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Mark Rogowsky, Contributor
I write about technology, trends and companies on the leading edge.
A decade ago, MTV debuted a show called Punk'd in which Ashton Kutcher would play elaborate practical jokes on celebrities before the big reveal at the end of each episode. While the setup isn't quite the same, it's possible that Japan's Nikkei played the role of Kutcher this Sunday and the Wall Street Journal acted as the duped celebrity with a breathless report suggesting iPhone orders are about to fall off a cliff. Apple's stock has been under a ton of pressure lately, falling about 30 percent from its all-time high and this latest bit of apparent bad news has helped drive it down more, to below $500 a share today.
It started when the Journal reported: "Apple's orders for iPhone 5 screens for the first quarter, for example, have dropped to roughly half of what the company had planned to order, the people said." What's missing from that quote, however, is what Nikkei originally included and can still be found on Reuters (although no longer on WSJ): "Apple has asked Japan Display, Sharp and LG Display Co Ltd to roughly halve supplies of LCD panels from an initial plan for about 65 million screens in January-March, the Nikkei cited people familiar with the situation as saying." And that 65 million number we know is completely absurd. Just how absurd? Well, let's break it down.
For calendar fourth quarter, the one that just ended, the iPhone forecast is for 43-63 million phones. (Not all of those are iPhone 5s, of course, given that the 4s and 4 are still available.) The median of those estimates is around 49 million and a high estimate would put the iPhone 5 at 40 million of those. Since the latest iPod Touch uses the same screen, it's possible another 5 million screens would be used in the Christmas quarter for that. So let's say there is a total need for 45 million screens in the quarter that just ended.
Every year since the iPhone has launched, Apple has seen some seasonal drop off from the end of the year into the first quarter (what Apple calls Q2, but what is the first calendar quarter). The iPod Touch, in particular, sees a huge drop off. So no matter how strong iPhone 5 is selling, if the company needed 45 million screens last quarter, it would need fewer this quarter. How many? Perhaps 40 million or so. Of course, if Apple had ordered more than it needed last quarter to make sure that it was ahead of the game, it would need fewer still going into winter and might only require 30-35 million. The truth is, we don't know,, but then neither does Nikkei, or its unnamed sources.
None of this stopped a credulous WSJ from running the story as front-page news just eight days ahead of Apple's Jan. 23 earnings announcement. It's pile-on season for the Cupertino, Calif. consumer-electronics giant, which has apparently "lost its edge" according to most everything you read these days. It's an interesting spin given that the company sold 37 million iPhones in the holiday quarter this year and even the lowest end of the forecast would be a 20 percent boost to that number. (At 50 million, year-over-year growth would be 35 percent.)
Nevertheless, the latest rumors about Apple slashing component orders, in fact, come on the heels of supposedly positive developments at competitors. First, we heard "good news" from Nokia, which reported shipments of 4.4 million Lumia phones in the year-end quarter. Never mind that we are talking less than 2 percent market share for Nokia or that sales were boosted by heavy discounting, often down to $99 at retail — less than half what competing phones sell for. This is good news in the land of Nokia. It might not be repeatable as the Windows Phone platform has yet to prove especially popular, but was unequivocally spun as a positive pretty much everywhere it was reported.
Similarly, Cnet was very excited about Samsung's announcement that the Galaxy S phone line had crossed the 100 million mark in total sales. The phone is so desirable, "Sales of the flagship Galaxy S3 reached 30 million units in 5 months, and 40 million in 7 months, with average daily sales of about 190,000 units." You'd think that it's the hottest thing going with those numbers. Of course, as we were just discussing above, in the quarter just ended, Apple will have sold about as many iPhone 5′s as Samsung has sold Galaxy S3′s in 7 months! This is what the "experts" are already calling trouble and they haven't seen the numbers yet.
Now, of course, Samsung is also selling the prior generation S2, which Cnet tells us, "…is described as a steady bet after recording sales of over 40 million in 20 months." So that's about 2 million a month for that model to go with the 17 milllion S3 phones Samsung apparently moved in Q4. In other words, if we just compare the last two generations of phones, Apple sold somewhere around 35-45 million last quarter while Samsung moved about 23 million. It's certainly true that Samsung has a number of less-expensive entry models and will outsell Apple in raw numbers. But when one looks at "profit share" and wonders why Apple will continue to earn more of it in smartphones than Samsung, those numbers tell the story.
Certainly, if iPhone 5 demand is indeed falling off the cliff that the WSJ claims it is, things will change next quarter. And perhaps Apple's earnings report next week will tell us more about that. Then we'll find out who's really getting punk'd.
More on Forbes:
There is little (actually no) data that backs up your claim. However, if make the assumption a Galaxy S user is similar in usage patterns to an iPhone user when accessing things like the internet there is good data available to indicate:
1) In the US, the iPhone 5 alone is easily outselling the GS2, GN2, GN and GS2 combined. By a wide margin.
2) In the EU, the iPhone 5 alone is easily matching the sales of the GS3, GN2 and GS2.
3) In the UK, the iPhone 5 alone is outselling the GS2, GN2, GN and GS2 combined.
4) In Australia, the iPhone alone is crushing all of Android. By a wide margin.
5) In countries like China and India, high end smartphones simply do poorly.
The amazing thing is this data is freely available and largely ignored.
I'd like to know where you are getting your numbers on sales. Here is where I'm getting mine:
In any event, what you miss is that the REASON that Samsung is crushing Apple in overall world-wide smartphone sales is BECAUSE Samsung offers a more diverse product line. Arguably, Galaxy Note sales cannibilize fro the Galaxy S line on the high end, while a number of other Galaxy Smartphones that differ little form the Galaxy S line except cosmetically (all of the newer "budget" models run the the same version of Android as their Galaxy S and Galaxy Note "big brothers") cannibalize from the "S" line because budget-conscious consumers will opt for a less expensive but functionally near equivalent model if available.
However, as for world-wide numbers of Galaxy S vs. iPhone 5, please provide a credible source comparing actual number of units sold for each model worldwide TO DATE.
As for lower end models and lower margins, Samsung's profits last quarter exceeded Apples, on lower margins. Walmart has much lower margins that Tiffany's, but which company exerts the greatest influence on retailing? And which company is the most profitable?
There is no good news anywhere for Apple or Apple's shareholders. The visionary of the company has passed away; upper management turmoil is rampant with nearly weekly upper management defections or firings; there is no new "next big thing" on the horizon; Apple's products are stale – no real innovation left in them; the younger affluent generation has largely soured on the iPhone; they have lost momentum and are declining by every meaningful measure, while its largest competitor is by every meaningful measure on a "hockey Stick" upward track.
Where is the silver lining in this cloud? Apple's share of the smartphone market will continue to decline, and every competent analyst expects that Android will overtake IOS on tablets within the next 18 months. The majority of Apple's sales and profits come from smartphones and tablets. What was previously Apple's strength is quickly becoming its Achille's heel. Unless Apple can come up with a REALLY big "next big thing" before the end of this calendar year, its stock will sink below $250 a share, possibly even under $200 a share. Without that "next big thing" being REALLY big Apple stock will never see significantly north of $500 again.
Your data is freely available but largely ignored? Really? Please source your data.
BTW, making the assumption that Galaxy owners and iPhone owners have similar internet usage patterns on their devices is an assumption not supported by the data. In fact, every metric available shows that iPhone users use the iPhones to access the internet at a rate far exceeding that of android users on mobile networks. http://www.businessinsider.com/low-commerce-and-web-usage-on-android-2012-11
Your assumption is less than baseless.
And no one cares. Android's "market share" is an irrelevant metric. No one but Samsung is making money off of Android, so so much for the imagined health of the Android market. All those companies basing their products on Android and everyone of them but Samsung is losing money. Apple takes the lion's share of profits and RIM is losing money, and Samsung's success is based on copying Apple's products down to the power adapters.
the WSJ article – front page! – is stupid beyond belief. iPhone sales in the last year by quarter were 37M, 35M, 26M, and 27M. plus, as noted, 3M-5M iPod touch sales per quarter. so just to repeat last year's sales for its first two quarters Apple – the period that current old+new orders would cover until the next model is possibly launched in the early Spring – Apple would need 80M screens. add perhaps 25% growth in sales, it would need 100M.
assuming a typical 55M/45M split between the two quarters, at least 65M of those screens have already been manufactured, leaving 35M to go.
so yes, Apple's initial orders could possibly have totaled 65M, and it next order would indeed be almost 1/2 less at 35M. that would be consistent with the raw numbers in the first report.
but this has nothing to do with "slow sales," unless one would claim that 25% YOY sales growth is somehow a "slowing." it is indeed merely parts inventory management and no more.
if i can do the very very very simple math above, anyone can. the failure of all the so-called "journalists" (starting with the rapidly decaying WSJ) and web "pundits" (hello, The Verge) to get even this far is just utterly pathetic. this sorry episode perhaps illustrates better than ever the preposterously lame state of tech "reporting" today. it's about 85% rumor hit-whoring.


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---- — DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is offering generous deals on Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks after they piled up on dealer lots.
GM is matching or beating discounts from rivals Ford and Chrysler this month. It miscalculated in November when it reduced incentives and truck buyers went looking elsewhere for sweeter deals.
