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Arm injuries
The now common MRI. It seems like if a pitcher sneezes nowadays and mentions "elbow discomfort," an MRI is scheduled and if there is a micro tear or strain of any kind, the pitcher is shut down and soon the now-famous Tommy John surgery is next.
I have kidded Tommy, knowing him well enough to do it, that some people think he is a doctor! It's really the Frank Jobe procedure and we shouldn't let Dr. Jobe's name lose its significance now that he has passed on. Now it's James Andrews and David Altchek who do most of these procedures, grafting the ulnar collateral ligament with a tendon from the wrist or hamstring.
I had the privilege of participating in a roundtable discussion on MLB Network recently with both doctors, discussing the alarming number of amateur pitchers who are having the surgery. I deferred to the medical professionals on how best to prevent it. They identified the overuse of Little League pitchers and youngsters trying to throw too hard before their bones and muscles are full developed as the causes.
Fast-forward to the professional level, and I don't think any Major League pitcher who has pitched a significant number of innings would have a perfectly "clean" arm on an MRI of their elbow. My point here is — and again I would respect Drs. Andrews' and Altchek's opinions — can a pitcher pitch with some micro tears and not do more damage if he or she throws with proper technique?
Here I would defer to the opinion of former Major League pitcher Tom House, whose ideas were misunderstood and questionable to me for years. I have come to respect his knowledge of the biomechanics of the pitching arm. How the elbow, shoulder and lower body have to work as a team to reduce the chance of injury. I say "chance" because there are no guarantees it won't happen.
I speak out on this subject because of my own experience with the same injury. I recently saw a video on YouTube of a game I pitched in September of 1967. My last start of the year. We win, we go to the World Series. I was having the best month of pitching in my career. (I won't bore you with my stats, but if I won the game it would have been my eighth win that month, and I was averaging nine innings every start.)
Suddenly in the third inning, while throwing a pitch to the pitcher, Jose Santiago, I felt like I bumped my elbow on a hard surface and hit my "crazy bone" as we called it. After throwing several more pitches, I had to come out of the game. The diagnosis was the injury that now seems to require TJ surgery, but that procedure was not available at the time. I never had surgery and let it heal naturally over the winter. I wasn't as effective for a few years, but I was able to do what I enjoyed: pitching.
Looking back on my workload in 1966 and 1967 has given me some insight into the possible cause. I had pitched over 300 innings in 1966 and was in the high 200s in 1967. The smoking gun probably was September of 1967, when I was starting my eighth game that month and into the mid-60s in innings that month. I was — and still am — a big proponent of the four-man rotation with three days' rest between starts. The arm recovers fine, control is more consistent, and delivery probably will be more repeatable because you get to the mound more often.
I write this hoping we can learn a way to use pitchers to their maximum efficiency and value to their team and yet be prudent in not overworking them. A thought I have is the types of pitches and the emphasis on power might be more harmful to pitchers today than in my era. We were basic fastball, curve, change-up pitchers. The slider came along, but it really was what we call a cutter today — not all the action with the elbow, and more emphasis on finger pressure and the wrist. Not as many splitters or hybrid sliders. Today's slider for most big league pitchers is the most hittable pitch around if not thrown with the perfect combination of power and break.
The recent article on the screwball by Bruce Schoenfeld in the New York Times has prompted me to get on my soapbox and say, "Bring back the screwball and the slow curve!" Josh Beckett is making good use of a slower curveball in his recent string of well-pitched games. (Unfortunately a hip injury has sidelined him.) David Wells was a very durable pitcher and most of his career was a fastball/curveball pitcher.
Marv Grissom, my pitching coach in the early 70s, helped me develop a screwball. I abandoned my version of what people today would call a slider — we called it a short curve — and went with fastball, slow curve (12-to-6 or 11-to-5 break) and a screwball in 1972. I got off to the best start of my career and was headed for potentially my best season when a broken wrist on July 1 ended my season. My screwball never was as good after that. Why? It is thrown with more wrist action and less elbow torque.
I really believe if pitchers would begin to practice pitching from 45 to 50 feet and work on spinning the ball with their wrist and pay attention to grip pressure, a relaxed thumb, and stick today's version of the slider where the sun doesn't shine, we might have fewer injuries, more complete games and more durable pitchers. Splitters and sliders might be making hitting more difficult, but there is a price to pay for overusing them.
This article is written because of my disappointment in not seeing Matt Harvey, Masahiro Tanaka and many other injured pitchers be able to enjoy longer careers and allow us the pleasure of seeing them match up against each other and pitch the whole game.
10 Comments
Jim, you've offered highly valuable insight into what is clearly becoming a widespread issue. As a concerned fan, I thank you for sharing. I always find your articles thoughtful, informative and right on the mark.
Dear Kitty, love to hear from you.Pops took me to my first game in1961,Twins vs Clev.Life long Twins fan,and Jim Kaat FAN!Thank you for all those great years,cant believe how time flys.Still remember you battling Yaz ,Brooks.Stankys white sox etc.Please write more often if possible,its a real joy for us older fans especially to hear from you,love you on mlb game night,with the wonderful Bob Costas.Yours Truly Bob and Wanda
As always, i enjoy reading your work. I wish i could have a soda and talk baseball with you for a few hours.
Thanks for the insight, Jim.
Nice post Jim, always interested in what you have to say.
Jim Thank you John Mason
My soapbox comes from when I knew you in 1985-86: bring back the four-man rotation. You had it so right. Pitch, rest, throw, rest, pitch … and so on. Did any team you were affiliated with try it after Pete & the Reds?
Great article by Jim. I also believe that today's pitchers do too much weight training. The muscles get disproportionately stronger than the tendons and ligaments, which in turn causes injuries. It's like putting a Cadillac engine in a Volkswagen, which was an expression used by the great Brian Oldfield.
Hi Jim,
Great job big guy!!
Watched NY v Boston, nice work.
Another Emmy this year?
Enjoying your commentary. Very insightful.
Thanks, Jim, for your interesting take on the Tommy John surgery epidemic. I was watching that game on TV in '67 when you got hurt, and I also own a DVD of it (I'm a Boston fan, sorry). In recent years I've actually thought a lot about your injury that day, because at the time it looked serious yet I knew you came back to pitch another 15 years in the bigs. You see, I myself still pitch in 30-plus recreational leagues, though three years ago I suffered my first arm injury ever at the age of 56. It felt just like you described: like I banged my funnybone. I saw a doc who found a modest tear on the MRI and said surgery was an option, though at my age it might be better just to try physical therapy and see if it would heal. Good thing I'm old! Were I younger I might have been tempted to go for surgery. Instead I built up my core to take some of the pressure off the elbow, rested over the winter, and eventually regained effectiveness. Of course, the elbow isn't perfect: I ended up losing maybe 5 percent off my fastball. But as my catcher says, 5 percent off nothing is nothing anyway! My point is, if an old elbow like mine can come back, these young elbows might have even greater healing potential.


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Selamat sore! I'm Luki, an Indonesian correspondent of ASIACLICK.
Nowadays, Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia is trying to increase the number of foreign tourists to Indonesia. In 2016, the number of them was about 12.023 million, and this is up about 15.54 % from the previous year. The target is for 20 million foreign visitors to visit Indonesia every year by 2019.
Thus, shopping malls located at Jakarta city start a new service for them!
This time, I'm going to introduce policies of Indonesian government to increase foreign visitors and one of their new services.
■Policies of Indonesian government
According to 'lifenesia (https://lifenesia.com/),' distributes news on the Internet, Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia announced that they focuses on developing 10 tourist spots and promotions.
In addition, they allocate 4080 billion IDR (USD 306 million) as a budget and 275 billion IDR (about USD 206 million) to promotions of sightseeing for foreigners. They make steady progress, so a new terminal was built in Soekarno–Hatta International Airport. Moreover, a new railway will start to run between this airport and Jakarta city from July in 2017.
Not only Indonesian government, but also 'World Bank' finances USD 6 million for researching and USD 200 billion for development.
■What's a new activity?
Shopping malls start to offer services for foreign tourists. 'Grand Indonesia mall' which is introduced in most of guidebooks does so, too.
The upper photo shows 'Tourist Privilege Card (TPC).' If foreign tourists show their non-Indonesian passports at concierge counters, they will get this card with the brochure. Tourists can enjoy discounts at 57 stores or restaurants for 1 week.
In fact, Singapore, Malaysia and so on in South East Asia has services like TPC. That's why visitors from there know this service well.
It's important to be able to use in only mall which issued cards. This service attracts more visitors whose opportunities are shopping. Shopping malls also will not lose visitors as they can't use other malls.
ASIACLICK has local correspondents in South East Asia and China, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. So, we can know current market information, and we support your entering into foreign countries and give you advices about strategy. Please contact us (firstname.lastname@example.com) !
(ASIACLICK・Indonesian Correspondent/Luki)

subset: commoncrawl


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Musician/Comedian Kwame A-Plus is known for his distaste for political correctness—making him a victor of using music to say what many would dare not attempt to say.
After starving Ghanaians for a long time, he has returned with a new political song-'Abɛn Bɛ Bom' that shrugs off the Ghanaian gutlessness and punches the NDC and its ruling elites from all angles.
He commits a political manslaughter in a daring, truthful, humorous and riveting manner—as he takes on popular NDC figures such President John Mahama, Okudzeto Ablakwa, Kofi Adams, Victoria Hammah, Asiedu Nketiah and Afriyie Ankrah by names, and succeeds in throwing light on their nation-wrecking acquisitiveness.
With a clever use of innuendos, Kwame A-Plus spends over 5 minutes boldly walking through the dirty wardrobes of the NDC, reminding Ghanaians not to make the suicidal mistake by putting the NDC once again in power.
It's a brilliant piece of music—more importantly, it captures the topsy-turvy path the NDC has taken Ghana on and it's the best campaign song we've heard so far.
Listen and download-Abɛn Bɛ Bom below…


