text:
Minority Subprime Disaster Cost US at Least $1.5 Trillion.
by James Buchanan
If you estimate an average loss in value of about $200,000 to each home that was in the minority subprime loan program and that about 7.5 million Blacks and Latinos got these loans with no down payments and failed to pay them off, the total lost to the banking industry would be $200k times 7.5 million or $1.5 trillion dollars.
One source confirms the magnitude of this loss noting that: "The IMF estimates that financial institutions around the globe will eventually have to write off $1.5 trillion of their holdings of subprime MBSs. About $750 billion in such losses had been recognized as of November 2008. These losses have wiped out much of the capital of the world banking system."
Various leftists have attempted to blame banks or predatory lenders for the subprime disaster. The truth is that minorities and liberal policies forced on the banks by federal courts caused this disaster. While it's true that many banks offered one or two percent "teaser rates" for the first year of the mortgage, that doesn't give the minorities an excuse. Just how unintelligent are people who don't understand that the teaser interest rate is going to climb rapidly after the first year?
Most of the people who took these minority subprime loans were NOT serious first time home buyers, but were in fact doing real estate speculation, hoping to sell their house for $50k or $100k profit after living in it for a year. Unfortunately for them (and for us) the housing bubble burst, millions of Blacks and Latinos (predictably) walked away from their financially underwater homes, and stuck the banks with the full financial loss since the liberals insanely waved the requirement for minorities to put down payments on their homes.
Very few articles in the mainstream media have discussed the role of minorities in the subprime disaster. A New York Post article reports that "a 'landmark' 1992 study from the Boston Fed concluded that mortgage-lending discrimination was systemic. That study was tremendously flawed – a colleague and I later showed that the data it had used contained thousands of egregious typos, such as loans with negative interest rates. Our study found no evidence of discrimination. Yet the political agenda triumphed – with the president of the Boston Fed saying no new studies were needed, and the US comptroller of the currency seconding the motion. No sooner had the ink dried on its discrimination study than the Boston Fed, clearly speaking for the entire Fed, produced a manual for mortgage lenders stating that: 'discrimination may be observed when a lender's underwriting policies contain arbitrary or outdated criteria that effectively disqualify many urban or lower-income minority applicants.' Some of these 'outdated' criteria included the size of the mortgage payment relative to income, credit history, savings history and income verification. Instead, the Boston Fed ruled that participation in a credit-counseling program should be taken as evidence of an applicant's ability to manage debt. Sound crazy? You bet… On the Web, you can still find CRA loans available via ACORN with '100 percent financing . . . no credit scores . . . undocumented income . . . even if you don't report it on your tax returns.' "
So a fabricated "study" by the Boston Fed claimed that minorities were being discriminated against for home loans. In reality, Blacks and Latinos were failing to qualify for home loans because their average income is lower, their average credit history is worse and their ability to make a down payment is worse than the average for White people. Unfortunately, liberals entrenched in powerful positions in our government and court system chose to ignore all the evidence that ordinary Blacks and Latinos have certain inherent, persistent flaws that make them bad candidates for home loans.
Not only did the Feds demand that more loans be made to minorities, they insisted that traditional criteria like proof of employment and the ability to make a down payment should not be used to disqualify loan applicants. Lending to unqualified minorities was the first big reason for the subprime crisis. Eliminating down payments was the second big reason. The down payment is critically necessary in the mortgage industry. By forcing people to make a 20 percent down payment, the chances of the borrower walking away from a home loan (if the housing prices start to drop or the monthly payments increase) are greatly reduced.
The bottom line is that Third World people are financially bad for the US. Huge amounts of money are squandered on them to supply them with Section 8 apartments to live in, food stamps, welfare and now they will receive "Obamacare" and this additional tax burden will be dumped primarily on the shoulders of White taxpayers. Most of the good-paying jobs, that Blacks and Latinos get, are stolen from better qualified Whites thanks to Affirmative Action. The vast majority of Blacks and Latinos are poor and impose a gigantic tax burden on the rest of us. The state of California is rapidly plunging toward bankruptcy thanks to its non-White majority. Too many needy Third World poor and too few productive White taxpayers.
Perhaps, the most incredible thing about the Minority Subprime Mortgage Crisis is that most people did not know it was building up. It basically came out of nowhere with a price tag of 1.5 trillion dollars and it has greatly accelerated the financial collapse of California and the United States.


text:
WBUR News
Support the news
Organizers Of Boston's First Night Closing Doors
The organization that founded and sustained Boston's annual First Night celebrations is closing down because it's broke, but Mayor Tom Menino promises that the show will go on.
The nonprofit group announced Thursday that it is laying off its small staff and closing its downtown offices by month's end.
The New Year's event started 37 years ago and featured artistic performances, ice sculptures, fireworks and other seasonal celebrations, and was emulated by other cities across the country.
"We just can't support it anymore," First Night director Geri Guardino told The Boston Globe.
The event's financial struggles contrast with its popularity, which may have given the public a false sense that the event was stable.
"I think people took it for granted," Guardino said. "Everyone thought it was going to happen regardless. But we were pulling it together on a wing and a prayer. In some ways, we were a victim of our own success."
The event drew $474,000 from corporate sponsors 10 years ago. By last year, sponsorships dwindled to $156,000. Contributions from foundations, meanwhile, plunged from $364,000 to less than $50,000.
Overall, major funding has fallen 70 percent since 2003.
City officials said they would reach out to the business and philanthropic community to help finance the upcoming New Year's Eve events. Officials hope another group will step forward to run things, or the city may take over the event.
"We'll have First Night in Boston," Menino said. "If we have to take it over, we will. There's a will and there's a way."
This program aired on June 21, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.
Support the news

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Golden Book of Fairy Tales.
Translated by Marie Ponsot; illustrated by Adrienne Ségur.
NY: Golden Books, 1999.
Greenfield Open Stacks 741.641 Se396g
Originally published in the 1950s, this illustrated collection of 28 fairy tales from around the world is a classic. The contents include well-known stories such as "Sleeping Beauty", "Thumbelina", and "Cinderella", and lesser-known tales such as "Finn, the Keen Falcon" and "Green Snake". What sets it apart, though, are the beautiful and intricate illustrations by Adrienne Ségur (1901-1981). The head- and tail-pieces are just as beautiful as the full-page illustrations.
Not much is known in the United States about Ségur, who was born in Greece to a French father and Greek mother, but a diligent researcher has translated a pamphlet about her. If you're familiar with Ségur's works, you'll see her own resemblance to her illustrations.


text:
Coffee, Classics and Connections
Coffee, Classics, and Connections
A Free Community Event Open to All Ages.
The Center of Concern has teamed up with Glenview Bank & Trust, Mariano's and WTMX 101.9 The Mix Road Crew for a free, fun interactive community event open to all ages, featuring 70+ unique classic cars, local vendors, food and fun. There will be plenty of activities for the whole family – even the family dog!
September 21st, from 9:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.
Glenview Bank & Trust parking lot, 99 Waukegan Road, Glenview, IL.
The event will feature free coffee and light breakfast items. Guests will enjoy perusing classic cars, vote for your favorite while participating in the many interactive activities provided by our sponsors.
Support a great community resource. The Center of Concern provides critical, oftentimes, lifesaving services for older adults and individuals and families facing housing hardships and homelessness.
- Date:
- September 21st
- Time:
- 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Glenview Bank & Trust
Glenview, IL United States


text:
Report update: two additional companies with support below 50%Download PDF
We have collected Say on Pay vote results for 125 additional Russell 3000 companies, bringing our total to 2,332. The average vote result for all companies in 2014 is 91%. Two additional companies failed since last week's report; 55 companies (2.4%) have failed so far this year. Of companies with four years of Say on Pay votes, 1,601 (92.2%) have passed all four years, 113 (6.5%) have passed in three years and failed in one year, 18 companies (1.0%) have passed in two years and failed in two years, three companies (0.2%) have passed in one year and failed in three years, and two companies (0.1%) have failed all four years. Proxy advisory firm ISS is recommending 'against' Say on Pay proposals at 13% of companies in 2014.


text: This is part 2 of our EZdrummer 4 part video Tutorial Guide. EZdrummer is an excellent tool for constructing high quality drums tracks in your DAW. This 4 part free video series from RSO is designed to get you going quickly with some of the great features included in this fine program. Check out many more video tutorials at RecordingSchoolOnline.com.


text:
Donation Amount: (Currency: USD)
Put my Donation on the Recognition Wall
Show on Wall:
Do not show any information
Donation Amount, User Details & Comments
User Details & Comments Only
Comments:Write your comment within 199 characters.
Operation First Response
(OFR) is a rated 4 stars by Charity Navigator
Operation First Response
(OFR) is a GuideStar Exchange Member
Read the Official Letter from Charity Navigator | Click Here
© Copyright 2004 – 2020. Operation First Response. All Rights Reserved.Website Design by inomar media | A Proud Partner
Apply for the Military Family Assistance Program
Request Assistance
Register for Walk for the Wounded
Register Now!
Fill out volunteer from today!
Volunteer Today!
You're Support Helps Wounded Veterans
One Time Donation


text:
Most houses don't have a website. Mine doesn't. But The Coval House does. It's an old homestead on 5 acres near Luther Burbank Park. According to the site, "There are four enduring qualities that the Covals held in highest regard: a passion for natural materials, an honesty and excellence in workmanship, a reverence for the past, and a desire for the understated."
Photo from the Coval House website.
The Mercer Island Reporter has reported that the home, orchard, and rest of the grounds will go under for 18 homes after the owners failed to sell it. The Reporter included the plans and did a nice job of being objective.
Luckily, I don't have to be objective. It's a damn shame that a beautifully built and maintained house is going to go down. This isn't about density or affordability. It's about losing a distinctive piece of Seattle history to mega mansions. Look at the plat plan in the Reporter article– the homes are on top of each other.
If you went to the Mohia's Celluloid Seattle exhibit, you saw a lot of before-and-after of great theaters in Seattle. Some are heartbreaking, like this one:
Photo from Mohai's Celluloid Seattle.
To me this project is our equivalent of knocking down a theater house for a noodle joint in a strip mall.
Unfortunately, right now a rant is all I got. Except an appeal to the planning commission at their Jan 15 meeting: don't let this happen.


