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If not Beltre, why not a reunion?
For argument's sake, let's say agent Scott Boras pulls another Jayson Werth out of his hat and convinces somebody – the Blue Jays, Orioles, Rangers — that Adrian Beltre is worth more than the $70 million across five seasons reportedly offered by the Angels.
Where does Team Moreno go from there? Is there a legitimate Plan B moving forward?
At the risk of once again alienating my growing anti-fan base, I have an idea that makes sense to me. Why not make a creative effort to bring back the 2009 Angels offense? You remember that attack, how it mauled opponents from top (Chone Figgins) to bottom (Erick Aybar) with speed and power. The amazing thing is that they continued to roll through the summer with their No. 3 and No. 4 hitters, Torii Hunter and Vladimir Guerrero, sidelined together for an extended period of time.
Figgins is now in Seattle, having endured a frustrating debut season with the Mariners, while Guerrero is a free agent after a blockbuster season in Texas, his big body healed after the multiple injury disruptions of '09.
I could be wrong – it's happened before – but it seems plausible that the Angels and Mariners could work out a mutually beneficial deal involving Figgins. It also is possible that Guerrero could be lured back to Anaheim with the two-year deal he is seeking that the Rangers don't seem to have prepared for the man who made life much nicer for Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and Co. with his presence.
With a need for power, Seattle could acquire power-hitting left fielder Juan Rivera and Alberto Callaspo, a versatile infielder, in exchange for the leadoff catalyst who was missed so badly by the Angels. Yes, Figgins is costly — $26 million guaranteed for three more years, with a vesting option for 2014. And there doubtless are some residual hard feelings that would need smoothed over in the Figgins camp over his exit in the afterglow of a career year in '09. But couples reunite all the time, and if it serves to benefit everyone involved . . . why not?
If Figgins doesn't reach 600 plate appearances in 2013, the $9 million vesting option for '14 does not kick in. That's a lot of at-bats; to get there, Figgy would have to remain healthy and productive.
Now, on to Guerrero. What would it take to bring him back? Perhaps something in thle $20 million range for two years. Given what he meant to the Angels, that doesn't seem unreasonable. His return would quiet a lot of fans who are spewing invective these days.
Yes, Guerrero clearly benefitted from the comforts of Rangers Ballpark, and his second half wasn't nearly as productive as the first. But a .300 batting average with 29 homers and 115 RBIs is a healthy season under any measure. During the American League Division Series against the Rays, Vlad told me his knees felt better than they have in four years, and it showed in the way he ran the bases.
Guerrero's understated leadership qualities should not be overlooked. He had a lot to do with the emergence of Aybar, who clearly missed his big brother figure. It should be noted that Beltre, much like Guerrero, is a highly regarded clubhouse presence for his calm, easy manner and certainly is capable of filling that leadership role if he comes aboard.
A Beltre signing would be cause for celebration — even if it's hardly a unanimous sentiment among disgruntled Angels followers who seemingly won't be satisfied until the club reunites the 2002 offense or acquires Evan Longoria, Joe Mauer and Albert Pujols.
Beltre can play. Boston fans fell in love with him in 2010, but they realize that Adrian Gonzalez is younger with more upside and that Kevin Youkilis is now a third baseman. Otherwise, they'd be incensed in Beantown over Beltre's departure after a brilliant season.
Much is made of Beltre's perceived struggles in Seattle after his mammoth season with the Dodgers in 2004, but he didn't perform that badly considering Safeco Field is notoriously rough on right-handed batters. Fewer home runs were hit there by righties (61) than in any park in 2010, and that's a fairly consistent stat.
The Angels' reported proposal for Beltre, at 32, seems more than reasonable. If it's not enough, so be it. But landing Figgins and Guerrero for a total of five contract years at roughly $46 million – or six years and $55 million if the Figgins option vests – seems to be a viable alternative to five years and $70 million for Beltre.
I'm not saying it's going to happen or even can happen. It's just an innocent thought from someone who would like to see some much-needed holiday cheer extending into a new season. – Lyle Spencer
16 Comments
You can't go home again. "You can't go back home to a young man's dreams of glory and fame…back home to the escapes of time and memory." – T. Wolfe
You can't return to your place of origin without being deemed a failure. It's time to move on, even if it means giving Wood another shot or trying out Trumbo in LF. Figgy and Vlady gave us some good years, the best years of their careers, but their glory days are in the past and it's time for the Angels to build a better future.
That quote doesn't apply here. How will Vlad be deemed a failure if he returns? He had a great season and proved the Angels wrong by letting him go and having a monster season. So if anything it's the opposite. Do you think Vlad didn't have a "glory" year last year? Sorry but you are mistaken. Would you rather see Wood and third or Beltre there and Vlad back? Or Figgy back and third after a down year (we might be able to give away little for him since he's coming off a down year) and Vlad back at DH? Sometimes common sense goes beyond any technical quote. And Lyle, you're the man.
?disgruntled Angels followers who seemingly won't be satisfied until the club reunites the 2002 offense or acquires Evan Longoria, Joe Mauer and Albert Pujols? Funny and all too true in many cases.
As much as the Angels missed Chone Figgens this year and as much as I wish they?d never let him (or Darren Oliver!) go in the first place, I don?t want him back. From my outside vantage, so many of the problems Figgy had this season were caused or at least exacerbated by attitude. I don?t think bringing him back to the Angles after we let him go and he had a bad season on top of it is going to change the attitude and bring back the Figgy who played so well for the Angels before. Vladdy though is an interesting idea. I think he looked like he was slowing down an awful lot at the end of this season, so I am inclined to say no, but I thought he looked like he was slowing down an awful lot at the end of 2009 and look how great he was for most of 2010, so who knows what he?s going to do. If the plan is no longer moving Bobby to the DH role and we don?t sign anyone else maybe Vladdy is the way to go?I?m still hoping they sign Beltre though. Thanks for the interesting thoughts to mull over.
I'm curious. Just how brown is your nose?
Guys, we have to move beyond Figgy and Vladdy. They were a wonderful, WONDERFUL part of our team, but I think chances of Vladdy having another great year are slim. He did well in Texas because he had something to prove, and also because it's a great hitters' park.
Figgy is getting too old. I know that a lot of the game is mental and Figgy has not been in a good mental place in Seattle, but still. His years with us were great, but getting him back is not what will push this team forward. We already have a frighteningly aging squad. No need to exacerbate that.
We've gotta quit looking to the past for our answers just because the front office refuses to look toward the future. I don't care if 2011 is a building year. I'd rather get young guys out there and actually develop a TEAM. One of the main reasons we stank in 2010 was because of a lack of team cohesion. We can't keep signing 1-2 year contracts to random guys as a stop-gap measure. You can see that the teams that makes it to the Big Show are ones that play together and with heart. I think we'd be hard pressed to say that was the Angels in 2010, heck if even in 2009. In 2009 we got by on dumb luck.
I've been singing the Figgins song since the end of the season but I figured it would take Napoli. If the Angels could swing it for Rivera pull the trigger now! Signing Vlad would at least keep him from another AL West team and provide some pop, but it puts Abreu back in the field full time which might not be the best of ideas if you want to keep him healthy. Better Damon I think who can play left some of the time.
As for Figgins attitude, my understanding is that it all stems from Ichiro not wanting to bat anywhere but leadoff. Their ideal lineup has Figgins leading off and Ichiro hitting 2nd or 3rd. Figgy slashes, Ichirio places. Duh 1-2….
Time to bring Figgy home, maybe bring Figgy back to play left and sign Beltre to play 3rd.
Hey, it's only money.
Mr. Spencer, I don't know what your actual level of contact with Mr. Moreno is but if these are your actual thoughts and feelings I wish you would run them by Mr. Moreno directly. Email, lunch, phone call, whatever it takes to clarify your thoughts on Figgins and Guerrero to Mr. Moreno. Such moves would be tremendously popular by many fans on this site.
These are interesting thoughts you have written and represents the first time I have actually thought there might be some hope for getting those guys, especially Guererro. Maybe the Figgins deal would be a drain on the finances due to contractual poblems. Thanks for your thoughts on the issues and please consider taking these ideas straight to Mr. Moreno himself. When you read others on this blog eschewing such ideas, please take it to Mr. Moreno anyway. I speak on behalf of many who would support such moves from the Angels. Guererro especially belongs in Anaheim so he can go into the Hall Of Fame with an Angel Jersey on. And so the Angels can get back to the form of '09, which was they lost in 2010. This is Angel Lurker, out
I'd much rather have Figgins and Guerrero at any price over Beltre who probably won't show up until the fifth year of his contract!
I do not think this is a good idea, Vladdy had a very good year because he finally got his knee problems addressed after a couple of years of refusing surgery and "working it out through therapy". He reportedly was advised to have surgery at the end of 2007 and 2008 and refused because he could do therapy and exercise to fix his problem. Watching him try to run in 2008 and 2009 was painful and it was obvious that it was also painful for him. In my opinion if he had gotten the knee fixed earlier the team might have tried to keep him after 2009, but he didn't and they had no faith in his recovery or his ability to continue contributing. Bringing him back would be a mistake, I hear he kept insisting he could play the outfield with the Rangers and we all saw how that worked out when he got the chance. He would make a great DH someplace, but I do not think Anaheim is the right place.
Figgins shouldn't be brought back either, he had to know that the Mariners wouldn't bat him ahead of Ichiro, and if they didn't tell him they wanted him at 2nd instead of 3rd, then they have only themselves to blame for his poor performance. While he was here he demonstrated his flexibility in where he played in the field and where he batted in the line-up. He thrived as the leadoff hitter, but did nearly as well at other spots in the lineup, so I do not so much think batting second was his problem as much as who was batting third and fourth and how that dictated the way he was pitched to, in Anaheim the batters behind him in the lineup were much better than his Mariner teammates.
If they do not acquire Beltre, start bringing up some of those youngsters in the minors that we are always hearing about.
Not a bad idea. I was in favor of letting Vlad go at the time, and obviously that looks like a mistake now. However, I'm not sure that's the best use of 10 million a year.
A trade to reacquire Figgins is interesting too. Coming off his bad season, we may have to give up a lot less in a trade with Seattle looking to offload the salary.
I am not interested in Beltre at all. Look at his career stats. He is a mediocre player who has monster years in his contract years. I suspect he'll revert to his career .273 self once a deal is inked in Anaheim.
I've enjoyed your work in SoCal for over 20 years. Keep it up!
That is THE WORSE IDEA EVER!!! And for all you fans that actually like this idead have no clue.. Figgins was awful in the post season and his speed is down 35% FIGGINS IS NOT GOOD!! We already have 3 horrible 3B we need BELTRE!! Not another 5'4 ground ball hitter.. Do you people watch baseball? Vladdy on the other hand woldnt be a bad idea but Beltre is a MUST if you ever plan on winning.. MORALES AND BELTRE PLEASE MAKE IT HAPPEN OR KISS MY MONEY GOODBYE
Sign Beltre and Vlad. Yes, sign both and we'll take back our division and compete for a title.
Well, it appears that Beltre is headed to Texas. Let that one go now, $96M over 6 yrs is way too much for Beltre. Time to bring back Vlad? He might be a good buy at this point with Texas likely not going to bring him back. Give him his 2 yrs at $18M.
i didnt want to comment until i saw the comment by "halosreallyneedpower" i suspect that you don't watch baseball. first off Chone figgins is a versatile athlete who hits for average and ignites an offense, once he is on base, assuming you know what a base is, the pitcher has to focus his attention there, setting up abreu hunter and morales, so your comment is dumb, secondly you want to bring back vlad…vlad is more of a risk than figgins, he cant even move, though i'm personally in favor of him being the dh only! Then you said something about we need beltre? Beltre has had two good years…one last year contract year, aka make my money next year, and in his contract year with the dodgers, Beltre is the most overrated soon to be most over paid athlete in baseball, a rental in Guerrero would be amazing for one year, until next year when mr. puljols becomes available thats the man we need to go after!!! Its interesting that you say the angels need more, but the angels dont play a power hitting style of baseball they rely on speed and timely hitting, i would rather watch brandon wood, keep in mind he has pontential power beyond belief just needs to shorten the swing, play third than over pay an athlete, GARY MATTHEWS JR anyone???? Gosh i hate ignorance more than anything in the world. Thank you
Yes bring back Vlad and go get Soriano! Beltre is now gone to the Rangers because Arte lied to all of us fans. Go out and get some help huh? I think if you had signed some free agents like you said you would we as fans would not mind a raise in the beer and seats. As of right now I have not bought my season seats, so Arte go do something or there are many that are fed up and won't be going to much games this season! Spend it and they will come? Looks more like go cheap and they will stay home. If you don't get Soriano and get Vlad or a player that can hit 40 homers, I will be staying home. Is this what you want Arte?
I pray that Vlad comes back. That would instantly improve the pitches to whoever is in front of him in the lineup. i am all for it, but please God PLEASE no Manny. If Manny plays for the Halos, I'll not be attending any home games for sure. That would be akin to selling the teams soul.


