice's release, it will be up to a special prosecutor to decide whether to retry him. The special prosecutor did not return a call seeking comment Tuesday evening.
With his release, Wrice will join a number of men who in recent years have been released from prison because they were tortured into confessing at the hands of Burge's men. Dozens of men — almost all of them black — have claimed that, starting in the 1970s, Burge and his officers beat or shocked them into confessing to crimes ranging from armed robbery to murder.
In court Tuesday, Wrice testified that two former officers beat him with a flashlight and a 20-inch piece of rubber — the same weapons, lawyers say, that others have said the two used on them to get them to confess to crimes or implicate others in crimes they did not commit.
The officers refused to testify at Tuesday's hearing, citing their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
No Chicago police officers have ever been convicted of torturing suspects, but Burge was convicted in 2010 for lying in a civil suit when he said he'd never witnessed or participated in the torture of suspects. He is serving a 4 1/2-year sentence in federal prison for perjury and obstruction of justice. Chicago also has paid out millions of dollars to settle lawsuits in cases related to Burge.
The torture allegations also were a factor in former Illinois Gov. George Ryan's decision to institute a moratorium on the death penalty in 2000. Gov. Pat Quinn abolished the death penalty in 2011.
Babwin reported from Chicago.


text:
Vintage Oklahoma City
Season 22 Episode 24 | 52m 32s
Revisit OKC appraisals from 15 years ago that have been updated with today's market value, including Bill Graham handbills, a Gallé Marquetry vase made around 1900, and Art Deco travel posters. Which has more than doubled in value since 2003?
Aired: 06/25/18
Expires: 06/25/22Video has closed captioning.
Problems Playing Video?
Article: Burbank's Geronimo Portraits
See Burbank's portraits of Geronimo
Article: Bill Graham: Promoting Rock and Roll
He helped create the whole psychedelic art and music movement.
Web Appraisal: Bill Graham Rock Postcards & Posters
In Santa Clara, Tim Gordon appraises Bill Graham rock postcards & posters
Funding for ANTIQUES ROADSHOW is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance, Ancestry, and Consumer Cellular. Additional funding is provided by public television viewers.


text: There are over 986,593 members within 10 miles of your current location. Many of them are subs, dommes, or newbies who are ready and eager to try new things. FREE registration is open for the next xx mins and xx seconds. Just answer three simple questions to see if you qualify for membership.


text:
Password needs to be a minimum of 6 characters.
Thank you for registering an account! With this account you will be able to save items to your favorites, place items in a cart, and share your digital images with others.
by creating an account, you agree to our Website Policies and Privacy Policy
Due to variances in monitors, the colors and patterns displayed may vary slightly from the actual product. Physical samples should be ordered prior to specifying.
Vycon's newest deep emboss design, Origin, has an open weave of loose lines giving it a natural organic element. The subtle layering of vertical and horizontal strokes creates a gauzy net like quality, sure to "capture" your attention. The 28 color choices offer both matte looks, for a subdued approach, or metallic finishes for a more glamourous one. Clearly, Origin offers plenty of beautiful options to transform any installation.
MDC has distribution rights of this product in select states as detailed below.
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.


text:
|Bidding extended on Open items for 3 minutes since last bid.
|Category: HOOD (1 records)
|SOLD! A Ballenger Creek Bagel Bakery is Closing Their Doors and Selling Their Assets! (FREDERICK, MARYLAND) SHIPPING FOR 3 BAKERY ITEMS Only, All other Local Pick Up Only! - Auction Starts Closing: Tuesday, August 27th at 1:37pm EST!
-Preview: Monday, August 26th from 11am - 2pm
-Removal: Wednesday, August 28th from 10:00am - 4:00pm EST!


