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No Children Found in Sioux Falls Water Search
Sioux Falls Fire Rescue and police crews conducted a water search Tuesday night after they got a report of a child near water.
The first report, around 8:30pm, said a 10-year-old boy had possibly fallen into fast-moving water at I-229 and Louise Avenue.
A later report said two children were there, but Battalion Chief Steve Brunette says no children were found.
Brunette says Fire Rescue and police crews searched several bodies of water in the area and downstream, but called off the search after about two hours.
He says they felt confident it had been a complete and thorough search.

subset: commoncrawl


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A new winter road safety campaign is being rolled out in our county warning drivers they could be putting their lives at risk if they use the hard shoulder to undertake gritters.
Highways England's gritter drivers have noticed a growing problem with road users veering into the hard shoulder to avoid being struck by salt, risking a collision with a stationary vehicle and causing a hazard when gritters try to come off at junctions.
The latest statistics show that, on average, 16 people lose their lives every year as a result of collisions on hard shoulders or in laybys across England, and 45 suffer a serious injury.
Drivers are being asked not to take unnecessary risks this winter to help keep the region's motorways and major A roads moving and safe.
Gritters usually travel at 40mph in the middle lane when they are spreading salt on a three-lane motorway, treating the lane they are in and one lane on either side.
Drivers are being advised to only pass a gritter when it is safe to do so, avoiding using the hard shoulder and checking for hazards ahead.
Gritter drivers Ben Jackson and Gareth Ray, take part in winter maintenance operations in the East between October and April each year.
Ben, 32, said: "We're both fully trained gritter operators so we're on the gritting rota throughout the winter, and can even be on-call 24/7 when the weather gets bad.
"When you're in your gritter, you're out there on your own most of the time. You let the Regional Control Centre know when you are out and back, and of course your team mates know, but that's it.
"I've not had any bumps so far, luckily, but I've had a few near misses when gritting. It's especially difficult when you get to the end of a motorway section and try to get off.
There's a flow of cars undertaking you faster than you're driving so you have to plan your next move well in advance!"
Gareth, 36, added: "I'm quite new to driving gritters, so seeing how some people react when I am on my gritting route can be scary sometimes.
"Both car and lorry drivers tend to follow too close behind, then overtake or undertake all of a sudden. I've even had times when people have overtaken my gritter, swerved right in front of me and slammed the brakes.
"A gritter simply can't drive any faster than 40mph, or else it's not doing its job properly. And it also weighs 22 tonnes when fully loaded with salt and brine solution, so we have to think carefully how we manoeuvre in advance."
They added: "One of our colleagues was involved in a serious collision last year. He was gritting on lane 1 of the M1 when a lorry drove straight into the back of his gritter. He had to go to hospital and is still suffering from back problems. And the gritter was seriously damaged and out of action for the rest of the season.
"We appreciate that nobody wants to be stuck behind a large vehicle travelling at 40 miles per hour, but in this case, it really is for the benefit of road users.
"We'd ask drivers to plan their journeys properly and leave enough time for travel this winter. We'd also urge people to stay safe and not use the hard shoulder to undertake."
Motorists and other road users are also being asked to play their part by driving sensibly and making sure they have a winter kit in their vehicles, including an ice scraper and de-icer, warm clothes and blankets, and sunglasses to cope with the low winter sun.
Debbie Harvey, East Assistant Winter Service Manager at Highways England, added: "Our gritter drivers will be out in all weathers again this winter and we're encouraging road users to do their bit to help keep the region's motorways and major A roads moving.
"The vast majority of people support our gritter drivers by keeping back a sensible distance and only passing when it's safe to do so, but a few have been putting themselves and others at risk by using the hard shoulder to undertake gritters.
"We're also encouraging drivers to make sure they've got a winter kit in their vehicle so they don't get caught out by the weather. That could be as simple as having a pair of sunglasses in the glove locker so you're not struggling to see in the low winter sun."
More details on staying safe on the roads this winter are available at www.metoffice.gov.uk/winterhighways.


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Artists appearing at WOMAD UK, Charlton Park, Wiltshire, 25, 26, 27
Seq - Artist - Song Title - Album - Country - Label - Cat no
1 - Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - Alyo - Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - USA - Honest Jons - HJRCD42
2 - Dub Colossus - Black Rose (Sidestepper Remix) - Return to Addis - Ethiopia/UK - Real World - RWEP13
3 - 17 Hippies - Solitaire - El Dorado - Germany - Hipster - HIP 013
4 - Radio Kijada - Manoteo en Menon - Nuevos Sonidos Afro Peruanos, Part 1 - Switzerland/Peru - Wrasse - WRASS 233
5 - Rokia Traore - Kounandi - Tchamantché - Mali - Nonesuch - 530 785 7
6 - Solomon Burke - That's How I Got to Memphis - Nashville - USA - Shout Factory - SMACD942
Every year since it was founded in 1982, the cast of musicians at the British WOMAD Festival was put together by Artistic Director Thomas Brooman, initially in collaboration with co-founder Peter Gabriel, but increasingly in later years on his own. Early in 2009, something happened between the two, and Thomas departed the operation, leaving the selection in the hands of his former assistant, Paula Henderson. From the outside, the process and outcome this year looks and feels very similar to how it has always been. As ever, budgetary restrictions mean that WOMAD cannot afford the highest fees charged by the most successful international artists, particularly those who can command fees of more than £10,000 per appearance in their own countries. Why, they might understandably wonder, should they lower their fee in order to appear in a field in the UK?
Still, this year's bill looks satisfyingly strong, and this week's programme picks its way through some of the bigger names while also including a couple of newcomers.
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
All seven members of the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble are sons of the musician Phil Cohran, who was a member of Sun Ra's Arkestra and a founder member of the Chicago-based collective The Association for the Advancement of Creative Music. That is quite a heritage, and all reports are that the band is even better live than on record. 'Alyo' is good enough to be getting on with.
Dub Colossus
A Town Called Addis by Dub Colossus has turned out to be one of the albums of the year, an ingenious collaboration of Jamaican dub techniques and Ethiopian singers. While the impact of that album is still being absorbed, here comes an instant follow up, a five-track EP of remixes titled Return to Addis, on which Sidestepper's reworking of Black Rose is addictive.
17 Hippies
I lost count of how many times I sent pleas to Thomas Brooman to include the German group 17 Hippies on one of his bills, but he never acknowledged or reacted to such messages. This year, they have finally made it, and I am looking forward to seeing them play twice on Sunday, once on a main stage and later as the closing act during my two-hour stint on the Radio 3 Stage from 5.30 to 7.30. Incidentally, I am also hoping to host some of the musicians and singers from the Ethiopiques package and some of the Australian Aboriginal singers collectively performing as the Black Arm Band.
The two main conspirators in Radio Kijada, Christoph Mueller (of Gotan Project) and Rodolfo Muñoz, are reinforced by several more musicians and singers in their full stage presentation, and I bet they will be one of the hits of the weekend.
Rokia Traoré
I missed Rokia Traoré's enthusiastically-reviewed recent concert at the Barbican, and hope to catch her this time.
Solomon Burke
I did see Solomon Burke at the Barbican about four years ago, when I began to understand why producer Jerry Wexler favoured him above all other soul singers of his generation, and am confident he will impress again at WOMAD – Solomon's voice is even better live than on record.