The three Detroit automakers have been vying for new truck business all year as the market continues a slow rebound from the Great Recession. Experts say buyers can now get discounts of $4,500 or more on some of the best-selling vehicles in the country. Throw in low interest rates, sweet lease deals and abundant financing and it's a good time for people who are in the market for a truck.
"They're all very competitive with each other right now," said Russell Barnett, who owns dealerships around Winchester, Tenn., southeast of Nashville, that sell GM pickups as well as the Ford F-Series and Chrysler's Ram. "The manufacturers are putting a big emphasis on it, and there are a lot of people in the market."
GM is offering up to $9,000 off remaining 2012 models pickups and close to $4,500 off 2013s, while the other automakers have either held steady or raised incentives on certain models. Dealers say Chrysler's average incentive is around $5,000, while Ford's is less, around $4,000.
That means good deals on Ford's F-Series pickup, the top-selling vehicle in America, as well as the Silverado, which ranks second. Together, the Detroit Three control 83 percent of the U.S. full-size pickup truck market.
Chrysler led the way on incentives most months this year, sometimes exceeding $5,000, and GM wasn't far behind. But in November, GM cut discounts on the Silverado and Sierra by about $400, falling almost $1,200 below the Ram and $100 below Ford, according to figures from J.D. Power and Associates.
Silverado sales fell 10 percent last month, while Ford truck sales rose 18 percent and Ram leaped 23 percent.

subset: commoncrawl


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Zeiterion Theatre
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Rock in the Cuse!
I just want to say how excited I am to have Godsmack, Stanid, and Halestorm come to Syracuse to play. I have driven many miles to see Godsmack play many times in the past and it is great to have them right in our backyard.
Syracuse used to be the central location for a lot of great concerts but in the last 10 years always seems to get passed by. I hear there is a new promoter in town and I don't know who that is but I thank them for bringing concerts back to Syracuse.
Looking forward to the concert and many more to come!!
That's so cool. In Cedar Rapids, (the biggest, nearest city) the venue is being re-done, so it's closed for a year or two, can't remember, sux. The last good show was last Spring when Music as a Weapon tour with Disturbed, Kory & others came through. David Draimann from Disturbed said that they weren't touring the biggest cities, so that they could play for fans in smaller cities.


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By VINCE PELUSO — email@example.com
Staff Writer
As the leaves begin to change colors on the trees, it is a sign that fall is here. It also a sign that The Legends Cross Country Meet is here and in turn, that postseason racing is right around the corner.
That's a good sign for Bill Sarvis and his Perry Pirates as the Pirates were the top finisher in the Star Beacon's coverage area, placing fifth in the Division II boys race and eighth in the Division II girls meet.
"It was not a bad race, we had a nice pack today in the boys," Sarvis said. "We had some young girls step up today. We're still trying to get healthy. We have a couple of kids out with a few aggravations but with it being as soft as it was today we decided to play it safe with them."
Junior Aaran Gessic led the Pirates with a time of 17:52, which was good enough for 23rd. Sophomores Dustin Gilber (27th, 18:10.6), Eric Grubaugh (31st, 18:13.6), Erik Pritschau (47th, 18:41.6) and senior Alexander Guthrie (35th, 18:23.6) weren't far behind in helping the Perry boys.
On the girls side, sophomore Marissa Sell was the top finisher, placing 19th with a time of 21:56.9. Freshman Madeline Dew (22:56.5), junior Sara Kerestman (22:57.3) and freshman Mackenzie Fath (22:58.9) were the perfect illustration of the pack Sarvis describe as they finished 38th, 39th and 40th.
Sophomore Taylor Golinar rounded out Perry's girls with a 24:02.1, good enough for 65th.
"The girls are really young," Sarvis said. "We have to stay in those packs because I don't think our boys or girls has that one runner who is a single digit runner every race so we've got to rely on the strength of our pack. Last week and this week, we've had the best pack we've had all year."
For Sarvis, sometimes ignorance is bliss when it comes to his young girls.
"Our girls are so young, you can just tell when they're running that they aren't sure what they're doing but sometimes that's a good thing," he said.
In Division II, the top area finisher was Edgewood's Chris Lemay, who finished 16th with a time of 17:34.4. Senior teammate Derryn Tomsic finished one place behind with a time of 17:38.8 and Chris' twin brother Josh placed 28th with a time of 18:11.0.
Warriors coach Steve Hill was pleased with how the trio ran.
"I'm really pleased with how our top three performed today," he said. "We were missing our four and five today, so typically the gap between our third and fourth runner won't be so big. But I'm happy with how we ran today."
Although the track was muddy in areas and the temperatures cooler, Hill said his team wasn't bothered by the conditions.
"Weather in the low 50s like that is perfect running conditions," he said. "This is a good meet for us. We don't run this week so we won't run again until districts in two weeks, so I think this was good preparation for that."
All told, Edgewood finished ninth in the Division II race.
On the girls side, Hill's Warriors found themselves in a similar position as Sarvis', as the youthful group placed 13th.
That said, Hill still liked the way his girls ran.
"We had two girls run personal bests and a few others come close," he said. "They've ran here before in junior high, but this is really the first time they've been in a meet like this at this level so I think they handled it well. They're just so young."
Leading Edgewood were freshmen Savannah Spring in 31st with a time of 22:35.9, Shelbie Sporich (35th, 22:50.2), Rebekah Simmons (49th, 23:13.7) and senior Keegan McTrusty (24:15.7).
Jefferson placed eighth on the boys side in Division II with Matt Kantor leading the Falcons with a 17:47.2, good enough for 22nd. He was followed by fellow sophomore Brandon Scribben (34th, 18:23.5), junior Steven Houser (44th, 18:32.3), senior Andrew Picard (18:47.3 and freshman Paul Bogdan (19:21.0).
On the girls side, the Falcons finished 16th and were led by junior Collen O'Connor in 46th with a time of 23:06.5.
Conneaut's boys didn't have enough runners to qualify for a team score, but Christian Tusai was the Spartans top finisher in 94th with a time of 19:37.4.
Conneaut's girls finished 14th, led by sophomore Keeley Cole in 42nd with a time of 23 flat. She was followed by freshmen Alyssa Chadwick (58th, 23:48.7), Christa Oxley (75th, 24:24.1), sophomore Alexis Millar (77th, 24:28) and senior Maria Perkio (78th, 24:31.2).
Division I
There were only two schools competing in the Division I race in the Star Beacon's coverage area as Lakeside's boys placed seventh overall while the Dragons' girls placed eighth.
Geneva's girls finished 11th.
On the boys side, Lakside was led by senior Brandon Lopez who placed 18th by running a 17:41.3.
"That's fair for him," Dragons coach Greg Zannelli said. "It's not his best time, not his worst time. The course was slow and we had a tough week of training so this was about what I was expecting."
Lopez was followed by juniors Brady Bunnell (31st, 18:21.9), William Taggart (37th, 18:36.3), Logan Cleversy (44th, 19:04.9) and Caleb Henery (47th, 19:13.9).
"We've had a few injuries, but everyone has been working really hard," Zanelli said. "Our fifth man has been different every race and there's been no crying just competition. That's absolutely a good thing to have."
Zanelli said he wasn't entirely satisfied with the meet itself, though, noting that they may not return next year to better prepare for this week's upcoming Premier Athletic Conference meet.
That goes along with the lines of his team's mantra for the season.
"We've kind of adopted the philosophy to be bigger than Ashtabula," he said. "It's not good enough to be the best in Ashtabula, we want to be the best anywhere . It doesn't matter what county we're in, we want that competition."
Leading the Dragons on the girls side was Karen Barrientos with a 33rd place finish with a time of 21:37. Senior Kristen Beres followed in 40th with a time of 21:53.9 preceded by sophomores Carlie Watt (41st, 21:57.7), Megan Abrams (62nd, 23:21.3) and senior Jennifer Schwentker (24:36.9).
Hailey VanHoy was the leader of the pack for Geneva as the junior finished 24th with a time of 21:08. Eagles following her were sophomores Emily Deering (51st, 22:36.6), Julia Hanchosky (63rd, 23:22.1), Kayla Nieset (73rd 25:01.9) and freshman Sydney VanHoy (27:53.3).
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Availability: Charleston Marriott Town Center
Deluxe RoomMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children, 2 infants)
Concierge Room, Concierge ServiceMax Occupancy: 5 guests (up to 4 children, 4 infants)
Deluxe RoomMax Occupancy: 5 guests (up to 4 children, 4 infants)
Charleston hotel with an indoor pool
With a stay at Charleston Marriott Town Center in Charleston, you'll be minutes from Charleston Town Center Mall and close to Avampato Discovery Museum.
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Make yourself at home in one of the 352 air-conditioned guestrooms. Cable programming provides entertainment, and wired and wireless Internet access is available for a surcharge. Bathrooms have complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include phones, as well as desks and complimentary weekday newspapers.
