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Landmark Land Use Bill to Cut Sprawl and Carbon Emissions
Nathan Newman on September 4, 2008 - 9:28am
Marking the largest change in California land use laws in a generation, the California legislature has approved SB 375, a bill which promotes both affordable housing and less sprawl in the state. In a coalition as landmark as the legislation itself, affordable housing advocates, the building industry, environmentalists, and local governments came together to endorse legislation that will encourage more compact development along transit corridors. The legislation's key feature is to integrate what are now three separate planning processes -- regional development, affordable housing and transit development -- into a synchronized system. This is considered a critical step in achieving California's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as established in 2006 through AB 32.
Key Features of SB 375 include:
Transportation and planning: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will set regional greenhouse gas reduction targets, which will then be incorporated into each region's Regional Transportation Plan (RTP).
Housing Planning: Local jurisdictions' share of regional affordable housing will become aligned with the land use plan.
Anti-Sprawl Incentives: New developments that follow transportation planning needs will get quicker approval under state environmental review systems. Local governments will also have regulatory and other incentives to encourage more compact new development and transportation alternatives.
The bill was supported by the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) who were elated over passage and have now turned their attention to Governor Schwarzenegger, who must sign the bill for it to be enacted. Tom Adams, CLCV Board President, said "SB 375 is not just another example of California's national environmental leadership. That the cradle of car culture is the first to tackle the global warming problem of long commutes is a watershed moment."?
California's SB 375 is building on a range of smart policies, from inclusionary zoning to financial incentives for higher density communities, in order to better coordinate state planning and local municipal zoning while also promoting more affordable housing and smarter, more environmentally sustainable growth in California.


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Where To Eat
photo: pat george
Did You Know?
This "Cowboyglyph" of a steer is easy to see from the trail to the observation area. Even though this glyph was made in only the last 100 years, it is no longer appropriate to make carvings of any kind on the canyon walls. In fact, it is illegal.

subset: commoncrawl


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You need to install Adobe Flash Player to play Extreme Skater. Download the Flash Player now.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Arena
Kämpfe in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Arena gegen Spieler aus aller Welt!
Breeze through the forest terrain at terrifying speeds while performing life-threatening stunts to truly live the life of an Extreme Skater in this thrilling skateboard game.
There are 4 awards in Extreme Skater.


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By Tim Graham
How Fred Jackson is like most Buffalo Bills fans: He wants them to sign some players, too.
How Jackson is unlike most Bills fans: He's not frustrated by the team's lack of recent activity.
Jackson is aware there are holes all over the Bills' roster, but he's willing to let the front office apply the spackle without criticism from him.
"You definitely would like to see players added here or there," Jackson told me this week, "but at the same time you have to put faith in the coaches and see what they decide to do and who they decide to bring in or what pieces they decide not to bring back.
"That's their job. As player, we just have to go out there and compete with the guys we do have here. We can't always control what's going on."
Jackson expressed disappointment in seeing two offensive starters leave last week.
The Bills released quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and didn't re-sign left guard Andy Levitre. Both signed with the Tennessee Titans.
Levitre was a mainstay on the offensive line since the Bills drafted him in 2009. That was Jackson's breakout season, when he rushed for 1,062 yards and caught 46 passes for 371 yards.
"You hate to see a guy like that go, a guy that's been a constant on the offensive line since he's been here," Jackson said. "He didn't miss a single game. He's been out there, busting his butt to stay on the field.
"He definitely opened up some holes for me, and I'm going to miss him. He's a guy that made me better. But at the same time, you're happy for him. He was able to hit free agency and get a big pay check because of it. I wish him the best."
Jackson said Fitzpatrick is "a guy I was really close to." One of the first calls Fitzpatrick made upon learning the Bills were cutting him was to Jackson.
"It's one of those things that he felt disappointed in himself because he wasn't able to get it turned around -- as we all feel bad," Jackson said. "If we have a winning season or get in the playoffs, a lot of these changes don't happen."
taggedAndy Levitre | Fred Jackson | Ryan Fitzpatrick


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By AMY IVY, Cornell Cooperative Extension
---- — September is one of my favorite months to garden.
The temperatures are cooler, the summer humidity is over, the biting bugs are gone and most weeds have sprouted. The excitement of watching the garden grow is diminished, but I get a lot of satisfaction knowing the work I do weeding, edging and cutting back will last more than just a few days. In summer, the weeds jump right back, but this time of year, my hard work stays noticeable for a lot longer.
My gardens are far from boring to look at this time of year, and this is one of my busiest months for garden chores. New England asters are at their peak bloom right now, and the garden phlox is beginning to wane but is still giving a nice show. I love watching the color changes that my sedum "autumn joy" goes through from late summer until snow falls. Mine are a rosy pink right now but will soon be turning burgundy as the nights get cooler.
The annual flowers are really hitting their stride now. I've become very fond of the profusion series of zinnias. They are very different from the classic tall-cutting zinnias. The profusion types form a broad mound about a foot across and high, with lots of small, single blooms about 1 inch in diameter. They are resistant to the leaf spot diseases the traditional zinnias struggle with and produce lots of blooms once they get going. I like to pick sprigs of these plants for small vases indoors. Each sprig consists of a few branches, leaves and several flowers. Zinnias are sensitive to frost so it would really pay to cover these on the nights that frost is in the forecast. They will continue to bloom well into October if you can protect them on those chilly nights. Marigolds, begonias and ageratum are also very sensitive to frost. Petunias, geraniums and calendula are much tougher and don't need as much protection from the cold.
My vegetable garden has some beautiful sections now, especially the herbs and fall crops that are lush and green. My tomato plants would not win any beauty contests this month; the lower leaves are dead from septoria leaf spot and early blight, but the plants are still ripening tomatoes. My pepper plants are lush, and I'm waiting patiently for some of the green peppers to turn red before I pick them. A lot of people have commented that their crops have been slower than usual to ripen this year. We had such a slow start with all the rain and then a relatively cool August so it's not surprising that crops are behind. After that awful start to our season, I'm just glad to be getting anything out of my vegetable garden this year.
Every spring, when I'm rushing to get the gardens planted, I vow to do more in the fall to get ready. But after a hard summer of tending my plants, it's awfully nice to take a break now — when the pressure is off — to stop and appreciate how nice things look. I know I should take advantage of the mild September weather to get all the seed trays, flats and pots cleaned up and sorted out, but spring seems so far away right now. Try to get some of these chores out of the way now while the weather is nice so you'll have less to do next spring.
Amy Ivy is executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Clinton County. Office phone numbers: Clinton County, 561-7450; Essex County, 962-4810; Franklin County, 483-7403. Website: www.cce.cornell.edu/ecgardening. Email questions to email@example.com.