text:
|Price / ft²
Out of the 1 listings that are currently on the market, there are 0 condos, 1 houses, 0 townhouses, and 0 multifamilies. Our real-time inventory refreshes every hour, so that you see the best new inventory available on the market.
This search area is located within 91351. 91351 has 33,247 residents in 10,157 households. The median age of this zipcode is 36.5 with a majority of inhabitants married. At least 67.82% of those living in this zipcode currently own their homes. Roughly 31.00% of population here speak a language other than English at home.
The median income in this zipcode is $70,663, with an employment rate of 62.4%. It tends to take those living in 91351 an average of 34.2 minutes to get to work, with a majority commuting by car. Out of the total population of those 25 and older, 7.04% have a master's or above, 16.99% have a bachelor's, and 24.83% have a high school degree.
More broadly, 91351 is a part of Los Angeles County, California. Los Angeles County, California has around 10,057,155 residents, or 3,281,845 households with a median age of 35.8. Residents in this county have a median income of $57,952 and a home ownership rate of 45.69%.
Finally, Los Angeles County, California is a part of the greater Santa Clarita, CA Urban Area. The Santa Clarita, CA Urban Area has a population of 270,177 across 84,749 households. The median age of the urban area is 36.4. Those living in this urban area have a median income of $91,910 and a home ownership rate of 69.24%.
Searching on Zillow Rainbow Glen Estates, Trulia, or Realtor.com? RealtyHop has the most comprehensive mortgage and property record data to help you make the best buying decision.


text:
As I was walking from the lot to the front door to PCI, I was walking next to this super good looking guy! He had a nice car and he's a culinary student! The downfall? He was as tall as me. So I walked next to him for like a split-second and I walked faster. Well, that's my normal walking speed anyways. Maybe next time I'll say HI or something. If there ever IS a next time.
Class was fun, we just made raisin bread and cinnamon rolls. Yumyum! Lol. I went to karate and dropped off some goodies, and then I went to visit my dear sick friend, Darren. I have a strong immune system so hopefully I wont get sick.
Alan is coming to De Anza and PCI with me tomorrow! Yay! Lol. I gotta sleep now though. Good Night!


text:
Difference between revisions of "Tips"
From Wiki
|Line 24:
|Line 24:
'''[[Invites | Inviting People]]'''
'''[[Invites | Inviting People]]'''
Revision as of 18:25, 30 July 2007
Here is how to create a cycle. Here is how to find other Geni users searching for the same surname. Here is how people are using the Family Friend feature.
Video Tutorials
How to Get Started on Geni.com (YouTube video)
How to Upload Photos on Geni.com (YouTube video)
Long URLs
I have very long hyperlink that ends up getting broken at the '-' character in the About Me box. Also I believe it does this in the Comments area. I do like that you have made http:// come out as hyperlinks automatically, but when linking to a map like this, it will just end up confusing someone that comes across it and clicks on it. Also, a secondary annoyance about this is that these long hyperlinks don't word wrap inside the about me box, and "bleeds" through to the right hand margin and generally looks kind of bad.
long URLs like this can be problematic. You may want to try something like http://tinyurl.com/.
How do I change my password?
We will ask you to create a permanent password the first time you login. After that, you can change your password at any time on the Settings page.
How do I print the entire tree
I find that it's easier, and much more appropriate, to print a custom version for each person using them as the tree root. I chose a few key people from each path and made them the root of the tree by 'View Tree' on their profile. I printed from there. Do this a few times and you end up with very personalized printouts. It works best because most people think of their relatives from their perspective, using themselves as the root.


text:
Given that an HEI's (Higher Education Institution's) enrolment statistics are intrinsically linked to its survival, there are no wrong ways in which to recruit and enroll new students.You may find that Pay Per Click advertising (PPC) may be the...
As much as we would all love PPC tactics (and SEO for that matter) to stay the same, they don't. Here are three ways that PPC is going to change in the coming year and three ways to prepare for it for a first movers advantage.
3 Ways PPC Will Change in 2019 and 3 Ways You Can Prepare For It
If used effectively, Facebook ads are very efficient in growing traffic, generating leads, increasing engagement, and driving sales to a business. In this article, you will learn tips that will help you lower your Facebook ads cost and improve ROI.
How to Lower Your Facebook Ads Costs and Improve ROI
This ultimate Facebook Retargeting guide will show you the importance of remarketing, how remarketing works on Facebook, and how you can set up Facebook Retargeting for your own business.
The Ultimate Step-by-step Facebook Retargeting Guide
Placing a Pixel is the very first step of Facebook advertisement. In this article, you'll learn how it can help to find high-converting audiences, lower your cost, rescue abandoned carts, run cross-sales, and much more.
What is Facebook Pixel and How to Use It – a Definitive Guide
Are you currently running Facebook ads in your business? Are you happy with the results you are getting from your ads? If you are, move on, this blog post is not likely for you. On the other hand, if you are struggling to see a return on investment, ...
Top 7 Mistakes That Are Causing Your Facebook Ads To Sink
Want to drive more traffic to your landing pages and marketing funnels? Check out this article and learn how to design epic Facebook Ads with GetResponse social ads manager.
How to Design Facebook Ads in GetResponse (New Feature Update)
Your social media campaign almost invariably can be broken down into two distinct categories – your organic efforts, and your bought efforts. The aim of both games is of course first to get more 'likes', followers, engagement and connections, and fro...
Is Facebook Advertising Really Worth It?
It's definitely not news that Facebook is a key platform for marketing your business online, but with over 2 billion users logging on each day and an endless amount of content vying for users' attention, it can seem like it's not worth joining in the...
The Do's and Don't's of Facebook Marketing
Start your online
marketing adventure
marketing adventure


text:
Welcome to Mountain View County's Emergency and Disaster Management webpage.
This page includes many links to information regarding how to prepare, who to contact, how to recognize, and what to know during an emergency event in Mountain View County and Alberta.
Many of these links are to organizations or groups outside of Mountain View County. The County takes no responsibility for the content of these sites.
Mountain View County Information
During an emergency event in Mountain View County alerts, updates and other information is available through many channels including:
Social Media:
- www.mountainviewcounty.com (Click on Alerts Tab)
- Online County News
Local Radio:
Mountain View County also has published a Flood Preparedness Guide for the McDougal Flats Area, southeast of the Town of Sundre along the Red Deer River. However, many of the same information and principles apply to any part of the County near a flooding water body. Download the Guide at the link below:
Sandbags can be issued at the discretion of the Director of Emergency Management, but are intended to be reserved for emergency response situations. Preservation and protection of public infrastructure that serves the whole community is a priority for Mountain View County. Individuals seeking preventative assistance on private property should source sandbags from a commercial source. See below for a list of commercial suppliers.
- Check with local hardware stores, gas stations or local aggregate suppliers
- https://www.albertasandbags.ca
- http://www.canar.ca/sand-bags
Alberta Emergency Management Agency
Useful Emergency Information Links & Apps
- Alberta Emergency Alert
- Alberta Emergecy Alert - App Download (Google Play)
- Alberta Emergency Alert - App Download (iTunes)
- Alberta 511 - Road Conditions (App Download links available on page)
- Alberta Rivers (Flooding and River Forecasts)
- Alberta Rivers App (Google Play)
- Alberta Rivers App (iTunes)
- Alberta Wildfire (Bans, Fire Status, App for iOS)
- Alberta Fire Bans (Direct Link)


text:
Mid-Season Review: 'Satyamev Jayate'
By Priyanka Pereira
Sequels, as Bollywood knows, are hard to pull off.
So when "Satyamev Jayate", the hit show with a social conscience hosted by Aamir Khan, came back for a second season, the pressure was on to maintain its reputation as India's most talked about talk show.
Even before it returned to the airwaves, the Satyamev Jayate came under attack on social media when Mr. Khan was reported in local media to have purchased a 100 million rupee bomb-proof car.
His fee per episode then became the object of much speculation.
A couple of episodes into the new season, it became clear that the show was traipsing over old ground. The format remained the same and the issues and interviews that had gripped the audience in series one, now seemed mundane. The lack of an element of surprise meant the audience knew what to exactly expect from the show.
Even the appearance of Suzette Jordan, an Irish woman previously dubbed the Park Street rape victim, who narrated being sexually assaulted in Kolkata, couldn't redeem an episode that otherwise rehearsed the same issues surrounding the safety and treatment of women in India: Legal hassles, social ostracism, and the psychological impact for women who have been raped.
Marital and date rape did not make it into the debate, though the pattern in North East India, where many rapes happen at gun point and often do not get reported by the media, was covered well.
Viewers took to social media to express their displeasure. They praised the choice of topic but complained that while the show was highlighting problems, solutions were rather vague: The audience was urged to dial a number to fight against rape.
Most did not understand the purpose of doing so or how it would help change attitudes or prevent such crimes.
Sticking to the tried-and-tested formula isn't working. Nor are Mr. Khan's wide-eyed expressions of shock, grief, dismay and several other emotions, having the same impact as in the first season.
The creators say that following season one, many people, politicians and organizations picked up the issues it had raised, and championed the causes further to bring about change.
Suresh Shetty, Maharashtra's Health Minister, praised the show in a video on its website.
"I think Mr. Khan has done a wonderful job getting the whole issue [of sex selection] before the nation," Mr. Shetty was shown saying on the film.
Whether the same will be said of this series, remains a topic for debate.
Priyanka Pereira is a freelance writer based in Mumbai. You can follow her on Twitter on @priyankapereira. Follow India Real Time on Twitter @WSJIndia.