text:
Cotton prices are poised to remain strong for the season ahead thanks to solid fundamentals and stiff competition from grain prices which could keep acreage from expanding too quickly, and possibly to bearish levels, said market analysts speaking at the Ag Market Network's January teleconference.
But there is also a concern about a potential downside to high prices. Will consumers push back as higher prices move through the marketplace? Or will they go with the flow?
There's little doubt that higher prices — at the time of this writing, December 2011 futures were trading at over a dollar a pound — will push U.S. and world acres higher this year, according to Jarral Neeper, president of Calcot.
Neeper expects an increase of around 15 percent in the United States, putting planted acres at about 12.8 million acres. "I think we'll see a larger abandonment level in Texas, and not much of an increase in average yield, which would put the crop at somewhere between 19.2 million to 19.8 million bales. That's not a huge increase over last year's 18.3 million-bale crop."
Neeper says with a 19.5 million-bale U.S. cotton crop, "we should see a pretty good export number next year, good consumption, and I would expect U.S. stocks to climb from a very tight 1.9 million bales to a more workable 3 million to 4 million bales."
Neeper projects a 7 percent increase in world cotton acres, to about 87.9 million acres, despite the fact that two large producing countries, China and India, have little room to increase acres. World cotton plantings, "won't be a record, but it will be close."
Neeper expects to see a world cotton production number of around 124 million bales.
Growing world economies
Neeper sees continued growth in world economies, which should bump world cotton consumption up from 116 million bales to somewhere around 122 million bales. "We will add some stocks to world carryover, but as our textile industry was painfully reminded this year, we need the stocks around the world to keep cotton in front of the consumer."
Those numbers, if realized, would also mean that for the first time in six years, world production will have exceeded consumption, leading to a slight increase in stocks from around 43 million bales to 45 million to 46 million bales.
Neeper says there's no reason to believe that cotton prices "are going to collapse anytime soon unless we have another economic malaise, or if we have a big rally in the value of the U.S. dollar, which doesn't seem likely any time soon.
"Are we going to see $1.50 next year on the nearby contract? Probably not, but with 12.8 million acres, and roughly 6.4 million of those acres being in the state of Texas, if there is a disaster there, and we have smaller crops than expected, we could see some pretty exciting times."
Terry Barr, senior director, CoBank, says the market will be watching consumer behavior very closely in the coming months, looking for pushback from higher prices — which could cause some demand destruction.
"We have to be careful going forward regarding the impact of higher prices. We're going to have some market testing for both food and fiber, to see how higher prices hold in the market. How much pushback are we going to get?"
According to Neeper, demand destruction could come in the form of substituting polyester fiber for cotton "to keep prices down for consumer goods."
Barr said financial regulation, or reregulation, in the commodity markets, could also be a factor. "One of the keys for this price run up is that we have a lot of liquidity in the futures markets. As we begin to move forward with regulation, we could do some damage to liquidity as we try to increase transparency and put programs in place."
Barr says producers should prepare "for a pretty wild ride in both the grains and cotton complex for the next year.
"The last time cotton got up this high, we had a big acreage response. This time around, I don't think you're going to get as big an acreage response, because it's going to be held in the grains and food side as a matter of policy incentives in many countries."