text: The 2013 PGA Tour season has been marred by bad weather. It seems just about each event has been delayed or altered by rain, wind, thunder or even snow in the case of the WGC Accenture Matchplay in Arizona. The Tour heads to Florida for The Players Championship week, but even 'The Sunshine State' has endured some torrential weather. In the week before the 2013 Players, TPC Sawgrass received as much rainfall (over 10 inches) as Edinburgh averages in the first 6 months of the year!* Whilst the forecast and course conditions appear to be in good shape for the tournament week, recent bad weather brings back memories of one of the wildest weeks on the PGA Tour, the 1979 Players Championship. From 1977 to 1981, The Players took place at Sawgrass Country Club, directly across the street from the Championship's current home at TPC Sawgrass. Located on the north Florida coast, Sawgrass CC was hard, fast and partial to high winds. Lanny Watkins won the event in 1979 with a score of five-under par. However, the event would be remembered for the Saturday and Sunday weather and the now infamous 'Barber Chair'. High winds caused havoc with the best players in the world over the weekend. Only three scores of par or better were carded compared to 39 scores in the 80s. The scoring average for Saturday and Sunday were 77.5 and 78.6 respectively! Bob Murphy, a 5-time winner on Tour and former US Amateur champion, shot a final round 92. Yes, that is twenty over par. Inside the Sawgrass' clubhouse sat a barber's chair used by members who would get their haircut at the club. Ben Crenshaw and gang of Tour players began using it as therapy chair for players to sit in and share their horror stories from the day. 8-time PGA Tour winner, Jim Colbert, explained how the confessional-like chair would work: The rule was it had to be a score in double digits. I believe by the time we got done, someone had a double-digit score on every hole. When the event was moved to it's current home at TPC Sawgrass in 1982, the then-comissioner of the PGA Tour, Deane Beman, made sure the chair was moved too. For years it sat in the back of the TPC clubhouse for years, before the clubhouse at Sawgrass underwent a $32m makeover in 2006. The new 77,000 square foot, Mediterranean-Style clubhouse at Sawgrass (photo above) features countless pieces of golf memorabilia, and one special spot for the famed barber chair - greeting players just inside the entrance to the PGA players locker room. *via www.worldweatheronline.com


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Nov 18, 2004
Nov. 18, 2004
The Bulldog Men Swimmers and Divers open their 2004-2005 season when they travel to George Mason University in Virginia on Friday through Sunday (Nov. 19-21) and compete for the first time in the Patriot Invitational.
The three-day meet will follow the NCAA national championship format and prepare the Bulldogs for the championship meets (EISL's & NCAA's) later this school year. On the Tuesday following the Patriot meet the team will finish its pre-Thanksgiving competition with a dual meet against Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Md.
As a new season begins, the Bulldogs hope to continue their rich tradition of swimming and diving success as Head coach Frank Keefe returns for his 27th season at the helm of the Blue.


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text: Mount Shasta Wedding is in the village of McCloud California at the base of majestic Mount Shasta. McCloud's scenic Main Street is were you can find the McCloud Mercantile. The Great Room and Hotel Rooms are located on the second floor of the Mercantile and it is an ideal Northern California wedding location. The first floor of the Mercantile contains the Candy Store, Soda Shop, Coffee Shop, Jewelry Store and much more. Have your wedding in McCloud and experience the other side of the mountain.


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LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
Looking to keep track of all the various projects in development? Click here to visit our newly branded "Devwatch" section. There visitors can view our listings by network, genre, studio and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!
BLACK. WHITE. (FX) - Promos currently running on the cable channel indicate the series will premiere Wednesday, March 8 at 10:00/9:00c. Here's how the network's press materials describe the project: "Black. White. examines race with an extraordinary approach by putting new faces on an African-American family, the Sparks, and Caucasian family, the Wurgels. Through the transformative power of make-up by Academy Award� nominated make-up effects artist Keith VanderLaan (The Passion of the Christ), the Wurgels become black and the Sparks become white, which challenges their beliefs and core values in ways they could have never imagined. The make-up process for each family member took 3 to 5 hours for every day of transformation."
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (NBC) - The Peacock is moving forward with its small-screen adaptation of the 2004 Universal/Imagine feature, about the tumultuous 1988 season of the famed Odessa, Texas high school football team. The network has officially lifted the cast-contingency off the project's production, despite no casting announcements. Peter Berg, the director/co-writer of the original film, is on board to pen the pilot script, which will move the focus to present day. Sarah Aubrey, John Cameron, Brian Grazer and David Nevins will also executive produce the NBC Universal Television/Imagine Television-based hour.
SIMPLY SKETCH (LOGO, New!) - Former talk show host Rosie O'Donnell reportedly is developing a sketch comedy series for the fledgling cable channel. The project, which will feature a cast of up-and-comers, will be filmed in front of a live studio audience as well as include taped segments, musical numbers and commercial/movie parodies incorporating political satire. Oh Really! Productions, headed by former Disney executives Dan MacDonald and Joe Del Hierro, is on board to executive produce along with O'Donnell. It's not clear however if O'Donnell herself will appear on camera.
THE WEST WING (NBC) - Actor/singer Jon Bon Jovi has signed on to appear in an upcoming episode of the series, set to air on Sunday, March 26. He'll play himself in the installment, where he'll perform his song "Welcome to Wherever You Are" during a rally to support the fictional campaign of Sen. Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits). No other details were given.
UNTITLED DAN MCDERMOTT PROJECT (A.K.A. SURVEILLANCE) (Lifetime) - Dan McDermott's drama project, about a tough-as-nails F.B.I. agent in her mid-20s with the ability to sniff out liars, has found a third home - this time at Lifetime where it's expected to receive an eight-episode order. Previously set up at FOX then USA (where it's since deviated from it's original premise - about the son of a fallen F.B.I. agent who ends up running the agency's elite surveillance unit), the procedural would track said agent, whose parents were C.I.A. operatives now serving time for treason, as she rights her parents' wrongs. It's understood Lifetime is targeting a summer premiere for the project, which is set up at NBC Universal Television and Tom Nunan's Bull's Eye Entertainment. McDermott will pen the pilot script and executive produce along with Nunan and fellow Bull's Eye principal Cathy Schulman.
UNTITLED PAUL REISER PROJECT (CBS, New!) - Former "Mad About You" star Paul Reiser has booked a pilot order at the Eye for a new comedy about an ambitious young man who takes over the family car dealership in Queens, New York. Reiser will write and executive produce the Paramount Network Television-based half-hour, which is the result of a first-look deal the actor/writer signed with the studio.
UNTITLED RODRIGUEZES PROJECT (UPN, New!) - Comedian Paul Rodriguez and his skateboarding champ son, Paul Rodriguez, Jr., are developing a new comedy at the netlet about the relationship between a father and son, who reunite after a lengthy estrangement. David Goetsch ("Game Over") is behind the project, which is set up at Joe Roth's Paramount Network Television-based banner with both Rodriguezes attached to play the lead roles.
UNTITLED SONNY GROSSO PROJECT (AMC, New!) - Former New York police detective-turned-producer Sonny Grosso, the focus of William Friedkin's Oscar-winning 1971 feature "The French Connection," has inked a development deal with the cable channel to develop a limited series about the infamous 1961 drug bust. The news marks Grosso's second attempt in recent memory to bring the French Connection case to the small screen, the first being last season's failed NBC drama pilot "NY-70," featuring Bobby Cannavale and Donnie Wahlberg. As for the AMC version, Grosso and his producing partner Larry Jacobson will executive produce the project through their Grosso Jacobson Communications Corp. banner. A search is currently underway for a writer.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters


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Despite several desperate (and mostly ludicrous) moves on A's part, "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" felt pretty lackluster for a summer finale. For the episode's first half, the liars did what they do best: repeatedly receive increasingly violent threats from A whilst standing around panicking together. Because involving the police is out of the question (why is that, again?), the girls enlisted themselves, as well as Toby and Caleb, to put a stop to A's newest murder plan. Oh, and don't even get me started on that "cliffhanger." A's not the only one getting desperate, it would seem.
Here we go…
1. Aria
After a few obvious allusions to Aria's poor compatibility with good guy Jake (he doesn't like poetry readings–to be fair, who does?–and falls asleep to old black-and-white movies–again, who doesn't?), Aria sought the company of her former lover and current teacher Ezra post-poetry reading. As the pair chatted happily on the coffee shop's couch, Aria leaned forward and planted a surprise kiss on Fitz's lips. Um, guys? This is, once again, ILLEGAL. And you'll only be right back where you were at the beginning. (Sorry; I'm just feeling particularly bitter about that ending.) Go ahead, Ezria, flaunt your forbidden love in a public coffee shop. And don't mind that red-coat-wearing blondie spying from the window; she's only a guaranteed lunatic and potential murderer.
2. Spencer
Though Toby went AWOL after last week's hoedown, he'd only really been crying over a box of his mother's things in his apartment. (I guess Spencer–who spent numerous phone calls looking for her runaway boyfriend–forgot to look there.) When Toby stumbled across some news indicating Wren and Melissa were once again living together, he finally gave Spence a call. Then, he gave her some horribly weak excuse about being in town for her, when he once would've fled altogether! Maybe this would've been a more acceptable excuse if, say, Toby actually informed Spencer he hadn't skipped town? Couldn't he have just been all, "I need some space" instead of going radio silent? Anyway, Spencer forgave his stupid excuses and went hunting down Wren. But, whoops, the doctor-turned-A-accomplice had vanished, leaving Shana to care for his place? Honestly, I'm just very confused about everything right now.
3. Hanna
Thanks to Travis's confession, Ashley was finally released after several episodes worth of suffering. Of course, A threatened terror and mayhem and murder (specifically Mona's) if Ashley got off, but the liars basically ignored her and celebrated Ashley's freedom. In true psychotic fashion, A responded to the snub with several monstrously-huge packages of hidden saws, a kid coffin, and personalized magic-8 balls to convey a message that the girls should attend a magic show in Ravenswood. (A doesn't believe in e-vites, or even simple paper invitations.) The girls obeyed their stalker's demands and trekked to Ravenswood for the show, where Aria momentarily disappeared inside a box on stage, and then Emily disappeared for real from the crowd. Don't worry, she was only stuffed in a coffin and set on a sawmill assembly line. KIDDING! (No, I'm not. I just wish I was.)
4. Emily
Poor Emily always receives the brunt of A's most vicious attacks, from cars through the window to nearly being sawed in half whilst inside a chained coffin. Luckily the girls rescued her in time–HA! Kidding!–I mean, Red Coat shut the assembly line off in time for Emily to safely escape. In the first not-so-surprising twist of the episode, the girls realized there were TWO red coats running around, and Aria caught up with one, none other than Cece Drake, and proceeded to beat the crap out of her before Cece accidentally fell over a ledge. As the girls comforted Aria, Cece's presumed-dead-but-really-alive body up and sauntered away. Luckily, A Number Two led Spence to the real A lair, where the girls found expensive computer surveillance equipment, storyboards of the girls' lives, and a closet full of MEN'S SUITS.
5. Alison
As creepy Mrs. Grunwald confirmed to the liars, Alison was indeed alive and running scared; she'd been contacting the clairvoyant sorority mother for help seeing who her stalker was (remember, A also tortured Alison), and Mrs. Grunwald was the one who pulled Ali out of a shallow grave, where the poor girl'd been buried alive. And someone led the liars to the real lair and proceeded to watch them from behind a poster, and, judging by the unseen creeper's eyeball, they were female.
Don't worry, I've saved the worst for last: Guess who's A suspect numero uno now? EZRA FITZ. Yep, in a surprising but not welcome cliffhanger, Pretty Little Liars revealed Ezra had been watching the girls, then throwing a fit inside the lair after realizing his hideout had been discovered. Of course, this might be a fakeout a la Toby, Spencer, Mona (sort of–she still seems to be on the A-team and was once evil), etc. At this point, is anyone in town NOT helping A commit crime and murder and various other small-scale acts of terrorism? Seriously, there's some sort of town-wide evil conspiracy junk going on in Rosewood.
On the plus side, the Halloween episode looks like it'll be genuinely good (and, besides, the summer finale acts more as a penultimate episode to the real finale that is the show's excellent Halloween episodes anyway), and HOW AWESOME DOES RAVENSWOOD LOOK!? That thirty-second preview was the best part of the episode, seriously.
And that's it, see you in October!


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News & Events
For the Media
Area University & College Presidents to Join Economic Forum at Clarkson University October 7
Building the North Country's Innovation Economy Through Technology Commercialization & New Business Start-Ups
Several area university and college presidents and regional economic development leaders will take part in the "Universities and Colleges as Economic Drivers" forum at Clarkson University on Monday, October 7.
The North Country community is invited to join in a dialogue with leaders in business, government and academia at this forum and another in Plattsburgh, N.Y., designed to celebrate and expand how the North Country is deploying its universities and colleges as economic drivers. The goal of the events is for the dialogue to further spur workforce development opportunities, entrepreneurial creativity and technology innovation across the region.
Register online at http://NorthCountryOpenForBusiness.com .
On Monday, October 7, "Building the North Country's Innovation Economy Through Technology Commercialization & New Business Start-Ups" will be hosted at Clarkson University with the North Country's colleges, universities & institutes.
The event gets under way at 1:30 p.m. in the Student Center with an opening reception and Innovation Showcase organized by Clarkson University's Shipley Center for Innovation, the Reh Center for Entrepreneurship and the Peyton Hall Incubator, where emerging entrepreneurs and new start-ups will pitch their ideas to board members of the Seaway Private Equity Corporation and forum attendees.
Clarkson President Tony Collins, co-chair of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council, will welcome guests to the forum at 2:30, followed by a keynote address on Universities and Colleges as Economic Drivers by Jason Lane, co-author of Universities and Colleges as Economic Drivers, and deputy director for research at the Rockefeller Institute for Government.
At 3:00, a panel of college and university presidents will join with economic development leaders. The panel includes Collins; William Fox, president of St. Lawrence University; Dennis Hefner, interim president of SUNY Potsdam; Carole McCoy, president of Jefferson Community College; William Murray, executive director of CITEC and North Country Regional Economic Development Council's liaison to the Higher Education and Research & Development Consortium (HEARD); and Lane. It will be facilitated by Donald Alexander, CEO of Jefferson County Job Development Corporation.
Andrew Kennedy, New York State assistant secretary for economic development for Governor Andrew Cuomo, will offer closing remarks at 3:45.
The collective insights of the forum members will reveal the ways in which small business, the service sector and industry leaders benefit from the economic contributions of the region's many colleges and universities.
On Thursday, September 26, "How Two Colleges Have Helped Plattsburgh Become Montreal's U.S. Suburb" will be hosted at Clinton Community College with SUNY Plattsburgh from 5-7 p.m. in the Stafford Theater, Stafford Center for Arts & Technology, 136 Clinton Point Drive in Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Recent policy debates underscore the role of higher education in the economic vitality of our states and nation. Through cultivation of a rigorous teaching, learning and research environments; workforce development; creativity and innovation; knowledge transfer; and community engagement; these institutions produce prospective employees, assist regional businesses, promote the commercialization of new products and service development, attract new industries and enhance quality of life.
The North Country community is invited to learn more about the ways in which the colleges, universities and research institutes across the region contribute to the economic renaissance of the North Country.
Register online at http://NorthCountryOpenForBusiness.com. For more information, call 518-561-5642.
These events are sponsored by the North Country Regional Economic Development Council, the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, Mountain Lake PBS, WPBS-DT, and CITEC.
Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in five alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, N.Y., Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world's pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.
Photo caption: Jason E. Lane, co-editor of the book Universities and Colleges as Economic Drivers and deputy director of research at the Rockefeller Institute for Government will speak on Monday, October 7, at "Building the North Country's Innovation Economy Through Technology Commercialization & New Business Start-Ups," hosted by Clarkson University.
[A photograph for media use is available at http://www.clarkson.edu/news/photos/jlane.jpg .]


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Letter to the Senate in Support of the DREAM Act
November 18, 2010
Dear Senator:
On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to VOTE YES on the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, which may come to the Senate floor this month. Passage of this legislation is long overdue and should be addressed during the lame-duck session.
Each year, thousands of undocumented students who have lived in the United States for at least five years graduate from U.S. high schools. Among these students, with whom NEA members work every day, are class valedictorians, straight-A students, and idealistic youth committed to bettering their communities. Yet, because of enormous barriers created by their lack of legal status, many such students are unable to pursue higher education. The loss to these students, and to society as a whole, is significant.
The DREAM Act will provide a path to legal status for individuals brought to the U.S. as undocumented children years ago. The Act is narrowly tailored. It would apply only to individuals brought to the U.S. at least five years ago as children, who have grown up here, and who have remained in school and out of trouble. Such students could adjust their status to that of a conditional permanent resident and could then have the conditional status lifted if they complete at least two years of college or serve in the military.
The bill will also have significant fiscal benefits for states and local communities. For example, a 30-year-old immigrant who graduates from college will pay $5,300 more in taxes and cost $3,900 less in government expenses each year than if she had dropped out of high school. State and local taxpayers have already invested in the education of these children in elementary and secondary school and through the DREAM Act could benefit from that investment. In addition, the bill will help promote the skilled workforce necessary for our nation to compete globally. Leading businesses such as Microsoft have endorsed the DREAM Act because they recognize that our broken immigration system is draining our economy of the talent and resources needed to compete in the global economy.
The DREAM Act is a practical, fair solution that upholds the best of our shared American values of fair opportunity, accountability, and strong work ethics. We urge your support for this important legislation.
Kim Anderson
Director of Government Relations
Mary Kusler
Manager of Federal Advocacy


