text:
NCAA; Collegiate Athletes Are Supposed to be Students, Not Professionals…
(ThyBlackMan.com) At what point did a college education become completely worthless to the collegiate athletes walking around on college campuses throughout the country? A few weeks have already passed in the 2011 football season and it still seems like more and more college football scandals are revealed and investigations seem to be ongoing. Athletes continue to constantly accept benefit after benefit along with violating many of the other rules. It always makes me wonder about the values of the NCAA athlete and whether or not they really think they are students or professionals.
It is important to go back to what the original concept of an athletic scholarship is. If a school identifies a talented athlete that has caught their interest and can qualify academically, the athlete is able to attend the school for free in exchange for competing for the school athletically. Oversimplified? Perhaps. That is the essence of the athletic scholarship, though. Of course, I am not completely naïve, as the schools with elite football and basketball programs will generate millions in profits from these teams. Thus, it is an investment for the school, and they expect to get some return on their investment. Regardless of whether or not anyone thinks this is fair, that is completely understandable. Anybody who makes an investment wants, and expects, to have a significant return on their investment. However, the fact that the schools may benefit more from this exchange is not what is disappointing. The disappointment lies in the fact that collegiate athletes do not take advantage of the opportunity that is given to them through this exchange.
As an example, the total estimated cost of attendance (tuition, room and board, fees, etc.) at the University of Southern California, which is my alma mater, is $57,876 for the 2011-2012 school year, and the cost continues to go up every single year. For a full scholarship athlete, the cost of attendance is absolutely free. They are given the opportunity to receive an education and a place to live for four or five years, all of which is valued at well over $200,000. In addition to the covered cost of attendance, they also receive a generous stipend every single month. While most other colleges are not quite this expensive to attend, it does not change the fact that scholarship athletes across the entire country are receiving educational opportunities that are valued at tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars completely free of charge. For some reason, though, this is not good enough for the collegiate athlete. Because athletes see their jerseys for sale in stores everywhere and because they sell out stadiums and arenas, they figure they are also entitled to receive money or other benefits, too, as they constantly violate the rules by accepting benefits they know they should not be taking. Does anybody really believe these students think about the monetary value of their education or the educational opportunity they are wasting when they decide to violate the rules and accept benefits?
Most collegiate athletes are simply using their scholarship as an opportunity to become a professional athlete and nothing else. They are known for parading around campus like celebrities in addition to being known for declaring "easy" majors like sociology or history. Although I do not believe there is a such thing as an "easy" major, there is a major difference between choosing to major in a subject because you have a genuine interest in it and want to do something with it in the future versus choosing a major (or even guided into a major by the athletic administration) because you think the coursework is not challenging and want to ensure you remain academically eligible to compete in your sport.
Once the opportunity to turn professional comes up, many of these athletes do not hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity, even if they are not quite ready athletically; graduating and obtaining their degree is usually one of the last things they think about when it comes to making the decision to turn professional. I have heard all of the excuses in the world as to why they decide to turn professional early. Some will tell you directly to your face they are not concerned about school whatsoever and they were simply waiting for the first opportunity to leave. Some argue that college students go to college in order to ensure they make more money. Therefore, they feel if the opportunity to turn professional and become rich arises, they need to take advantage of the opportunity now and "get paid." Some argue they cannot take the risk of injuring themselves by staying in school while others argue that school is not for everyone. Many argue that they can always come back to school and finish their classes (I dare somebody to do a study on how many professional athletes have gone back to finish their degrees). And my absolute favorite argument (and the easiest one to hide behind) is that turning professional is best for them and their family. While I am in no position to assess a family's financial situation, I seriously doubt that another year or two of remaining in college to earn your degree is the "make it or break it" moment in their family's financial situation. For some of them, the context of doing what is "best" for their family is giving their family a chance to drive a Mercedes-Benz instead of a Honda Accord, or live in a mansion instead of a 3-bedroom house.
Think about how many students stand in line at the cashier's office with an unpaid balance during the first few weeks of school. Think about the student that has to apply for thousands in student loans to finish paying for the school year. Think about the student who does not even qualify to receive a significant amount of financial aid because their parents make a little bit too much money. How about the student that has to go to school full-time and participate in work-study in order to make sure their tuition is paid? How about the walk-on athlete who has to pull "all-nighters" to complete their work because they have to work in addition to attending practice and going to class? Sometimes, non-scholarship students have to endure some difficult challenges to ensure they get the chance to walk across the stage and receive their degree. I can definitely relate, as I was a walk-on athlete. I had many challenges and struggles just like so many other students, and I definitely had my fair share of Top Ramen noodles and instant burritos. Thus, it did used to leave me scratching my head when I saw scholarship athletes complaining their stipend was not enough to cover many of their expenses, especially when I saw them buying a new pair of expensive shoes each week and driving around in nice cars. It is to the point where they have the slightest idea as to what most other college students have to endure. Ultimately, the majority of college students have to, and are willing to, endure hard times because they value the opportunity they have received to get an education. Sure, many simply do go to college in an effort to make more money and may not necessarily value the educational aspect or the actual college experience. However, that does not change the fact that they still had to earn their degree. For them to still be willing to earn it means that some type of value has still been placed on the education, which is why it is absurd that many of these athletes expect to simply "skate" through school until they get the chance to turn professional; anything related to the educational aspect or the actual college experience is completely secondary to so many of the athletes. Aren't the athletes still supposed to be students?
They need to really think about the educational opportunities they are completely squandering. In the same manner that the school may be using the athletes to be successful athletically in order to bring fame, fortune and prestige to the school, the athletes should be using the schools to get an education and graduate with a degree. It is extremely disappointing that these students choose to walk away from the school with nothing other than the opportunity to go professional. And keep in mind that it is only an opportunity. I can count numerous athletes that attempted to go professional and did not even make the team's final cut during their very first year. They did not make the hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars they anticipated on making and they have no degree. They repeatedly try to make professional teams after that and still did not make them.
What is most disappointing, though, is when I hear athletes like Andrew Luck, the current starting quarterback for Stanford University's football team and one of the best players in college football, getting criticized for deciding to return to school for his senior season. Had he left school after last season in order to turn professional, he would have certainly been a top-5 pick in the NFL draft and would have made millions of dollars. Rather than turn professional, he chose to return to school in order to graduate and receive his degree in architectural design. Ever since he made that decision, he has received a significant amount of criticism because he turned down the opportunity to become rich and could possibly get hurt, which could jeopardize his future as a professional. There is no possible way that I can be the only one who sees something wrong with this type of criticism…
Staff Writer; Andre Serrette
For more info on this brother, feel free to visit; Scrolls From The Atlantic.


text:
Coffea Cafe – Cool Coffee Tricks That Can Work For You!
There isn't an adult in the world who couldn't use a nice cup of coffee every now and then to serve as a pick-me-up. Some people can't go a single morning without their cup of joe. The following article will teach you how to make the best tasting cup of coffee for your drinking pleasure.
If you are a heavy coffee drinker make lunch you last cup. Drinking caffeine in the afternoon and evening can seriously effect your ability to sleep soundly. As long as you don't load your coffee up with too many calories it is just fine to have several cups during the morning hours.
If you want to get the most coffee for the least amount of price, clip coupons. Coffee is nothing special when it comes to this. Clipping the right coupons and saving them for double coupon days can really add up the savings, for both coffee and related commodities like creamer.
When you are done with your coffee grinds, do not throw them away. What many people do not know is that used coffee grinds have many uses. They can be used for gardening, getting hardened food off your dishes and removing foul smells. Simply put them in a ziploc bag and put it in a cabinet.
There are lots of different coffee types to choose from. Some people like more mild flavors, others like a full dark roast. Additionally, you can also purchase beans that are pre-flavored. Drinking flavored coffee is not as popular as simply adding a flavored creamer to regular coffee.
As was mentioned earlier, everyone enjoys a nice tasting cup of coffee, at least once in awhile. When you use the tips given in the article above, you are well on your way to making great tasting coffee that will surely brighten up your day. Just remember not to overdo it!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
While my lifestyle for the past year + (work, work, work) has not allowed for it much, I LOVE entertaining. Having friends over for quiet dinner parties with great conversation and wine, or for ragers that span from brunch til dawn and include sourdough waffle bars and lots of dancing is a pleasure that I sorely miss.
Whatever the event, I love to serve small bites to whet the appetite and, of course, they frequently include a wide variety of ferments. One of my favorite is a a take on the traditional mini-skewers of mozzarella balls, grape tomatoes and a basil leaf. Although I do enjoy making cultured mozzarella, there's an easier cheese out there, and it requires no special cheese cultures.
I make little kefir cheese balls, (bocconcini-style) and I marinate them. It's seriously easy and very customizable with herbs and spices.
The key to this recipe is to time the kefir draining so that the consistency is dry enough to hold together, but not so dry that it starts to crumble. This can take anywhere from 8 to 24 hours. The quickest way is to let the strained kefir sit on the counter in a covered container until the whey separates. Make a hole and pour off the whey before starting your strain. If this is difficult or too time-consuming at the start, just pour the whole thing into your cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh strainer and give it time to lose its liquid.
Kefir Bocconcini Recipe (Marinated Kefir Cheese Balls)
Yield: 10 to 15 balls
Feel free to mix up the seasonings on this one. Sometimes I throw in a hot pepper or some red pepper flakes. You could do a sweetish version with cinnamon sticks and ginger powder or go Greek with loads of oregano and lemon zest. The options are virtually endless. This savory version is a crowd-pleaser.
- Fine Mesh Strainer (the one you use to strain your kefir will work nicely)
- Enough cheesecloth to double and place in your strainer with extra hanging over the sides
- a bowl that your fine-mesh strainer fits across
- 1 pint jar
- 1 quart of finished milk kefir, grains removed
- 1 3-inch sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried sage
- About 1 cup good quality olive oil
How To
- Place fine mesh strainer securely over a bowl and line with cheesecloth. Make sure that the edges of the cheesecloth reach beyond the rim of the strainer. This will allow you to gather the corners of the cloth together and squeeze to remove excess liquid as your kefir cheese becomes more solid.
- When the consistency of the cheese is like a fluffy cream cheese and not yet cracking and crumbly, you're ready to form the balls. Take 1 to 2 tablespoons of cheese into clean hands, and gently roll it between the palms of your hands to form a ball. If it falls apart, congratulations! You've made a crumbly feta-ish cheese. The downside is that you won't be able to make marinated kefir balls from it. The upside is that you have delicious cheese crumbles.
- Gently place each finished ball in the pint jar, until all the cheese has been balled up. Add herbs. Pour olive oil over the cheese balls until it just covers them.
- Put the lid tightly on the jar and stick it in the fridge. Allow flavors to infuse for 5 to 10 days. If you taste at day 5 and you don't get enough herb flavor, wait a couple more days. Leave at room temperature for an hour before serving. The oil can be reused for another batch of kefir cheese (add more herbs) and it makes a great salad dressing when mixed with vinegar.
Note: I prefer to let this marinate in the refrigerator, even though the oil will sometimes solidify a bit. The lower temperatures keep the kefir balls from further acidifying while they marinate, and the oil will liquefy when brought back to room temperature.