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Featured amenities include high-speed (wired) Internet access (surcharge), a 24-hour business center, and express check-in. Planning an event in Charleston? This hotel has 17500 square feet (1575 square meters) of space consisting of conference/meeting rooms and small meeting rooms. A roundtrip airport shuttle is complimentary (available 24 hours).Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Charleston Marriott Town Center Amenities
- General
In addition to an indoor pool, Charleston Marriott Town Center provides a sauna and a 24-hour fitness center. Dining options at the hotel include a restaurant and a coffee shop/café. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access.
Business-related amenities at this 3.5-star property consist of a 24-hour business center and small meeting rooms. Event facilities measuring 17500 square feet (1575 square meters) include conference/meeting rooms. This business-friendly hotel also offers gift shops/newsstands, coffee/tea in the lobby, and dry cleaning/laundry services. A roundtrip airport shuttle is complimentary to guests (available 24 hours). Parking is available onsite for a surcharge.
Charleston Marriott Town Center is a smoke-free property.
- Free Wi-Fi
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- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (feet) - 17500
- Conference space size (meters) - 1575
- Number of meeting rooms - 14
- Restaurant
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- 24-hour front desk
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- Number of floors - 16
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- Total number of rooms - 352
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Available in all rooms: Wireless Internet access (surcharge) , Wired high-speed Internet access (surcharge)
Available in some public areas: Free Wi-Fi , Wired (high-speed) Internet access - surcharge
- Parking
Self parking (surcharge)
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Charleston Marriott Town Center has a restaurant on site.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
- Recreation
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an indoor pool, a sauna, and a 24-hour fitness center.
Charleston Marriott Town Center Policies & Fees
- Check-in
Check-in time starts at 4 PM
- Check-out
Check-out time is noon
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Accepted at this hotel: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, JCB International, MasterCard, Visa
- General
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- Fees
- The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
- Breakfast fee: USD 14 per person (approximately)
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: USD 12.95 per day (rates may vary)
- Fee for in-room high-speed Internet (wired): USD 12.95 per day (rates may vary)
- Self parking fee: USD 14 per day
- Additional Details
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.
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Stay in selected rooms and receive daily breakfast for two adults and children under 13.
Extra-person charges apply for additional adults and include breakfast.
This promotion is valid for on-site breakfast from the hot buffet, full menu, or room service. Guests must book the "Stay for Breakfast" room type. Promotion may not be available on all days. Not combinable with other promotions.


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Jeff Bercovici, Forbes Staff
I cover technology with an emphasis on social and digital media.
Critical reception of "The Newsroom," Aaron Sorkin's new HBO series set in the TV news business, has been generally cool. On Metacritic.com, which averages out reviews from all over, its score is a distinctly mediocre 57. Even those critics who've embraced it have generally done so with considerable caveats.
You wouldn't know that from ads HBO has been running to promote it, though. A two-pager that ran in last week's edition of The Hollywood Reporter, among other places, quotes breathless-sounding praise from The New York Times, Time and Salon, among two dozen outlets. Yet all three of the reviews those blurbs were drawn from were distinctly negative.
The quote from the Times, bannered atop the full width of the spread, reads: "Wit, sophistication and manic energy…A magical way with words…a lot of charm."
Times TV critical Alessandra Stanley did write those words. But she also wrote, "[A]t its worst, the show chokes on its own sanctimony," said it " suffers from the same flaw that it decries on real cable shows on MSNBC or Fox News" and called the show's central structural conceit "probably a mistake."
Time's James Poniewozik, summarizing his views on "The Newsroom" for non-subscribers, flatly declared, "I was not a fan." Yet the ad makes it sound like he was, burbling, "The pacing is electric…captures the excitement."
Salon's Willa Paskin is quoted in the ad calling "The Newsroom" "captivating, riveting, rousing." Here's what she actually wrote: "The results are a captivating, riveting, rousing, condescending, smug, infuriating mixture, a potent potion that advertises itself as intelligence-enhancing but is actually just crazy-making."
Then there's Paste's Aaron Channon, who supposedly called the show "remarkable…intelligent." Here's a more representative sampling of his review: "Compared to the standard established during the past several years by HBO and AMC, early returns on The Newsroom are disappointing."
A scandal this is not. Movie studios have been doing this sort of thing, and getting called out for it, for decades. And, to be fair, a number of the reviews quoted in the ad are genuine raves.
But twisting slams to make them sound favorable is not something HBO has done much of in the past, or needed to, with most of its shows becoming instant critical darlings. The last new HBO series to fare this poorly with critics was the short-lived "John From Cincinnati," which got a composite score of 51 on Metacritic.
Poniewozik says he doesn't ever remember the network pulling this kind of chicanery with one of his reviews. "Ironic way to promote a journalism drama," he says. He also fired off a string of tweets to this effect after I alerted him to the ad, and emailed HBO to complain.
I also emailed HBO for comment and am waiting to hear back. For the record, I've been writing about "The Newsroom" for Esquire; you can read my latest recap here.
Although Sorkin says it will be a fair view, it is terribly liberal.That's ok I guess its his show however that's not what is laid out in the show's format..I like different so I like the show, but I think the political one- sidedness is childish at best.
*SMH at this article* wow.
For the first time I can remember I've stopped watching an HBO series after giving it a fair shot. First episode actually showed a hint of promise but after that it was all down hill. Nobody has conversations they simply reach to each other ad nausea. feh… I just removed it from the DVR list. I found odd that in his first big speech he implies that the "sorority girl" is an uninformed idiot but then it you get to see that his newsroom is pretty much staffed with frat boys and sorority girls. And so it goes..
This easily HBO's best show after "Game Of Throne's" & "Boardwalk Empire". This is riveting TV + it's needed for our society in a time when the media & broadcast journalism are being hung by their nuts to blur the line between fact & "hype"!! This show gives us an opportunity regain our sanity from a "neutral" corner. You can't be mad at that, but I can see how an American would not like anyone being critical of them, especially when it's so obvious that you got played by your own government & news agencies! #fail
I'm sorry but your point makes little sense. I can't think of a single point of view in this show that is not represented in the American news media. This show doesn't say anything new that you couldn't have found anywhere from CNN to Fox to the BBC. And I can't seriously think of anything Aaron Sorkin has ever done that did not skew heavily to the left including this show. The way they represent the Tea Party is a perfect example. It's essentially a hit piece.
First, I don't think you understand the point of the show. The point of the show isn't to be unbiased itself. It is a DRAMA created to depict A NEWS SHOW who's goal is to be as unbiased as possible. It's not THE NEWSROOM that's unbiased it's NEWS NIGHT that is. (Essentially its a biased show about an unbiased news corporation.) Which is why they have the three points in the second or third episode. (The 3 I's or some other letter)
Next, that would be because they way they represent the Tea Party is correct. The tea party is portrayed as a hypocritical "grassroots organization" which aims to completely abolish government spending because it's a hop skip and a jump away from being so. The fact that it's the tea party that's the target is there to get a conflict in the plot. It also serves to highlight that there are people in the media who heavily favor one side of the spectrum and they are a contributing factor to the spin of present day media.
One could argue that on News Night they went after a lot of the candidates from the tea party in the election night episode but that was the news that was happening. When a ton of experienced republican senators and congresspersons get ousted by young less experienced members from an almost unknown party then its big news.
And to move on to the fact that the show doesn't say anything new. Of course it doesn't. Were you actually expecting them to report new news from 2 years ago. IT'S A DRAMA, NOT A NEWS SHOW.
As a registered Independent, I was looking forward to watching The Newsroom based on the advertising leading up to Episode 1. It only took two episodes to see that this show is very biased in an obnoxious way. Although I knew Aaron Sorkin is very Liberal, I was hoping HBO would influence the writing to be balanced and centrist. My hopes are now dashed, and I too have removed The Newsroom from my DVR future recording settings. If ratings and revenue matter, why don't the HBO execs recognize that according to Rasmussen, 35.4% of Americans consider themselves Republican, 34.0% consider themselves Democrats, and 30.6% consider themselves like me to be Independent? By taking a far left approach, The Newsroom is eliminating almost 2/3 of its potential audience. Perhaps Time Warner would be better served by placing Aaron's compensation package squarely on ratings and viewership. I would wager a bet that the quality of The Newsroom would improve as well.
To me the show has lots of faults. Its depiction of the female leads has to now been just awful. While Mackenzie McHale has some very charming mannerisms, they are incongruent with the reputation that she supposedly has developed — I have a hard time imagining a woman who can't help but fumble over her words and knows nothing about the economy can be at the level she's at in the news business. I admit to getting foggy when too much economic news comes up, but I'm not the executive producer of a successful cable news program. And the whole Jim/Maggie/Don/Lisa thing is juvenile.
But what I do appreciate about this show is the discussion of ethics in the media. Although it seems wildly left of center, it is nevertheless stressing the difficulty of knowing what to believe when the news has been so influenced by other factors. And I love the casting of Jane Fonda. She has the "ghost" of Ted Turner and the mention of her other ex — Tom hayden. Where's Roger Vadim?
That reminds me of a Simpsons joke where Marge is publishing a book, and the publishing company calls up Tom Clancy to get a blurb:
Tom Clancy: Would I say, "[Book Title] is a clear and present danger to your free time?" No I will not! . . . What do you mean, "I just said it"?
Sorry to disagree with the esteemed critics but the show is wonderful, a worthy successor to The West Wing which arguably was the best series on TV in decades.