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Your job: Decide to get out of town and fast. Our job: Help you find where you're headed. This week, NBCLA's Worth the Drive takes us to...
If you haven't been to San Diego in a while, you now have a super-cute reason to go.
Yún Zǐ, the new baby panda at the zoo, made his media debut on Wednesday.
As cameras clicked and video rolled, Yún Zǐ trotted after his mother, climbed up trees and scooted across branches.
The media debut was a practice run for Thursday -- the first time the gates of his exhibit area will be open to members of the general public.
The little fur ball was born back in August and is the fifth cub to be born in captivity at the zoo.
Handlers say the five-month-old giant panda cub is growing and developing well and has a bit of an attitude. In a recent exam, Yún Zǐ also displayed his strong personality when he refused his exam and headed back to his den instead.
Yún Zǐ was given his name Nov. 17, more than 100 days after he was born. The other four finalists for names were.
1. Fú Shèng, which means "blissful San Diego"
2. Xiǎo Lóng, which means "little dragon"
3. Xióng Wěi, which means "extraordinary bear"
4. Yǒng Xiǎng, which means "eternally blessed"
Yun Zi's public debut will be from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday. There is no guarantee the cub will be in the yard at that time, but the zoo's panda team says he has been leaving his den regularly during the day.
The public will be allowed access to the special yard used by the cub and his mother for only three hours each morning during the next few weeks. The hours will expand as the pair becomes more comfortable with the public.

subset: commoncrawl


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Clapton: The Autobiography (Abridged / Compact Disc, Abridged)
"I found a pattern in my behavior that had been repeating itself for years, decades even. Bad choices were my specialty, and if something honest and decent came along, I would shun it or run the other way."
With striking intimacy and candor, Eric Clapton tells the story of his eventful and inspiring life in this poignant and honest autobiography. More than a rock star, he is an icon, a living embodiment of the history of rock music. Well known for his reserve in a profession marked by self-promotion, flamboyance, and spin, he now chronicles, for the first time, his remarkable personal and professional journeys.
Born illegitimate in 1945 and raised by his grandparents, Eric never knew his father and, until the age of nine, believed his actual mother to be his sister. In his early teens his solace was the guitar, and his incredible talent would make him a cult hero in the clubs of Britain and inspire devoted fans to scrawl "Clapton is God" on the walls of London's Underground. With the formation of Cream, the world's first supergroup, he became a worldwide superstar, but conflicting personalities tore the band apart within two years. His stints in Blind Faith, in Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, and in Derek and the Dominos were also short-lived but yielded some of the most enduring songs in history, including the classic "Layla."
During the late sixties he played as a guest with Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan, as well as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and longtime friend George Harrison. It was while working with the latter that he fell for George's wife, Pattie Boyd, a seemingly unrequited love that led him to the depths of despair, self-imposed seclusion, and drug addiction. By the early seventies he had overcome his addiction and released the bestselling album 461 Ocean Boulevard, with its massive hit "I Shot the Sheriff." He followed that with the platinum album Slowhand, which included "Wonderful Tonight," the touching love song to Pattie, whom he finally married at the end of 1977. A short time later, however, Eric had replaced heroin with alcohol as his preferred vice, following a pattern of behavior that not only was detrimental to his music but contributed to the eventual breakup of his marriage.
In the eighties he would battle and beat alcoholism and become a father. But just as his life was coming together, he was struck by a terrible blow: His beloved four-year-old son, Conor, died in a freak accident. At an earlier time Eric might have coped with this tragedy by fleeing into a world of addiction. But now a much stronger man, he took refuge in music, responding with the achingly beautiful "Tears in Heaven."
Clapton is the powerfully written story of a survivor, a man who has achieved the pinnacle of success despite extraordinary demons. It is one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.
About the Author
Eric Clapton is married to Melia McEnery and is the father of four daughters. He lives outside London.
Praise For…
"Like the bluesmen who inspired him, Clapton has his share of scars . . . his compelling memoir is . . . a soulful performance."
"An absorbing tale of artistry, decadence, and redemption."
—Los Angeles Times
"One of the very best rock autobiographies ever."
— Houston Chronicle
"A glorious rock history."
—New York Post
"This book does what many rock historians couldn't: It debunks the legend . . . puts a lie to the glamour of what it means to be a rock star."
—Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune
"Strong stuff. Clapton reveals its author's journey to self-acceptance and manhood. Anyone who cares about the man and his music will want to take the trip with him."
—Anthony DeCurtis, Rolling Stone
"Clapton is honest . . . even searing and often witty, with a hard-won survivor's humor . . . an honorable badge of a book."
—Stephen King, New York Times Book Review
—Boston Herald
"An even, unblinking sensibility defines the author's voice."
—New York Times
"An unsparing self-portrait."
—USA Today


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Offering health and support services to elderly people and those in need by converting a former vicarage into a community care facility.
Projects & Practice
Five districts in the north of Hesse joined forces to provide fast internet access in a region where no privately financed investment was covering the existing digital divide.
Catch crops supported by the AEC measure in Baden-Württemberg play a key role in reducing the nitrate level in the region.
Visualising how today's archeological sites and antique remains looked in ancient times using a smartphone application.
EAFRD funding helped set up associations that bring together local stakeholders with diverse interests to manage the implementation of Nature 2000 conservation rules.
The 'Meine Gemeinde – Heimat für alle' ('My Community – make yourself at home') project brought together local stakeholders into inclusion working groups using LEADER support to develop a range of activities promoting migrant integration.


