text:
Summary of American Idol Season 1-10- DVD Box Set
Season 1
The first season of American Idol debuted as a summer replacement show in June 2002 on the Fox network. It was co-hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman.
In the audition rounds, 121 contestants were selected from around 10,000 who attended the auditions. These were cut to 30 for the semifinal, with ten going on to the finals. One semifinalist, Delano Cagnolati, was disqualified for lying to escape the show's age cutoff. One of the early favorites to win the show, Tamyra Gray, was eliminated at the top four, the first of several such shock eliminations that were to be repeated in later seasons. Christina Christian was hospitalized before the top six result show due to chest pains and palpitations, and she was eliminated while she was in the hospital. Jim Verraros was the first openly gay contestant on the show; his sexual orientation was revealed in his online journal, however it was removed during the competition after a request from the show producers over concerns that it might be unfairly influencing votes.
The final showdown was between Justin Guarini, one of the favorites, and Kelly Clarkson. Clarkson was not initially thought of as a contender, but impressed the judges with some good performances in the final rounds, such as her performance of Aretha Franklin's "Natural Woman", and Betty Hutton's "Stuff Like That There", and eventually won the crown on September 4, 2002.
In what was to become a tradition, Clarkson performed the coronation song during the finale, and released the song immediately after the season ended. The single, "A Moment Like This", went on to break a 38-year-old record held by The Beatles for the biggest leap to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Justin Guarini did not release any song immediately after the show and remains the only runner-up not to do so. Both Clarkson and Guarini made a musical film, From Justin to Kelly, which was released in 2003 but was widely panned. Clarkson has since become the most successful Idol contestant around the world, with worldwide album sales of more than 23 million.
Starting September 30, 2006, this season was repackaged as "American Idol Rewind" and syndicated directly to stations in the US.
Season 2
Following the success of season one, the second season was moved up to air in January 2003. The number of episodes increased, as did the show's budget and the charge for commercial spots. Dunkleman left the show, leaving Seacrest as the lone host. Kristin Adams was originally announced as a co-host, but her role was reduced to special correspondent upon airing.
Corey Clark was disqualified during the finals for having an undisclosed police record, however, he later alleged that he and Paula Abdul had an affair while on the show and that this contributed to his expulsion. Clark also claimed that Abdul gave him preferential treatment on the show due to their affair. The allegations were dismissed by Fox after an independent investigation. Two semi-finalists were also disqualified that year – Jaered Andrews for an arrest on an assault charge, and Frenchie Davis for having previously modelled for an adult website.
Ruben Studdard emerged as the winner, beating Clay Aiken by a small margin. Out of a total of 24 million votes, Studdard finished just 134,000 votes ahead of Clay Aiken. This slim margin was controversial due to the large number of calls that failed to get through. In an interview prior to season five, exe cutive producer Nigel Lythgoe indicated that Aiken had led the fan voting from the wildcard week onward until the finale.
Both finalists were successful after the show, but Clay Aiken out-performed Ruben's coronation song "Flying Without Wings" with his single release from the show "This Is the Night", as well as in their subsequent album releases. The fourth-place finisher Josh Gracin also enjoyed some success as a country singer.
Season 3
Season three premiered on January 19, 2004. One of the most talked-about contestants during the audition process was William Hung whose off-key rendition of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" received widespread attention. His exposure on Idol landed him a record deal and surprisingly he became the third best-selling singer from that season.
Much media attention on the season had been focused on the three African American singers, Fantasia Barrino, LaToya London, and Jennifer Hudson, dubbed the Three Divas. All three unexpectedly landed on the bottom three on the top seven result show, with Jennifer Hudson controversially eliminated. Elton John, who was one of the mentors that season, called the results of the votes "incredibly racist." The prolonged stays of John Stevens and Jasmine Trias in the finals, despite negative comments from the judges, had aroused resentment, so much so that John Stevens reportedly received a death threat, which he dismissed as a joke 'blown out of proportion'.
The performance of "Summertime" by Fantasia Barrino, later known simply as "Fantasia", at Top 8 was widely praised, and Simon Cowell considered it as his favorite Idol moment in the nine seasons he was on the show. Fantasia and Diana DeGarmo were the last two finalists remaining at the finale, and Fantasia was crowned as the winner. Fantasia released as her coronation single "I Believe", a song co-written by season one finalist Tamyra Gray, and Diana DeGarmo released "Dreams". Fantasia went on to gain some successes as a recording artist, whilst Jennifer Hudson, who placed seventh became the only Idol-contestant so far to win both an Academy Award and a Grammy.
Season 4
Season four premiered on January 18, 2005; this was the first season of the series to be aired in high definition, although the finale of season three was also aired in high definition. The number of those attending the auditions by now had increased to over 100,000 from the 10,000 of the first season. The age limit was raised to 28 in this season, among those who benefited from this new rule were Constantine Maroulis and Bo Bice, "the two rockers" of the show. The presence of more rock-oriented contestants inspired more rock musicians to audition in later seasons, such as Chris Daughtry in season five.
The top 12 finalists originally included Mario Vazquez, but he dropped out citing 'personal reasons' and was replaced by Nikko Smith. Later, an employee of Freemantle Media which produces the show sued the company for wrongful termination, claiming that he was dismissed after complaining about lewd behavior by Mario Vazquez toward him during the show.
At top 11, due to a mix-up with the contestants' telephone number, voting was repeated on what was normally the result night, with the result reveal postponed until the following night.
In May 2005, Carrie Underwood was announced to be the winner, with Bo Bice the runner-up. Both Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice released the coronation song "Inside Your Heaven". Carrie Underwood has since become the most successful Idol contestant in the U.S. in terms of album sales, selling over 12 million units.
Season 5
Season five began on January 17, 2006. It remains the highest-rated season in the show's run so far. Two of the more prominent contestants during the Hollywood round were the Brittenum twins who were later disqualified for identity theft.
Chris Daughtry's performance of Fuel's "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" on the show was widely praised and led to an invitation to join the band as Fuel's new lead singer, an invitation he declined. His performance of Live's version of "I Walk the Line" was well-received by the judges but later criticized in some quarters for not crediting the arrangement to Live. He was eliminated at the top four in a shock result.
On May 30, 2006, Taylor Hicks was named American Idol, with Katharine McPhee the runner-up. "Do I Make You Proud" was released as Taylor Hicks' first single and "My Destiny" Katharine McPhee's. Katherine McPhee is currently starring in the TV series Smash.
Other contestants from this season, such as Bucky Covington, Mandisa, Kellie Pickler, and Elliott Yamin have had varying levels of success, but Chris Daughtry/a.k.a. Daughtry has had the most success in the recording industry. This season remains the most productive in the number of successful recording artists it generated.
Season 6
Season six began on Tuesday, January 16, 2007. The premiere drew a massive audience of 37.3 million viewers, peaking in the last half hour with more than 41 million viewers.
Teenager Sanjaya Malakar was the season's most talked-about contestant for his unusual hairdo, and for managing to survive elimination for many weeks due in part to the weblog Vote for the Worst and satellite radio personality Howard Stern, who both encouraged fans to vote for him. However, on April 18, Sanjaya was voted off. Semi-finalist Antonella Barba also drew some attention due to racy photographs of her which emerged during the show.
This season saw the first ever Idol Gives Back telethon-inspired event, which raised more than $76 million in corporate and viewer donations. No contestant was eliminated that week, but two, Phil Stacey and Chris Richardson, were eliminated the next. Melinda Doolittle, an early favorite, was eliminated on top three.
On the May 23, 2007, season finale, Jordin Sparks was declared the winner against runner-up Blake Lewis. Sparks has enjoyed some success as a recording artist post-Idol.
This season also saw the launch of the American Idol Songwriter contest which allowed fans to vote for the "coronation song". Thousands of recordings of original songs were submitted by songwriters, and 20 entries selected for the public vote. The winning song, "This Is My Now", was performed by both finalists during the finale and released by the winner Jordin Sparks on May 24, 2007.
Season 7
Season seven premiered on January 15, 2008, for a two-day, four-hour premiere. The media focused on the professional status of the season seven contestants, the so-called 'ringers', many of whom had prior records deals, such as Kristy Lee Cook, Brooke White, Michael Johns, and in particular Carly Smithson. Contestant David Hernandez also attracted some attention due to his past working as a stripper.
For the finals, American Idol debuted a new state-of-the-art set and stage on March 11, 2008, along with a new on-air look. David Cook's performance of "Billie Jean" on top ten night was lauded by the judges, but provoked controversy when they apparently mistook the Chris Cornell arrangement to be David Cook's own even though the performance was introduced as Cornell's version. Cornell himself said he was 'flattered' and praised David Cook's performance. David Cook was taken to the hospital after the top nine performance show due to heart palpitations and high blood pressure.
David Archuleta's performance of John Lennon's "Imagine" was considered by many as one of the best of the season. Jennifer Lopez, who was brought in as a judge in season ten, cited it as a beautiful-song moment that she will never forget. Jason Castro's semi-final performance of "Hallelujah" also received considerable attention, and it propelled Jeff Buckley's version of the song to the top of the Billboard digital song chart. This is the first season whereby contestants' recordings were released onto iTunes after their performances, and although sales information were not released so as not to prejudice the contest, leaked information indicated contestants' songs frequently reached the top of iTunes sales chart.
Idol Gives Back returned on April 9, 2008, and raised $64 million for charity. The finalists were David Cook and David Archuleta, the first time in the show's history where neither of the top two were ever in the bottom three. David Cook was announced the winner of American Idol season seven on May 21, 2008, the first 'rocker' to win the show.
The American Idol Songwriter contest was also held this season. From ten of the most popular submissions, each of the final two contestants chose a song to perform, although neither of their selections was used as the "coronation song". The winning song, "The Time of My Life", was recorded by David Cook and released on May 22, 2008, and is the best-selling of all coronation songs to date. Both David Cook and David Archuleta are successful as recording artists.
Season 8
Season eight began on January 13, 2009. Mike Darnell, the president of alternative programming for Fox, stated that the season would focus more on the contestants' reality and emotional state, much early attention on the show was therefore focused on the widowerhood of Danny Gokey as well as characters like Tatiana Del Toro and Nick Mitchell.
In the first major change to the judging panel, a fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi, was introduced; Paula Abdul, however, left the show after the season ended. This was also the first season without ex ecutive producer Nigel Lythgoe who left to focus on the international versions of his show So You Think You Can Dance. The Hollywood round was moved to the Kodak Theatre for 2009 and was also extended to two weeks. Idol Gives Back was cancelled for this season due to the global recession at the time.
There were 13 finalists this season, but two were eliminated in its first result show of the finals. A new feature introduced was the "Judges' Save", and Matt Giraud was saved from elimination at the top seven by the judges when he received the fewest votes. The next week, Lil Rounds and Anoop Desai were eliminated.
The two finalists were Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, both of whom had previously landed in the bottom three at the top five. Kris Allen won the contest in the most controversial voting result since season two. It was claimed, later retracted, that 38 million of the 100 million votes cast on the night came from Kris Allen's home state of Arkansas alone, and that AT&T employees unfairly influenced the votes by giving lessons on power-texting at viewing parties in Arkansas.
Both Kris Allen and Adam Lambert released the coronation song, "No Boundaries" which was co-written by DioGuardi. Both also enjoyed some success as recording artists, although this is the first season in which the winner has failed to achieve gold album status, and none from that season achieved platinum album status in the US.
Season 9
Season nine premiered on January 12, 2010. The upheaval at the judging panel continued. Ellen DeGeneres joined as a judge to replace Paula Abdul at the start of Hollywood Week, however, she left after the season finished, as did Simon Cowell who left to launch the US version of The X Factor. Kara DioGuardi's contract was not renewed for the next season.
One of the most prominent auditioners that season was General Larry Platt whose performance of "Pants on the Ground" became a viral hit song.
Crystal Bowersox, who has Type-I diabetes, fell ill due to diabetic ketoacidosis on the morning of the girls performance night for the top 20 week and was hospitalized. The schedule was rearranged so the boys performed first and she could perform the following night instead; she later revealed that Ken Warwick, the show producer, wanted to disqualify her but she begged to be allowed to stay on the show.
Michael Lynche was the lowest vote getter at top nine and was given the Judges' Save. The next week Katie Stevens and Andrew Garcia were eliminated. That week Adam Lambert was invited back to be a mentor, the first Idol alum to do so. Idol Gives Back returned this season on April 21, 2010, and raised 45 million.
A special tribute to Simon Cowell was presented in the finale for his final season with the show. Many figures from the show's past, including Paula Abdul, made an appearance.
This was the second season where neither of the final two contestants, Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox, had been in the bottom two or three. Lee DeWyze was declared the winner during the May 26 finale. No new song was used as coronation song this year; instead, the two finalists each released a cover song – Lee DeWyze chose U2's "Beautiful Day", and Crystal Bowersox chose Patty Griffin's "Up to the Mountain". This is the first season where neither finalist achieved significant album sales.
Season 10
Season ten of the series premiered on January 19, 2011, on Fox. Many changes were introduced this season, from the format to the personnel of the show. Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler joined Randy Jackson as judges, while Nigel Lythgoe returned as e xecutive producer. Jimmy Iovine, chairman of the Interscope Geffen A&M Records group, the new partner of American Idol, acted as the in-house mentor in place of weekly guest mentors, although in later episode special guest mentors such as Beyoncé, will.i.am and Lady Gaga were brought in.
Season ten is the first to include online auditions where contestants could submit a forty second video audition via Myspace. Karen Rodriguez was one such auditioner and reached the final rounds.
One of the more prominent contestants this year was Chris Medina, whose story of caring for his brain-damaged fiancée received widespread coverage. Casey Abrams, who suffers from ulcerative colitis, was hospitalized twice and missed the Top thirteen result show. He had the fewest votes at Top eleven but was saved by the judges, and as a result, the season 10 was the first season to have eleven finalists go on tour instead of ten.
Pia Toscano, one of the presumed favorites to advance far in the season, was unexpectedly eliminated on April 7, 2011, finishing in ninth place. Her elimination drew criticism from some former Idol contestants, as well as actor Tom Hanks.
The two finalists in 2011 were Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery, both teenage country singers. Scotty McCreery won the competition on May 25, 2011, being the youngest male winner and the fourth male in a row to win American Idol. McCreery released his first single, "I Love You This Big", as his coronation song, and Alaina released "Like My Mother Does". McCreery's debut album, Clear as Day, became the first debut album by an Idol winner to reach number one on the US Billboard 200 since Ruben Studdard's Soulful in 2003.