Last night's episode of The Newsroom penned by Sorkin was perfect!
I agree it is a very worthy successor of the West Wing. It's essentially West Wing in the Newsroom. People in important positions of power are much too young for their role. There are very few normal conversations or relationships. Everybody preaches endlessly and over-emotionally. And it's simply assumed that everyone watching the show will just naturally have the same world view as the writers because "of course" it's the only view that "smart people" could possibly have. So yeah they are similar.
Yes, Aaron Sorkin is a Democrat. Rupert Murdoch is a crazy right wing clown also. It means nothing. If you like Democrats or are at least independent, you might enjoy the Newsroom. If you're more to the right and unwilling to value something for it's sheer entertainment or even dare for it's potential to enlighten, you will be closed minded and myopic regarding Sorkin's latest creation, perfering to only watch Fox and read outlets like Forbes. It is therefore no surprise at all folks at Forbes are tearing down this show now. While the show does suffer at times from tangled and even forced plot lines, it's true straight is it's ability to give us faster hindsight about the recent past. For example, I confirmed this independent of the show's fictional reporting, and indeed President Obama in 2010, pre Gabby Gifford's shooting, was given an F by the Brady Campaign against gun violence for his utter lack of action on gun control. You would think this would draw cheers from the right, Obama is and never was a threat to their guns at all. But nope. He's after your guns alright! That is after he lets you carry in the national parks, and on Amtrak trains and then muzzles members of his cabinet who prefer stricter regulations. Then on this weeks show, the Newsroom reminded us that justice Clarance Thomas's wife took money from the Koch brothers before deciding a case that Koch money was a party to (Citizens United). Every honest person on the right knows damn well in their hart of harts if a liberal appointed judge had done that they would be demanding their impeachment. Make no mistake, in between somewhat annoying romantic and tabloid plot lines, the Newsroom is speaking truth to power, something journalists did indeed used to do. Edward R Morrow to Joe McCarthy, Conkite during Vietnam, Shep Smith to Fox News (kidding) and others. I half expect with hit pieces like this, for Forbes will declare next week, "Joe McCarthy was right."
Who is slamming it? People who work in newsrooms. I've worked at a newspaper, so I can understand. I think it has too many characters that I don't care about, but their exposing the Koch Brothers and other dirty dealings for folks that oddly get their news from dramas can only be a good thing.
Jeff Daniels is the only actor in the series who holds our attention. Quite frankly, many of the other actors are annoying or forgettable and it takes a lot of work for us to get through each episode. After this week, I think we're giving up.
Given the focus of the show this seems like a very deliberate act. What I mean is, the Newsroom is a show about the media and the power it has and HBO is showing its accuracy by manipulating the media in such a blasé fashion.
Basically, the point isn't to trick people into thinking critics love the show, its to show how easy it is to skew perceptions and thus make people think that there's more to the newsroom than meets the eye.
Jeff Daniels keeps this show on track and Sorkin is "spot on"!! I realize that it slants compared to raving lunatics on the other side of the fence, but maybe people are tired of the raving and are wanting some sense and honor to their news.
Very funny to see life imitating art. Thank you for sharing all of this. I haven't seen the show, and I don't really care for HBO programs, so this is just another reason to avoid them.
I am a fan of Sorkin and I make an honest effort to acknowledge the work, in terms of sheer volume and context, and the complicated process required to produce a show like "The West Wing" and now "The Newsroom". However, both shows are covertly formulaic in terms of characters and content. Both want to say that the exuberance and raw intellectualism of youth can be properly mentored by stoic, experienced and wise Elder Statesman like President Bartlet and Anchorman McAvoy into "changing the world".
Sorkin has given McAvoy the same secret vice as President Bartlet in that both want to "sneak a smoke" from time to time, This, to my mind, is an effort to support the old-time film adage that smoking equates to sophistication and intelligence.
Sorkin also employed a tactic on TWW where Conservatives would "come clean" behind closed doors about one topic or another such as 'The Inheritance Tax", (The Death Tax) or gun control. The Conservative character would say they "really" believed in taxing inheritance or supported broader gun control laws but to publicly state such a position would cost them politically.
I predict this will occur on TNR very soon.
Of course, the media will be unhappy with it – it questions the industry's integrity and shows them as less than perfect human beings!
I'm just happy that the general public will get to see what's going on behind the scenes with Republicans, the Koch brothers, Karl Rove and all the despicable actors who are hurting the country.
Too many people don't pay attention to politics and don't understand what's really happening, so hopefully, this will let them see that the country is being destroyed by corporations and political interest groups who are buying politicians and LYING TO THE PUBLIC while hiding behind innocent names like "Americans for Energy Independence" and "Citizens for Freedom".
It's a great series, and now I'm sorry I didn't watch the West Wing!
My husband and I enjoyed the first show. We watched three more episodes – it went down hill and we just stopped watching it altogether. It started off being non-preachy. When they started taking cheap shots a Fox and Sarah Palin, we quit. What the heck. We are done with HBO.
I love it!!!
Aaron Sorkin's imagining of the daily-news-circuit-gone-"right" is a fast-paced mess of intellectual insanity, slap-stick humor, and high octane verbal vomiting, which couldn't be more Sorkin (and, as a fan of most of his previous work, I am relatively entertained and spellbound by it all), but, more often, especially where the The Newsroom is concerned, I find Sorkin falling prey to a dilemma that most first year writers easily avoid. His penchant for marathon rhetoric and audience lecturing has taken the helm, and, rather than use characters and their actions to express the values and themes of the show (through interaction, reaction, and motivation), he'd rather use them as talking podiums to grandiosely indulge in his own stilted ideology.
This is story-telling 101: show, don't tell.
Ah, the poor darlings having their thoughts and words taken out of context. Oh how awful. Terrible even. After all, everybody knows that journalists, especially headliner composers and editorial page cartoonists would NEVER stoop so low and do anything like that. Oh tut tut. Those naughty HBO people really do need to be whipped with a wet noodle. Maybe even two of them. Together. At the same time!
Good show. A lot of us would like to watch the news delivered by people that are always opposition, regardless of who or what the topic is.
Critics have their view. I have nine, I thiriughky enjoy the program. Then I am not motivated by a better job offer as a Koch peddler.
Sorkin a diehard Democrat chooses a Republican as the main character to criticize the political political leanings of the party against two year-old events…. And he wants everyone to believe that the Wholly Grail of conservationism its the real key to the truth. No wonder its a hard sale!
By far the best TV series on the air. Hilarious comedy, drama, romance, very fast paced, honest, brilliant, & the news stories are based on actual events. This is the news behind the news, and with a very powerful message; we no longer receive real news anymore. Todays news programs are more tabloid garbage than real news, with an obsession with celebrities, and allowing the advertisers and mega corporations to establish a criteria & theme for their format. Every effort is made not to offend the politicians, religious groups, and the fanatical patriotism of the country, with the result being a very watered down & dumbing down form of news. Of course this program will create enormous controversy, with a violent backlash of criticism, all coming from the above groups that are offended by the material of the program, especially the extreme radical right wingers of the country, as it potrays them as they really are.
The greatest TV series ever! Hilarious comedy, drama, romance, brilliant, honest, fast paced, & it carrys a very powerful message. News programs no longer present the real news. They are more like tabloid magazines obsessed with celebrity fetishes, they allow their advertisers and mega corporations to determine their theme & format, and they are afraid to offend politicians, political groups, religious groups, and radical patriots. The result is a severe watering down of the news & a dumbing down of society. Of course it will create a storm of controversy, and all of the above groups will viciously criticize it, especially all of the extreme radical right wingers, as it exposes all of their lies & manipulations, but for those who really enjoy a fresh taste of the truth and can clearly see how the country is rapidly sliding into a vortex of corruption & disinergration, they will very loudly cheer Aaron Sorkin's bold plunge into the truth.
"The greatest TV series ever! Hilarious comedy, drama, romance, brilliant, honest, fast paced, & it carrys a very powerful message. News programs no longer present the real news. They are more like tabloid magazines obsessed with celebrity fetishes, they allow their advertisers and mega corporations to determine their theme & format, and they are afraid to offend politicians, political groups, religious groups, and radical patriots. The result is a severe watering down of the news & a dumbing down of society. Of course it will create a storm of controversy, and all of the above groups will viciously criticize it, especially all of the extreme radical right wingers, as it exposes all of their lies & manipulations, but for those who really enjoy a fresh taste of the truth and can clearly see how the country is rapidly sliding into a vortex of corruption & disinergration, they will very loudly cheer Aaron Sorkin's bold plunge into the truth.
The greatest series ever. Hilarious comedy, with lots of drama & romance. The news stories it covers are actual events, like the 2008 Wall Street collapse, the oil well explosion in the Gulf, the Iraq war, & many others. It shows the real news behind the news, & names the names of people responsible. Brilliant, honest, fast paced, with excellent actors, & it carrys a very powerful message. It portrays how existing news programs no longer present the real news. They are more like tabloid magazines obsessed with celebrity fetishes, they allow their advertisers and the mega corporations to determine their theme & format, and they are afraid to offend politicians, political groups, religious groups, and radical patriots for the sake of ratings. The result is a severe watering down of the news & a dumbing down of society. Of course this program will create a storm of controversy, and all of the above groups will viciously criticize it, but for those who really enjoy a fresh taste of the truth and can comprhend how the country is rapidly sliding into a vortex of corruption & disinergration, with the mega rich getting much richer, and the middle class rapidly losing ground, they will very loudly cheer Aaron Sorkin's bold plunge into the truth. Before any problem can be adequately delt with, we must first clearly understand what caused the problem, & this program succinctly clarifies that.