text:
Watch the interview with Lady Antebellum in the new episode of CMT Insider airing Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 24-25) at 11 a.m. ET/PT.
Lady Antebellum have probably been in the holiday spirit longer than anybody. They've been wrapping their Christmas album, On This Winter's Night, for the last two summers.
In this interview with CMT Insider, band members Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott chat about the seasonal songs they chose, the video shoot for "Holly Jolly Christmas" and breaking the ice on the photo shoot for the album.
CMT: A lot of the Christmas albums are recorded in the hottest months of the year. How are you supposed to get in the mood to record a Christmas album when it's July?
Scott: Turn the thermostat down really cold.
Haywood: Yeah, we recorded last year in July, and the year before that in July. Of course, we're in the middle of the summer, but we decorated with a lot of Christmas lights. It's really dark in the studio, so you put a bunch of tacky lights up … and crank the air down, throw on a tacky sweater, and it feels like Christmas.
At least it wasn't that difficult to get in the mood for the photo shoot, right? That was in Utah, a very snowy part of the world.
Kelley: Yeah. It was in Park City. … We kept getting snow in these boots, too. At one point, our stylist had given us our fancy shoes, and we were like, "Have you looked outside?" So we all get in these big old snow boots and had a lot of fun. … We had to yank her out.
Scott: Oh, my gosh, there was this little creek running next to the property that had been covered over, and I was like, "Oh, it's solid ice." Nope. "Oh, no!" Then my pants got really wet, but I made it through. … And we never see that much snow. I'm born and raised here in Tennessee and the boys are from Georgia. And unless you go skiing out west in the winter, I've never seen that much perfect, pure, untouched snow before. So I wanted to go run around in it, and so that's what we did.
There are so many Christmas songs out there and so many classics. How did you decide what to include on your Christmas album?
Kelley: It was a fun process. We all walked in and sat around with a guitar and we'd throw out different ideas. And it came together really organically. … We all agreed on songs like "The First Noel," "Silent Night, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." And then some other surprises came in. I think I suggested "All I Want for Christmas Is You" which Mariah Carey made famous, and it's really [up-tempo]. Hillary had the idea of, "Well, let's go completely opposite and slow it down and make you think about the lyrics a little bit more." What was another one that you brought in — "This Christmas"?
Scott: "This Christmas," yeah, that Donny Hathaway, really R&B-sounding one. I was like, "Let's just do it." So many different artists in different genres of music have influenced us in our career outside of the holiday album, so why not keep the same trend and incorporate that into our holiday album?
Kelley: We took some chances on this album. A lot of horns, lot of strings. We spent as much time on this record as we do our normal records because hopefully this thing could be around for a while. Year after year, it could be played, and that's the goal. So you don't want to be looking back on it in 10 years and not be proud of it, so we spent a lot of time. We are very proud.
You're taking songs that everybody knows so well and putting your own flair into them. How do you come up with things that are little bit different but that you know people will still enjoy and love?
Haywood: We work a lot on the vocal arrangements. I think for us, that's where we spend the most time. We try to put our own special touch on these songs. I mean, when you're dealing with a song that Elvis or any of those huge artists have worked on … for us, it's like, "What if Hillary sang here? What if Charles sang here? What if we did a three-part thing here? What if we mixed it up and changed it?" And that's the way we write our music. So it's fun for us to get in there and cover these songs and then put our own vocal arrangements. It's like a puzzle.
That's got to be a lot of fun.
Kelley: Christmas songs are unlike anything — they're actually pretty intricate. … Dave plays every instrument under the sun, but he was saying it took him out of his comfort zone. He learned a whole bunch of jazz chords and stuff.
Haywood: Yeah, I played stuff I haven't played in 15 years, since jazz band. It was cool. When else can we have a huge horn section on an album? We've never done that before. … We had a children's choir from the W.O. Smith School of Music come in on the song we wrote, "On This Winter's Night." When else can you have an opportunity to do something like that? Really special.
And you shot a video for "Holly Jolly Christmas." How did that shoot go?
Kelley: I was so nervous. I told the director afterwards, after we had seen it, that I was so happy with the way it came out. Because when we're in there — funny, goofy videos can go one of two ways. … It came out really great. When we were filming it, I was like, "Oh, my gosh, this is going to be so cheesy." But it's fun and, again, you don't take yourself too seriously.


text:
Every Sunday 10:00 am
Bottom of Art Museum Steps
Intermediate Skate
Every Tuesday 7:00 pm
Top of Art Museum Steps
Advanced Skate
Landskaters Inline Skate Club is keeping the sport of inline skating alive in Philadelphia! We pride ourselves on our passion for the sport of inline skating; our purpose is to promote safety, fun and learning for experienced inline skaters and newcomers alike.
Our members are dedicated to increasing enthusiasm for the sport of inline skating through our City Skates, social events, and fun trips. If you're relatively new to inline skating, and haven't yet skated with us, try our Recreational Roll the last Sunday of each month.
Home ·
Contact Us ·
Gallery ·
Links ·
City Skates ·
Skating in Philadelphia
Facebook ·
Join the Yahoo Group
Copyright 1992-2020.