text:
Bernier and Oakley appear to have moved their Headquatres to Apsense but there are a lot of Adlanders who are noticable by their abssence. Has anybody heard of Adland's "magic Queen award," received by Jaz4U
Participating in the community has awarded me recognition that have added to my online credibility, i.e., Person of the Week, Person of the Year, "Network Magic Queen" ~ a special community recognition that has only been awarded once.
AdlandPro has everthing a beginner needs to launch a new start-up and can generate new business for established businesses, ANYWHERE on Earth that has access to the Internet!
You may be also interested in them.
AdlandPro is still Promptly Paying Affiliates
AdlandPro is still paying me to promote my business site as well as offer business tools anyone can use. I just publish the mirror site and offer AdlandPro products and services alongside my bus...

subset: commoncrawl


text: The cell phones are of great necessity in todays world. Can there be doubts about the same? Well, let us tell you absolutely not! There is no doubt in the fact that with the help of the cell phones life become so easy. But then again are you sure that https://price47l.weebly.com/


text:
Begin your BathWraps transformation by choosing all the ways you want to customize your new bathing area. Please fill out the form below to speak to an authorized BathWraps dealer and receive our no-haggle pricing.
From stunning stone patterns to sleek fixtures and convenient shelving, you'll have a wide range of options to choose from to create the shower you've always dreamed of.Need Help?


text:
Summer Special: Accessories
The last blog in my summer beauty special! This one is all about the other bits and pieces that are useful beauty accessories throughout the summer months and holidays.
Halo Wipes
These handbag essential wipes from Halo are amazing for use on holidays and particularly if you are going to any festivals over the summer. The range includes Eye Makeup Remover Pads, Deodorant Wipes, Toilet and Surface Wipes, Moist Toilet Tissue and Handy Hygienic Wipes. I love these handy wipes as they fit really easily in to even small bags and are perfect for holidays if like me, you end up taking too many toiletries and makeup…..and the luggage allowance is never enough. My favourites are the eye makeup remover wipes and also the handy hygienic wipes, I have a young daughter and I always take these on holiday to wipes hands when we are out and about.
Halo wipes are available at Tesco, Sainsburys, Spar, Superdrug and Boots stores.
Victoria Green Makeup Bags at Debenhams
I always like to get a new makeup/toiletry bag when I go on holiday and I love this new range from Victoria Green. The collection from British designer Victoria Green contains eight different beauty bags ranging in designs all based on the countryside, from spots and daisys to meadows and swallows.
I will be using this cute daisy print one (below) for my makeup when I go on holiday. I love the bold prints and bright summery colours and they also hold a surprising amount too!
The bags from Victoria Green are available at Debenhams and retail between £6 – £18 for a beauty bag.
Soft & Gentle 48hr Protection Anti Perspirant Deodorants
Soft & Gentle have relaunched their deodorants with a new revitalised range, featuring their hardest working formula which provides 48 hour protection. They have also introduced three new fragrances to the collection which includes Pear & Cottonflower, Orange Blossom & Grapefruit and Pink Grapefruit. They are all fresh summery fruity fragrances and my favourite is the Pear and Cottonflower scent! They are all very gentle on the skin, even the sprays and don't irritate the underarm area at all like some deodorant sprays I have used in the past.
Available at most chemists and supermarkets (the Pink Grapefruit fragrance is exclusive to Asda.)
Wilkinson Sword Intuition Razor Sensitive Care
Another summer essential…razors to ensure my legs are ready for sundresses and shorts. The Intuition is a 3 in 1 razor which lathers, shaves and moisturises in one step. Again, perfect for cutting down on toiletries in luggage! It contains Natural Aloe and Vitamin E and is especially good for sensitive skin as the name suggests. I have found this razor to be really gentle whilst still being highly effective. I sometimes get red raised bumps on my legs after using some razors but this one is great as it is so gentle and leaves the skin very soft after use.
Wilkinson Sword Intuition Sensitive Care retails at £6.49 at Boots and other leading retailers.
Colgate Toothpaste – Max White One Optic
Although not strictly summer related, I had to include this new whitening toothpaste from Colgate, Max White One Optic. Teeth always tend to look a bit whiter when you have a tan, so after using this product they look even better! This toothpaste helps to give visibly whiter teeth after continued use, it contains optic brighteners which leave teeth looking brighter right from the first use. I have been using for a couple of weeks and definitely think my teeth look brighter than when I have used other whitening toothpastes.
Available from most supermarkets and Boots stores.
I've come to the end of my summer beauty special now. I hope I have given you some good recommendations for beauty products to use throughout the summer months and I would be interested to hear any comments you might have or any of your own summer beauty product must haves.
To read the other articles in the summer beauty special click on the links below:


text:
Stunning Waterfront Views
Walking through the front door, the worries of the world simply drain away as you cast your gaze across the Derwent River. When the tide is low, the walk along the foreshore to Lower Sandy Bay is splendid. Dolphins and whales swim by your full length windows not to mention the cruise ships as well as the Sydney to Hobart yachts. Once inside it's hard to tell that you're inside a block of units. Featuring large main bedroom with built in robe plus second bedroom which could be used as a study or dining room, fantastic views from the lounge with electric heating, bathroom with shower over bath and servicable kitchen with laundry facilities. Whitegoods included. One carport space. Available now for a 12 month lease.