I like the idea of the show. Who wouldn't want actual news instead of the canned BS that we get now from the "news" stations? But the characters are completely forgettable. Some are downright hyperactive. The treatment of women on the show is appalling – klutsy, irrational, headstrong, impulsive. ON the opposite end is the Leona Helmsly character who is portrayed as just a power mongering B***h. One thing Sorkin did get right is having Jane Fonda portray her. That actually makes sense since she fits right in to that role. I for one will never forget her arrogance and anti-American rants from the Vietnam war era. Because she is on the show, I will no longer be watching. I'm not missing much anyway. If I want to see something like the Newsroom, I can always watch re-runs of the West Wing, which is basically the same show with a different subject.
If you actually look at the metacritic score you'll see it was pulled down by mostly conservative newspapers and an amusing "0″ score from one rag.
The news industry doesn't take well to criticism of itself, well too bad. I want some good TV, and this is it.
I wondered if there was some type of conspiracy behind the poor rating of this great show. I'm not being sarcastic because what you said makes sense….maybe conspiracy is not the right word there…


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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Best Buy Co. CEO Brian Dunn has resigned from the electronics retailer.
Best Buy says that it was a mutual decision, and that there were no disagreements with Dunn on any matter relating to operations, financial controls, policies or procedures. Best Buy's sales have been stung by competition from online sellers like Amazon.com.
Board member Mike Mikan will serve as interim CEO while the company searches for a permanent replacement, Best Buy said Tuesday.
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In this section our policy experts give their views on the latest news and developments in the banking industry
Raising ethical and professional standards in banking is an objective we all share. But a single solution, such as a bankers' oath, can only ever form part of the answer. Read BBA Executive Director for Financial Policy and Operations Paul Chisnall's blog discussing the oath and why Sir Richard Lambert's Banking Standards Review Council can deliver lasting cultural change.Read more
Written by Paul Chisnall
New research from the BBA has revealed that UK influence in Brussels is set to decline sharply in the coming years as the number of British officials falls of a "cliff edge". The BBA has called on the Government to take action to arrest this decline. In this article BBA Head of EU Affairs, Gergely Polner, talks through some of the main findings of the report and suggests some ways the UK Government could arrest this decline.Read more
Written by Gergely Polner
The BBA wants to hear your thoughts on how we can change our country from a nation of debtors into a nation of savers. Please submit your response to our consultation by Friday August 22. The BBA's Rob Watts outlines some of the responses we have already received.Read more
Written by Robert Watts
Today's reshuffle isn't just about the Conservative Party ensuring that it appears to represent Britain ahead of next year's General Election, it's also about ensuring that David Cameron has the right team in place to run the Conservatives' General Election Campaign.Read more
Written by Rebecca Park
The introduction of a leverage ratio will help make the financial system safer. Especially if it takes the form of a simple, internationally harmonised measure. BBA Executive Director for Prudential Capital and Risk Simon Hills responds to the Financial Policy Committee's leverage ratio consultation paper in his latest blog.Read more
Written by Simon Hills
BBA Executive Director for Prudential Capital and Risk Simon Hills responds to Bank of England Deputy Governor Andrew Bailey's speech on the capital adequacy of banks. He argues that banks are much stronger and safer than they were before the financial crisis. But with plenty of reforms still on the table, it's vital we avoid any unintended consequences of regulation.Read more
Written by Simon Hills
There was no a prawn cocktail in sight but Ed Miliband's speech at yesterday's Inclusive Prosperity Conference was very much about showing business that the Labour Party has been listening to their concerns, does recognise the importance of wealth creators and will support them under a Labour government.Read more
Written by Rebecca Park
The BBA has today responded to the European Commission's consultation on tax problems faced by EU citizens when active across borders within the EU. The response urges the Commission to further consider the implications of the proposed FTT for the proper functioning of the internal market and for investors seeking to be active across borders within the EU.Read more
Written by Sarah Wulff-Cochrane
Adapting to legislative change is never easy, especially when it comes with a ranch of new reporting requirements. They can leave firms asking why now, what else will come and how much will it cost? Our Transaction and Trade reporting conference on 16July 2014 focuses on what changes stemming from MiFID II, MiFIR and EMIR mean for businesses throughout the UK.Read more
Written by Francesco Angelini
The possible composition of the European Commission remains the most interesting question exercising EU policy geeks these days.
We have collected the gossip reverberating around pubs and corridors of Brussels' EU quarter.
(Please treat this as pure speculation or idle gossip. Also, we must have missed some of the publicly available information – grateful if you let us know the mistakes.)Read more
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Kingston, NH — Mark E. Crescentini, 55, passed away on May 27, 2012 at Portsmouth Regional Hospital in Portsmouth, NH.
Born in Somerville, MA. He was the son of Edo Crescentini and the late Phyllis (Reidy) Crescentini.
Mark grew up in Kingston and was a 1976 graduate of Sanborn Regional High School. After serving in the Army he had various employers and eventually worked as a computer exporter for Digital Equipment Corp. Mark also lived in Massachusetts, Texas and Colorado but in recent years resided in Kingston.
Survivors include his father Edo Crescentini of Kingston; two sisters and their husbands Denise and Peter Foy of Newton, NH and Debra and George Mayhew of Clover, SC; nieces and nephews Briana Foy, Marissa Foy, Paul Mayhew, Kevin Mayhew and his wife BJ; great nieces and nephews Makayla Mayhew, Brayden Mayhew and Sophie Mayhew. He also leaves an aunt, his godmother and numerous cousins and friends who along with his immediate family will miss him dearly.
ARRANGEMENTS: Relatives and friends may call on Saturday, June 2, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home, 116 Main Street, Plaistow, NH. A funeral service be held in the funeral home at 11:15 a.m. Burial will follow in Greenwood Cemetery Kingston. To send online condolences go to www.brooksidechapelfh.com.


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District 118 school board members voted 7-0 Wednesday night to approve a package of cuts and other recommendations that will save the district $3 million in the next fiscal year.
The package includes a reduction of 24 positions through attrition, retirements and a reduction-in-force (RIF). School board members will have a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday to announce and approve which teachers will be RIFed.
RIFs will be done differently this year than in the past, with staff members being cut based on a combination of seniority and performance. Any employee receiving an unsatisfactory or needs improvement on his or her evaluation would be RIFed first, then it would go by seniority.
The cuts include:
Eliminating the two School Administration Managers (SAMs), one each at North Ridge and South View middle schools.
Eliminating 14 elementary school teachers, eight of whom would be through attrition: 11 classroom teachers, one special education teacher, one music teacher and one physical education teacher.
Eliminating three middle school teachers, two of whom would be through attrition: one art teacher, one computer teacher and one math coach.
Eliminating five high school teachers, four of whom would be through attrition: one credit recovery teacher, one math teacher, one science teacher, one physical education teacher and one business teacher.
A Work Experience and Career Exploration Program teacher will not be cut as previously announced because grant funding is available for the position.
The total savings from eliminating 24 positions is $2.12 million. The total savings is higher than it normally would be for the elimination of 24 employees because of the large number of retirees that are leaving the district at the end of the school year.
"Half of that (cost savings) is retired staff that is at the top of the pay scale," Superintendent Mark Denman told the board. "We want to preserve our programs for boys and girls. We don't want to make catastrophic cuts."
Class sizes will increase because of the teacher cuts, so board members approved adding four non-certified elementary school teaching assistants in the overcrowded classrooms at a total cost of $116,926.
Danville Education Association Robin Twidwell, however, took exception to the plan to eliminate full-time teaching positions yet hire back teaching assistants to help with overcrowded classrooms.
"I have serious concerns over the proposed cuts," Twidwell told board members before they voted unanimously to make the cuts. "I hope the board considers the impact this will have on the class size and the students. I hope that you consider that the students would benefit from having teachers in the classrooms instead of teaching assistants."
Twidwell also had some words for the four board members — Frank Young, Gina McGuire, Dan Brown and Steve Bragorgos — who voted in November to reduce the tax rate of this year's levy, lowering the amount of taxes the district will collect by up to $700,000.
"We find it incredibly appalling that there were four members who lowered the tax levy," she said. "You caused the levy to be lowered by $400,000 to $700,000."
Young, however, defended his decision to lower the tax rate.
"We have a community that's really hurting," he said. "A lot of people have lost jobs or have had their hours reduced. We're trying to manage a catastrophic loss of revenue from the state. This is not something that's easy to do. We looked at what we can afford.
"There's not anyone on this board that doesn't have the best interest of the district at heart," Young said. "We've positioned ourselves with what the community can afford. We have to manage this responsibly."
Fellow board member Dr. Randal Ashton told Twidwell, "It is a very difficult decision and there's been a lot of discussion on this issue. We wish we didn't have any layoffs, but unfortunately decisions have to be made."