text:
The Lone Ranger is AWESOME - Updated
I'll expand on this more later, but suffice to say that everything the naysayers have said about "The Lone Ranger" (2013) is wrong and you should go see it now before it disappears from theaters.
Especially if you're a Deadlands fan.*
OK, I'm home now and can write a bit more.
Again, everything the naysayers have said is dead wrong -- or at least just a matter of taste. This is not a classic Lone Ranger film -- heck, it's not the Lone Ranger movie I would have made -- but it is a Lone Ranger film by the director, star, and writers of the first three "Pirates of the Caribbean" films and those three movies are some of my all-time favorites. It is a tall tale of a Lone Ranger film that completely succeeds at being what Verbinski, Depp, Elliott and Rossio tried to do.
Like the PotC films, it demands audience attention. It may be a popcorn movie, but it's a popcorn movie filled with double-crosses, foreshadowing, and backtracking told through the filter of an unreliable narrator -- a narrator who is repeatedly questioned and doubted by an audience surrogate in a manner reminiscent of "The Princess Bride." It is dense with metaphor and symbolism. Have you heard of magical realism? Yeah, this is magical realism. I'd even go so far as to joke that this is "Sherman Alexie's 'The Lone Ranger.'"
Like the PotC films, it's long. Would you complain about getting an extra-large order of french fries for the same price as a small? No? Then why would you complain about a movie being long? The only people who should be complaining are the theater owners who can't fit more showings into a day.
Like the PotC films, it has Johnny Depp playing a crazy person using the stalwart hero to further his own agenda. The casting of Johnny Depp as Tonto has been very controversial for very good reasons. Throughout the first half of the film, I often found myself questioning why Disney just didn't tell Depp it was in bad taste for him to play a Native American no matter how much he thinks he is one, but that ambivalence about Depp as Tonto is exploited by the script to address the controversies about Tonto the character -- the monosyllabic sidekick who gets captured all the time, the embarrassment to Native Americans that is nevertheless a role that has actually been played by a real Native American actor in every previous film version -- in a manner that is disarming and perceptive.
Like the PotC films, there's a subtext criticizing the symbiotic relationship between capitalism and the military-industrial complex. Yes, there really is subtext in the PotC films. Hell, it's barely a subtext at all; it's pretty danged overt. This will bother some people, but I like it. In fact, "The Lone Ranger" (2013) could practically be titled "Occupy the Old West." Again, I like this.
Finally, like the PotC films, there are some fantastic action setpieces. Tears of joy streamed down my face during the entire ten-minute train chase/fight scene that finished the film (in no small part because of Hans Zimmer's extended take on the "William Tell Overture"). Some viewers have criticized that John Reid's competence during the finale comes out of nowhere, but the seeds of his heroism are sown throughout the film (such as when he slides down a bannister onto Silver's back much earlier in the movie). Like the PotC films, everything fits together like clockwork if you just pay attention to the movie.
I'm not new to the Lone Ranger. I am just old enough to have grown up watching endless repeats of the Clayton Moore series on a local UHF station in black and white on a black and white TV. I watched the Filmation cartoon in its original run; I saw "The Legend of the Lone Ranger" in the theater. I had some of the dolls! This is not that Lone Ranger.
This is different. It is wild and wooly. It is joyous and sly at the same time. It is -- like the Pirates of the Caribbean films -- both an homage to and satire of what came before it. But it works.
*It has a poisonous mineral, cannibalistic wendigo, haunted undead heroes, and carnivorous rabbits. Most of those might be metaphors, but that's magical realism for you.


text:
Monday, June 25, 2007
Monday, June 18, 2007
Fresh Start
Of course if you know me you know I'm all about anime. But, I'm not against American cartoons either - just extremely intimidated by them. Anyway I'm experimenting, trying to get something far away from anime to try to improve and broaden my drawing horizons - but I can't take credit for the idea of doing so.... By the way I know the face doesn't look much like a woman's face and there's a good but LONG reason for it.


text:
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Quick Update
Quick update: I'm waiting to get reference materials to begin on a few portraits, which is why it's been so quiet here. I'll post as soon as I have some new news to share.
Posted by Kathy Weller at 7:15 PM
1 comment:
- Abby Creek Art said...
Hi Kathy...hope all is well. Just wanted to wish a great weekend!
- 10:51 AM, May 26, 2007
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Senior Statesmen of Virginia meeting
When: Wednesday, February 14, 2018, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Where: Senior Center, Inc., 491 Hillsdale Drive, Charlottesville, VA.
Free and open to the public
Representatives of the Charlottesville Area Alliance will discuss the mission and vision of the Alliance: to lead the advancement of an age-friendly community for the greater Charlottesville area to be the most age-friendly community in the country. Representing the Alliance will be: Marta Keane, Jefferson Area Board for Aging - moderator; Brad Sheffield, JAUNT - transportation to combat isolation; Sunshine Mathon, Piedmont Housing Alliance - affordable housing for seniors; Rebecca Schmidt, Thomas Jefferson Health District - community health goals for seniors; Peter Thompson, Senior Center Inc. - civic engagement and the role of SSV. The Charlottesville Area Alliance has requested that the SSV join its other 17 partners (including the UVa Osher Lifelong Learning Institute - OLLI) in advocating for an age friendly community.
Marta Keane has been the CEO of JABA since April 2013. JABA works to help people age in community, by providing a Continuum of Caring for the Continuum of Living. Her entire career has been on helping seniors achieve the highest quality of life, in the place of their choice. She believes in creating a community that honors and respects the gifts that seniors have to offer.
Brad Sheffield serves as the executive at JAUNT Inc. He has been working in the transit industry for 16 years, in both public and private transit planning roles. From January 2014 to December 2017, Brad served on the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors representing the Rio Magisterial District. He is passionate about helping communities foster the traditional characteristics that make places great to work, raise a family, and retire.
Sunshine Mathon is the executive director of Piedmont Housing Alliance. Sunshine has lead the development of over 1,200 healthy, efficient homes in Texas and Virginia, including some of the highest ever LEED for Homes communities. He is a nationally-recognized leader in the deep green affordable housing sector. Sunshine holds a Masters in Architecture from the University of Texas .
Rebecca Schmidt is the population health manager for the Thomas Jefferson Health District serving the City of Charlottesville and the five surrounding counties. Over the past 15 years, she has worked in health policy, program development, implementation and evaluation for nongovernmental agencies and for local, state, federal and international government. She holds a B.A. from Boston University and an M.P.A. in Public Administration from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Peter Thompson has served as executive director of the Senior Center Inc. since 1999. The Senior Center positively impacts the community by creating opportunities for healthy aging through over 100 programs and scores of partnerships. Peter received his B.A. from UVa and his MPA from Virginia Commonwealth University. Recent community service includes serving on the Board of Directors of the OLLI at UVa, Chamber of Commerce, and the Center for Nonprofit Excellence.


text:
Maker's Mark 10th AnniversaryView details
Maker's Mark 10th AnniversaryView details
Maker's Mark 10th Anniversary Bourbon Seasoned cigars are a limited edition made in the Dominican Republic using specially selected Dominican longfiller tobaccos rolled in lush Connecticut Shade wrappers. The tubes are dipped in Silver Wax to distinguish the 10th Anniversary. Order your box now.
O.K. so I'm not a big fan of flavored cigars; although, I'll occasionally dip my side of the stick in a glass of Zaya rum and even less occasionally smoke a Swisher or sweet Backwoods. And at first, I thought ughh. But it grew on me. The construction and burn are top notch. And the bourbon flavor made the smoke an event. Now I can't smoke anything else. Luckily I was able to get the last box from Famous before they sold out. There are a few five-packs left. Buy them before they're gone! The 10th anniversary is a little sweeter than the regular makers cigar too!
I was offered one of these stogies at a Cigar Social a couple of weeks ago and I must say that this cigar took me by my values and swung me around like a bikini top at a Guns 'n Roses concert! (I'm a recovering alcoholic.)This cigar left a hint of bourbon on the palate as well as those other flavors associated with cigars (Sorry. Temporary lapse of memory!) and had a nice, pleasant aroma. A real treat to smoke. Highly recommended.
Good price. beautiful flavor and burn.
I'm relatively new to cigars and have smoked probably less than 50 good cigars, but I picked one of these up while at a casino. I liked this smoke much better than any other I've tried so far. Great favor and the hint of bourbon just kicked it off for me, as I love good bourbon. I recomend trying one of these cigars.