text:
Donelan, H; Pattinson, C and Palmer-Brown, D
PDF (Not Set)
- Requires a PDF viewer such as GSview, Xpdf or Adobe Acrobat Reader
Download (250kB)
|Google Scholar:
|Look up in Google Scholar
A novel method for the analysis and interpretation of data that describes the interaction between trainee network managers and a network management training tool is presented. A simulation based approach is currently being used to train network managers, through the use of a simulated network. The motivation is to provide a tool for exposing trainees to a life like situation without disrupting a live network. The data logged by this system describes the detailed interaction between trainee network manager and simulated network. The work presented here provides an analysis of this interaction data that enables an assessment of the capabilities of the trainee network manager as well as an understanding of how the network management tasks are being approached. A neural network architecture is implemented in order to perform an exploratory data analysis of the interaction data. The neural network employs a novel form of continuous self-organisation to discover key features in the data and thus provide new insights into the learning and teaching strategies employed.
|Item Type:
|Journal Item
|network management; simulation based training tool; neural networks; data analysis
|Academic Unit/School:
|Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) > Computing and Communications
Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
|Item ID:
|Depositing User:
|Helen Donelan
|Date Deposited:
|24 Oct 2006
|Last Modified:
|08 Dec 2018 06:45
|Share this page:
Download history for this item
These details should be considered as only a guide to the number of downloads performed manually. Algorithmic methods have been applied in an attempt to remove automated downloads from the displayed statistics but no guarantee can be made as to the accuracy of the figures.


text:
Madame de... AKA The Earrings of Madame de... (1953) - classic romance/drama from director Max Ophüls, starring Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux and Vittorio De Sica
Rating 8.1/10
Runtime: 100 min
Language: French/Turkish
Country: France/Italy
Directed by: Max Ophüls
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046022/
Charles Boyer ... Général André de...
Danielle Darrieux ... Comtesse Louise de...
Vittorio De Sica ... Baron Fabrizio Donati
Jean Debucourt ... Monsieur Rémy
Jean Galland ... Monsieur de Bernac
Mireille Perrey ... La Nourrice
Description: In the end of the Nineteenth Century, in Paris, the futile Countess Louise is spending too much money and decides to sell the valuable earrings her wealthy husband, General André, gave to her in their wedding to the jeweler Mr. Rémy to pay her debts. Then she lies to her husband telling that she has lost them in the theater. When the general resolves to call the police, Mr. Rémy visits his client and discloses the truth about the earrings. General André secretly buys the earrings again and gives to his mistress Lola that is moving to Constantinople. Lola gambles and loses, and needs to sell the earrings. The Italian diplomat Baron Fabrizio Donati sees the earrings in a window of a pawn shop, he buys them. Donati travels to Paris and meets Louise, and they become lovers. He gives the earrings to Louise and she tells another lie to her husband, telling that she found them in her drawer. Her little lies lead the lovers to a tragedy...
Download link (torrent file):
Video and audio information:
Video : 2.43 GB, 3467 Kbps, 23.976 fps, 768x576 (4:3), V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC x264 core 142
Audio : 138/54 MB (main/commentary), 192/75 Kbps, 48000 Hz, 1/2 channel(s), 0x55 = AC3/AAC, CBR/VBR
Subtitles (English closed captions embedded in a movie, to play them choose Subtitle=>Sub Track in VLC Player and separate English, Spanish, French) posters and screenshots included
Dual audio track information
This movie contains two audio tracks, one is original French, and the other is commentary by film scholars Susan White and Gaylyn Studlar. You can use VLC Player to easily choose between any of audio tracks (Audio => Audio track and switch to main audio track on Track 1, commentary on Track 2)


text:
News release
ARDC responds to racial incitement by Israeli journalist, Ben Caspit
The Israel Post and Jerusalem Post recently published a statistically and factually misleading article by Ben Caspit ("South Tel Aviv: Abandoned by the State"), a widely respected Israeli journalist, regarding asylum seekers and the abandoned and neglected southern neighbourhoods of Tel Aviv.
Whilst his article is littered with fallacies, ARDC debunks the top eight inaccuracies cited by Caspit in his inflammatory article. This includes, for example, his considerable inflation of the number of asylum seekers currently in Israel (despite the fact that the correct figure is publically available); his assessment that those fleeing Eritrea and Sudan cannot be legitimate refugees; his description of the ease with which asylum seekers can open a business; and his accusation that asylum seekers are the cause of the area's general deterioration.
ARDC does not dispute the description of South Tel Aviv as a neighbourhood rife with drugs, prostitution, trafficking and crime.
Caspit, however, fails to recognize that both the long-term residents of South Tel Aviv and asylum seekers are victims of the government's failure to act. Harsh government policies combined with lack of intervention results in exploitation and extortion in the work place and the rental market for asylum seekers.
Note –
Israel to deport refugees – Here is an article published in Live Encounters a year ago – Asylum seekers in Tel Aviv Special Report by Steven Beck, Director of Israel – Diaspora Relations- Be kind to the stranger for we were once strangers… LINK


text:
Precision Board is a wonderful substrate. It routed superbly. It holds detail well. Unlike wood Precision Board will not warp, check or split. Paint adheres well. Properly coated Precision Board lasts a long time. But one thing Precision Board and all HDU's are not is structural. Many screw frameworks to the back of their signs but for me that messes things up in a nasty, temporary looking way.
I tend to overbuild just about everything we tackle but I dislike failures intensely. I'd rather spend a little more time and effort to do things right once. It is just one of the things that separates our work from a lot out there.
For our house project we created sign for many of the trades and suppliers. They are lined up out front for the duration of the project. When it is done they will be given to them for their own use.
The signs measure about four feet wide. Each has a steel frame laminated inside for maximum strength.
I routed the sign in three layers. The front layer was from 1.5″ 30 lb precision Board. I covered that is the previous post. The middle layer was routed in two pieces with slots cut to allow the 1″ x 1″ square tubing to fit inside the sign. I cut and welded up the steel frame in a few minutes.
Once the welds had cooled it was time to start the gluing process. I used PBBond 240. It is a one part glue made by Coastal Enterprises. I dumped a puddle on the back sign piece and then spread it out with a stir stick. Old hotel key cards work great for this purpose. Then I misted the sign with a water sprayer to activate the glue.
The next layer (middle portions) of the sign were lined up and laid into place. THe welded steel frame was also laid into place at this stage. More PB BOND 240glue was spread, sprayed and spritzed with water.
Then the routed face of the sign was paid on top and everything lined up perfectly. Lots of clamps are critical at this point. The glue tends to bubble up as it activates and will expand between layers. The first time I used it I thought some heavy weights would do the trick. when I came back the next morning the sign layers looked like a deck of cards as the glue had expanded and then twisted as it dried. I learned that clamps were necessary to keep things in line and the more clamps are much better than less.
Properly glued and clamped the seams are all but invisible and hold forever.
Published with permission from precisionboard.blogspot.com. Source.


text:
Sponsored By
'Glee' Actor Mark Salling Dies In Apparent SuicideThe 35-year-old pleaded guilty to child pornography charges in December.
'Glee' Actor Pleads Guilty To Child Porn, Could Get 7 Years In Prison"Glee" actor Mark Wayne Salling plead guilty Monday to possessing child pornography.
'Glee' Actor Arrested On Suspicion Of Possession Of Child PornActor Mark Salling of TV's "Glee" has been arrested on alleged possession of child porn, authorities said Tuesday.
California Theater Program Translates To Professional SuccessBy enhancing their theater program beyond an extra-curricular activity, students at Burlingame High School in the Bay Area are acquiring life skills in the drama department and utilizing them in their other classes.
Jane Lynch, Wife Finalize Divorce In Los Angeles A judge has finalized Jane Lynch's divorce from her wife more than four years after the couple were married.
Emmys To Honor Monteith, Gandolfini, 3 OthersThe Emmy Awards will feature five special memorial tributes, including one to "Glee" star Cory Monteith, organizers said.
Comedy Giants Contend For Emmys: Which Actors Will Bring Home The Win?The comedy categories in this year's prime time Emmy Awards are packed with major talent. From Lena Dunham to Bob Newhart, there are major stars vying for the top honors this year. Check out who might take home the Emmy - do you agree?
Lea Michele Tearfully Dedicates Her Teen Choice Award To Cory MonteithLea Michele made her first public appearance following the death of her co-star and real-life boyfriend Cory Monteith at Sunday's Teen Choice Awards.
Lea Michele Breaks Silence After Monteith Death Lea Michele is breaking her silence online after her "Glee" co-star and real-life boyfriend Cory Monteith died of an overdose earlier this month.
'Glee' Cast, Crew Hold Memorial For Cory MonteithTwentieth Century Fox Television says "Glee" co-star and Monteith's real-life girlfriend Lea Michele and show creator Ryan Murphy gathered the show's cast and crew for a memorial on Thursday.
'Glee' Season Delayed By Cory Monteith's DeathFox TV says that production will be delayed on its series "Glee" because of the death of star Cory Monteith.
Coroner: Cory Monteith Died From Heroin, Alcohol OverdoseThe British Columbia Coroner Tuesday confirmed that "Glee" star Cory Monteith died from an overdose of heroin and alcohol.
Westboro Baptist Church Vows To Picket Cory Monteith's FuneralThe controversial Westboro Baptist Church is vowing to picket the impending funeral of 'Glee' star Cory Monteith.
'Glee' Star Cory Monteith Found Dead Police in Vancouver say actor and "Glee" star Cory Monteith has been found dead in a hotel room.
Films, TV Shows Vie For Producers Guild Awards SaturdayThe black-and-white, silent Hollywood homage "The Artist" and writer/director Alexander Payne's family drama "The Descendants" will be among the films looking for a major boost toward the Oscars Saturday night at the Producers Guild of America Awards.