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Victor Lipman, Contributor
I write about management and corporate life.
To anyone who's been laid off in the last decade or so:
I have a simple message comprised of five words that I hope may be of a little solace: Say goodbye to the guilt. It will never help you, and dollars to doughnuts you didn't deserve it in the first place.
Being laid off is hard enough in terms of the economic and emotional consequences without the added weight of secretly feeling: I deserved this. I wasn't really a good performer and after all these years they finally caught up with me.
To this I say: Forget about that line of thinking. In the vast majority of cases it's simply not true.
There's a convenient fiction out there that most layoffs are somehow fully rationally engineered, an organization's excellent opportunity to effectively "thin the herd" and let go of its weakest performers.
Well, sure, there's some of that now and then. But if anyone thinks our era's mega-layoffs – with tens of thousands of people regularly being shown the door – are an orderly rational Sunday walk in the park, that's, as we used to say when I was growing up in Boston, wicked far from the truth.
Here's who an organization loses in a massive layoff: It loses some of its worst performers, it loses some of its best performers, plus a whole lot of solid people who know their business in between.
To inject a little scale, here are a few of the sobering staff reduction numbers since the Great Implosion of 2008. Citigroup Citigroup – 50,000 (2008); GM – 47,000 (2009); Bank of America Bank of America/Merrill Lynch – 30,000 (2011); US Postal Service – 30,000 (2010). With more to come from HP, B of A, and doubtless other 'players to be named later.' Hey, I get it. I'm no Pollyanna. An organization has to be cost-competitive. If it's not, ultimately everyone loses. Game over, wealth destroyed, we all go home. But on the other hand neither is slicing – where many of our best management minds are relentlessly trained these days – a viable, forward-thinking, long-term growth strategy. Never was or will be.
As one who's at times been in the middle of these operations as a former corporate executive, who's worked directly with the smart lads and lasses at McKinsey and BCG and other 'rightsizing' specialists, who's seen colleagues, family and friends' lives turned upside down (and yes literally lost) in businesses from airlines to education to law to insurance to banking to benefits consulting to you name it, I can safely say, in the midst of Major Layoff Mode, it's never a purely rational play. It's a jungle out there. It's the random chaos of the universe. It's grinding historic economic forces at work. Decisions often become political or personal. It can be a chance to even old scores. Most of all, at the end of the day it's every dog for himself.
So if you've been caught up in this vortex, do your best not to take it personally.
Management is easy: When the market grows prices are up, why optimize productivity? Don't bother, just hire new people.
Hired to many people? No problem, some cash wasted but the banks are throwing it as you. Wait for the market to grow, sell it as "investment in the future". With the next big deal they will celebrate your vision and foresight.
When the growth stops the rules change, but don't worry! Restructuring is also easy. A company I formerly worked for simply closed down development and stopped refresh of production equipment. When they were in trouble again (surprise?), they made a list of all employees and crossed out any third on it. The restructuring worked well, the company is now at 0 employees.
There are success stories before, during and after recessions and if you take a close look on the headlines you will recognize the manager names are not the same. The employees are paying the price and as business has become more and more dynamic, the price has raised.
So far I was lucky. At my very first job the complete location was closed only 6 months after I left, going to University as I had recognized that learning was the right way to go. May next position was moved "nearshore", 2 years after I had moved on. And that role was "offshored" just as I changed to the next. If you check my profile you will see where I work. I know many people who lost their jobs and I try to be prepared.
A friend was not so lucky. Being a successful manager from the start, he never thought the career would end, leave alone unemployment. It hit him unprepared and made him psychical sick. When he finally accepted things going wrong, the doctor said it was just in time as he was close to suicide condition. He is no more the "successful manager", but a happy man with a wonderful wife, two happy kids, friends and a job. The "successful manager friends" he no more has aren't worth mentioning.
I live on the country side and talking with the farmers helps a lot to put things into relation. When I saw the billionaire list on forbes, the thirst thing coming to my mind was a talk with a young farmer telling me how he was trying to keep the farm going by thinking of new products and how he tries not to get pulled into mass production but to produce healthy quality food. He did not think about a career or getting rich, his farm is his life. I wonder how many of the billionaires could compete with this young man and who is happier?
If you are one of the people "paying the price", I recommend you take the article to your heart.
"easy" was too ironic. Sorry for that. The point I wanted to make was that it is very easy and tempting to manage the wrong way, specifically when the stock market rewards you for doing so. It is today more difficult than ever to build a company that lasts.
I would really like to point out the latest sentence from Andreas: If you are one of the people "paying the price", I recommend you take the article to your heart.
Heart warming to read this from an insider. Unfortunately it came a month too late for my former boss and golden heart-leader who decided to take away his life and leave behind his wife and 11-year old daughter. All because his great achievements and professional performances where 'never enough' for him.
It was a big blow for all his (over 270) employees who never sensed the overall stress he had trying to balance business requirements and their wellbeing. In the end he forgot about his.
Thanks for this particularly human contribution.
Well, maybe it was my fault, but I like to think not!
Having been fired — excuse me, layed off — before, I can recommend it as a truly bracing, life-altering experience.
Like a luffa in the bath, it scrapes away some misconceptions about self, security, salary and other things we hold dear.
It also sharpens one's mind as to the possibilities and necessities of one's life.
And like a luffa, it can refresh, refocus and renew one's attitude about just what it means to have a job — even call into question that age-old farce about company loyalty.
Getting fired — er, layed off? Embrace it. Enjoy it. Learn from it.
Keep calm. Carry on.
Here's another analogy for you to consider: imagine if you were an adolescent bird who had grown too large to fit within the nest and now has to be pushed out of the nest by your mother – just so she could teach you how to fly and feed for yourself. This happens all the time in nature and sometimes it must happen to the best of us in business too. Since I was laid off in mid 2009, my "mother company" taught me to learn how to stand on my own two feet, find work (for food), and learn how to fly over the competition so that I can see the opportunities that exist for me now that I am out of the company's nest. But like all things in nature, the work (or food) does not come my way as often as it once did when I was employed by the "mother company." But then again, I am not chained to my desk and only eating what the mother company wants me to chew on!


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Mentorship Program Questionnaires
Be a part of something BIG! The student council is reviving a mentorship program, and is inviting all incoming freshmen and all current seniors to participate. If you have an interest in being a mentor… [ read more ]
Below, you will find all of the information pertaining to the iPad distribution for the 2014- 2015 school year, based on your grade. Please read everything carefully with your parent(s) or guardian(s) and make sure… [ read more ]
You're Invited! On August 28th, at 4pm, you and your parent or guardian are invited to Bonner and Prendie's Freshmen orientation night, in the auditorium. This night will give you the opportunity to socialize with… [ read more ]
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The Student athletic fees for the 2014-2015 school year are as followed: 1st Sport $160.00 2nd Sport $135.00 3rd…. [ read more ]
Bonner & Prendie Beach Blast 2014 – August 2nd! Click for info.
John Dolceamore, '67 – 610-742-8839 OR Anne Marie Dolceamore Hayden, '98 – email@example.com … [ read more ]
2014 Summer School Schedule – REQUIRED DATESRead More News +


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Top Stories Search: Kenya, Responding in a changing world
2 results
20 August 2012 - 7:36pmThe World Humanitarian Day 2012 campaign has made social media history by sharing more than one billion messages of hope encouraging people to do something good for someone else. The campaign, which was launched 2 August, asked people around the world to pledge to help another person on World...
30 December 2011 - 2:11pm2011 has been a deeply challenging year for millions of people around the world - and stretched the capacity of humanitarian aid organisations to the limit. An earthquake and tsunami in Japan, drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, and flooding in Central America, Pakistan and Southeast Asia,...


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A Sioux City man accused of shooting at two bicyclists has been placed on probation and must serve 90 days in jail.
Terry Oliver Jr., 23, pleaded guilty in Plymouth County District Court in Le Mars to two counts of misdemeanor assault with a firearm and OWI.
Oliver was accused of firing several rounds of two bicyclists as he drove past them on Iowa Highway 12 near Stone State Park in August. The cyclists weren't hurt.
Oliver was sentenced on Monday.


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We guide our clients step-by-step through all the legal and technicial complexities of obtaining effective protection of their IPR so that they can make informed commercial decisions to maximise their exploitation and business potential. We see our job as finding practical solutions for our clients' business needs. If a client's needs are best served by not incurring costs, we will say so. If action is needed, we will outline all options available including the most cost-effective strategies to meet that objective. This approach has enabled us to build long-term relationships with successful companies.Read More
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IP is an abbreviation of "Intellectual Property". This is a field of law which relates to the legal property rights for things that people create or invent.
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We're here to help you get the most out of your creativity.