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Interview with Canterbury
When I pick up the phone to talk to Canterbury, I am greeted by something that sounds akin to a demolition zone. Turns out the London four-piece are in the middle of sound check for the release show of their latest album, 'Dark Days', out on 13 January via Hassle Records. I speak with singer and guitarist Mike Sparks, on the day of the release. He laughs about the sold-out show, held at The Hospital Club, a gentleman's club in London: 'we feel kind of out of place here'. It seems however, that Canterbury are ready to take on anything; as part of a close knit group of rising UK rock bands, Mike discusses why British rock music is currently so exciting to be a part of, the great mystery of 'Canterbury', and why they have New Found Glory to thank for it all.
'This is our most mature album. We've definitely grown up as people, musicians and songwriters, and I think that's really obvious (on the record)'. Canterbury, (whose line up is completed by bassist/vocalist Luke Prebble, guitarist James Pipe and drummer Chris Velissarides) are on the rise to become one of the front runners in contemporary British rock. Dark Days is set apart from their previous two albums, Thank You and Heavy in the Day, Mike tells me, by the time frame it was created in. While the first two were each three or four years in the making, 'We wrote Dark Days for six months then recorded it for the next half a year. We wanted it to sound like it was capturing a moment in our lives, more than just being a collection of songs'. It gives the album a more present sense, compared with debut Thank You which is compilation of 'the first eighteen years of our lives'.
The album as a whole is quite emotionally dark, a theme unified under the title. Was the moment it captures a personally difficult one? 'It was what we were feeling in the six months that we were writing the record. Things were a bit uncertain for us'. It doesn't have a particular concept, Mike tells me: 'We just wrote the songs that we had in us, because we're never going to make a song twice. You hear bands and their whole album might as well be the same song, and we're never going to do that'. However, Mike hopes that listeners will find catharsis in the album: 'once you get to the end of the record, it's actually quite an uplifting thing. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel'.
Over the past few years, a group of UK rock bands have all risen to success within the rock world; bands like Young Guns, Deaf Havana and We are the Ocean form such a group. Canterbury have recently been inducted: 'In the UK rock scene everyone's in the same boat – we're not a huge country like America. We're just a little island that's making really good music. I think that everyone has a mutual respect for each other and everyone gets along'. Mike cites examples such as You Me at Six, and believes it's now British rock bands who are gaining big opportunities and making massive albums: 'when we were growing up, all the good rock music was coming out of America, it was all pop-punk, all Blink 182 and New Found Glory, which was great, for what it was, back in the day. Now the eyes of the world are back on the UK, and it's really cool and exciting to be making music right now'.
I'm curious about their reasons for choosing 'Canterbury' as a band name, since none of the members originate from the city. 'It's a word that was really important to us when we were starting the band, but you have to rejumble all the letters to uncover it. We don't tell people what that word is, so they have to work it out'. I'm intrigued by this challenge, but Mike advises me 'don't spend too much time on it as it literally could be anything. It's one of the secrets that we're always going to keep to ourselves'.
Though they all grew up in the same local area, it was a coincidental moment that brought them together. 'We all met when we were about 16. I think I actually officially met everyone at a New Found Glory concert in London'. They so happened to be stood next to each other in the crowd and were at that time searching for band mates. 'We just hit it off over a mutual love of American punk. So I guess we have New Found Glory to thank for that'.
I ask about their own upcoming concerts. Mike tells me that the band's (at the time of interview unannounced) April tour will take them through 'all the hotspots around the UK' and I joke about York's not too hot music scene. As it happens, Canterbury have announced they will be playing The Duchess on the 2nd. My advice would be to not miss out.
'It's a good day in the Canterbury camp, concludes a clearly contented Mike.


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Sunday, October 24, 2010
21 comments:
- vengai said...
Yeh, BN sure to win the seat.PKR will tersungkur no matter who is the candidate.
SAPP atikor is that party candidate.Local sentiment might make him win.
So the seat belongs to SAPP or BN after the election.Definately not PKR.
- October 24, 2010 at 6:38 PM
- IbnAbdHalim said...
Is that suicide or harakiri?
- October 24, 2010 at 6:41 PM
There could be a reason for Pakatan to field their candidate. Just like HRP, SAPP is a potential spoiler for the coming General Election, with their 'independent' spirit. If a loss at Batu Sapi is the price to get SAPP to be a team player for the General Election, let it be.
- October 24, 2010 at 7:02 PM
- Jong said...
It's pretty boy's Sabah lieutenant as expected - Ansari Abdullah! Let's sit back and watch whether it suicide or harakiri makes no difference to us anymore. Sick and tired of them lah!
- October 24, 2010 at 7:54 PM
Brother! apa ini cerita Third Force. Jangan emotional la brother, ini Third Force punya cerita will make you under Najib under wear budget forever!
See the right perspective and get the best out of what happen within this PRK - if you and gang want to go alone go ahead!!!
- October 24, 2010 at 8:01 PM
- msbery said...
This election is really a waste of time & resources but nonetheless a valuable barometer as to how Defacto Pakatan Leader Anwar plays his racial card in Sabah & his overall (mis)strategy vis a vis his other (loyal) partners in Pakatan & the now fast wobbling support of the previously Pro Pakatan Bloggers, who has been badly shakened ( irreversibly ? ) over the recent PKR internal mis-elections & the disastrous Zaid Affair
I believe you core Pro Pakatan Bloggers ( and your blue van kakis ) should take a backstep or 2 & see what happens.
Maybe its time to teach Anwar & Azmin a painful lesson before it is too late to save Malaysia. We can still do it with PAS & DAP tho, but you never know if they too turncoat. Such is the tragic Spartan War
- October 24, 2010 at 8:08 PM
- Ahmad Syafiq said...
Alaaa...chill la Uncle Zorro... Ini baru by-election... ;P Belum lagi general election, haha. At least Batu Sapi will give us an indication whether those voting opposition would prefer SAPP or PR, then thrash out a better deal come next GE. Apa susah? Hehe. By-elections are always good in terms of indicating how much is the people's support for each party. So yeah, don't be so downhearted by it. We still have Galas to hope about, hehe. Furthermore, I heard that the Chinese voters in Galas were so attached to the late Chek Hashim Sulaima that they actually collected donations to help pay for his medical bill in China, because they want the best practitioners to cure his illness. Unfortunately soon after, he was struck down with colon cancer, which is quite sad... They all know how good a person he was... *Sigh*
- October 24, 2010 at 8:27 PM
Then you will have UMNO taking back Anwar and PKR rejoins UMNO against the 3rd force !
Really sad huh ?
- October 24, 2010 at 8:52 PM
- Unknown said...
The real problem with any party is the leadership.Bn are bad as over the years hopeless and self serving leaders take control and dominate the party.Through manupulation the grass roots members forming the majority are completly sidelined,often ruthlessly.Pkr and dap leaders are following the very same footstep with those from umno.
Pas is spared as Tok Guru stood as vanguard to the spirit of the party's struggle.In dap the ordinary grassroot members are fighting back to revive the original party's spirit of justice,fairness and equality.The cronies of the president are frantically fighting to retain their iron grip.Next month party's election will see the party revived or go the way of the dog.
The third force should proceed based on current need and the co-operation can be sorted out after the clouds settled.
- October 24, 2010 at 8:58 PM
Well, the die has casted. I begin to wonder if this is a strategic move by anwar ibrahim. Batu Sapi is a mixed constituency. While folks say that 60% are muslim majority. 20% malay & 40% mixed muslim races including Bajau, Sukau & etc.
From a naked eye, PBS is pretty weakened by the fact that they field a widow instead of an ex-SAPP fella who rejoin PBS. SAPP taiko Yong with mountain of problems going on in Sandakan means what? PBS-SAPP fight would result in a split on votes. Hence, why Anwar wanna put Ansari? Judging from this, I felt that Anwar is playing safe by choosing the devil he knows. Ansari's Azmin man. Azmin was the private secretary of Anwar.
Look at Kota Kinabalu. Perhapsm this is a revelation why Anwar made this decision
Anwar knows that DAP hated SAPP hence Hiew was chosen as Operation chief.
Perhaps, Anwar might pull it off. Anyway, I am not supportive of Ansari as candidate but Azmin would be very careful from now on as his perception not good.
I still prefer DAP's Shanty Chong to go in
- October 24, 2010 at 9:49 PM
Looks like all our comments and advise had fallen on deaf ears. Hopefully PKR defeat in Sabah will knock some sense into them. They are going to walk away with their tail between their legs. Personally I'm quite pissed with them and will reconsider my vote for them in the next general election.
- October 24, 2010 at 10:07 PM
What do I think? Forget about it! PKR are crooks, we know that. DAP ... I dont trust these dictators.
Only solution? Migrate!
I am leaving next year with my family. Singapore - better security, better pay, quality education for the kids, top class healthcare ... byee Malaysia
- October 24, 2010 at 11:08 PM
Losing faith in PKR here.
I think PAS can fill up the areas where PKR used to contest, and PAS should join forces with DAP more fully and with the Third Force.
This is the way to go.
PKR, sayonara....
- October 24, 2010 at 11:14 PM
BN will win at Batu Sapi hand down as muslim bumi largely supports BN - the ruling party.
SAPP or PKR will not get much support from muslim bumi.
PKR will get the least votes.
Even SAPP + PKR votes will not beat BN votes. It is not easy to change the minds of muslim in Sabah & Sarawak. Until PR is the Federal Government, there will be little change among muslim bumi in Sabah.
- October 24, 2010 at 11:39 PM
TAIKO will win in the Coming GE../like it or not with their slogon- AT ALL COST.
Whatever the result, the cake is theirs.No one can take it from them even it's legally.
- October 25, 2010 at 12:18 AM
This by election will test Anwar's mettle as an effective strategist or not. Or at heart that he is racist/beholden to prettyboys(achilles heel?).
The 3rd Force is a stupid clueless idea by some naive knee jerks & you should just stop wasting your time talking about this hallicinatory
PKR may seem to be cocky now but thats reality cos most of them are low grade rejects anyway. You know PKR was never good, just that UMNO was/is badder.
Use your resources to assist DAP-PAS, but not PKR & to hell with this idiotic 3rd Force which is really a trap
- October 25, 2010 at 7:27 AM
We keep on hearing about the 3rd Force , as though its the Guardian Angel sent from above to help us clueless Malaysians !
What / Who is is it if not another imposter ? Common Zorro enough of this wishy washy nonsense ! There is a world of a difference between Bloggers & real politicians and you have to choose which one are you.
Armchair Bloggers can and do change allegiance with a tab while on the ground politicians go through the real dirty battle. Give Anwar the benefit of the doubt-he could yet be your most truthful ally
- October 25, 2010 at 8:51 AM
If you dare not come up in the open and keep yourself as 3rd force, I think you can syiok sendiri and we voters would not give you any vote.
- October 25, 2010 at 9:44 AM
- Unknown said...
God's willing,the third force will be there.It is God's justice and God will empower it.All will be forgiven and healing restored.
It will be heaven on earth.In the midst of goodwill Zorro will be there.
- October 25, 2010 at 12:05 PM
Don't be so sure that muslims would support PBS & hence BN win? It could be Musa Aman's move to bury PBS. Remember what UMNO say about redistribution of seats.
I strongly suggest that Zaid must come up strongly in supportive of Ansari. I have already said Zaid must be magninamous. If Azmin sabo Zaid in Hulu Selangor, Zaid Ibrahim must do the christian act....To love the enemy....In ensuring Ansari's win in.....It portrays Zaid a true leader....
Isn't that what you want? Now, Zaid must pull ranks on this. No need to harangue Azmin in leading the cause. Zaid pull it through.....The triumph is Zaid's
- October 25, 2010 at 12:39 PM
This is an interesting strategic battle. Anwar-Azmin-Ansari-Yong-Zaid-BN-Widow-Najib-RPK-Pakatan Bloggers
We await the game changing results with bated breath
- October 25, 2010 at 1:39 PM


