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Gadgets to Make Your Home Cooler
Control your lights with your iPhone? Why not? Digital lifestyle expert Andrew Felix shows off gadgets for the well-connected home. Photo: Phillips.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... what gadgets to uni Dell deal ... will look into it ... welcome to Digits I'm Simon Constable gadget my stuff ... Andrew Felix joins us now from Miami of every aspect of a mess up ... of course and are you going on for a while but at the same view ... let's cut through some of these let's go through some online saying stuff ups ... a lesser up with Philips yummy kind in the light to show you ... this is the Philips you why ... am I control everything via my I phone in an app ... which a light pole inside is saying Ahmedabad right you're right ... it's can automatically change colors ... of the label based on different scenes it's like ... they can program seems you can actually ... take a photo that you haven't seen her family ... highway that color in a bottle and that is the color of the label ... that will happen it comes about three different Bulls ... to really change the mood in your room or an nonlinear Ravenna party ... while that makes this interesting lights on or off the mass quite quite the ... demanding that you've also got some home cleaning robots ... right I do ... I do I do son I love this saying this is from I robot ... now we know that a robot from the room line everything ... but how about this this delusion Ahmed take this up and turn on show you ... that you can actually ... cover no control here ... in this is a daughter cleaner ... see them program it ... to actually ... go on and turn clean your gutters automatically both your gutters ... you carry on its claim to be automatically is going to go for you ... to cool cool device is placed in the gutter controlled by the handle when you go with that with the handle back on and your gutters are clean ... while ... while that means he's an optimist life and limb awful as that which sounds of property intimate ... now furloughs tables idea have you gone summing all seventeen ... thousand yen rises need Simons's from a company called robo real it's a motorized cart wherever she and apply now ... it's an extension cord that he talked about fifty feet ... but the hassle people have is ... winding up extension cords it's a pain ... this one's got three plugs rate you're on the bottom for one year don't like that Simon ... is in top line shut off the power ... heated again ... when ago ... and it automatically wheel itself back in your holder ... and you can take it back down and travel around with the ... market may have eased over the last thing is across the lawns outside its outside the house and caught a robot size ... more moolah from the show up I'm not keen on these because one is travel on this is how I use the tip of my exercise was pushing a lawnmower ... that I didn't tell me why this is so awesome ... this is this is from us cannot ... see Auto Motor basically set up your along with their states that they gave due ... to a note that founder is its gonna charging home ... programming ... say Duomo Kloza thing up ... its automatically in a mow your lawn ... in different areas to just like the home cleaners of the carpet in the a ... the floor tile ... this is now the cut in and your lawn to make it look beautiful ... you're right Simon did as the tech side out of it but ... think about the time you're going to say ... this can cut the yard or maybe your bra cutting bushes or ... cleaning gutters are eking out ... you don't have to worry about it maybe it does in the middle and I ... when you're sleeping Thelma is rather pricey though right guys a lot of money twenty seven on a box plus tax presumably and some some minor power ... it is it's Deathly costing a money but ... think about my guess is that I mean ... you don't have to worry about one a lot see don't have double on service anymore ... it's been a dual I can say that anytime ... play is a clean Gerais in cuts the grass I mean ... it but this is a lot of money I will go with that ... but ... I think about that time it's can deceive you in the long run ... for three years in years along care specially job a large lawn ... witnessing go ... you can go away ... maybe you're out to dinner it's can cut your lawn you have to be home ... okay let's hope that those malfunctions thank you very much


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Weinberg '87 shows alumni how to re-enter workforce
Career coach and personal branding specialist to host webinar
Have you been out of the workforce for some time and are planning to get back in? Are you feeling overwhelmed about how to start, especially in this difficult economy? Does your professional brand need an update or a makeover?
Brandeis alumna Pamela Weinberg '87, career coach and personal branding specialist, will help members of the Brandeis community address these questions in an upcoming webinar sponsored by the Hiatt Career Center. She will share specific tips on how to begin the process, whether it involves returning to a chosen profession after raising a family, going to grad school, or a change of careers.
Weinberg herself changed career paths from working in advertising and public relations after graduating from Brandeis in 1987, to now running her own career coaching practice. While she enjoyed her time in PR, she hadn't quite found her calling until she went on maternity leave.
"While I was home on leave, I was having difficulty getting information on all of the resources available to New York City parents," recalls Weinberg. In response, Weinberg wrote a resource guide called, "City Baby," which shares important resources with other like-minded mothers in urban centers from New York to Chicago.
"Writing 'City Baby' was the start of my career as a resource to women," Weinberg adds. "I spoke frequently to new mother's groups, groups of pre-natal women and more. One of the issues that I spoke about frequently was how to balance and manage career and parenthood."
As a result, Weinberg went back to school for a certificate in Career Planning from New York University and went on to co-found Mind Your Own Business Moms, which provides workshops, seminars, classes and individual counseling to moms returning to work.
Weinberg's career coaching practice has since expanded beyond moms to include clients in every stage of career development. She is particularly passionate about personal branding for the job search.
Her advice for fellow Brandeis alumni and current students? "Network in every possible area of your life, because 80 percent of jobs are obtained through personal connections. Social media is a great way to make and maintain connections, but don't neglect 'in-person' opportunities you can get from attending alumni or school events, being a part of professional associations and stepping away from the computer."
Weinberg's "Re-entering the Workforce" webinar will air live on March 14 at 7 p.m. EST. Register here. For those who can't attend the live screening, the Hiatt Career Center's webinars are archived online for viewing 24/7.

subset: commoncrawl


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Colorado TechFair needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 31 designs submitted by 11 freelance designers.
Colorado TechFair 2009
The Colorado TechFair is a state-wide technology fair created to 1. Promote the creative use of technology by schoolchildern and 2. Raise funds and awareness for the host organization OpenWorld Learning. We are a local nonprofit that hosts technology based afterschool programs for youth. We hope the fair will turn out to be a fun and engaging experience, and are looking for a logo that reflects that!
We are targeting a varied audiance. The logo will need to be appealing to the students, 3-12 grade. I would like it to reflect some of the energy of OpenWorld Learnings color scheme, as the event is also to expand community awareness of the nonprofit (http://www.openworldlearning.org). Further though, we are marketing to businesses for sponsorhip and will be having a prestigious aray of host judges hopefully including Colorado governmental officials.
There are no set requirements. We will be using the logo everywhere from the website, to marketing materials, and blowing it up for banners the day of the event- so a high resolution is a must. I do not have any graphics software on my computer, so please include a format that is accessible from most computers.
Other than that, we would like a fun and creative logo that fits with the feel of the OpenWorld Learning logo!
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Press Release
Vornado Announces Fourth Quarter 2012 Earnings Release Date and Conference
Call Details and Additional 2013 Earnings Conference Call Information
PARAMUS, NEW JERSEY…..VORNADO REALTY TRUST (NYSE: VNO) announced today that it will file its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and issue its fourth quarter and full year earnings release on Tuesday, February 26, 2013, after the New York Stock Exchange has closed. The Company will host its earnings conference call and audio webcast on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET).
The conference call can be accessed by dialing 800-446-2782 (domestic) or 847-413-3235 (international) and indicating to the operator the passcode 34178055. A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available from 12:30 p.m. ET on February 27, 2013 through March 29, 2013. To access the replay, please dial 888-843-7419 and enter the passcode 34178055#.
A live webcast of the conference call will be available on Vornado's website at www.vno.com and an online playback of the webcast will be available on the website for 90 days following the conference call.
In addition, the Company has listed its expected earnings release and call dates for the remainder of 2013 below and on its website.
First Quarter 2013 Earnings
Announce After Market Close Monday, May 6
Conference Call /Webcast Tuesday, May 7 at 10:00 AM ET
Second Quarter 2013 Earnings
Announce After Market Close Monday, August 5
Conference Call / Webcast Tuesday, August 6 at 10:00 AM ET
Third Quarter 2013 Earnings
Announce After Market Close Monday, November 4
Conference Call / Webcast Tuesday, November 5 at 10:00 AM ET
Vornado Realty Trust is a fully-integrated equity real estate investment trust.
Certain statements contained herein may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks associated with the timing of and costs associated with property improvements, financing commitments and general competitive factors.