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After the original version of Pens was released, it became clear that the game needed fixing. After a terrible experience when the editable file was believed lost, a backup was located that green-lit development of PENS: RELOADED. Featuring massive overhauls of every detail of the game, PENS: RELOADED is more than the game Pens was supposed to have been. Take a look at these screenshots for visual comparison!
PENS: RELOADED changes from the original:
- Major overhaul of the graphics - everything has been completely redone!
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The first level features a tutorial that requires you to complete each segment of it before you can continue. You can effectively skip it by pressing Enter each time Commander Pentagon begins taking, which skips the dialogue, and then by executing the required action. It isn't possible to fully skip it due to it requiring each action be completed, but this will speed it up if you know what to do.
Edited by HomeBrand Gaming, 15 November 2012 - 06:03 AM.


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Michael Cacciotti, , has worked for the state of California for more than two decades.
First, he served as Deputy Attorney for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and then Deputy Attorney General with the State of California Department of Justice handling consumer fraud.
He says this experience combined with four years working for former Speaker Pro Tem of the California Assembly Mike Roos has given him the institutional knowledge to excel as an Assemblyman.
Cacciotti is also a passionate environmentalist, who serves as a board member on AQMD and Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. As city council member of South Pasadena over the past decade, he has helped save the city thousands of dollars in conversions like compact fluorescent light bulbs, drought tolerant plants and hybrid fleets.
For a list of Cacciotti's endorsements, click HERE.
Patch interviewed Cacciotti as part of a series on candidates running for office.
The below interview has been edited for length.
Patch: You began serving as a councilman of South Pasadena in 2001 and are on your third term as Mayor. What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment while in office?
MC: Turning the city around fiscally. When I got on the council, there was no money being spent on infrastructure. There were millions being spent on fighting the freeway, which you have to fight the freeway—but in a smart way.
... We went from 3 million to 13 million in reserves now. I don't think any city has ever done that.
It's a great council, and we have worked together to embark on a massive infrastructure program—basically rebuilding the entire city from scratch. The leases—stuff like that is very important. Cities have these concessions in municipal leases where at the state level, here's what I can do:
They did an audit just last year, and the state has thousands of leases, and they only audited about 32. They found out the state was losing tens of millions of dollars by not reviewing—like we did here in the city [of South Pasadena]. There's potential for hundreds of millions of dollars in savings.
Patch: Let's talk about your stance on Caltrans homes. What do you feel the state could gain from selling the approximate 500 homes it owns along the 710 corridor?
MC: When I worked at Caltrans, I'm the one who did all that stuff with eminent domain. I handled a lot of lawsuits when people tripped and fell at those properties; the state got sued for a million dollars—because someone was electrocuted or [there was a] faulty wire, an explosion … a roof caved in …that costs us millions of dollars a year, so the savings there would be in the millions. … in staff to oversee that, litigation in the legal department and then the sale [would put] $500 million to a billion dollars in the State Treasury for transportation projects. The cities and municipalities will get that tax increment back, which was lost for the last 40 years. Everyone wins all the way around.
Patch: You are the only candidate who has been a teacher. How would this affect your role as Assemblyman if elected?
MC: I've been in classrooms. My first year, most classes were 25 students, but some were over 35, [and in those classrooms] I was a babysitter almost. I couldn't teach. Class size is very important. I experienced it personally. It was a nightmare for teachers and nothing gets done for the students. I know the importance of technology and resources.
If it were three years ago … I worked for the state three years ago, I knew the snap shop then when we had a billion dollar budget, and I wouldn't have supported a tax increase. In those three years, we've cut to $700 million. We've cut jobs; we've furloughed people. My caseload went from 40 to 80 cases.
... The education system, we have cut so much. There may be pockets or mismanagement here or there—like I mentioned in the leases—but the education system, there's not much more room for cuts.
Patch: I know you oppose an What does your transportation plan look like?
I'm building a 21st century transportation system. You hear the Gold Line go by. Look at it—even now, mid-day—it's almost half full. People are actually using it. As people get older—over 70, 80 [years old]—they are not going to want to drive. They want to be able to walk, bike, get on a train and go wherever they want in the region.
There is an exhibit right now at the Huntington [Library]; it talks about the empire—the railroad system back in 1880s. … Millions of people rode the lines, and never needed a car.
… It would create tens of thousands of jobs to finish this network. … Instead of a freeway—which would decimate the area—a light rail line.
Patch: Do you think Californians would embrace the idea? A lot of people are attached to their cars.
I think the new generation of people—even mine, the baby boomers—we are different. We are all eating healthy, walking, riding bikes. I came here in my electric car … I even ride to work when ten years ago I didn't. If there were bike transportation corridors, more and more people would ride bikes.
As a nation, the senior citizen population is going to almost double in the next 15 years. People are going to want alternatives to a car. You are always going to have a car, but mass transportation in this region—as the population gains, the goods movement—we've got to have alternatives. All around the world, everyone else is doing it.
… We have to do something with the local traffic in this region … light rail or commuter bicycle.
Patch: Overall, what differentiates you from the other candidates?
MC: I am the only one who can go in there with a local, regional, and state perspective. You need that interconnected relationship to understand state government. Most people right now … by the time they figure it out, they are ready for the next job and they are gone.
There really is not enough institutional knowledge up there. You need to hold hearings and look at big policy issues. I really think since I understand the state so well, I'm not going to need to be educated for five years. I know what the problems are with Caltrans, the Attorney General's Office—all these agencies.
Cacciotti is one of five candidates in the newly-drawn 41st District, which extends south to north from South Pasadena to Altadena, then east to foothill towns out the way to San Dimas.
To learn more about Cacciotti, click HERE.
More on Assembly Candidates:
Patch Asks: What do you think of the candidates so far?


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August 1, 2014
November 26, 2012
This week in our What's Going Around, we're checking in with two doctors in Central Virginia.
D.r Steve Schmitz from Afton Family Medicine said he's seeing an increase in the number of people being treated for eczema. Symptoms include itchy, dry skin that could also include tiny red bumps. Treatment includes moisturizer and sometimes a steroid cream. Also, Dr. Schmitz said to avoid too much soap and water.
D.r William Tompkins at Blue Ridge Internal Medicine said he's treating more people for upper respiratory tract infections. Symptoms include aches, sore throat, cough, and nasal congestion. Treatment involves many over the country medications including acetaminophen and throat lozenges. Also, Dr. Tompkins recommends drinking plenty of fluids. He said to see a Doctor if your symptoms get worse.


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Self-help gurus have long argued that life is happier when we don't sweat the small stuff.
But an experiment launched by the Buffalo Police Department is leading many to conclude that when officers crack down on minor offenses, bigger problems don't occur as often.
Call it Buffalo's version of the broken windows mantra. Fix the little things in neighborhoods, and you spend less time in the long run coping with more severe troubles.
Two officers in the Northeast District have been spending their time writing summonses for things like excessive noise, high grass, debris and other quality-of-life issues. Ever since the special squad intensified its efforts, most types of major crime have dropped by double-digit levels.
Mayor Byron W. Brown wants to launch quality-of-life squads in all five police districts, a plan that is being hailed by some community activists and lawmakers.
What do you think? Would this kind of citywide crusade really deter serious crime? Is it a wise use of resources in a Police Department that some believe will remain short-staffed even after a new class of officers hits the streets? What if the citywide quality-of-life blitz means higher overtime costs? Would it be worth it?
-- Brian Meyer
taggedCrime & Courts


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Can Miley Cyrus pull off a cover of "Summertime Sadness"?
Recent Headlines
Israel warns of long Gaza war as Palestinian fighters cross border
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dashes any hopes of a swift end to the three-week conflict as Palestinian fighters launched an audacious cross-border raid.
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Only final arguments and a ruling remain in the trial to determine whether Donald Sterling's estranged wife can sell the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion.
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American doctor, Kent Brantley, has tested positive for the tropical disease Ebola.
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Pope Francis called for nature to be protected from criminal abuse during a visit in the southern Italian town of Caserta, near Naples.