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There's an interesting post on the New York Times Room For Debate blog today (link).
The main question they asked of some designer and artist types:
What does the care devoted to the visual details in a packed lunch suggest about the culture? Why is such value placed on aesthetics in everyday life in Japan?
I have some thoughts about this, but I thought I'd open it up to debate first. What do you think about that question, and what about the responses?
The Big Onigiri.
- Wherever you go, there you are. -
What does the care devoted to the visual details in a packed lunch suggest about the culture? Why is such value placed on aesthetics in everyday life in Japan?
My thoughts on bento since I started making them are thus:
I now eat a much more vaired and healthier diet
I no longer depend on buying low quality cheap fast food for lunch, my body says thank you for this!
Opening my bento is the one moment of calm in my other wise busy workday, where I sit and take time to eat and enjoy all the little morsels of food I have prepared.
I use it for my daughter as a way of expressing to her how much I care. If I didn't I'd let her eat in the school cafeteria or pack chocolate and crisps.
My favourite quote from the article comments was this
"Such a simple way to add love and care to a lunch. And, it costs only a little extra time"
I think it sums it all up nicely!
Hi, Loretta's husband here,
I didn't have time to read all of the comments posted in the NY Times blog (there were 56 when I looked) but I just wanted to say a few points.
Firstly, before we go in to aesthetics, the modern day bento box is an off shoot of some of the ways in which food was presented for consumption historically. In the late part of the 20th century it so happens that the traditional "bento" became compatible with modern materials and the catering industry. Some of the main features of bento boxes ( I have in mind a convenience store offering for this) such as the different compartments are there for practical reasons. Some food don't mix well together, not just in taste but they can speed up the process of the food going off. As for the umeboshi in the middle of your white rice, it may look like the Japanese flag but it is so because it is widely believed to make the rice last longer (i.e not go off before lunch time!).
Modern materials and processes have also provided almost perfect replacements for their traditional counter parts - plastic has turned out to be a very good alternative material to urushi (Japanese lacquer always red or black), just as plastic "leaves" have come to replace bamboo leaves which would have been used in the past to keep certain food away from each other.
In terms of lots of different types of dishes being presented, this again can be found in day to day and traditional ways of eating food at home - a Japanese meal will consist of lots of okazu with your rice and soup. I would argue that it is logical to suggest that the bento okazu is purely a miniaturisation of this. Of course, when you change the scale, it changes the aesthetic, the balance of flavours and as such you do have to think slightly differently to when you prepare normal okazu (- damn those asaparagus look big!)
So in a way the "design" of the bento follows some structure that is practical. Of course, you could make a "man" bento and shove everything in a box but presumably the maker of the man bento is less concerned with the finer points of the art, either becasue it will be eaten at such a pace as to make any finery irrelevant, or are not too worried about a bit of food past it's prime (for those in Japan there is always Seilogan - the first aid for upset stomachs!)
Just before I shut up, I wanted to mention the home made bento and the effort and time people spend on this, and to me this represents an interesting shift that I would describe as folk art.
In terms of the variety of products available for bento makers, it is a market (the Japanese jumped on food related items as a prime market years ago, after all we all have to eat!) and it is propelled forward by consumer desires. It's not really controlled and as much as it's nice to imagine that there is some wonderful cohesive Japanese aesthetic movement, in reality they are like T-shirts, there are lots out there and there are some very nice designs as well as the opposite.
Is something made in Japan going to be inherently different? I would say yes because anything made anywhere by anybody will carry its own inherent context, usually quite broad and too complex to try and map out but they are there! Has anybody tried fish and chips in Japan? They just can't shove the chips (fries) in the paper cone in that wonderfully carefree and practised way that any chippy will do in the UK!
Well, let's enjoy the popularity that Japanese culture has received in recent years, because I am sure we will fall from grace soon and the memory of japanese food in the west will be bad sushi (raw untreated cucumber sitting on refrigerated rice!)
How lovely to hear from you Loretta's husband (and father of the so-very-cute new baby, I hope she is letting you get some sleep).
Being a totally non-Japanese person, and therefore pretty damned ignorant, I'd have also said that the aesthetics of bento are really an extension of Japanese aesthetics in general. I.e. making your immediate surroundings a small oasis of calm beauty as a sort of respite from a very crowded life in a crowded country. Does that make any sense at all or am I talking through my non-Japanese hat?
My blog is Food and Shoes
Hello, Loretta's husband again, I'm Kenji by the way.
Thank you for your comment and the baby is very well behaved so I get my 6 hours sleep (down from about 8).
I think bentos do reflect Japanese aesthetics in general and I think in Japan, certainly if you work in an office with it's finely tuned balance between conformity and individualism, a well presented bento does work in your favour.
Of course strictly speaking bento just means lunch box so it could be anything and actually, one of the earlier forms of making food portable was to make some onigiris (usually with umeboshi in the middle to make it last longer and lots of salt in the rice) and wrap them in bamboo leaves. Just as a note, soldiers from the past used to carry dried rice cakes with them and they could be soaked in hot water to make them more appealing.
I personally consider tupperware with last nights left over thrown in a bento. The presentation aspect is optional, but like I mentioned earlier people do push this to an art form. There was an article years back in the late 80's about how mothers were struggling with the increased pressure to come up with amazing bento designs for their daughters as they were all competing with each other at lunch times.
I was about to say, Google image "bento" and see if you can guess which ones are Japanese but I couldn't tell any more! - however I was surprised to see that some of the Kyara-ben you see must taste awful (because they've chosen ingredients that work for colour and composition but not for taste)!
Just to tie in the above, I do think that kyara-ben is the exception of the form, just like Xmas decoration that turns in to an art installation costing thousands, customizing cars, quilting, cake decoration etc.
Of course if members of this forum are into the folk art side of bento, I think that's great but remember you can make some funky looking sandwiches too and it doesn't have to be Japanese in anyway.
Thanks for linking to that article. I found it vary interesting.
I cannot speculate on the motives of Japanese people (being completely ignorant of them, myself). But I will say that I find by taking the time to make what I am eating visually appealing, I am satisfied with less. I agree with the "making more out of less" idea. I spend very little money on my lunches, but they are a highlight (for myself and others) and I find I slow down to enjoy them more, and don't crave large portions. A little bit of many things is much more satisfying than the lunches I packed before I began bento-ing. :)
Well... I am not japanese and, even though i know a few things about the culture, i just can't say something that would be remotely accurate. Anyway, from my occidental point of view, I compare my bentos with my partner's tupperware food and I find mine cute and more appealing, just because it is well packed. Most people just throw their food in a tupper and then heat it and eat it.
I think japanese people have developed a sense for delicacy and exquisiteness that is not a common thing in the West. Here, when you eat something in a restaurant that is remotely well arranged, you'll be paying a lot for the whole dish, and call it "nouvelle cuisine".
And of course the loving concept of the wife prepairing bentos for her family. I've always been told that public affect demonstrations are rather badly seen in Japan, so maybe these loving bentos are a "correct" way to publicly say "i love you"! :D
Very interesting topic :)
My bento blog: http://justbento.com/blog/1305
My art blog: http://jizaacaso.deviantart.com
I'm not Japanese but these are my views on the question.
To me, the care and effort put into visual details of a bento suggest that the Japanese have a greater appreciation of art in general. In a culture where everyone works so hard, why would you waste the extra time to make your lunch (or your child's) beautiful? I know you can make bentos fairly fast but it's not like slapping a piece of bologna between two slices and bread and tossing it into a bag. I don't think there is that much difference in what people want really. I mean the kid that gets the sandwich will still be bored by it and the one who gets the colorful display will be entertained. It's that the Japanese realize that you need some aesthetics to make things more worthwhile and they make the extra effort to insure that they get it.
(back to posting as myself)
I just had a chance to read through those comments today. I can't help but bridle at many of them as so many inherent prejudices and accepted stereotypes are exposed.
I like my spouse's comment "in reality they are like T-shirts, there are lots out there and there are some very nice designs as well as the opposite". And this is certainly my impression also, especially now when you can pick up bento for 300yen (less than a burger and fries).
But the reactions focus on narrow perceptions of bento - that they are all beautiful, or that they are all charaben, or that they are all home 'crafted', or that they are all excessively fussed over or the food inside over-processed. Basically, the bento style commented on is whichever coincides closest to the poster's impression of Japan and Japanese society.
Stroll through a Tokyo business district at lunch time and you'll immediately see what kind of cut-throat competition for business any caterer has to contend with. With so much choice at every price point local retailers and restaurants and those who set up stalls on the sidewalks have to work hard to entice custom. As well as 'conventional' Japanese choices one can pick up bento made up of Indian meals, or with Thai or Lebanese food or with healthier whole grain and unprocessed ingredients. If the bento boxes aren't appetising and attractive the makers don't stay in business - there's an arms race when it comes to bento 'style' and the market is ruthless!
So who makes bento when you can buy one for 300 or even 250yen? Unless you make up a batch for a whole family, the only way a single person can put together something cheaper is with leftovers. This means that adults in urban areas who make their own bento (or who prepare them for their partners) may have other motives for preparing them rather than just a way to fill a stomach and so extra care might be taken in making them.
One commentator quote sparse resources as being responsible for the contents of a bento, but that doesn't explain why the nutritious bran from the rice is typically discarded or why sandwiches with their crusts removed are the most popular. Another poster sets him/herself as an expert on things Japanese and rails against an excess of expensive ginko/ginnan nuts being used in a photo that shows pasta shells and edamame/soy beans.
Most of all what strikes me by those who try to explain "What does the care devoted to the visual details in a packed lunch suggest about the culture?" is how much of the culture they are prepared to pare down and simplify so that it fits conveniently in a snug little bento box of their own.
I am an every day reader of the NYTimes (the newspaper I love to hate) and a reader of this blog - many of the comments to the NYT article are an accurate barometer of a large fraction of the readership of that legendary paper. Yes, they know it all - as seen in the comments, if you don't believe it - just ask them. I thought the recent NYT food section article on Bentos was well crafted article [Maki and this blog was the first mentioned.] I came away from this with a less positive feeling. On the other hand, and to be fair, this is from a section of the paper that solicits opinions.
From my "American mom loves Japan" point of view I think there's a few aspects to look at:
- In Japan to "look it" is to "be it" and presentation is very important. I think bentos have often been thought of as a bit of homemade love from home. To show this love to their kids, bento making moms may be going the extra mile with presentation. (Though it's down right fun to do the presentation stuff too!)
- It's also thought that kids will be more likely to eat something they like the looks of. (My little ones will pick the food with the cute face on it, specially cut or put on a little kabob stick over something plain.)
I have to agree with Nick Currie who said, "I'm convinced that Japan is far ahead when it comes to the aesthetics of everyday life. " I personally think presentation is such an integral part of Japanese culture that it seems to be infused in every aspect of life.
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I'm not Japanese, but I am Asian and grew up in a Korean household. At my house, food was always a priority and a means of communication and celebration. To this day, my mother still ends every phone conversation with "have you eaten yet" and "what did you have?" Any milestone was rewarded with special meals and, as a kid, she would always place my favorite or choice pieces of food in my rice bowl for me...making sure I'd sampled a little of everything on the table and reminding me if I had not taken enough of a forgotten banchan (side dish) or two.
While I know that Japan is not Korea, I can't help but wonder if the similarities between the two cultures can help explain their fascination with aesthetically pleasing lunches. If I remember correctly, back in the day of the samurai, wealth was measured by rice and rice production (koku). My own mother would be horrified to see rice go to waste in our house and Korea has many recipes for transforming hardened and even burnt rice into nourishing food and drink. Clothing, accessories, and even recipes could denote one's cultural and political hierarchy. Add that to Japan's desire for organization and structure and their love of beauty, color, and natural complements...and the bento was guaranteed to be born.
The gorgeously manicured Japanese gardens, the elegant kimono with it's simplistic look but intricate execution, the pictures of hundreds of Japanese families turning out to see a flurry of cherry blossoms fall from delicately pruned and rowed trees. In all of these passions, I see elements reflected into the bento. The bento lunch can be a status symbol, but I see it more as a symbol of love. A little Hallmark card each day to let you know someone cares, someone values you...even if that someone is yourself.
Hi all:
For one thing, life for the average Japanese student is a bit more intense than that of an American student. They spend more time in school, after school, in cram school. And they have a lot of homework. So lunch time is an important time to not only rest, enjoy and chill out, but for a parent to make contact with her or his busy child. I remember making lunches for my daughter and I didn't know about bento boxes. I often put cartoon drawings and messages in the box, with a little creativity in the food. I guess I intuitively related to the concept.
So, then, why did I do it? I wanted to keep the bond with my daughter while she was away and send a little love. I wanted to cheer her up in her struggles. It made me feel like I was giving to her a bit more, because she had to go to afterschool programs so I could work.
And of course, it satisfied a creative need in me - who now had to run from school bus to work to pick her up at afterschool - and make dinner, clean up, do laundry, prepare for the next day and then collapse. The lunch box was a moment to have a bit of fun.
For a parent in Japan, who has learned to appreciate the beauty of presentation, especially a parent who has little time to get into his or her own creativity during this rough economic time -- making the bento is as pleasurable as receiving it. It's just plain creatively satisfying.
Though I think sending your child off with a beautiful lunch box is fun, I think there is some controversy. I've read lately that some schools practically ban the bento box in Japan because some parents cannot take the time or have the money to make such fancy, creative lunches. Like a farm scene with cauliflower lambs. And so some children feel ostracized. And it causes clicks and attitudes - whose got the best bento? Whose parents don't have money or time? Etc.
So I think, as usual, there is a middle path. sending your child off with a fun bento may not need you to create faces and dolls. The focus could be more on health and nutrition, which has it's own presentation of beauty. Also, what' s OESHI (delicious) certainly rates higher in most of our books than what is just KAWAII (cute).
Also, I don't agree with all the throw away chatkas (okay, material) in the boxes. Bentos can be quite GREEN - if we leave off the paper and plastic throwaway stuff. Reusable is better.
Saying all that, though, ain't it fun to make cool bentos? Now that my daughter is grown up -- I wish I had those vegetable cutters way back when. But I make sure to use these decorations on feeding adults. They love it.
Hey Maki: I wasn't sure where to send a GET WELL message when we first heard you were in the hospital. I guess you are getting well. I await your book; and look forward to all your adventures. You're a good kid. Thanks for everything. And much sincere wishes for your good health.
Regards, Diane in New York City
I also think this trait in Japan developed for purely practical reasons: Japan is a crowded place and people don't have a lot of personal space, so they carve out solitude by focusing on detail. I think Japan's elaborate social rituals also make it easier for so many people to live in such close proximity to each other. As America gets more crowded we can learn from that.
I briefly visited Japan and had the same impression as #13. There is infinite space in smallness. We could learn a something from Japan.
I would not have said this before this morning, but an interesting comment from my husband intersected with me reading this article.
I think it's more about relationships than about the pretty. (Bear with me. I know this sounds weird off the top of my head).
From my limited foreigner point of view (I've never lived in Japan, only read about the culture), it seems to me that a lot of Japanese culture seems to be about interpersonal and group relationships before almost anything else. Of course, I could be completely off-base, but that's how it looks to me on the surface.
So relating it to bento? The care you put into the visual appeal of the bento is part of the whole package about how you care for the individual for whom you're making it. Thing is, I can't say that I consider the concept uniquely Japanese.
I was making my husband's bento this morning, and as he sat drinking coffee and watching me do it, he commented, "I know it sounds weird, but getting this is like getting a hug in the middle of the day." Now this was a fairly quick bento. Even so, as I was making it I choose, as I habitually do, colorful food and arranged it nicely in the box without going overboard with the cute. Call it less than 10 minutes worth of effort for the whole thing. For me, it seems like a trivial effort, but I know that when I've been served a lovely meal with good presentation that's been made especially for me, I do feel cared for. I was involved with a chef for a long time and I certainly did feel cared for when he made dinner. He habitually paid attention to the attractiveness of the presentation as much as he did the tastiness and quality of the food.
I do think that attention to detail in general seems to be a strong Japanese value, so of course how it LOOKS will be included in the whole package.
I think we've lost our aesthetic sense about the every day and mundane and Japan has not.
I had a chance to go through a museum in Frankfurt, Germany that was dedicated to household thing; furniture, utensils, appliances, etc.
There were some fabulously beautiful everyday objects.
Why don't we see those anymore?
Well, because plain and cheap is...cheap. And why bother to make something beautiful that is destined to last a short time and be thrown away. We are a garbage society. We don't build to last and we replace instead of repair.
Perhaps if we made beautiful everyday things we'd be less wasteful.
I also think we have lost our appreciation of beauty in the every day. Unless it's a wedding or a birthday, our cakes are plain if we have cake at all. You wear a beautiful gown for a wedding or prom, but otherwise it sits untouched in the closet. Our everyday clothes lack the quality of fabric or workmanship, yet that is what we wear daily.
I needed a new bicycle because I couldn't physically ride my old 12 speed anymore. I needed an old lady cruiser. My new bicycle is yellow with red tulips. I'm sewing a liner for my basket that's green with red and yellow polka dots. I'll make a matching cover for my helmet.
A pretty bento lunch makes you smile. Isn't that enough reason?
I just wanted to say, that the comments here are way more thoughtful than the majority of the ones over on the NY Times :) Yay for Just Bento readers! :)
Yeah, I agree. Some of those NYT comments were downright rude.
Also, the person who posted #2 must have assumed that all o-bento were kawaii-ben. Then there was that last guy they interviewed, Denis-something.
That guy wouldn't understand art if it fell on him. Art is the essence of its creator's heart and soul at the time of creation. My own works may not be perfect, but what is required for art is not perfection, but rather effort and vision. My own mother can only cook a few things well. While her lunches were not sophisticated, she put a lot of love and effort into them. They were simple and yet beautiful. A grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup on the side and her sweet tea. The care taken was what made it art.
although the bento subculture is less common than, lets say interior design, people do it because they enjoy it and can see the finished product with their own eyes...the process of putting together and assembling anything creates a sense of accomplishment whether its a bento box, car, house, etc...people know that presentation is a very important thing in cuisine, why wouldn't that apply to bentos?
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Tyler Eifert, TE, Cincinnati - Having accumulated 113 receptions over his last two seasons at Notre Dame, Eifert may be over-qualified to be the Bengals No. 2 tight end, which is where he figures to fit with Jermaine Gresham already on the roster. The Bengals will likely use more double tight-end sets to take advantage of their first-round picks skills, but Eifert may not get enough looks to be a featured performer as a rookie. Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego - Drafted in the third round out of Cal, Allen stands to benefit from injuries to the Chargers receiving corps. With Danario Alexander out for the season and Malcom Floyd out at least until Week One of the regular season, Allen has the opportunity to earn trust and build a rapport with quarterback Philip Rivers. Robert Woods, WR, Buffalo - A second-round pick out of USC, Woods has a chance to start, or at least play a significant role at wide receiver for the Bills. Woods appeal is limited by the fact that the ground game may be Buffalos focus and the possibility that hell have a rookie quarterback, but hes worth having on the radar, particularly in the event of an injury to Stevie Johnson, the Bills top receiving threat. Markus Wheaton, WR, Pittsburgh - A speedster who ran track at Oregon State, Wheaton was a receiver who also carried the ball a couple of times per game for the Beavers, coming up with 1,386 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns last season, leading to the Steelers drafting Wheaton in the third round. With Mike Wallace leaving for Miami, there is room for a new starter opposite Antonio Brown at wide receiver and fourth-year wideout Emmanuel Sanders appears to have the inside track on that job, but Wheaton could force his way into a more prominent role. Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia -A second-round pick out of Stanford, Ertz caught 69 passes for 898 yards and six touchdowns as a senior for the Cardinal and while veteran Brent Celek is at the top of the depth chart, if the Eagles are going to operate an up-tempo offence, Ertz can be a weapon in an Eagles passing game that could use more threats. Kenbrell Thompkins, WR, New England - An undrafted free agent out of Cincinnati, who didnt put up big numbers in college (1,077 yards, four touchdowns over his last two seasons), Thompkins has been an early revelation for the Patriots, who are looking for some players to step up in the passing game. Dobson may be more likely to have immediate success, but Thompkins is forcing his way into New Englands receiver discussion. Zach Sudfeld, TE, New England - It says something about the state of the Patriots offence that two undrafted rookies have a chance to produce. Sudfeld, a 6-foot-7 tight end out of Nevada is a late bloomer of sorts. He had two career catches and spent six years in college, due to two redshirt seasons, before breaking out as a senior with 45 catches for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. Obviously, there have been changes with the Patriots at tight end in the wake of Aaron Hernandezs release and Rob Gronkowskis offseason surgeries, but maybe Sudfeld has a chance to emerge as a first-year player. Whether he will have enough of a role to warrant taking ahead of more established fantasy options will likely be a matter to consider on the waiver wire early in the season. Scott Cullen can be reached at email@example.com and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Cheap Air Force 1 Uk . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Wholesale Air Force 1 . As he recorded his 23rd and 24th points of the evening, a segment of the sellout Air Canada Centre crowd expressed their appreciation for the Raptors point guard with a smattering of MVP chants. http://www.airforce1uk.com/ .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. WASHINGTON -- The Los Angeles Angels acquired Danny Espinosa from the Washington Nationals on Saturday night, picking up their new starting second baseman in a trade for two minor league pitchers.The Angels sent right-handers Austin Adams and Kyle McGowin to the Nationals for Espinosa, who presumably lost his starting job in Washington when the team obtained outfielder Adam Eaton from the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.Washington traded three top pitching prospects to Chicago for Eaton, with the intention of shifting NL Rookie of the Year runner-up Trea Turner from center field back to shortstop, his natural position.The 29-year-old Espinosa hit .209 with a career-high 24 home runs and 72 RBI as Washingtons regular shortstop last season, helping the team win the NL East. He didnt play second base in 2016, but has played there extensively in the past.In seven major league seasons, all with the Nationals, the switch-hitter has batted .226 with 92 homers and 285 RBI.The trade is a homecoming for Espinosa, born and raised a few miles from Angel Stadium in Santa Ana. He grew up attending games in Anaheim with his father, a longtime Angels season ticket holder.Espinosa played at high school powerhouse Mater Dei and starred at Long Beach State before Washington drafted him in 2008.Espinosa is expected to provide an uupgrade at second base with some much-needed power from the left side of the plate. Air Force 1 Uk Sale. Los Angeles has received minimal production at the position since parting ways with longtime starter Howie Kendrick two seasons ago.Los Angeles already has a two-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop in Andrelton Simmons, though his career OPS is just .671.Espinosa moved from second base to shortstop last offseason after the Nationals signed Daniel Murphy. The free-swinging Espinosa is considered a better fielder than hitter and has particularly struggled in the postseason, batting .091 in three playoff series.In the 2016 playoffs, Espinosa struck out eight times in 18 plate appearances. His abilities with the glove will fit in with the Angels plan to build a superior defensive team with a core including the gifted Simmons and stellar defensive outfielders Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun.McGowin was ranked as the Angels 20th-best prospect by MLB.com, the Nationals said, although Los Angeles is thought to have one of the worst prospect pools in baseball. He started 27 games in Double-A and Triple-A in 2016, posting a 5.83 ERA.Adams is a reliever who has a 3.75 ERA in 166 minor league appearances. ' ' '