text:
I typically put up a post on my blog's FB page every Monday with whatever is stuck in my head that week and I always hashtag it #MusicMonday and #musicispainrelief . Because researchers have shown that listening to music can release endorphins and relieve pain.
Grey's Anatomy, season 2, episode 5 "Bring the Pain". Some pain management ideas are….more controversial. I'm just advocating for music.
…And if you know anything about me or have read more than three blogs, you know I live and die by my music. I always have something stuck in my head and Heaven help the person that might get a hold of my Spotify and wonder exactly how many people share the account. Spoiler: it's just me, but I have everything from the Hamilton soundtrack to Lady Gaga to Eminem to Disturbed….to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack…P!nk, Queen, Marilyn Manson, Tesla, Five Finger Death Punch, Supertramp, Bleachers, Melissa Etheridge…. I can do this all day.
The youngest and I went to go see A Star is Born last Friday and I cried. I cried for the last half of the movie. I cried for a few different reasons, some of which I don't talk about. I'm getting off topic. My point is I've had this stuck in my head for four days already and music is pain relief.
Happy Music Monday! ❤ ~ Xun


text:
"Certain areas superb but there is plenty..."
About: Ashford Hospital Ashford Hospital Ashford TW15 3AA
Posted via nhs.uk
What I liked
The majority of the staff were very pleasant. The staff with food tea etc were super. Nice small area with only 4 beds. The training nurses superb however seemed to get a hard time by some of the qualified nurses.
What could be improved
Pain relief. As I refuse morphine I had to keep chasing to get anything else. The whole drug trolley is a complete joke. Nobody seemed to know what was given when. This makes me believe it must have something to do with the charts and the way the drugs you have are recorded.
I also had to get out of my bed area before I was discharged. Not a problem but I could have been discharged at least 2 hours before had a plan been put in place. I also had a nurse who when I asked for help to empty my bedside locker told me 'you can walk' which I could but I wasn't meant to bend to retrieve my shoes etc on the floor of my locker. Horrible person who should never be a nurse.


text:
|Photo © Jehad Nga-All Rights Reserved
One of my favorite photographers is Jehad Nga, and I've featured his work on many occasions on The Travel Photographer blog for his superb chiaroscuro work, for his distinctive photographic and visual style and for his choice of subject matter.
In recent interviews, Jehad shared that he was no longer interested in editorial work, but I'm glad he decided to feature recent work on Cairo on his website. Those who know his work will realize that the Cairo work is, in a way, more art than documentary-editorial.
There are two galleries relating to Cairo; one of which is Cairo Corners, in which his trademark unabashed shadow-play is clearly evident.
"I respond more to fashion and fine-art, carrying these fields and variables in photojournalism." -Jehad Nga
On a personal note...I've been urged by a number of Egyptians to photograph my homeland, and even to lead photo workshops there...not necessarily in Cairo, but to outer regions such as Siwa for example, which boasts a distinct culture. Such a workshop may well occur in the near future, especially as I pore over Jehad's beautifully crafted images. Is my hesitancy to photograph in Egypt caused by what I call the "native's blind eye"? I don't know....but Jehad's work certainly inspires me to see Cairo in a different light.


text:
Pilot season is in full swing, but Fox is making a pretty bold commitment to a new series from Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane. The network has decided to go straight-to-series with Dads, a multi-camera live-action comedy written and produced by Ted scribes Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild, with MacFarlane onboard as executive producer. Fox has ordered six episodes of the new show based solely on a pilot script, so Sulkin, Wild, and MacFarlane must have knocked it out of the park. Per THR, the series centers on "two successful guys in their 30s who have their lives turned upside down when their nightmare dads unexpectedly move in with them." The show should premiere this coming fall.
Sulkin and Wild have been longtime Family Guy writers and currently serve as executive producers on the hit animated comedy. The two also co-wrote MacFarlane's directorial debut Ted and are penning a live-action western comedy feature film that MacFarlane will star in and direct called A Million Ways to Die in the West.


text:
29 CFR § 1910.125 - Additional requirements for dipping and coating operations that use flammable liquids or liquids with flashpoints greater than 199.4 °F (93 °C).
If you use flammable liquids, you must comply with the requirements of this section as well as the requirements of §§ 1910.123, 1910.124, and 1910.126, as applicable.
|You must also comply with this section if:
|• The flashpoint of the liquid is 199.4 °F (93 °C) or above
|• The liquid is heated as part of the operation; or
• A heated object is placed in the liquid.
(a) What type of construction material must be used in making my dip tank? Your dip tank must be made of noncombustible material.
(b) When must I provide overflow piping? (1) You must provide properly trapped overflow piping that discharges to a safe location for any dip tank having:
(i) A capacity greater than 150 gallons (568 L); or
(ii) A liquid surface area greater than 10 feet 2 (0.95 m 2).
(2) You must also ensure that:
(i) Any overflow piping is at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter and has sufficient capacity to prevent the dip tank from overflowing;
(ii) Piping connections on drains and overflow pipes allow ready access to the interior of the pipe for inspection and cleaning; and
(iii) The bottom of the overflow connection is at least 6 inches (15.2 cm) below the top of the dip tank.
(c) When must I provide a bottom drain? (1) You must provide a bottom drain for dip tanks that contain more than 500 gallons (1893 L) of liquid, unless:
(i) The dip tank is equipped with an automatic closing cover meeting the requirements of paragraph (f)(3) of this section; or
(ii) The viscosity of the liquid at normal atmospheric temperature does not allow the liquid to flow or be pumped easily.
(2) You must ensure that the bottom drain required by this section:
(i) Will empty the dip tank during a fire;
(ii) Is properly trapped;
(iii) Has pipes that permit the dip tank's contents to be removed within five minutes after a fire begins; and
(iv) Discharges to a safe location.
(3) Any bottom drain you provide must be capable of manual and automatic operation, and manual operation must be from a safe and accessible location.
(4) You must ensure that automatic pumps are used when gravity flow from the bottom drain is impractical.
(d) When must my conveyor system shut down automatically? If your conveyor system is used with a dip tank, the system must shut down automatically:
(1) If there is a fire; or
(2) If the ventilation rate drops below what is required by paragraph (b) of § 1910.124.
(e) What ignition and fuel sources must be controlled? (1) In each vapor area and any adjacent area, you must ensure that:
(i) All electrical wiring and equipment conform to the applicable hazardous (classified)-area requirements of subpart S of this part (except as specifically permitted in paragraph (g) of § 1910.126); and
(ii) There are no flames, spark-producing devices, or other surfaces that are hot enough to ignite vapors.
(2) You must ensure that any portable container used to add liquid to the tank is electrically bonded to the dip tank and positively grounded to prevent static electrical sparks or arcs.
(3) You must ensure that a heating system that is used in a drying operation and could cause ignition:
(i) Is installed in accordance with NFPA 86A-1969, Standard for Ovens and Furnaces (which is incorporated by reference in § 1910.6 of this part);
(ii) Has adequate mechanical ventilation that operates before and during the drying operation; and
(iii) Shuts down automatically if any ventilating fan fails to maintain adequate ventilation.
(4) You also must ensure that:
(i) All vapor areas are free of combustible debris and as free as practicable of combustible stock;
(ii) Rags and other material contaminated with liquids from dipping or coating operations are placed in approved waste cans immediately after use; and
(iii) Waste can contents are properly disposed of at the end of each shift.
(5) You must prohibit smoking in a vapor area and must post a readily visible "No Smoking" sign near each dip tank.
(f) What fire protection must I provide? (1) You must provide the fire protection required by this paragraph (f) for:
(i) Any dip tank having a capacity of at least 150 gallons (568 L) or a liquid surface area of at least 4 feet 2 (0.38 m 1); and
(ii) Any hardening or tempering tank having a capacity of at least 500 gallons (1893 L) or a liquid surface area of at least 25 feet 2 (2.37 m 2).
(2) For every vapor area, you must provide:
(i) Manual fire extinguishers that are suitable for flammable and combustible liquid fires and that conform to the requirements of § 1910.157; and
(ii) An automatic fire-extinguishing system that conforms to the requirements of subpart L of this part.
(3) You may substitute a cover that is closed by an approved automatic device for the automatic fire-extinguishing system if the cover:
(i) Can also be activated manually;
(ii) Is noncombustible or tin-clad, with the enclosing metal applied with locked joints; and
(iii) Is kept closed when the dip tank is not in use.
(g) To what temperature may I heat a liquid in a dip tank? You must maintain the temperature of the liquid in a dip tank:
(1) Below the liquid's boiling point; and
(2) At least 100 °F (37.8 °C) below the liquid's autoignition temperature.


text:
CORRYN and Lloyd Rayney's elder daughter has told her father's murder trial that her parents argued occasionally but they were never spiteful or aggressive.
Caitlyn Rayney, 18, also told the WA Supreme Court trial today that her father was unfit and extremely inflexible, even needing help to move furniture because he was not strong and had a back injury.
Mr Rayney's defence team had suggested the Perth barrister was not capable of dragging his wife's body across the front yard of the family home to her car - as alleged by the prosecution - because of his injury.
The prosecution alleges Mr Rayney murdered his estranged wife when she returned home after her weekly bootscooting class on August 7, 2007, and buried her body in a bush grave in Kings Park.
Click here to see photos of witnesses in the trial
Ms Rayney said her father was not a "macho'' man.
"He eats pizza with a knife and fork,'' she said.
A statement Ms Rayney made to police the morning after her mother went missing was tendered in court today.
"It's not very detailed but it's accurate,'' she said.
Reading from the statement, prosecutor John Agius said: "I walked straight to Mum's room to see if she was there ... I saw her coat lying on the bed.''
Some witnesses have testified the 44-year-old was wearing the coat when she left her bootscooting class, meaning she must have returned home that night.
Ms Rayney said she returned home from a concert just before 11pm on August 7, and her father was wearing green pyjamas and appeared normal.
He helped her with homework that was due the next day and told her to go to bed while he waited for his wife, because they were planning to have a talk.
The court has heard the couple planned to discuss divorce matters that night.
It was unusual that her mother was not at home in the morning, but Ms Rayney assumed she was probably already at work.
She said there was no discussion at that time with her father about calling the police but Mr Rayney reported his wife missing later that day.
Ms Rayney said her mother had told her about the divorce, and the entire family had looked at properties for Mr Rayney so he could be close to his children and see them regularly.
The prosecution also tried to declare Ms Rayney a hostile witness, claiming inconsistencies in her evidence about the morning after her mother went missing, but the application was denied.
Her sister Sarah is also expected to testify today.
The trial before former Northern Territory Supreme Court chief justice Brian Martin continues.