text:
Denzel Washington says he didn't sign on to play an intoxicated airline pilot who saves a planeload of people by executing some daring maneuvers in the drama "Flight" because he knew someone whose life was destroyed by addiction.
The material, he said, was simply too good to pass up.
Washington, 57, earned Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Critics' Choice awards nominations last week for his work in the film, which was directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by John Gatins.
Co-starring Don Cheadle, Melissa Leo, Bruce Greenwood, Kelly Reilly and John Goodman, the movie is about what happens to Washington's character Whip Whitaker after he successfully lands a faltering commercial aircraft, but authorities discover he had alcohol and cocaine in his system at the time.
Asked if he wanted to play the part because he was close to someone whose life was similarly derailed due to substance abuse, Washington told reporters at a recent Los Angeles press conference: "No. I think it was the material. When I read the material, the script, I just said, 'Wow, this is good.'
"My late agent... the last two scripts he gave me were 'Flight' and 'Safe House' and that was part of it, too, just a promise I made to him, but I don't like waving the flag," Washington noted. "It's like when people say, 'What do you want people to get from this movie?' I say it depends upon what they bring to it. I don't try to decide what people should get from it or why. I don't do a part for those kinds of reasons. ...
"If it ain't on the page, it ain't on the stage. It's very rare," he went on. "I don't read a ton of scripts, but I read a lot of scripts. First of all, you felt like you read it in 14 minutes because you turn the pages so fast. You can't wait to see what's going to happen. This was one of those scripts. I had to have it; had to be a part of it. ... But it was on the page; the guts, the pain, the tears. It was like a Eugene O'Neill play."
"Flight" is in theaters now. It is rated R.


text:
Error 800704DC occurs when downloading your Xbox Live profile on Xbox 360
You see the following error code and message when you try to download your Xbox Live profile on your Xbox 360 console:
Sorry, Xbox Live profiles can't be downloaded right now. Please try again later.
Status Code: 800704DC
This may mean that there's a problem with the Xbox Live service, or with your Microsoft account.
Solution 1: Check the Xbox Live service status
If you see any alerts here, wait until the service is up and running and try again:
Solution 2: Verify your Microsoft account security information
If you've just created your account on Xbox.com but have not added security information, you'll need to do so before you download your profile. This helps ensure that if you ever forget your password or lose access to your account, you can recover it. As extra security, Xbox 360 requires that you add two alternate contact methods.
Here's how to add security information online:
- Sign in to the Security page with your email address and password.
- Select UPDATE INFO under Update your security information.
- Select either a phone or email to add, and then follow the steps provided.
- Repeat Step 3 with a second email or phone number.
- Return to your console and try to download your profile again.
Solution 3: Review your Microsoft account to determine your current status
If you've changed your payment option recently, make sure it was correctly updated in your billing account. If your payment option has expired, you'll have to change to a new credit card or add another payment option.
To change or update your payment option, see Add, update, or remove credit cards and other ways to pay, and then follow the instructions.
Solution 4: Troubleshoot your Xbox Live connection
This issue can occur if there's a problem with your Internet connection. Try troubleshooting your connection by using the Xbox 360 Connection Error Solution.
Solution 5: Verify the billing information in your Microsoft account
Make sure the billing information is correct in your Microsoft account:
- Sign in to the Payment & billing page with your Microsoft account.
If you don't know your Microsoft account email address or password, use the Lost Account Solution or the Lost Password Solution.
- Select Billing info, and then follow the steps to review your billing information.
Note If there's an error, select Edit profile, and then follow the instructions to update the information.
Solution 6: Change your Microsoft account password
Try changing your Microsoft account password to resolve this issue:
- In a browser, go to your My account page.
- Click Change password.
- Type your current password and a new password, and then click Save.
- Sign out of your Microsoft account, and then sign in again.
- On your console, sign in to your Microsoft account and try to download your profile again.
Solution 7: Clear any stored information from your Xbox 360 console
There may be an issue with your Xbox profile stored on your Xbox 360 console. Delete your profile and redownload it:
- Delete the profile from your Xbox 360 console. For instructions, see How to add or remove an Xbox profile.
- Clear the system cache. To do so, see How to clear the cache on Xbox 360.
- Turn off your Xbox 360 console and your network hardware (such as your modem and router).
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Turn on your modem and wait for it to come online (about a minute).
- Turn on the next piece of hardware (for example, your router) and wait another minute.
- Download your profile.
After your profile downloads, restart the console and then try to connect to Xbox Live.
To provide better support, did this solution solve your problem?
Thank you for your feedback
Thanks for your feedback!
Provide feedback for this topic
Contact Us
Would you like to contact Support regarding the "Error 800704DC occurs when downloading your Xbox Live profile on Xbox 360" issue you were reading about or a different issue?