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Hard Work Rewarded At Geological Society Meeting
By Tim O'Keefe, JMU Public Affairs
Hard work along the shores of Lake Huron last summer paid off this fall for Amanda Hodges (left) and Lisa DeGrazia at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Denver.
They spent three weeks of their summer along the shores of Lake Huron in Michigan, but the time was anything but a vacation.
Senior geology majors Amanda Hodges and Lisa DeGrazia spent that time hard at work, researching the hydrology of the Albert E. Sleeper State Park near Caseville.
"We were 100 percent dedicated to this project," said Hodges.
The extra effort paid off.
Hodges and DeGrazia won the National Council Award for Outstanding Student Research at this year's annual Geology Society of America conference Oct. 28-31 in Denver. A poster about their research highlighted groundwater flow through the study area, which was tracked using chemical indicators such as PH values. The ground water flow plays an important role in the area's ecology. During their three-week research period, Hodges and DeGrazia collected 70 samples from the wetland surface water.
Geology and Environmental Science Associate Professor Steve Baedke, who directed the research, said this year's team of students worked better together in the field than any others. "Everything just went extremely smoothly," he said.
Baedke is used to success at the GSA. Last year, two of his students—Joe Bell and Sean Porse—won a similar award in Philadelphia.
DeGrazia acknowledged the benefits of having Bell and Porse offer their insight about the competition.
"Joe and Sean set the bar high and showed us what to expect," she said.
Baedke said the geology department's commitment to undergraduate research is a contributing factor to the success. "It reflects the ethic of the department for students to do meaningful research," he said. "If this was not important to JMU, we wouldn't have the time and money spent on this project."
For a third consecutive year, the United States Geological Survey supplied grant money to cover travel expenses, lab equipment and hourly wages for the students.
Baedke also noted the students received some valuable mentoring from distinguished specialists with 20 to 40 years experience. The specialists, including some from the Indiana Geological Survey at Indiana University and North Dakota State University, offered advice on conducting field research and the significance of results.
"When you get all of that experience coming from these other researchers, it is hard to think that you are going to get too far off track," said Baedke.
Despite hearing about last year's conference from Bell and Porse, its size was still somewhat daunting, DeGrazia said. "[The GSA conference] was very intimidating and nerve-racking. We had never seen so many geology people at one place before."
Universities from around the country and companies from around the world sent representatives to the conference, which focused on the theme "International Year of the Planet Earth."
Published December 2007
Published: Thursday, January 1, 2009
Last Updated: Thursday, October 20, 2016


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Public Record Requests
In the spirit of transparency and accuracy, the department makes every effort to have as much information as possible available to the Public, the Industry and the Consumers.
If you are searching for a licensed real estate salesperson or broker, subdivision or developer, searching for disciplinary actions and orders or wish to download lists of data that can be imported into your own applications for creating reports, etc., please click here to access the Public Database.
If you are a member of the Press or Media, click here to contact the Public Information Officer.
To file a Public Records Request Online click here, or you can send a written request to:
Custodian of Public Records
Information Regarding Public Record Requests
Requestors only have a right to a record:
Arizona's Public Records Law does not require the State to:
All information is considered public record, with three broad exceptions:
The only charge for records is the cost of reproduction. The State cannot charge for the cost of searching for the record.
Reproduction costs include:
The Standard Document Copying Charge is $.25 per page.
rev. 10/09


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WINTHROP With the 69th annual '49er Days right around the corner, royalty has been selected and a lady and grand marshal have been announced.
The 2014 Winthrop '49er Days junior royalty is Queen Vanessa Smith and princesses Lily Darwood and Katharine Tannehill. They are seniors at Liberty Bell High School.
Ken Westman is grand marshal, and Lois McLean has been named the grand lady. They will attend the Ride to Rendezvous dinner leading in to the weekend events, May 9-11, and have seats of honor in the Saturday morning parade.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.


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Anyone who suffered a blood clot, DVT, stroke or Pulmonary Embolism after using NuvaRing is urged to contact the NuvaRing Resource Center or speak with a lawyer about their legal options.
Orlando, FL (PRWEB) November 13, 2012
A study by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics shows use of intrauterine devices such as NuvaRing are on the rise compared with condoms and traditional pills, according to a WebMD report on October 18, 2012. The study found use has grown by 700% since 1995.
The news comes as experts have linked vaginal rings like NuvaRing to increased risks of blood clots. So far, the FDA has received more than 1,000 reports of blood clot injury or death in patients using NuvaRing, according to an article in CBS News San Diego on September 21, 2012.
Anyone who suffered a blood clot, DVT, stroke or Pulmonary Embolism after using NuvaRing is urged to contact the NuvaRing Resource Center or speak with a lawyer about their legal options.
The British Medical Journal published a Danish study on May 10, 2012 linking vaginal rings like NuvaRing to as much as a 90% increased risk of blood clots over oral contraceptives. On June 14, 2012, the New England Journal of Medicine also published a study finding vaginal ring contraceptives could relate to a 2.5 to 3-fold increased risk of blood clots.
Last October, the FDA issued a report titled, "Combined Hormonal Contraceptives (CHCs) and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Endpoints", which showed vaginal ring contraceptives could increase the risks of blood clots by as much as 56%.
Now, According to Legal Examiner on October 11, 2012, U.S. Federal District Judge Rodney W. Sippel announced on August 23rd that NuvaRing lawsuit trials would begin on May 6, 2013. This will set a precedent for other cases and settlements for future victims.
Due to the number of NuvaRing lawsuits filed, the cases have been consolidated into a federal Multi-District Litigation court in Missouri. The formal case is known as In re: NuvaRing Products Liability Litigation, No. 08-md-1964, JPML, Eastern District Missouri. On September 5, 2012, the U.S. Panel on Multidistrict Litigation indicated that more than 1,000 cases have been filed so far.
The NuvaRing Resource Center urges anyone affected by blood clots, stroke, DVT or pulmonary embolism after using NuvaRing to learn their legal rights as soon as possible.
Due to the specialized nature of federal MDL drug injury cases, the Resource Center only recommends lawyers and law firms who have already handled NuvaRing lawsuits.
For more information on research, side effects and litigation news related to NuvaRing devices, or to speak with a lawyer, visit http://www.NuvaRing-Lawsuits.net.


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Ping Table
Table tennis is a veritable game room staple—it's fun, easy to play and everyone can join in on the action. From your basement rec room to your backyard or deck, get the games underway with table tennis and table tennis gear from DICK'S Sporting Goods.
Based on the game of tennis and developed in Victorian England, table tennis can be played indoors or out by two to four players. What makes table tennis a great choice for your game room? This simple game can be played by youngsters or novices, yet more experienced players can easily up the intensity for a more challenging match. Table tennis includes a table, central net, table tennis ball and small paddles for each player.Explore the table tennis collection at DICK'S Sporting Goods:
Quality products and premium materials help you enjoy the game at its best. Find what you need from specialty table tennis brands like Stiga®, Butterfly® and Joola®.
If you're serious about your game, choose a tennis table that meets dimensions established by the International Table Tennis Federation—9-feet by 4-feet and 30 inches tall.For most, table tennis is just a great game for their household. Consider where you will use your table before making your purchase:
- Outdoor Table Tennis: Picture it: A table tennis game at your next summer barbeque. Bring the game outside with a table designed to withstand the elements. Choose an outdoor table coated with aluminum, which prevents warping, scratching and cracking. Powder-coated steel legs provide stability.
- Indoor Table Tennis: Indoor table tennis tables are generally built with a wood or composite surface, which provides quick response and bounce for intense play. Some systems fold for better storage when not in use.
Where space is limited, go for a mini-table tennis table, rollaway table or a tabletop that fits over an existing billiards table.
The game can't get underway without table tennis paddles. Some players choose pre-packaged table tennis kits, which include complete paddles, or rackets, and other accessories, including table tennis balls.
Experienced players assemble their paddle from three distinct parts: A wooden handle, blade and rubber blade covering. This configuration enables players to better control the feel and performance of their paddle.
The rubber blade covering comes in varying degrees of thickness. As a general rule, thicker padding creates faster speed, but reduces control. A thinner rubber layer promotes more precise shots. Get a grip on your game: Table tennis paddles that come with a concave handle provide better feel and performance.
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Moderators: Three Stars, dagny, pfim, netwolf
Idoit40fans wrote:I find that BMW and Audi drivers are pretty big a-holes.
JS© wrote:Idoit40fans wrote:I find that BMW and Audi drivers are pretty big a-holes.
I was guilty of having a heavy foot when I had my A4 only because it was real easy to get up to 70-80 and not realize how fast you were driving. I wasn't like the rest of the a-holes that liked to squeeze between two cars while dong 80 while cutting across two lanes. I wish nothing but 4 flats and a non-functional spare for those people.
GSdrums87 wrote:Tan 2000 Mitsubishi Galant. GO!
PghSkins wrote:Saw a SUV the other day, on BOTH side windows he actually stickers that said "I don't care about your stick family." All across the back window he had a huge wrap of a horse.
Dude, my stick family doesn't care about your horse.
(for the record, I don't have a stick family on my car).
Idoit40fans wrote:I am sure if there is a study, it will show that BMW owners are the worst. Actually maybe I saw one. I can't remember.
meow wrote:GSdrums87 wrote:Tan 2000 Mitsubishi Galant. GO!
And how to do you drive it? Fast? Speed limit speed? Change lanes frequently? Do you park in the closest spot to the door of the store or away from vehicles at the end of the lot?
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests


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Website creation with external data scrapping -- 2
Бюджет €250-750 EUR
Creation by the contractor of a website where a user will input flight departure and destination locations and dates.
The underlying process (to be developped by the contractor) will do the data scrapping on one or several websites and present the results in a matrix on the search page, highlighting the less expensive prices.
Once the user clicks on the price he's interested in, he will be redirected to the provider's website and can book from there.
More details will be provided to the bidders.
27 фрілансерів(-и) у середньому готові виконати цю роботу за €595
I am really interested to do this job and get started right away. payment after your complete satisfaction nothing advance. Can we please discuss the project details?
Hi, Please have a look of my bid and let me know if you have any other query. I have here for discussion. Thanks
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Hello, I understood the initial scope of this project. Although i want to discuss further this job in order to prepare the final concept for this project. After Complete discussion over the call or in chat, i wi Більше
I have 6+ years experience and I have done more then 50+ projects in my [login to view URL] note I am full feldged developers and work for 17 hours in a day.I am ready to start the project kindly open the private message box Більше
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Hello ! We want to discuss about your project as we have experience in it. What Differentiates us from the other freelancers : # Experience of more than 5 years in Unity 3D, Xcode, CoCoa 2d, Phonegap and major Більше
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Hi, i'm interested, could you give me more details please? what are the sites to scrape? regards [login to view URL]
Hi There I have seen the details and understand that you are looking for a website where a user will input flight departure and destination locations and dates. I have more than 6 years experience in website develo Більше
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Hello, Please have a look of my own company website: [login to view URL] and my freelancer profile: https://www.freelancer.in/u/kushrai.html I am a PHP Developer with 6+ years of experience in this fields Більше


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Founded by mobile media industry veteran, Helen Keegan, Heroes of Mobile is about knowledge and networking events and other initiatives to help people get their heads round what to do when it comes to mobile. Whether it's the whole of your job, part of your job or you just have an interest in the sector, there'll be something for you here.
The next Heroes of Mobile events are in the USA in San Francisco, Mountain View, New York City and Los Angeles with more events in London, Leeds and other cities later in the year. We'll be back in Barcelona at the end of February 2018 – ladies lunch on Monday and Swedish Beers on the Wednesday night. More events in London and beyond in the rest of 2018.
Our social channels We're on Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Soundcloud (for our podcasts) | Follow us! Subscribe to our newsletter too for updates about us and our events.