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Game of Their Lives, The (Miracle Match)
Post Your Thoughts!
Best wishes, Martha
I just received this video the other night, part of my collection of GB movies. I too had no clue there was a first soccer team in Missouri at all, and I am a resident of that state. Amazing! The movie was wonderful and I really see now where GB uses his acting skills, his reticense and sensitivity in this movie. The direction is excellent and all the characters have good strengths. The writers kept it true to the story, meaning they didn't get to fancy. KIS.
At any rate, good movie, I highly recommend it, and also a great teaching tool for getting along with others.
Perhaps if all soccer teams watched this movie before playing a season, there would be less violence on the field and in the stadiums.
If you get a chance to see it, definitely grab some popcorn and a soda and check out Gerry.
I give it ****** stars.
My third favorite movie. I love this movie because it is a true story, an underdog story and a period piece. Triple threat! Gets me every time. LOL 🙂 I love this story, I didn't know the US even had soccer before 1970, let alone that they went to the World Cup. This was the story of a group of friends five years out from WWII where they had served in the military and were decorated for their service. When you see them as old men being honored by the young teams coming up and you see the story of what they accomplished it really puts it in context. It is very touching. One favorite scenes is when Gino Pariani gets fussed at by his fiancee's father. that scene is so cute. I love the scene when Frank Borghi has to confront his mom about taking time off to go to the game. Gerard is so handsome in this movie. Clean shaven, his slender, solid frame in the period baggy pleated pants and the loose cotton shirt. That style of clothing was made for people with that long, lean, solid frame like Gerard's and he looks very nice in it. 🙂 The way Gerard looked with the long, lean, solid frame, lithe, graceful, powerful, that is the way the human body is supposed to look, especially the male human body. 🙂 He did a great job portraying his character. I love the scene where they have to save good bye at the train station. I love this movie from start to finish, it would take too much space to mention everything that I like about this movie. I loved mostly how the characters learned to work together and respect each other and pull off this amazing feat.
not released in my country as yet, but can't wait to see it
i didnt think i would like this film as im not into football at all, but it was a lovely story about the underdogs coming through the odds. i liked the story behind the different characters and how it all came together for them. its an amazing feat for this small group of players to take on such a large opponent and beat them. a nice film and well worth giving it a go.
Delightful period piece! Fun to see the history of soccer/football in the US – esp. now that it is gaining momentum!