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There are rehearsals for weddings, plays, speeches and concerts. But, how does one practice for those off-the-cuff moments in time?
Luke Field, a 2007 University of Pittsburgh grad raised in Hatboro, found his funny bone two years ago and has been trying ever since to perfect the art of seemingly unpracticed improvisational comedy.
Field, who now lives in Philadelphia and works in a law firm's records department, rehearses weekly to prepare for various scenarios hurled at him and his troupe, Asteroid, while performing.
"One thing that's nice about improv is it's a group activity. If there's a night where I'm just totally lost, out to sea, we have seven other performers," Field said. "Going onstage with nothing planned and nothing in mind can be scary, but for me, now I find it thrilling. We've had bad shows. We've done quite a few. It's chasing that good one … that makes it really exciting."
Asteroid performs long-form improv, which entails taking a suggestion at the beginning of the performance from the audience and acting it out in three unrelated scenes during a 25 to 45-minute show.
"We've gotten strange suggestions," he said. "We've had people yelling out during the show."
Once, someone threw $5 onstage and shouted something, Field said.
Wouldn't it be easier to act in plays, or formats where material is scripted, allowing for fewer surprises?
Field's answer is decidedly no.
"What improv is doing is looking for the truth in life but heightening it," said Field, who attended St. David's Catholic School in Willow Grove prior to La Salle College High School. "I start looking at everything that happens to me through a different lens."
Field "stumbled" into the improv world in 2009 while visiting his sister in New York. The siblings sat through a 14-hour improv marathon and, upon leaving, Field said he vowed that one day he too, would perform there.
For his New Year's resolution in 2010, Field had promised to take improv classes. That year has come and gone, but Field's passion for spur-of-the-moment performance has grown stronger.
"I'm either at practice, writing, taking a class, teaching classes with improv theater, or traveling to New York to take classes there as well," he said. "Right now I'm trying to hone my craft. Trying to put words or give value to something that I find invaluable."
If you go
Hatboro native Luke Field, along with his troupe, Asteroid, will perform July 31 at 9 p.m. at the Philly Improv Theater's home within Shubin Theatre, 407 Bainbridge St., in Philadelphia. Click here for more information, or to buy tickets.


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About the Author
William Del Pilar
Fantasy writer
Recent posts by William Del Pilar
Related Stories
Michael Bush did everything he had to after suffering a devastating broken leg while at Louisville that destroyed his NFL draft value. After proving himself fantasy owners were salivating at his potential as a No. 1 fantasy back. Disappointment is sure to follow as he has agreed to terms with the Bears for $14 million with $7 million guaranteed.
The Bears not only strengthen their depth but are preparing themselves if Matt Forté doesn't sign his contract after getting the franchise tag, and he could hold out. However, if Forté doesn't hold out he will be the No. 1 back with Bush spelling him with about 8-12 touches per game. That's not enough to make fantasy owners happy, including Forté owners.
At 6-1, 245 pounds, Bush is the perfect goal-line and short-yardage specialist and that will dramatically hurt the value of Forté. Last season, Forté only had four total TDs in 12 games, which fell far short based on elite expectations. Marion Barber vultured five TDs from Forté and you should expect the same in 2012 with Bush. However, unlike Barber, Bush has soft hands so he could spell Forté on some passing plays as well. While not much more, it will further devalue Forté.
Last year, Bush had two seasons. The first six games, he totaled 43-138-3 rushing and 7-99-0 on eight targets — an average of 8.3 utilizations for 39.5 yards from scrimmage and 0.5 TDs.
Once Darren McFadden went down with a foot injury early in Week Seven, Bush totaled 213-839-4 rushing and 29-319-1 on 39 targets in the next 10 games — an average of 24.2 utilizations 115.8 yards from scrimmage and 0.5 TDs. He had career-highs in rushing and receiving yards and matched his career high in total TDs.
As you can see, he made a big jump in production but he won't see that potential in Chicago sharing time with not only Forté but also Kahlil Bell. Tendered a $1.26 million contract, Bell hasn't signed his contract but in a soft market for backs he probably will not find any takers and will re-sign with the team. He probably will get a handful of touches at best but when you're already sharing time with another back, a third back, even for a few carries or receptions, hurts.
Look at Forté as a No. 2 fantasy back unless you're in a PPR (point-per-reception) league, as he's one of the best dual-threat backs in the league. Bush becomes the necessary handcuff and will be a week-to-week matchup play depending on how he gets used. He could see enough touches and goal-line opportunities to be an injury or bye-week fill-in. Bell loses all his value unless Forté or Bush goes down with an injury. Barber will be released after a disastrous season that saw him lose a game to the Bears and struggle to hold on to the ball. In fact, the only player who gains from this signing is Darren McFadden in Oakland.


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From staff reports
COLUMBIA, Mo. —
Whitfield withstood a fierce Seneca assault and remained in first place in Class 1 after the semifinals Friday night at the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships at Mizzou Arena.
Whitfield led with 93 points, followed by Brookfield with 81.5 points. Seneca was fifth with 74 points.
Seneca briefly took the lead in the team standings after Will Roark at 120 pounds decisioned Garrett Zahner of Brookfield 6-1 in the semifinals and Quintin Cotten at 113 and Jesse Rhoades at 132 won their matches in the third round of wrestlebacks.
Roark (53-1), a sophomore, will face Jacob O'Neal (45-1), a senior from Carrollton, in tonight's finals.
Seneca had a near-perfect session earlier Friday in the quarterfinals and the second round of wrestlebacks.
The Indians won three of four quarterfinal matches, all by pin. Roark, Cole Lankford at 126 and Jalen Skaggs at 160 advanced to the semifinals.
In the second round of wrestlebacks, Seneca pinned three of its four opponents. Cotten pinned Brian Noble of Stanberry in 20 seconds, Jeff Butler pinned Austin Cummins of New Madrid Central in the second period and Devin Madison pinned Tyler Partney of Herculaneum in the first period.
Seneca's run fell short with two one-point losses in the semifinals. Lankford was decisioned by Justin Rhodes of West Platte 2-1, and Skaggs fell to Ramzie Cooper of Brookfield 4-3.
Skaggs' match on Mat 3 took place just after unbeaten Justin Hartzell of Lathrop knocked off William Hahn of Whitfield 8-5.
The Indians have four wrestlers in the consolation finals. The winners will advance to third-place matches and the losers will wrestle for fifth place.
Lankford (45-9), a senior, will face sophomore Nathaniel Alexander (29-4) of Maryville, and Skaggs (46-4), a senior, will face senior Joe Collins (27-9) of Adrian.
Cotten (27-15), a freshman who was defeated in the first round, will face Caleb Osborn (43-4), a junior from Lathrop, and Rhoades (36-21), a freshman, will face Jesse Oldham (40-3), a senior from Stanberry.
Diamond's Jordan Douglas (39-16), a senior and a four-time state qualifier, was defeated in the third round of wrestlebacks by Tyler Spurling of Centralia.
Class 2
Monett's Chase Brennan advanced to the championship match at 113 by defeating Ethan Rentschler of Kirksville 7-3. Brennan (45-4), a junior, will face sophomore Trevor Burkhart (46-1) of Cameron.
Nevada won all four of its quarterfinal matches but fell in the semifinals. Travis Jones of Ste. Genevieve won in sudden victory over Slade Stiles at 120, and Maliek Collins of Kansas City Center at 285 remained unbeaten with a decision by ultimate tie breaker over Sam Ellifrits.
Dayton Miller of Nevada at 106 was pinned by Dakota Miller of Odessa, and Colby Smith at 220 was pinned by Zach Kearney of Reeds Spring.
Oak Grove led the team standings with 143.5 points. Fulton was second with 92.5 points.