text:
Samsung Galaxy Note8 | Pre-order.
See the bigger picture and communicate in a whole new way with the Galaxy Note8 in your hand, bigger things are just waiting to happen.
A whole new way to communicate
Use the S Pen to express yourself in ways that make a difference. Draw your own emojis to show how you feel or write a message on a photo and send it as a handwritten note. Do things that matter with the S Pen.
Clear and steady photos even in low light
Get crisp photos even when it's dark and it's difficult to keep your phone steady. The Galaxy Note8's dual camera comes with great low-light capabilities that you've come to expect from Galaxy phones, while the telephoto lens gives you 2x optical zoom for you to capture the near and far. Both have optical image stabilisation so you get steady shots even when zoomed in.
Do more with the high-performing phone
Whether you're downloading games or multitasking, it's fast and seamless on the Galaxy Note8, because the high-performing 10nm mobile processor and 6GB RAM make things run smoothly. Plus, with wireless charging capabilities, power is on your side.
The Infinity Display that's larger than life
- Infinity Display
- 6.3″ screen
- 18.5:9 aspect ratio
More screen means more space to do great things. Go big with the Galaxy Note8's 6.3″ screen*. It's the largest ever screen on a Note device and it still fits easily in your hand.
*Measured diagonally, the screen size is 6.3″ in the full rectangle and 6.2″ without accounting for the rounded corners.
Connect to a bigger world with Phone+
The Galaxy Note8 is your portal to a new world when connected to this range of devices and interfaces. It's a world where boundaries are pushed and barriers broken, so you can see more, share more, and do a whole lot more—effortlessly.
Turn your phone into a desktop-like experience
Some things are just done faster and better when you have a full-size keyboard and a big monitor. With your Galaxy Note8 and the DeX Station*, you only need to connect to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse and that hotel lobby or airport lounge is now your new office.
*DeX Station and accessories including monitor, keyboard, mouse, and HDMI cable sold separately.
Pre-order the Galaxy Note8 now
Claim a DeX station from Samsung* and turn your phone into a desktop
*Participating retailers only. Pre-order by 14.09.17. Claim from Samsung 30-60 days after pre-order. Galaxy Note8 device must be received and not returned. Full Ts and Cs apply.
DeX unit does not come with a Keyboard, Mouse, Charging cable or HDMI cable in box (power is supplied). In order to use DeX you need a full HD compatible display that supports an HDMI connection (DVI is not compatible). Monitor not included.
Galaxy Note8 Specifications
2.3 GHz + 1.7GHz Octa core
Aluminium 7000 series
Infinity Display
6.3" Dual curved
Iris scanner


text:
I feel simpatico with anyone who went to Sarah Lawrence College when I was there in the mid-late 1990's, and Barrie Gelles is one of those people. When I met her again making theater downtown in the 2000's, it was "let's work together on something immediately" at first sight. She directed for Sticky at Bowery Poetry Club, bringing her own perspectives, and new actors, to the show, and presented a few of my plays in her reading series in Cobble Hill, Bk. I hope she won't mind my telling you that one of the great things about working with her is that she somehow maintains a positive, collaborative-yet-in-charge attitude, while still projecting a healthy cynicism.
I'm always amazed by how much she's got going on, and how well she seems to handle it, so I figured I'd talk to her about The Baker's Wife, a musical she's directing that just opened at The Gallery Players, and how she keeps it all together.
You're directing The Baker's Wife, which is a musical about a difficult marriage. Do you find that your own marriage affects your direction or that the play affects your marriage in some way?
Yes, my work and the way in which I direct the musical is largely impacted by my own experience with marriage. Not just my own partnership, but the marriages that I observe – my parents' marriage, my grandparents' marriage, my friends' marriages. I was never someone who pictured myself married. Some days, I am still surprised to find myself in a life-long partnership. I was always wary of marriage but my spouse has great faith in it and, when you truly love someone, all things seem possible, even an unimaginable commitment to another person. For me, being married is an active state– every day you have to choose this person, this life, this partnership. It is not a permanent state of affairs. Every single day I choose to be married to my spouse. The idea that marriage is a daily action, a constant and continual promise that shifts and changes, has really influenced how I directed the three marriages that are featured in the story of The Baker's Wife. The idea that marriage is a daily choice allows me to understand the characters' actions without judging them.
People change over time and, for a marriage to survive, the marriage must also change. It's as if you have to keep meeting each other over and over, and creating a new marriage that suits your newly evolved selves. I see this in the marriage of one of the couples in The Baker's Wife. Without a doubt, my marriage and our experience finding each other again and again has helped me to tell this story.
Likewise, working on show that asks difficult questions about marriage has impacted my own partnership. While I have been absent from the house due to rehearsals, this show has made me fiercely present in my marriage. After daily rehearsals in which we explore that dangers of neglect and hazards of communication failures, it has made me much more aware of the aspects of my marriage that I sometimes take for granted. In telling the story of other marriages, I am encouraged to create new stories for mine.
Are you doing what you always wanted to do? Like if your 16 year old self managed to glimpse a bit of your life now, would she think "that's just what I wanted," or would she be surprised?
My 16 year old self was spending a lot of energy proving herself so that she would get chosen to direct the high school MainStage show her senior year. So I think my 16 year old self would be quite pleased and not at all surprised – especially since I still wear docs to rehearsal every day. I always wanted to direct. I directed my first show at 18 and, while I still pursued acting for a bit, I always knew that my heart and brain were locked into the role of the director. 16 year old Barrie didn't dream of a PhD, but that path was, in retrospect, entirely predictable. I wish I had realized that desire sooner so that I could have joined that world earlier in my life.
Was there ever a point where you feared you were going off track?
I always fear that I am going off track. I always worry that I am not doing enough, or that I should be pushing harder, or reaching farther. These days I really feel that concern where the two parts of my professional life tug at each other – being both a theatre scholar and a theatre practitioner is not as convenient as one might think. Though I feel that my practice fuels my studies and that my research strengthens my practice, the two paths compete for my attention. When I am in the rehearsal room, I know I should be working on my dissertation. When I am writing, I feel as though I am neglecting my artistic work. There is often a divide between theory and practice in academia, but I can't choose one over the other. I am happiest bridging the two worlds.
Brooklyn has for so long played been the silver medal to Manhattan's gold when it comes to theater presentation. This production of the Bakers Wife seems to be part of a change in that order. Do you think Brooklyn audiences for musicals differ from Manhattan audiences?
I think audiences are mixed. Brooklyn is not so far from Manhattan that we aren't sharing audiences. I think that the big difference is about the theatre spaces and the manner in which the artists get to work. The Gallery Players has a great big stage in 99-seat house; that is almost unheard of in Manhattan. It is a perfect space for creating full scale musicals in an intimate setting. It allows the musicals to really be explored by an audience that has a more intense experience merely by having the physical proximity. The other issue is the luxury of getting to work on the stage during the rehearsal process. There were many days that we were in a rehearsal room, but we were on the stage a great deal. It really changes the process of creating a show when you can play in the space.
How did you get involved with The Gallery Players?
My don at Sarah Lawrence was Joe Lauinger. He is an incredible teacher and mentor. He had a one-act going up a The Gallery Players. That was probably about fourteen years ago. In that time I was first a spectator at the theatre who was really excited by their unusual choices for revivals and enamored with the unique theatre space. Then I did a few one-acts for them in their Black Box New Play Festival. Three years ago, I created GalleryTalks, a post-show discussion, series for TGP. This year I created the new musical reading series, Overtures, at TGP and am directing The Baker's Wife. I guess the moral of the story is that if you see theatre you like, find out how you can get involved and help make it thrive.
Here's the details to go check it out:
The Baker's Wife
Book by Joseph SteinMusic and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Based on the film La Femme de Boulanger by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono
March 7, 2015 – March 29, 2015
Director/Associate Choreographer – Barrie Gelles
Music Director – Jonathon Lynch
Choreographer/Assistant Director – Valerie Wright
Tickets: www.galleryplayers.com or 212-352-3101
Adults – $18, Seniors, Students, & Children 12 and under – $15
Subscribers: 718-595-0547 x1 or email@example.com
Gallery Players


text:
Gift VouchersOffer wellnessOffer a gift card
No products
The Spa Entry offer you an access to:
The aquatic circuit is situated in a 160 m² pool equipped with hydro-massaging jet streams, an aquatic upstream corridor, geysers, fountains, and a relaxion area with water jets.
The circuit is a true well-being journey allowing you stay in shape and improve your body's vitality.
Escape from everyday life, release stress and immerse yourself in warm water in this cocooning atmosphere.
Revitalise-yourself in the steam room : the heat ranging from 45 °C to 50°C is ideal for soothing aches and eliminating toxins.
In addition, the eucalyptus fragrance will help clear your airways.
For a total sensation of well-being, the sauna is both restful and relaxing. Muscle tension is eradicated and body resistance is improved. Temperature 90 °C.
Reservations are recommended for your convenience and to avoid disappointment.
Afternoon access from 2 pm to 8 pm - Valid for 2h session
The admission price includes the provision of a towel and a pair of flip flops. To access the Spa, you must bring a swimsuit (on sale in the Spa's boutique).
Bathrobe can be hired (5 €)
Gift VouchersOffer wellnessOffer a gift card
You may also be interested in
Morning Child Spa Access 19,00 €In Stock Add to cart
Morning Spa Entry & Aquatic Circuit - La Clusaz 23,00 €In Stock Add to cart
Wednesday Afternoon Child Spa Access - La Clusaz 21,00 €In Stock Add to cart
Stay in touch with Deep Nature for daily wellness moments
If you wish to receive our advices, tips and discounts in your email inbox, enter your email address below


text:
Senior Consultant
Anna Wanderwitz studied macroeconomics at Bamberg University and Humboldt University of Berlin. She has been involved in politics for many years. For more than 10 years she is a professional in the political environment. During this time she worked for political parties and business associations, as well as in the private sector. She has a profound knowledge of policymaking processes and an extensive network to decision makers from politics, economy, media and civil society. In the last years she specialized mostly in subjects of the digital economy.