text:
OK, So SOPA And PIPA Are Both On Hold: Where Do We Go From Here?
from the just-the-beginning dept
There is a rather odd atmosphere within the parts of the online community that fought so hard against SOPA this week – relief that all that work seems to have had an effect, mixed with a certain disbelief that for once the outside world sat up and took notice of the tech world's concerns. Amidst all the justified back-patting, there is a temptation to celebrate the fact that both SOPA and PIPA are "delayed", and to move on.
As Lauren Weinstein points out in an excellent, monitory blog post entitled "Battling Internet Censorship: The Long War", that would be a big mistake:
you might be tempted to assume that the battle is over, the war is won, and that -- as Maxwell Smart used to say -- "Once again the forces of niceness and goodness have triumphed over the forces of evil and rottenness."
So the question then becomes, how can a fast-moving industry that is easily distracted by cool hardware and pictures of cats hope to match the lumbering but unswerving attack of the copyright dinosaurs?
Nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, the forces arrayed in favor of Internet censorship are not only powerful and well funded, but are in this game for the very long haul indeed. A day of demonstrations to them, as annoying as they may be to these censorship proponents in the very short run, are in the final analysis more like a single human lifetime compared against the centuries.
One of the key problems is that few within the Internet world know much about how "DC" – the inner circle of US policy-making – really works. One person who does is Christine Paluch, as she explains in this post seconding Weinstein's warning about "The Long War":
Here in DC the long war is not some analogy, it is a way of life. This is a town of strategists and researchers who often lay intellectual groundwork for legislation that gets put into place long after they have moved on to another issue. I should know this, I was one of the researchers, and I worked on a few major issues involving regulatory policy, specifically labor and employment, environmental issues, consumer product safety, and healthcare. It is not very often that somebody sees their work used in laying the groundwork for historic legislation, but the work of me and my fellow researchers was used in a few pieces of historic legislation. It was a part of the long game, one that took over 5 years to completely play out, and I was only there for part of it. I was already left the campaign by the time the legislation went through congress.
She also has some very useful advice for the geek world she now calls her own ("Somehow I was roped in by technologists and they have assimilated me into their development processes"):
in my honest opinion it needs to go beyond a simple censorship campaign, and have a much broader focus. What [Weinstein] is citing is a defensive campaign, but from my own experiences, the best campaigns are not just defensive, but also strategic and proactive. I also think it needs to focus on broader goals for science and technology as well, as I think the SOPA and PIPA campaign are part of a larger pattern that needs to be addressed.
In other words, the tech world really needs to think big on this. The rest of the post is well-worth reading for its information about some of the details of DC policy making; but the central message is very simple:
SOPA and PIPA should not be the end, but rather the beginning. This is the best advice to making technology a larger and permanent force in DC as somebody who at one point was part of this system.
Follow me @glynmoody on Twitter or identi.ca, and on Google+
Filed Under: blackouts, copyright, pipa, proactive, protect ip, protests, reform, sopa