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Home > > Products > Marble SlabsMarble Slabs
China Dark Emperador marble slabs
China Dark Emperador marble slabs
Available Size
polished, honed, etc.
If you have any inquiry, please do feel free to contact us at email@example.com
Leap Stone LTD is a professional manufacturer & exporter in China. Our marble factory mainly produce: all kinds of Marble & Granite Slabs, Tiles, Floors, Counter Tops, Sinks, Vanity Tops, Project Cut-To-Size, Special Type, Kitchen Tops, Bathroom Tops, Granite Countertops, Building Stone, Tombstone, Carving and other different processed products, mainly export to Europe, America, Middle East, Australia, Japan, southeast Asia and Hong Kong and so on.


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Nine defending champions, including 2012 Classic winner Fort Larned and reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan, were among 172 horses pre-entered Wednesday for the 30th running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
The Breeders' Cup, which will be run for the second consecutive year and seventh time overall at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 1-2, also attracted 2013 Horse of the Year frontrunner Game On Dude, 3-year-old filly sensation Princess of Sylmar and two-time Distaff champion Royal Delta.
East Coast-based Chad Brown led all trainers with 11 pre-entries. Todd Pletcher, who will run Palace Malice and Graydar in the $5 million Classic, had nine pre-entries, followed by Bob Baffert's eight and five by Bill Mott.
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey led all owners with seven pre-entries.
While the Classic is annually the most-anticipated race of the two-day Breeders' Cup, this year's $2 million Distaff may rival it for excitement.
Royal Delta, at 5 the best older mare in training, heads a strong contingent that also includes Kentucky Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar, Zenyatta Stakes winner Beholder, the Pletcher-trained Authenticity and Close Hatches.
"There are some very good fillies in there," said Mott, who will saddle Royal Delta in the Distaff. "Last year, it was nearly the same and from what I was hearing from other people on the outside was that they thought the Distaff was one of the most competitive races going into the Breeders' Cup. We were lucky enough to win it.
"It's a small but select field, and whoever wins it is going to have to run an extremely good race. If you don't run a good race you're not going to get a very big piece of it because it's competitive from top to bottom."
The addition of Princess of Sylmar to the field makes it one of the weekend's elite races. The daughter of Majestic Warrior has won four consecutive Grade I stakes, including the Beldame Invitational in her last start at Belmont Park on Sept. 28 when she upset Royal Delta.
But she was considered a longshot for the race until recently when her connections — Pletcher and owner Ed Stanco — decided to supplement the filly for a $90,000 fee on Monday.
"The filly has just continued to train very well," Pletcher said. "The owner had expressed some concerns way back before the summer even started about going to California and running a 3-year-old against older mares after a long campaign. But we did give her a couple breaks along the year and she just continues to do really well.
"She obviously ran great in the Beldame and subsequently came out of it in good order and has given us every indication that she is maintaining her form. It kind of came down to why not go? She's doing well and you don't get these opportunities that often with a filly that is on a win streak and just remarkably healthy."
There were 24 horses from overseas pre-entered in this year's World Championships, including The Fugue, Declaration of War and Olympic Glory. Declaration of War, winner of the Grade I Juddmonte International at York, and the 6-year-old Irish-bred Planteur, third in the Dubai World Cup in March, are the overseas pre-entrants for the Classic.
Post-time favoritism for the Classic, scheduled to be run at 5:35 p.m. on Nov. 2, figures to go to the Baffert-trained Game On Dude. The 6-year-old gelded son of Awesome Again has won all five starts this year and six overall, including this year's Southern California big three — the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
Horse of the Year honors would seem to be his to lose, but Baffert has never won the Classic and this year's field includes five starters from last year, including the first four finishers.
"You need a good horse and you need racing luck," said Baffert, whose Game On Dude finished seventh in the Classic a year ago after a bad start. "The Classic's been a race where we've run some seconds, but things happen sometimes. The Breeders' Cup is just one of those things where everything has to go right, and when you have a lot of other good horses in the race everything's gotta go your way."
The Breeders' Cup will be televised live on NBCSN and NBC. First Breeders' Cup post on Nov. 1 is scheduled for 1:45 p.m., PDT, and 12:05 p.m. on Nov. 2. The Classic will be televised live by NBC.
Follow Art Wilson on Twitter at @sham73


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Elemis Japanese Camellia Body Oil Blend
The Elemis Sp@Home Body Exotics range is about indulging in the most exquisite ingredients from around the world and restoring daily equilibrium. Create your own exotic spa ritual in the serenity of your home and drift away to a faraway place.
For centuries this was the Japanese beauty secret for healthy nails, hair, scalp and skin. This nourishing light oil, rich in plant collagen, keeps skin supple, helping to combat stretch marks and perfect for baby massage too.
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One of our favorite mom bloggers, Melissa Saigh of Minnesota Baby was recently featured on FOX 9 Buzz showing off the latest Gadgets for Mom and Baby. She was kind enough to bring along her pink Blooming Bath for babies bath tub and share it with all of FOX's Minneapolis-St. Paul viewers!
Along with baby bath tub products, Melissa also found some inventive products for nursing moms that you may have not seen before. One of which is Milkscreen, a home test you can use to test alcohol levels in breast milk. It's perfect for those times when mom needs to relax with a glass of wine but wants to be sure to wait long enough after before breastfeeding. Another product allows moms to freeze excess breast milk in trays for future use.
Be sure to check out all of Melissa's finds by watching her appearance on FOX 9 Buzz.


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1996 Chevrolet S-10 - El Jefe´
It's Good to be the Boss
Bill Baltikas might not be a household name in the custom truck scene. His club, Balistik, is quickly climbing the ranks of name recognition, but it's the show put on every year that precedes them both. Camp 'N Drag has evolved into a fan favorite amongst Midwest truck run die-hards, and it's become the place to debut in the region -- even for the guy throwing the show.
"I've come to realize the importance of being yourself and doing what you like. - Bill Baltikas"
"I've been into trucks for about 13 years now. I started going to Indy Truck Bash with friends, and throughout that time, I've seen styles and ideas change but I've come to realize the importance of being yourself and doing what you like," Bill says about the 12 years he's spent piecing his own truck together. In that time, he's had the opportunity to connect with likeminded people and travel to see how others have put their spin on building trucks. "My budget has only allowed me to buy a few parts here and there when I had spare cash to spend, and my motivation has always come from watching others push the bar and do things different."
Being president of an up-and-coming truck club doesn't come with the perk of being the first in the group to have a completed ride. Even though many members and outside friends were there to help push Bill closer to finishing his build, he was there to lend a hand to those in the club who were in the position of making their own progress sooner. When one wins, all in the same circle have something to celebrate.
|1996 Chevrolet S-10
|Bill Baltikas Jr.
|Lockport, Illinois
|Built By:
|Front Suspension:
|Slam Specialties 'bags, RideTech control arms
|Rear Suspension:
|Slam Specialties 'bags, KP Components six-link, Viair 480 compressors
|20-inch Bonspeed Palisades
|245/35R20 Sumitomo