Other cost savings totaling $956,310 include:
Making only necessary repairs for a cost savings of $200,000 in the buildings and grounds department.
Reducing capital expenditures in food service for a cost savings of $150,000.
Eliminating the commissary department at East Park Elementary School and cut its four staff members that make bulk food items, such as cookies and spaghetti sauce, for the whole district. Those food items will be made by each individual school for a cost savings of $56,310.
Decreasing capital and purchased technology services by stretching leases over a five-year period for a cost savings of $550,000.
The district started out this fiscal year's budget on July 1, 2012, with a total fund balance of $20.2 million but projects an ending fund balance of $17.8 million by June 30. That would amount to deficit spending of $2.4 million.
The district's biggest concern is the steady decline in state funding. The state owes the district $1.7 million.
Forty-nine percent of the district's revenue comes from general state aid and reimbursement payments, another 35 percent comes from local property tax and the remaining 16 percent comes from the federal government.
"Every day we get worse news at the state level and at the local level," said business director Heather McKiernan. "Revenues continue to drop."
The district was supposed to get $29 million from the state this school year, but instead will receive about $26 million because the district is receiving only 89 percent of its total entitlement from the state.
The level of state funding will drop to 82 percent next school year, which will amount to a loss of $5.3 million and is $2.1 million less than what the district received this current school year.
The district has not received 100 percent of what it should receive in general state aid since 2008-2009, amounting to a total loss of $4.7 million in state funding. With the general state aid funded at the 82 percent level — which will be a loss of another $5.3 million — the cumulative loss to the district over the last five years will be $10 million.
Categorical payments from the state, such as transportation and special education, have been prorated as well since 2010-2011, and are paid late.
The state plans to pay only 19 percent of what it had been paying for transportation cost reimbursements, which amounts to a loss of $813,000 next school year.
In addition, local revenue has been on the decline, with the district's equalized assessed valuation decreasing every year since 2009, amounting to a compounded loss of $3 million since the 2009-2010 school year. The district is expecting to lose an additional $713,000 to $981,000 in the 2013-2014 school year.
The sequestration also could impact the district with a 5.4 percent cut in federal funding in the 2013-2014 school year, which would amount to a loss of $311,449 spread over four grants.
Another unknown is whether the state will shift pension responsibility onto the local school districts to fund.
If the pension shift is done in increments, it would cost the district an additional $256,000 for every 1 percent that is shifted away from the state.
Also on Wednesday, school board members will:
Heard about pre-registration for the fall 2013 kindergarten class. Pre-registration will be conducted during parent-teacher conferences on March 21 and 22. Parents should register in the school their child should attend between 3-6 p.m. March 21 and 8-10:30 a.m. March 22.
Children are eligible for kindergarten if they turn 5 on or before Sept. 1, 2013. Parents are asked to bring a certified copy of the child's birth certificate, up-to-date physical and immunization records and proof of residency.
Heard about summer school information.
Summer school for elementary students will be held 8 a.m. to noon June 10-28 at three sites: Liberty, Meade Park and Southwest schools. Accelerated Reader opportunities will be available through a partnership with Danville Public Library.
Summer school for middle school students will be held 8 a.m. to noon June 10-28 at North Ridge Middle School.
For high school students, tuition summer school will be offered in the following subjects: algebra, geometry, government, English, health, driver's education and physical education from June 10-July 19. There is a different schedule, hours and fees for driver's education. No summer school will be held on July 4.
Two sessions will be held each day, 7:30-9:40 a.m. and 9:45-11:55 a.m. Tuition is $120 per course or $60 if eligible for free or reduced lunch.
Summer school for special education students will be held 8 a.m. to noon June 10-28 at Southwest Elementary and Danville High schools. Extended learning opportunities will be offered for identified students.
Alternative Credit Recovery will be offered 8 a.m. to noon June 10-July 18, with no school on July 4, at Kenneth D. Bailey Academy.
Modified the current school year calendar to delete emergency snow days and set the last day of school as May 31 for the traditional calendar schools and June 5 for Northeast Elementary Magnet School.
What's next
District 118 school board members will meet in special session to announce reductions-in-force at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Jackson Building, 516 N. Jackson St.


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|ergot (ˈɜːɡət, -ɡɒt)
|a disease of cereals and other grasses caused by ascomycete fungi of the genus Claviceps, esp C. purpurea, in which the seeds or grain of the plants are replaced by the spore-containing bodies (sclerotia) of the fungus
|any fungus causing this disease
|the dried sclerotia of C. purpurea, used as the source of certain alkaloids used to treat haemorrhage, facilitate uterine contraction in childbirth, etc
|[C17: from French: spur (of a cock), of unknown origin]
ergot er·got (ûr'gət, -gŏt')
A fungus that infects various cereal plants and forms compact black masses of branching filaments that replace many of the grains of the host plant.
The dried sclerotia of ergot, usually obtained from rye seed and used as a source of several medicinally important alkaloids and as the basic source of lysergic acid.
|ergot (ûr'gət) Pronunciation Key
A fungus (Claviceps purpurea) that infects rye as well as other cereal grasses fed to livestock. Ergot forms sclerotia (masses of hyphae) that replace individual seeds in the spike of the infected plant and contain a complex mixture of alkaloids, several of which are medicinally important. Ergot is the basic source of ergotamine and lysergic acid. Ingestion of infected rye produces convulsions, hallucinations, and severe vasoconstriction that can lead to gangrene. Ergot poisoning may have been responsible for outbreaks of mass hysteria and reports of demonic visions in medieval Europe.


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BHMK won a significant victory on behalf of OEA and AFT-Oregon in the Oregon Court of Appeals. OEA and AFT-Oregon brought suit against Loren Parks, Parks' entities, and Bill Sizemore under the Oregon racketeering law. Defendants had filed a special motion to strike pursuant to ORS 31.150, Oregon's "anti-SLAPP" statute. Defendants argued that OEA and AFT-Oregon's racketeering claims were baseless and arose out of conduct in furtherance of the exercise of defendants' constitutionally protected rights. Thus, defendants maintained that the trial court should dismiss all claims. The trial court denied the motion and concluded that OEA and AFT-Oregon had met their evidentiary burden to provide substantial evidence to support a prima facie racketeering claim. Defendants appealed. The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court decision, stating that OEA and AFT-Oregon had shown they had a probability of prevailing at trial and therefore defendants' motion was meritless.
November 2012
In the latest round of litigation between Bill Sizemore and Oregon's teacher unions the Oregon Court of Appeals upheld the trial court's ruling that Sizemore was in contempt of court for violation of the court's injunction. The court put the injunction in place to prevent further racketeering activities by Sizemore. Nevertheless, Sizemore continued to use money for political purposes in violation of the injunction, leading to the contempt of court violation.
Representing both teachers unions, BHMK attorney Greg Hartman successfully presented the arguments why the court should hold Sizemore in contempt. In a thorough opinion, the Court of Appeals agreed that Sizemore's challenge to the constitutionality of the injunction must fail and that he acted willfully in violating the court's injunction.
October 2012
Bennett Hartman Morris & Kaplan helped defeat the federal lawsuit brought by Bill Sizemore against Oregon Education Association and American Federation of Teachers – Oregon. Sizemore sued the union as well as several State figures (including John Kroger, Hardy Myers, and Bill Bradbury) for allegedly conspiring to deprive him of his Constitutional rights. Sizemore attempted to argue that numerous State court judgments against him were unlawful and a result of a state-wide conspiracy between State government and the unions.
Attorneys Greg Hartman and Christine Moore, representing the unions, filed a joint motion with the State to dismiss the Complaint in part because Sizemore's evidence of a conspiracy was implausible and based on pure speculation. The Honorable District Judge Michael W. Mosman granted the parties' Motion and dismissed the case.
October 2012
Nearly two years to the day after an Oregon firefighter was diagnosed with testicular cancer the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) affirmed an Administrative Law Judge's finding that the firefighter's cancer was work–related. Attorney Nelson Hall of Bennett Hartman Morris & Kaplan represented the firefighter.
The firefighter filed a workers' compensation claim with SAIF in 2010 alleging that his exposure to smoke and chemicals while fighting fires caused his condition. SAIF denied his claim, and the firefighter appealed. On appeal, the issue was whether SAIF had established by clear and convincing medical evidence that the testicular cancer was not caused or contributed to in material part by his work as a firefighter pursuant to ORS 656.802(5). This rule provides that certain identified cancers (including testicular cancer) are presumed to result from qualifying firefighter's employment. The WCB review panel found that medical experts testifying on behalf of the firefighter persuasively rebutted SAIF's opinions regarding the relationship between occupational exposures of firefighting and the development of testicular cancer.


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In only a short time Patch has made itself an important fixture in our community. It has provided local news, crime reports, summaries of council meetings, public forums, and other information of urgency and interest to Albany residents.
But of interest perhaps to no one else. And that's the point. When Patch started, it was mostly about us, and we liked that and participated. Now, as a result of AOL corporate policy I assume, Patch is a smattering of us and more of everybody else.