text:
Get to grips with the difference between a concession contract and a PSC, and the advantages and disadvantages of joint ventures and services contracts. This video introduces a seven-video course covering the basics of upstream oil and natural gas contracts, what goes into them and the merits of each contract type – as well as the circumstances under which a particular contract model is likely to be used.
Concession contracts give an oil company the right to explore for, produce, develop and sell the oil or gas from a prospect over a certain period – sometimes decades. They prevailed in the early years of the oil industry and, because they tend to be favourable to the company, helped establish it. What are their pros and cons?
In recent years, resource owners have become increasingly determined to use contracts that try to keep more of the wealth at home, which services agreements achieve by paying oil companies to provide a service – the development of an oil or gas prospect – without ceding ownership of the resource. But they tend to appear only in countries with premium geology and during periods of high oil prices. Find out why.
Joint ventures tend to be open-ended, often expressing more the intent of areas of cooperation between an IOC, and a national oil company. But, partly for reasons of legal complexity, these contracts tend to be the least common of the principal types of upstream contract.
Production-sharing agreements – known as PSAs – have become common throughout the oil industry. PSAs should, in principle, be a successful contract model, because they encourage the IOC to maximise its productivity, while removing much of the up-front financial risk for the state. But they're not without pitfalls. What are the pros and cons of PSAs?
PSAs entitle the IOC to use initial flows of oil to recover its exploration and development costs and, after cost recovery, to receive a share of production. The state, meanwhile, makes money by earning a share of production – once the cost-recovery phase is complete – and from royalties and tax. This video explains the basic mechanisms for rewarding IOC and state under a PSA.
A good upstream contract will include provisions that reduce liabilities, pre-empt disputes – and above all – mitigate risks. What kinds of risks must be taken into account in order to strike a mutually beneficial balance between the interests of the host nation and those of the contractor?
Course learning objectives
This four-lesson course instructs the learner to recognise, and distinguish between, the main contract models in use in the oil and natural gas industry, identify the advantages and disadvantages of each model, and explain the circumstances under which each would be likely to be be applied.
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise the core purpose of upstream oil and gas contracts
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise the fundamental features of concession, services and JV contracts
Lesson learning objectives
Identify the principles of PSA contracts and recognise how they function
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise ways in which contracts mitigate risk
How are hydrocarbons formed, and what geological conditions are required for the formation of oil and gas reservoirs?
Seismic has reduced the number of dry or non-optimal wells by enabling geophysicists to form a detailed picture of subterranean rock layers before expensive drilling operations take place – reducing costs, raising recovery rates and improving exploration results. What are the principles behind it?
Virtually all oil and gas wells are drilled using the rotary drilling method. Above ground stands a derrick, the familiar framework that supports the drill string and other apparatus. And, at the end of the drill string is the drill bit, which cuts, grinds, scrapes and crushes its way through rock layers. How do these pieces of equipment work together to drill wells?
Understand the vitally important functions of drilling mud, and learn about well logging and other tests that can be carried out to measure the properties of the rock around the borehole and bring the picture of the subsurface geology into ever-sharper focus. Understand the process of casing and cementing during well construction.
Offshore E&P platforms are offshore real estate, providing a surface for E&P companies to carry out the same operations as those undertaken onshore: drilling wells and producing from them, and processing, storing and exporting oil and gas. Some stand on the seafloor. Others float on the surface of the water and are moored by cables or kept in place by dynamic positioning. The choice lies at the ever-shifting nexus of technology and economics. Learn about the main designs of platform.
When an offshore discovery is made, a well is usually sealed with plugs until a more permanent structure can be moved to site for the production phase and for further drilling. Numerous platform designs exist – from fixed platforms that stand on the seabed to a variety of floating platforms that can operate hundreds of miles offshore in waters thousands of metres deep. The choice is a complex one, based on a matrix of economic and technical factors. Learn about tension-leg platforms, semi-submersibles, spars and FPSOs – and when they might be used.
Since the first subsea well was completed, over 50 years ago, the subsea industry has flourished and expanded. In a subsea completion, production equipment such as the wellhead is installed on the seafloor instead of on the topsides of a platform. Find out what operations can be relocated to the seafloor — and why subsea completions can often prove advantageous.
Discover how production facilities at the surface are connected with the reservoir through the well- completion process and how a drilled well is equipped to become a producing one. Interviews with senior Schlumberger completion engineers, supported with explanatory animations.
Understand different types of well completion, from barefoot completions to intelligent completions in multilateral wells. What makes them differ and what do they have in common? Interviews with senior Schlumberger completion engineers, supported with explanatory animations.
Discover how an intelligent completion enables you to control multiple producing zones from the surface – potentially from your desktop computer. Interviews with senior Schlumberger completion engineers, supported with explanatory animations.
Discover the damage sand from weak formations can cause in producing wells and why controlling the flow of sand from unconsolidated formations is among the most critical challenges in well completion. Interviews with senior Schlumberger completion engineers, supported with explanatory animations.
Find out more about different methods for controlling sand in well completions – from downhole screens and gravel packs to frackpacks. What are they and how do they work? Interviews with senior Schlumberger completion engineers, supported with explanatory animations.
Course learning objectives
Through this course, split into six accessible, bite-sized lessons, learners will gain a high-level view of the geology of oil and gas, and technical steps involved in the exploration and production of oil and gas, from identifying potential drilling sites and conducting seismic surveys to drilling and production operations. The course also introduces learners to economics and business risks and opportunities through the upstream value chain.
Lesson learning objectives
Identify the key features of oil and natural gas formation and reservoirs
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise techniques for identifying potential oil and gas deposits
Identify the main steps in the process of drilling wells
Lesson learning objectives
Identify processes and data used to assess the geological and commercial potential of oil and gas discoveries
Recognise platform types and key concepts in offshore exploration
Lesson learning objectives
Define the basics of well completion
Lesson learning objectives
Recognize the different phases of production and how reservoirs are managed
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise the principal techniques used to produce from unconventional oil and gas deposits
The oil price is determined by the relationship between supply and demand. But the elements that compose those two market forces form a picture of enormous complexity – from geopolitical events to refinery outages, and from GDP data today to long-term trends in vehicle use. This video assesses the economic fundamentals that determine the oil price, introducing a seven-part video course analysing the fundamentals of global oil markets.
Oil is the most actively traded commodity in the world – a multi-faceted, complex arrangement of overlaid and intersecting physical and paper markets. Find out more about the structure and make-up of this highly complex industry – and the much larger derivatives market that has grown up around it.
Oil markets are notoriously lacking in transparency in terms of stocks, demand and even supply. How does the market determine the value of the underlying commodity – crude oil?
Oil markets are notoriously lacking in transparency in terms of stocks, demand and even supply. How does the market determine the value of the underlying commodity – crude oil?
In Opec's historical attempts to control world oil prices, the group's challenge has been to find a price high enough to provide its oil-dependent members with a satisfactory level of income yet low enough to sustain oil demand and to prevent rival producers from easily grabbing its market share. To what extent has Opec been able to meet this challenge?
Oil is everywhere. No industry influences the shape of the world more; it provides heat, light and mobility. And it creates quality of life. What are the principal forces that determine market demand?
Oil companies must manage a range of costs throughout the complex oil-value chain, anticipating changes in economic cycles and timing often very large investments so that projects are ready when the market needs them. And they must make those judgments independently of the extremes of the business cycle.
Course learning objectives
A high-level view of the factors that influence oil prices, and how petroleum is priced and traded.
Lesson learning objectives
Supply, demand and oil prices; benchmark grades and pricing crude oil; term and spot markets; pricing and costs along the supply chain; managing oil-price risk; hedging; futures, options and swaps; speculation; pricing natural gas.
Lesson learning objectives
Debt and equity financing; evaluating risk in oil and gas projects; corporate loans; bonds; project finance; Islamic finance; multilateral agencies; farm-in agreements.
The oil industry's origins lie in the 19th century, when "Colonel" Edwin Drake drilled the first well in 1859, in Pennsylvania. By the end of the Second World War, the business had evolved into a global industry dominated by a handful of Western companies. (1850s to 1940s).
After the Second World War, the dominant oil-producing countries of the Middle East began to assert their influence, forming Opec and regaining control of their oil industries. Western oil companies, meanwhile, turned their attention to new sources of oil. (1950s to 1980s).
War in Iraq in 2003 threatened world oil supply, catalysing a five-year upward spiral in oil prices.
At the same time, demand was rising, especially in China and other fast-growing Asian energy consumers. Fears that supply could not keep up with soaring demand gripped world markets. But the US's unconventional energy revolution has shifted the goalposts once again. (1990s to present).
Course learning objectives
This two-lesson course provides an introduction to key geopolitical events that have shaped the history of oil and oil markets, and identifies the main players in the global oil and gas industry, including Opec, NOCs, IOCs and other types of oil company.
Identify key events in the history of oil geopolitics – from the discovery of oil in the US 150 years ago to the present – and recognise how geopolitical events affect oil supply and markets.
Recognise the key aspects of Opec's role in world oil markets, the interplay between IOCs, NOCs, services firms and other types of oil company, and the consumer response to Opec.
Lesson learning objectives