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By Juliana Barbassa and Marco Sibaja
The Associated Press
PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil — Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing more than 230 people as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. It appeared to be the world's deadliest nightclub fire in more than a decade.
Witnesses said a flare or firework lit by band members may have started the blaze in Santa Maria, a university city of about 225,000 people.
Television images showed smoke pouring out of the Kiss nightclub as shirtless young men who had attended a university party joined firefighters using axes and sledgehammers to pound at windows and walls to free those trapped inside.
Guido Pedroso Melo, commander of the city's fire department, told the O Globo newspaper that firefighters had a hard time getting inside the club because "there was a barrier of bodies blocking the entrance."
Teenagers sprinted from the scene desperately seeking help. Others carried injured and burned friends away in their arms.
"There was so much smoke and fire, it was complete panic, and it took a long time for people to get out, there were so many dead," survivor Luana Santos Silva told the Globo TV network.
The fire spread so fast inside the packed club that firefighters and ambulances could do little to stop it, Silva said.
Another survivor, Michele Pereira, told the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper that she was near the stage when members of the band lit flares that started the conflagration.
"The band that was onstage began to use flares and, suddenly, they stopped the show and pointed them upward," she said. "At that point, the ceiling caught fire. It was really weak, but in a matter of seconds it spread."
Guitarist Rodrigo Martins told Radio Gaucha that the band, Gurizada Fandangueira, started playing at 2:15 a.m. "and we had played around five songs when I looked up and noticed the roof was burning"
"It might have happened because of the Sputnik, the machine we use to create a luminous effect with sparks. It's harmless. We never had any trouble with it.
"When the fire started, a guard passed us a fire extinguisher. The singer tried to use it, but it wasn't working"
He confirmed that accordion player Danilo Jacques, 28, died, while the five other members made it out safely.
Police Maj. Cleberson Braida Bastianello said by telephone that the toll had risen to 233 with the death of a hospitalized victim — he said earlier that the death toll was likely made worse because the nightclub appeared to have just one exit through which patrons could exit.
Officials counted 232 bodies that had been brought for identification to a gymnasium in Santa Maria. Federal Health Minister Alexandre Padhilha told a news conference that most of the 117 people treated in hospitals had been poisoned by gases they breathed during the fire.
For local news and more, subscribe to The Norman Transcript Smart Edition, or our print edition.


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The Barnegat High School varsity dance team is holding a fundraiser tonight to raise much needed funds for a trip to the Universal Dance Association national competition in Orlando.
The fundraiser is taking place at Spiaggia e Luna, 696 East Bay Avenue, from 5-10 p.m. Ten percent of all dine-in meals will be donated towards the Dance Team.
In order to attend the UDA competition, which takes place from February 2 - 6, the team needs to raise $15,000, according to Dance Team Head Coach Michelle Clerico.
"We've been doing this through many different fundraisers since September," Clerico said.
An additional fundraiser, a Zumba event, is scheduled for Tuesday. The cost is $10 per person at the door, and it will be led by high school alumni and former dance team captain, Heather McKenna. The event will take place in the high school gym 2.
The team expects to have two additional as yet unscheduled fundraisers this year, according to Clerico.
"We've also had so many donations from people, organizations, and businesses in Barnegat," said Clerico. "We are so thankful for all of the support the community has given us."
On Saturday, members are hosting a dance team competition at the high school at 2:30 pm. Teams from throughout the state are registered to compete and perform.
In the spring, the dance team will have another dance show to benefit senior scholarships. The high school and middle school dance teams as well as other students from the high school community will perform various dances to showcase their talents.
There are 16 dance team members who perform at all home football games and one home basketball game a week. They've also performed at pep rallies and various special events such as Relay for Life, the Cecil B. Collins School Fall Festival, and the Barnegat Carnival.
The team qualified for nationals at UDA dance camp in August at Monmouth University after ending the week with the most total awards.


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It was as if Scrooge and the Grinch conspired to ruin the Christmas season for millions of festive shoppers this past Christmas. How else to explain the hacking of Target customers' personal data, which started before the Thanksgiving turkey was even done, and lasted until Dec. 15?
Names, phone numbers, email addresses, personal identification numbers and mailing addresses from more than 70 million customers were compromised.
I didn't shop at Target during the holidays, but I don't believe my personal information is truly safe, not for a minute.
Scrooge and the Grinch transformed from takers to givers, who grew hearts and learned to love their fellow humans, (or at least the Whos in Whoville). I just don't see a happy ending for the technological world we live in, though, because thieves are a step ahead of the good guys.
Sometimes even the good guys are not so good. Take automatic, or recurring payments, from well-known companies; recent personal events have made me leery of clicking the "Accept" button to allow my payments to be automatically deducted on a certain date. It sounds like a good idea, and even some financial advisers tout it as a way to pay bills on time and to avoid late fees.
But what to do when your balance is zero and a payment is still deducted? This happened to me with a bank, where I had a credit card balance and automatic deductions set up.
When the balance was paid down to zero, that should have been the end of the automatic draft, but lo and behold, the next month the payment was deducted right on time.
Apparently, I hadn't read the small print about canceling automatic payments or whatever it was they wanted me to believe, but they were kind enough to refund my payment. Of course I had to wait at least five days to get a refund for money I didn't owe. Needless to say, I'm done with them.
Just last fall I received a call from my bank, informing me that a vendor I'd used had experienced a security breach. The bank didn't reveal the name, but I found out the vendor was a company with which I'd placed an order of less than $10.
I had to get a new bank card and pin number, which really wasn't a big deal, but this meant the recurring payments set up with my cable company were interrupted. In my naiveté, I went online and provided them with my new card information, but apparently it wasn't soon enough.
When they weren't able to draft on the agreed upon date, they went in a few days later and drafted not one, but two payments, even though only one was due. I couldn't afford to make two payments in one month, but when I pressed the issue, they said no refund was forthcoming because those were the terms I'd agreed to when I opted for recurring payments.
A review of the terms showed they were right and I was wrong – it was entirely my fault. I've since opted out of recurring payments. I wouldn't touch them with a 39.5-foot pole.
Karan Moses Robinson is a freelancer living in Clover.