text:
2 Chronicles 14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Asa Succeeds Abijah in Judah
14 [a]So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and his son Asa became king in his place. The land was undisturbed for ten years during his days.
2 [b]Asa did good and right in the sight of the Lord his God, 3 for he removed the foreign altars and high places, tore down the sacred pillars, cut down the [c]Asherim, 4 and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to observe the law and the commandment. 5 He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. And the kingdom was undisturbed under him. 6 He built fortified cities in Judah, since the land was undisturbed, and [d]there was no one at war with him during those years, because the Lord had given him rest. 7 For he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still [e]ours because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered. 8 Now Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah, bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin, bearing shields and wielding bows; all of them were valiant warriors.
9 Now Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and he came to Mareshah. 10 So Asa went out [f]to meet him, and they drew up in battle formation in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, "Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You." 12 So the Lord [g]routed the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. 13 Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar; and so many Ethiopians fell that [h]they could not recover, for they were shattered before the Lord and before His army. And they carried away very much plunder. 14 They [i]destroyed all the cities around Gerar, for the dread of the Lord had fallen on them; and they despoiled all the cities, for there was much plunder in them. 15 They also struck down [j]those who owned livestock, and they carried away large numbers of sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
Cross references:
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
You'll get this book and many others when you join Bible Gateway Plus. Learn more
Starting your free trial of Bible Gateway Plus is easy. You're already logged in with your Bible Gateway account. The next step is to choose a monthly or yearly subscription, and then enter your payment information. Your credit card won't be charged until the trial period is over. You can cancel anytime during the trial period.
Click the button below to continue.
You've already claimed your free trial of Bible Gateway Plus. To subscribe at our regular subscription rate, click the button below.
It looks like you're already subscribed to Bible Gateway Plus! To manage your subscription, visit your Bible Gateway account settings.
Upgrade, and get the most out of your new account. An integrated digital Bible study library - including complete notes from the NIV Study Bible and the NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition - is just a step away! Try it free for 30 days.
Three easy steps to start your free trial subscription to Bible Gateway Plus.


text:
This week our secret shopper perused York to book an all-inclusive Caribbean break for two.
The mystery shopper visited two travel agencies in York and requested a one-week, all-inclusive holiday to the Caribbean for a couple in January 2018 with a budget of £8,000.
They then made two Google.co.uk searches using the term 'Caribbean beach holiday'.
Quartz Travel
81 Heworth Road
Mystery Shopper said: The front of the store was clean and uncluttered. All three consultants greeted me when I walked in. The decor felt very contemporary, trendy and welcoming. A consultant motioned for me to sit at their desk and asked how they could help. Having established my initial needs, they asked further questions, including my travel dates and budget. They then made a number of recommendations including Aruba, and offered advice on some of the best places to visit. The holidays for the dates I requested weren't available, but I was given suggestions to consider. The consultant advised coming back into the store at a later date. Three days later I received a call about a Sandals deal to Barbados which they had extended for me that was within my budget at £7,964. The consultant was helpful and I felt they tried to get the right holiday for me.
Sam Sullivan
World travel consultant
Quartz Travel
How long in travel?
I've been in travel for two years and I've been at Quartz Travel for five months.
How often do you sell the Caribbean?
It depends on the season, but around five or six times a month.
Most popular island?
The Windward Islands such as St Lucia and Grenada, Barbados and Cuba.
Favourite spot in the Caribbean?
Aruba. It's so beautiful and it isn't affected by the hurricane season. Clients can visit whenever they want.
Standout travel moment?
Being on a catamaran in Barbados.
TTG has teamed up with React Surveys to simulate a realistic booking process each week – that means a mystery shopper looking for the best deal from agents and operators on the high street, online, on TV or in newspapers. The Mystery Shopper research is carried out on behalf of TTG by React Surveys,and no further details or information can be disclosed. Researchers take into consideration first impression, sales process, product and budget match and extras offered before giving an unbiased opinion of which channel/company they would have booked with on that occasion. We do not claim that the winner is the best in an area or specialist sector, as we may report on competing travel firms in the future. Please note that the aim of Mystery Shopper is not to criticise individual agents or companies, but to promote good sales technique for the benefit of all in the travel trade.


text:
Do you ever wonder how preschool teachers get 18 children (or more) from their classrooms to the playground, when you struggle to get your one child...
Detox your cleaning routine
Each year, 250,000 children in the U.S. are treated for exposure to cleaning products at home, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Finding alternatives to harsh, potentially harmful cleaning agents is one way to protect children from accidental poisonings.
Fortunately, non-toxic cleaning products can be just as effective and are far safer for your family.
Household bleach is the most common cleaner accidentally swallowed by children, but accidental poisonings aren't the only danger posed by cleaning products.
The substances in your home may be harboring hazardous ingredients without you even knowing it.
These products commonly contain chemicals and fragrances that can cause reproductive problems, exacerbate asthma, irritate skin and harm the environment, according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research organization. Some common ingredients have even been linked to cancer.
A fragrance issue
One-third of the substances used in the fragrance industry are toxic, according to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. And 16 percent of the fragrances reviewed by the EWG contain carcinogenic ingredients.
Consumers may be surprised to learn that federal law doesn't require full disclosure of all chemical ingredients used in products.
Because chemical formulas used for fragrances are considered trade secrets, companies can merely label them as "fragrance," making the biggest offenders hard to avoid.
That "clean" scent in your laundry detergent and fabric softener may never have been tested for safety and may cause allergy-like symptoms such as respiratory irritation, headaches, sneezing and watery eyes.
This can be especially concerning to asthma sufferers.
Healthy Child Healthy World, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, urges parents to ditch potentially toxic cleaning agents for safer alternatives.
And, in fact, many Minnesota families are doing just that.
The kids can help clean!
The Yancy Family
Maple Grove mother Meghan Joy Yancy had always been wary of traditional cleaning products.
As a rule, she tried to keep the kids out of the rooms she was cleaning in to protect them from inhaling the heavily-scented products — a feat that was next to impossible with her five young children.
Then she discovered the Think Dirty app (see sidebar for more info.) and discovered that her favorite household products contained many toxins.
"I really wanted to make a change," said Yancy, who was concerned about the effects that long-term exposure to cleaning chemicals would have on her entire family, not just the kids.
Yancy has converted all but one of the primary cleaning products in her home to homemade mixes that rely on essential oils, baking soda, Borax and Dr. Bronner's soap, a line of all-purpose natural soaps made with vegetable-based oils. (Her husband, Seborn, still relies his tried-and-true Windex.)
Yancy gets her DIY cleaning product recipes from Pinterest and The Chemical Free Home (sidebar) — a series of booklets by Minnesota mom Melissa Poepping.
Yancy's journey has involved trial and error. It took her awhile to find the right DIY cleaning formulas for her home. Her first dishwasher tablet recipe, for example, left residue on her dishes.
One of the best perks of her new cleaning routine?
Now her children can lend a helping hand, instead of steering clear.
"They can actually help me clean," Yancy said. "That has been awesome."
Start small
The Lieser Family
Malisa Lieser of St. Louis Park took an interest in natural products when she had her first child three years ago.
"We wanted to be careful about what we're putting on our skin and our baby's skin," she said.
She learned about naturally antibacterial cleaning products from her daycare provider.
She shops for eco-friendly brands at Target and online, and says she doesn't spend more than she would otherwise on cleaning products. And, she says, her house is just as clean, too.
Lieser doesn't consider herself a hardcore eco-mama.
Though her daughters, Violet, 3 and Fiona, 1, eat homemade meals as often as possible, she isn't overly concerned with buying organic.
Recently, she's seen a growing interest in natural cleaning practices in her moms' groups on Facebook and her own circle of friends.
"We're doing the best we can," she said.
"So much is not in our control, that it feels good to know I can do this."
Lieser says their family continues to make small steps.
"Anyone can do it. Start small, with one or two things. You don't have to throw everything away. It's taken us a couple years," she said. "Try a few things; see how you feel about it."
Change starts at home
If you're ready to detox your cleaning routine, you can start by buying less-toxic formulas of the brands you already use.
Windex makes ammonia-free glass cleaner. Tide sells fragrance-free laundry detergent.
You can also try eco-friendly brands such as Ecover and Seventh Generation, often available even at big retailers and supermarkets and typically rated favorably by consumer watchdog organizations such as the EWG.
The EWG gives letter grades for cleaning products, based on assessments of 2,109 products, 197 brands and more than 1,000 ingredients in its regularly updated Guide to Healthy Cleaning.
EWG's product recommendations vary surprisingly even within specific brands, based suspect ingredients.
Windex Nature's Source Glass Cleaner, for example, received a D. Meanwhile Windex's Multi-Surface Disinfectant Cleaner received a B.
Seventh Generation's Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner, Lemongrass Citrus, earned an A while the brand's Natural Laundry Detergent, Fresh Citrus received a C.
Then there are brands that have been around since your great-grandmother's day and haven't changed formulas much since: Bon Ami cleanser, a powdered eco-friendly product developed in 1886, gets an A from the EWG.
You can also make your own natural yet effective cleansers with recipes found online.
If you employ a cleaning service, many will agree to use your household cleansers instead of their own. Just ask.
Some companies are committed to non-toxic practices themselves (to protect employees as well as clients), including Two Bettys Green Cleaning Service and Happy Earth Cleaning, both in Minneapolis.
How GREEN are schools?
Have you ever wondered what products are used near your child during the day at school or preschool?
It might be worth asking.
Hand in Hand Christian Montessori, which has schools in Roseville and Bloomington, has used only non-toxic cleaning products since first opening in 1999.
"To feed the mind, the body mattered," said Michelle Lee Thompson, the schools' dean and executive director.
Twenty years ago, no one had thought about the toxicity of cleaning products in schools, Thompson said. Now, parents seek out the school for that reason.
Eco-friendly products do cost more, Thompson said, but enrollment is going strong and staff absences are minimal.
Serving more than 300 children, Hand in Hand is one of the largest Montessori schools in the country, and Thompson believes that's due in part to the school's commitment to eco-friendly practices and healthy, made-from-scratch food.
"School is about more than getting an A. It's about wellness," Thompson said. "We have to start including that in the conversation."
The Minnesota Department of Health website encourages facilities to use cleaning products that emit lower levels of volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs.
A Minnesota law takes effect this year requiring cleaning solutions (and body products) to be free of triclosan (an antibacterial agent).
Currently, New York is the only state with a law that schools must be cleaned with products free of carcinogens, reproductive toxins or scents that could aggravate asthma.
Thompson hopes other schools will be inspired by her school's model of wellness. Her broader hope is that consumers — not legislation — will drive the change toward non-toxic cleaning.
Abbie Burgess is a Twin Cities freelance writer and blogger — and a frequent contributor to Minnesota Parent. Learn more at thepinkpaperdoll.com.
Connect with us