text:
MAGIC HAT release party in Berlin 18.4
The city of Helsinki approached us to put together a magazine to showcase the best and most interesting clothing design and art from our capital at Berlin's Helsinki Festival, which will encompass music events, art exhibits, and a design expo. In turn, we've asked the particapants to interview each other to get a peek at not just the contemporary design and art milieu, but also to glimpse at the general cultural panorama of Helsinki. Our idiosyncratic position as an art gallery, boutique, and music venue grants us the liberty to take in the burgeoning scene first hand, and we relish this chance to share the view.
-Myymälä2 Art Collective in conjunction with Janic Leino, stylist and Oskari Parkkinen, photographer
Following design and art is represented in this catalog:
www.myspace.com/helsinkiinberlin, www.myspace.com/deliriusmonkey, www.sohjo.net, www.ivanahelsinki.com, Control clothing, www.myspace.com/danielpalillo, Finsk shoes www.vanhatapio.fi, Mari Johanna, www.kosunen.fi, www.hundpark.net, Kaksi Två, Mnemo, Pisto, www.minnaparikka.com, Marimekko, www.anttiasplund.fi


text:
Our Big Big events calendar is packed with a variety of Big Bear events for you to get the most out of your stay here! Browse through all the Big Bear Lake events, and if you see something that you're interested in, make sure to give it a visit!
49th Annual Oktoberfest Rated Southern California's #1 Oktoberfest! Enjoy this German tradition with food, music, dance, entertainment and of course beer! Every weekend, for nine weekends in a row. Starting September 7th through November 2nd at the Big Bear Lake Convention Center Saturdays from noon to midnight and Sundays from noon to 6:00 p.m.Find out more »


text:
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Cafe Surfas: Avoid Food, Keep Shopping
After hearing raves about the kobe burger at Cafe Surfas, I had to try it, although not without skepticism. The verdict: completely overrated. Not only was the burger overcooked when it should have been medium rare, but the patty didn't taste fresh (nor did it have a reddish hue that fresh meat patties have when cooked medium rare right). The bun was too dense and the works, including arugula, red onions, tomatoes, cilantro avocado spread, smoked paprika mayo and aged white cheddar cheese, didn't mesh very well together. I think the quality of the meat just killed it.
We're glad that they made the burger again after we sent back the overcooked one, although it came with less than forthcoming service (actually, the service was pretty darn bad throughout except they did try to do some damage control after the fact and comped our desserts).
There was something odd in the air among workers there -- like they were all miserable and therefore weren't going to bother with dealing with customers. When we asked for condiments, one had the audacity to tell us to go buy it inside the store. What?!
The pastrami panini that was like a melt was nothing remarkable. All sandwiches came with a salad that seemed too heavily dressed.
As for the mac-n-cheese, oh my, the pasta was overcooked and it basically tasted like plane food. It was painfully obvious that it had been made hours ahead of time and had been sitting there for a long while.
This cafe has so much potential but I felt like its management must have slipped because the items were interesting but just not well-executed at all.
The biscuit with "homemade raspberry butter" was underwhelming, not least because the butter was neither melted enough to spread it nor flavorful in the least. A minor point: the top of the biscuit had a sheen like a croissant, when in fact the authentic Southern biscuits I'm used to seeing usually do not have a sheen (probably glazed with egg yolk in the baking process).
I will be returning but not for the food. Surfas is like a candy store for me, after all -- I could spend hours browsing the isles of their gourmet foods and restaurant equipment. A major complaint about their food section: can you believe that they carry one single brand of radish kimchi and that the company is based out of none other than New York City? And we're in LA, capital of the best Korean food outside of Korea, no less. Outrageous. Surfas' management will be hearing from me for sure.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Brunch Roundup: Best and Worst Pancakes in West LA
I usually don't like to go out for breakfast or brunch but circumstances have "forced" me to eat out on these occasions and as a result, I've sampled seven places famous and not.
Here's my rundown:
Although I can't say I've tried all joints offering French toast, I can safely say that Amandine Cafe on Wilshire serves up a pretty good one. It's two slices of what tasted and looked like brioche bread, well-toasted on the outside and soft on the inside, and you can top it with your fruit of choice (I chose bananas once and strawberries another time). The cappuccino was also good. I would skip the omelet and stick with what it does best. The plain and chocolate croissants weren't bad but not as good as in Bread Bar.
The space is a bit cramped but it has its own parking lot so that's always a draw. I haven't tried the sweets but I'm sure they do a decent job of those.
I liked Bread and Porridge's sausage that are locally made gourmet sausages that come in seven varieties. Being a spice fiend, I, of course, chose spicy Portuguese and it didn't disappoint. Besides being a good sausage to begin with, the sausage was grilled to perfection, complete with beautiful grill marks. As I bit into it, I tasted the smokiness from the grill and the juiciness from the inside exploded with spicy and salty flavors.
The nice thing about this place was that it didn't look like the kind of place that would but accompanied with our order came a small bowl of black beans and another bowl of pico de gallo -- that wonderful fresh salsa! Unexpected but a very pleasant surprise that definitely complemented the food very nicely.
The other stuff, on the other hand, were nothing to write home about, including its supposedly famous corn bread, which was bland and dry, and its pancakes, which were mediocre.
Speaking of which, I'm not even a huge pancake person but I have to give it up for John O' Groats close to Westside Pavillion for making the lightest and fluffiest buttermilk pancakes this side of town. Its biscuits aren't bad either, but its ethereal pancakes will lift up your spirits, no doubt.
Ok, maybe the corn-based arepas from Venezuela aren't that exotic. But when you're not in the mood for the same ol' same ol', head over to Coupa Cafe in Beverly Hills for some hearty Venezuelan fare.
There is a special breakfast arepa that comes with scrambled eggs, gouda cheese and bacon. Not your thing? An item called perico has an arepa with scrambled eggs, peppers, onions and tomatoes. The latter, according to the menu, is allegedly a favorite dish of the new big-haired conductor at the Philharmonic Gustavo Dudamel, who's Venezuelan.
It's worth trying their other non-breakfast-y items like empanada, which is deep fried corn dough filled with anything from ground beef, chicken to "fresh young shark," which I haven't tried.
The pabellon, filled with shredded beef, black beans, sweet fried plantains and queso paisa (stringy white cheese), was delicious. I also liked the sauces it came with, some infused with cilantro, parsley and some kick. Gotta love kick.
The Venezuelan coffee was not too shabby either. It also has outdoor seating, which makes for good people watching, if that's your thing. On one lazy Sunday a while back, I saw a sunglasses-wearing Julianne Moore walking by. So LA...
If you don't really know what to eat but want something healthy and good, go for a drive to Malibu and get thee to Inn of the Seventh Ray.
It's run by a bunch of new age hippies who appreciate solidly-made food. I usually don't like buffets unless it's Indian food, but this one had a variety of interesting salads, grilled vegetables and flavorful sauces that came with grilled fish. I didn't mind the steamed crab legs that I made sure to grab enough of. Another perk is the beautiful outdoor surrounding. You're smack in the middle of nature. It's also romantic if you need an unusual date spot. The ocean-side drive there filled with greenery is also spectacular. I felt transported out of the urban craziness and into the serene nature.
Now for the duds --places that get a lot of raves for certain specialties but did nothing for me. Wouldn't return to any of them.
Most overrated pancakes, fried chicken and waffles: Pann's Restaurant (Dry chicken, flat pancakes and waffles and hash browns that were drowning in bad-quality butter.)
Most overrated (and overpriced) pastries: Huckleberry (I love Rustic Canyon, as you may recall my recent post raving about its burger that just may rival my all-time favorite one at Houston's. But the brunch items were bland and weak.)
Worst overall brunch experience: Jack n Jill (That this place has lines despite poor food and mediocre service is a clear indication of a dearth of good brunch places in Santa Monica. So unremarkable.)
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Starry Kitchen II: If You Don't Like the Food, Get Out and Don't Come Back!
I belatedly found out that my negative (gasp!) review of cult-favorite Starry Kitchen had caused somewhat of a stir on its fan page with all sorts of haters out there for yours truly. That explains the huge spike in visitors that one day, I told myself with some amusement.
What was truly disturbing, however, was the reaction from the owner when I went to pay the restaurant another visit to see if I'd like it the second time. This was before I knew about the outrage among fans. He, who usually borders on solicitous to incoming customers as he gregariously sings the virtues of his food, how to order, etc., took one look at me and blurted out, "You hate this place" and moved right on to the next customer standing in line behind me.
I don't expect to be given favorable treatment when I visit a restaurant but I don't expect owners to be rude to me when I give them a negative review. In fact, I've had owners and employees of restaurants write to me apologizing for the bad experience and letting me know they take what I wrote in stride and hope I will return for a better experience.
If it had been a scathing review that was malicious, that'd be a different story. But I had merely pointed out that the fried pork in my sandwich was cold and the sandwiches were bland and flavorless. I felt the same way about the curry rice that came as a side. Don't even get me started on the unremarkable japchae.
Ironically enough, the crab cake wrap I had on my second visit was a lot better -- the crab cake was actually warm and while it was still on the bland side, I guess that's what the Sriracha sauce is for. I just wish that restaurants wouldn't have to tone down their flavors and heat quotient to cater to a certain type of customer base.
The owner proceeded to "diss" me one more time throughout the course of my second visit although eventually he was "forced" to take my order. It's really no skin off my back if he treats all unhappy customers that way. I just think that it violates the fundamental notion of hospitality, which is to make it a pleasant experience for your customers -- whether that is through the food, ambiance or perhaps most importantly, the service.
True, it's his establishment and he can refuse service to anyone. But as a budding restaurateur, would you really want to be in denial about the existence of anyone who says anything negative about your food? Do you think that your food is that perfect? Well, it isn't and this is true for any startup restaurant that is test-driving different menu items. Things like serving a fried sandwich that is cold isn't a matter of taste or preference. It's a given that certain foods must be served at certain temperatures.
I wish I had tried food from its NoHo days but all have to go by is its downtown location. There are far too many restaurants I want to go to for me to be compelled to return to this one, but all I have to say is that arrogance was never a virtue for a restaurant.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Paella At Home, At Last
I finally got around to using one of my most prized possessions, the paella pan with the beautiful red handles I got for Christmas last year, and I'm smitten.
I probably avoided making it because of my streak of unsuccessful paella ventures over the past, oh, decade-plus, that resulted in one too many porridge-like things, under-seasoned things and unevenly cooked things. I won't even call those "errors" paella. Back then, I could at least argue that I didn't have the right equipment. No longer. And it came out well, if I may say so myself. Here are some pointers that I took away.
First, there was the issue of deciding what type of paella to make (the pan gift came with a paella cookbook with back-to-back paella recipes -- gracias, mj!). After a not-so-impressive black squid ink paella I attempted to make during my latest trip to Korea, I opted to veer away from seafood.
As I narrowed down the choices canceling out fish and shellfish, I decided -- chicken. I went for one that features chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, crimini mushrooms and onions. I used organic chicken breast meat from a Japanese market (Nijiya) that I found to be a lot more tender and juicier than those found at other mainstream stores. The breast meat also looked fresher with a brighter pink hue to its color and didn't look as chunky as if they'd been injected with hormones. I also liked the slightly sweet flavor from the sherry that soaked the sun-dried tomatoes and also added into the rice as part of the liquid besides chicken stock to cook it.
The saffron, which also came with the gift (apparently one that keeps on giving!), was excellent quality stuff. I'd been a bit cheap and had used ones that aren't as strongly flavored in Persian markets. The good stuff certainly helped to impart that signature paella flavor. I also improvised a bit, throwing in peas and a finely chopped jalapeno pepper for a bit of kick. The recipe called for dried basil but why use dried when I have fresh? So I sprinkled the finished product with slivers of basil that added a very nice dimension of aroma and flavor.
The only thing I will say is that because my pan is for a party of six, it was larger in diameter than my stove's heating area. So I had issues around evenness in cooking and had to stir the rice around to switch out uncooked kernels on the edges with cooked ones in the middle. And I moved the pan around the heat area to finish off the cooking at the end.
The recipe, you ask? It's easy. I'm guessing this isn't the most typical paella but here it is. I'm not going to specify amounts because making paella isn't a precise science at all. Just make sure it cooks evenly! Sautee minced garlic and one chopped onion in olive oil. Chop chicken breasts and sautee them until browned. Slice sun-dried tomatoes and soak in sherry. Chop the mushrooms, jalapeno (for heat lovers) and sautee with sun-dried tomatoes. Add the rice to the mix, stir a bit and then add chicken broth (1 part rice to 2 parts broth) and a bit of sherry to cook the rice. Twenty minutes later or whenever the liquid is all absorbed, it's ready. But make sure you check on the even cooking. That's critical!
I noticed this recipe didn't call for sofrito, that tomato, garlic and onion goodness slow-cooked and frequently used in paellas as a flavoring base. I have cooked paella with sofrito and it is quite something. But this paella withstood the flavor test even without it, although admittedly, it has all three ingredients of sofrito -- (albeit sun-dried) tomato, garlic and onion -- in it separately.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Could Korean Rice Balls be the next Pinkberry?
Most certainly not. For one thing, Pinkberry's popularity seems to be waning. Also, I love a rice ball as much as the next Famima addict, but these Korean fillings in rice balls are just ok. So why am I reviewing them? Because of their novelty. I usually can't get enough of these rice and seaweed snacks often filled with goodies like tuna mayo or kombu seaweed that's been cooked in a soy sauce-based sauce until tender and salty.
The ones I recently found at a Korean market were filled with spicy beef, Korean BBQ and kimchi BBQ. The products were dubbed "triangular kimbab," named after the Korean-style seaweed rolls usually filled with beef, egg, carrot and spinach (another snack/meal I absolutely love). Ok, the flavors weren't all that, unfortunately, but they're acceptable if you were to crave some kick. The spicy beef and kimchi BBQ were both plenty spicy if not particularly memorable.
The Korean BBQ filling was just ground beef that had been purportedly marinated in Korean BBQ sauce but it tasted pretty bland and quality of the beef wasn't great. Just a hint of saltiness and sweetness without much flavor.
There is a careful method to assembling this great invention without touching the seaweed with your hands for hygienic reasons.
These things also keep pretty well so I usually don't refrigerate them and that way, avoid tough, cold rice and filling. They don't microwave well either so it's best to eat them before having to throw them in the fridge.
I'm pretty sure Koreans traditionally served rice balls without seaweed but I could be wrong. My memories of rice balls were literally spheres (not triangular) stuffed with ground beef and some finely minced carrots and such, with rice that had been flavored with salt, sesame seeds and a hint of sesame oil.
Somebody needs to come up with better alternatives to these babies, especially for those who don't have Famima at their door step or want something more than just tuna mayo as their filling.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Dinos' Burgers: Garlic and Chicken Meet Grill
Here's a very quick one to tout one of my favorite grilled chicken joints -- Dino's Chicken and Burgers. I didn't realize it was a franchise but its website says it just opened a location in Pomona and already has one in Azusa. What makes Dino's chicken better than others? For one, its marinade has a good kick to it, and is nice and garlicky. The chicken is also grilled to charred perfection on the outside while retaining its juices on the inside. But the absolute kicker are the french fries underneath the chicken. They taste like they were freshly cut and fried that day and the garlicky juice that the man behind the counter pours over the fries just before handing you the box of beautifully pinkish (almost like tandoori) chicken pieces on a bed of delicious fries soaking in even more delicious garlic juice.
Did I mention it's a ridiculous steal at about $5 for 2-3 pieces of chicken, fries, cole slaw and tortillas? Sure, the cole slaw or tortillas are not much to write home about, but it's definitely one of the best deals in town.
That said, I wouldn't recommend the namesake burger, although I've only been to the Koreatown location on Pico just west of Vermont.
It's best to do takeout as the ambiance isn't much but there is merit in being able to dive right into devouring the fresh off the grill chicken.
For this westsider, Zankou Chicken still reigns supreme in the bone-in chicken category (and Sunnin Cafe for the ever-so-juicy chicken kebab category) in this side of town, but well worth a visit when you're in that area.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance for their doubting too
If you can wait and not be tired of waiting
Or being hated, don't give way to hating
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies
And yet don't look to good or talk too wise.
If you can dream and not make dreams your master
If you can think and not make thoughts your aim
If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposter's both the same
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by naves to make a trap for fools
And see the things you gave your life to ,broken,and stoop to build 'em up with worn out tools.
If you can make one heap out of all your winnings and risk it all on one turn of pitch - and - toss, and loose and start again at your beginning and never breathe a word of your loss
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve their twin, long after they are gone
When there is nothing in you ,except the will with which to say to them - hold on.
If you can walk with crowds and keep your virtue
Or talk with kings nor loose the common touch
If neither foe nor friend can hurt you
If all men count with you, but none too much
If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds of distance run
Then the world is yours and all that's in it but which is more than this
You'll be a man, My Son.
Rudyard Kipling