I like our neighbors, our state, and our nation, but I can read about them anywhere and everywhere. I'm selfishly interested in Albany and our people and our comings and goings. California teachers, Barbara Lee, New Year's resolutions. Yeah, OK, a local angle maybe, but are these distinctly Albany enough?
As Patch goes more generic, it reflects us less. I find myself skipping over most of the discussions now: they are either of general (not local) interest, or are dominated by people who couldn't find Solano Avenue on a map. And now it seems the local editors are being thinned out and made to cover wider and wider areas, producing less coverage that is strictly local.
AOL can do what it wants with its franchise. But if they expect us to stick around, and click their ads. Patch needs to engage us at street level.


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Omaha police have booked a 19-year-old man in connection with the shooting death of Larry Green Jr. early Wednesday morning.
Ronrico Devers is facing manslaughter charges in the death of Green. And police now say the location of the shooting, originally thought to be near 30th and Ames Avenue, was not where the incident occurred.
According to police the shooting happened somewhere else but they're not saying where.
Police say Devers had possession of a gun, was intoxicated at the time and unintentionally discharged the weapon hitting Green in the head as he sat in the back seat of Devers' car.
Devers then drove the victim to Creighton University Medical Center where Green died.


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Bert Grant's Fresh Hop Ale - Yakima Brewing Co. / Bert Grant's Ales
Displayed for educational use only; do not reuse.
Ratings: 57 | Reviews: 57 | Display Reviews Only:
Reviews by doho95fu:
3.6/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
The copper brew produced a thin cream head and the smell was an obvious hit of hops and lemon. The taste was clearly hoppy but other than the obvious citrus hints, there was not alot here. I was left with an aftertaste of spices, but by then it was too late. Decent mouthfeel and a drinkable brew, but simply there was not alot of complexity and hops alone doesn't get it done for me.
Serving type: bottle
04-14-2003 15:40:24 | More by doho95fu
More User Reviews:
Ontario (Canada)
3.68/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Very decent serviceable brew. Nicely and well hopped, though not much in appearance in the glass. Well carbonated too. Citrussy,bitter rather than sweet. Malted to make the APA style, it could pass for someone else's IPA. Drinkable and refreshing. Mildly bitter aftertaste.
Serving type: bottle
10-02-2005 05:27:56 | More by Sammy
3.43/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Dark clear coppery orange pour with zero carbonation bubbles visable topped off with uneven frothy khaki head cap.
Somewhat balanced nose of malty character with some hops effervescence.
First swigs: Lightly balanced profile with some malty front followed by a soft hops background. Fruity sweet oranges and easy cherries blend. Some basic hard candy malt flavor lingers.
Crisp carbonation. Medium bodied with a sticky aftertaste towards the end. Goes back without a struggle.
Last swigs: Orange hops and Red apple malt. Hoping for more hops than this actually delivers. The label claims Featuring freshly picked cascade hops. Too balanced for a beer as the name suggests. $2.00 bottle at Circle Liquors.
Beer is good. Happy beering.
Serving type: bottle
07-17-2005 10:07:59 | More by blitheringidiot
3.45/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Wow, now this is a beer that stand up to what it says on the label! Poured out to an amber orange color with a good head that hung around for awhile. Head was same color as the brew, which I found unique and appealing. Odors of hops was very present, as was a herbal and floral note. Flavor was overly powered by hops, but a citrus like character was noted. Finished with a creamy bitterness that wasn't dissatisfying. I liked this beer, but I'd find it hard to stomach more than two in a sitting. Recommended and worth a try.
Serving type: bottle
05-18-2005 01:44:24 | More by Frozensoul327
3.43/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
This beer was a deep amber, clear brew with a low head that left some lacing on the glass.
The aroma was of medium bodied malts, caramel, and the unmistakeable smell of Cascade hops. I expected more hop, though.
The taste was also surprising. I got a malt taste, but it was not strong... some caramel, a little bit sweet, and a touch of hops. A far cry from what I expected as a "Fresh Hop Ale".
Mouthfeel was OK... but I give it just an average drinkability as I would not particularly seek this one out again. It didn't really impress me much.
Serving type: bottle
04-26-2005 02:03:18 | More by connecticutpoet
4/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sampled this one from the stubby littl 12oz. bottle. No freshness date apparent. A thre-finger foamy head was produced after pouring this copper colored brew. There was slight lacing as I finished it off. The smell was spicy and hoppy and contained a whiff of caramel. The taste was good and hoppy, with caramel and citrus notes, and a light bready malt finish. I felt this beer could've been a bit more substantial in the mouth. Other than that I'd definitely drink one of these again!
Serving type: bottle
04-11-2005 19:23:17 | More by tomthumbsblues
3.38/5 rDev -10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pours a cloudy orange w/ less than 1/2 finger tan head.
Disappears fairly quickly w/ thin lacing.
A nice balance of malt and hops...sweet at first, then herbal tea-like.
The taste is fairly basic for a pale ale...no real flavors jumping out at me. The hops are very mild and has a slight malt backbone...thin, but average for its style.
This brew contains no bitterness at all, it is actually a touch sour...aftertaste is very clean although...nothing lingering.
This beer is obviously very fresh, but definitely needs more bite in the hop department to be "Fresh Hop" IMO. I dig cascade hops and just wish I could enjoy them in this one.
Drinkabilty could be real high, but for me its not, simply due to the fact that nothing really excites me about this beer.
Serving type: bottle
03-30-2005 00:57:01 | More by warriorsoul
4.1/5 rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
12ozer bottle purchased as a single from, well, somewhere...
Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1" beige head above the clear, coppery amber brew. Head fades to a pillowy half or it's start, and lacing is good. Aroma is nicely balanced, with malt sweetness apparent, but piney and fruity hops making their appearance as well. Taste leans a bit more towards the fruity hops side of the balance, but grains still play a nice part. Mouthfeel is pleasantly smooth, and drinkability is very nice. One of the better Bert Grant offerings I have had, along with the Perfect Porter. Check it out yourself and enjoy.
Serving type: bottle
03-12-2005 19:56:39 | More by ppoitras
3.95/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Call me a cynic, but the plug for Cascade Hops on the label made me wonder if the hops were donated. The overall high quality of the beverage suggests something more is at work.
Red bronze. Beautiful fragrance of rosy green buds, red cherries and coffee cake. A bit of Spanish Brandy rancio provides notes of pecan, walnut and tar.
Mouthfuls are very bitter. Young Bordeaux-like tannins grip sensations of lemon and melon rind. Caramel candied fruits precede well-contained powdery yellow resins which join the finish cleanly. A promising beginning ends with a combination of cloying sweetness, detergent and pulpy water impressions.
Serving type: bottle
03-07-2005 01:50:07 | More by putnam
2.88/5 rDev -23.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Reviewed from notes taken on a 1/30/05 sampling.
Appears a deep amber with about a half inch head off white head forming on top. The head drops quick leaving no signs of lacing and barely and bubbles. The aroma was full of malty sweetness with an underlying hops presence in the background. Notes of doughy malt were present but overall there was a lack of Fresh Hops. Taste was similar with a dominate malty sweetness over a small showing of earthy hops. Really reminds me of a soda like flavor. Finish is sweet and malty. Nothing special about the mouthfell, on par with what you would expect. Drinkability is ok. This really seems unbalanced towards the malts with a noticeable lack of hops in the aroma and taste. Not bad just not something I would have again. Thanks goes to Steve for the bottle.
Serving type: bottle
02-15-2005 13:41:41 | More by meathookjones
New Jersey
3.1/5 rDev -17.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Brilliant clear orange in color with a 1" head. The head quickly fell to a thin surface foam in a matter of seconds. Light spotty lacing develops through the drink. Nice carbonation level.
The aroma is a very pleasant mix of pine and citrus. The flavor was quite a disappointment after the initial smell of the beer. Unbalanced flavor of light malt and overbearing piney hops, some grapefruit, and a strange hint of plastic at the finish. I opened another brew to check the flavors and I still sensed the same hint of plastic tones at the finish.
The mouthfeel at the start was mildly crisp and finished dry and smooth. The unbalanced flavors knock down the drinkability for me.
Serving type: bottle
02-15-2005 12:10:06 | More by Gavage
4.22/5 rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Beautiful dark cooper red body with smallish off-white head.
A moderate maltiness cloaked by grapefruit and other citrus aromas.
Lots of hop flavor without a lot of hop bitterness. Brilliantly balanced with a moderate of malty sweetness. The carried on a medium bodied, slightly smooth mouthfeel.
I love the beer. It is a great beer for hopheads, without the bitterness that would tear this beer out of balance.
Serving type: bottle
01-23-2005 20:16:49 | More by Naerhu
4.5/5 rDev +19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
This was a growler consumed about 5 hours after pouring.
Beer poured a very slightly cloudy deep copper with thin head that left medium lacing.
Now, I've had a couple of Bert Grant's ales in the past and I was less than impressed, so I did not have real high expections. Boy, was I real suprised by this beer. Smell was very nice, with strong hop presences, cascade I think. (not sure)
I expected a one dimensional taste of hop bitterness. I couldn't have been more wrong. There was a strong hop flavor, but it was complimented very nicely by strong fruit flavors. this was one darn tasty and fine beer.
I'll be buying this one again in the very near future.