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Just last week, Warner Bros. threw the hammer down and announced release dates for nine untitled DC Comics adaptations all the way through 2020. The slew of release dates was part of WB's plan to go head-to-head with Marvel Studios in putting together its own comic book movie universe, and all signs point to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice as the entry point for many of the characters that will subsequently land standalone movies. Gal Gadot is already set to appear as Wonder Woman in BvS and one of the nine untitled films is no doubt a Wonder Woman movie, but today news comes about a standalone film for a different DC superhero: Aquaman. Warner Bros. is aggressively putting together an Aquaman movie by hiring two writers to work on two separate screenplays for the film in the hopes of putting together the best possible version. More after the jump.
Per THR, Warner Bros. has hired Will Beall (Gangster Squad) and Kurt Johnstad (300: Rise of an Empire) to pen two separate scripts for Aquaman. This has become a common practice at major studios, as the aim is to put together the best version of a movie by commissioning two different scripts at the same time. With the added pressure of having a release date window closing in by the day, WB wants to ensure that Aquaman is ready to roll sooner rather than later.
Beall has experience with DC properties as he was hired to write the Justice League script before the film became part of the current DC movie universe plan. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Argo scribe Chris Terrio is currently working on the Justice League script for Zack Snyder to direct, and now it appears that Aquaman will likely be one of the first films to follow Justice League right out of the gate. Snyder has a relationship with Johnstad as the two worked together on 300 and the sequel, and it appears that Snyder is quickly becoming the filmmaker that is spearheading this series of DC films—at least for now.
Jason Momoa is poised to appear as Aquaman in Batman v Superman, and while his casting has yet to be officially confirmed by the studio, the trades are now acknowledging him as the actor who will be filling the role. Snyder himself brought up Aquaman recently by calling into a Detroit radio show, where he defended the easy-target character and said he could "cut the flesh of Superman if they came in contact." It will definitely be interesting to see what this new version of the character looks like within the context of the world set up in Man of Steel.
Now attention turns to figuring out which of the DC release dates belongs to Aquaman. The first untitled date is August 5, 2016, while two more are set for June 23, 2017 and November 17, 2017. Perhaps Aquaman will follow Batman v Superman in August 2016, with Justice League hitting in June 2017? With Snyder shooting BvS and Justice League back-to-back, it's also possible (though not likely) that Justice League may arrive as early as August 2016. Though with Batman v Superman arriving in March 2016, that'd be an incredibly tight squeeze.
What say you, readers? What do you want to see out of an Aquaman film? Which filmmaker would you like to see bring the movie to fruition? Sound off in the comments below.


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It's not even wearable tech, although believe me, I'm old enough that when I started running in high school, it was a lot more cumbersome.
Nope, the essential thing that every runners needs is a supporter.
Yup, I went there. Yes, it's a cheap applause line. But it's also true. We need the support and patience of our friends/family/colleagues to put up with the long training hours, the near-CONSTANT talk of training/tempos, and worries of injuries, and just the general . . . nuttiness that comes with training for a long distance race.
Plus, our supporters have to smile at us while we TALK about all this. That's gotta take effort.
That's why this post is about things THEY can do while they wait for us to finish the CUCB 10-Miler. It will be a lovely Sunday in April, and rather than stand around looking at the piles of discarded clothing (which will be donated to shelters -- yay runners!) at the start line, why not suggest one of these three places to go visit?
Each of my suggestions are less than 1 mile from the start/finish line, and aren't often mentioned as "Marquis" destinations to visit, so even if your supporters are locals, perhaps they'd enjoy visiting these spots. I've ranked them in degree of difficulty, even though Google Maps shows them all as nine-tenths of a mile away.
The Albert Einstein Memorial. Just walk along Constitution Ave., towards Lincoln, with the White House on your right. It's just before 22nd street NW. This is a great little gem that doesn't get nearly enough visits. It contains three of his most famous equations, along with three wonderful quotes from him. Sit in his lap, snap a picture, and come up with some puns about relative time while you wait for your runner to finish.
Medium difficulty:
Walk along Constitution (this time towards the Capitol), and make a left turn on 6th Street -- you're there! This is the Newseum, but not the actual place -- most folks have heard of it. But what many folks may not realize is that the outside, right along the front of the Newseum, is updated daily with the front pages from a major newspaper from each state in the U.S., along with several national papers, and even a couple of world-interest ones. This free(!) gallery is updated every morning, and if you've got out-of-town supporters coming down to see you start/finish, they are less than a mile from seeing a great cross-section of how different states are covering anything from politics, to what rates a big headline. I'll sometimes review the papers after a morning run, and I'm surprised by the numbers of tourists who had no idea the papers were there until they arrived AT the Newseum.
Bearing in mind this is still under a mile from the start, it's just a TOUCH harder to find, but in my mind the most unknown little gem. In a little park near the Federal Reserve Annex at Virginia Ave and 20th St. NW likes a sculpture called, "Full Count," by John Dreyfuss. These are life-sized baseball players (and an umpire) set 60 feet 6 inches apart (the regulation distance from mound to home plate!).
Let's face it -- the CUCB is "The Runner's Rite of Spring," but another spring tradition is Opening Day of baseball!
The detail and contours of the figures are fantastic, and I guarantee you most tourists will NOT know this setup is so close to the National Mall.
Show up, check them out, and you'll still have time to appreciate how far Max Scherzer has to throw a ball 100+ times every 5 days. Maybe it will even let you live out those "What if I threw out a first pitch?" fantasies?!
Yeah, maybe just stick to yelling at the Ump instead . . .
Anyway, if you've got supporters coming out to the race, either pre-start, or coming down to see you finish, suggest one of these three lesser-known spots to check out while they wait for you -- or make an effort to walk by one of these spots as you head off to a victory brunch post-CUCB!
Best of luck, and GO NATS!