text:
|View Poll Results: Psycho-Pass - Episode 17 Rating
|Perfect 10
|9 out of 10 : Excellent
|8 out of 10 : Very Good
|7 out of 10 : Good
|6 out of 10 : Average
|5 out of 10 : Below Average
|4 out of 10 : Poor
|3 out of 10 : Bad
|2 out of 10 : Very Bad
|1 out of 10 : Painful
|Voters: 86. You may not vote on this poll
|Thread Tools
|2013-02-14, 17:05
|Link #21
Old God Member
Makishima is too beast mode. I can't remember the last time I've straight up rooted for a villain. I hope he comes out of all this alive. Best anime protagonist in years.
The "truth" of the Sybyl system was kind of predictable though. I'm sure everyone guessed it was some form of "humans".
|2013-02-14, 17:11
|Link #22
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: event horizon
|2013-02-14, 17:39
|Link #26
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
The revelation about the Sibyl System isn't completely surprising but I didn't expect them to reveal it in such a way. Interesting stuff even though some of it has largely been guessed. I'm glad that the story is gaining more momentum again because if it didn't we probably wouldn't have enough build-up to the end.
Still, can't ignore some contrivances like how the aircraft is so easily taken over by Makishima. The supposed advanced cybernetic body lost so easily. Oh well.
|2013-02-14, 17:45
|Link #27
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Buffalo,Newyork
Age: 26
The cybernetic body lost cause Maki got the jump on it fast. And the current user is not no where near as skilled as maki in combat seeing as how they were caught long before maki. And Touma was exspecting maki to join as I said you don't trust maki. When you are around some one like that you think 20 steps ahead just to so much as breathe because they are truly unpredictable. If only he had a more savage and unpredictable fighting style to match his personality.
To put it simple Sibyl can not stop Makishima he is truely unpredictable vs a system that runs on guessing what some one will do.
|2013-02-14, 17:48
|Link #28
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Greater Boston
I wonder if the Sybil system logarithmically approaches "godhood" -- with each new brain, does the system make the existence of criminally asymptotic individuals (i.e. those who subconsciously "cheat" that system through their social deviance) more and more difficult? To rephrase that, if Makishima were added to the system, would that prevent a hypothetical Makishima clone in society from being criminally asymptotic? If that's the case, it would become harder and harder to "cheat" the system and Sybil's judgment would approach perfection very quickly. Sybil did seem particularly anxious to add Makishima's brain to the system.
|2013-02-14, 17:54
|Link #29
Sensei, aishite imasu
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Hong Kong Shatterdome
episode responses
-It's established that Psychopass world has military dedicated drones...quite large ones actually. I'm sure this is going to start all sorts of shenanigans in the discussions over the drones inability to just role in and lethally zap the helmet guys in episode 15. Military drones that couldn't target individuals based on such distinctive features as having helmets like that... wouldn't be very useful for national defense. Infantry anti tank teams could just waltz up to them and shoot them without so much as a response. (Which should be a big deal, cause as we find out later, Japan is the only country to use the Sybl system).
-Kougami and and Akane have a heart to heart talk. As someone who had faith in the system, Akane is a bit shook up, perhaps even feeling a little foolish at the moment.
-The Judiciary has been abolished eh? That certainly makes you wonder how they deal with white collar crimes...unless psycho pass scanning is really that effective at discerning dudes.
-The Sybll system isn't just a hive mind of criminals being used as processors...it's LITERALLY the brain hivemind of these 250 people.
I can understand now why keeping this secret would absolutely essential, even more so than if you were just using brains as computers. Because the way the director explains it...the Sybll system is essentially an oligarchy run by 250 extreme sociopaths.
...these guys must be pretty used to getting their way all the time. Cause it doesn't seem like there were ANY precautions on that airplane to Makishima trying to escape aside from this one drone.
|2013-02-14, 18:05
|Link #31
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Buffalo,Newyork
Age: 26
Now then what Maki does with that camera will determine if he is a good or bad guy. Please to the good thing Maki I like you to much to be truely evil do not keep the camera for yourself or use it to mess with the protagonist heads and split them against each other or anything =(. Then again I will still cheer for Maki
|2013-02-14, 18:06
|Link #32
Sensei, aishite imasu
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Hong Kong Shatterdome
I think you're forgetting that Makishima is an amoral sociopath...just like all the Sybil system is at this point is just a country club of Amoral sociopaths like him.
|2013-02-14, 18:17
|Link #33
Disputatio exaro nex
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Turkey
Age: 35
Yeah, I find it rather hilarious that one guy has the ability to topple a country with just his fists. I could buy it if I was watching Kenshiro.
So they have gigantic Tachikomas with cannons but they cannot assign multiple security drones to a prisoner transport. Suspension of disbelief has a limit and they went past it during this episode multiple times.
Oh God, I'm now just wishing that they won't screw up GitS Arise this bad. I'd literally tear my TV in half.
|2013-02-14, 18:22
|Link #35
U mad?
Join Date: Apr 2012
I believe Makishima was the only one who actively sought out criminals and helped them by providing all the tools for their crimes. Touma was arrested for that jelly mutilation (I think?), but so far it sounded like Makishima was the deciding factor in motivating Touma to commit crimes.
If the other brains are similar to Touma, from his short conversation, they were psychopaths who wanted to be understood, while Makishima tries to understand others motives' etc.
|2013-02-14, 18:28
|Link #36
Sensei, aishite imasu
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Hong Kong Shatterdome
Frankly I'm enjoying this so far. It's gotten rather over the top, but I'm loving it!
Now that I think about it, Christopher Dorner could destroy this entire society by himself if you dropped him into the city with a rifle and a map to the HUMAN BRAINS
|2013-02-14, 18:30
|Link #37
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Looks like country is rules by maniacs... that's messed up. Humanity sure won't be happy to find out about it.
Though how did they plan to kill Makishima with dominator if it can't read his psycho-pass? 0_o
And no, Makishima is evil no matter what he does. He killed way too many innocent people directly and indirectly. Even if his intentions might have been good, his way of dealing wasn't. He overstepped the line.
|2013-02-14, 18:35
|Link #38
|2013-02-14, 18:39
|Link #39
Join Date: Feb 2011
don't forget also the psychopath and hivemind connected to him thought it was a good idea to keep the camera with a video about the most secret room, which only seeing it was enouth to get eliminated, just as souvenir
while as the living proof got eliminated would have been more than sensed to eliminate other kind of proofs as well
but now, unless that camera gets forgotten in some of the free plot holes avaliable, it'll get used by shouma
back on shouma, since the director said himself they were going to assimilate him willing or not, what use was there in leaving shouma unrestrained and free to walk around in the room?
since they had already decided to add him, it would have been more safe (and they're psychos themselfes they should know something about what someone like them is able to try to pull off) to just keep shouma totally immobilized with just the use of the head for their little chit-chat
i mean, shouma wasn't the first one to get added, did they really were this lax with any other guy who got added and nothing ever happened?
the only possible excuse for such an huge fail in assimilating shouma was cause touma was planning himself to let him escape, very unlikely given how happy he looked about his condition
all this coming from an author which, maybe got overhyped, is known for being merciless with his characters(and in the previous episode was it), he seems to be twisting the story a bit too much just in the attempt to make shouma look cool
the rest of the episode was mostly descriptive, and nothing really important happened
the concept of the hivemind as social judge is interesting, and the chief has now a similar status to kyuubey with his multiple bodies :P
all the shouma hype, chief/sibyl worfing, and general uncoerence was a turnoff, or maybe the previous episodes were too good and this was the inevitable fall back to averageness
|Thread Tools