text:
How high should my parallettes be?
If you're just getting started with parallettes training, you'll want to start off with parallettes that are higher off the ground. A height of 12-inches is about right, and that's what we recommend for use with Parallettes One.
Once you've trained with parallettes for a while and made progress throughout the program, you can reduce the height of your p-bars to increase the difficulty level. The lower your p-bars are to the ground, the bigger the challenge and the more difficult the exercises become.


text:
Thank you for your interest in our volunteer opportunities at Westman Immigrant Services!
Westman Immigrant Services depends on volunteers to enhance its services to newcomers. With your help, newcomers can take steps to successfully adapt and integrate into Canadian society. Volunteering is also a great way for newcomers to gain experience in a Canadian workplace, network, and gain a reference for future job applications.
If you are patient, compassionate, live in Manitoba, and are interested in a cross-cultural experience: a volunteer opportunity at WIS may be right for you! Ability to speak a language other than English is not required. Applicants must be 16 years of age or older.
If you are interested in volunteering with Westman Immigrant Services please fill in the online application. Click here to apply.
Volunteer Services will be in contact with you to arrange an interview. If you do not receive a response within three to four weeks* please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
*Note that volunteer opportunities are currently very limited at this time due to COVID-19.
*Note that volunteer opportunities are currently very limited at this time due to COVID-19.
Please note: all volunteers must undergo screening including application, interview, reference checks, Child Abuse Registry Check and/or a Criminal Record Check.