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Other activities
Showing from 1 to 10 from 19 results
Aragon, sporting ideas for a real adventure.
Travel ideas
…(Aragón) Come and experience an active, exciting trip in the Region of Aragón, north-eastern Spain, and discover a unique natural setting. An option for sporting tourism designed for everyone and perfect for the summer m…
Equestrian Art in Jerez: The Magic of Horses.
Travel ideas
…Jerez de la Frontera. Cadiz. (Andalusia) There are many reasons to travel to Andalusia, in southern Spain. One of them is to learn about "Spanish equestrian art". You can experience it first-hand, for example, at the Roy…
Jerez, the tradition of the horse.
Travel ideas
…Jerez de la Frontera. Cadiz. (Andalusia) Horses are always the main attraction in Jerez de la Frontera, and especially during the Horse Fair. During the festivities the fairground is filled with parades featuring carriag…
Travel ideas
…(Autonomous Community of Navarre) Navarre is an outstanding destination for sports lovers. You'll find everything from trails leading through vast forests, mountains for cross-country skiing in the heart of the Pyrenees,…
Travel ideas
…Climbing is a great way to have fun while challenging yourself physically, in breathtaking natural surroundings. Spain is Europe's second most mountainous country, and is therefore the perfect option for lovers of this s…
White water rafting and kayaking in Galicia.
Travel ideas
…(Galicia) If you are looking for a good setting for adventure sports in Spain, then Galicia is a safe bet. Here, our proposals centre on its rivers, whether kayaking or white water rafting, individually or as a group. Co…
Asturias, a summer paradise for active/adventure tourism.
Travel ideas
…Asturias. (Principality of Asturias) A perfect destination if you want to enjoy the summer in beautiful natural surroundings. The ecological diversity and the range of different landscapes to be found in this region, loc…
The Teide: the challenge of climbing the highest peak in Spain.
Travel ideas
…Orotava, La. Tenerife. (Canary Islands) The Teide National Park will test your adventurous spirit to the maximum, because here you will have the chance to stand on the roof of Europe. The Teide peak is over 3,700 metres …
Las Arribes del Duero, along the river trail.
Travel ideas
…(Castilla y Leon) In the area bordering the provinces of Salamanca and Zamora you will find one of inland Spain's most spectacular landscapes: las Arribes del Duero. Follow the trail marked out by the river canyon and yo…
The Canary Islands, an adventure all the year round.
Travel ideas
…(Canary Islands) Climate, landscape, orography, wind... The Canary Islands have all the ingredients for the practice of adventure sports. Come and see for yourself. With their hot summers and warm winters, the Canary Isl…


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July 22, 2012
Well, hello world, I guess..!
I've apparently decided to start a blog. I have no idea what will become of it all. I've been involved in politics for a long time, on various political sites, but for some reason, until fairly recently, I've avoided most forms of social media. That is, until I started my Twitter account a few months ago. Now, like many of you, I am a full-blown Twitter addict! I guess starting this blog means that I feel I have a little more to say than Twitter allows.
I have no desire to bore anyone with the more personal details of my life. My moniker is an old one, chosen because the internet often distracts me from what some term as "real life". I live in Indianapolis, Indiana. That's about it. I'm not striving to remain anonymous. My friends and family know who I am, and I'm sure that anyone else could easily figure it out, if they desired. I guess I am just one for the old-school brand of keeping a personal distance from my online persona.
Hope you enjoy the blog, and if you don't then feel free to debate me, or ignore me, or curse my existence… whatever… =P


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Is It Worth Upgrading Your Compact Camera? 2 of 3
Posted by Stuart Herbert on October 12th, 2007 in Equipment.
(This is the second of three articles looking at whether there s any real benefit in replacing that old 4 or 5 megapixel compact camera from yesterday with one of today s many ultra-modern high megapixel cameras. Part one looks at what matters in a camera. Part three draws some conclusions, and includes my choice of photos from the day's shoot.)
To decide for myself whether or not it's worth upgrading from an older four megapixel digital compact camera to a modern day high-megapixel replacement, I decided to pit two such cameras head to head for a day out at the National Botanical Gardens of Wales. The premise is simple: one day, two cameras, and every shot taken with each camera in turn. It's the venerable Canon Digital IXUS 400 versus the only-just-released Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX33. Which photos would end up being uploaded to Flickr … and why?
The National Botanical Gardens of Wales are a hidden treasure out in the south west of the country. Featuring the world's largest single-span biodome, this former millennium project stands on the site of the former Middleton estate. The first national botanical garden created in Britain in 200 years, and one of the very few not built in a city centre, the Gardens are dedicated to the research and conservation of biodiversity and its sustainable utilisation. As the UK's millennium projects go, this has to be one of better ideas, and one that our children will truly be glad that our generation did.
The Opportunity To Take Photos
Shooting in low light. The day started off dull and overcast, making it difficult to shoot at all both indoors and outdoors. Like most modern compacts, the DMC-FX33 has built in optical stabilisation and an F/2.8 lens, and together they made this no contest at all. I lost track of the number of shots where the older IXUS (which doesn't have optical stabilisation, but it does have the F/2.8 lens) simply didn't take a clear picture because it was too dark for the older camera's ability.
Battery life. Switching between the two cameras on each and every shot, not only must I have looked quite mad to everyone else wandering the gardens, but the constant switching on and off of the cameras put more strain on each battery than usual. Both cameras coped just fine over a five-hour day, which is good enough for me. I'll call this one a dead heat 🙂
Screen quality. The screens on the two cameras are worlds apart. Although a great screen in its day, the Digital IXUS 400's screen is tiny by comparison to modern cameras, and it's harder to use in harsh light and odd angles. Throughout the day, I found myself using the DMC-FX33's screen to compose each shot first, and then using the IXUS second. The modern camera was definitely the more enjoyable to use.
Score so far: older camera 1; modern camera 3. Overall, both the superior low-light capabilities and the improved screen are compelling reasons to upgrade from an older camera. Although modern cameras appear to have shorter times between battery recharges, battery life wasn't a problem at all for a single day's photography, which is all that I need.
Enjoying Using Each Camera
This was as much a tale of two brands as it was a tale of two generations of camera.
Handling. That large screen on the DMC-FX33 brings one problem with it … there isn't really anywhere on the back of the camera to hold it. I constantly found myself swearing at the camera because I'd caught one of the controls whilst trying to take a shot, especially when trying to shoot portrait, and when holding the camera high up and low down. Because the back of the Digital IXUS 400 is mostly casing rather than screen, Canon was able to tuck the controls away where it's much more difficult to catch them accidentally.
But that doesn't tell the whole story. Panasonic have put a lot of work into the way that the mode wheel on the DMC-FX33 works, and it shows. Macro mode, "normal" mode, and full-auto mode are all next to each other on the wheel. Moving from shooting a plant up close and personal to shooting the biodome was as effortless as I could imagine it. With the older IXUS, by contrast, you have to remember to switch on macro mode or landscape mode, and it's easy to forget to do so. This round is a dead heat.
Seeing The Shot. It's not just that the more modern Panasonic Lumix has the larger, brighter, sharper screen (although all of those things help a great deal), it's that the DMC-FX33 offers both a wide-angle lens and a widescreen option. These are modern features that suit me personally, and are as much to do with what's important to the brand as they are to do with the generational gap. Panasonic are proud that they offer the wide-angle lens across their entire camera range, and I can see why. It's a bit harsh on the older IXUS, maybe, but this round goes to the newer camera.
Getting In The Way. I've already mentioned my problems with constantly caching the controls on the back of the DMC-FX33. The Panasonic also got in the way with its focal point system. I personally like placing my photograph's subject off centre – something the IXUS sometimes (but not all the time!) spots. Try as I might, throughout the day I struggled to get the Panasonic to focus on anything that wasn't dead centre frame. More of a brand thing than a generational thing, but the older camera comes out on top here.
Scores so far: older camera 3, modern camera 5. Modern cameras are an improvement on older cameras in this area, but it's also an area where the relative values of each brand also makes a difference.
Image Quality
This is where the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX33 faces its hardest challenge. My wife describes my Canon Digital IXUS 400 as the very best camera we've ever owned when it comes to image quality. She tells me that I produce better colour shots with the IXUS than I ever did with my Nikon D100, and its replacement the Nikon D200. The strength of Canon's entire digital range has always been the DIGIC processor line at the heart of each camera. Even a much more modern camera like the DMC-FX33 has its work cut out to try and match the excellence of the DIGIC processor.
Colour. Well, I was shocked. The whole reason why I decided to do this test was because, after my earlier test shots with the DMC-FX33, I didn't feel entirely comfortable with its colour handling. Not any more! On nearly every shot, the DMC-FX33 produced the same richness of colour that we love from the IXUS 400. I say nearly, because when it came to the really rich colour shots where I'd have backed the IXUS to win, the DMC-FX33 actually came out on top. This wasn't what I expected, and I'm delighted to award this round to the newer camera.
Highlights and Shadows. The Panasonic has two handicaps here. First of all, it has a tendency to do whatever it can to avoid shadows, which results in more highlights than perhaps there should be. Unfortunately, that's combined with what appears to be a smaller dynamic range than the older IXUS enjoys, which made it difficult for me to photograph some of the outdoor areas as the sun came out mid-afternoon. (I bet, though, that the DMC-FX33 is fantastic in pubs and at parties, which is where a lot of folks use their compact cameras). These are the real issues behind my concern about the colour handling, and its as much a brand thing as a generational thing. This round firmly goes to the older camera.
What's In Focus. I've already mentioned the Panasonic's preference for the subject to be centre frame, no matter what focusing mode is selected from the menu (although I have to say the face recognition mode is excellent; it's just not a feature that's really useful in a botanical garden!). The other frustration with the DMC-FX33 is that it seems to have a preference for larger apertures, even when setting the camera explicitly in landscape mode. This results in a shallower depth of field, throwing more of the photo out of focus. Although I don't like it (in fact, I'd love to see a firmware update that tunes the Panasonic to tend away from F/2.8 more), it didn't actually spoil the images enough for the IXUS to win on this. This one is a dead heat.
Scores so far: older camera 5, modern camera 7. Image quality is Canon's turf, and it's difficult for other brands to wrestle this away from them. But this is the ground that Panasonic really wants to dominate in the minds of the paying public. Trying to build better sensors than Canon is a tall order; they have been the clear leader in this field for many years now (and I'm a hardened Nikon fan saying this). There's a lot more to overall image quality than just the sensors. This is where Nikon succeeds in taking on Canon, and it's where I think Panasonic must focus their efforts if they're to do the same.
Should You Upgrade?
Head to head, the scores suggest that it's a close-run thing. But numbers in a review never tell the full picture. In Part 3, we look at the actual images from the shoot, and at just how many shots the more modern Panasonic DMC-FX33 handled better than the older Canon Digital IXUS 400, plus my personal conclusion on whether or not it's worth upgrading from an older camera.2 comments »