text:
Article content
What do you do when you're all out of player access at the Super Bowl, and can't think of another question to ask about football anyway?
You get in the car, drive north, flash your PGA Tour pass at the gate and wander into the FBR Open at the TPC of Scottsdale, with 170,00 of your closest friends.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Mental Health Break Back to video
On the warmest day in weeks, with Super Bowl crowds in town, the tournament commonly known as the Phoenix Open played host to the largest live audience ever to witness a single day of golf — and it was ear-splittingly, eye-poppingly fun.
"You guys didn't see any good-looking girls out here today, did you?" a Tour journeyman asked, as a couple of Canadian reporters straggled into the scorer's trailer area after following Mike Weir around for 12 holes of his Saturday round.
Nope. Not more than 5,000 of them.
"Plastic surgeons must do well in this town, don't you think?" ventured a caddie.
There is no place in the whole world of golf that compares to Phoenix. The most raucous golf galleries in the world flock here annually for this tournament, and about 25,000 of the loudest gather around the par-3 16th hole, where fans place bets on every player's every tee shot — and either cheer a player when he succeeds or boo him mercilessly when he misses the green.
We picked Weir up on the 15th tee — he started on No. 10 — and he spotted us as he left No. 15 green and we walked just behind him through the tunnel into the stadium surrounding the 16th tee. The bill of his cap had barely cleared the tunnel when hundreds of fans broke out in the early strains of 'O Canada' and Weir grinned broadly, tipped his cap and the crowd roared "B-Y-U!"
A little sun, a beer or two, and a chance to shake some hands and whet the appetite for another season of golf.
Nice break. Now, back to that perfect season thing….


text: For ducted aircon and heat pumps system supply and installation costs call your local ducted aircon and heat pump system specialists. You can also check our ducted zircon and heat pump specials page. Call Oxygen Air today for your free aircon ducted heat pump system quote to find out the cost of having your home or office cooled or heated with the press of just one button on 0800 85 40 85. Oxygen Air specialise in installations of Fujitsu and Panasonic ducted zircon and heat pump systems anywhere in greater Auckland. Call us to find out about the cost of your new ducted aircon heat pump today.


text:
My current theory is that John Place was a brother of Lydia Place. In poking around in documents I already have, John now jumps out as a business partner of Stephen C Duryea in the grocery business. They are mentioned in a deed in 1836, taking over the lease of 309 Spring Street in New York City from John H. Duryea, deceased.
|New York City deed book 362, page 294
John Place is found in New York City in the 1850 census- on the same page as George W. Duryea (brother of Stephen and John) and Fannie Brewer (their sister).
|1850 United States Federal Census, New York Ward 8, New York, New York; roll M432_542, page 241B, lines 19-22.


text:
Franck Poupart is a slightly neurotic door-to-door salesman in a sinister part of Paris' suburbs. He meets Mona, a teenager, who's been made a prostitute by her own aunt. Franck would like to change his life and also save Mona from her aunt. Murder is the only solution he finds to achieve his goal… A very gloomy movie, exuding dispair and uneasiness, with pathetic characters.Release Date: 25 April 1979 (France)
Runtime: 111 min
- Andreas Katsulas
- Bernard Blier
- Charlie Farnel
- Fernand Coquet
- Jack Jourdain
- Jeanne Herviale
- Marie Trintignant
- Myriam Boyer
- Patrick Dewaere
- Samuel Mek
Director: Alain Corneau


text:
If you've been following along with my parent's renovation, by now you have seen their fireplace makeover, full room reveal, and details of their built-in's. Today I want to share with you the child's play area that we created for their grandkids. Now that my parents live close to my sister and I, my nieces are always playing at my parent's house. My mom was worried that the room wouldn't be kid friendly enough, so we wanted to add a little play area for the kiddos.
This table was actually built by my grandpa back in the 80's for my siblings and I. I'm so glad my mom kept it because it's so special to actually still have the table I grew up playing on. After a few decades of children using it, the table was in need of some TLC. My mom spent many days sanding down the table so she could re-stain and repair it.
Here is a snippet from an email my mom sent me while she was working on the table…
"I remember sitting in my dad's shop watching him make this table. He brought home really THICK chunks of oak from the Exxon Refinery and sliced the chunks into the thickness needed to build this table. He spent a LOT of time building it and now it's time to give it a facelift. I remember hearing a loud noise one winter when we lived in our Norchester home. I found out the cold weather caused the top of the table to split in several locations. It sounded like a gun being fired. Well, your dad filled in the cracks yesterday, and now I am sanding it for a fresh look.
The chairs you guys used with the table came from an elementary school in Beaumont. Your Grandpa Goetz picked up the chairs and your Grandpa Vessels stripped many layers of paint off and stained them to match the table. Can't even tell you how long that took! "
Isn't that so fun to find out the family history behind it?? I'm just glad my mom took the time to give the table a little makeover. Now another generation will use it and love it like my brother, sister and I did.
Linking Up With:
Inspiration Monday // Monday Funday // Give Me The Goods // Thrifty Thursday
Inspire Me Please


text:
In this second installment of "Gearing up for Pesach", we're providing a few tips on specifically how to prepare your kitchen and pantry for the joys of kosher for Passover recipes and cooking. Again, these tips are meant for advance use, not the final days. If you wait to do these things until the Seder meal is upon you, you are guaranteed to feel stressed and frustrated year after year.
1. As we mentioned in Part I, it is important to prepare all your cooking utensils in advance of the holiday. This means checking to make sure you have all your pots and pans, plates, cutlery, and other essentials ready to go, as well as bringing all your new items to the mikveh well in advance of Passover.
2. Many ingredients we use all year round are also kosher for Passover. Take some time to do an inventory of your kitchen, and separate out all your unopened kosher for Passover foods, such as canned goods and unopened beverages. This way, you won't re-buy the products you already have on-hand.
3. If you don't already have the following essential Kosher for Passover ingredients on-hand, start stocking up on them early. They will be one less thing to worry about when you are doing last-minute shopping:
1. Matzah meal
2. Matzah Cake meal
3. Potato starch
4. Spices, Salt, Pepper, & Sugar
5. Wine & Grape Juice (both for cooking and drinking)
6. Semisweet chocolate
4. Start getting your Passover menu ready well in advance. This means both for the seder meals, and for all the other Passover meals you will have over the course of the holiday. Even if you don't normally plan out your week's worth of lunches and dinners, it will be very helpful to have a plan before the holiday begins so that you have one less thing to worry about in the days leading up to it. Collect kosher for Passover recipes together in a single folder from family, friends, old cookbooks, and of course, www.gourmetpassovercooking.com!


text:
|Rediff India Abroad Home | All the sections
Salman threatened me: Vivek Oberoi
Priyanka Nair in Mumbai | April 01, 2003 19:18 IST
Vivek Oberoi called a press conference on Tuesday where he claimed he had received�threats from�Salman Khan.
Salman, he alleged, had threatened to 'kill' him.
The actor said Salman�called him on his cell phone throughout the night of March 29, accusing him of "physical relationships with Aishwarya Rai, Diya Mirza, Rani Mukherjee and Somy Ali, whom I met some�seven years ago."
Oberoi said Salman�was drunk, abusive and�threatened to come to his�house and assault him. Salman�called him 41 times that night, he�added.
The actor had to fly down to Chennai on March 30.�He said�his friend Kshitij Mehta called�and asked him not to return to Mumbai, as Salman's bodyguards were enquiring about his�whereabouts.
Oberoi then decided to return immediately to Mumbai and take matters into his�hands. Salman, he said, was mentally disturbed and needed help.
He�now plans to lodge a case with the police against Salman.


text:
Most of these images have not been edited and are straight out of the camera.
These pictures are free to download and provide a sample of my work. I recently changed cameras and took the opportunity to capture the summer performance. Since I was experimenting a little, I did not want to charge money and I wanted to provide these images for the parents at no cost. Please keep me in mind for all your photography needs as I capture all sorts of memories in addition to dance performances.