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Across this nation this weekend, Christians will observe Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.
To the editor:
Across this nation this weekend, Christians will observe Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.
Prompted by the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, Sanctity of Human Life Sunday began in 1983 to remember and pray for this decision to somehow be overturned.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court�s decision to legalize abortion, 55 million lives have been taken by this gruesome procedure � 55 million exceeds the entire population of the Great Lakes region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and New York, as well as the Canadian province of Ontario. That same number amounts to about 17.5 per cent of the U.S. population. Fifty-five million lives is 17.5 percent of America�s 330 million citizens and each one of them had a God-given right to life.
Most Christians view abortion as state-sanctioned murder.
In those churches that use LifeWay study guides in their Sunday Schools, this Sunday�s lesson is based on Psalm 139, in which King David unknowingly presents a strong case against abortion. David�s prayer extols God for His omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence, and concludes by begging God to search his heart to see if it contains anything that might offend the Lord.
The psalm also points out that, since God made each of us and knows each of us intimately even before birth, He therefore places great value on each human life.
This is why Christians and Christian churches object to the unnecessary taking of human life: It is against God�s will. Only He has the right to take a life, for He is the Maker, the Creator � which makes Him the Owner.
Read Psalm 139. Think about it. Then pray about it.
Jere Geurin
Morehead City