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A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed – Or So They Tell Us
This post has been written with A LOT of anger. However, at the end of the day, everything that has happened falls to me as my fault. I very easily could have made sure it didn't happen the way it did. BUT it would have also meant ignoring the wisdom imparted to us by our parents and society.
I have always tried to follow the "rules of being a good person" I've been taught growing up, be it by my parents or by society. However, I am coming to realize more and more that these rules are a load of garbage. The saying goes "a friend in need is a friend indeed." This means, they tell us to be there for your friends and always help them out in the time of need. That is something I have always tried to do however, somehow no one else ever seems to care enough about me to help me out in my time of need. I look out for my friends but it seems more often than not they are not looking out for me. Maybe I have had the terrible luck to only have a bulk of friends who take advantage of my good nature in my near 30 years on this Earth which in a way I sort of hope is true. Seems to me that more often than not most people are looking out for themselves and only themselves and the rest of the world can go to hell as far as they are concerned.
What is prompting me to write this? Well a lot of things to be honest but one thing in specific.
Some of my readers may have wondered why I posted such a short post last night and now I will tell you. The reason for this was because I have a friend I have been very tight with for a long time and last night he messaged me that he wanted to go out. I told him I was already doing a number of things and that we might go out later but I couldn't promise anything. He proceeded to guilt trip me over the next 2 hours to come out to grab a beer with him (on him) even though I had a million things to do that night and had to wake up early the next morning. The fact that I went out last night with him is also why I posted such a crappy, short post last night – he was busy messaging me and giving me a guilt trip as I was trying to think of what to write and how to write it saying that he was asking me for an "important favor". Notice, he wouldn't tell me what was such a huge issue that he had to get out of the house just that it was important.
I, in retrospect stupidly, gave in to his guilt trip and went out with him for "1 or 2 beers" which turned into over 2 hours. We were out til 1:30am and when I told him I was dead tired and wanted to go home (remember I drove in my car) and he shouldn't get to get McDonald's take out did he listen? NOPE!!! He didn't give a crap about me, he wanted to get his food and my feelings on the matter didn't factor in to the equation. I am well aware that the time spent getting the food was probably under 5 minutes but it was the principle of the matter that really ticked me off about that.
I should have just left him at the McDonald's, people only respect you in this world when you're a jerk to them it seems. But I didn't, I waited for him to go get his fast food at 1:30 am after we were out for 2 hours and I was supposed to be awake in 5 hours to make it downtown on time. I was supposed to be downtown for an event that not only was I done a huge favor by being given the expensive ticket for free, I really wanted to hear all the speakers and what they had to say.
So what was this huge thing that he needed to get out of the house so badly? He had a fight with his wife over her mother's reaction to their plans to move out of the city. It wasn't even a real fight! It was just a fight as the result of an overly emotional response to news. This is the kind of fight which is probably completely GONE by today. The results for me? Instead of waking up early to go to a conference I really wanted to be at on time (downtown at 8:30am) I slept through my alarm, disappointed my editor, missed the first 2 hours of the event and wrote the bulk of this post from the subway at 11am en route to the event which started at 9am.
When I sent him a number of messages today (and called him 3 times) did he respond with a proper/real apology? NOPE.
His first response to my torrent of messages (when he didn't answer the phone the first two times) "Set an alarm." Thanks Einstein, but I was so dead tired I slept through it.
When I said I did and I slept through it his response: "OK don't blame me for that…I'm sorry for asking you to come out." Really? I shouldn't blame you for pestering me and calling our friendship into question until I agreed to go out to with you only so you can keep me out when you knew I had to be up early so I was so exhausted I slept through my alarm? No, that had clearly nothing to do with you.
The point of this post is a learning experience for me and I hope everyone out there can learn from it so you don't make the same mistakes I did. Always remember YOU ARE #1. Look out for yourself because more often than not you're the only one doing so.
Unfortunately, the world we live in educates us one way and then seems to reward people who know which of the lessons to ignore. That's the reason for the other age old axiom: "Nice guys finish last". I have always been somewhat of a scholastic autodidact but in terms of societal lessons I was a believer and learned the lessons taught. Silly me.
Maybe I am being too negative and will come to regret this post. Maybe I am looking at this whole situation wrong. Maybe I'm not…what do you think?
March 8, 2011 at 4:32 pm
The evening I met you you generously offered me a ride home. After reading this I want to say thanks again, I appreciated it.
Friends let friends down. That's a reality. All you can do is keep the good ones close and put appropriate distance between yourself and those holding you back.
Keep your head up, Buddy – there's a lot of great, sincere people out there.
March 10, 2011 at 10:48 am
Here's my opinion, though you may not like it. 🙂 (dont hate me!!!)
In the end, ultimately – the decision to go out, the decision to stay out, the decision to go to McDs – were all yours. I say this to my girlfriends who bitch about their boyfriends being such assholes: 'You're with him. If you're choosing to be with him, then you're choosing to put up with his BS'. The same applies to your situation. Your friend sounds very selfish, but at the end of the day, you tolerate it. There must be some good that comes from him….otherwise, you wouldn't be friends (unless you're just a silly goose who needs to be knocked upside the head, which I don't think you are!). 😉
Sometimes…no…all the time, you have to take the good with the bad. When the bad starts outweighing the good, that's when you pull the chute.
Now I'm craving a Big Mac. Thanks a LOT Dan. *yeesh* 😉
May 11, 2011 at 6:05 pm
I am fifty two and having hadcloads of friends in my thirties nowchave very few. Thecreason being aim sick of peopleccommenting on my life-and how I choosevto livecit. Iam a yes person always willing to help go to their restaurant of choice etc and as soon as I wised up and started to say no and became the person I wanted to be they didn't like it. Be true to you and don't compromise too much you'll regret itvand getvput upon all thecmore.


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Post B'Nai Mitzvah students are invited to participate in our Academy program which prepares our youth for Confirmation. The Confirmation program involves Torah, Avodah and G'milut Chasadim. Confirmands study with Rabbi Rosenberg monthly, mentor younger children and participate in community service projects together. The year concludes with a Confirmation ceremony. Click here for more information.
"Friend" us!- "Bitty Teens"
Grades 8 -12 have a wide range of programs and opportunities through our Congregarion. BITTY iis run by a board of officers who plan events, such as:
- Lounge evenings with dinner for hanging out and making friends
- Weekend programs of all types such as ropes courses and Laser Tag
- Mystery Bus Rides with other synagogues
- Community service projects and fundraising for tikkun olam
- Shabbat led entirely by members of BITTY
- Weekends at other synagogues within our region
- Leadership training program
- Opportunities to meet Jewish teens outside of our Congregation
- Jewish holiday celebrations
For more information contact our Youth Director, Lisa Cohen.
Even our youngest congregants participate in fun-filled activities designed to foster Jewish growth. Our Sisterhood works with the 0-4 set to learn about Jewish holidays and observances through hands-on projects and crafts. For more information, click here.


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Springfield Mall
| Springfield Mall
| Location Information
Springfield Mall is the local mall in Springfield.
Springfield Mall has hundreds of stores, restaurants, bars, clinics and other services. Its CEO is Mr. Costington. Two of its more well-known stores are The Leftorium and Lionel Hutz's law office. At one time, the mall was in a dilapidated state due to the mayor's dad being murdered there.[1] Many major stores, like JC Penney, were run down and out of business. However, the mall is thriving again[2], till it announces it's closing forever the week Grampa gets his hearing back.[3]
|The contents of this article or section are considered to be non-canon and therefore may not have actually happened or existed.
Video games
In The Simpsons Road Rage, the player can drive inside the Springfield Mall. In The Simpsons: Hit & Run, it is not featured in any of the levels. In The Simpsons Game, Kang and Kodos invade the Springfield Mall in one level.
The Simpsons: Tapped Out
- This section is transcluded from The Simpsons: Tapped Out shops (premium). To edit it, please edit the transcluded page.
- In every episode the mall's exterior has been seen, the cars in the car park are always the same cars.
Behind the Laughter
The Springfield Mall first appeared in the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", the first episode of The Simpsons, making it one of the first major locations to ever appear in the show besides Springfield Elementary School, Springfield Nuclear Power Plant and Moe's Tavern.
|This article or section is incomplete.
The Simpsons: Tapped Out buildings
Locations in Springfield


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My first blogging award!
Thank you Tracey at coffeencollege for nominating me. 🙂 The rules are that I must post the award on my blog, share seven random things about me, and nominate seven people for the award.
1. I have two himalayan cats, Simon and Ceci. I adopted them from a shelter a year ago. As I'm writing this, Simon is sitting on my lap. Love these two!!
2. I will be graduating with my Master's degree this May (2013).
3. I absolutely love going to thrift stores and garage sales. It's just so darn exciting!
4. The most adventurous thing I've ever done is either whitewater rafting in Colorado or jumping off a 30-foot cliff into the Arkansas river.
5. I'm an introvert. And contrary to popular belief, this does not mean I'm shy. Read more here.
6. My family means the world to me. I'm very close with my parents, brother and sister-in-law, grandparents, aunt, and the rest of my extended family.
7. I have been dating the most wonderful man for the past year and I couldn't be happier. He is so kind, loving, and thoughtful. I'm a lucky girl.
Again, thanks to Stacey at coffeencollege for nominating me for the Versatile Blogger award. Now here are my nominees…
bevchen @ confuzzledom
Sizi @ sizisays
Christina @ Living My Life as I Know it
Ashley @ Canto Alla Vita
Amruta @ Life has no titles! So why should my blog??
Manisha @ manishad
vickiemariko @ Presently Obsessed