Serving type: on-tap
01-23-2005 00:36:53 | More by oracle
4.13/5 rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Deep coppery red with a nice head of rusty tan foam. Nice. Aromas are all cascade hop goodness. Citrus, a bit of pine, some flowers, some booze, and more. The taste is hoppy up front, but the middle is biscuity and malty. The finish is once again hoppy and quite dry as well with a nice citrusy/floral finish that leaves me with nice hop burps as well. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, well carbonated and nice and the drinkability is damn good. A really good "fresh hop" ale. For sure.
Serving type: bottle
01-18-2005 01:24:35 | More by francisweizen
4.1/5 rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This beer takes a nice detour from the beaten path. From the label description of the use of freshly-picked hops, I expected a hops-for-the-sake-of-more-hops exercise in excess. What I found was a judicious use of hops with an emphasis on aromatics and flavoring, rather than bittering.
Poured a welcoming golden orange. Aroma was lightly herbal. Calling this an American Pale Ale brings to mind the aggressive use of PacNW hops, which is not the case here. The hopping is herbal with a "green" flavor - not green in the sense of not fully fermented, but rather a light, leafy note to the hops.
A bit past the middle, the beer hits an odd, watery interlude in the flavor, but then picks back up and finishes well. In any other beer, this watery gap would be a flavor or mouthfeel detraction, but it is pretty easy to overlook here, since the general nature of the beer is light-natured without being too light bodied. Rather than being a weak IPA, this seems a unique sort of pale ale.
Serving type: bottle
01-05-2005 14:53:35 | More by Brent
4.33/5 rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Presentation: 12 ounce small brown glass bottle with a twist off cap and a very colorful label just like the BA avatar. No strength or freshness listed. The neck label explains some background to this brew, that is to say that it is made with freshly picked Cascade hop blossom.
Appearance: Gorgeous looking body, rusty dark brown-copper with a massive off-white head that has good staying power. Creamy cap retains its erection throughout and laces the sides of the glass with some exceptionally virulent smatterings which form rings with each sip. Conditioning is full-bodied.
Nose: Malt starts the aroma. Crisp citric hops only appear in the latter end with some grassy hints and a fresh springtime odor.
Taste: Yet again the Malts start the entertainment. Crisp biscuit malts fill the entrance with little in the way of hops. Dry feel with some astringent tannin-like malts soon mingle with a freshly cut grass ending. It takes time and effort to pick up the contribution from the Cascade hops. A light bitterness tingles the tongue, but there are lots of freshly mowed floral and fauna in the tastes. As it warms I also get a nice toffee dimension in the middle which has a caramel malt feel. The fresh Cascades are subliminal at times but they add real finesse to this brew. Nicely put together.
Mouthfeel: Solid conditioning and a hearty contribution from the malts lend a deep presence in the mouth. Bold with thick biscuit malts and a grassy reed hoppy ending. A big feel to this one.
Drinkability: It didnt take me much of an effort to sink this one down!!
Overall: Totally different to what I expected and quite unique in character. This is well worth a try, but dont expect a hop bomb, this offering is a little more complex than that, the hops are there, you just have to work to find them, I like that, a beer that needs some concentration, but it is very rewarding if you put the effort in. Ive tried a few of Bert Grants brews since I moved here in 2001, and I have not been that blown away by any of them - but this one is well worth seeking out.
Serving type: bottle
01-02-2005 08:07:51 | More by TheLongBeachBum
3.8/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Served in a standard logo'ed pint glass. Brew poured a nice medium-amber colour with very little head. Slight aroma of citrus and pine; am surprised that there isn't more of a nose to it.
Taste is good. An odd, "organic" flavor permeates the brew. There is a meaty, buttery flavor to the hops, which are dominant. Notes of pine and citrus again appear in the flavor.
Brew has a nice mouthfeel, and is rather easy to drink. All in all an interesting beer.
Serving type: bottle
12-30-2004 00:18:45 | More by sideshowrob
4.03/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Presentation: 12 oz short bottle - twist off. No freshness info.
Appearance: Poured a reddish color with a very small head.
Smell: Flowery hops dominate the aroma.
Taste: Nice mouthfeel with a low level of carbonation. Initial tastes are almost pure hops, but not overpowering. No malt flavors that I could detect. Very drinkable.
Overall impression: Not overall exciting, but different from anything else I've tasted. It is a nice way to taste the flavor of Cascade hops all by themselves. Also would make a nice hoppy session beer.
Serving type: bottle
12-21-2004 21:12:36 | More by rowew
3.03/5 rDev -19.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Bottle mentions general brewery and pub history. Further reading on the neck gives blurb about Yakima Valley hops and how Bert features the seasonal brews to showcase the different hops at their prime. Good news.
This beer has no head, save for about 30 little bubbles atop the liquid. Shockingly enough, the beer feels a bit on the flat side when drank.
This tastes fairly oxidized. Aside from that, the flavor of the fresh cascades is pretty interesting. Not super floral, or piney, or citrusy, or cascade-y, as I was kind of expecting. Much, much more subtle. Nonetheless, interesting and unique. Very herbal in its ways, this beer. Almost tea-like.
The iota of carbonation posessed by this beer finally reveals itself in the finish. Without this feature, palatability would suffer even moreso.
Overall, an ok beer. Has its merits, and its downfalls. If you're a hop-head buying this beer with a hard on for some in-your-face cascade action, be ready for a case of the blue balls.
Serving type: bottle
12-10-2004 17:13:39 | More by GIVEMEBACKMYSON
3.5/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Appearence: Pours a glowing, gorgous red color with a nice, off white head. Leaves much lacing, and lots of nice little bubbles of carbonation.
Smell: Honestly, doesn't real smell like anything. I'm picking up a slight hop, almost rose smell, but not much else.
Taste and Mouthfeel: Not many malts greet your mouth in this ale, mostly hops, and they're not even that present. The hops definitly have a unique flavor, but nothing strong. A barely above par taste. The mouthfeel is too light and empty, with no aftertaste.
Drinkability and Overall: This is different beer for sure, but nothing that great. I gotta give props to Yamika for trying something different, but this time it didn't go as well as hoped. A good tasting beer, and even better session beer, but just a little above average at best.
Once again, thanks to Bashiba for the brewski.
Serving type: bottle
12-07-2004 02:51:42 | More by santoslhalper
New Jersey
4.22/5 rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
a different beer to say the least, but one that i enjoyed quite a bit. it pours a crisp orange/amber colour with a farily thin head that leaves a mild sticky residue on the glass. the smell is a mixture of earth, hop, vegetable, malt and a hint of sweetness. that said, it came across as a tad thin at times. the flavour , whilst basic, is unique in that it's no wher enear as hoppy as i expected, but has a subtle, oily hop balance with the malt flavour. the hop taste is more leafy and vegetable-esque (in a good way) and is something i've never experienced before in a beer. the finish is micely complimented with a hint of sweetness. the mouthfeel is right on in that this is smooth and a touch creamy. i could easily drink this one all night long. it's got enough flavour without being too bland and it's far from overpowering on any level.
Serving type: bottle
11-22-2004 03:23:37 | More by guinness33
3.33/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to bashiba for the trade. Reddish to copper color. Mild hop aroma-somewhat floral though pretty much just plain "hop". Good malty flavor with a definate cascade presence.Slightly citrusy. No big finish of hops. A tad thin in body. Definately a drinkable brew-some of Grants other beers have more to offer.
Serving type: bottle
11-19-2004 02:26:55 | More by lackenhauser
3.93/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Reddish-orange with a very creamy top with good retention and lacing. Smells of sweet toffee and pink grapefruit. Flavor is very rounded. Biscuit with an orange marmalade spread. Very mild and soothing. Finishes just sweet enough. Smooth, easy drinking. Very pleasant.
Serving type: bottle
11-19-2004 00:27:42 | More by waughbrew
New Jersey
3.53/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Very drinkable. Good for when you are having a few whilst paying the bills. Pours clear copper with some carbonation a snowy two finger head that rapidly receded leaving thin lace trails and a thin crown of lace that lasted til the last drops.
The aroma was mostly floral hops, I noticed little else.
The taste was as one might expect somewhat hoppy. Somehow it seemed inbalanced without much evidence of sweetness at all, and a short dry finish.
Very tasty offering but a little un-balanced for my top marks.
Serving type: bottle
11-18-2004 03:44:02 | More by Citadel82
4/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is one of those beers that has eluded me for years. I was even at the brewery in Yakima and couldnt get it. Well, finally, I picked up a bottle. The pour was wonderfully bright and clear. Amber in color with a small head of white cream floating atop the beer. Good amount of carbonation. The aroma yields some interesting things. An earthy mustiness is in the forefront, along with moist bread, caramelized plums, wet leaves with a hidden alcohol zest. The taste has a zesty bitterness. The flavors are fruity and have pleasantly sweet caramel notes. A nice nuttiness is present, and matches well a solid body of malt. This is a clean and well blended beer. Theres nothing harsh, and presents an assertive but gentle hop character. Very nice.
Serving type: bottle
11-02-2004 13:30:54 | More by pezoids
Bert Grant's Fresh Hop Ale from Yakima Brewing Co. / Bert Grant's Ales
85 out of 100 based on 57 ratings.