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Call me Captain Confidence but I have this awkward habit of thinking projects I jump into will be easier than they usually are. When we first moved into our home seven years ago the plan was to spend our first day putting down new laminate flooring on the main level before moving all the furniture in.
"It'll be easy!" I said with a shrug. For goodness sake, you just throw down the boards and glue them together, right? A monkey could do it.
Well to our credit we did get it done but the one-day project stretched into 30 days as each piece had to be carefully measured and glued. I did the same thing when we went to replace our windows, "What are you worried about? We'll just pop out the old ones and stick in the new--piece of cake!"
Andrew has been a good sport about it all, especially considering it's usually he that ends up doing most of the work and figuring out how to implement my grand schemes. After this latest maneuver of ours I think I may be able to give some real advice about heading into a remodel should you ever think that your life just isn't exciting enough (though if that's the case you really should consider taking up a hobby first).
So here it is, Remodeling for Dummies:
1. Get an architect. This may sound equivalent to saying "Get a chauffeur" but it's not something reserved for the rich and famous. If you're considering building on in a significant way--or even just improving what you already have you ought to look into hiring a professional to design it for you.
Why? Well because they're just that . . . professional. With specific and focused training in the area you need to make a house into a home. When we first looked at hiring an architect (and I'd had others give me this same advice that I'm giving you) I thought it was crazy--why hire someone to put on an extra room? But the design you'll get with an architect will be far superior to whatever you can slap together.
It's not as expensive as you might think. I'm not sure if this is true of all designers but Black + White Studio Architects charged us 10% of the cost of construction. That 10% covered the cost of design and then if they were called in to consult at the site during construction they charged by the hour. While this certainly isn't nothing it's not quite what I expected and then considering that the architects picked out EVERYTHING (conditional on our approval) and planned it out for us it saved a huge amount of time and headache.
If you haven't a clue how to find an architect I'd love to refer you to Black + White--they design things all over the place and not just in Anchorage.
2. Get someone else fight your battles. With a major remodel such as this you have to submit your plans to the city in order to get building permits. This permitting process, while certainly navigable on your own, is like most things related to government. You want to try to avoid any contact as much as possible--which is where the architect comes in again. Part of their fee included helping with the permitting process. Our architects not only helped us apply for our permits but when their designs were initially rejected because of a set-back issue they then worked out the design changes to get things eventually accepted.
Red tape was invented by government so having someone else deal with all those nasty tidbits is really worth it.
3. Get a good contractor. Once you have got the design worked out you'll need someone to build it for you. There are two parts to this really: first you need someone to build it and second you need someone to oversee the project. While your designers are there at the beginning to get things going this next part is where you go to work (and trust me it's not nearly so fun as sitting back and having someone build your dream home on paper).
Black + White had a list of general contractors that they thought might work for us and once they gave us the names it was up to us to contact the individual contractors and get them to submit a bid for the project. Armed with the drawings Andrew called several contractors and we ended up going with Summitview Construction which is a one-man operation run by John DeHart.
Here it gets a little tricky and things depend a great deal on the project you've got and the construction environment of your area. Our project, though huge for us, was really quite small for most contractors. When that's the case it can be hard getting companies to take a look at your job. The bigger companies (the guys that came to look at the house in their Mercedes with their button-down oxfords satin-stitched with the company logos) looked rather professional but they weren't as interested in taking the time for us. Then of course they were more expensive as well--someone's got to pay for those Mercedes! However, with an unusual project such as ours there was the appeal of being able to work on a project that gets some attention so sometimes you can get bids where you normally wouldn't. You just never know.
Summitview was nice in a couple of ways. First, John was down to earth and easy to talk to. When he put together a bid he broke it down for us so that when the bid came in completely over budget (and that's pretty typical) we were able to work with him and with Bruce Williams at Black + White to get the cost back down to where we could breathe again.
Second, because he was a small-time operation he could fit us in better. We felt he did a great job on framing and getting things started but he wasn't very organized when it came to scheduling the more technical work and ordering materials.
When you're looking for a general contractor you want someone who is not only competent to do the work (which John was) but you want someone who is organized and efficient in getting things done (not so much). For a job our size we had an enormous amount of materials that were misordered or not ordered at all and we spent hours pestering him about it to get the job done.
Some of these mistakes weren't the fault of our contractor but nonetheless you need someone who will be on top of what things are arriving at what time and someone who can schedule your sub contractors (such as the electricians or plumbers) to be there at the right times. You need someone who can take charge of a situation when there is an error and make sure things get fixed and back on track rather than sitting on the situation for a couple weeks, doing nothing.
Which is why the next tip is . . .
4. Consider being your own general contractor. A general contractor typically charges another 10% of construction cost as his fee and if you want to save some money this would be a good place to do it. If. Did you hear that? I said "IF." If you are organized, if you have a bit of time to devote to things during business hours while the project is going. If you can get things done and move work forward and if your marriage can survive the strain.
We considered doing this at the beginning to save some cash but then we chickened out. However, towards the end of October when the contract was coming due and still there was no end in sight we took matters into our own hands and in essence became the general contractor. Andrew ended up making those calls to the subs to see when they would have materials in and time to install, he was the one who ended up checking on materials to see if they'd arrived in town and we ended up taking on any parts of the project that we could easily do ourselves--caulking, painting, staining, clean-up, etc.
We really should have been our own generals on this and just subbed out all the labor that we couldn't do ourselves--like the framing, electrical, plumbing, cabinetry, flooring, etc. and it would have saved us quite a bit of money. Our contractor wanted to do a lot of the specialized work himself so as to collect the labor fees for himself (makes sense right?) except that he often got in over his head and ended up running around to look for someone else to do the work at the last minute which wasted time.
5. Look for subs that do quality work. This may sound like a big "duh" but you want sub contractors who are competent and reliable about being there when they say they'll be there. Our electrician--J & L Electricians--was really quite good about getting the work done on time and Cassidy Plumbing was too.
I was, however, quite unhappy with Lowe's, whom we ordered our carpeting from--I'll never make that mistake again. I guess that's what comes from trying to cut costs by going with a less-expensive flooring dealer. They botched our order a couple times so that I had to keep coming down to the store to rerun our credit card and pay for the order all over again, they had the hardest time ordering the carpet properly and then when it came time to install there was horrible confusion about which installer was to show up and then we had two crews here, one of which was telling us that our order had been messed up and there wasn't enough carpeting to complete the project (their error, there was plenty of carpet).
The install took two days instead of the one day they'd scheduled for us--which somehow made our installer grumpy as if it was our fault and not Lowe's--and then as the installers were leaving they informed me they wouldn't be putting our closet doors back on because the doors wouldn't fit over our fatter, fluffier carpeting and we'd need to cut the doors down. After he left, on a whim I tried fitting the doors back on myself to check his assertion and sure enough they went on just fine, he'd just been too lazy to even try putting them back on.
Our cabinet maker was perhaps the biggest part of the whole affair because each section of the remodel had huge custom cabinetry. Nowka (pronounced Nahf-ka) Cabinetry took it on and did a great job. I'm very happy with the results--they were pretty slow at times and rarely showed up exactly when they said they would--but their work was wonderful. Check out these handles they designed just for the project:
6. Look for tricks to cut costs. It's important to be aware of where you can cut costs in a project. For example, when originally designed the addition called for these floor-to-ceiling solid beams from the Tongass forest in southeast Alaska. I loved the idea of Alaskan wood in our addition and was all for it--until I saw the $14,000 price tag. Gulp. Thanks but no thanks. We worked around them and saved thousands of dollars.
Then there are the gigantor windows in the front. Anything large and custom will be expensive and we didn't want to scrimp on the size but the original plans called for the lower halves of the windows to be sand-blasted. Beautiful, no? But terribly expensive. Instead we were able to order plain old regular vinyl windows and then called Eagle Glass Enhancement to install a special film over the insides of the windows to create that sand-blasted effect. A fraction of the cost with the same outcome.
And I should mention that the two women running Eagle Glass Enhancement were amazing--of all the artisans and subcontractors we had coming and going they were the ONLY ones who were always on time. Never once did they stand us up. Andrew thinks it must be because they were women but I think he's just trying to score points with me by saying that.
This is just one more place where an architect is invaluable--they're trained to know about these tricks and the corners you can cut.
7. Look for focal points. But, having said all this, look for places where money is well-spent. For example, not only is lighting a critical element of your design--whether it's using your natural lighting to the best advantage or using artificial lighting creatively to supplement--it is often a focal point of your home.
We may not have opted for fancy wood beams from Tongass but we chose to spend a little more than we normally would have on unique lighting systems such as these ceiling lights for the kids' rooms.
Made in Spain they were nearly impossible to get here and we waited for months for them. I told Andrew I really did not want to know how much they cost because I'm sure that it would keep me awake at night--ignorance is bliss you know?--but save money in some areas to be able to create focal points in others.
You won't find a light like this at Home Depot--it's just too cool for words. And the effect it creates in the room is absolutely unique.
8. Dare to be different. And finally my last bit of advice would be "dare to be different." Who cares if no one has ever bought black carpeting before? Who cares if you're the only house on the block painted "French Beret"?
The world could use a little more variety so learn to think outside the box. Just because your neighbors put vinyl siding on their house doesn't mean that's the only thing out there--Black + White told us you can cover a house with anything you can glue or nail to the walls including but not limited to: sheets of aluminum, glass tile, concrete, even that composite decking material called Trex. Why not?
Besides, it's kind of fun to have cars slow down as they drive by our house.
Sponsored by: Beau-Coup--Fine and unique baby shower favors.
Technorati tags: architecture, remodeling
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Eight Tips for Remodeling Your House
Call me Captain Confidence but I have this awkward habit of thinking projects I jump into will be easier than they usually are. When we first moved into our home seven years ago the plan was to spend our first day putting down new laminate flooring on the main level before moving all the furniture in.
Email this post Labels: lists
19 comments:
- Tim Appleton (Applehead) said...
This list is a great reference for planning your remodeling or building project, for both the experienced and inexperienced. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge with us.
- Peruby said...
Ah, yes. Mantra around here is "Stay away from Lowe's!"
- Anonymous said...
I am trying to figure this out does each kid get there own 'work station' in the new edition?
- tjhirst said...
It's been great to read you experiences all the way through the process. And I second the #1 point - Hire an architect. What's funny is that realtors make about the same percentage just selling your home. Kind of twisted isn't it?
- Steph at The Red Clay Diaries said...
"Captain Confidence" - I love that. I think it could probably be MY nickname too.
I LOVE the lights. (Forgot to say that in my last comment.) I'm like that too: spend a little for the cool factor.
- Mrs. Organic said...
These are all great tips and I've loved watching the progress on your project. It really turned out great. I love the cabinetry.
- Chrissy Johnson said...
How lovely! It's hip and warm at the same time.
Although, I'm a bit ashamed to admit, I thought you meant Black + White, like the clothing line in your last post. I need to read your entries more thoroughly. Really, really wonderful list!
- Anonymous said...
It would be interesting to see if the Black & White Archecture Company charges everyone 10% or if they just did that because of how many times you are mentioning them in your blog. Free advertising goes along way, but if it works it works!
- Scribbit said...
Actually, good question--but they gave us their price before they ever knew I had a blog so I would be confident in saying that's their fee for everyone.
- Stacie.Make.Do. said...
Your house looks great!
I hope you don't mind if I add that you need to make sure your architect can do the engineering if need be (which depends on the size/scale of the job - and local building codes, etc.). My bro hired an architect to design a new porch for him (and it looked great!), but then had to have it structurally engineered also so it wouldn't fall off his house or sink.
- Gray Matters said...
What an incredible and resourceful list - the house we just bought is the first home we've lived in that won't require major remodeling work. I'm a little bummed because I really enjoy the process, but with 3 little ones 4 and under, it's probably best we don't have to deal with mess now.
- Heather said...
Good to get your tips. I'll keep this post for future reference!
- katkins said...
It looks cool, I'm envious. We had a little detour to Spain along the way to meeting with Black + White, but we hope to get back on track before too long. We coulda picked up those lights for you...
- Stephanie said...
I like the "Dare to be different" advice. I love it when I see new and out-of-the-box decorating ideas. I'm afraid that I'm typically more the "cut-out-of-a-magazine-and-copy" type when it comes to decorating, but I love it when I see people who "take risks" with home decor.
- ~TAMY 3 Sides of Crazy~ said...
Oh Michelle if you're the captain, I'm the co-captain waiting to take your command. I'm the queen of do-it-yourself. When the words, it'll be easy leave my mouth, hubby walks in the opposite direction as fast as he can!
- Amelia StoryGirl said...
Love the finished design on the front of your house. My husband loves this kind of contemporary look. Congrats on the finished product!!
- Shalee said...
All I can say is that you are a braver woman than me. The idea of remodeling makes my eye twitch and my skin clammy. But I must say, Michelle, that though you've had your times of frustrations, you still handle all the mess and changes with grace and style (even if it's after the fact). :0)
I love your last point the most. It's nice to be ourselves, no matter what traditions tells us to be. Like you, I don't mind if people stop and stare a little bit at my being different.
- Janet said...
Marvelous advice. I may have mentioned this before, but around here, Lowe's is nicknamed "Slow's." But it's beautiful in spite of them. I know you'll enjoy living in the space.
- HomeSavvi Team said...
Great advice! Along with Finding a Contractor, I'd recommend checking up on a contractor's references, contractor's license, and whether they're included in any associations. You might enjoy this article from last year, about Remodeling Parties.