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Blog Archives
If you're a child, there's something quite comforting about WHISPERING. It can also be fun, if you've got a secret to share. For adults whispering often falls into two categories: it can take on a seductive tone or sometimes it can be quite sinister. Our playlist this week featured songs that do both. Check out the links to background and video clips at the BayFM site HERE and, more importantly, tune in 1-2pm Mondays and take your lunch at BayFM's Theme Park, 99.9 on the dial or streaming at bayfm.org
Each week I'll feature one video link here just to keep you amused. This week it's Cowboy Junkies doing a cover of Lou Reed's SWEET JANE.
Next week all the songs will reference America – falling on July 4th it was a given. I'm looking for songs about the country as a whole: its culture, its history and its relationship with the rest of the world. Any suggestions? Send them to email@example.com
Listen to Lyn McCarthy at the Theme Park on BayFM at the new time of Mondays 1–2pm, Sydney time
Also streaming via BayFM
Tragically also on Facebook and Twitter
Email me at: firstname.lastname@example.com
I can't believe that going into our 5th season I still hadn't put a show together on carnivals, circuses and the like. Well, we remedied that this week. A great introduction was supplied by Eddie Izzard doing a cover of The Beatles BEING FOR THE BENEFIT OF MR KITE. It's from the soundtrack to the film Across The Universe directed by Julie Taymor. "Just tune in, turn off, drop out, drop in, switch on, switch off, and explode!"
Yes, I know that the Red Hot Chilli Peppers do a great version of LOVE ROLLERCOASTER, but it was the original that made the playlist. It first appeared on the Ohio Players Honey album in 1975. In this clip from the television show Midnight Special, you get the bonus of Wolfman Jack doing the intro and some crazy boy dancers. Ahhh the 70's.
Thanks to Ku Promotions for our giveaway this week: two tickets to The Audreys' concert. They're a band of four boys and one girl, playing rootsy kind of music and are based in Adelaide, Australia. They have released two records, one in 2006 called Between Last Night and Us and one in 2008 called When the Flood Comes, both of which has won the ARIA Award for Best Blues and Roots Album. I've seen them perform twice now and they really are a knockout. Their latest album, Sometimes the Stars, features the track TROUBLE SOMEHOW:
I love the collaborative work between Mark Lanegan (ex Queens of the Stone Age) and Isobel Campbell (ex Belle & Sebastian). THE CIRCUS IS LEAVING TOWN is from their latest album, Ballad of the Broken Seas. Here's a great interview with them which features a slice of the song within it. It was shown when Isobel won the Mercury Prize for the album, which she produced.
Total change of pace came with a couple of tracks from the 60's: Al Johnson with CARNIVAL TIME from his 1962 album, Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Freddie Cannon with his hit, PALISADES PARK. And just to mix it up a bit I threw in some Fun Lovin' Criminals with CONEY ISLAND GIRL.
The Stylistics were one of the most successful soul groups of the early 70's and their song SIDESHOW fitted the theme perfectly. As did a true classic from Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – THE TEARS OF A CLOWN.
Nellie the Elephant is a classic children's song written in 1956. It became a UK #1 hit for punk band, The Toy Dolls, when they covered the song in 1983. Michael 'Olga' Algar, led vocalist, guitar and bass player, is the only remaining member of the original line-up, who continue to perform. I love the way that they used the aesthetics of punk to express a real sense of fun.
This following clip is from the Martin Scorsese film The Last Waltz, a documentary of the concert by The Band, held on Thanksgiving Day, November 25 1976. It was advertised as the group's last show and they were joined by an illustrious line-up of talent including Van Morrison. Here they are with CARAVAN:
The Decemberists' songs range from upbeat pop to instrumentally lush ballads, and often employ instruments like the accordian, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer organ and upright bass. In their lyrics, the band rejects the angst and introspection common to modern rock and instead favour a storytelling approach, as evidenced in songs such as MY MOTHER WAS A CHINESE TRAPEZE ARTIST. It's from the 5 Songs EP.
The 1986 Madness song (Waiting for) THE GHOST TRAIN was actually about apartheid in South Africa but hey, I love the title and based on that alone it made the playlist.
"I got blisters on my fingers!!!!" yells Ringo Starr, (I think), at the end of The Beatles' frenetic HELTER SKELTER. Written by Paul McCartney, he deliberately tried to create a sound that was as loud and dirty as possible. Done.
Moving onto something a lot more mellow, it was Alison Goldfrapp with the very beautiful CLOWNS from her 2008 album Seventh Tree. And you thought I only played the old stuff. Oh you of little faith!
With his astonishingly accomplished guitar playing, Stevie Ray Vaughan ignited the blues revival of the '80s. He was inspired equally from bluesmen like Albert King, Otis Rush and Muddy Waters and rock & roll players like Jimi Hendrix and Lonnie Mack as well as the stray jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell, developing a uniquely eclectic and fiery style that sounded like no other guitarist, regardless of genre. It's been said that Vaughan bridged the gap between blues and rock like no other artist had since the late '60s. His tragic death in 1990, at the age of 35 in a helicopter accident, only emphasized his influence in blues and American rock & roll. Here he is with Double Trouble performing TIGHTROPE:
There Goes Rhymin' Simon is the second solo studio album from Paul Simon, released in 1973. the album covers several styles and genres. Our choice from the album was, of course, TAKE ME TO THE MARDI GRAS.
Natalie Merchant has been quoted as saying that she named her first solo album Tigerlily because the word evoked a feeling that was both 'fierce' and delicate'. Released in 1995 the album included the hit single CARNIVAL in which the protaganist compares the colourful sights and sounds of New York with being at a carnival.
A trio of guilty pleasures were lined up next: Back in 1967 The Hollies released ON A CAROUSEL and Manfred Mann were also were enraptured with the circus on HA! HA! SAID THE CLOWN. But the guiltiest of pleasures was still to come: In 1971 Cher released her first chart-topper, as a solo artist, in the United States: GYPSIES, TRAMPS AND THIEVES. Come on, you've gotta love Cher!
Swedish group, The Cardigans, had their first international breakthrough with their 1995 album Life which included the track CARNIVAL, a very cruisy pop tune with the gorgeous Nina Persson on vocals.
Beirut is an interesting band. They're American yet their music combines elements of Eastern European and Balkan folk with Western pop music. They successfully fuse mainstream and indie-rock with the World Music market and consequently have a very unique sound. CAROUSELS, from their 2007 album Lon Gisland, is a great example of their work.
Beirut proved to be a great lead in to our final song of the day, the very gothic CARNY by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. I love the use of accordian on this track (thanks to Warren Ellis). It gives the song an even more intense circus-like feel.
I'm happy to say that I'll be back for another season of the Theme Park, same time same airspace. So keep listening locally on BayFM99.9 or streaming live on BayFM.org. And I'd love to get your suggestions for next week's show, which will be on GAMBLING.
Here's this week's complete playlist:
Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite – Across The Universe, Eddie Izzard
Carnival – The Black Rider, Tom Waits
Love Rollercoaster – Funk Classics, The 70's, Ohio Players
Enter The Circus – Back To Basics, Christina Aguilera
Troubles Somehow – Sometimes the Stars, The Audreys
The Circus Is Leaving Town – Ballad of the Broken Seas Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan
Carnival Time – Mardi Gras In New Orleans, Al Johnson
Palisades Park – The Rock 'n' Roll Classics, Freddy Cannon
Coney Island Girl – Come Find Yourself, Fun Lovin' Criminals
Sideshow – Ultimate Slow Jams 9 [Disc 4], The Stylistics
The Tears Of A Clown – Motown's Biggest Pop Hits, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
Nellie The Elephant – The Wonderful World Of The Toy Dolls, Toy Dolls
Caravan – The Last Waltz [Disc 2], The Band + Van Morrison
My Mother Was A Chinese Trapeze Artist – 5 Songs, The Decemberists
Goodbye Cruel World – Jukebox Hits 1961, James Darren
The Ghost Train – Rock TV Classic, Madness
Helter Skelter – The Beatles (White Album) [Disc 2], The Beatles
Clowns – Seventh Tree, Goldfrapp
Tightrope [Live] – SRV (Disc 3), Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Take Me To The Mardi Gras – There Goes Rhymin' Simon, Paul Simon
Carnival – Tigerlily, Natalie Merchant
Fire Eater – Naturally, Three Dog Night
Ha! Ha! Said The Clown – Manfred Mann
On A Carousel – The Hits Of 1967, The Hollies
Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves – Billboard Top Rock 'N' Roll Hits: 1971, Cher
Carnival – Life, The Cardigans
Carousels – The Lon Gisland EP, Beirut
The Carny – The Best Of, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
I had a lot of fun getting this week's list together because there's just so much to choose from when it comes to DUETS. We opened with the perfectly pitched IT TAKES TWO from Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston. The hit single was released in 1966 on Motown's Tamla label.
Iggy Pop and Deborah Harry do an amazing job with WELL DID YOU EVAH. Who would have thought that Cole Porter's quaint double act from the film High Society,originally sung by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, would be handled so well by two punk icons? Here's a treat: a video created by director Alex Cox ("Sid & Nancy"), that incorporates some of High Society/Frank & Bing with Iggy and Deb's version. Great stuff:
We followed with the hilariously argumentative Otis Redding and Carla Thomas with TRAMP and then some more Marvin Gaye, this time with Tammi Terrell. Until Tammi's death from a brain tumour in 1970, she and Marvin Gaye were regarded as Motown's perfect pairing. Choosing the "best" of Gaye's duets with Terrell is a little crazy, but I chose REAL THING over the much covered 'Aint No Mountain High Enough' which seems to get enough exposure without my help.
Time then for a boy on boy duet: Freddy Mercury and David Bowie's anxious little melodrama, UNDER PRESSURE. Born out of an impromptu jam session, it evolved into one of the most inspiring musical moments of the 1980s.
Dusty Springfield and the Pet Shop Boys' rendition of WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS? helped revive Dusty's career in the U.S. when it was released in 1987. We followed with SOMETIMES ALWAYS from Jim Reid of the Jesus and Mary Chain and his singing partner Hope Sandoval from Mazzy Star. Here's a clip of them performing live at the MTV studios:
Let's face it, country music is the spiritual home of the duet. Two great examples: Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood with the wonderful and haunting SOME VELVET MORNING and JACKSON from Johnny Cash and June Carter.
Iggy Pop seems to love to duet. Last week he featured with Peaches and this week he turns up twice; this time with Kate Pierson of the B-52s. The song? CANDY is the tale of an ex-con reaching out to his lost love after 20 years. It makes brilliant use of Iggy's sly, world-weary baritone and Pierson's sunny tones. The result is an modern-rock classic. Take a look:
PJ Harvey and Thom Yorke, of Radiohead, offered up THIS MESS WE'RE IN. It's kind of what you would expect from these two isn't it? Profoundly gloomy and yet impossibly beautiful. Peter Gabriel with Kate Bush aren't quite as melancholic as she gives Pete some great lifestyle tips on their gorgeous duet DON'T GIVE UP.
Another wonderful duet is COME ON OVER, from Isobel Campbell (ex Belle & Sebastien) and Mark Langegan (ex Queens of the Stone Age). Qualifies for probably the sexiest song on the list this week.
The Youssou N'Dour & Neneh Cherry track SEVEN SECONDS was a huge worldwide hit in 1994. The song is about the first seven seconds in a child's life, when he or she is totally unaware of the problems and violence in the world. A timeless classic:
Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris cover Roy Orbison's LOVE HURTS and do a pretty good job of it but we had to have the real thing and the stand-out duet has to be Roy Orbison and kd lang with, of course, CRYING. Now you didn't think I'd leave that one out did you?
Another goodie that takes a more optimistic viewpoint of partnerships: Chrissie Hynde performing I'VE GOT YOU BABE with UB40. This cover of Sonny & Cher's signature tune was recorded in 1985 and reached #1 in the UK that year, as did the original 20 years earlier.
Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty do a great version of STOP DRAGGIN MY HEART AROUND and Tina Turner and Brian Adams aren't half bad either with their cover of Robert Palmer's ADDICTED TO LOVE.
We followed with a brilliant triple-play: Ray Charles and Gladys Knight with HEAVEN HELP US ALL from the Genius Loves Company album, the great Jackie Wilson and Laverne Baker with THINK TWICE and Al Green and Lyle Lovett singing FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY. Here's proof positive that white men from Texas do have soul:
Another terrific triple play: Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan with ONE TOO MANY MORNINGS followed by Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue with WHERE THE WILD ROSES GROW and the piece de resistance, in my book, Jack White and Loretta Lynn with PORTLAND OREGAN from Loretta's amazing album Van Lear Rose. Love the album, love this song, love this clip:
But when it came to closing the show I couldn't go past a piece of music that sums up, what has to be, a perfect pairing: Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald singing DANCING CHEEK TO CHEEK. Recorded in 1957 and accompanied by the Oscar Petersen trio and Buddy Rich on drums, you can't listen to this song without smiling. As the song goes "Heaven, I'm in heaven…."
Next week's show falls on the 12th of January – My Birthday! Yes I'm a Capricorn, just like Elvis, David Bowie, Annie Lennox …. Ah ha, I'm in great company. So in honour of all of us having birthdays, next week's theme is GOING OUT AND PARTYING. Send me your suggestions.
Thanks for all your support this year. Have a wonderful 2010! Here's this week's playlist:
Next week: GOING OUT AND PARTYING
Listen to Lyn McCarthy at the Theme Park on BayFM, Tuesdays 2-4pm, Sydney time.
Also streaming on http://www.bayfm.org