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A restored version of Francis Ford Coppola's Oscar-winning Mafia saga "The Godfather" is returning to theaters for a one-day engagement March 1 in an exclusive cooperation between Paramount Pictures and the Cinemark theater chain, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The iconic American classic — which was released in 1972 to massive critical acclaim and record-breaking box-office returns — will screen in 55 Cinemark XD auditoriums across the country on March 1.
The blink-and-you'll-miss-it "Godfather" re-release comes just one month before another legendary Oscar-winner, James Cameron's 1997 box-office smash "Titanic," returns to theaters in digitally-remastered 3D on April 6 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the real-life liner's maiden voyage (and the 100th birthday of Paramount Pictures, which co-produced the film with 20th Century Fox).
U.S. & World
As Web-based video streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Plus — not to mention the perniciousness of illegal file-sharing — continue to threaten Hollywood's theatrical distribution model, high-profile re-releases have been a reliable (if artistically unadventurous) cash cow for an industry in transition.
A September 2011 3D re-release of Disney's widely-beloved "The Lion King" grossed $94,242,001 in North America and earned $74,300,000 internationally, according to figures from Box Office Mojo. The February 2012 3D re-release of George Lucas' "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" pushed the film's worldwide total to a staggering $1 billion.
Although the upcoming "Godfather" re-release is not arriving in 3D, Paramount's painstaking restoration — including a 5.1 digital surround sound remaster — may have a similar appeal to film buffs.
As the Hollywood Reporter noted, the restoration was overseen by archivist Robert Harris and Gordon Willis, the film's original cinematographer, in honor of the film's 40th anniversary.
Harris has previously restored and reconstructed Hollywood classics like "Lawrence of Arabia," "Spartacus," "My Fair Lady," and Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo."
New York-born Willis' credits include all three installments in the "Godfather" trilogy and the Woody Allen favorites "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan."
Paramount and Cinemark also plan to screen "The Godfather Part II" on April 19. The theater chain has made a comprehensive list of participating locations available.


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A. Craig Troxel
How easily we Christians fall into moments of skepticism regarding the vast riches of God's grace in Christ that are available to us, despite the overwhelming testimonials both in Scripture and in the pages of our life's experience. Although we have an unlimited line of credit in our fellowship with God, we wonder if his grace is really sufficient. We ask ourselves questions like these: Will God forgive me this time? Will he still love me after what I have done? When will he give up on me? Should I ask him for help again? Our communion with God the Son is in the abundance of his unlimited grace, but it does little good if we doubt and do not access the wealth of spiritual blessings that God has in store for those whom he loves.
In the previous articles, I defined communion with God as an intimate, mutual, covenantal bond between God and his people. To commune with the living God is to participate in a living fellowship with him. In it, we speak and listen to him, draw near to him as he draws near to us, and grow in our knowledge and love for him.
Moreover, every area of that relationship, like all of our salvation and every spiritual benefit that we receive from God, is triunely planned, procured, and applied. Our communion with God is related to each distinct person of the Godhead in a unique way, but without excluding the other members of the Trinity. For example, as we grow in our communion with God the Son, it is chiefly and eminently a relationship characterized by grace, his unmerited favor, yet grace is also displayed by God the Father and God the Spirit.
We commune with God through the eternal Son of God, our Mediator, who now literally embodies all the fullness of divine perfections (Col. 2:9). From all eternity, Christ is Godall-powerful, sovereign, "most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious" (Larger Catechism, Q. 7). Nevertheless, although Christ is "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14; cf. Ex. 34:6), he was not yet "thoroughly furnished" to save us until he became flesh and took our nature upon himself (Confession of Faith, 8.3). Scripture teaches that this was necessary for our salvation. "Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things.... He had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people" (Heb. 2:14, 17).
The communing of God the Son in our nature is what John Owen refers to as the "personal grace" of the Son. That the eternal Son would make himself nothing by "being made in human likeness" (Phil. 2:7-8 NIV) is truly gracious. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9). If the eternal Son is a treasury of grace, and the Son becoming flesh is a manifestation of grace, then the Son's redemptive work is the outpouring of grace.
The Word of God reflects upon our salvation as the redemption that Christ has purchased. Since by nature we stand spiritually impoverished or bankrupt before God (Matt. 5:3; 18:21-35), we need him to "forgive us our debts" (Matt. 6:12). To be sure, for such gracious condescension to take place, our sin must be covered, God's wrath must be quenched, and the requirements of the law must be satisfied. But someone must pay the price to free us from our spiritual indebtedness to God. Since our sin offends the infinite holiness and righteousness of God, only the priceless and "precious blood of Christ" is sufficient to ransom us from our former empty lives (1 Pet. 1:19). God justifies us freely, but he did not justify us for free. We pay nothing, but Christ paid everything. We were "bought at a price" (1 Cor. 6:20 NIV), and that price was paid by Christ, who came to "give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45; see also Ps. 49:7-9, 15; 1 Tim. 2:6). John Owen calls this the "purchased grace" of the Son.
The redemption that Christ has purchased for us and its benefits that the Holy Spirit applies to us are nothing less than the outpouring of God's richesthe riches of his kindness, glory, inheritance, and grace (Rom. 10:12; 11:12, 33; 2:4; 9:23; Eph. 1:18; 2:7). The abundance of God's love in Christ for sinners is revealed in the gospel as the "immeasurable riches of his grace" (Eph. 2:7) and the "unsearchable riches of Christ" (Eph. 3:8). In the gospel, Christ's perfect righteousness is imputed to sinners, that is, credited to our account (2 Cor. 5:21). The sealing work of the Holy Spirit is the "deposit" or "guarantee" of our "inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading," waiting for us in heaven (Eph. 1:14; 2 Cor. 5:5; 1 Pet. 1:4; Matt. 6:20). Because of the many benefits that accompany or flow from our justification, adoption, and hope of future glorification, we are truly "rich" (2 Cor. 8:9; 6:10; Luke 12:21; Rev. 2:9). Even at the close of worship we are regularly reassured of our boundless privileges as the blessing of "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ" is placed upon us (2 Cor. 13:14). So why do we so easily forget that these vast riches are available to us? We need to access the riches of God's grace in Christ as we seek to walk in obedient fellowship with him.
Christ himself is a vast treasury of grace. He came "full of grace" and "from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace" (John 1:14, 16). We are constantly in need of this grace. Christ never encourages us to grow independently of him, but rather to grow in our dependence upon him. Apart from him, we cannot grow, bear fruit, or struggle successfully against the enemy (John 15:5; Phil. 2:13; Eph. 3:20; 6:10). In short, apart from Christ we can do nothing (John 15:4; cf. 2 Pet. 3:18). Otherwise we will run without progress, fight without victory, labor in vain, despair in feelings of guilt, and write checks that our lives cannot cash.
As we strive against sin, we need to avail ourselves of Christ's unlimited grace. Although sin cannot sever our union with Christ, it certainly disturbs our communion with him. When David sinned, he pleaded God's "abundant mercy," because God revealed himself as the God who abounds in love and hence forgives sin (Ps. 51:1; cf. Ex. 34:6-7). Christ abounds in grace for the forgiveness of sin (John 1:14). We need this grace. Ask anyone who has struggled with financial debt. It is a burden you cannot carry.
Our communion with God is an intimate and mutual friendship. If our relationship with Christ is truly going to be a living fellowship, then we must draw near to him in our weakness and neediness, and believe that he wants to draw near to us and supply us with his grace. As we seek Christ in worship, prayer, Scripture, and the Lord's Supper, what does he tell us that we will find? Scripture says, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16).
Because Christ is both God and man, we are confident that he is fully equipped to help us in our time of need. In him dwell both the fullness of divinity and the treasures of compassion. He sympathizes with us, and he knows what it means to be tempted (Heb. 4:15). He can and is ready to help us. His wealth is without measure, and his empathy is etched in fleshly wounds. He knows what it means to suffer in humiliation, but now he is in an exalted position to help us. He draws near to us by his Word and Spirit in order to strengthen, comfort, encourage, and convict us when we are tempted, distraught, discouraged, or indifferent (Heb. 2:17). He invites us to ask, so that we may receive. And yet so often our frailty and failure is due to the fact that we do not ask. And when we do ask, we do not ask in faith (Jas. 4:2-3).
Brothers and sisters in Christ, believe that God can supply all of your needs according to the riches of his glorious grace in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). Believe that, though you sin, his grace increases all the more. Believe that, if you lack understanding, you will find in Christ infinite treasures of wisdom. Go to him with every problem, weakness, hardship, struggle, or sin, and you will find that his grace is more than sufficient. God has already made you exceedingly rich. Do not live as one who lacks resources. Your fellowship is with the one whose unlimited grace will abound all the more and forevermore.
The author is pastor of Calvary OPC in Glenside, Pa. He quotes the ESV unless otherwise indicated. This is the third article in a four-part series. Reprinted from New Horizons, July 2006.
|© 2020 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Chaplains and Military Personnel