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Hello! My name is Jen Christensen. I'm a news anchor at WHOI-TV, Peoria, Illinois, an ABC affiliate. I am also the mom of two little boys.
I created this blog full of "news" for moms to make life easier for you because I know how hectic life can get when you have little ones.
After ten years in the media business, I have learned there are times when reporting the basic news doesn't give moms what they really want to know. This website will give you that insight from the perspective of a T.V. news anchor and mom. My career is centered around knowing what's going on in the world, especially when it comes to kids.
Newsanchormom.com is an easy way to get important information for your family, share your stories, and hear from other moms just like you.
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-NewsAnchorMom Jen


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FORT MCHENRY, NATIONAL MONUMENT AND HISTORIC SHRINE, National Park Service (NPS), Baltimore, MD
I have lived about six miles from Fort McHenry for just over two years but only visited it for the first time today. (Don't judge me! It's been a hectic couple of years—a goodly chunk of it was spent in DC!) I thought I would share some of the particulars about visiting the park. I do this for a couple of reasons: Firstly, in a couple of years we will begin the celebrations for the Bicentennial of the War of 1812—the event that put Ft. McHenry on the map and that Francis Scott Key witnessed, stirring him to write the poem that is today our national anthem. Secondly, it is precisely the sort of local flavor that I want to occasionally season the blog with. Besides, it seems like the right sort of post as the summer boils away.
To start, I wanted to cover some logistical points. Most weekends do have a planned event. That said, we went on a Tuesday and there was hardly anybody there when we first arrived, which was kind of nice even though we failed to beat the heat. Also, the changing of the flag ceremony (held at 9:30 a.m. and 4:20 p.m.—participation encouraged!) is one of the few events going on daily, weather permitting. While parking is free, it is a $7 entrance fee for ages sixteen and up. Technically, if you'd like to save the money, you can show up and simply walk around the fort, taking in the earthworks and the view from the point. To get in the fort you pay at the visitor center and receive your sticker, which must be visible. (Once purchased, they will give you two receipts, one of which is actually a seven day pass that is good for the subsequent six days.) There is a small exhibit, a short film, a typical gift shop and restrooms. From there you can walk out to the fort. There is a small food stand with hotdogs, chips and beverages, but we packed a lunch and ate at the picnic tables in the shade right next to the parking lot. Once you are on the fort grounds there is little cover from the elements, so come prepared for them—fortunately, we had some Gatorade in the house to slightly appease the group who had a smaller appetite than I for guns and fortifications under the August sun!
The fort itself was in use up through the twentieth century. It was decommissioned after WWI, according to the volunteer answering my questions, and was temporarily used as a training site for the Coast Guard during WWII before it was returned to the city of Baltimore and became a National Park. So, the fort, in its current design and construction, is not exactly as it was in 1814 when the British showed up to attack Baltimore. In 1814, all of the fort's buildings were single-storied and the outer works were not quite as built up as they appear today. But, the star-shaped configuration had been paid for by the wealthy citizens of the city of Baltimore—particularly a man by the name of McHenry! (As the guide told us, McHenry figured he put enough money and work into it the fort ought to have his name, thus, foreshadowing the process for naming stadiums all over America.) The star-shaped design is critical for the fort's survival. The brick prongs are reinforced with the earth behind them. Each prong is both pointed and sloped to reduce the effect of incoming projectiles—every hit is a glancing blow. Eliminating a direct hit helps thwart enemy artillery (canons), but it also turns the ground around the fort into a nasty meat grinder for infantry (soldiers on foot) or cavalry (soldiers on horseback) because the approach is in between the prongs or over them, giving all the advantage to the defenders. In the case of Ft. McHenry, it did not come to this. Rather, the fort was only attacked by the British navy, which was forced to fire mortars and rockets from just beyond the range of the fort's guns. Both of these weapons had the advantage of sending their projectiles up into the air and then falling into the fort, but they did not succeed in defeating it. In fact, according to the film only four men died, twenty-nine wounded. The British gave up and sailed down to New Orleans only to come up short against Andrew Jackson (whose role in the victory would propel him into the presidency).
Maryland was a copperhead state during the Civil War (meaning the state, while positioned on the North's side of the border, was sympathetic to the South). Baltimore, in particular, was home to many influential residents who were leading the cause for southern sympathy. Lincoln took preemptive action and arrested some of these secessionists. In doing so, he suspended the right of Habeas Corpus along the military lines from Washington to Philadelphia. (Habeas Corpus, a right predating the U.S. Constitution and originating in English common law, states that an individual cannot be arrested without being charged, to prevent unlawful seizure of citizens.) At that time, the fort served as a prison. Despite the Writ of Habeas Corpus issued by Chief Justice Taney, Lincoln and the U.S. Army held prisoners in violation of our country's laws, such as Lt. John Merryman of the Maryland State Militia. Merryman had sabotaged train lines to impede the Union army on his governor's orders. (http://www.nps.gov/fomc/historyculture/the-writ-of-habeus-corpus.htm and NPS volunteer, 8-11-2010)
Particularly at the flag changing, but also at other times and events, the NPS Rangers don the military garb of the fort's defenders. On our visit we were given a musket demonstration, by one such historic interpreter dressed in the finery of the early uniforms, before the financial burdens of the war required a less adorned uniform of an artillery soldier (which the ranger said looked very similar to the Civil War uniforms of the North). He explained the steps for firing his replica 1789 Springfield Musket, 65 caliber. The first step is to cock the musket, then put powder in the pan, next put powder in the barrel, then the musket ball (which he did not include), pound it down with the ram rod and finally point and fire. The musket, lacking any rifling on the inside of the barrel, is not terribly accurate, but when a volley is fired into opposing ranks it can have a devastating effect. In response to my query, he affirmed that the U.S. military, like the British soldiers, trained with live rounds—one of the reasons the British had sometimes had an edge against the French in prior years. Unlike the British, however, he explained that the elite Americans could only fire three rounds a minute, which, if accurate, is one shy of the vaunted elite of the Red Coats, especially those seasoned in the conflict against Napoleon! (NPS Ranger, 8-11-2010)
There is one final anecdote I want to relay. Our last stop for the morning was actually returning to the Visitor's Center as we had hurried to get to the flag ceremony. The film, very typical of the NPS (produced in 1984-5, "The Defense of Fort McHenry"), is told from the viewpoint of Dr. William Beanes, who was captured by the British for his involvement in arresting British soldiers after promises had been secured from the invading officers. According to the agreement his town's homes and property would not be molested so long as the British force was left unmolested. His point of view is unique because after his arrest he was held aboard a British ship until Francis Scott Key, the prominent Georgetown lawyer and also Beanes' friend, would partake in the negotiations for his release. The British, grateful for the medical care Beanes had provided to wounded British soldiers, agreed to the release following the attack on Baltimore to prevent them from warning the city. The British released Beanes and his negotiators to an American truce ship during the assault on Baltimore and Ft. McHenry. The fight carried on well into the night, then all was silent and dark. Beanes' party waited shipboard through the dark hours before the dawn not knowing the outcome. The waiting continued until the fort's morning gun fired and the incredible Star Spangled-Banner was raised above the fort, inspiring Key to write the poem that would become our national anthem. (The Star-Spangled Banner is an example of the second flag adopted by our country, with fifteen stripes and stars—the only flag with fifteen stripes as the next one would revert to thirteen stripes for the original colonies.)
The film concludes with a waving flag and the opening strains of our anthem. At this point, dramatically, the blinds pull back and reveal the fort with the flag flying. Everyone stood, many of us thinking that the film was at its conclusion and preparing to leave, but a slightly bossy septuagenarian had walked into the room and ordered us to turn, face the fort's flag, put hand over our right heart and, "Sing along!" I, at least, was unaware that the entire anthem was about to blaze forth. What could have been a rather moving moment of patriotic warm-fuzzies was somewhat spoiled with feelings of having just been scolded by a grandfather or ordered by a drill sergeant. Then he instructed us to follow him for a quick presentation in the exhibit space—which was perfectly enjoyable—but, I feel that this could have been a fully positive event if the film had included a disclaimer telling us at the beginning what they expected or that the presentation would end with the singing of the anthem. ("Please, join us in singing . . ") I do not think the dramatic effect would have been lost, just the feeling that we're doing something wrong or being bullied!
(In the YouTube link below you can see just how absurdly enormous the original flag was, or you can click on the hyper-link in the above paragraph to visit the Smithsonian's website about their exhibition for the original Star-Spangled Banner.)
(Follow the below YouTube link to hear the entire national anthem with the lyrics. 2 min. 45 sec.)