Identify connections between oil markets and geopolitics by studying historical and contemporary events
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise the key players in oil supply and their chief characteristics and roles, including multinational organisations such as Opec and the IEA, and corporate players including NOCs and IOCs
Know your CH4 from your NGLs? Conventional from unconventional? In four minutes, learn about the formation of gas, its properties and versatility as a fuel, and the infrastructure needed to get it to end users.
The US's shale-gas revolution and the emergence of renewables are two forces that have fundamentally reshaped the global gas industry. But demand for natural gas remains robust, especially in power generation. Find out why the fuel has a bright future.
With natural gas prices still subdued, and plenty of new LNG and pipeline capacity coming on stream, gas has become a buyer's market. But, as demand gathers pace, this won't last. With China and India gasifying their huge economies, market dynamics look set to become tighter after 2020, stimulating a new wave upstream gas development.
What is floating liquefied natural gas, how does it work and what potential does the technology offer? And, what challenges did Petronas experience as it undertook the world's first FLNG venture? Interview with Datuk Abdullah Karim, leader of Petronas's pioneering PFLNG Satu project.
Importing LNG used to be a business for big countries with big budgets. Floating, storage and regasification units, FSRUs, are an economic way of importing gas without a costly onshore regas terminal. In the past few years, FSRUs have gone mainstream, giving smaller consumers quick and affordable to access to LNG - and generating an invaluable source of additional demand for the wider LNG and natural gas markets.
Course learning objectives
This three-lesson course covers the natural-gas value chain, from the formation of natural gas and the exploration and production of natural gas through to its use by end consumers. It provides a valuable overview of the geography of natural gas resources and introduces learners to the economics and business risks and opportunities in the natural-gas market.
Lesson learning objectives
Identify the main elements of the natural gas value chain
Recognise the properties of natural gas and how it is formed
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise the distribution of natural gas resources globally
Identify the main steps in natural-gas processing
Lesson learning objectives
Identify the main means of natural-gas transportation
Recognise key features of natural gas marketing and pricing
What is liquefied natural gas, how it is made, transported, used and why is it an increasingly important part of world natural gas supply? A fun, animated introduction to the costly and complex LNG value chain.
The liquefaction step in the value chain chills natural gas to extremely low temperatures in a series of units collectively known as a liquefaction train – turning the gas into a liquid that can be shipped in large volumes by tanker. Discover the main steps in the liquefaction process.
Course learning objectives
This two-lesson course provides an introduction to the infrastructure and processes involved in the purification and liquefaction of natural gas; the shipping of LNG to markets; and its regasification and onward distribution. The learner will also gain an understanding of the economic and commercial drivers of the LNG business, including pricing and contracts, and international LNG trade flows.
Lesson learning objectives
Identify the strategic benefits of LNG and the principal elements of the LNG value chain
Lesson learning objectives
Identify the fundamentals of LNG shipping, trading, pricing and contracts
Recognise LNG's place within the natural-gas value chain
Canada's oil sands constitute one of the largest proved reserves of oil in the world and are a valuable and growing contributor to global oil supply. Some of the oil is produced using in situ drilling methods. But some is close enough to the surface to be mined. Find out more about the mining process and how useable oil is extracted from solid oil sand.
Canada's oil sands are a valuable contributor not just to Canada's economy, but to world oil supply. Deposits close to the surface can be mined, but much of Alberta's oil is buried too deeply and must be retrieved using in situ recovery methods. Find out about SAGD, cyclic steam generation, and other production methods and challenges.
In hydraulic fracturing, fluid is pumped at high pressure into impermeable formations, creating cracks through which trapped gas or oil can flow. In tandem with horizontal drilling, it has revolutionised the development of unconventional gas in the US, bringing shale gas into the mainstream. How does it work?
Course learning objectives
This four-module course introduces learners to the concept of unconventional gas and the main types of unconventional gas, the geological characteristics of unconventional rocks, and methods used to produce from them.
Lesson learning objectives
Identify the main types of unconventional natural-gas deposit
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise the key characteristics of shale and tight gas geology
Identify the principal production techniques used to extract natural gas from tight rocks
Lesson learning objectives
Identify the characteristics of coalbed methane deposits and how they are produced
Lesson learning objectives
Identify the characteristics of methane hydrate deposits and production techniques
Refineries all perform the same three basic tasks: distilling crude oil into its constituent fractions; chemically rearranging low-value configurations of hydrocarbons molecules into high-value ones; and treating products to meet environmental standards. What does the principal treatment, atmospheric distillation, involve?
Atmospheric distillation has its limitations. It can convert only part of each barrel of oil into useful products and leaves a large amount of low-value residue. Conversion refineries are more complex. They use additional heat, pressure and catalytic treatments to extract more value from each barrel of crude oil. What is complex refining?
Lesson learning objectives
Identify key oil-price drivers and economic fundamentals of the oil business
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise the main processes in the refining of crude oil
Identify the principal refined products and their uses
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise the principal systems for oil transportation and products distribution
Day-to-day operation of a refinery involves responding quickly to price movements so as to maximise production of the most valuable streams, while using the lowest-cost crudes available. Learn about refining margins and crack spreads, and the world's main refining hubs – in the US Gulf Coast, Rotterdam and Singapore.
Course learning objectives
This two-lesson course introduces basic refining concepts, including processes such as fractional distillation, vacuum distillation, cracking and coking. It then explains the fundamentals of refinery economics and analyses how the refining industry is evolving.
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise evolving business trends in global refining
Identify the principal processes in refining
Lesson learning objectives
Identify key concepts in the fundamentals of refinery economics
Petrochemicals are used to manufacture plastics, solvents and numerous other materials, with applications in industries ranging from car manufacture, construction and agriculture to electronics and healthcare. They are chemicals derived from crude oil or natural gas. Find out about their chemistry and the main production processes.
The relative cost of the two feedstocks — oil or gas — has a considerable impact on the profitability of petrochemicals operations in the different regions, and costs can change rapidly. Discover the economic fundamentals of different feedstocks and how feedstocks vary by producer region.
The petrochemicals industry's products fall into three main categories — basic chemicals, speciality chemicals and consumer chemicals. What are they for and how is demand for each type changing?
Course learning objectives
This single lesson course gives learners a succinct, bite-size introduction to the petrochemicals industry, covering industry fundamentals – chemistry and feedstocks, uses, and economics, business and market trends.
Lesson learning objectives
Recognise the main types of petrochemicals, their uses and chemical make-up
Identify fundamental economic patterns and market trends in the petrochemicals industry
Solar photovoltaic, the dominant solar technology, is growing rapidly. Discover how photovoltaic cells in solar panels convert sunlight into electricity – and how the technology is used.
Concentrating solar power converts solar energy into electricity by using mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight on a single point, generating heat that can be used to turn water into steam and drive a turbine.
Wind power provides renewable and clean electricity. And, although it supplies energy in unpredictable, intermittent bursts, its role in global electricity supply is expanding, as technology develops and economies of scale take root. Discover how wind power works and how it is contributing to a greener energy mix.
Course learning objectives
The learner will gain a high-level view of the energy systems that supply electricity, how the power mix may change in view of the need for a greater pro- portion of renewable energy, how electricity is generated and transmitted to end users, and how the economics of generating electricity vary by energy source. The course covers a range of power-generation sources, including coal, natural gas, nuclear and renewables, identifying the pros and cons of each.
Lesson learning objectives
Global electricity demand; carbon impact of power generation; power supply by fuel type; power supply by country; how electricity is generated; economics of power generation.
Lesson learning objectives
Coal; gas; nuclear; cogeneration.
Economics of renewable power; renewable power outlook; hydropower; wave
Power; tidal energy; wind power; solar power; geothermal power; biomass; hydrogen power.
Lesson learning objectives
Transmission grids; distributed power; local networks; load matching; grid management; smart grids; electricity trading; power storage; electric vehicles.
Providing the energy developing nations need in order to attain the same living standards as those in the developed world, while keeping up with demand in industrialised nations, all in the context of a low-carbon future, is at the heart of the energy transition.
The economics of renewables have, historically, struggled to match those of fossil fuels in power generation. But – as the technology and economics of green energy improve - solar, wind and other renewables are making ever greater inroads into energy supply.
The central power distribution model is no longer equipped to deal with new market pressures and realities. As the make-up of energy supply changes – in response to forces like climate change and the emergence of disruptive technologies – grids must evolve so that utilities can supply energy sustainably, affordably and reliably. Digital grids are at the heart of that transition.
Virtual power plants aggregate together various sources of electricity supply to operate, collectively, with the kind of output more readily associated with a large conventional power plant. Learn how VPPs could transform energy supply and put marginal sources of energy on a competitive commercial footing with conventional power.
Course learning objectives
This two-lesson course examines environmental risks associated with oil and natural gas production and use, focusing particularly on greenhouse gas emissions and political and technological solutions to climate change.
Lesson learning objectives
Identify the main greenhouse gases and how they are contributing to climate change through the greenhouse effect.
Recognise the main political bodies tasked with combating climate change.
Lesson learning objectives
Identify the principal technology and market-based solutions for decarbonising energy production and use, including carbon capture and storage, renewable energy, smart grids, cap-and-trade and carbon taxes.