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Maybe there's no such thing as a happy second-term presidency.
Let's talk this through. Discussing presidential history is much more fun than discussing HealthCare.gov. Also, I always enjoy having a chance to mention Grover Cleveland.
"He was very unhappy," said Henry Graff, Cleveland's biographer. "First, he got cancer of the mouth." That was at the beginning of Cleveland's second term. Because the nation was in an economic crisis, the president kept his condition secret and had surgery on a yacht that was bobbing off Long Island. Then it was time for the Depression of 1893.
See? We're already feeling that things could be worse.
Lately, it really has seemed as if the Obama White House is incapable of producing good news beyond the fact that the debt ceiling wasn't smashed. Swooning websites, security snoops run amok -- there'd be some comfort in believing that it's all historically inevitable. "In almost every case, you can argue that the second terms have been pretty dreadful," said Michael Beschloss, the presidential historian.
Think about it. Richard Nixon had to resign. Bill Clinton got impeached. George W. Bush had an average second-term approval rating of 37 percent, which the Gallup people say was the worst presidential plummet in modern history.
Woodrow Wilson had a stroke and spent much of his second term in the bedroom. Franklin Roosevelt was one of the country's most successful presidents, but that was because of Terms 1 and 3. Two was a mess.
In fact, the pattern goes all the way back to George Washington. "Certainly, from his point of view, it was horrible," said Joseph Ellis, who has written biographies of both Washington and Thomas Jefferson. One of the reasons was the eruption of a hyperpartisan media. When Washington retired, Ellis noted, one Jefferson-backed paper announced: "We can all pray for his imminent death." Nothing so soothing as the knowledge that everything we're doing wrong was done even worse by the founding fathers.
Obviously, there are exceptions to the two-term rule. James Monroe did pretty well, and Dwight Eisenhower. Ronald Reagan was popular when he departed, despite Iran-Contra. But the record does trend pretty hard in one direction. Looking at it, you wonder why more presidents don't just declare victory and go home after four years. Like James Polk, who often shows up in Top-10-presidents lists. But, then, how often does he come up in conversation? How often do you hear a major politician say: "In the immortal words of James Polk?"
There are worse things than being a second-term president. You could, for instance, be a person who lost to one. Look at poor John Kerry, wandering around the globe having meetings with heads of state we wiretapped. Mitt Romney doesn't seem to have anything to do but construct new vacation homes. The Salt Lake Tribune recently reported that Romney is building one in Utah that has a bookcase that swivels out and leads to a secret room. This is not to be confused with the one in California that has a car elevator. I believe that makes five Romney homes, and a person with five houses is a person with too much time on his hands.
But back to the presidency.
Ever since Congress invented term limits, it's been a given that there's just so much a lame-duck president can hope to do, and time is short. In February, President Barack Obama told an interviewer that he wanted to act quickly because "once we get through this year, then people start looking at the midterms." That's the problem. We didn't get this year! We didn't even get a couple of months! The way we're going now, we could wind up looking back on the highlight of Obama Two as the time he lucked out on Syria.
There's still hope. Bill Clinton's second term was horrible in so many ways, but we did wind up with the longest economic surge in American history. I believe I speak for us all when I say I would trade an impeachment trial for another one of those.
The very fact that Clinton was teetering on the verge of disaster seemed to cause the American public to rally around him. Do you think that would work for Obama? We don't want to wish impeachment on him. Or a sex scandal. Certainly not jaw surgery at sea. But maybe something small yet dramatic.
Perhaps the president could do a press event to celebrate the reopening of the national parks and get lost for a few days in the Grand Canyon. Everybody would be reminded of how much they used to like him. He could come back in triumph and restart the immigration reform bill. The cloud over the White House would lift and the website would suddenly be up and running.
I believe we have a plan.
The second-term curse
Maybe there's no such thing as a happy second-term presidency.


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Hang tag blues: How mom and dad got towed
Mother's Day for William Harris and his family was anything but serene. On the other hand, since they celebrated it in Charlottesville, perhaps they should have expected to be towed: Getting towed, it seems, is as much a tradition in Charlottesville these days as walking down the Lawn.
Harris and his wife drove down from Maryland to spend the day with their daughter, who lives at Woodrow Apartments on Stadium Road. They picked her up about 10:30 Sunday morning, went to brunch, and returned around 3pm.
They had to run some errands, for which their daughter wanted to use her own car. That meant they'd need a guest pass for her parents' car– but the rental office, which is open on Sundays from 10am to 3pm, was already closed. A hang tag could have been moved to the other car, but since tenants receive only stickers, they left the car and hoped for the best. Since Harris claims there were 12 to 15 empty spaces, he assumed there wouldn't be a problem.
Wrong. Big problem.
During the 45 minutes or so Harris estimates they were gone, Collier's Towing patrolled the lot and towed the car. When the family returned, Harris called Collier's and said, "I want my car back."
In reply, he claims, the Collier's employee said, "You're going to have to have a better attitude." This was not an auspicious beginning.
The Harrises went to Collier's impound lot on West Main Street, where, according to Harris, the employee was "very rude"– so much so, in fact, that Harris says he had to call the police before the man would give him a receipt.
As frequent readers know, towing receipts can be valuable documents, depending on what kinds of charges are listed and where you were illegally parked. If you were parked on private property– such as the lot at Woodrow Apartments– Virginia law limits what the towing company can charge: no more than $85 for the tow, with an extra $10 if it's after hours or on a weekend, and $10 a day for storage if the car isn't claimed within 24 hours. No other charges, such as for special equipment or release fees, are allowed.
Harris was charged $45 for the tow and $15 for the release fee, which is where the situation gets interesting. I asked whether he had been told that retrieving the car would entail paying a release fee, and he said no. That's a crucial point, because nothing in the law says that a towing company has to release a car after hours or on the weekend.
When I spoke with Collier's owner Glenda Jones for a recent column ["$500 Lesson," April 28], she said that henceforth she would release cars when the office was closed only if the consumer agreed, ahead of time, to pay a release fee.
When I called Jones to ask about the policy, however, she wasn't inclined to discuss that or anything else with me. "I don't have anything to say. Thank you," she declared– then hung up. Harris intends to pursue the subject in Charlottesville General District Court.
Alice Fletcher, who is a regional property manager for Management Services Corporation (which manages the apartments), explained the parking policy at Woodrow and said that it's been a headache for management and tenants alike. This year tenants wanted one parking sticker per tenant (instead of one per bedroom, as in previous years). Also, since there aren't as many spaces as there are tenants, residents specifically asked for stickers instead of hang tags, so that only tenants– not friends, significant others, or even parents dropping in for Mother's Day– could claim one of the precious spaces.
Fletcher has offered to reimburse Harris his $60, and agrees that residents should be reminded about the parking policy well before move-out time– which, of course, is now.
Do you have a consumer problem or question? Email the Fearless Consumer, write her at 100 Second St. NW, 22902, or call 295-8700 ext. 406.


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Brewers Get Blanked By Cubs At Wrigley
Another bad start for pitcher Matt Garza
Matt Garza is off to a rough start after signing with the Milwaukee Brewers as a free agent in the offseason.
His frustration boiled over Saturday following a 3-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs when he was asked if he was, well, frustrated.
"Of course, I'm frustrated, man," he said. "What do you think, I'm happy? It's the worst freaking start of my career, dude. Yeah, I'm frustrated. I hate this, this feeling."
Garza (2-4) actually had a decent outing, allowing three runs and four hits in seven innings. All the runs came in the first inning and he allowed just two base runners after that.
But that was enough to earn the right-hander the loss.
Edwin Jackson struck out 11 in seven innings and Welington Castillo hit a two-run double to lead the Cubs. Starlin Castro added an RBI double for the last-place Cubs, who won for the third time in 13 games.
"We got everything we needed in the first with two outs and Jackson threw a great seven innings of pitching and his slider was hard and sharp," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said.
Jackson (3-3) had his best outing for Chicago since signing a four-year, $52 million deal before the 2013 season. The right-hander allowed four hits and walked one. He struck out the side in the first and struck out Elian Herrera to end the fifth for his 10th strikeout.
He finished his outing by striking out Jeff Bianchi on a 95 mph fastball. Hector Rondon pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save in as many opportunities.
"I've seen him like this before," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. "He had good stuff today and he had good command with all his pitches. The slider is usually a good pitch for him and he spotted his fastball well in and out."
Garza also had it going, although his dominance didn't show on the scoreboard.
He pitched for the Cubs before being traded to the Texas Rangers last season, but said he wasn't any more amped up because he was at Wrigley facing the Cubs.
"I told you guys the first time (in Milwaukee), it's just another game," he said. "It stinks the way it turned out, but there's no more or less emotion. Every time I go out there I go out there the same way.
"The first inning was a hiccup. That's kind of been what it's been like all year. ... I'm just going to keep grinding and keep working and keep going. It's going to come together sooner or later."
Leadoff hitter Carlos Gomez was a late scratch from the Brewers' lineup because of lower back tightness. He was due back Saturday after serving a three-game suspension for his actions in a bench-clearing incident against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 20.
The Cubs didn't waste any time testing Garza's fielding ability. Emilio Bonifacio led off the first with a perfectly placed bunt that Garza wasn't able to reach in time to have a chance to throw out Bonifacio at first. Bonifacio later scored on Castro's double. With two outs, Castillo lined a double down the left field line to score Castro and Nate Schierholtz, who had walked, to take the 3-0 lead.
"He came out with good stuff today, I thought," Roenicke said. "He got behind on Castro and left a 2-0 fastball up and out over the plate. And then the slider to Castillo, he tried to come in and left a slider in a good part of the plate.
"Besides that, he really threw the ball well."
NOTES: Brewers RHP Jim Henderson (shoulder inflammation) is on the DL and scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Sunday. He's eligible to come off the DL Sunday, but no word when he might return. ... Ryan Braun is playing with a right oblique strain and is less than 100 percent, but Roenicke said he likes having a limited Braun in the lineup because Aramis Ramirez (strained left hamstring) is out. "With Aramis now out of there, it would be really tough (playing without Braun). And Ryan, he's good even when he's not 100 percent," Roenicke said. ... Highly touted Cubs prospect Javier Baez is struggling in Triple-A Iowa. In 29 games, the shortstop is hitting .145 with three home runs and 11 RBIs. He's also committed seven errors.