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Planner Master Agenda 2014
Price: $39.00
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For higher productivity, use the planner with its own system of optional apps
Welcome to the Circa
Planner, the innovative planner that lets you choose the way you want to put it all together. The weekly Master Agenda is the centerpiece of this intuitive system. It works just fine by itself. But it works even better when you add your own selection of Circa
Planner paper-based apps. (More on the apps below.) The Master Agenda features weekly and monthly calendar sheets, monthly tabs, and a perpetual calendar. All are on high-quality paper and with soft shadings of color that help you in your organizing.
Weekly sheets: Set your weekly appointments and goals
On these ruled pages of the
Planner Master Agenda, list your appointments for the week on the left side, and jot notes and goals related to them on the right. At the end of each week, tear off the tiny perforated corner at the bottom of each page---a sure sign that you've made progress.
Monthly sheets: Manage both work and home on the movable monthly planner sheets
The Master Agenda's monthly planner sheets feature softly shaded areas so that you can manage two aspects of your life at once---work and home, for example. You may want to place each monthly sheet in front of the weeks' agendas. Or you may prefer to keep all 12 of the monthly planning schedules in one section of your Master Agenda. Because the
Planner uses Levenger Circa-punched paper, you can easily move around any of the pages.
Year after year: Keep a perpetual calendar cued with gift ideas
There's plenty of room in the Master Agenda's ruled perpetual calendar to include gift ideas for those birthdays and anniversaries.
FREE: Power up your Master Agenda with the sampler kit of optional apps
Embedded in the word "paper" is the word "app." Add the optional paper-based Circa
Planner apps to your Circa
Planner Master Agenda, and now you have a planner that's both loaded with productivity and fortified with fun.
See which apps work best for you, then order full packs of those. They're also available in money-saving three-packs of
Keep tabs on your agenda with these writable tabs
Another helpful option you have for your
Planner Master Agenda are our
Annotation Tabs.
Both offer you room to write on them, front and back. The
Tabs have a vertical format; the Annotation Tabs have a horizontal format.
Weekly, monthly and perpetual calendars.
Yearly calendars, 2013-2016.
Monthly tab dividers with month-at-a-glance ruled page.
FREE sampler kit of optional apps for even better organization.
High-quality, 100 gsm Levenger paper holds up to repeated use; junior size (7 1/8 x 8 ¾)
"Belongs to" page for identification
Circa-punched pages for optimal movability
Designed to hold optional smartPlanner apps, available separately
Translucent covers, 7 1/8W x 8 3/4H
1" black Circa discs
Junior-size paper, 5 1/2W x 8 1/2H
Take your planner to a whole new level of customization with the Circa
Planner Master Agenda and optional apps.
Circa smartPlanner Agenda Sampler 2014
Cool calendar
This calendar circa has a lot of ways to stay on track. I like the look of the cover and the various pages make it easy to be organized. The fact that I can simply purchase refills for the next year is a huge plus.
June 4, 2014
Bought the full year for just $.95 more than the July-Dec. Worth it for May-June!
May 22, 2014
Awesome planner that I purchased for my wife. After looking through it I want one for myself.
March 20, 2014
I can not function without a paper planner. This is the best one I have ever used. Love it.
March 15, 2014
Love This
Oh wonderful, wonderful planner, where have you been all of my life!! Dig this!! Great for school.
March 2, 2014
Tried and True - keeps me organized!
I tried going digital with app calendars, but alas I am a traditionalist and function better with good old fashioned paper planners. This agenda has energetic, inspiring orange colored tabs with subtle muted pages that make it pleasant to write on and visually pleasing to the eye. The set up is perfect for seeing month at a glance and week at a glance. I often use a fountain pen while writing in this agenda and there is no bleed through on the pages. Very nice quality paper. I look forward to using it everyday and I will purchase again in 2015.
March 2, 2014
Love the ease of use
I had been printing my email calendar every week, punching it and then putting it into a junior size circa folder. Glad that I finally made the switch and bought this planner. Love the ease of use, plenty of room to write and it is so much easier to work with my daily schedule. It has made my daily planning activities a breeze.
February 19, 2014
Great Planner!
I've just recently been trying to make my life a bit more "analog". I'm very much a techy and love my devices, but there is something very satisfying about putting pen to paper. I purchased this planner during a weekly special, and I'm very glad that I did. I've just started to use it, and I'm still getting a feel for my personal planning style (and how to incorporate it with my very digital world), but the quality of this product is top-notch! My only word of caution is that my Lamy Studio medium fountain pen (which does put down a very substantial line) does bleed through the paper. I've simply defaulted to using my rollerballs with this planner. I guess it's time to purchase and try a fine nib fountain pen!
February 16, 2014
The Best Way To Organize
For whatever reason, one month into 2014 and I had not purchased any sort of desk calendar or daily planner. Then, late in January, a Levenger email led me to an easy decision. Levenger had an item on sale. For years I was sold on the concept of Circa, but not until I purchased Circa smartPlanner Agenda & Sampler 2014 did I realize what I had been missing. I can't recall a time when I have made a purchase and immediately -- right out of the box -- put that product to use. The planner, the multiple calendars, and the Circa App Sampler is what I needed. The first day I started using smartPlanner I reduced my paper-based technologies from three to one. The three were: 1) A ring binder calendar to keep track of my day-to-day activities; 2) A small stapled brochure monthly calendar to keep track of my daily running/jogging record, and 3) My "Desk Sheet." My "desk sheet" is an 11" x 17" sheet of paper (brightly colored, if available) folded in half, forming a four page booklet 8-1/2" x 11" in size. On any given day when I knew that the majority of my time was going to be spent at my desk, the first thing I did was to make a desk sheet. I would jot down tasks that I knew had to be accomplished that day, and then this piece of paper became the depository of everything else; notes, phone numbers and phone messages, meeting schedules, appointments, To Do list, spontaneous new developments, and unexpected ideas that pop up during the course of a work day. I was amazed how fast I filled 4 pages with handwritten information. For years, the desk sheet worked for me. The only drawback had been that as the day progressed, more stuff piled up on my desk and, at times, I had to go searching for the desk sheet. As I mentioned, a brightly colored desk sheet was preferable. That first day using smartPlanner I gave up my desk sheet. The smartPlanner is compact and easier to locate on my desk, the Doodle App pages are colorful enough, and when I fill up one Doodle page I just insert another (upside down if I so desire!) where I need it in the smartPlanner. As I said, from three paper-based sources to one. With smartPlanner I use the weekly planner sheets for my day-to-day and weekly activities, the monthly planner sheets record my almost daily exercise routine, and the Apps keep my office work flowing. I'm a 3 x 5 guy. I have kept a stack of note cards clipped together and in my shirt pocket for a good 20 odd years. With all of today's technological advances, I still find the simple index card to be the best way to keep track of all the tasks that need to be completed, and all the goals that need to be met. I will most certainly be purchasing Levenger's 3 x 5 Special Request™ Blank Circa PDA Cards and Behance Action Cards to upgrade the elements in my smartPlanner. I also keep a journal. I try to write a page a day and, believe it or not, I actually write in cursive. For several years I have been contemplating journal writing using a Circa product, and a decision has been made. My next journal will be a letter sized Circa notebook. Then, even from the cramped confines of a airline coach seat, I will be able to write in comfort. With Circa's flexibility, prior to boarding an aircraft, I can remove a few blank sheets, or fold the notebook, and not be burdened with a cumbersome, stitched journal. And, in terms of versatility, inserting paper or photo additions to any journal entry is only a Circa Leverage Punch away. I should have done this years ago. I purchased my smartPlanner at the end of January. Yesterday, after showing it to a friend, I purchased one for her (the smartPlanner Master Agenda 2014 is still on sale!). It didn't take long for my friend, who runs a small business, to see the advantages of using Circa to organize all aspects of her business. We are only seven weeks into the new year. I highly recommend the smartPlanner Master Agenda 2014. To sum it up, smartPlanner has become a part of my daily life, in -- or out -- of the office. My new mini-office on the road is a smart phone, a small Bluetooth keyboard, and my smartPlanner. That's it. Oh, and a few 3 x 5 cards. Just can't seem to let those go. My shirt pocket would seem empty without them.
February 16, 2014
Great size and compact
I have had other planners that take up more space and bulk. This planner is easy to use and allows me to see appointments by month and week. I recommend it for anyone to use.
February 15, 2014
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Traverse City Record-Eagle
---- — Northwest Michigan
Hardcover fiction
1. "River Swimmer" by Jim Harrison, Grove Press, $25
2. "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn, Crown, $25
3. "Burgess Boys" by Elizabeth Strout, Random House, $27
Paperback fiction
1. "Sparrow Migrations" by Cari Noga, CreateSpace, $14.95
2. "Holy Fire" by Brue Sterling, Spectra, $7.99
3. "Good American" by Alex George, Berkley, $16
Hardcover nonfiction
1. "Detroit: An American Autopsy" by Charlie LeDuff, Penguin Press, $27.95
2. "Grand Traverse the Civil War" by John Mitchell, Suttons Bay Publications, $24.95
3. "Escape from Camp 14" by Blaine Harden, Viking, $26.95
Paperback nonfiction
1. "Escape from Camp 14" by Blaine Harden, Penguin, $15
2. "Waist Away" by Dr. Mary Clifton and Dr. Chelsea Clifton, Doctor Doctor Press, $14.95
3. "Proof of Heaven" by Eben Alexander, M.D., Simon & Schuster, $15.99
— Horizon Books
Hardcover fiction
1. "Life After Life" by Kate Atkinson, Reagan Arthur Books, $27.99
2. "The Burgess Boys" by Elizabeth Strout, Random House, $26
3. "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn, Crown, $25
Paperback fiction
1. "Beautiful Ruins" by Jess Walter, Harper Perennial, $15.99
2. "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Scribner, $15
3. "Where'd You Go, Bernadette" by Maria Semple, Black Bay, $14.99
Hardcover nonfiction
1. "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg, Knopf, $24.95
2. "Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal" by Mary Roach, Norton, $26.95
3. "I Could Pee on This" by Francesco Marciuliano, Chronicle, $12.95
Paperback nonfiction
1. "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail" by Cheryl Strayed, Vintage, $15.95
2. "Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey Into the Afterlife" by Eben Alexander, M.D., S&S, $15.99
3. "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain, Broadway, $16
— American Booksellers Association