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Matthew Broderick and even his interviewer, Alec Baldwin, revealed much about themselves and their careers in a freewheeling discussion on Saturday at Guild Hall that included some surprises and surprisingly candid insights on hits, flops, directors, and Marlon Brando. The talk was part of the Hamptons International Film Festival Conversations series.
Mr. Broderick, who has a house in Amagansett, has been in a vast assortment of films, including "War Games," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Glory," "Election," and the phenomenally successful play and movie remakes of "The Producers."
The discussion actually was a conversation: unwieldy, funny, and candid at times, two actors basically shooting the breeze about their craft and recounting their experiences to each other while a packed audience looked on. "This is more about me, though," Mr. Broderick joked at one point when Mr. Baldwin once again used his own experience as an introduction to a question. Later, when Mr. Broderick directed a question back to him, Mr. Baldwin parried with "but this is about you."
Mr. Broderick grew up in an acting family. His father, James Broderick, who died at the age of 55, early in his son's career, was most commonly known for his role as the father on the television series "Family." At the time of his father's death, Mr. Broderick had already broken through with roles in "Broadway Bound" on stage and the movie "War Games." Still, he said, "I don't remember that as a joyous time." Mr. Baldwin said his father died at 55, also early in his own acting career.
According to Mr. Broderick, it was during the filming of "Ladyhawke" in 1985 when he finally felt he had arrived. "It was my first time overseas," filming in Cinecitta studios in Rome. "I remember seeing Michelle Pfeiffer there leaning out a window I think with a cigarette. . . . She was so incredibly gorgeous in this Italian light and I thought, 'I've made it.' "
The two candidly discussed movies that they thought would be very good and ended up being disappointing, such as "The Road to Wellville," directed by Alan Parker. "That was an example of the best intentions and, I don't think I'm alone in saying this, did not work out," Mr. Broderick said. It was a film based on a T.C. Boyle novel. "I loved the book and was thrilled to be cast. It had Alan Parker, the best design people, a wonderful cast, and the movie was just silly and not as good as the book."
In noting the differences between film and theater, Mr. Broderick recalled, "I was working with Donald Sutherland and he said he just does what the director wants because [film] is a director's medium." He added that a director can make a film much better or much worse depending on his or her approach. "It's very mysterious when it all goes together. I find it extremely unpredictable."
Mr. Baldwin said that he avoided "giving in to folks that don't have my full confidence." Yet, "you realize you're not the one calling the shots. . . . You don't want them in the cutting room hating you."
Mr. Broderick added, "You have to give them whatever it is they want that, to some degree, you like, too." He especially enjoyed working with the directors Herbert Ross, Alexander Payne, and John Hughes, he said.
Hughes, who died in 2009, directed Mr. Broderick in "Ferris Bueller." He was an example of someone who "was so tuned in to my performance. He was hilariously funny and quiet." Although he could get mad at times, "he was the most easy person for me to work with" and receptive to ideas, too. Mr. Baldwin remembered that he was the only director he knew of who used cue cards during filming for notes.
Another film milestone for Mr. Broderick was working with Marlon Brando in "The Freshman." Mr. Broderick said "nobody ever really thought Brando would show up. At least I didn't. We got to rehearsal and he wasn't there and they said, 'He's on his way.' And I said 'Yeah, he's on his way, whatever.' " Then he arrived, not that late and on his knees apologizing. Mr. Broderick was not certain of this memory, but he said he believed he was in a velour sweatsuit with sunglasses and possibly a cowboy hat.
He said he was surprised that Brando would just sit down and read the script like the other actors. "Every now and then he was not in the best mood and you would be careful around him, but most of the time he was cheerful and an absolute thrill to act with." He recalled that the actor said on set that he hadn't had "an honest moment with another person in 40 years, because he felt people treated him like Marlon Brando."
Mr. Baldwin added his own recollection of a conversation he had with the actor at his house. "He said, 'We're like two dogs, you and I, sniffing each other. . . . Why don't you just say whatever it is you want to say and I'll say what I want.' I think he was used to people being in awe of him and creating an artificial environment around him."
According to Mr. Baldwin, one of the most explosive moments he had ever witnessed in theater was the opening night of "The Producers" in Manhattan. "People almost blew the roof off the building from the applause. They laughed from beginning to end. They had the time of their lives."
Mr. Broderick said he really liked doing plays, something in front of an audience that goes from beginning to end, unlike films, which are rarely shot sequentially. They knew from the beginning in a test preview in Chicago that they had a hit. "We just had a little piece of an audience and they went crazy right from the beginning. . . . Even the bad jokes are hilarious, apparently."
At one point toward the end of the conversation, a distraught guest interrupted the questions from the audience to implore the actors to help her with various government agencies plotting against her. She was escorted out by security. Mr. Baldwin defused the situation with humor, saying that the "big burly gentleman behind you would like to get some information from you now."
Mr. Broderick was next asked how he met his wife and he said, "Sure, right after I'm assassinated" to much laughter. He actually met Sarah Jessica Parker through her brother, who worked with the Naked Angels theater company at the same time he did. "She would come around to rehearsal and I met her that way." They lived together for a few years, then got married in 1997.


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California skydiving fatality ID'd as kin of racer
SAN DIEGO (AP) A skydiver found dead after a collision with another parachutist in eastern San Diego County has been identified as the 27-year-old brother-in-law of NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson.
The county medical examiner's office says in a statement Monday that Jordan Jor-El Janway died Sunday while skydiving with two others at Jamul (hah-mool). Janway collided with one of the other jumpers during freefall, failed to open his parachute and impacted the ground.
A statement posted on Johnson's website says Janway was the brother of Johnson's wife, Chandra. The statement asks for prayers and privacy.
Skydive San Diego owner Buzz Fink told reporters the victim was a veteran of more than 1,000 jumps.
The medical examiner has yet to schedule an examination of the body.