text:
Fort Worth — Most of these Work in Progress essays have covered plays that have been workshopped and developed in DFW. I get to talk to the artists in the middle of the process, before the project is complete and all problems have been resolved. I assumed that a similar story would be found when I interviewed Aaron Mark, the playwright of Deer. Stage West is producing the world premiere of this play, and I was intrigued because I have never heard of this writer. I didn't know if he was local or an emerging playwright, but the following conversation I had with Mark affirmed that there's no one clear path to getting a play produced.
Aaron Mark grew up in Houston, attending theatre and classes as the notable Theatre Under the Stars. Instead of taking the typical route of going to college and majoring in theatre, Mark decided to move directly to New York City after high school to start his career working in the theatre. He began by assistant directing numerous musicals. Mark mused about his past ambitions, "I was on a path to become a director of musicals." He's most known as a director, and has a notable amount of credits in the city.
But something changed as Mark began to take an interest in writing plays… weird plays, as he says. Deer was inspired by real events; a couple of Mark's friends were driving in a wooded area when they suddenly hit a deer. It completely changed their night because the animal was not quite dead yet—one of them would have to kill it. Mark was fascinated by that situation. "Who is going to do it? What does it reveal about the dynamics of their relationship? What would it catalyze in their relationship? I was intrigued by the intensity of that moment."
Deer is unusual from a development standpoint… because it has already been published. Even before a single production of the play had occurred. That is interesting…and almost unheard of.
The play did not simply drop into his mind and into the publishing house, as Mark spent some time on his own creating this new work. He had some closed readings with a few collaborators to develop the play (including the woman who hit the real deer). The first scene was written fairly quickly, and he developed the rest over a couple of years.
In the meantime, Mark gained success with his play Empanada Loca at Labyrinth Theatre (which he also directed and featured Daphne Rubin-Vega). Mark has served as writer and director for many of his projects, allowing a sort of "tailoring" as Mark describes it. He can write the characters for his collaborators, which he has done for many of his plays.
After the success of Empanada Loca, Dramatists Play Service decided to publish it, and they asked if Mark had any other plays to consider for publication. He submitted Deer along with another play, and Dramatists selected the two-hander about a couple hitting an innocent animal. Then, a copy of the play was sent to Stage West, and they selected it for their season.
I can't help but feel just a little bit of envy.
Can I get an "amen" from another playwright?
Mark notes that it is strange that this is the first time he will see one of his plays produced by another theatre company, it is particularly odd that he has never seen the play on its feet yet at all. Mark notes that it's a different experience to have a work published "before the problems have been solved." He's talked with director Garret Storms about the piece, mainly to discuss the physical business in the play. He's eager to see what Stage West has done with the play when he arrives this weekend.
» Shelby-Allison Hibbs is a Dallas-based teaching artist, playwright, director, performer and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. In her Work in Progress column, she'll have conversations with playwrights, theatermakers, directors, designers, dramaturgs and others involved in the process of realizing new work from page to stage as she explores new plays and musicals being developed/created by theaters of all budget sizes in North Texas.
Please give us feedback and suggestions! You can contact Shelby-Allison Hibbs at firstname.lastname@example.com or TheaterJones editor Mark Lowry at email@example.com
- Len Jenkin's Jonah at Undermain Theatre (April 15, 2016)
- David Lozano and Lee Trull's Deferred Action in a co-production between Dallas Theater Center and Cara Mía Theatre Company (April 28, 2016)
- Janielle Kastner's Ophelia Underwater, presented by The Tribe at Margo Jones Theatre (May 11, 2016)
- Caridad Svich's De Troya, a developmental reading presented by Amphibian Stage Productions in Fort Worth (May 13, 2016)
- Steve Yockey's Blackberry Winter and The Thrush and the Woodpecker in Kitchen Dog Theater's 18th New Works Festival at Undermain Theatre (May 18, 2016)
- Stefany Cambra's Finding Myself in Bed from Proper Hijinx (June 1, 2016)
- Acoustic Nerves/Therefore, a collaboration by Dean Terry and University of Texas at Dallas artists, at the Texas Theatre (June 9, 2016)
- Checking in with playwright Jonathan Norton (July 22, 2016)
- Lake Simons and John Dyer's visual theater adaptation of Don Quixote at Hip Pocket Theatre (Aug. 6, 2016)
- The Third Dallas One-Minute Play Festival, presented by One-Minute Play Festival and Kitchen Dog Theater (Aug. 8, 2016)
- Justin Locklear's Dreamless at the Ochre House (Aug. 15, 2016)
- Jeff Swearingen's Old McDonald's Farm: A Children's Fable about the Obama Presidency at Fun House Theatre and Film (Aug. 17, 2016)
- Iv Amenti's Deep Remembrance Project in the Deep Ellum Unplugged series (Sept. 13, 2016)
- Jessica Cavanagh's Self Injurious Behavior, as a staged reading, performed at Theatre Three's Theatre Too! (Sept. 15, 2016)
- Kirsten Childs' Bella: An American Tall Tale at Dallas Theater Center, a co-production with New York's Playwrights Horizons (Sept. 22, 2016)
- Katy Tye's movement theater piece Midas, presented by PrismCo at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center (Oct. 4, 2016)
- Wild, Wicked, Wyrd: Fairytale Time by Maryam Obaidullah Baig, Michael Federico and John M. Flores, presented by the Drama Club (Oct. 23, 2016)
- Day Light by Bruce R. Coleman, presented by Theatre Three (Nov. 21, 2016)
- Holy Bone by Thomas Riccio and Dead White Zombies (Feb. 12, 2017)


text:
RebelForce Radio Presents Fangirls Going Rogue: Fandom Engaged!
Earlier this year, Teresa Delgado and Tricia Barr combined forces for short segments on topics emerging from Celebration Europe II, then joined several other podcasters on Star Wars Report to discuss the sexualization of female characters in Star Wars. Last month, when Jimmy Mac of RebelForce Radio asked if we would like to co-host a new podcast for and by fangirls, they jumped at the opportunity.
Fangirls Going Rogue is a segmented show where Tricia and Teresa discuss anything and everything that inspires their Star Wars fangirl hearts. The show's goal is to highlight the many ways fangirls can participate in fandom, as well as talk to prominent female fans to find out what it takes to get where they are.
In the first episode, Teresa and Tricia introduce themselves (07:00) and their goals for the show. Then they turn to the segments. First up (33:00) is The Important Women of Star Wars. How could we not begin with Princess Leia? Tricia introduces a Tor.com article by Emily Asher-Perrin, which details how the character was received back in the 1980's and how Carrie Fisher felt about the portrayal of the iconic character. Discussion ensues.
The second segment (43:30), Fandom in the Real World, was inspired by an article on the blog Eleven-ThirtyEight that weighed the positives and negatives of fan service and promoted a different way of serving fans: fan engagement. As the article points out, the Star Wars franchise has exhibited plenty of signs of fan engagement in the past couple of years. In our view, though, it has been narrowly aimed at male fans and their interests. Teresa and Tricia share their ideas for opportunities to broaden the engagement of female fans.
In the Real Women in Star Wars segment (55:00), Teresa and Tricia interview Star Wars voice actress Cat Taber. She talks about her project Games for Soldiers, which sends video games to troops overseas. You can reach Games for Soldiers through its website and follow Cat Taber on Twitter @cattaber.
Each episode, Teresa and Tricia will share highlights of what they are excited about in Star Wars (1:27:00). In this episode, Teresa provides some exclusive updates on game cards and poker dice and chip sets coming from Cartamundi. Jedi News has some details available, but Teresa had quite a bit more to reveal. Tricia is currently listening to William Shakespeare's Star Wars from Random House Audio and loving it. Also out the day of the recording was the Death Star Owner's Technical Manual by Ryder Windham, which she had a chance to preview at New York Comic Con.
Finally, the show closes with another regular segment (1:41:00): the character discussion. Boba Fett steps front and center for some fangirl opining – he might jump into the Sarlacc pit before the episode is through!
Below are the many ways to provide feedback. Teresa and Tricia want Fangirls Going Rogue to be a show where anyone feels welcome to participate. They will be reading emails and engaging fans via social media between episodes.
Where to find us:
Twitter: @FGGoingRogue, @fangirlcantina (Tricia), @icecoldpenguin (Teresa)
Email: email@example.com
Facebook: Fangirls Going Rogue
Tumblr: fangirlsgoingrogue.tumblr.com
Please like Rebel Force Radio on iTunes and leave a positive review, and in your review mention how much you like Fangirls Going Rogue.
Until next month – Yub Yub!
Tricia Barr's novel, Wynde, won the 2014 Independent Publisher Book Award Gold Medal for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror Ebook. She was also part of Silence in the Library's successful all-female creator science fiction and fantasy anthology Athena's Daughters, which is available now. For excerpts and tales of her adventures in creating a fictional universe, hop over to TriciaBarr.com.
Latest posts by Fangirl (see all)
- Tricia Barr Talks Writing Star Wars With Who's The Bossk Podcast - July 21, 2020
- Hyperspace Theories: The Clone Wars Season 7 – The Siege of Mandalore - June 3, 2020
- E. Anne Convery Sits Down With Fangirls Going Rogue - May 29, 2020