text:
I love making my phone work for me. Whether it's using Navigation to get me from place-to-place, tapping NFC tags to run custom processes, or just tapping into the power of Google Now for powerful voice search, my phone is usually at my fingertips.
That being said, sometimes there are things I don't want to have to worry about. Turning Wi-fi on or off, for instance, or making sure my volume is always at an appropriate level, are things I'd rather not waste mental resources on.
For that, (and a whole other slew of options), I turn to Locale, by two forty four a.m. An oldie but a goodie, come check out what makes Locale such a staple of the Android ecosystem after the break.
Read comments


text:
Christmas shoppers will be able to enjoy free parking at selected times in Lancaster and Morecambe in the run up to Christmas.
From Sunday November 26 until Sunday December 24, all of the city council's main pay and display car parks in Lancaster and Morecambe will be free to use for Sunday shopping.
From Thursday November 30 until Thursday December 21, you can also park for free at the council's pay and display car parks in Lancaster after 6pm (until 8am the following morning) on Thursday evenings to enjoy late night shopping.
The offer of free festive parking is also on offer at the council's multi storey car park at St. Nics Shopping Centre in Lancaster. Please note that this car park will close at 9pm on Thursday evenings.
Evening parking in Morecambe is already free.
Free parking excludes Lancashire County Council's on street pay and display parking in Lancaster and the privately managed Marketgate Shopping Centre Car Park and Parksafe in Lancaster. Free parking also excludes the pay and display car parks at Williamson Park.
For more information on city council car parks visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/parking


text:
Explore math with Desmos.
Graph functions, plot data, evaluate equations, explore transformations, and much more – for free!
Check out the newest additions to the Desmos calculator family.Four Function Scientific
Find the best digital activities for your math class — or build your own.Classroom Activities
Level up your Desmos skills with videos, challenges, and more.Learn More


text:
Directors Transactions
Stock Market - Started Market - Buy Stocks - Sell Stocks
Bear Market - Mutual Fund - Market Crash - Market Timing
Listen to Coronavirus Patient Zero
The difference between a bull and bear market is something that every sucessful investor knows. When the market moves downwards for a period of time the market is referred to as a bear market. Upward moving markets are bull markets. If a particular stock is doing well, it is said to be bullish. If it is losing value it is bearish. Of course, there are more to bull and bear markets than that, as you will soon discover. 1. Bull Also, Bear Markets These terms refer only to long term fluxuatio........ Read More
Stocks To Buy For Bear Markets
When stocks are bullish – that is, when prices of the stock market in a steady rise – it is pretty easy for anyone to make money on Wall Street. Studies have any shown that in certain kinds of easy-money markets, novices did just as well as pros when it came to picking hot stocks and reaping fast profits. But the veterans of the stock market game say that the real test comes when there is a bear market and stocks fall into a general slump. Those who can make money under those conditions will........ Read More
Directors Transactions Articles
Directors Transactions Books
Directors Transactions


text:
Fun With Food: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Gia Russo
Throughout the year we worry about the weather, what about snow, is it going to rain and we have no control over what happens. Every January we pray that the sun will shine, the temperatures won't fall and then in February we get hit with a huge storm. Of course we are hopefully in March, April, May and June that before summer and during spring we only get brief rainfalls and no more surprise storms leading us into our favorite time of the year Summer and then of course fall. But, although we cannot predict the weather, the storm or whether the trains will be down because of the weather and delays, we can and do have control over something so great, so amazing that you will wonder why didn't I realize this before: FOOD! Yes you can control and decide…
View original post 1,397 more words
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment »


text:
Polaris Entertainment Releases Official Statement and Announces Sojung and RiSe in Surgery
SWAG-tastic Voyage, Sept. 2, 2014, 7:21 p.m.
After the Ladies' Code car accident, their management agency Polaris Entertainment released an official announcement via TV Report, stating that EunB had passed away and that two of the members RiSe and Sojung were in critical condition and undergoing surgery.
The agency said,
"There was a car accident because of the rain that fell at dawn. They were moved to the St. Vincent Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do. However, member EunB passed away at the scene of the accident. Members RiSe and Sojung sustained big injuries, so they are in the middle of surgery.
After the completion of RiSe and Sojung's surgery, they must be transferred to a hospital in Seoul. We have not yet decided which hospital that would be."
Polaris has also released another statement saying that RiSe is still in critical condition, but Sojung was slowly becoming more stable. The statement reads,
"Near Suwon around 1:30 AM, the car that Ladies' Code had been riding in after finishing up their schedule in Daegu experienced a problem where the back wheel came off. With the back wheel coming off on the rainy road, the car ended up spinning several times before hitting the guard rail. Due to this, EunB tragically passed away.
Currently, RiSe is in critical condition and Sojung is receiving treatment for her injuries. The other members and the manager and stylist have no big injuries... The members will be transferred from Suwon to a hospital in Seoul, and the location for the wake [for EunB] has not yet been decided on.
Our company employees are also currently in great shock and are experiencing sadness that cannot be expressed in words. We offer our apology to the fans and all those who have also been greatly shocked, and we hope that many can pray for the speedy recovery of the members."


text:
New Hampshire's expansive forests make New Hampshire birding some of the best bird watching in the US. Our experts walk you through the best bird watching in NH.
One of the most wonderful ways to admire the beauty of Mother Nature is while doing some serious New Hampshire Birding.
New England is home to some of the most stunning natural sights, every season of the year. There are blankets of a dense green forests, snow-capped mountain peaks, hills and valleys teeming with magnificent flora and fauna, and some of the Atlantic Ocean's most striking coastlines. The region is also home to hundreds of different species of bird, making it a great draw for bird watchers from around the country.
Whether you're more interested in the forest dwellers, mountain fliers, or sea coast cruisers, there's plenty for everyone in the gorgeous New Hampshire wilds.
Bird Watching in NH: Top Five Hotspots
The state of New Hampshire isn't particularly large, so the difficulties in choosing scouting locations in a place as big as Texas, for example, aren't really a factor here. That being said, there are a great many birding spots in New Hampshire, so you'll still want to do your homework before taking your next New England birding vacation.
To give you a helping hand in choosing the best places to sight your favorite East Coast birds, let's take a look at five of the most popular hotspots in the state. There are more than 350 different species of bird in New Hampshire, and you can see most of them here:
- Mount Washington – Perhaps most famous for the century-old observatory built here to research weather patterns, Mount Washington is also a great hotspot for birding. Both the toll road and Jefferson Notch are famous for the birds collected there. Looking for a Ruffed Grouse or a Bicknell's Thrush? Look no further than Mount Washington.
- White Mountain National Forest – Centrally located in the state of New Hampshire, White Mountain is an incredibly large national forest that provides the home for hundreds of species of birds. Take the weekend to explore the forest, from Tuckerman Ravine to the Kancamagus Scenic Byway.
- Odiorne Point State Park – Along New Hampshire's coastline, birders can catch rare glimpses of sea raptors and other fierce flyers from Odiorne State Park. Tide pools, marshes, beaches, and forests provide the backdrop to some of the most beautiful bird watching in the state. Bring a picnic and enjoy collecting Purple Sandpipers and summertime shorebirds.
- Seabrook Harbor – Another great waterfront birding location, Seabrook Harbor is a fantastic place to catch migrating raptors and other shorebirds. Make a real trip of it and take the trek from Seabrook Harbor up to Odiorne Point State Park for the best New England seaside birding.
- Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge – On the Great Bay's eastern shore, this New Hampshire wildlife refuge is home to migratory ducks, geese, peepers, orioles, goldfinches, and myriad of sweet songbirds.
New Hampshire Birding: Focus on White Mountain National Forest
The American Bird Conservancy has listed New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest as one of the 500 most important birding areas in the whole of the United States. And it's no wonder why.
The forest is more than 800,000 acres in size and home to more than two hundred different species of bird, including better than a hundred breeding varieties and almost a dozen unconfirmed species.
In other words, this hotspot is a birder's paradise.
This astonishing New Hampshire birding locale is situated in the northern half of the state and even reaches into Maine. If you wanted to see all of its many gorgeous sights, you'd certainly need more than a day to do it.
But if you don't have the time to see every square acre of this forest—and it wouldn't be surprising if you didn't—don't miss out on these top spots:
- Mount Washington
- Tuckerman Ridge
- Kancamagus Scenic Byway
- Surrounding Alpine Areas
White Mountain National Forest is also home to the Peregrine Falcon Reintroduction Program. See if you can get a ranger or park employee to give you an insider's view on this extraordinary project. It'll make a great story to tell your birding cohorts at home!
Head back from New Hampshire Birding to the Bird Watching Guide
Or head on home to find more of the best binoculars


text:
Each year through the MIT-Japan Program, 30 to 40 MIT students intern and conduct research in Japanese companies, universities and research institutes. The ULVAC-Hayashi Seed Fund facilitates dozens of research collaborations between MIT faculty and their Japanese counterparts. Our partners are leading Japanese companies, universities and research organizations.
MIT-Japan Program Celebrates 35th Anniversary!
On October 20, 2017, the MIT-Japan Program kickstarted its 35th Anniversary Celebration with a book talk by former MIT-Japan Program Managing Director and former Assistant Director of MISTI, Ms. Patricia Gercik. The day was followed by a reception with over 100 people and nearly 60 MIT alumni attending from China, Hong Kong, San Francisco, New York, Boston and throughout Japan.
Click here to view photos from the event.
Read MIT-Japan's 35th Anniversary report
MIT-Japan 35th Anniversary: President Reif


text:
Let's just get out of the picture. Let all these leaders stand in front of their own people and tell them the truth: "My fellow citizens: Nothing is happening; nothing is going to happen. It's just you and me and the problem we own."Indeed, it's time for us to dust off James Baker's line: "When you're serious, give us a call: 202-456-1414. Ask for Barack. Otherwise, stay out of our lives. We have our own country to fix."
"Both sides — the Israelis and the Palestinians — have found that the political environment, the nature of their coalitions or the divisions within their societies, were such that it was very hard for them to start engaging in a meaningful conversation. And I think that we overestimated our ability to persuade them to do so when their politics ran contrary to that.I think it is absolutely true that what we did this year didn't produce the kind of breakthrough that we wanted, and if we had anticipated some of these political problems on both sides earlier, we might not have raised expectations as high.
"Ultimately, as the president also said in his interview, this has to be between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The United States, the UK, the EU, the Arab League, everyone can work together to try to create the conditions for a resolution of the outstanding issues between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but at the end of the day, they must make that decision."
"The US administration is tired of you, the Israelis and Palestinians. You're wasting precious time and are missing an opportunity to make peace. There is going to be a stage in which we're simply going to give up on this endless conflict and leave you alone."