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Portland scores 31 unanswered to beat defending state champions in regional final
A successful onside kick recovery by the Portland kickoff in the third quarter led to 31-straight unanswered points Friday night as the Raiders knocked off top-ranked Flint Powers 45-28 to win the Division 5, Region 3 championship.
The loss snaps the Chargers 19-game winning streak, and gives Portland its first state semifinal berth in program history.
"This win is huge for our program," Portland coach John Novara said. "For some reason we seem to run into the No. 1 team in the playoffs and play them tough.
"Last year we were up on Lansing Catholic and the year before we hung with West Catholic in the first half. It's great to be able break through and get a win."
The Portland defense, which had only given up six points total heading into Friday night, did give up four touchdowns, but they also forced five turnovers, including a interception returned for a score by senior defensive back Logan Seal in the fourth quarter.
"Our defense played fast," Seal said. "We were able to force five turnovers because everybody worked hard tonight like we have all season."
Powers took a 28-14 lead early in the fourth, but the Raiders responded.
Tanner Allison connected with receiver Auston Brandt on a long touchdown pass. The extra-point tied the game.
The Raiders then took a chance on the kickoff with the onside kick and were able to recover. A few plays later, Allison connected with Jacob Pohl for another touchdown to put Portland up 35-28.
The score remained the same until 6:51 left in the game when Allison kicked through a 32-yard field goal to increase the lead.
Seal's pick-six capped the scoring.
Caleb Hickling led the Portland ground game with 103 yards on 17 carries, while Jacob Kimmell earned 82 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns.
Allison completed seven of 13 passes for 146 yards. Brandt caught two for 63 and Pohl caught two for 58.
Portland (11-1) will take on either River Rouge or Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard next week in the Division 5 state semifinals with a spot in the championship game at Ford Field on the line.
Senior Adam Goodman said he is happy for his team and the Portland Community as they get ready for the state semifinals.
"I am excited," he said. "The whole community has been behind us and we want to go out there and make them proud."


text:
Hip Hops
Brother David's Double Abbey-style Ale
Anderson Valley Brewing Co.
The label says it all. There's the ice-capped mountains, the amber waves of grain and the pretty plains of Anderson Valley depicted in all their glory—and right there in the middle of this splendor is Brother David with his sick, furry mustache and his favorite death-metal monk hood. (Brother David also looks suspiciously like the mid-'90s cab-driving spokesman for MTV.) The point is this Abbey-style dark ale is unique in a way that takes some getting used to: It's not how you might have made it, and it kinda sticks out, but it touches you nevertheless.
Tasteful Reads
Pesach revised
Cookbook is the perfect vehicle for a discussion of feminism, ritual and, of course, great food
Marge Piercy remembers the seders of her childhood, where the rapid-fire Haggadah, read mostly in Hebrew, "had all the emotional content of the directions for installing a DVD recorder." Her book Pesach for the Rest of Us makes itself pretty clear in its first pages—this is not a text for traditionalists.
Restaurant Review
Lindo Mexico Restaurant
It's a beautiful place
Cash only—not a concept that most of us are familiar with in this age of plastic-in-a-hurry. I cruised into Lindo Mexico for lunch on a busy weekday and was greeted, seated and my beverage brought out before I read the looming, fortuitous "cash only" warning on the menu. Crap. I got up and made tracks to the ATM up the block, apologizing on my way out the door for my lack of money that folded or jingled. When I returned, my drink and chips were gone, and two new diners were seated at the table.


text:
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — U.S. stocks gained Tuesday, with the S&P 500 index posting its longest winning streak in nearly six weeks, as Wall Street embraced quarterly results from corporations including insurer and Dow component Travelers Cos. Inc.
"We're right in the middle of the thick of earnings season, and materials actually came out and beat expectations, which could mean the economy is stronger than we realized," said Randy Frederick, managing director of active trading and derivatives at the Schwab Center for Financial Research.
Closing at its highest level since Dec. 10, 2007, the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +1.38% advanced 62.43 points, or 0.5%, to 13,712.13, with Travelers TRV, +0.87% among the 22 of its 30 components rising after reporting profit that easily beat Wall Street's expectations as it charged more for its coverage but still retained customers. Read: Travelers shares rally; Citigroup drops.
The S&P 500 Index SPX, +1.32% rose 6.53 points, or 0.4%, to 1,492.51, with materials and financials performing best and consumer staples the only decliner among its 10 major industry sectors.
The S&P 500's rise, which has it up 4.7% since the start of the year, puts it well above the old resistance level of 1,465, which is now viewed as a technical support level, according to Frederick, who said he does not see any resistance until 1,516.
Back to 1987
for stocks?
Our Trading Deck has been home to a spirited debate over whether we're in for a crash.
• L.A. Little: Don't worry | Michael Gayed: Worry
• The warning signs of a 1987-style crash
• Hulbert: Stocks as overvalued as at 2007 high
"Earnings aren't growing very much overall, but expectations are so low that I don't think earnings are going to hurt the market much," said Bruce Bittles, chief investment strategist at Robert W. Baird & Co.
"The glaring potential problem is sentiment; it's hard to find anyone who believes the market is not going up now, which is always some cause for concern, at least in the short term," Bittles added.
Wall Street's optimism could hit a peak in short order and prompt a market consolidation or market correction, according to Bittles, who lists as among the possibilities a compromise to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, the S&P 500 crossing 1,500 or an upside surprise in results from Apple Inc. AAPL, +0.62%
House Republicans have set a vote for Wednesday on raising the U.S. debt limit through the middle of May, in a move the White House has welcomed as a means of scaling back brinkmanship over the budget debate.
Apple reports fiscal first-quarter results on Wednesday, with the world's most valuable company facing increased production costs and competition from Samsung Electronics. Apple shares rose 1% on Tuesday.
The Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, +1.03% rose 8.47 points, or 0.3%, to 3,143.18.
For every stock falling more than two gained on the New York Stock Exchange, where almost 699 million shares traded.
Composite volume surpassed 3.5 billion.
Moving issues
Among individual stock movers, Boeing Co. BA, +1.57% shed 1.2% after the aerospace manufacturer stopped deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner, which has been grounded by regulators looking into whether its batteries are safe. See story about customer's praise of Boeing.
Fellow Dow component Verizon Communications Inc. VZ, +0.46% gained 0.9% after its chief financial officer said the telecommunications provider might be able to repurchase shares sooner than expected. Read: Verizon hit by charges, device subsidies.
Shares of Johnson & Johnson JNJ, +1.24% declined 0.7% after the largest provider of health-care products offered a full-year forecast that came in below estimates. Read: J&J profit soars on fewer charges, Synthes deal.
DuPont US:DD rose 1.8% after fourth-quarter profit exceeded expectations. Read more about the diversified manufacturer's quarterly report.
Stock indexes had been briefly dented by a report from the National Association of Realtors, which found U.S. existing-home sales fell 1% in December. Read about total in 2012 hitting five-year high.
The trade-group report followed data from real-estate provider Zillow Inc., which showed the value of American homes rose 5.9% last year. Read about the largest jump in home prices since 2006.
In the short run, market indexes "are entirely out of energy and overbought," said Jeffrey Saut, chief investment strategist at Raymond James. "That counsels for caution despite the halfhearted Dow Theory buy signal generated by last Friday's closing high by the industrials, which confirmed the DJ Transports DJT, +2.62% sprint to new all-time 'highs' last week." Read Mark Hulbert's commentary on whether a buy signal came Friday.
"Whatever happens in the near term, there is nothing to suggest the path of least resistance is not higher over the intermediate and longer term," Saut added.
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Videotape Riihimäen Glass entire and hienokuntoinen Lynx cinderella / basin. Scrapes punaisella stood , to diagram tulee better out , thing is then liquid / white.
I don't know how significant it is but Riihimäki did make sheet window glass.
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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - For the second year in row, MIT was the lone Division III program to have its men's and women's volleyball teams qualify for the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award. The Engineers were the sole representatives on the Division III men's list and joined Harvard University and Stanford University as the only institutions to double-up on AVCA accolades.
The college ranks produced 224 programs that met the requirements, including 75 among Division III women's teams. Joining MIT on the list from New England was conference foe Springfield College along with Bowdoin College, Colby College, Connecticut College, Emerson College, Middlebury College, Tufts University, Wesleyan University, and Williams College.
Initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, this award honors collegiate and high school teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 mark on a 5.0 scale. Click here to view the complete list of recipients.


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How Do You Promote A Bad DRM Scheme? With A Bad Movie Of Course
from the bad-gets-worse dept
I guess the people running Warner just don't realize that customers want quality content. Sadly, when you are offering crap to customers there really isn't much you can do to polish it up. Maybe the next deal will actually be worth it. Most likely not though.