text:
Le Mars, Iowa (CNN) - GOP candidate Mitt Romney pledged Saturday to veto any effort by Congress to create a path to citizenship for young adults in the United States illegally.
Romney's declaration was not out of step with previous statements he has made about the issue, but it appeared to be the first time the candidate directly said he would veto a congressionally-backed effort.
– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
"The question is, if I were elected and Congress were to pass the DREAM Act, would I veto it, and the answer is yes," Romney said in response to a query from the audience of roughly 200 at The Family Table in Le Mars.
The DREAM Act would offer a path to citizenship for minors in the country illegally, providing they served in the armed forces or attended college.
The initiative has not gained enough support to pass Congress despite several attempts.
Romney said Saturday he would support a path to residency - not citizenship - for those who served in the military, but would not support other DREAM Act proposals.
"I'm delighted with the idea that people who come to this country and wish to serve in the military can be given a path to become permanent residents of this country," he said. "For those who come here illegally, the idea of giving them in-state tuition credits or other special benefits I find to be contrary to the idea of a nation of law."
A campaign aide said Romney opposed the DREAM Act provisions which would grant a path to citizenship for people who complete high school and two years of post-secondary education or those which allow states to grant illegal immigrants in-state tuition.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has come under fire from conservatives for supporting Texas legislation that granted in-state tuition for the children of some illegal immigrants.
The Democratic National Committee released a statement Saturday seizing on the comments.
"Mitt Romney has shown once again that he is out of touch and far to the right of even members of his own party, and that he would not represent the best interest of middle class Americans, those still trying to reach the middle class, and Hispanics in the country," said DNC Senior Advisor for Hispanic Affairs, Juan Sepúlveda.
Both parties are courting Hispanic voters, a growing voting bloc, in the run-up to the 2012 elections.
And that's why he will never be President.
Juan Sepúlveda is out of touch with what the majority of Americans really believe is right. We should take the finger prints of every illegal alien and deport them and if they are caught again illegally in the US; they should never be able to obtain US citizenship.
Congratulations Mittens. Any support you might have had with Latinos (and any other group that knows the benefits of an educated workforce) will be on its way down.
Dems, since he's mostl likely going to win the nomination, start running the ads in Arizona, Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, N. Carolina, Georgia, etc. Romney must know what a landslide loss in November 2012 will feel like.
Obama/Biden/E.Warren 2012
Well, Romney lost my vote. There is no moderation in the Conservative Party!
Romney is pathetic. What a disgrace to see him as a Presidential candidate. Panderer-in-Chief, Poser-in-Chief, take your pick. Flip-flopping enough to show that a jellyfish has a stronger spine. Running a company that thrived on predatory practices. How dumb does someone have to be to proudly display a 'Romney in 2012' placard? What original ideas has he proposed to move America forward? Veto the DREAM act? Totally ridiculous and impractical. Republicans, cry into your Bibles at the state of your (tea) party. I'll take Obama – he got Bin Laden and numerous other terrorists....Mitt, have fun with that raw ambition that you possess. As a taxi driver in Boise once said "slicker than snot.".
Romney, you've just lost the latino votes supporting you. Remember who put Obama in office...
I think Romney is right in providing for those who joined the military but it should be citizenship and not just permanent residency. In-state tution for illegals is wrong . I came to this country legally from international country and had to pay international tution. Why do Mexicans pay in-state just because Mexico is close to US? What about us that have abided by the law and become citizens legally ? I have nothing against people who come here illegally ; just that they should also follow the law in this country. Mexico is without laws and that is why that country is in that state. Immigrants - legal or illegal, you have to realize US is great because people here are honest and hard-working . Honesty is a virtue highly prized here and I as an international legal immigrant honor it - time you did too my friend .
Casa De Maryland to raise $10,000,000,00 in defending "Dream Act". The dept of legislative Services state that the Dream Act will cost Maryland taxpayers $778,000in 2014.....but up to $3,000,000,00 {million} in 2016!! We the voters in California are having the Dream Act pushed down our throats....by Gov.Brown and ALL Democratic Reps.
The LIBERAL Nordic democracies all deport all illegal aliens. they do not put them into school. These are LIBERAL, PROGRESSIVES democracies.
Cool...so I get to come to this country and apply for 10 units at my local JC and BLING! Citizen....yay....
Don't we have enough college graduates on the unemployment line already?
However...if you want to serve and risk your life for this country...hell, I'll write up the citizenship paperwork for you.
I am a democrat however I strongly agree with Romney.. If you are illegal you have NO business in my country, Just because your underage, means nothing. Its your parents fault.
I agree with Romney on this. Granting Citizenship bypasses many of the requirements of being a US citizen. Then it would open the door to legal beneficiaries, false marriages, and many loopholes to get other non citizens in the country.
We need people dedicated to our country, not just people in need.
I believe the Dream Act would create a new sub culture that is not beneficial to the United States.
I am glad that he would veto such legislation as I don't believe in dangling any other carrots in front of those who consider leaving their country and coming to ours to displace our citizens opportunity to occupy a seat in our nations colleges, especially at a discount. Secure the borders and enforce our immigration laws, do not provide encouragement or a rewards to those who broke our laws or to the kids of who break our laws. We do not give the kids of a bank robber the key to the vault, why would you give the keys to our country to the kids of those who break our immigration laws. I am tired of the sob stories. Break our laws, suffer the consequences and sometimes your kids suffer as well.
Mitt Romney's arrogance and ignorance are both disturbing and sickening. This country was founded by immigrants, was brought to become the greatest nation in the world by settlers and immigrants and still is the biggest melting pot of race and culture in the world. We are not talking about making hardened criminals US citizens but giving educated hard working people a chance to become productive US citizens in our society. They are not stealing jobs and taking away tax payer money which is how most republicans try to distort what the dream act is truly about. These are hispanics that have lived in America most of their lives to which some have gone on to earn a college degree yet they are demonized as if they are less than human and undeserving to live amongst other Americans. This archaic way of thinking is poison for the future of our country and should be condemned by those seeking to hold the highest office. Allowing hard working, honest hispanic people a path to become US citizens and an become an active part of our society will bring huge benefits as they have the opportunity to start businesses, create american jobs, pay taxes and contribute to our economy.
Asking someone to serve in the military...and risk their lives for this country...only to be granted residency...if they make it out alive...reflects the thinking...and values of most of the republican nominees...how absurd...
Veto dream act? Good for him. It's nothing but buying votes anyway.
I thin the majority of Americans want Illegal Immigrants out. Its not fair that we have to keep paying for illegal immigrants health care, tuition and other costs, not to mention the number of increases in violent crimes by illegal immigrants over the last year or two. Things need to change! and Romney is the one to do it. Illegal means illegal. My father was a LEGAL immigrant who worked his butt off to come down here, and go through school, get work, and raise a family. He had to do everything himself and obtain his green card. Why can't these other people do the same thing. Go through the legal process of waiting to come here rather than flooding in here, wasting our resources and tax dollars and screwing the middle class out of jobs. I applaud Romney for taking a stand against illegal immigration and am glad I am a moderate independent ...having recently switched from Democrat.
There goes mitt Romney again, pandering to which ever audience he needs votes from. Don't worry Iowa he won't do a 180 like Obama did. I mean it's not like he was a democrat a few years ago.
Great idea Mitt. Let's ensure that the illegals that are already here can't get an education, pulling our qualify of life down overall. You sir, are a genius.
Between ancient Rome and Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers I believe that service in the military should grant citizenship! (That and over 11 years on active duty in the US Army.)
Service guarantees citizenship!
Major Alex
US Army
Now you guys know why Romney will not beat Obama in the general election; he's looking to be President of the divided States of America... That's what separates the two!
Is that his son on the left ?
I'm sure he will run for president in 2020 and cary on the dynasty.
Would they have to graduate from a course, or just attend for two years whether they complete their degree or not? A half-completed degree is worthless.
Once again the wacko right wing Republicans prove what a bunch of racist biggots they are. Their dream country is all white bible banging tea partiers. aka the third reich. I'm glad Romney is leading in the Republican circus. Obama will easily beat him. btw, Um a life long republican that is disgusted with what the Republican party has turned into.
I would veto the DREAM act as well.


text:
Thursday, August 1, 2013
1974 Gibson EDS-1275 Double Neck SG
via this auction
"Here is a rare chance to own a super hard to find original 1974 Gibson EDS-1275 in original White finish! Same model & year as famously used by Don Felder of The Eagles in 'Hotel California'. Why spend the big bucks on a Custom Shop when you can have the REAL DEAL! This EDS-1275 is 100% original with the exception of an added strap button..."
Posted by vintageguitarz at 8/01/2013 05:23:00 PM
Labels: Gibson
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Films catalog
Filter Settings
By types: Documentaries | Feature films | Scientific films | Educationals
Sri Lanka - a country of coconut. (1975)
Documentary, 1 part, Duration: 0:10:16G 9/17/2015
A brief sketch of Sri Lanka.
In the film, there is no sound.
ABCs of land. (1984)
Documentary, 2 parts, Duration: 0:14:36G 9/17/2015
A reflection film about the history and structure of the Earth, on the earth, as the nurse of all living things on the planet.
Russian Coal. (1992)
Documentary, 1 part, Duration: 0:09:26G 9/17/2015
The film is about the different ways of coal mining in Russia.
The socialist way of life. (1987)
Documentary, 2 parts, Duration: 0:19:55G 9/17/2015
Teleconference "Moscow-London", a leading journalist Leonid Zolotarevskii.
Teacher says Evgeny Ilyin sings Boris Vishnevsky.
Speaker Gorbachev (synchronously).
Earth close-up. (1977)
Documentary, 3 parts, Duration: 0:09:31G 9/17/2015
The film tells the story of the development of special equipment for taking pictures from space, the international experiment "Rainbow" in orbit, the development of a technique infallible reading space photos.
Comrade Krasin authorized. (1986)
Documentary, 6 parts, Duration: 0:45:51G 9/17/2015
Shostakovich, composer and time.. (1981)
Documentary, 5 parts, Duration: 0:10:00G 9/17/2015
People in the Leningrad Philharmonic Hall.
The music of Shostakovich.
An office Shostakovich.
Chronicle: The performance of Shostakovich (sinhr.).
Photos of parents, the young musician, people that have known and worked Shostakovich, including GM Kozintsev, Meyerhold.
This conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky (sinhr.).
Newsreels of life accompanied by excerpts from the first, fifth, seventh, eighth, twelfth symphonies of Shostakovich, including meeting Chkalov, the epic "CHelyuskincev" smiling AG Stakhanov.
Fedorov gunsmith.. (1985)
Documentary, 2 parts, Duration: 0:11:51G 9/17/2015
Photo Designer automatic weapons VG Fedorov cadet, graduate of St.
Michael Artillery Academy, an officer in the 1st world war, under the higher ranks of the royal army, co-design bureau arms factory in
Carpeted, VA Degtyarev.
First created VG Fedorov automatic rifle, automatic 1916
Newsreel of the 1st World War, the Great Patriotic War; soldiers firing machine.
Arms Factory in
Kavrov, where he worked VG Fedorov.
Wizards - golden hands.. (1986)
Documentary, 2 parts, Duration: 0:17:52G 9/17/2015
The film is dedicated to the All-Union competition of students of vocational schools agricultural occupations.
Fleet commander. Schmidt.. (1986)
Documentary, 2 parts, Duration: 0:09:43G 9/17/2015
1 hour - Photos P. Schmidt.
The apartment where he lived with his parents Schmidt, Naval School in Leningrad: interior.
Photos of the People.
Streets of St.
2 hours - Chronicle: review squadron near Libau, the king lifted the ship, ships at sea, the ship sinks, the men jump into the sea.


text:
In the face of rapid, man-made climate change, Toronto's parks are facing some major challenges. This is especially true around soil erosion, soil compaction, changing bio-diversity and most importantly, tree canopies.
As many of you know, I'm a student of AGW (Anthropogenic Global Warming) and I've just finished a little course sponsored by the World Bank Group. You might be interested in one of my video artifacts – dealing specifically with Toronto Parks. It speaks directly to the challenges and ways to overcome those challenges as we drift towards the year 2050. I hope you're inspired – at least a little ~ Ed.