text: / Thesaurus Find synonyms for: Noun1. affability, affableness, amiability, amiableness, bonhomie, geniality, friendlinessusage: a disposition to be friendly and approachable (easy to talk to)WordNet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.See also: bonhomie (Dictionary) Related Content Daily Word Quiz: ungainly Analogy of the Day: Today's Analogy Spelling Bee: Today's Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language Synonyms Index


text:
Quote of the dayPosted: June 30, 2013 Filed under: Quote of the day | Tags: Baseball, humor, quotes, sports, Yogi Berra 2 Comments
Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.
~Yogi Berra
This day in baseball: Moonlight Graham's debutPosted: June 29, 2013 Filed under: 20th Century, Pop culture, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Brooklyn Superbas, Claude Elliott, Field of Dreams, George Browne, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Moonlight Graham, New York Giants, Shoeless Joe, W. P. Kinsella 5 Comments
Thanks to the movie Field of Dreams, almost everybody has heard of Moonlight Graham. As a right fielder for the New York Giants, Archibald Wright "Moonlight" Graham made his Major League debut on 29 June 1905, at the age of twenty-seven. In the bottom of the eighth inning against the Brooklyn Superbas, Graham came into the game as a defensive replacement for George Browne. He never had the opportunity to step up to the plate, however, standing in the on-deck circle as Claude Elliott flied out to end the top of the ninth. Graham played again defensively in the bottom of the ninth, but never had the chance to record an at-bat as the Giants won 11-1. It would be his only Major League appearance, as he was sent back to the minors the following day.
Completing his medical degree from the University of Maryland in 1905 (where he also played halfback for the school's football team in 1904 and 1905), Graham concluded his baseball career in 1908. He went on to obtain his license and began practicing medicine in Chisholm, Minnesota. "Doc" Graham served as a good and loyal doctor to the people of Chisholm for fifty years. He died in 1965.
In 1975, W. P. Kinsella happened to read about Graham's short-lived baseball career in The Baseball Encyclopedia. He included Moonlight Graham as a character in his 1982 novel, Shoeless Joe, on which the movie Field of Dreams is based.
Orientation of Major League ballparksPosted: June 27, 2013 Filed under: 21st Century | Tags: Baseball, infographics, Major League Baseball, sports 5 Comments
This is a fascinating infographic I found from 2009 showing the orientations of all Major League ballparks. It reveals a pretty cool and interesting trend.
"Baseball," by Linda PastanPosted: June 26, 2013 Filed under: Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, books, Elinor Nauen, Linda Pastan, poetry, sports, Women 7 Comments
Here's a poem out of a book that a close friend gave to me a few years ago. The book is Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend: Women Writers on Baseball, edited by Elinor Nauen, and it is a collection of stories, poems, essays, and memoirs about baseball written by women. I love the layers of meaning in this piece.
When you tried to tell me
baseball was a metaphor
for life: the long, dusty travail
around the bases, for instance,
to try to go home again;
the Sacrifice for which you win
approval but not applause;
the way the light closes down
in the last days of the season–
I didn't believe you.
It's just a way of passing
the time, I said.
And you said: that's it.
This day in baseball: Joltin' Joe jolts an inningPosted: June 24, 2013 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Chicago White Sox, history, Joe DiMaggio, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Yankees, sports Leave a comment
On 24 June 1936, twenty-one-year-old Joe DiMaggio hit two home runs in the fifth inning against the White Sox at Comiskey Park. This made the rookie outfielder the first Yankee and the fifth Major League player ever to accomplish the feat. The Yankees defeated the Sox 18-11.
Baseball 101: The strike zonePosted: June 23, 2013 Filed under: 20th Century, Baseball 101 | Tags: Babe Ruth, Baseball, Bob Gibson, Denny McLain, Don Drysdale, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Roger Maris, sports, Strike Zone 5 Comments
Sometimes, if you're a pitcher, it seems elusive. If you're a batter, it can sometimes seem larger than life. The strike zone — in some ways, it is baseball's version of the Twilight Zone: sometimes it's hard to tell where it really is.
The strike zone is the area over home plate through which a pitcher must pitch the ball in order for the pitch to be called a strike if the batter does not swing. The idea is that the ball must pass through an area where the batter has a chance to put the ball into play if he swings at it. According to the MLB's Official Rules:
The STRIKE ZONE is that area over home plate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the hollow beneath the kneecap. The Strike Zone shall be determined from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball.
Or, to make things simpler, many regard the area from the elbows to the bottom of the knees as the vertical axis of the strike zone.
The size of the strike zone has not remained static through the years. Major League Baseball will sometimes make the official strike zone larger or smaller in order to maintain a balance of power between pitchers and hitters. For example, after Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth's home run record in the 1961 season, the strike zone was stretched to extend from the top of the batter's shoulders to the bottom of the knees. Then, in 1968, pitchers such as Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson, and Denny McLain utterly dominated hitters. As a result, not only was the size of the strike zone reduced in 1969, but the height of the pitchers mound was also reduced from 15 inches to 10 inches tall.
At the end of the day, though, enforcement of the strike zone lies with the home plate umpire. As any player or fan of the game knows, the size — and, sometimes, even the shape — of the strike zone can vary from one umpire to the next. As a result, pitchers and hitters often find themselves having to adjust their expectations according to those of the umpire. And, sometimes, the umpire can be the most loved or the most hated person in the ballpark.
Quote of the dayPosted: June 22, 2013 Filed under: Quote of the day | Tags: Baseball, books, Eric Bronson, philosophy, quotes, sports Leave a comment
What's true for the people who play baseball is true in different ways for those of us who mostly just watch it. On the one hand, a baseball stadium becomes a kind of home for many of us who go often. Whether it's a big league stadium where you can leave your peanut shells scattered beneath your seat or a high school field where you know the person who chalks the base paths every Thursday, it's a personal space. You can keep score with your private notation system, sound of authoritatively on what Bud Selig is doing wrong, or tell an ump that he's missed a call even when you are 140 feet and a bad angle away from the plate.
~Eric Bronson, Baseball and Philosophy


text:
Soo-hyeon unaware at the cannibal's home
Choi Min-sik is back as the psycho killer in the murder-thriller "I Saw the Devil". Min-sik's character, Kyung-chul is cold, ruthless and deceptive. In the opening scene Kyung-chul is seen assisting a young woman with a flat tire. Soo-hyeon, the fiancé of the woman in the car talks with her on the phone as she waits for a tow truck. She begins to get suspicious when Kyung-chul ominously hangs outside her car window. He strikes with brutal swiftness with a hammer, knocking her out. Later he drags her back to his kill-house where he hacks her up despite her calls for mercy.
Soo-hyeon is distraught, however with a calm determination, armed with information on the possible suspects, he begins a campaign of vigilante justice against the four suspects which the police identified. He eventually breaks into Kyung-chul's creepy secluded dwelling, where he finds his fiancée's engagement ring, his suspicions are confirmed. The police rush to his place of employment, where he is a school shuttle driver. He receives a message that he is fired, and with one girl left in his shuttle, he decides to rape and murder her. This is where Soo-hyeon's first face to face encounter occurs. After an epic fight he knocks the killer out, and jams a small GPS detector into his throat. In a stroke of good fortune, the girl escapes.
Every time the killer is about to strike again, Soo-hyeon comes back to beat him, cut him up, taunt him, and make him ever more miserable. Slowly he wears him down, leading one to believe that the title actually refers to Soo-hyeon, rather than Kyung-chul. Again, just like in many other Korean films, the rich are depicted as despicable, sick people. On the side Kyung-chul is feeding the habit of a wealthy friend who enjoys eating human flesh. He even keeps a girl chained up and on a leash, for the purpose of slaughtering at his discretion.
The tables turn and Kyung-chul goes for Soo-hyeon's family, in other words his fiancée's family. Slowly Soo-hyeon becomes more brutal himself.
From an analytic view point, this film doesn't make much sense. The main character appears to represent righteousness, at least at first, and he gets many chances to turn the killer in and do the right thing, but he never does. Eventually Kyung-chul figures out who is after him. Soo-hyeon receives pleas from his deceased fiancée's family to stop his game but he doesn't, then the wrath is turned on them. In my opinion Soo-hyeon is actually quite selfish, and self-righteous. His revenge comes at the expense of others.
His catch and release strategy, doesn't make a whole lot of sense either, and at times it looked like a ploy to simply fill the running time requirement. Upon releasing Kyung-chul the first time, he immediately murders two people in a taxi cab. Thereafter, while he is waiting to attack Kyung-chul again he allows a girl to be sexually assaulted, only to release him again.
Soo-hyeon's character is obviously at conflict with himself. His character displays a mixture of goodness, evil, and masochism. His character only began to portray these characteristics after he had been on the hunt continuously for Kyung-chul.
In the end however, Soo-hyeon is wishy-washy and unpredictable, despite the appearance of a well-trained special agent. Kyung-chul on the other hand stays the same; always brutal, always cold, always sick. I won't spoil the ending, but I will say that it seems to justify the claim that the title is actually about Soo-hyeon, rather than Kyung-chul.
The film's story-telling style certainly seems to be heavily influenced by films such as "Old Boy", and "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance". The constant awareness of this fact seems to undermine the ostensible attempt at a witty, riveting film, and leaves in looking like an inferior clone. The movie isn't really anything special, but it is alright as a time waster.
By Aaron Nolan
"I Saw the Devil" is directed by Kim Jee-woon and feature Choi Min-sik and Lee Byung-hun
Available on DVD and Blu-ray from YESASIA
Source : www.cinema-v.com/i-sa...Copy & paste guideline for this article
"[Review] I Saw The Devil: revenge at any cost"
by HanCinema is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work from this source
Related movies/dramas
You're reading the news with potential spoilers, make them spoiler free, dismiss
[Spoiler] Added episode 2 captures for the Korean drama 'Bridal Mask'
2012/06/01 (Source)
Added episode 2 captures for the Korean drama "Bridal Mask",...More
[Spoiler] Added episode 2 captures for the Korean drama 'I Do, I Do'
2012/06/01 (Source)
Added episode 2 captures for the Korean drama "I Do, I Do",...More
[Spoiler] Added episodes 1 and 2 captures for the Korean drama 'Ghost - Drama'
2012/06/01 (Source)
Added episodes 1 and 2 captures for the Korean drama "Ghost - Drama",...More
Subscribe to HanCinema Pure to remove ads from the website (not for episode and movie videos) for US$0.99 monthly or US$7.99 yearly (you can cancel anytime). The first step is to be a member, please click here : Sign up, then a subscribe button will show up.
Movie of the week
HanCinema's Official Facebook group will keep you updated on the latest in Korean movies and dramas!
Today's birthdays