text:
By Andrew Gans
Question: I know. I was listening to the score of Baby the other day, and there's that line about "life begins at 43." I thought, "How am I the age of the old couple in Baby? When did that happen?"
Question: You were also in The Landing recently. What was that experience like?
Question: Do you know what's happening with the show? Is there any talk of a production?
03 Aug 2012
Photo by Joan Marcus
Murney: And, I did a concert of Baby for the Transport Group a little while back, and I sang "I Want It All" with Betsy Wolfe and Jill Paice. And, Catherine Cox, the original Pam, was there—and I've known her for years, and there was no listing of who was singing what—so when we got up to sing that song, she said, "Oh my goodness, well obviously she's singing Pam," and I was singing Arlene. But Catherine was like, "Oh, no! Why is she singing Arlene?! What does that mean for me?" It's just devastating all the way around. [Laughs.]
Murney: It was delicious. John Kander is the tastiest morsel in the bag. It was just great. It was great to be with him and watch him work on something brand new, work on his very first thing without Fred, and to be with someone like Greg Pierce, who wrote the book and lyrics, who is just sweet as pie. It was just the loveliest group of people—Walter Bobbie and David Hyde Pierce and Paul Anthony Stewart and little Jake… I can't tell you how many people said, "Oh, yes, you're doing that Kander and Ebb thing." I'm like, "Nope. Kander. Just Kander." It's a totally understandable slip because that's the normal thing that comes out of your mouth, but it was very different. It was nothing like any Kander and Ebb show you've ever seen, certainly. But it's a different little creature, and it's its own thing, and it's a great joy to be a part of it.
Murney: I believe the Vineyard wants to do it as a production; it's a matter of them figuring out their schedule along with us and our schedules because I believe they would like to do it with us. David Hyde Pierce and Paul and myself and Walter… busy people! Trying to figure out when can we all grasp that time. So we are definitely hoping that it gets done.
Murney: I do! ...I'm doing a play. So if Closer Than Ever does indeed keep extending, which I think that might be their desire. Our hope is that this show keeps selling and that people keep enjoying it and it could just continue on, and then they'll have different casts that they can rotate in and out. Actors love nothing more than saying, "Oh, I'd love to do that just for six weeks and then be done." I can only do it for these three weeks that are scheduled because then I start this new play called Falling that is going to be down at the Minetta Lane, and I'm really excited because there's no dancing girls. [Laughs.] It's just a play—a talking play.
Question: I know. I was listening to the score of Baby the other day, and there's that line about "life begins at 43." I thought, "How am I the age of the old couple in Baby? When did that happen?"
Question: You were also in The Landing recently. What was that experience like?
Question: Do you know what's happening with the show? Is there any talk of a production?
Question: Have you done any non-musicals in New York?
Murney: I have. I did Crimes of the Heart at Second Stage back in—goodness—2001, I think, with Jason Butler Harner, who's in Cock right now, and Amy Ryan and Enid Graham and Mary Catherine Garrison, and Garry Hynes directed it. And, we had a ball! It was one of those odd things. It was the first real revival—like major revival of that play—in New York. It was directed by the first woman to win a Tony for directing, and we got nice reviews, and nobody cared. [Laughs.] It was sort of like, "That happened," and it went on by. No one really remembers. Well, we remember. Luckily, you get to take the people away from it… Jason is borrowing my car right now as we speak, and I would definitely say… The Cockfight Play is really, really good, and everyone should go see it.
|photo by Joan Marcus
Question: What's it like for you doing a play versus a musical? Is there less pressure about worrying about your voice every day?
Murney: The biggest thing that stunned me about when we did Crimes of the Heart was not having to wake up in the morning and go, "Ahhhh" just to see what's there because normally, when you're doing a musical morning, when you do that and you go, "Ah… Oh no!" [Laughs.] Then you spend the whole day drinking tea and jumping for Jesus that you're going to get to eight o'clock okay. And, the other thing about the play is that our director every night would pop her head into the room and be like, "Where are we going?" And, we would go out every night. "What is this world?! What is this world of the plays? I enjoy this!" Although, this particular play is not really a comedy, per se, and there is screaming and stuff in it, so that will be interesting in presenting its own challenges.
And, Closer Than Ever is interesting because it's not miked. The York is small, and there's only a piano and bass, and the layout of the house is [intimate]. It's a little harder at the Vineyard because the stage is a little more separated from the audience, but at the York it's kind of in your face. So that's a different thing, too, and there's always the debate that goes on and always seems to end in, "Well, Ethel Merman did not need a microphone!" [Laughs.] Which I completely understand; however, there is another side to that called, "Ethel Merman wasn't singing today's kind of music." The demands on a singer have changed, and Ethel Merman—although, my goodness, how exciting would it be to go back in time and get to see her? But from what I've understood and from reading the biography, which I did, she pretty much just planted her feet and bellowed. She wasn't really trying to nuance it or act it—again, from what I've understood. And so, given all of that, the demands become different. I always feel like that's a bit of an unfair argument. Yes, absolutely, there are some people who, when you hear them sing unamplified, they completely disappear, there is no sense of projection, which is rough. But on the flipside, I think today's singing has become what today's singing is, so when I get quiet, I try to not disappear. And, also, today's ear is different, the audience's ear. When you think about when you go to see a play, if you're used to hearing amplified musicals all the time, and you go to see a play, sometimes it takes a second, especially if the play is in verse or if everyone has accents or whatever it is. It takes a minute to get your ear clicked into, "This is where I need my aural sensory to be for this," so I think Closer Than Ever is a little odd because it's a musical and you expect the amplification. In a show like Wicked, the sound man is your bestest friend in the whole wide world! [Laughs.] Some nights you come in, and you're like, "Hey, dude… Can you do me a favor? I need you to ride it really high and help me out!" [Laughs.] Closer Than Ever is just on you. It's really nice because it's sort of an implicit contract between you and the audience of "We have to meet in the middle."
Question: It's interesting what you said before about nothing an actor likes better than knowing it's only six weeks. That sort of surprises me because I would think that learning all of this material, especially for this show, you would want a longer run.
Murney: You're absolutely right. I say that sort of as a joke… I mean that's a terrible blanket statement because there are some people who their entire goal is to get into a long run and sit down. And, you're right. When the [Off-Broadway] play came up and the notion of "maybe, who knows?" of Closer Than Ever continuing on, and suddenly that got taken away, I was like, "Oh, no. Well, wait! This is so much fun! And, it's so much music." [Laughs.] I'm probably just going to figure it out by week three, and then I'm out. What I keep thinking, though, in the grand, brilliant tradition of summer stock, I only got to play Eva Peron for eight shows. I had to learn Evita. I had a lot more time to learn Evita because I knew I was going to play it for a while, so I was able to slam it and slam it into my brain, so it's not quite the rush-job that this one is. Summer stock has been done since the dawn of musical-theatre time at least, and it is what it is. So I've kind of flipped it in my head and went, "Well, at least I get three weeks." I get to do three weeks of this music that I've always loved and has meant something to me, and that's all I mean by that statement. I should have said, "There's nothing I love more than being asked to just do three weeks." [Laughs.] Just because the fear of the fatigue that sets in, and that's when you start worrying. I start worrying. I don't mean to speak for everyone. And, while it's always a joy, it's also a job. And, that's when it gets a little bit of, "Oh, dear." It's not that I don't want to go to work—don't get me wrong. I just [know] it's going to be tricky today. And, it's hard when you feel an expectation. And, that was the greatest challenge of Wicked was that the expectation that lies on that and wanting to fulfill that expectation for these people who have waited all this time to see the show and paid all this money and all of that. And, you want to give it to them. The lesson I had to keep learning when "The Wizard and I" did not go as I desired, it was very from College 101. In my brain, I had to keep saying, "Just tell the story." I say this to my students when I teach, too. "It's not your job to telegraph to them that you don't really feel well, and you know that you don't sound a hundred percent. That's not your job." Your job is to tell them the story. And, a lot of those people in that audience don't actually know the difference… It's not like it's the Olympics of Wicked. Just tell the tale. Don't ruin their experience with your own insecurities. It's hard. It's a tricky thing, especially when you do feel like you're under what you can do. And, you just hope that the part that you can do is solid and understandable and welcomed, I guess. [Laughs.] And, that's why I feel very lucky that so much of what I've gotten to do is actable. I did a concert with Jason Robert Brown of The Last Five Years, where he played Jamie at the piano and with a band. We were out at UCLA, and I had some insane allergic reaction, and I was fine at rehearsal that day, and I opened my mouth to start the concert that evening, and it was like, "Rut-roh! What has happened up in there?" After the instant panic I had, the second thought I had was, "Oh, thank God these are actable songs. I'm about to heavily rely on the story that is being told because I haven't got the other thing right now. I'll do my best and thank you to my voice teachers for technique and for all of that. But thank goodness Jason wrote these songs that paint vivid pictures." If it was just a score about vocal pyrotechnics, I would have been doomed.