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home > archive > 2004 > this article
Contender, champ, bum: Brando
By Nicholas Stix
At different times in his career, Marlon Brando exemplified the best and the worst of the American acting profession. Brando died on July 2, at the age of 80, of pulmonary failure. Let's take a look, with clear eyes, at his life and work.
The best came mostly at the start.
Brando made his name as an actor in December, 1947, starring as Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. He became a Broadway legend, playing the role for two solid years (800+ performances), but the provinces of Manhattan's West Side being what they are, most Americans still didn't know him from Adam. Streetcar was Brando's fifth Broadway show, and his last.
Brando burst onto the movie scene in 1950, in Fred Zinneman's The Men, playing an angry, wheelchair-bound veteran. "Angry" became him.
The next year, Brando became "Brando," the screen legend, in the film version of Streetcar. Elia Kazan, who had directed the stage version, directed the film adaptation, and much of the stage cast (Kim Hunter, Karl Malden, Rudy Bond, Nick Dennis, Ann Dere, Richard Garrick, Peg Hillias and Edna Thomas). The major change from the stage to screen version, was in Vivien Leigh being chosen to play the role of "Blanche DuBois," which had originally been played by Jessica Tandy.
Stanley Kowalski is a brute, as arrogant and overbearing as he is stupid. And yet, for all his abuse, his wife, Stella, loves him. Indeed, Stella loves the animal in Stanley. But Stella is secondary in Streetcar. The story revolves around the confrontation between Stella's older sister Blanche, who comes for a visit, and Stanley. The delicate Blanche, who has always depended upon "the kindness of strangers," is contemptuous of Stanley, and he knows it. (So, for that matter, is Stella.) And yet, Blanche is fascinated with him, and attracted to him.
Ultimately, Stanley rapes Blanche, and she mentally disintegrates, like a flower whose petals fall off.
The movie depicts Stanley as a monster, and Blanche as his helpless victim, yet I don't think that's how the author, Tennessee Williams, saw things. Williams saw in Blanche … himself. The homosexual Williams was drawn to brutes like Stanley, and wanted to be ravished.
Passionate, raw masculinity was to be the young Brando's trademark. Imagine a white, heterosexual actor being permitted to perform that way today. He'd have to be the heavy, or a comic foil.
For four years in a row, Brando was up for the best actor Oscar: For Streetcar, Viva Zapata, Julius Caesar and On the Waterfront. Some observers think it is an "enduring mystery" that Brando lost to Humphrey Bogart (for The African Queen) in 1952, but it was Bogart's turn, and it just wasn't Brando's time yet.
(I know Hollywood is terribly inconsistent in such matters, but a great many Oscars have been awarded to performers for relatively mediocre work, who had been passed over for their best performances, while other awards have been given for purely sentimental reasons. Think Helen Hayes in 1970, for Airport; Paul Newman in '87, for a lousy performance in The Color of Money; Jessica Tandy for Driving Miss Daisy in '90; and Jessica Lange in '96 for Blue Skies, instead of Meryl Streep, who in The Bridges of Madison County gave a performance that in my mind, was the equivalent of Vivien Leigh's in Gone with the Wind and Streetcar.)
In 1952, Brando starred as Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, performing lefty John Steinbeck's script about the Mexican Revolution, again with Elia Kazan helming. Gary Cooper won the award for his towering performance as Marshal Will Kane in Fred Zinnemann's High Noon.
In 1953, Brando had no business getting nominated for his mumbling Marc Antony in Joseph Mankiewicz' Julius Caesar, but as far as Hollywood was concerned, he could do no wrong.
In 1954, Brando gave his greatest performance, as washed-up boxer Terry Malloy, who gets by performing little favors and doing "show-no" longshoreman jobs for waterfront mob boss "Johnny Friendly," in On the Waterfront. The dramatic blockbuster, like Street Car and Zapata directed by Elia Kazan, would be nominated for 12 Oscars, and win eight.
As more than a few observers have pointed out, Brando's Terry Malloy combined brutishness and sensitivity. It also needs to be pointed out that Brando thrived on working with Kazan, a tough director who had made his mark on the New York stage.
After On the Waterfront, Brando would no longer enjoy the sort of success during the 1950s that he did at the beginning of the decade. And yet he continued to do excellent, often daring work.
In 1955, he starred in the film version of Guys and Dolls as "Sky Masterson," opposite Frank Sinatra's "Nathan Detroit."
In 1956, a physically unrecognizable Brando played a Japanese interpreter in the comedy set in occupied Japan, The Teahouse of the August Moon, opposite Glenn Ford. Brando was marvelous in the sort of role that actors used to fight for, in order to stretch their wings, but which now are largely off limits to whites, due to political correctness. Ethnic hustlers demand instead that such roles be given to mediocre members of their respective groups.
In 1957, Brando played military pilot "Ace Gruver" in the interracial James Michener romance, Sayonara, set in Japan during the Korean War and at the end of the American occupation. The movie was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Brando as Best Actor, and won four. The awards were dominated that year by David Lean's brilliant World War II story of the clash of civilizations, The Bridge on the River Kwai, which won seven of the statuettes. Brando lost out to Alec Guiness, who had given a towering performance as "Col. Nicholson" in Kwai.
Whaddya Got?
All the talk about Brando's "sensitivity" is so much rot. The sycophantic
The role that contributed the most to Brando's mystique, was that of motorcycle gang leader "Johnny Strabler," the title character of The Wild One (listed variously as 1953 or 1954).
The movie is entertaining trash, which owes a good deal of its attraction to the scenery-chewing work of a young Lee Marvin as "Chino," the leader of a rival gang. (In the big fight scene, Johnny gives Chino a pasting; in real life, the 5'10" Brando would never have had a chance with Marvin, a hard-drinking brawler who stood five inches taller than him.)
In The Wild One, in the face of a weakling sheriff, Strabler's gang takes over and lays waste to a small California town. Eventually, some civilians take matters into their own hands, and beat the hell out of Johnny. Director László Benedek suggested, ludicrously, that the townsmen were as brutal as the motorcycle gang, and in a view that would become widespread in the 1960s, that what Johnny really needed was "understanding." Hell, in such a situation, the townsmen would have been perfectly justified in lynching Johnny. I got your "understanding" right here!
Johnny Strabler was one of the early versions of what became the ultimate 1960s Hollywood cliche: The "anti-hero." During the mid-1950s, in his brief career, James Dean would specialize in this type, in East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause (the ultimate anti-hero movie title), and Giant, before dying in an automobile accident in 1955. Another then-famous anti-hero role was Paul Newman's performance as Billy the Kid, in Arthur Penn's The Lefthanded Gun, in 1958. (Though I admire much of Arthur Penn's work, when I saw the movie on The Late Show about thirty years ago, I found it so dreadful, that I shut it off after a few minutes.)
In the 1960s, the anti-hero became the dominant shtick in Hollywood, as Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood, Lee Marvin, Newman and Redford, (a few years later) Charles Bronson, and countless other actors would earn millions of dollars through movies that were churned out, portraying anti-hero crooks and cops alike. (On TV, for a producer to sell a cop series, it had to be about an "unorthodox" cop.)
However, the anti-hero shtick did not help Marlon Brando. Brando's problem was that, rather than seeing playing anti-heroes as a calculated career move, he adopted the anti-hero as his personal shtick. But if you really act like an anti-hero in your personal and professional life, you become a source of grief to all who depend on you.
I once wrote that Frank Sinatra was for approximately 12 years one of the world's great movie actors, until he was felled, in his late forties, by the world's longest mid-life crisis.
I was wrong. Brando's midlife crisis began when he was still in his thirties; with each passing year, he acted ever more childishly.
The earliest case of Brando's deterioration that I know of, was during the filming, ca. 1961, of the remake of The Mutiny on the Bounty, in which Brando played Lt. Fletcher Christian. Bounty went way over budget and was late. Some Brandoists claim that this was due to Brando's "perfectionism." According to the story I heard, however, and that sounds more credible, one of the causes of thousands of dollars in cost overruns, was a Brando prank, in which during a scene shot on board the Bounty during a tropical storm, the actor shouted, "Mary had a little lamb …" When the rushes came back, it immediately became clear that the recording of the actual script could not possibly be matched to Brando's lip movements, and the entire scene had to be re-shot.
The 1960s saw Brando's stock as an actor steadily sink, as he made one poor choice of script after another. And he was unlucky, too. Even when he made a good movie, as he did with Sophia Loren, in Charlie Chaplin's swan song, the comedy, The Countess from Hong Kong, it bombed with audiences and critics alike. I seem to be the only person who likes this movie!
By the early 1970s, when he was given the chance to star as mob patriarch Don Vito Corleone, in The Godfather, which was being directed by a young man named Francis Ford Coppola, he had to take a screen test to get the role, an indignity he never had to put up with during the 1950s or '60s. But it was a blessing. The challenge invigorated him. According to legend, Brando put cotton in his cheeks for the screen test, to give the impression of an aging, Italian-born gangster. Legend or no, the movie earned the actor his second Oscar for best actor, provided a new generation with a new image of him, and indirectly made him millions through his revived fame.
The Godfather was based on Mario Puzo's runaway bestseller, which was the hottest book in America for about two years running. The movie smashed all box office records.
Brando earned himself some additional notoriety (read: publicity) through elaborately staging his refusal to accept the Oscar he'd won for The Godfather. Reportedly, he'd applied just two years earlier for the replacement of his Oscar for On the Waterfront, which he claimed had been stolen. Brando sent an unknown, part-Indian actress named Maria Cruz, in Indian garb and using her stage name Sacheen Littlefeather, to the 1973 Academy Awards ceremony, with a speech decrying Hollywood's treatment of American Indians.
The same year as The Godfather, Brando starred in the then revolutionary Last Tango in Paris, by Bernardo Bertolucci. Last Tango was rated X (today NC-17) for sex scenes that were considered of pornographic quality. At the risk of sounding like a libertine, when I finally saw Last Tango, both in the American and German versions, I suspected that material I'd read about had been edited out of it. (Or else, the original stories about the picture were exaggerated.) In any event, the story of a man who has just lost his suicidal wife, and who embarks on a narcissistic, anonymous, purely sexual relationship with a girl half his age whom he has just met, was an international sensation. "Paul" (Brando) insists that "Jeanne" (Maria Schneider) not fall in love with him, not even tell him her name. But she does fall in love with him, and ultimately kills him, when he stalks her.