text:
Hey there,
yes, we're still not there but we're so close. That's why we need some help from our international friends. We want CWC to be playable with all Zero Hour versions out there. So if you own one of these variants, please contact me at hexman[et]cold-war-crisis.de or write in the forums:
Plus, here are some pictures taken from our latest beta. Four players match, coder and beta tester versus modeller and mapper. Obviously the first mentioned won...
The more you help, the earlier the release!
the CWC-Team


text:
Library OKs Projects
ST. MARYS — A list of building and grounds improvements is in the works for the St. Marys Community Public Library, as the Board of Trustees approved a handful of recommendations from the library's building committee at their meeting Wednesday afternoon.
Five recommendations were presented to the board. The first recommendation called for fixing the bearings in the main air conditioner above St. Marys Community Public Library Director Sue Pittman's office for a cost of $1,198, in addition to fixing the main air conditioner, which had failed since the building committee meeting, for a cost of $1,500. Board members approved a motion to fix the two items.
Building committee members also recommended the gingko trees be removed because of the damage the trees are causing to the sidewalks for a cost of $1,000 for four trees.
"There is a fifth tree that we might need to take, and it's out front here," Pittman said. "When they were here, they thought that it could possibly be pushing up the sidewalk. It happens to be the Eldon Montague Honorary Tree, so I called Eldon, and he said he's not sentimental, if it's creating a problem, take it down."
The city of St. Marys will remove four of the five trees along South Street for no charge. Board Member Ruth Ramsey noted the board received several quotes, all coming in at around $1,000, to remove the four gingko trees, stumps included. Board members approved a motion to spend up to $1,300 to take down the four gingko trees in addition to the Eldon Montague Honorary Tree if it is deemed to be causing a problem with the sidewalk.
To go along with the tree removal, the building committee recommended that the sidewalks along South Street, Chestnut Street and in front on the library be replaced.
"We have two bids for that," Ramsey said. "One of them is a little over $3,600, and that includes the certain spaces that the city recommended that we have replaced. We asked for an additional bid for doing the whole thing, and that together was around $8,100."
The second bid would replace the library's sidewalk along South Street, Chestnut Street and under the gingko trees, while the first bid would only replace the specific spaces that the city recommended be replaced.
"The building committee recommended that we repair the sidewalks per what the city recommended, but I, as chairman of the building committee, would like to amend that to replace all the problem areas," Ramsey said, noting that replacing the entire sidewalk at once will ensure that it is even and will take care of all the problems.
Board members approved a motion to replace all the sidewalks.
In its fourth recommendation, the building committee called for one of the floor outlet covers in the meeting room be replaced for $93. Two additional outlet covers are dented and will also need to be replaced in the future. Board members decided to table the decision to look for another cheaper option.
Waxing the tile floors throughout the library was the final recommendation of the building committee. The floors in the copy room, meeting room kitchen, restroom in the staff lounge and the hallway outside the staffing lounge will receive three coats of wax and the floors will be buffed to harden the wax for a cost of $481.48. Board members approved the recommendation and are waiting for another quote to wax the remainder of the tile floors in the library.
"The reason that we don't have a quote for the whole thing is because the tile is different, and he wanted to make sure that he could find the right kind of stuff to clean it, wax it and do it properly," Ramsey said.
In other business, board members:
• Approved the August meeting minutes.
• Approved the financial report.
• Approved a list of supplemental appropriations.
• Approved a motion to allow Fiscal Officer Stephanie Hoffer to enroll the library in online billing.
• Approved a renewal contract with Delta Energy.
• Agreed to hear a second opinion on the library's insurance options from Stolly Insurance.
• Approved the purchase of two new children's literacy computers.
The next regular meeting of the St. Marys Community Public Library Board of Trustees will be held at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at the library.


text: |Ayman H Atteya ECDIS Status Onboard "Regulations relating to ECDIS ECDIS as a real-time navigation system integrating variety of charts and navigation-related information that replaces the paper chart is capable of continuously determining the vessel's position in relation to land, charted objects, aids-to navigation, and unseen hazards. Increasingly, ECDIS is becoming more recognized as being used for both navigation and collision avoidance tasks. In this sense, the effective use of ECDIS shows positively that this technology can contribute to safe navigation. However, the navigation process of ECDIS can easily be defeated by the presence of incompetent mariner using such technology, which will surely result in a disaster. As radar and ARPA training are needed to ensure that its functionality and limitations are properly understood, so does the ECDIS. Meanwhile, also type specific training onboard before the use of such technology is a necessity and is the responsibility of the shipping company. Nevertheless, pilots, and VTS operators are also confronted with this new technology they also need training on ECDIS and how to obtain the necessary needed information for the safe navigation inside ports and coastal areas with heavy traffic. In this paper the issues related to Recognition of ECDIS, International Regulations governing the use of ECDIS, type approval, legal status of ECDIS, training, and type specific training shall be highlighted.


text:
Center City casino proposals lead the way
North Broad Street and Market East proposals were highlighted at yesterday's gaming board meeting.
The Nutter administration has a bad poker face.
During a hearing yesterday before the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, city officials offered opinions on all six proposals submitted for the open casino license.
And two proposals — The Provence at the old Inquirer building at North Broad and Callowhill streets, and Market8 at 8th and Market streets — presented the most lucrative opportunities, officials said.
The six potential developers include Bart Blatstein's Provence and Ken Goldenberg's Market8 in Center City; Steve Wynn's Wynn Philadelphia in Fishtown; and Joseph Procacci's Casino Revolution, Penn National Gaming's Hollywood Casino and Greenwood racing and Cordish Company's Live! Hotel & Casino all within the South Philly Sports Complex.
Deputy Mayor Alan Greenburger said while both the Market8 and Provence projects could transform the city, "Market8 would have the most immediate impact, while the Provence is a significant part of a longer term revitalization of North Broad Street."
Those projects, he said, also had an advantage in regards to further mixed-use development within its geographic area.
The Provence, which would provide the most slots and table games, would bring in the most gaming-tax revenue for the city with a low of $9 million and a high of $14 million, according to AKRF consultant group, which the city hired.
Greenberger said the Wynn Philadelphia proposal was a "little harder to get your arms around," and the close proximity to Sugar House raises concerns.
Keith Rowan, AKRF technical director, said the three South Philly projects are intriguing because of the proximity to the sports stadiums, but questions remain whether traffic from other sporting events would deter potential casino visitors.
The sustainability hearings, in which the developers appear before the PGCB, will take place on Jan. 28, 29 and 30. The board will most likely award the casino license in early 2014.
A female protestor ignited anti-casino cries when she interrupted Greenberger as he presented his suggestions to the gaming board.
After she was ejected, for about five minutes, the group chanted in unison: "No casino, No matter where." The rest of the group was ejected soon after.
Follow Metro Philadelphia on Twitter: @metrophilly
Follow Tommy Rowan on Twitter: @tommyrowan
Follow Metro Philadelphia on Facebook: Metro Philadelphia


text:
Please find the details of the "CRM 2011 – Isolating & Troubleshooting CRM Performance Issues" workshop below.
- Day 1:
- Tools and Techniques to Identify & troubleshoot SQL Server Tier Performance Bottlenecks.
- SQL Server Profiler tracing
- Gathering Baseline performance
- Query Tuning
- Labs – Walk through and troubleshoot sample scenarios
- Tools and Techniques to Identify & troubleshoot IIS Tier Performance Bottlenecks.
- Capture and Analyze Fiddler Traces
- Analyze IIS Log Files
- Day 2:
- Tools and Techniques to Identify Network Performance Bottlenecks
- Use Command Line Tools
- Using Microsoft Network Monitor (Netmon) Traces
- Using Microsoft Performance Monitor to isolate performance bottlenecks
- Understand the Performance Monitor tool
- Collect Performance Monitor Log file captures
- Add Microsoft Dynamics CRM performance counters to monitor
- Understand the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Counters available to add to Performance Monitor captures
- Understand how to review and analyze Performance Monitor log file captures
Session Duration
- 120 mins x 2 days
Advisory Hours
- 10 – 12 Hours
Target Audience
- Administrators
If you are interested in any of the workshops mentioned above, click here.


text:
Aggro, short for aggravate, is an internal measurement for how much of a threat the AI considers an individual player to be. The more aggro a player holds, the more highly that player will be prioritized for attacks and skill usage by the AI. Understanding how to gain, hold, and break aggro is called aggro control or aggro management.
For most of the high-end PvE content such as The Underworld and Hard Mode, each party member must have a solid understanding of aggro management in order for the party to succeed, because a single player's mistake can turn a potential victory into a near-certain wipe.
Tanking is a popular form of aggro management which, when done successfully, makes both keeping the party alive and killing foes quicker and easier than if the whole group held aggro.
Gaining aggro[edit]
Gaining aggro or holding aggro means increasing an ally's threat level, therefore making that ally more likely to be attacked by the AI.
General PvE techniques[edit]
- Enter a foe's danger zone.
- Within the danger zone:
- Holding a caster weapon rather than a martial one.
- Having lower health than other allies.
- If health is close to the same, the AI targets those with lower armor and/or movement speed.
- Attacking a foe or affecting it with a skill.
- Healing or enchanting an ally which already holds aggro.
Special circumstances[edit]
- Being the target of Enemies Must Die!.
- Being within spirit range of a Siege Wurm or Siege Turtle.
- Being seen by a Kournan Spotter (they can become aggressive even outside your radar range).
Breaking aggro[edit]
Breaking aggro or losing aggro means reducing a player's threat level to make foes either switch their target or break off completely. Known ways of breaking aggro are:
- Inflicting multiple hits of damage from damage over time area of effect skills like Fire Storm, or Mark of Pain. This can cause foes to scatter out of the AoE. Foes that want to scatter but cannot move out of the AoE simply freeze and do not act at all.
- Moving faster in relation to a foe until the foe breaks off, by increasing the player's run speed or snaring that foe. For example, Escape, Dash, the Crippled condition, and many Water Magic hexes are well suited for this tactic.
- A closely related tactic is shadow stepping and, less common, teleporting out of a foes danger zone. Sometimes, shadow stepping/teleporting to just outside the danger zone is not enough to break aggro and foes might not break.
- Moving around at the same or even lower speed than a foe also decreases aggro, but takes longer and team members might have to assist by gaining aggro on that foe.
- Adding a high chance to block against physically attacking monsters.
- Knocking down a foe.
- Body blocking foes so they can't attack or use skills on their intended target.
Aggro and allies[edit]
A minion master or spirit spammer can confuse enemy aggro: they bring extra targets that body block, which ends up both absorbing damage and distracting the AI.
Some quests and missions that require keeping NPC allies alive (e.g. Thunderhead Keep, Gyala Hatchery, The Troubled Keeper) consist of allies that seem to draw a lot of aggro by foes. As players have little control over the actions of NPCs, these areas of the game can become challenging as healing and protection is spread out over more players, straining the resources of the healers.