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The Grand Scheme is a project of Eileen Flynn, a veteran journalist who specializes in religion. She teaches the course Journalism & Religion at the University of Texas and frequently speaks to faith-based and secular groups about media coverage of religion. She also does freelance writing and editing.
Flynn was the religion beat writer at the Austin American-Statesman for many years. A native of Western Massachusetts, she lives in Austin with her husband and two daughters.
June 8, 2009 5:56 pm
Hi Eileen,
Great photo!
I wanted to let you know that my book has just been released. It's "This Little Light: Beyond a Baptist Preacher Predator and His Gang." If you email me a mailing address, I'd be happy to send you a copy.
The book is a combination memoir and exposé that not only tells my personal story, but also documents the beginning of activist efforts to bring clergy accountability to Baptist-land. You can see more info about it here:
Feel free to delete this comment off your blog. I used this method simply because your old Statesman email address bounced.
Hope you're doing well. Best wishes.
Christa Brown
July 29, 2009 11:56 am
Cute kid, Eileen. Bet you're having fun. Even without much sleep.
Diana Dworin permalinkAugust 6, 2009 6:01 pm
So glad to see this blog!
Wendy Conklin permalinkAugust 12, 2009 10:32 am
Hi Eileen,
Do you have contact information where I can reach you concerning consulting work?
Congratulations on the new baby!
September 7, 2009 7:08 am
Dear Eileen,
Congratulations on your baby (I have a 21-month old daughter!). I'm writing to you because I am the publicist for a forthcoming book, Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian (Oneworld Publications, October 2009) by Paul F. Knitter–professor/theologian at Union Seminary in New York.
Without Buddha explores the subject of Christian-Buddhist double belonging and many more. Honest and unflinching, Knitter describes how he overcame a crisis of faith by looking to Buddhism for inspiration. In an engaging and fascinating interview, Knitter can discuss:
•"Passing over" and "passing back" between religious traditions
•The relationship between Buddhism and Christian mysticism
•Buddhism's ideal of "being peace" vs. Christianity's "making peace"
•"Comparative Theology" and "Double-Belonging"
•Spiritual promiscuity versus spiritual hybridity
•Does religion need to lead to violence?
•How can religion be an instrument of peace rather than of conflict?
Please contact me if you would like to interview Paul Knitter for your column in the Austin American-Statesman, or if you want a review copy of Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian.
November 9, 2009 8:17 pm
Hi Eileen,
I'm a fairly new writer (Christian fiction genre) seeking opportunities to get acquainted with blogger-reader sites, and enjoyed your piece about Christian stories having to have a happy ending.
What I like or dislike about a fictional work isn't so much about a happy ending; rather if there are real heroes in it: books whose characters remain unchanged in the process of telling just leave me disappointed. No matter how rascally a character, if he improves and 'gets it' before the story is over, well good! This is what was most satisfying in "What A Christmas!". Mrs. McPugh, my story's villain, didn't come across as lovable but she shaped up considerably.
December 5, 2009 2:35 pm
(Eileen, I sent the following via your Statesman E-mail addy, and copied it to some of my clergy/other friends here in Austin and San Antonio. Unfortunately, your E-mail bounced back. Hope you receive this. – Paul)
Good Afternoon Eileen,
It is always a pleasure and inspiration to read your columns in the Austin American-Statesman, and it was especially so today. You just knocked the ball out of the park in your insightful analysis of "Holiness Lost…" during this season of the year. Your quote of Warren Cole Smith, "that the Christmas wars have ironically become the 'ultimate commercialization of Christmas,'" is right on target. So, a hardy and heartfelt Amen to your poignant and superbly written piece! (Copied below in its entirety)
Thank you, too, for highlighting my good friend and colleague, Roger Temme in your closing paragraphs. Roger is, indeed, a hero in our community of faith. I'm forwarding this to some of his special friends and loyal fans.
Blessings! And, oh, here's wishing you a Happy Advent and Merry Christmas
Paul W. Dodd, D.Min., LPC
Pastoral Counseling and Psychotherapy
January 11, 2010 9:13 am
(I don't remember if you knew me as Kojin or as John Dinsmore of the Austin Zen Center. I am now Cintita. The name changes are confusing everbody, including me. My name as used by different friends and family members is frozen at different points as a record of my religious history.)
I am still here in Myanmar, where I reordained as a Theravada bhikkhu almost a year ago now. But I will return to Austin on March 3. I have Internet access and find myself in anticipation increasingly drawn to what is going on back home. I discovered your blog a couple of days ago and have been very much enjoying it, reading about Robert Jensen and Jim Rigby, the frustrating misunderstandings of Islam on the part of conservative Christians, and so on. It sounds like home.
I hope you are enjoying motherhood.
Bhikkhu Cintita
Barry Chinn permalinkJanuary 22, 2010 12:17 pm
Eileen, It is good to see your writing again in the Statesman! Congratulations on your new baby! Our first grandchild was a year old in November. Our daughter and son-in-law live in Cherryville, North Carolina, so we only get to see them a couple of times a year. Congratulations on your blog and best wishes in all your endeavors!
Happy Trails!
Barry Chinn, Pastor
Cowboy Church of Travis County
f. kwan permalinkJanuary 24, 2010 3:59 pm
Congratulations on the baby!
As I wrote in another comment area, I've been a fan for years. I've decided to follow my dreams and become…a writer about spiritual things. So I thought it would make sense to ask my role model how you got started. 🙂 I see you have "journalism students". Can I apply to be one more? If you have time, you can write me at the above address.
July 8, 2010 1:18 pm
Eileen — When Danny Pearl's father was in town about a year ago, you interviewed him and wrote a marvelous profile. His take on forgiving the unrepentant, in this case his son's captors and killers, was memorable. I find myself wanting to re-read the interview for that morsel but can't find the story in the Statesman's archives. I'm sorry to bother you, but could you possibly send me the date your interview ran or the HL or something, and maybe I'll have better luck finding the story in the archives.
I'm a fan of your writing. Thanks for how well you bring fresh thoughts about faith traditions to the news columns of our paper (and now, I find, on your blog which I'm thrilled to find).
Josie Corning
Dripping Springs
February 1, 2010 12:46 pm
Dear Eileen,
I would like to speak to you about a dynamic and young dharma teacher and activist, Ethan Nichtern, who is coming to Austin in mid-February in connection with the newly-founded Interdependence Project here in Austin. Nichtern is the founder of the meditation/arts/activism non-profit The Interdependence Project in NYC. The website is http://www.theidproject.org. His bio on the site, and he was on NPR and CNN recently in connection with the story concerning Tiger Woods's Buddhist background.
Nichtern is the author of One City: A Declaration of Interdependence. I would like to get you a press copy.
My email is firstname.lastname@example.com.
Thank you.
March 6, 2010 8:32 am
Thanks for the "Faith leaders push for immig. reform" column in the 3-6-10 Statesman.
Note the robust reply (actually a biblical smackdown!) to Edwards by the Hakes:
See also:
Dan Kowalski, http://cenizo.com
March 7, 2010 11:43 am
Please consider mentioning the Hakes' work if you publish a follow-up piece; I'd hate for folks to think that Edwards is the last word on the subject…
July 18, 2010 8:25 pm
Hello Eileen,
I enjoyed your article, Abstract Art Can Have a Place Among the Pews, Pastor Says, in the Austin American Statesman,
Saturday, June 26, 2010. As a follow-up to your article, please visit my web site and read my Artist Statement. If you are
interested, please give me a call and visit my studio.
Thank you
September 6, 2010 10:19 pm
Dear Eileen,
I read your recent Statesman piece with great interest.
In kind, I thought that you would also be interested in this powerful new song/video about the Ground Zero "mosque" controversy…
"Hey American" on YouTube by my friend NYC singer/songwriter David Ippolito.
Please watch:
In the tradition of American folk/rock songwriters such as Dylan, Guthrie, Baez, and Bono, whose music can help change the world, David Ippolito is a voice for PEACE.
"America isn't easy. Principle isn't easy. Living our principles takes genuine courage. Sometimes it's painful. Sometimes it's just plain hard. But if we are to be the people or the country we claim to be, we must live by the principles upon which this nation was founded — or they are not principles… but pleasant and convenient possibilities."
— singer/songwriter DAVID IPPOLITO, New York City
David, a NYC resident with personal connections to 9/11 and the son of a retired NYC fire department deputy chief, is reaching across the divide to encourage tolerance.
Should you want a NYC artist-activist to interview about this controversy, please get in touch.
I am trying to get the word out about the song "Hey American" and its message of peace and tolerance.
Thank you kindly,
Laura Manske
October 11, 2010 10:26 pm
Thank you for your coverage of religious issues for the Statesman and your thoughtful blogging here. Your voice is intelligent, compassionate, and reasonable, bringing light to issues that seem most often to be discussed only heatedly.
As a follow-up to your column in March of last year on religious people grappling with the moral issues related to the need for immigration reform, I want to invite you to an event in Georgetown that is a local effort to counter some of the frightening rhetoric that has emerged from the debate about immigration reform.
Keeping in mind the similarities between the smoldering economic and social turmoil of 1930's Germany and the situation in the U.S. today, the words of Martin Niemoller become a call to action:
They came for the Communists, and then the trade unionists, and then the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist, a trade unionist, or a Jew. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.
Recognizing our common humanity and the imperative to speak out when that is denied to any of us, an interfaith group in Georgetown is holding a public potluck dinner on October 28 at Saint Helen's Catholic Church to build stronger relationships between the Hispanic community and the larger community, while making a statement of solidarity with those Hispanics who are being vilified and scapegoated in the national debate about the need for immigration reform. The event will feature bi-lingual table conversation, music, speakers by representatives of the Catholic and United Methodist leadership of this area, and resource tables with information on topics of interest to the Hispanic community and its allies. Please join us if you can. More information is available by emailing me at email@example.com.
Best wishes,
Susan Wukasch
Georgetown, Texas
Linda Ellis permalinkNovember 20, 2010 1:53 pm
Good Morning Eileen,
I just read your article in the Austin American Statesman. Reading it led to my own personal reflection. The stories of belief in your article confirmed in me even more why I consider myself "spiritual" rather than "religious".
It's no wonder that the statement "If you don't believe, you can't receive" is seen as a religious statement. It's tied to the negatives "don't and "can't". As phrased on the pillow, it sends a lot of mixed signals, but mostly it's a finger-wagging message based in fear. It illustrates the fallacy that in order to have belief/faith we must believe in something outside ourselves. Religious beliefs/doctrines teach us that we, as inherently not so nice people, must rely on some outside source to make us do the right thing. When, in fact, our true belief comes from that inner goodness that is always part of us and always connected to our source (call he/she by any name you wish). To me, we must first believe in our own inner goodness. To create something real and lasting in life (whatever that is), it must come from an authentic place of love, not duty or fear of retribution if we venture too far from the religious doctrine. So it is my choice to change my relationship with my fellow humans, but it's a choice that comes from within me… from a place of love and forgiveness. I'd change the message to read "If I believe, I am open to receive".
Jack Wirtz permalinkDecember 9, 2011 3:22 pm
Christianity is not a set of rules, but the measure of a Christian.
12 Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you.
13 And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you may be able to call these things to mind. (2nd Peter 1:12-15)
13 Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." 17 And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21 who through Him are believers in GOD, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in GOD. 22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of GOD. 24 For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, 25 BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ABIDES FOREVER." And this is the word which was preached to you. (1st Peter 1:13-25)
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2nd Peter 3:17-18)
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:8)
We are not always so much in need of teaching, as in reminding.
Blessings Eileen