What would have been tawdry, softcore pornography in less talented hands, became, through Bertolucci and Brando, and with Gato Barbieri's brilliant score, an epitaph for the budding sexual revolution (though I don't recall anyone saying so at the time). Sex Without Love = Death.
Although released in 1972, Last Tango qualified as a 1973 release, in terms of Academy Awards eligibility, and got Brando another Best Actor Oscar nomination. It was to be his last.
As the years wore on, and I learned more about Brando, I wondered whether I had seen, in Last Tango, a great performance of a role, or Brando simply playing himself. Brando is supposed to have said that his performance in Last Tango emotionally destroyed him. If he really said that, so much the worse for him.
In my college acting textbook, Respect for Acting, the great Uta Hagen, the original star on the Broadway stage of Clifford Odets' The Country Girl and Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and who replaced Jessica Tandy in Streetcar, argued that an actor should, by virtue of his work, be psychologically healthy. One gets to play act, and enjoy emotional catharsis on a regular basis. A real actor would have felt stimulated, refreshed, by a tour de force. The Brando who claimed to be ravaged by a movie performance, spoke not as an actor, but as a narcissist. The narcissist must always take from others, and feels that by giving anything to the audience, he is impoverishing himself. Had Brando written a book on acting, it would have to have been entitled, Contempt for Acting.
Brando's narcissism, his laziness, and his greed were the defining characteristics of the latter half of his life. His bizarre, occasional utterances on politics and other subjects were designed to draw maximum attention to himself, to remind directors that he was still around. He would then demand incredible salaries for minimal work. And his conduct was at times so unprofessional, as to ruin movies.
In The Missouri Breaks (1976), an Arthur Penn western in which horse thief Jack Nicholson is the "good guy," Brando played his assassin role with a combination of hamminess and bizarreness that would become a recurring theme in his later work, as he often would be poison for directors' careers. The movie signaled the decline of Arthur Penn as a director.
Then, Brando was signed by Coppola to star in Apocalypse Now, one of the most star-crossed productions in Hollywood history. While the Philippines production suffered monsoons, the near death of co-star Martin Sheen (then only 37) due to a massive heart attack, and the cost overruns and general indiscipline that would become associated with the middle-aged Francis Ford Coppolla, the initial problem was Brando. He showed up for his role as a Special Forces colonel 100 pounds overweight, and according to reports at the time, the script had to be re-written so that Brando would appear on the screen only for a few minutes. Thus did the star vehicle become a cameo role.
His next movie role, in 1980's The Formula, opposite George C. Scott and Marthe Keller, resulted in his being nominated for the Razzie Award as worst supporting actor.
But it was not to be Brando's last brush with acting ignominy. He would again be nominated for Razzies for Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992) and The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996).
Brando would not make another movie for nine years. In A Dry White Season (1989), he phoned in another bizarre, hammy performance, this time as a South African barrister, but since the movie was an anti-apartheid screed, and Brando was helping the good guys, he was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actor.
The following year, a much more relaxed Brando played a parody of his Don Corleone character, in the entertaining comedy, The Freshman.
In 1995, Brando teamed up with Johnny Depp in Don Juan DeMarco. Depp played a psychiatric patient from Queens who insisted he was the great Don Juan. Brando played the psychiatrist who had to figure out whether Depp's character was delusional or the legendary lover. The chemistry between Depp and Brando was marvelous, and Brando turned in a performance that was uncharacteristically delicate and full of whimsy. (Unfortunately, there was no screen chemistry between Brando and Faye Dunaway, who played his wife.)
And yet, the following year saw Brando up to his old tricks again. On the set of The Island of Dr. Moreau, he reportedly sabotaged the production, inducing his younger, undisciplined, narcissistic co-star, Val Kilmer, into joining him in his shenanigans. The crippled movie was savaged by critics and ignored by moviegoers.
During Brando's last movie, a small role in The Score, he reportedly made a point of insulting and humiliating director Frank Oz, and demanded that Oz be off the set during Brando's scenes.
Since Brando's death, we have been told that he somehow gave actors "permission" to be emotionally authentic. We have also heard that it was the movies that let Brando down, beginning in the 1960s, rather than the other way around (Richard Schickel). Baloney!
A more intense acting style was coming into fashion after World War II, before Brando's arrival on the Hollywood scene. Witness the intensity of Kirk Douglas' performances as driven boxer Midge Kelly in Champion (1949), as Det. Jim McLeod in Detective Story (1951), and as Vincent Van Gogh in Lust for Life (1956). And already in 1946, in It's a Wonderful Life, note the embittered, emotionally raw quality of so much of Jimmy Stewart's performance as "George Bailey," a quality that characterized much of Stewart's best 1950s' work with directors Anthony Mann and Alfred Hitchcock.
The Parents of the Angry Anti-Hero
With the end of World War II, two conditions quickly arose which contradicted the circumstances of earlier, largely upbeat studio movies.
The depression was over, and the war was won. During the depression, Hollywood's studios felt obliged to churn out uplifting, escapist entertainment, which was either carefree, or which presented clear choices between "good guys" (white hats) and "bad guys" (black hats), in which good always prevailed over evil. With so much misery on the streets, there was no need to rub audience's noses in what they were already enduring. Besides, theatergoers would have stayed away in droves from such punishment. But when times are flush, people feel less of a compulsion to see upbeat stories, and many even obsess over the dark side of human existence.
The other development was the destruction of the old studio system, thanks to studio player Olivia De Havilland. In 1945, De Havilland launched, and eventually won, a lawsuit that broke up the studios' power over all aspects of moviedom.
Prior to De Havilland's lawsuit, the same studio that produced movies also owned the theater chain that presented them. The verdict in the lawsuit forced the studios to divest their control of theater chains, which meant that they were no longer guaranteed profits from most of their pictures.
And prior to the De Havilland lawsuit, movie stars were much like major league baseball players, who under the "reserve clause" belonged to the same team forever, unless it chose to trade them.
And so, Olivia De Havilland won for actors their independence, but this was a mixed blessing.
For one thing, it made movie production more expensive and risky, and thus cost a lot of low-level actors and artisans their jobs.
Under the old system, the studio heads decided what roles would be offered to a performer (which was what prompted De Havilland to sue). They also exerted considerable control over performers' private lives. Big stars tended to hate both aspects of studio control, and yet many performers could not cope with their new-found freedom. For instance, under the old system, stars did not have to read through dozens of submitted scripts, and choose the one great role in the batch; the studio told them what role they'd be playing. And previously, actors did not get to deal with the media. The studios told them what to say and where to say it. Studio publicity departments largely controlled the press, whom they fed a steady diet of phony stories about the stars, in exchange for reporters not hounding performers.
Under the new dispensation, many movie stars made poor script choices. And the notion that a movie star could create his own public persona proved to be fool's gold, as the newly empowered media descended upon the uncontrolled, unarmed narcissists (see Seberg, Jean). With time, the cannier movie stars, such as Tom Cruise, employed their lawyers and publicists to reinvent the studio publicity system, whereby they would contractually control every aspect of their publicity campaigns, with only those media organizations getting puff interviews that got every question cleared in advance, and promised in writing not to engage in journalism. What we call "celebrity culture," I believe, comprises the media and both the out-of-control narcissists and the control freaks alike.
In her Brando obituary, Suzanne Fields wrote of a dinner she attended with him in a restaurant a few years back. Brando loudly criticized everything about the restaurant, making a spectacle of himself, and then loudly complained that other diners, who no doubt recognized him, were looking at him. Had other diners not noticed him, he might have stroked out.
In a sort of poetic justice, the lazy media of celebrity culture couldn't even get their Brando stories right. The day after Brando's death, the TV show Extra "reported" that Brando's film debut was in Streetcar (it was in Fred Zinneman's The Men, the previous year), and that he appeared in "both" of Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather movies (Coppola made three Godfather movies; Brando only appeared in the first). And on Nightline, big-deal movie critic Roger Ebert said that, based on Brando's revolutionary influence, movie history could be divided into pre and post-1947 films. The only problem is, Brando didn't make his first movie until 1950. Ebert confused Brando's 1947 Broadway performance as Stanley Kowalski in Streetcar, with his movie performance of the same role four years later. Media sycophants also belabored the effects of Brando's son, Christian's 1990 murder of daughter Cheyenne's boyfriend, and Cheyenne's 1995 suicide on Brando. The fact is, that if anything, such tragedies were the effects, rather than the causes of a dissolute lifestyle that Brando had embarked on circa 1960. He left behind three ex-wives, some 15 children born in and out of wedlock, and countless abused ex-lovers.
Some have referred to Brando as America's greatest actor, and even as the greatest actor of the 20th century. I have to disagree. Brando may have possessed the greatest talent of any American actor of the past 100 years, but for most of his career, he wasted that talent.
Brando's case reminds me of baseball player Dwight Gooden. Gooden was the most talented pitcher of the past twenty years. However, after tremendous early success, he destroyed his body with drugs, alcohol, and sexual hijinks. And so, Gooden's early success was eventually matched or exceeded by many of his less gifted contemporaries. In the field of acting, Gene Hackman may not be Brando's equal in talent, and certainly hasn't had the sort of scripts sent to him that Brando did, and yet Hackman has had the more brilliant career, fully exploiting his gifts, and making the most of every role he has played.
Nicholas Stix can be reached at email@example.com.
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