text:
Visit Edmunds.com for a complete listing of local car dealerships in Bradley Beach, New Jersey. Find the best deal on your next vehicle with online discount price quotes on car, truck, SUV, and minivan models. With the ability to compare prices on new and used vehicles in Bradley Beach, Edmunds.com makes the car buying process convenient and cost-effective. Search for car dealerships in Bradley Beach, New Jersey with our comprehensive dealership network and avoid the common hassles associated with car shopping.
Non Display Review Name "Good morning, My name is Kenichi O. Mitchell. Where shall I begin? The two persons that I worked with were Sergio Contes (used car dealer) and Joe Ran"... Read more Review by: Kenichiomitchell


text:
São Jorge Preliminary Economic Assessment Returns Robust Economics with an After Tax IRR of 46.4% and NPV5% of US$407.5 Million using $1,500/oz Gold
February 18, 2013 (Source: Brazillian Gold) Vancounver, BC — Brazilian Gold Corporation (TSXV: BGC) is pleased to announce the positive results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) on its 100% owned São Jorge gold deposit located in the Tapajós region of northern Brazil. The PEA was prepared by the Canadian office of Coffey Mining Pty Ltd. (Coffey) with offices in Toronto, Ontario.
Highlights of São Jorge PEA:
- A gold price of US$1,500 per ounce was used for the economic assessment of São Jorge project, which price equates to the three-year trailing average gold price as of the end of January 2013.
- After-tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 46.4%
- After-tax Net Present Value (NPV5%) of US$407.5 million
- Life of Mine (LOM) of 10 years.
- Net after-tax cash flow over LOM of US$612.3 million
- LOM average cash cost of US$635/oz including refining and royalty costs.
- LOM average annual free cash flow (after tax and sustaining capital expenditures) of US$71.3 million.
- LOM average gold grade of 1.51 g/t gold for total production of 980,300 oz of recovered gold.
- LOM average annual recovered gold of 98,030 oz with ranges between 92,300 oz (Year 2) and 130,400 oz (Year 9).
- Base case capital expenditures of US$125.5 million for the LOM using contract mining.
- Study based on mineral resource as documented in Amended Independent NI43-101 Technical Report by Coffey Mining on Dec. 7, 2012.
Commenting on the announcement, Brazilian Gold's CEO, Ian Stalker stated: "The publishing of the São Jorge PEA is a major milestone for Brazilian Gold. The low capital costs for a project of this size, year-round paved road access, grid power, nearby community of Novo Progresso and established permitting process in Brazil translates into a low risk project with robust economics that can rapidly be advanced to production.
The PEA did not consider any additional resources from the nearby Surubim project (Jau deposit) that could be river barged to the process plant to increase the production rate or extend the life of the mine. Near mine site exploration has identified geophysical targets on strike and southeast of the deposit as well as geochemical anomalies southwest of the deposit that require drill testing and could potentially provide additional sources of feed to the process plant and extend the LOM.
Get our daily investorintel update
We are exploring a variety of funding options and are in active discussion with a number of sources to secure financing to advance the São Jorge project including a Bankable Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statement as well as explore our other nearby highly prospective projects."
The PEA is based on the outcomes of an engineering study completed by Coffey Mining according to preliminary economic assessment study standards as defined by Canadian legislation in NI43-101. The PEA includes the project concept, infrastructure, geotechnical assessment, mining, mineral processing, environmental, permitting, social aspects and project economics. The study is based on a mineral resource estimate using a 0.3 g/t gold cut-off and documented in an amended independent NI43-101 Technical Report by Coffey with an effective date of Sept. 17, 2012 and publish date of Dec. 7, 2012.
An open cast mine will be employed to extract mineralized oxide and sulphide material over a planned 10 year production life. A two-year development period has been estimated from time of project financing (Year 0). Contract mining will commence halfway through Year 1 with the mill being commissioned very shortly thereafter and processing 1.25 Mt of mineralized oxide rock by the end of the first year of operation. The deposit is overlain by an oxide cap averaging 30 m in depth, which will be mined and processed separately and in advance of fresh rock sulphide material. The deferred capital requirements with this schedule, and the lower mining and processing costs for the mineralized oxide rocks will generate a larger margin during the initial years, thus enabling payback of the invested capital in 2.8 years.
The total project life will be 11-years from the release of project financing to mine closure based on the current resource estimate. The mine has been designed to a depth of 250 m below surface. Infrastructure requirements will be lower compared to other projects in Amazon region given the project site is within 4 km of a paved highway (BR 163), which connects the project with the town of Novo Progresso, located 70 km to the south. Electric power is available from the Brazilian power grid with the upgrading of the existing 70-km power line and installation of a sub-station at site. Process water is available from a dammed stream adjacent to proposed mill location. If additional water is required, it can be drawn from a river with year round flow 9 km to the west.
The project has an IRR of 46.4% and a NPV5% of US$407.5 million (Table 1) using a base case gold price of US$1,500/oz (3-year trailing average at Jan. 31, 2013 is US$1,503.30). Using a gold price of US$1,650/oz that is closer to today's gold price, the project has an IRR of 53.9% and a NPV5% of US$494.7 million.
I. Mineral Resources
The São Jorge gold deposit is a structurally controlled stockwork and disseminated gold system hosted in Proterozoic-age granitic rocks. The gold bearing mineralization has been intersected by drill holes from surface (approx. +215 masl) to -150 masl and is open at depth. Coffey Mining estimated indicated and inferred resources for the São Jorge deposit on the basis of analytical results available up to Sept. 17, 2012; no additional drilling or assaying has been completed since this time. The summarized mineral resource statement in Table 2 has been prepared and reported in accordance with NI43-101 standards and the classifications adopted by CIM Council in December 2010. The resource estimate has been classified as an indicated and inferred mineral resource based on the confidence of the input data, geological interpretation and grade estimation.
II. Mining, Processing and Production Schedule
The São Jorge deposit is amenable to open pit mining of its gold bearing mineralization. The processing plant of 2.5 Mtpa will necessitate a nominal mining rate of 12.8 Mtpa according to the pit design and its 4.9:1 stripping ratio and 10 year LOM. The LOM production summary is shown in Table 3.
Standard drill and blast bench mining will be employed with excavator loading of dump trucks. Waste rock will be delivered to a waste rock stockpile near the pit mouth and mineralized material will be delivered directly to the crusher and the processing mill with a run-of-mine (ROM) stockpile accepting surge material.
Contract mining costs for the operation are estimated to be US$3.11/t mined and the mine is projected to have a 4.9:1 strip ratio of waste tonnes to mineralized rock tonnes for a total mining cost of US$18.37/t.
Coffey Mining has undertaken a process flow design and scoping-level cost estimate based on metallurgical testwork conducted in 2006 and 2012, and reported in previous technical reports by SGS Lakefield Limited and Testwork Desenvolvimento de Processo Ltda. An overall recovery of 93.7% for the sulphide mineralized rock based on limited testwork completed to date, which makes up 86.7% of the LOM feed, indicates the mineralized material responds well to conventional gold extraction processes. Oxide mineralized material, which will be processes in the first two years of production and comprising 13.3% of the LOM feed, had a recovery of 88% based on limited testwork completed to date. Additional testwork using different grind sizes, retention times and reagent dosages on the oxide mineralized material is currently in progress to optimize recoveries.
The test work that has been completed, in conjunction with costing estimates, has resulted in the proposed standard gold plant process flow sheet for precious metal recovery as detailed in the study. The proposed flow sheet incorporates crushing, grinding, thickening and Carbon in Leach (CIL) processing to produce gold doré.
III. Infrastructure
Road Access
The São Jorge project is accessed by a paved highway (BR-163) that traverses the property approximately 4 km east of the deposit. The highway connects the city of Cuiaba in Mato Grosso state with the port city of Santarem in Pará state that is located on the Amazon River. The town of Novo Progresso is located 70 km to the south along the highway and will form the operation base from where workers will be housed and bussed to the site daily avoiding the expense of on-site living quarters. Novo Progresso is of sufficient size (approx. 60,000 people) with associated services to supply the project with fuel, labour and many of the services required for a project of this size. Regional commercial aircraft connect Novo Progresso with the cities of Manaus and Belem, which have International Airports that connect to other major cities in North and South America, and Europe.
Power Supply
Power to the São Jorge project is available through the regional electrical utility company CELPA (Centrais Elétricas do Pará). Preliminary discussions with CELPA indicate they could supply power to the project at a contract cost of $0.0907 per kWh based on a demand of 9,000 kW for a milling operation of 2.5 Mtpa as contemplated in the PEA. Power line connects the project and Novo Progresso, however it will require an upgrade to 138 kV capacity along with a local substation at the plant site at an estimated cost of $7.59 million. Capital costs associated with upgrading of the power line and installation of the substation are recoverable from the cost of power over the first three years of production resulting in a power cost of $0.058 per kWh. Potential savings may be achieved by purchasing power on the spot market as a result of several new hydro electrical power plants that are planned to come on stream and an abundance of power in Pará state.
Water Supply
The project has an abundance of water with adequate water storage for all mining and processing needs from a dammed stream adjacent to the proposed mine and processing facility. The Jamanxim River is located 9 km due west of the deposit if additional water is necessary.
The São Jorge camp currently has accommodation for exploration personnel (20), office with satellite internet and telephone lines, core storage facility, fuel storage tanks (10,000 litres) and a number of buildings suitable for warehousing of mining supplies. New office, warehouse and equipment maintenance buildings have been budgeted at US$2.1 million.
IV. Operating Costs
The operating costs for the mine and plant have been derived from known mining costs and factored mill processing costs based on the preliminary plant design (Table 4). The LOM average mining and processing costs are US$3.11/t mined and US$6.92/t processed, respectively.
V. Capital Costs
The PEA has assumed contract mining costs based on a bid received from a local Brazilian contractor. The capital requirements for the São Jorge mine, operating at a steady state of 2.5 Mtpa throughput rate, have been tallied by cost centre: process plant equipment, factored construction commodities and infrastructure (Table 5). In addition, contingency (25 %), indirect costs, and owner costs have been included to determine the total funding requirements of $125.5 million.
Owner mining would increase the funding requirements by US$57 million, decrease the operating cost ($536/oz) and return similar economics (IRR of 45.2% and NPV5% of US$430.4 million) as the base case scenario at US$1,500/oz gold.
VI. Taxation
Projects located within the Amazon region are eligible for an income tax incentive by SUDAM (Amazon Development Superintendence) that provides for a 75% reduction in the regular corporate income tax (25%) for a 10-year period. São Jorge being located within this region would qualify for this incentive and it has been used in determining the project economics.
The social welfare tax (CSLL) of 9% has been assumed to apply for the duration of the project life.
Other tax incentives are available and include RECAP, which is a special tax regime for the acquisition of goods by export companies and applies to the exemption of PIS and COFINS (Brazilian social contribution taxes) on purchases of imported machinery and equipment. However at this time, no application has been made and project economics have not considered the potential benefits that the incentive may bring to the project.
VII. Financial Analysis
Cost estimates for the construction and operation of the project have been made in the fourth quarter of 2012 in US dollars. The estimates do not include allowances for escalations or currency exchange fluctuations. It has been assumed that all equipment will be purchased new from competitive bids. Cost estimates have been derived from:
- Mechanical equipment lists
- Process design criteria
- Process flow sheet
- Current labour and material costs
- Preliminary general arrangement drawings
- First principles
The financial model for the São Jorge gold project that has been generated by Coffey is based on the mine production and processing schedule, associated gold grades, metallurgical recoveries, and capital and operating costs summarized in Tables 1 to 5. The economic analysis assumes the gold will be delivered in the form of gold doré and exported.
The base case economic analysis assumes a gold price of $1,500/oz (3-year trailing average at Jan. 31, 2013 is US$1,503.30). The gross gold revenue is US$1.5 billion over the 10-year LOM or an average of US$147 million per year. The average annual free cash flow after accounting for taxes and sustaining capital expenditures is estimated to be approx. US$71.3 million.
Figure 1 summarizes the sensitivity of the undiscounted NPV of the project base case (contract mining and gold price of US$1,500/oz) to variations in gold price, operating cost and capital expenditures. The sensitivity analysis indicates the project is most sensitive to gold price followed by operating cost.
VIII. São Jorge NI43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment Technical Report
Coffey Mining Pty Ltd (Coffey Mining) under its Canadian office, completed the study of the PEA and prepared the updated NI43-101 Technical Report for the São Jorge gold project, in Pará State, Brazil. The NI43-101 Technical Report on the São Jorge Project will be filed on SEDAR and Brazilian Gold's website within 45 days of this news release.
All principal technical personnel participating in the preparation and review of this Technical Report have extensive relevant experience. Hebert Oliveira B.Sc. (Geo.), MAusIMM, MAIG (Mineral resource estimation), Porfirio Cabaleiro B.Sc. (Eng.), MAIG (Mineral resource estimation), Reinis Sipols B.Sc. (Mine Eng.) P.Eng. (NY, NJ, PA), MMSA (QP) (Mining methods), Dan Peldiak Met.Eng., P.Eng. (Ontario) (Recovery methods) and Curtis Clarke B.Sc. (Mine Eng.), MMSA (QP), MSME, AIME (overall project manager), are all Qualified Persons in their respective fields as defined by NI43-101. Porfirio Cabaleiro completed a site visit to the São Jorge gold project on July 13 and 14, 2012 and Curtis Clarke and Porfirio Cabaleiro previously visited the project on March 1, 2011.
Garnet Dawson, M.Sc., P.Geo. (British Columbia), Vice President, Exploration for the Company and a Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this News Release.
Brazilian Gold has a resource inventory of 715,000 ounces of gold grading 1.54 g/t gold in the indicated category and 1,921,000 ounces of gold grading 1.00 g/t gold in the inferred category at a 0.3 g/t cut-off that is hosted in three deposits (Table 5).
Brazilian Gold is a Canadian-based public company with a focus on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in northern Brazil. The Company has title to one of the largest land packages (3,753 km2) in the Tapajós and adjacent Alta Floresta gold provinces. The land package contains green fields to more advance stage projects including the Company's flagship São Jorge project. Rapid improvements to regional infrastructure continue to provide underlying support to Brazilian Gold's activities in northern Brazil.
Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information, including without limitation statements as to planned expenditures and exploration programs. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include without limitation the completion of planned expenditures, the ability to complete exploration programs on schedule and the success of exploration programs. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of this news release.
InvestorIntel is a trusted source of reliable information at the forefront of emerging markets that brings investment opportunities to discerning investors.