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Indicted: Officer who pumped bullets into motorist charged
24 comments
Any more word on this douchebag using multiple aliases?
I wonder how long the perp would be hanging out a free man/woman had the roles been reversed in this shooting .
The Police State seems to work at a snails pace when the crook also wears a BADGE .
Looks Like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
"Bethany Sullivan, Harmon-Wright's mother, was also charged in connection with the case. The 55-year-old Orange, Va. woman is accused of forging public records to get negative information out of her son's personnel file. Sullivan was a secretary for the Chief of Police until 2010."
I think the explanation(s) for using so many different names will come out in evidence as the trials proceed. This has been a strange case from day 1.
Several years ago the mother of this cop (Bethany Sullivan) spoke out on people owning guns and somebody eventually getting shot. She said she didn't want to be there when it took place. I bet Patricia Cook didn't want to be there either.
This was not this cops first instance of losing control of his temper, and that's why his mother was busy removing the incriminating evidence from his personnel file. They knew he was a loose cannon and had apparently let him slide, sound familiar, remember the cop who recently shot his ex-wife at a local Sheetz. The lawsuit will be only be a matter of how much $, and it will be huge. His sentence, if convicted will be long. The damage to his department's credibility ?????.
Cops and criminals are often two sides of the same coin. Many psychopaths/sociopaths gravitate to law enforcement (and the military) as it provides them an arsenal of free weapons, defense training, and what they perceive to be unlimited power over others. It's a psychopath's dream. Can you imagine being a deviant psychopath, being handed your own top of the line loaded hand gun, baton, taser, mace, AND your own squad car on top of it? That comes complete with mounted shot gun? And then being given a pat on the back and a smile by your superior to get out there and go have at it?
For the last 6 weeks, our web page and petition have been calling for an indictment or full release of of the evidence, so that Culpeper residents and visitors can have some sense of peace and safety. We've now seen the first step in restoring peace to our little town. I'm grateful for the work of the honest men and women of the Special Grand Jury and the Special Prosecutor. Hopefully, the trial will be fair and unbiased and present an accurate picture of what happened on February 9. Once the trial is completed, it is my expectation that the town and police leadership will hold a public postmortem to review all policies, issues of training and hiring, to determine if any improvements can be made, mistakes can be changed, in order to prevent this from ever happening again. There are some in our community who are fighting this tooth and nail. Let's continue to hope that the grown ups will prevail and there will be professional accountability. We continue to pray for all involved.
Kate 'Ma' Barker and her violent sons would be proud of this mother and son team working the other side of law enforcement.
This investigation took about 16 weeks. During that time a special prosecutor had to be appointed, a grand jury subpoenaed and seated, and many items of evidence collected and analyzed, witnesses tracked down etc. All the while there were some that screamed that it was taking too long. Well, I would say the VSP, the SGJ, and the special prosecutor did their job and did it in a timely fashion not a rushed uninformed one. Now it will be in the hands of a jury to decide.
Would have made FAR more sense if some of the community just made the out-of-control PIG just simply "disappear". And it's mammy too.
Would it have taken 16 weeks if the murder was committed by anyone other than a cop?
I don't think so, why did they release an official version that was nothing more than this now soon to be ex-cop/future inmate's lie.
Couldn't he have simply used the pistol handle to break the glass if the jeep window was restraining him ? That would have been a safer option for himself than shooting the driver whose foot could have clamped down on the gas pedal while also losing stering ability.
Particularly since 9/11 the police have been given carte blanche to use overwhelming force in any and all situations. You are all at risk whenever stopped by one of Albemarle County's brave band of shaved headed cops. You may think you're all decent law abiding citizens and it couldn't happen to you, but it could and you too could find yourself tased, beaten, verbally abused, and then charged with half a dozen made up charges with only one purpose....to rape you legally and make sure you're too busy defending yourself in a rigged court to ever be able to see the truth emerge. This woman's case is not unique in any detail other than that the truth is coming out..a rarity.
boooo! - you are partially correct however, I suspect you never have served your country at all. As one who is married to a former Marine, I can tell you that most are in due to the service they feel they should provide this nation. 16 weeks of total hell on Paris Island to become a Marine is not just about weapons, they must learn the entire history of the Corps and it isn't the physical but the metal that is the hardest part.
Yes, they are two sides of a coin and many times if it wasn't for the military instilling the values they would in turn become criminals. As for those that are former military and commit crimes, The USMC has turned it's back on many of them as have many other of the branches of the armed services. They don't make criminals, just as if you blame a school for it, you shouldn't blame the military or a curtain career path. In fact, it would probably do all of society a favor by giving judges the authority again to dismiss first time offenders (non-violent crimes) if they would sign a 4 or 6 year contract to go into the military and obtain the dicipline they lacked in their lives! This practice was done many years ago, why not now?
Toni H. - you are bashing Albemarle County PD? This is about Culpeper PD and the issues there. With 9/11 we do need to be a bit more pro-active and truly, if you don't break the law, why would they stop you? Please site the incidents of Albemarle County PD - because it was an Albemarle County Sherif who has spoken out on this case and others too. What did you do? A bit of being overtly defensive there in your comment.
CVille Native, while the Albemarle County police have a lot of fine officers, they also scraped the bottom of the barrel in hiring a few somehow. And it now appears to be getting worse. Toni H is not far off base with his/her comments. You have to remember, this is the department that falsely arrested me for impersonating a Greene County deputy sheriff. They then claimed Sheriff William Morris was lying when he confirmed my affiliation with the Greene County Sheriff's Office. What took place during my false arrest, and after my false arrest, is the type of things that Toni H speaks of. I had the desire, time and energy to seek justice as I sued them for the false arrests, even though all they had to do was issue a public statement that their rookie made a mistake (which they refused to do). Took seven years in the court system to get my justice and clear my name.
Toni H knows what he/she is talking about.
After all of the above, a now former officer of the same department went to the Post Office and attempted to have my brother fired. It backfired in his face when a federal arbitrator called the cop a liar in writing.
When another brother refused to let them fingerprint his juvenile son, they went to the file cabinet, pulled out an unsolved crime, and charged my brother. While he was being booked and bonded, they then fingerprinted the juvenile child without permission. Instead of investigating the case and developing a suspect, they wanted kids in the neighborhood to prove their innocence by submitting to fingerprints. Most parents agreed to this violation of their rights, a few didn't.
Gasbag, you know facts get in the way of hero worship, especially when it's worship of themselves. Why do these guys feel they can abuse their authority? It's because they" know" they can. Any and every citizen who stands up to ANY police abuse is labeled a criminal, or soft on crime, like the poster who stated " if you don't break the law, why would they stop you". I know many of the officers serving in this area because I spent over 20 years in uniform and trained many of them in CQB before they ever became cops. I also know more than a few that have absolutely no business with a badge and a gun, that cannot be trusted to be alone with your teenage daughter, but somehow these guys managed to get hired on, most likely because their military service records were not as closely scrutinized as they should have been.
Guardian, I was another forum a few minutes ago reading about the Culpeper murder by cop, and this is what was posted..... "I don't want to instigate a How to hire a Cop" thread, but something to think about....not discuss...... if you hire someone based on an IQ test rather than actual abilities, you generally get someone that had a jock tied over his head and thrown out of the locker room naked, on a regular basis in high school. That type is looking at professionalism spelled..PAYBACK."
Don't the citizens and taxpayers realize that this is exactly what is going on in police departments now and for the last 20 years?
@GSOE-- I'm not understanding your post. Are you saying that police departments are hiring based on intelligence and that those candidates are going into police work because they've been bullied? I always assumed that the bully cops were the bullies or jocks in high school, not the nerds who were abused. Perhaps I'm interpreting your post incorrectly. Care to elaborate?
@Guardian-- thanks for the insight. I find it tragic that the many good officers won't stand up to the few bad ones. I guess they don't understand that weak way of handling things tarnishes the entire profession.
I knew several that went into law enforcement right out of high school/community college and I know why. They simply could not face the reality of their existence in this world without a gun, and a badge for their own self-protection and sense of self-worth to the point of being narcissist. They apparently lacked the nerve for the armed services in combat arms, and some just had a serious case of little mans disease. I don't condemn the profession itself, but it is one where self regulation has proven itself to fail repeatedly. I'm tired of the lame excuse that it was just one bad apple. It is always more than one that knew this guy was in the ranks, and always more than one that did absolutely nothing about it. There needs to be real civilian oversight of every police department, and sheriffs office, because most will not adequately police themselves, and this is proven every single day in this country.
Sabbath Lilly, most law enforcement agencies put a special emphasis on hiring those with college degrees. This started around 20 years ago. In order to accept those with college degrees they also had to redraft the physical requirements such as height and weight. They also had to lower physical requirements so as to hire females. This is why you will often see a police car and wonder if anybody is even driving it, some of them (male and female) can't even see over the dashboard. I think height and weight, or lack of, also explains why cops can no longer handle suspects physically and end up shooting and killing so many people.
Police work is not rocket science. You don't need mensa candidates to know what they can and can't do out on the streets.
In reference to your other question, I think they are hiring both the bullies and the one who were bullied. The bullies will now use their badge and gun to bully anybody they can get by with. Those who were bullied..... well the quote I imported above explained them quite well..... "generally someone that had a jock tied over his head and thrown out of the locker room naked, on a regular basis in high school. This type of cop is looking at professionalism spelled..PAYBACK." For the first time in their life they can exercise total control over people. It's a new high in their life. And it feels good.
On a recent plane trip, I sat next to someone involved in HR for the Columbia, SC, police dept. She said that they do lots of screening before candidates even get sent to police academy--psych tests, lie detector tests, etc.--precisely to weed out the George Zimmerman/vigilante/sociopath types. Some still slip through the cracks, though.
Pump a few into that homo.