text:
Whichever way you look at it, Paul Scholes had an exceptional club career during his tenure at Manchester United.
The Red Devils stalwart scored 155 goals in 718 appearances at Old Trafford, and he will almost certainly go down in history as a club legend.
In fact, it would be fair to state that Scholes should be regarded as a Premier League icon. After all, he featured in 499 top flight games on the way to winning the domestic title 11 times…
Perhaps the biggest compliment paid Scholes is that some of the best players on the planet have spoken highly of the United legend, both during his time in the sport and in his retirement.
We often ask "Gerrard, Lampard or Scholes?" – and it would be fair to state that the latter of the three always tends to rank above the other two. While Lampard and Gerrard were exceptional footballers, neither were able to dictate a football match in the same manner as Scholes could.
Nowadays, United aren't quite the dominant force that they were during Scholes' era. In fact, there is a blatant 'Scholes-shaped' hole in the midfield.
While £89 million man Paul Pogba has settled quickly into life at Old Trafford, he just isn't able to control a football match like Scholes.
That may come with age – but right now, supporters aren't necessarily getting value for money, especially in away fixtures.
According to research conducted by Voucherbox, United's away fans spend around £500 more than home supporters every season; and Jose Mourinho's men have failed to inspire confidence on the road so far this campaign.
The Red Devils have won just three games away from home all year and United would be wise to follow the example of Scholes, Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs as they look to get back to the top of English football.
Remember Scholes' astonishing 25-yard volley against Bradford City? Only he could produce a moment of magic like that. The United star popped up with a phenomenal strike or two during his illustrious career and efforts against Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers will live long in our memory.
During his long stint at Old Trafford, Scholes netted a brilliant 22 strikes from outside the penalty area in the top flight – a tally bettered by only a handful of fellow professionals.
While he was unable to replicate his form on the international stage, Scholes' achievements in the Premier League deserve plenty of respect and he will be recognised as an all-time great in the modern era.
Incredibly, he was named in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year just twice in his career; a statistic that suggests he was perhaps overlooked in an era of dominant central midfielders.
He didn't carry a team like Gerrard or pop up with a crucial goal as frequently as Lampard – but if you ask most people, Paul Scholes would be the first name on the starting line-up of an all-time Premier League XI.
Happy Birthday to Englands best ever midfielder. Mr. Paul Scholes.
499 Appearances
107 Goals
11 Premier League Titles
2 Champions Leagues pic.twitter.com/DFCfJAc4Bq
— Henry. (@ClassyCristiano) November 16, 2016


text:
An early look showcases a curious VR title.
We first came across Chiaro and the Elixir of Life in May when developer Martov launched a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign for the virtual reality (VR) experience. While some developers use the platform to get a project off the ground Martov has been working on the videogame for over two years, constructing a fantasy, steampunk style world that's all about making friends and saving the day. The studio gave us a look at some of the first few chapters, and initial impressions are positive.
Chiaro and the Elixir of Life is a story driven experience which Martov has said is inspired by the aesthetics of Studio Ghibli and the gameplay of Zelda. The narrative revolves around Chiaro, a young engineer who lost his parents in a great war involving machines that are brought to life with an ancient fuel called Elixir. All is right with the world and Chiaro has returned to his home of Neverain in a bid to find the lost Fountain of Elixir.
To do this Chiaro needs some help, so he's created a small robot friend called Boka to help him on his travels, and that's where the videogame begins. After the cinematic story intro – which happens to be on a wide screen at the moment – Chiaro and the Elixir of Life begins in a tower instructing you to pick up an object located on a plinth in front. There's no specific tutorial to tell you what does what but the controls are simple enough. The menu system did show the button layout for HTC Vive, however we used Oculus Rift for the demo so that wasn't much help.
The adventure continues to Chiaro's home, a quaint cottage style abode with all the features you'd expect of a steampunk adventure, robot parts littered around, pipes and levers connected to various contraptions and more. The first job is to build your buddy Boka, snapping together its various parts onto an elevated body. It's here that Chiaro and the Elixir of Life, like many a VR puzzle adventure, can frustrate to begin with due to its teleport system. There's always a difficulty in finely moving around an area when there's only teleportation on offer which is certainly noticeable when playing Chiaro and the Elixir of Life as a seated experience. In roomscale those problems are reduced, so hopefully Martov do plan on adding a direct locomotion system for those who prefer that gameplay style.
These first few chapters do feel very much like short but sweet training levels, with a couple of basic puzzles to solve and secret golden coins to find, each one lasting around 15 – 20 minutes. Chiaro and the Elixir of Life mainly consists of exploring at your own leisure the relatively small locations then completing story objectives by finding the relevant items. With Oculus Touch the grab function was a little hit and miss at points, requiring a couple of attempts to pick things up which can be annoying when it happens.
A big side to the gameplay will obviously be the interaction between you and your robotic mate Boka. While Boka's personality is one of the jovial sidekick, who will jump about, fall over and generally cause a little mayhem, there will be those bonding moments. After stepping out into the world of Neverain Boka will want to play a game of catch, that traditional of all sports growing up. Hopefully Martov do explore this side of the gameplay further as they have confirmed several other characters will come into play.
Chiaro and the Elixir of Life already looks the part of an epic adventure, with gorgeous scenery and detailed characters. It certainly radiates years of work but there is some fine tuning still to be made, on the movement side especially.


text:
Saumur, located right on the Loire River, is a city in France known for its horses (the Cadre Noir is based at the National Riding School in Saumur, along the lines of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna) and its wine. Saumur-Champigny is (amongst connaisseurs, at least), one of the better known appellations of the Loire Valley, but Saumur is also home to a large number of sparkling wine houses, most notably making wines in the appellations of Crémant de Loire and Saumur Brut.
At Bouvet-Ladubay we were lucky enough to have a course on how to taste sparkling wines, with the well-known regional enology consultant Jean-Michel Monnier. The specificity of sparkling wines require special treatment to fully appreciate them in a 'professional' style tasting (otherwise, please, I beg you, just keep enjoying your champagne like you always have! that's the point, right?).
We discussed different types of glasses and their merits (those shown above, and these newer models are definitively the best), and the very real importance (for once) of specific glasses because champagne flutes are laser-treated to create little imperfections in the bottom on which the bubbles can form!
Swirl? Nope, for once there's no need since the bubbles carry with them all the volatile aroma molecules as they rise in your glass and then release them at the surface.
(here we see the sometimes-disasterous effects of the enormous pressure build-up inside a bottle of bubbly. the bottle in the center of this storage rack at Langlois-Chateau during the aging process)
(View from vineyards of Langlois-Chateau – with city of Saumur and its Chateau in the background)
In sparkling wine the most important aromas to watch out for are the primary aromas, coming from the fruit and the terroir – so fruityness, herbacity, floral, minerality (I really should make a vow not to employ this term until I find a satisfying working definition, but here it is). The secondary aromas come from fermentation (that's why they're considered secondary – its an added layer to what the grapes supply on their own), and are expressed by yeasty, brioche-y, nutty, buttery, lactic aromas. Finally, there is even a tertiary bouquet, which comes from the aging of these wines (either in barrel [initial fermentation], or in bottle on the lees and later in the final bottle – see the process for making champagne outlined here) – oaky, toasty or vanilla aromas from the wood, or more subdued, complex versions of the secondary fermentation aromas (coming here from the autolysis of the yeast cells after fermentation has finished).


text:
Happy Feet
Are your feet happy? I wrote an earlier article on Barefoot Running in which I touched on the downside of wearing shoes and of the running and walking style inherent in a shoe-wearing culture.
When your feet are constrained as in shoes, your feet cannot move and your muscles, ligaments and tendons atrophy. This leads to a host of problems in your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and back.
The feet in this photo are barefoot healthy feet – happy feet! Compare to your own feet; mine look like Flintstone feet in comparison.
I recommend a transition to barefoot or minimalist footwear and going total barefoot around the house and wherever you can manage it. If you have to wear shoes at times, be sure to also wear a quality orthoticto support and maintain proper structural relationships. You can find a decent orthotic at Costco for about $30, I can supply a custom fit orthotic for $60 or a custom made one for $250.
If you choose to go minimalist/barefoot, it's very important to train yourself into the barefoot style. I used the Merrell Barefoot Challenge, but if you Google "barefoot training", you'll get lot's of resources. Most important is the foot strike, which should be mid to fore foot, not the heel. It takes practice and time – go slowly.
Barefoot Benefits: (read entire article)


text:
So I was working on an AJ page and when I got to the "title" part I considered and discarded a number or ideas – stamps, printed text, a lettering stencil, magazine letters. I tried a few lettering options on scraps, to see if I would be happy with just writing it, and I really wasn't.
I have one handwritten letter stencil and I really like it, but it is someone else's handwriting.
Much as I hate my own, I am TRYING to get more comfortable with it. I had a bit of a flash and thought, well, why can't I make one from my OWN handwriting? and of course the answer was, I CAN. And so can YOU LOL!
The first thing I did was write the phrase I had in mind on white paper. I used three different types of pens: a fat Sharpie, a brush tip Pitt pen, and a chisel tip marker.
I scanned that. No reason to scan it at a supper-high resolution. Frankly you don't WANT every little stray brush mark. I did 150 DPI but I suspect 72 dpi is fine.
Once I had that, I cropped the scan to create three .jpgs, one for each version. I imported each one into SCAL and used the TRACE option. Once I had traced it I selected the BLACKOUT option – the effect is pretty much the same in the end, but there is no need to cut both the letter and the opening as cutting makes all the letters that have an enclosed white area (like the O, the a, the l, etc.) end up as just an opening, like the stencil.
Why cut both when it's just going to fall out anyway?
I was being lazy so I lined up all three so I could cut them from one sheet
I can just mask off the ones I don't want to use. It's heavy card, covered both sides with contact paper and it wipes clean (but I wouldn't try to wash it LOL!)
Cool! I tested them with spray ink and paint with a stencil brush.
Not bad – it's more my technique that needs work – I never press the stencil flat to the page, and I never move my hand back and forth like I should. And with the paint I used paint that was perhaps a little too liquid. A thicker, more heavy bodied paint and a sponge and I think it would have been crisper. But the real win for me was using my homemade modelling paste! That worked out perfectly.
You can sort of see the commercial stencil sample I showed when I did the post. My handwriting is not so lovely but my STENCIL works equally as well. So then it's just a matter of deciding what phrases are worth doing, or, like the original, just writing out the alphabet in my own hand. COOL!


text:
In today's world there's a renewed belief among practice owners that creative fires stay lit when people can brainstorm and bounce ideas off one another. A water cooler effect is a phenomenon, occurring when people gather around the office water cooler and chat. When done correctly with the correct mindset the water cooler effect is the ideal environment to brainstorm.
However in today's hectic world trying to find the perfect platform for like-minded Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons and Practice Managers to meet and converse about a certain topic is next to impossible without extensive planning with everyone involved. This is where Aesthetic Water Cooler comes in. We created the ideal online platform for you to join or create virtual "Water Coolers" with other Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons and Practice Managers at your convenience via your computer or smart phone.