text:
Customers who bought this also bought
Product Description
U.S. Presidents Bingo and Quiz Game, Volume 1 tests students' knowledge of the first twelve U.S. Presidents, from Washington to Taylor, with thirty-six trivia questions. Several variations are provided so the game can easily be adapted for children from preschool through age ten. Fifteen bingo cards, thirty-six clue cards, and one-hundred twenty-six marker tokens are included. Just print, prep, and play! Twenty-six pages total.
About the Seller
Bonnie Rose Hudson works as the Executive Editor of SchoolhouseTeachers.com, the curriculum site of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®. Her heart's desire is for every child to feel the love of God and know how special they are to Him. She would love for you to stop by her author's blog WriteBonnieRose.com for resources to help teach your children about missions and the persecuted Church, free history and writing printables, and to discover how you can write for the homeschool market.


text:
I finished the body of Maddy's sweater today. This stupid thing keeps changing sizes, I swear. Long story, but I was having some issues with measurements. All good now.
And because I have finished the body and now only need DPNs until the collar, I can use my free needle to get back to the Jeannie Sweater, which is what I shall work on this evening.
I had more to say about broken needles and the frustrations of shapeshifting sweaters, but I am not in the mood to get into it. We will just forget it and move on with our lives.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
A 10-year-old boy Noah Wood was brutally injured by a tree which fell on him during a relative's birthday party celebration in a UK adventure park.
The park, Muddy Hands Forest Adventure School, was temporarily closed by owners and employees sacked after the July 2016 incident.
Noah is now getting better after doctors attacked a metal to his fractured foot.
Narrating how the incident happened, his mom, Julie, said:
"It was an 11th birthday party with around 15 boys, all aged 10 and 11. They were having a whale of a time, and in the middle of a mud slide, when we heard a cracking, but it sounded like a gun sound from the laser tag game, and nobody realised what it was.
"My husband first saw the danger and shouted at people to move as the bough of the tree came down.
"My eldest son tried to get another boy away from it and got hit. We then noticed Noah was under the tree. Lots of people rushed over and desperately worked to get it off him."


text:
Siliguri Municipal Corporation Recruitment 2015
Siliguri Municipal Corporation is looking forward to recruit talented and skilled job hunters for the positions of Class IV Staff and Lower Division Clerk. The number of vacancies required to be filled through this recruitment is 20. Job hunters interested in applying for the specified positions can send their applications latest by 9th of November, 2015. Further details regarding the recruitment are discussed below :
View More For Latest Sarkari Naukri Details
Specifics of Siliguri Municipal Corporation Recruitment 2015 :
Name of the Vacant Post-
a). Class IV Staff
b). Lower Division Clerk
Number of Vacant Posts-
a). Class IV Staff : 10 Vacancies
b). Lower Division Clerk : 10 Vacancies
Emolument Details- INR 5,000/- per month is the remuneration offered to applicants recruited for the post of Class IV Staff and INR 9,000/- per month is the remuneration offered to applicants recruited for the post of Lower Division Clerk.
Age Block- Maximum age limit for an aspirant is 40 years as on 1st of April, 2015. Relaxation of upper age limit will be applicable as per the norms.
Academic Pre- requisites-
a). Class IV Staff : Contenders should have passed Madhyamik or any other examination equivalent to it
b). Lower Division Clerk : Contenders should have obtained Graduation degree and must have knowledge of computer
Click Here For More Graduation Job Details
Manner of Applying :
Job hunters interested in applying for the specified positions can send their applications in the preset format which can be downloaded from Siliguri Municipal Corporation's official website : siligurismc.com . Aspirants must fill the application form and send it along with self attested photocopies of necessary documents. It should be sent to the following address :
The Commissioners,
Siliguri Municipal Corporation,
Baghajatin Road, P.O.Siliguri,
Dist. Darjeeling, Pin Code-734001
Dates to be Remembered :
9th Nov 2015 is the last date for submitting the application


text:
How To Get '80s Glam Rock Hair
Are you searching and searching how to get that 80's glam rock hair style? Anyone who grew up in the 80's will never forget the "Glam Rock" hairstyles that were seen everywhere. Commercials, rock bands, and just your everyday people sporting the look of the 80's. Now in 2010, that look is slowly making it's way back into many households. Problem is, most have no clue how to accomplish the Glam look at all.
Now you can, here are the steps to follow to get your own glam rock hairstyle.
- Buy a can of extra hold hair spray. Aqua Net was one of the most used hair sprays in the 80's to get the glam hair look. It can still be used and is still just as cheap as it was then.
- Be sure to have a rat tail comb readily available for teasing your hair.
- Wash your hair before beginning to achieve the glam hair look.
- With your head upside down, begin to blow dry your hair.
- Once your hair is 1/2 dry, spray all of your hair with the extra hold hair spray.
- Continue to dry your hair in the upside down position until it is completely dry.
- Once it is completely dry, bring that rat tail comb out and begin to tease your hair, only a small portion at a time.
- Hold you hair straight up, bring the comb to the tip of the hair and bring it down, moving your hand up and down as you do this. This will begin to make your hair look as if you stuck your finger in a light socket.
- Once you have tackled one strand of hair, break out the hair spray and spray it until it is stiff. Continue the process until it is all up in the air and all ratty looking.
- Once you have finished your entire head of hair, hair spray it until you've probably used 1/2 can of hair spray. You know you will have successfully time traveled back to the 80's when all of your hair is standing on end and you can walk outside without it moving.
That is it! You have now learned the technique to getting the 80's glam look hair style. Now you have to master the make-up, but that's a whole other article.