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By Claire Ricke | January 19, 2018 @11:47 AM SHARE
AUSTIN, Texas – In an effort to celebrate mental wellness, Austin Mayor Steve Adler has declared Jan. 22 "Hi, How Are You" Day.
The iconic piece of Austin street art serves a purpose beyond a tourist attraction. Located at the corner of Guadalupe and 21st Street, "Hi, How Are You" was painted by singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston, who has dealt with his own mental health issues.
Co-founders Courtney Blanton and Tom Gimbel created the "Hi, How Are You" Foundation based on the art piece to promote mental well-being and educate communities on mental health issues. Their goal is to spark a conversation and help those suffering in silence find someone to talk to.
"However people are, whatever they are dealing with, you could be the turning point in that moment. Sometimes people just need to be heard," states the foundation's website.
On Jan. 22, Austinites are encouraged to check on a friend, neighbor, or family member and say "Hi, How Are You?" The day was picked to honor Johnston, whose birthday is Jan. 22.
Then at 8 p.m., a night of music and art will kick off at The Mohawk with performances by Moving Panoramas, Kathy McCarty, Cowboy Diplomacy, Jane Ellen Bryant, Will Courtney, Josh T. Pierson & Jonathan Terrell and a special guest.Tags: 0
January 22nd AUSTIN HI, HOW ARE YOU DAY
JANUARY 22 TO BE DESIGNATED "HI, HOW ARE YOU?" DAY IN AUSTIN Awareness for city-wide, neighbor-to-neighbor mental well-being check-in highlighted by a night of music and art and featuring performances by, Moving Panoramas, Kathy McCarty, Cowboy Diplomacy, Jane Ellen Bryant and Will Courtney.
(AUSTIN, TEXAS – January 9, 2018) – "Hi, How Are You?" Foundation is pleased to present, in partnership with SIMS Foundation, City of Austin Music & Entertainment Division, and Mohawk, a night of music and art celebrating mental wellness on Monday, January 22 at Mohawk, located at 912 Red River St., Austin, Texas, 78701. The line-up includes Moving Panoramas (featuring Laurie Gallardo), Kathy McCarty, Cowboy Diplomacy, Jane Ellen Bryant, Will Courtney, Leslie Sisson with Josh T. Pierson and Jonathan Terrell, and special guests. The musicians will perform select songs written by Daniel Johnston, as well as their own original music. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. with a VIP art sale and cocktail hour with bites by Frank, and features works by artists Daniel Johnston, David Thornberry, Jason Archer, Miguel Rangel, and Matthew Rodriguez. Art will be for sale throughout the event and music starts at 8:00 p.m.
"Hi, How Are You?" Day is the brainchild of Courtney Blanton and Tom Gimbel, co-founders of the aptly named "Hi, How Are You?" Foundation that promotes togetherness and education around mental well-being. It derives its name from the beloved Austin frog, "Jeremiah the Innocent", famously painted on the corner of Guadalupe and 21st Street by singer-songwriter and visual artist Daniel Johnston. Johnston's own mental health issues have long been chronicled and serve as inspiration to the music community and beyond that mental wellness can be a challenge for all of us and we need to check our mental health just like we get a physical at the doctor. "Hi, How Are You?" Day, will be officially proclaimed by the City of Austin on January 22 and will remind citizens of Austin to check on their friends and neighbors' mental health and offer assistance and resources if needed.
Tickets for the "Hi, How Are You?" Day show can be purchased for $10 in advance/$15 at the door for general admission, and $50 for the VIP ticket that includes art preview and sale, food and drink. Buy tickets at: http://eventbrite.com/e/hi-how-are-you-day-a-celebration-of-music-art-and-community-mohawk-tickets-41472988826
"I have struggled with depression and anxiety throughout my life. I wanted a day to inspire and encourage others to talk openly about their own struggles and to really listen to and be with one another," said Courtney Blanton, co-founder of "Hi, How Are You?" Foundation. "My goal is to create a platform where leaders in the field of mental health come together to exchange ideas and foster positive change."
"I have had the privilege of working with Daniel Johnston for 25 years," said Tom Gimbel, co-founder of "Hi, How Are You?" Foundation. "He is both a longtime friend and a lifetime inspiration. I can't believe that 'Jeremiah the Innocent' has been staring us in the face all this time and no one has thought about the true meaning."
"SIMS Foundation is thrilled to be part of this creative effort to reduce stigma for seeking mental health services," said Heather Alden, Executive Director of SIMS Foundation. "Musicians make eloquent and poetic work out of their emotions. But, emotional well-being can be difficult to maintain. We want the Austin music family and all Austinites to know resources exist for treating their mental health issues. "
"The Austin Music & Entertainment Division jumped at the chance to be involved in the inaugural 'Hi, How Are You? Day,'" said Erica Shamaly, Division Manager at City of Austin Music & Entertainment Division. "Music is an integral component of what makes Austin special, but the hours and expectations of the industry can be tough, leading to addiction or other challenges. We must be sure that we check in on each other, and this event is a great reminder to do just that."
ABOUT THE "HI, HOW ARE YOU?" FOUNDATION: The "Hi, How Are You?" (HHAY) Foundation was created to generate new conversation around mental well-being. The name and city-proclaimed HHAY Day were inspired by Austin's love for the iconic mural painted by Daniel Johnston. On January 22nd (Johnston's birthday) Austinites are encouraged to check in on a neighbor, friend, co-worker, family member, or loved one and ask, "Hi, How Are You?". The Foundation, created with the support of the Johnston Family, provides a platform for the exchange of ideas and education on mental well-being. Johnston is a world-renowned musician and visual artist despite his own struggles with mental illness. www.hihowareyou.org
ABOUT THE SIMS FOUNDATION: The SIMS Foundation provides mental health and addiction recovery services to Austin musicians, music industry professionals, and their family members. SIMS was founded in 1995 to treat the Austin music family with high quality, low-barrier to entry mental health services for depression, anxiety, stage fright, alcohol and chemical substance use disorders, trauma, and other mental health issues. More information about SIMS Foundation, www.simsfoundation.org
ABOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION: The ATX Music Office is an economic development accelerator and centralized resource center for Austin's music industry, and an active community partner for Austin's citizens, community groups, and neighborhoods. More information can be found at, http://www.austintexas.gov/department/atxmusic/
MEDIA NOTE: To RSVP for the Jan. 22 event, or general press inquiries, please contact Courtney Blanton, firstname.lastname@example.com, 917-853-0568.Tags: 0
TRUE LOVE Yêu đi Cùng Gala RoyaleTags: true love,video 0
Playback: No Really, How Are You? Daniel Johnston provides backstory to Hi, How Are You? Day, plus the first 2017/18 Austin Music Awards talent reveal
Playback: No Really, How Are You? Daniel Johnston provides backstory to Hi, How Are You? Day, plus the first 2017/18 Austin Music Awards talent reveal
Playback: No Really, How Are You? Daniel Johnston provides backstory to Hi, How Are You? Day, plus the first 2017/18 Austin Music Awards talent reveal BY KEVIN CURTIN, JANUARY 19, 2018, MUSIC "People call it Jeremiah, like Jeremiah from the Bible, but it's not really the frog's name," clarified Daniel Johnston about the happy, tentacle-eyed amphibian famous from both his 1983 cassette Hi, How Are You: The Unfinished Album and the mural at Guadalupe & 21st Street. "I didn't have a name like that for the frog. I always called it the Innocent Frog.
"He's full of innocence the way I was back then."
The inimitable artist – whose lo-fi songs have been covered by Tom Waits and championed by Kurt Cobain, whose drawings of ducks, boxers, and Captain America sell in art galleries worldwide, and whose schizophrenia and manic-depression were explored in the 2005 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston – has recently endured a rough go that includes hospitalization, falling, and frequent adjustments to his medication – his sister Margy Johnston told "Playback."
Nonetheless, the singer was upbeat last Friday when speaking by phone from his home in Waller, recalling the day in 1992 he painted the frog on the side of Sound Exchange, an erstwhile record store that kept a box of his cassettes by the cash register.
"I remember they paid me $70 to do it!" exclaimed Johnston. "And I was happy."
Former Sound Exchange employee/current Chronicle Listings Manager Mark Fagan says Johnston was a regular at the shop, often with a stack of drawings to sell to employees or trade for Beatles records. He says they supplied Johnston with a ladder and some paint one day, and the mural was done in a half hour. The initial rendition, he says, included flying eyeballs, but the neighboring church complained about the "satanic imagery." They were eventually painted over.
Today, most know the iconic image from its overhanging phrase: "Hi, how are you."
"When I was growing up, after church, everybody shook hands and would say, 'Hi. How are you?'" recounts Johnston. "I always heard it, even at the funeral home when there was some dead person who died of old age. The undertaker said to me, and I was just a little boy, 'Hi. How are you?' That's how that started.
"Then, when I worked at AstroWorld, I found a container in the garbage that held rubber frogs," he elaborates. "It had a picture of a frog and it said on it, 'Hi. How are you?' So I decided to name my album Hi, How Are You."
The Innocent Frog and its accompanying query remains omnipresent as a cultural landmark. You can buy it as a doll, a doormat, or a coffee mug, and now it's being used to frame discussions about mental health. The first-ever Hi, How Are You? Day, coming this Monday, Jan. 22 – Johnston's birthday – literally and figuratively puts a question mark on the artist's trademark phrase. Organizers envision it as a time for people to open up, in-person and online, about their mental well-being, thus eroding stigmas that keep us from talking about our issues.
"The Jeremiah mural has been staring us in the face for 25 years saying, 'Hi, how are you,' and we've overlooked the potential for something much more profound," says Daniel's longtime co-manager Tom Gimbel, who founded the Hi, How Are You Foundation with partner Courtney Blanton.
Blanton says the community's familiarity with Johnston and the Innocent Frog affords a comfortable environment for people to start sharing about their, or a loved one's, depression, anxiety, and mental illness.
"When I think of Jeremiah the Innocent, I'm reminded that people with mental issues are just that: innocent," says Blanton. "We don't choose this."
The effort coalesces at Mohawk with performances from Glass Eye's Kathy McCarty, still noted for 1992's all-Johnston cover LP Dead Dog's Eyeball, Lift to Experience singer/guitarist Josh T. Pearson, and Moving Panoramas with KUTX's afternoon deejay Laurie Gallardo. The gathering, benefiting SIMS and the new foundation, also features an art show including Johnston originals. While the celebrant himself isn't guaranteed to attend or expected to perform, he may yet feel compelled.
"If they're having a get-together in my honor, then I think I should play a few songs when the crowd's there," declares Johnston unprompted. "All I would need is a microphone and an amplifier, and I could bring one of my own guitars."
What would you sing?
"'Casper the Friendly Ghost' and maybe some new ones. I've been working on a new album with [Austin's] Brian Beattie for years, and I hope it comes out real soon."
Half Notes Rapper Merlyn Wood may be the biggest MC out of Austin, well, ever. Largely unknown while attending the UT School of Architecture, the 21-year-old local (real name William Wood) posted his college withdrawal documents on Twitter in May and headed to California to join his collaborators in Brockhampton, a hip-hop "boyband" founded in San Marcos in 2015 by Kevin Abstract. The collective has released a trilogy of LPs since last spring, gotten booked for Coachella, and has an album (Saturation III) currently charting on Billboard. Brockhampton's Love Your Parents tour hits Emo's Saturday.
Poison 13 singer Mike Carroll, hospitalized since late last year with bacterial meningitis, died Tuesday. By all accounts friendly and shy offstage, the onetime Big Boys roadie spewed raw truth in the role of frontman. Poison 13, featuring Big Boys' Tim Kerr and Chris Gates, pioneered a strain of vastly influential blues punk with a rockabilly swagger beginning in 1984. In the ensuing decades, Carroll remained a foundational presence on the Austin scene and beyond with hard-hitting garage rockers Lord High Fixers and aggressive noise art mob Total Sound Group Direct Action Committee, both featuring Kerr at his side.
The Best Songs on Lolita Lynne's new album, Fools Moon, read like love letters and breakup notes found on a nightstand after waking up alone. "Don't you want to break me in two, or am I another girl who paws all over you?" inquired Lolita Carroll Larriva with sultry, spellbinding delivery on gripping original "I Won't" during last Friday's album christening at Barracuda. Daughter of Tito & Tarantula bandleader Tito Larriva, she enchanted thoroughly with impeccably penned, personal songs delicately executed by an ensemble of trumpet, violin, upright bass, synth, and Latin-leaning beats. The outfit kept the room hushed until detonating must-hear single "Enslaved," which clarifies their genre: brooding lounge pop.
The Black Angels descend on the Austin Music Awards Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the Moody Theater. Also on today's initial talent bulletin for the 36th AMAs: Americana heroine Lucinda Williams, local singer-songwriter breakouts Adam Torres and David Ramirez, plus a hip-hop set featuring Third Root, Riders Against the Storm, Bavu Blakes, and more. You have five days left to vote in the newly multiple choice Austin Music Poll: austinchronicle.com/vote-austin-music-awards.
Doom Side of the Moon, the Sword spin-off that transmogrifies Pink Floyd into heavy doom rock, surprised fans with the Encore EP last week. Extension of the full-length The Dark Side of the Moon cover last August, the three-song platter further plumbs the UK psych heroes' larger catalog with epic results, including highlight "Have a Cigar," in which Jason Frey's space rock saxophone breaks orbit and then crashes into bandleader Kyle Shutt's black matter guitar. Encore streams now, while sludge-green 12-inch vinyl arrives in March.
Copyright © 2018 Austin Chronicle Corporation. All rights reserved.Tags: Austin,Hi How Are You Day 0
Daniel Johnston EXHIBIT at Redbud Gallery in Houston, Tx Jan 26 - Mar 31
REDBUD GALLERY presents:
DANIEL JOHNSTON (In collaboration with his sister Marjorie Johnston) "Drawings To Listen To And Songs To Look At"
Please be our guest for the opening reception of Daniel Johnston's exhibit "Drawings To Listen To And Songs To Look At". We are always excited about presenting new never before created works of art by the world-renowned outsider poet, writer, and musician Daniel Johnston. In collaboration with his sister, artist Marjorie Johnston, they have created these works which contain lyrics of some of his over 900 songs, depicted in over 100 watercolors and collages. Each piece has the song and CD title identified on the piece.
Waller, Texas based 58-year-old Daniel Johnston has been active in the music scene since the late 70's. He is considered a self-taught pop rocker. His art and music, many times inappropriate, is largely based on his obsession and unrelenting love with a girl named Laurie from high school. Johnston's songs have been cover recorded by several hundred artists, including David Bowie and Tom Waits. His life has been documented in the film "The Devil and Daniel Johnston." Johnston's work was shown in a recent Whitney biennial. His famous slogan of "Hi, How Are You?" first debuted in Austin. The late Kurt Cobain mused that Daniel Johnston is the best song writer in America.
Drop by the gallery for a rare treat. We hope that Daniel will be present during the opening after his recent hospital-stay. Redbud will have over 100 original signed framed works starting at $650.
Have a great new year! Gus Kopriva
REDBUD WEST GALLERY 301 East 11th Street Houston, TX 77008
On View: January 26 - March 31, 2019
Opening Reception: Saturday, January 26, 2019 6pm - 9pm
"Go Some More" Mixed Media Drawing 17.5" x 13.5" framed
"Happy Valentine's Day" Mixed Media Drawing 17.5" x 13.5" framed
Gus Kopriva at Redbud Gallery 303 E. 11th Street Houston, Texas 77008 713-854-4246 email@example.com
Gallery Hours: Thursday through Saturday, 12 - 5pm or by Appointment
$100 Gift Certificate Applied to works of art costing $500 or more.The coupon must be printed and presented in person. Coupon is not transferable.
Offer Expires 4/1/2019Tags: 0