text: Michael is an energetic magician who brings the crowd to their feet, He is a master at creating jaw dropping performances for all audiences. His credits include being a reoccurring performer for Toronto's Newest Trick in the Book, receiving two Guinness World Records and performing for Montreal's Just For Laughs Comedy Festival. Michael began his career in 2003 touring across Ontario showcasing his acclaimed Yo-Yo routine. His shows include a wide range of exciting, interactive and memorable illusions that will leave you wanting more. His number one priority is to make your show an extraordinary event.


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Discussion in 'People Photography' started by ValDR, Mar 26, 2009.
C&C are welcomed.
Come on people. Is this so bad ???
Helloooooooooo .............................
Thx anywhay
i really like this shot actually.
i like the silhouette and the path that leads through the doorway.
nicely done
Definitely NOT bad, not bad at all. I like the interesting shape of the light portion against which the man is silhouetted, and the way you framed it.
I like the lines and the bricks on the side of the frame, add good dimension to the shot.
The composition is nice overall, however I'm not a fan of the amount of black in the top of the archway. Hard to control, I know, but I find it removes from what I see is the main subject, the silouhette.
But hey, way better than what I can do
As for the lack of replies, I have seen a trend where you either get replies if you picture is sub par, and you get people giving pointers and tips, or if the picture is really amazing. So the 60% of pictures in between get a few replies. Nothing bad, most of mine go by without many replies too
It could be the timing too...many spots in North America are currently on 'March break', so there could be a lot fewer people on line here if they're away on vacation with the kids.
Thank you all for your reply. I'm glad you like it. :cheers:
Yes you are right, I've noticed after you told me :blush2: . I'll try to return to the raw file and see if I can change something... Many thanks.
Very nice i love b/w pictures
I like it, if I were you when you shot this I would have struggled with setting the focus on the sillouette and the doorway.
Separate names with a comma.


text:
Material: Silver
Stone: floral petal
Size : Height: 3.5 cm, Width: 2.3 cm
Weight : 0.25oz (7 gram)
Product Features :
This is a round shape pendant with floral petal around with exotic pattern accentuated by the crystal in the centre. It has bajra inked inside the transparent stone. It has a loop to be hung from a chain. It weigh 7 grams.
► All our silver jewelery product listed are handmade.
►Is minimum 92.5% pure sterling silver.
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►Money back guarantee if our silver jewelery does not meet our promised purity standard.
Other Notes.
This item is handmade. As with all handcrafted work, it creates variations in color, size and design. Slight difference can be expected from one piece to other. Also color discrepancies may occur between this product and your computer screen.
Product is made in Nepal.


text:
New boats 2017
2016 September 1
We run down some of the new sailboats hitting the water for 2017
Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 62
Scheduled to make its U.S. debut in Annapolis, the new flagship from Beneteau boasts an elegant profile and accommodates family and friends with ease and style. Twin rudders, a clean deck, plumb bow and hard chine are noticeable right away. Belowdecks, three- and four-cabin layout options are available. LOA 64'9"; Beam 17'6"; Draft 9'6"; Displ. 53,271 lbs.; Sail area 1,959 sq. ft., www.beneteauamerica.com. Price: $1.3 million
Scheduled boat show: Annapolis
Next: Oyster 745


text:
Kabam, the San Francisco-based game maker responsible for popular browser and mobile games such as The Godfather: Five Families and Arcane Empires, will be releasing two new Hobbit games in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment this fall.
The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle-earth is a mobile phone and tablet MMORTS (massively multiplayer online real time strategy) game in which players are tasked with building and managing their own towns in a format similar to Arcane Empires. The Hobbit: Armies of the Third Age is browser-based. Both games will be playable for free, with the games being monetised through virtual goods).
To participate in an early beta, visit Kabam's website.