text:
The challenge of having only one day in Las Vegas is there is so much to do. How do you work up the energy and know the right places to go that are actually worth your time? Emilceramica Tele Di Marmo Statuario Michelangelo lappato 89x89 cm N85M0Y ED3...No need to worry because, in this guide, I'm going to guide you hour by hour through the perfect day so you can… View Post
When the opportunity arose to spend 3 perfect days in Memphis, I jumped at the chance with a hard yes and packed my bags. It was a solo trip, which I haven't had in a whileEmtek 1481 Cortina Lever RH US10B Oil Rubbed Bronze New. I knew Memphis would be a perfect solo destination with tons of sites and museums to explore. Having gone and returned I can confirm… View Post
Item specifics
|Herstellungsland und -region:
|Modifizierter Artikel:
Emtek Assa Abloy Entry Way Door Handle Right Handed 5209Two massive cities in one day is a task for anyone, especially when dealing with twins. It was a cold and rainy day, but we were determined to make the best of our one day in the twin cities. We had a blast crafting the perfect twin cities bucket list for anyone short on time and looking for excitement. From… View Post
This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com. 2011 was the start of my festival addiction. Though my mom would always bring me to concerts as a child, nothing compared to day-long festivals I experienced as a crazy college kid. From food trucks to big name DJ's it was the best of everything. A magical world I couldn't wait to get back… Emilceramica 20twenty Industrial 20x180 cm 282W1R ECTY Pavimento Piastrelle ...
Design Tapete Vlies Fototapete für Muster Vögel Explosion Wohnzimmer abstraktes oooidk351-Wallpaper Murals
Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region is a charming place perfect for just about anyone – from culture connoisseur and adventure seekers to food enthusiasts and people looking to kick back and relax in the gorgeous Rocky Mountains.Emtek Sancast Bronze dummy knobs If you're like me, you will dabble in a bit of everything – grabbing a tasty meal before heading off for… View Post
This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of nutter puffs. Though sponsored, all opinions are 100% my own. En Vrac Verrou Saillant Bouclier Ancrage M8 M12 Predection 110mm L Paquet de 8You know the common saying, "I need a vacation from my vacation"? That typically means I beat my body up so bad while traveling I'm exhausted and seriously need to go on a diet. Traveling is meant to be uplifting and… View Post
Instagram spots in Las Vegas are everywhere, but sadly only a few amounts of people take advantage of all the possibilities. Endon 61637 Ripple Single LED Wall Light White Plaster FinishThese days finding Instagram Spots is part of the travel itinerary. We want to look good in good looking places. Nothing wrong with that, especially with amazing technology at our fingertips that allows for easy snapping. People are empowered with… Emilceramica Antology Marble step wild Copper old 33x60 cm 1C3A6R E8LL Tiles ...
Is the Chicago CityPASS worth it or a complete waste of money? You're headed to Chicago and not sure how best to save money on attractionsEngrenage Vilebrequin John Deere Lanz 300 - Pignon. If you're like me, you might be a little skeptical of discount sellers. More times than none, I can't help but wonder if it's too good to be true. Maybe it's because I live… View Post
Entity Harlequin 19 x 20 Sample Book (40 pages ) (Z Shelf)Chicago is known for an array of dining options, champion sports teams, incredible arts, dozens of museums, and over 300 parks. In fact, Time Out rated it the #1 World's Best City for Having it All! Located in the Midwest and the third largest city in the U.S. – Chicago (aka Chi-Town aka Windy City aka Chicagoland) has been at the top… View Post