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English as a Second Language
MPL offers resources for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. Central's Adult Study Center has various materials to improve one's English. This material is available for specific ESL languages as well as general ESL. Many of the branch libraries in the MPL system also offer ESL material.
The Gale Courses database has a number of ESL courses within its Language and Arts category. In addition, MPL subscribes to the Mango Languages, Pronunciator, and Transparent Languages electronic resources. These subscription sites offer basic ESL instruction and language-specific ESL modules.
Adult drop-in tutoring is available at select locations for people to improve their English reading and writing skills.
Milwaukee Public Library offers Drop-In Tutoring for adult learners. Tutors are available to help with literacy skills, such as reading, writing, math and studying for tests, including the GED. Tutoring is free and no appointment is needed--it is on a first come basis. This service is available at the Central Library and select branches. Locations, days and times vary.


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Mimi Endearing
Have questions about how this piece will fit you?
Feel free to call us at 214.520.3123 ext. 112.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery
One of our Best Selling endearrings...buy one for you*
1" H x 7/8" W
Mimi Endearing
*each dian malouf piece is made one-at-a-time. please all 4-6 weeks for us to make you*
1" H x 7/8" W
We never mass produce our jewelry - we make each piece just for you. This means our production time is a about 4-6 weeks. Though we always try to deliver product as soon as we can, please have patience. Your piece will be worth the wait!
When ordering pieces that have a stone in them. please keep in mind each stone will have its own unique quality. Stone color & matrix may vary slightly.
Return Policy
If not satisfied and you would like to exchange or return, please email us within 3 days of the original order at firstname.lastname@example.com or phone 214-520-3123 x 112 with the reason for return and we will issue a return authorization number (RA#). All sales after 3 days are final and non refundable.
• To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be returned with the jewelry pouch.
• The merchandise must be received at DMJ within 3 days of the RA # being issued.
• The RA# must be written on the outside of the box as well as on a copy of the original packing slip included with the item being returned.
• Dian Malouf Jewelry is not responsible for any item not received, or any item returned without a return authorization. You should consider using a tracking shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don't guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
• You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable and original shipping fees will not be credited.
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Right, what is it?
It's the GLA45 AMG – Mercedes Benz's psychotic full stop on its new crossover range.
AMG? It must be fast, then?
Well, it's basically an A45 AMG that's been jacked up 40mm. So, yeah, it's got a 2.0-litre inline-four with 265kW and 450Nm plus all-wheel drive. With a successful Race Start launch it'll fling you to 100km/h in 4.8sec.
Wow! Hang on. That's slower than the A45 AMG.
It is, by two tenths, but only because the GLA45 AMG is heavier than its hatchback brother. You can thank strengthening of the rear body structure for that. The upside is it's also a little bigger in the back.
Does it handle?
The GLA45 steering is direct and well-weighted, and the Alcantara steering wheel it's connected to is a delight to grasp.
The ride's firm but the increase of ride height means it's more compliant than you think.
What's really impressive though is how the car responds to more challenging roads.
But come on, it looks like the A45 Clive Palmer edition!
Yes, the GLA45 AMG's bigger measurements mean roll, dive and squat are a tad more pronounced than the A45, but its body control is excellent. And even when you dig your spurs in and push it hard, it barely flinches. The chassis is composed, balanced, and it grips like a rabid bulldog.
What's not to like?
It's no oil painting to look at, and opting for the optional $3990 Edition 1 pack's aero bits and stickers would be hard to justify to your mates at the pub.
Then there's the 'box. We love dual clutches, but they can be idiosyncratic. The GLA45 AMG's seven-speed is no different. From rest it can be manic in 'S' mode, then too sleepy in 'C' mode. You spend too much attention on your throttle input.
What's the damage?
Cabbage wise, at $79,990, it's $4K more expensive than the A45 AMG and $7K cheaper than the CLA45.
Should I buy one?
Well, it's every bit as fast as the optional hellish aero wings promise it to be. Which means you'll like driving it.
Its ride sets it apart from its hatch counterpart, meaning there's a chance your better half might like it too, while the extra rear passenger and boot room rectify the CLA45's flaws.
Contention may lie within the task of looking at it. But as they say, beauty is in the eye…
If you're interested, though, you're going to have to get in line. All first deliveries have been snapped up and Mercedes tells us new orders won't arrive until mid-next year.
Ludicrous, but so is the car.