text:
Claude McKay
Claude McKay (15 September 1889 – 22 May 1948 / Clarendon)
» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
Harlem Shadows
I hear the halting footsteps of a lass
In Negro Harlem when the night lets fall
Its veil. I see the shapes of girls who pass
To bend and barter at desire's call.
read more >>
- Hits: Number of visitors who read the poem on the given date.
- Posts: Number of visitors who posted the poem to a friend (via e-mail) on the given date.
- Dates that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list.
- Dates, poems and poets that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list. Statistics are generated daily.


text:
Search Term
Advanced Search
0 Items (Empty)
Store Home
> Woven Jewlery
Woven jewelry comes in a huge variety of materials including but not limited to: stone, glass, bone, shell, ceramic, wood, horn and just about any other natural material.
Default | Name Up | Name Down | Price Up | Price Down
Waxed Cotton and Coral
Woven Waxed Cotton from Peacetree....
Woven Hemp
Woven hemp from Peacetree
Hemp Necklace
Woven hemp from Peacetree...
Handwoven pendents from Peacetree....
4721 7th Avenue Kenosha, Wisconsin 53142 United States
© 2018 Peacetree Originals. All rights reserved worldwide.


text:
ShadesDaddy.com lists Ray-Ban sizes by lens measurement, and its blog, ShadesDaddyBlog.com, provides in-depth sizing information on the Ray-Ban Wayfarers line. Ray-Ban suggests using the measurements printed on previous sunglasses to order new ones that fit similarly.
A lens width of 44 to 46 millimeters generally indicates that a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses is extra-small or junior-sized. Widths of 47 to 48 millimeters and 49 to 53 millimeters indicate adult small and adult small to medium sizes. The lenses of adult large and extra large Ray-Bans measure 54 to 61 millimeters and 62 millimeters. Ray-Ban imprints the lens size and bridge width on the inside arm or bridge of the glasses.


text:
We had such a wonderful Christmas morning...just the 4 of us!
Santa must of thought these kiddos were perfect this year because he left nothing out!
It was love at first sight! The kid LOVED his truck!
And it took all but 5 seconds for Zoe to be stripped out of her pjs and transform into Cinderella!
And 5 more seconds for her to run to her room and get her Cinderella dolls new best friends!
Time for stockings! Both the kids got Toy Story stuffed animals, shampoo, body wash, 2 sippy cups and a M&M Candy Cane.
On to our family gifts....I can't wait until the kids can go shopping for one another and we can have dates to have them pick things out for Mommy and Daddy....all in due time.
We started to get everything ready for breakfast until Zach got on facebook and saw that everyone at my parents' house were already playing cards and he was ready to go! So we put of breakfast
and headed over to Grammy and Papa's for the rest of the day!


text: 'I was a tall, good-looking gay man who had resolved to marry an innocent (read virginal) woman, and I was spending my Saturday evenings in the company of a cast of outlaws who, like me, were risking everything for their desires.' Born in 1923, George Montague has seen many changes in his lifetime, few greater than the attitude towards being gay - attitudes that saw him criminalised for the sni of loving another man. Here are the moving, if often humorous, memoirs of an indefatigable man, committed to helping people accept homosexuality, even if they may not understand it. After all, as he puts it, 'if I don't understand why I am the way I am, why should anyone else? But why should it matter?' Now in his nineties, George is finally beginning to see the acceptance he longed for through his younger years - and is proud to be the oldest gay in the village.


text:
Free People review
Shop on the go, enjoy special offers, and get outfit ideas from fashion stylists worldwide on the Free People shopping app! Get the latest women's clothing trends, connect with FP Me stylists, find your local boutiques, read product reviews in-store, and be the first to know when items you love are back in stock. That's not all – there's more! Explore: · Easily browse and shop your favorite Free People clothing styles, lookbooks, fashion trends and catalogs · Receive alerts for exclusive sales, items that are back in stock, and exciting app-only surprises · Quickly find the closest Free People boutique to shop clothing, accessories and more in-store with included directions, hours and phone numbers. Favorite your local boutique for quick access · Instantly check product reviews, customer style pics and detailed product info while shopping in-store using the built-in scanner Shop: · Use your existing Free People account to shop, even checkout with PayPal · Once logged in, manage your shopping cart on the go or from home with a shared shopping basket between the app and FreePeople.com · Manage your Free People account, view order history and track shipments · Ship to almost anywhere world-wide destination Connect & Share: · Get outfit ideas from our Style Pic Gallery, browse the latest pics from the FP Me fashion community or easily limit to your favorite stylists! · Add a profile pic and start hearting your favorite FP Me style pics, Free People clothing and accessories. · Shoot and upload FP Me style pics immediately using the built-in camera or directly from your camera roll. Get now and explore the ultimate shopping experience!


text:
The Canon Review's weekend of Jon Voight concludes with the 1997 Oliver Stone film U-Turn. Based off of a novel written by John Ridley title Stray Dogs, the movie has a big-time cast, starring Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Lopez, Billy Bob Thornton, Voight, Claire Danes, and Joaquin Phoenix. U-Turn tells the story of a drifter named Bobby Cooper (Penn), who is on his way to Las Vegas to pay a debt off, has to take a U-Turn after the radiator hose in his car bursts and finds himself in the town of Superior, Arizona. After that Bobby's day goes from bad to worse, as he has difficulties with the town's mehanic Darrell (Thornton) a beautiful woman named Grace (Lopez) and her real-estate developer husband Jake McKenna (Nolte), who oddly enough, each wants Penn to kill off their respective spouses. Penn also meets a blind man (Voight) who loves to drink Dr. Pepper and pops up from time to time to offer Bobby advice, and a fickle girl named Jenny (Danes), whose frequent flirting with Bobby leads to problems with her boyfriend Toby N Tucker, aka TNT (Phoenix). No matter how hard Bobby tries, he just can't seem to get out of Superior, and ends up getting deeper and deeper in a web of lies, jealousy, and greed. A few thoughts about the film, and there are SPOILERS ahead:
- Director Oliver Stone is a talented filmmaker, and his talent shows in this film. The cinematography is excellent in this film, and Stone uses different tricks such as flashbacks to add background to the characters and slow-motion shots to add a sense of importance to certain scenes. However, Stone does get a bit too reliant on these and other gimmicks, so to speak, and a lot of it doesn't really add anything to the film at all and just seems as if he's trying to show off.
- As Bobby Cooper, Sean Penn does a wonderful job of playing the role, and manages to get the audience to root for this seemingly lowlife character to succeed in his quest not only to get out of town, but to pay off his debts as well. You almost feel sorry for him seeing his money being destroyed by a shotgun blast from a store owner after a failed robbery attempt from two local thugs, and his constant battle with the mechanic over the bill is something people can relate to, as most of us have been in slightly similar situations before. Penn plays Cooper with such skill that it's hard to imagine anyone else playing the role better. Certainly not Tom Cruise and Bill Paxton, who also were considered for the role. No offense to either men, who are both fine actors in their own right, but I feel like something would have been missing had anyone else other than Penn had played the role.
- Actually, most of the acting in this film is quite top-notch. Billy Bob Thornton does an excellent job playing Darrell the redneck mechanic, making him one of the film's more memorable characters. Jon Voight is a little over-the-top as the blind man who carries a dead dog with him, but the movie in itself was over-the-top, so it fits the film perfectly here. Actually, Voight was almost unrecognizable at first, so kudos to the makeup department for making Voight look like a hapless old blind bum. Voight's Anaconda co-star Jennifer Lopez also turned in a solid performance as Grace McKenna, and did more than just hold her own in her many scenes with Penn. Nick Nolte, however, was just ok as Jake McKenna, as he really just seemed to be going through the motions and didn't give his character a whole lot of depth. Meanwhile, Joaquin Phoenix was hysterical in his portrayal of the high-tempered TNT, nearly stealing the show despite being in the movie no longer than five minutes.
- This movie is shot and directed very well, and is acted very well. However, I must say that I felt the plot was a little bit flat with a few holes in it. There were quite a few moments where you may wonder "What are the chances of that happening?" Also, the story has so many twists and turns that some might end up confused, and the movie has so many false endings that at the end, I just couldn't wait for the makers of the movie to just pick an ending and go with it instead of dragging the film on.
Overall, this seems to be Oliver Stone's attempt at making a scuzzy, Tarantino-esque film. While the acting is strong, and Stone's talent shines through, there are some weaknesses with the plot and a few scenes just wind up going nowhere. It's a good film, probably worth seeing and I wouldn't be surprised if others like this more than I did, but to me it just fell short of being a great film. I'll give U-Turn a 5.920 out of 10. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts about this post, or ideas for future reviews, than share those thoughts and ideas either by leaving a comment on the blog or by sending me an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Canon Movie Review: U-Turn
Posted by Jimmy at 4:34 AM
Labels: Jennifer Lopez, Jon Voight, movie, Nick Nolte, Oliver Stone, Sean Penn, Superior AZ, U-Turn
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
I didn't so much "write" this story for The Morning News as amalgamate it.
8 thoughts on "The Gift of the Magi, By O. Reilly"
It seems that Della gets the better end of the deal in this story. Della's hair – much like the Republicans – will come be back eventually.
And there's a joke in there somewhere about security on the Democrat's watch but I haven't worked that bit out yet.
Has O'Rilley noticed that Wal-Mart's Holiday slogan this year, "Be Bright," is code for "Be an atheist"?
So how do you get 60 pennies added to any other currency (other than pennies) to get $1.87? Do you have a twelve cent coin?
You the bad, bad man.
Say…I noticed your whale-reader picture dealie on the top of your page is gone, does that mean what I think it means?
That you are actually DONE with that God Aweful book?
Is it a Christmas miracle????
The part about Terry Gross's hair was my favorite.
Oh, that was inspired.
By the way, you could get $1.87 and have 60 cents of it be in pennies if you had four half-penny coins. Were ha'pennies in use when O. Reilly was writing? Or had the forces of liberal secularism (or is that secular liberalism) abolished them in their efforts to socialize the monetary supply?
Comments are closed.