text:
If you live in Houston you have to try to get bored. This vibrant city on the Texas Gulf Coast has something for everybody from a beautiful natural setting to an exciting urban jungle. If you want to enjoy time on the water, you can head to Galveston beaches and the Kemah Boardwalk. Urban parks, including Memorial Herman Park and Discovery Green, are great spots for picnics and summer movie nights. If you want more indoor fun, Houston has the second largest theater district after New York, with plays that cater to all ages and interests. Expand your horizons at Houston Children's Museum, Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, and many others. After a fun day out, go for great food at one of Houston's fantastic Tex-Mex restaurants.
Houston has a booming economy that supports a wide range of career options. The energy sector has jobs in renewables and in the petroleum sector. The Houston medical district has some of the best hospitals in the world, and some of the best jobs in the area. The aerospace industry is another major employment sector bolstering the Houston economy.
Houston has 761 new home communities, with 10,612 houses available for sale. These houses start at just $143,990, and they have up to 9,968 square feet of space, so people from all walks of life can invest in a quality new construction home. 42 homebuilders design and build 7,467 home plans, and your dream home is among them.
Houston homebuilders have a wide range of available new construction homes. Builders working in the most Houston Area new home communities include Meritage Homes, Perry Homes, Taylor Morrison, K. Hovnanian Homes, and Lennar. These hardworking professionals can make your journey to homeownership fulfilling and fun!
When you buy a home in one of Houston's new home communities you get more than a house. Your new house is in a neighborhood where you can live an active and engaged life. Your neighbors aren't just the people who live next door, they will be lifelong friends. After having fun with friends and family at the community pool or neighborhood sports complex, invite your loved ones over to your beautiful new home for a delicious meal.
To help homeowners make the most of their new community Houston homebuilders and developers often include fantastic amenities in the neighborhood plan including:
Families looking to give their children the best possible life can invest in a home they love, built in a fantastic neighborhood, zoned to well rated schools. The top school districts in Houston include Friendswood ISD, Katy ISD, Tomball ISD, Pearland ISD, and Clear Creek ISD, so explore communities in these districts.
Use NewHomeSource to explore the entire real estate market in Houston. Your new dream home is just a click away.
Grand Mission Estates - Champions Patio and Icon Collections by Village BuildersRead Reviews
From $319,990 - $358,990
8006 Bellaria Lake Lane
Richmond, TX 77407
NorthGrove - Executive Collection by Toll Brothers
From $387,995 - $575,464
8554 Burdekin Road
Magnolia, TX 77354
Aliana by Meritage Homes
From $405,990 - $562,995
18110 Shimmer Lane
Richmond, TX 77407
Towne Lake 70' Classic Series by David Weekley Homes
From $382,990 - $522,565
10923 Dew Meadows Court
Cypress, TX 77433
Somerset Green by Coventry Homes
From $561,990 - $831,990
3709 Somerset Green Drive
Houston, TX 77055
Grand Central Park 45' by Perry Homes
Grand Opening
From $287,900 - $345,900
110 Red Petal Way
Conroe, TX 77304
Woodforest - Brookstone Collection by LennarRead Reviews
From $283,990 - $368,115
106 Canary Island Circle
Montgomery, TX 77316
The Commons of Lake Houston by First America Homes
From $281,990 - $338,888
137 Commons Vista Dr
Huffman, TX 77336
Harper's Preserve by Plantation Homes
From $306,990 - $499,952
10470 Lake Palmetto Dr
Conroe, TX 77385
Southwinds by Beazer HomesRead Reviews
From $224,990 - $281,389
2119 Santa Ana Way
Baytown, TX 77523


text:
Corporate insiders sell their own companies' stock for a number of reasons.
They might need the cash for a big personal purchase such as a new house or yacht, or they might need the cash to fund a charity. Sometimes they sell as part of a planned selling program that they have put in place for diversification purposes, which allows them to sell stock in stages instead of selling all at one price.


text:
Authors and Artists :: Debbie Crews
A Little Bit About Me
Certified Spiritual Counselor
I am an artist, writer, and intuitive life coach.
Things I enjoy: yoga, art, photography, cooking,
bike riding, reading, and gardening.
I design t-shirts, greeting cards, dolls,
and blog inspirational messages and poems.
My greatest passion is helping others.
I have forty-two years of experience.
There have been many hurdles in my life...
losing a child, overcoming chronic illness,
childhood wounds...
It has been a bumpy, crazy, often joyful,
unpredictable, challenging, sometimes
gut-wrenching journey for which I am
grateful every day.
All my life lessons have helped shape who I am.
Examples of Blue Mountain Arts products by Debbie Crews
|Home | Cards | Books | Gifts | Shop | Locations | Authors & Artists | About Us | Poetry Contest | Sitemap | Contact Us
|Copyright © 2020 Blue Mountain Arts. All rights reserved.
Blue Mountain, Blue Mountain Arts, and the Blue Mountain logo are
service marks or registered service marks of BMA Holdings, LLC
in the United States and other countries.