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I've been photographing the weather vanes in the historic area of Nutfield, New Hampshire. Some are historic, others are just whimsical, but all are interesting! Nutfield used to be where Derry and Londonderry are located today, but also covered Windham and parts of Hudson and Manchester, New Hampshire. Today's weathervane is in Manchester.
Do you know the location of weathervane #75? Scroll down to see the answer.
The Friendly's website http://www.friendlys.com/
To see the entire series of all 75 weathervanes, click at this link:
Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo


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I am currently a student at University of British Columbia in the faculty of Arts. In the past, I attended Vancouver Technical Secondary; looking back at my school years, I enjoyed grade eight the most: because it was special, successful and exciting.
In the transition from elementary to high school, everything changed dramatically. In grade eight, I felt like I was suddenly given an enormous amount of freedom. For instance, I can go home for lunch without having my parents sign a permission form. In addition to that, I do not have to ask for permission to go to the washroom or wander around the halls.
In all my academic years, grade eight was the most successful year. I got on the honor roll, received many awards and certificates. . The best part was that, I didn't have to work hard for my achievements. Indeed grade eight wasn't really important; however I did gain confidence through my success. For instance, there was no homework that I felt I was unable to complete. Also, I was not shy to raise my hand to answer questions.
The best thing I like about grade eight is being a popular student at school. All my teachers liked me a lot. I met many new friends and had many memorable moments together. For example, I remembered in November of 1996, my friends and I went to watch a movie; it was special because, it was my first time watching a movie without parents or adult supervision around. I felt like I have grown up.
In conclusion, grade eight is the best school year. Those memories are still vivid in colors as I sit here writing my LPI essay. I hope in the future my children will feel the same way as I did (entering high school).
my lpi essay (need help in reviewing it)
Add your poems, essays and short stories here. Please do not post work by other writers.
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Zay & Nat Turner - That Woop Woop ("Black & Latin Love") [Unsigned Hype]
"Zay & Nat Turner "That Woop Woop" (Black & Latin Love) Produced By Vinny Idol, Directed By JB. Album Available @ http://www.datpiff.com/Zay_Nat_Turner__Black_Latin_Love_.m130137.html Twitter Info - (@zay_326), (Nat_Turner40b) Youtube.com/326Musik"
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Bison fire crests Pine Nuts, burning on both sides
The Bison fire grew to 2,000 acres this afternoon exhibiting extreme behavior, as 30 mph wind gusts fanned flames in a thick mix of piñon and juniper trees.
The fire has crested the Pine Nut Mountains and is heading down the east slope toward Smith Valley, according to Sierra Front Dispatch Center Information Officer Elayne Briggs.
Briggs said the eight hand crews trying to build a line around the fire are being moved off. Crews got a line a fifth of the way around the fire.
Lyon emergency officials have been notified that the flames and smoke may be visible to Smith Valley and Wellington residents.
Lyon County Manager Jeff Page said that he is in a briefing with fire officials to determine the extend of the fire and the possibility of it moving downslope into Smith Valley.
There are no requests for evacuation at this time, Page said.
"Lyon County Office of Emergency Management has taken precautionary measures to notify local public safety personnel, dispatch, and support teams in the event the fire begins to move into the area," he said. "If it is determined that the fire may move towards structures Lyon County Office of Emergency Management and public safety personnel will alert the public."
Southwest winds were blowing 17 mph, gusting to 31 mph at 3:33 p.m., according to the National Weather Service station located at the Fish Springs Volunteer Fire Department.
Firefighters are working to protect structures and build handlines to keep the fire contained in the Pine Nut Creek area five miles east of Gardnerville.
As of 4 p.m., no structures have been reported lost in the fire, nor have there been any reports of injuries.
In all 350 firefighters, including eight hand crews, 12 engines, five single-engine air tankers, three helicopters, two water tenders and four bulldozers are working the fire.
The fire, first reported at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, was set by lightning.


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Eldaxon's Collected Folklore was an anthology of ancient Talaxian folktales. The second edition of the book was published in 5012 of the New Calendar.
The first recorded usages of the word vaadwaur in Talaxian literature were in this book, specifically in the folktales "The Demon with the Golden Voice", "The Tale of the Deadly Stranger", "The Tale of the Boy Who Lost His Head", and "The Tale of the Bloody Hand".
A copy of this book was contained in Neelix' personal database. He referenced the work in 2376 after the USS Voyager discovered and revived a group of Vaadwaur survivors. (VOY: "Dragon's Teeth")


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Michael Franti and Spearhead Top One Of Their Biggest Years Ever With Yell Fire! Live
Studio Work Set With Producer Matt Wallace For Follow-Up Anti- Disc
Group Confirms Late Summer Festival Gigs and Fall Headlining Tour
Michael Franti and Spearhead will celebrate the success of their breakthrough 2006 Anti- debut Yell Fire! by releasing a live, digital-only version of the acclaimed disc this October.
On the strength of uplifting 2007 performances at Bonnaroo and Sasquatch events – not to mention a monumental sold-out gig at Colorado's infamous Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Franti and Spearhead have confirmed a series of late summer festival gigs on the West Coast that shouldn't be missed. Most notable among these appearances, Spearhead will feature prominently when Franti's own, 9th annual Power to the Peaceful festival takes place in his hometown of San Francisco on September 8th.
Then, in tandem with the aforementioned Yell Fire! Live, Michael Franti and Spearhead will embark on an autumn tour through the Midwest and East Coast. The U.S. trek gets underway on September 28th in Milwaukee, WI and wraps in Black Mountain, NC on October 21st.
In advance of these touring commitments, Michael Franti and Spearhead will enter the recording studio with producer Matt Wallace (The Replacements, Faith No More, John Hiatt) later this month to commence work on a new album. Slated for a 2008 release via Anti-, the project will follow the group's aforementioned, widely-acclaimed 2006 release, Yell Fire!, which earned a rare 'A' rating from Entertainment Weekly in a review that asserted, "Who says protest songs can't be both fiery and fun?"
One in a lengthy stream of glowing reviews Franti and Spearhead have reaped since the disc's release on July 25th, 2006, The San Francisco Chronicle insisted, "Yell Fire is a pleasure, with Franti proving again that it's possible to turn speaking truth to power into an exhilarating dance revolution."
Meanwhile, Relix touted it as "an album that never forgets to entertain while educating" but perhaps The Washington Post put it best when it wrote, "Of the recent spate of antiwar tunes, none is quite as compelling as those of Michael Franti," adding, "This joyous fusion of reggae, hip-hop and soul is a gentle, galvanizing call to arms."
The award winning filmmaker Franti, who is responsible for I Know I'm Not Alone, the heralded 2005 documentary about the Iraq War, and the subsequent Yell Fire!, which was inspired by his travels to the war-torn area, has been praised for his commitments to peace, tolerance and co-existence from journalists and formal and informal leaders throughout the globe.
In May 2007, he performed an extremely rare San Quention Prison concert, performing before some 2,000 inmates. Franti's activism also found him in the company of patients at Washington's Walter Reed Army Medical Center the month prior, as he visited and performed for injured solidiers before participating in a fundraiser for Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Franti also just added publisher to his growing list of credits by releasing his first-ever children's book, What I Be, on July 1, 2007. Marking the debut of his own book publishing company, Stay Human Books, the title – printed by Creative Beans and illustrated by Ottawa-based artist Ben Hodson – is a visual and musical journey about self acceptance.
In related news, Michael Franti and Spearhead will also take to the sea in January 2008 as part of Jam Cruise 6, which leaves from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and visits Roatan, Honduras and Costa Maya, Mexico.
Here are Franti's upcoming U.S. Tour Dates:
Aug 16 - Salt Lake City, UT - Gallivan Center Aug 31 – Sun Valley, ID – Sun Valley Labor Day Weekend Festival Sept. 2 – Snowmass Village, CO – Jazz Aspen Snowmass Sept. 8 - San Francisco, CA - Power to the Peaceful 2007 Sept. 28 - Milwaukee, WI – Rave Sept. 29 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre Sept. 30 - Madison, WI - Orpheum Oct. 3 - Philadelphia, PA - Fillmore Oct. 4 - Ithaca, NY - State Theatre Oct. 5 - Boston, MA - The Roxy Oct. 6 - New York, NY - Nokia Theatre Oct. 7 - Northampton, MA - Calvin Theatre Oct. 10 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa Oct. 11 - Richmond, VA - Toad's Place Oct. 12 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre Oct. 13 - Jacksonville, FL - Freebird Live Oct. 17 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre Oct. 18 - Louisville, KY - Brown Theatre Oct. 19 - Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theatre Oct. 21 - Black Mountain, NC - Lake Eden Arts Festival
For more information contact Felicia Risolo at Anti- firstname.lastname@example.com