text:
Haslam Voices Concern Over Photo ID Law (sounding like a Democrat?)
Gov. Bill Haslam says he has voiced concern to legislators that the new state law requiring voters to have photo identification will make it "unnecessarily hard" for some people to cast ballots in next year's elections.
But the governor said he is not recommending changes in the new law or delaying implementation at this point.
"We haven't made that recommendation to them yet," Haslam said in an interview. "I think the way government works, you know, is that our job is to carry out things and also to propose things. At this point in time, all we've done is raise the issue."
The new law, enacted by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed by Haslam earlier this year, takes effect Jan. 1. The first election with the new law in effect will be March 6, the date of Tennessee's presidential preference primary.
The Legislature meets Jan. 10, which means members could theoretically postpone the law before 2012 voting begins. Other elections will be held in August and November of 2012.
The lawmakers who spearheaded passage of the new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, say they do not share the governor's concern. House Republican Caucus Chairman Debra Maggart and Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Bill Ketron said they want "full steam ahead" with enforcement and implementation of the new requirement for voting.
Haslam said he is particularly concerned over voters who hold a Tennessee driver's license with no photograph, which will not be valid for voting under the law. A separate state law makes photos optional on driver licenses for persons aged 60 or over.
The Department of Safety, which operates licensing centers, is offering free photo ID cards for voting, and it is opening on some Saturdays to serve citizens seeking a free ID. The state Division of Elections, meanwhile, is conducting a campaign to ensure voters know about the change in laws.
"While we're working very hard to get our driver's license centers to be a little more customer friendly, they're not where they need to be yet," Haslam said.
The Department of Safety has issued 8,445 voter identification cards since July 1, a spokeswoman said this week. Officials agree that about 126,000 Tennessee registered voters over age 60 have drivers licenses with no photograph, but there is some dispute about how many others may be impacted. Democrats say the potential number could reach 675,000. (Post on the numbers dispute HERE.)
"Given human nature, people tend not to address things until the last minute sometimes," Haslam said. "I'm concerned about that last minute, when seniors say, 'I really want to vote, I want to vote at the polling place, I don't want to vote absentee.. Oh, I need to get a photo ID!'
"And I'm concerned about the waiting time (at driver's licensing stations)," he said.
The law has been widely criticized by Democrats, who contend it is intended to create obstacles to voting by senior citizens, college students, low-income people who do not have a driver's license or other acceptable photo ID.
Ketron, Maggart and most other Republican legislators have rejected such contentions and say the new law is needed to prevent voter fraud.
Democrats have already filed a bill for consideration in the General Assembly that would repeal the photo ID law.
House Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner said this week they also plan to file alternative legislation to delay implementation until the 2014 elections, to make more types of photo identification acceptable and to otherwise "fix" what they consider a flawed law.
Maggart and Ketron, however, said they see no reason for any changes in the law they had been pushing for four years before enactment. They hailed voter education efforts under way by the state election coordinator, Mark Goins.
Both Republicans said they found it ironic that a photo ID is required in some union elections while Democrats, who traditionally enjoy strong union support, are opposing photo ID for voting. They cited a recent photo published on the Politico website, showing a sign declaring "picture ID required to vote" at a union election.
Maggart conceded that it would be an inconvenience for some voters to get a photo ID, but said the benefits in credibility for the election system outweigh such considerations.
"That may be an annoyance, but look at what people have sacrificed for you to be able to vote," she said. "People have fought and died in wars."
"Haslam said he is particularly concerned over voters who hold a Tennessee driver's license with no photograph, which will not be valid for voting under the law."
"While we're working very hard to get our driver's license centers to be a little more customer friendly, they're not where they need to be yet," Haslam said"
"And I'm concerned about the waiting time (at driver's licensing stations)," he said.
I don't believe he's sounding like a Democrat at all. He's waffling to sound like a nice guy who doesn't know what happened. Why is everyone mad, he says?
Well, he signed the bill. Does he read the bills he signs? Or, does he not at least have one of his people read the bills and present him a summary? Did he not understand how many people would need to get new IDs to vote? Did he not understand a lot of these might be old or disabled? Did he not understand the driver's license stations have been understaffed for years and there are almost always lines?
Yes, he understood all of this. He just doesn't want anyone mad at him. He's a nice guy. He just wants to get along. Hah! It doesn't necessarily work that way, Governor Haslam. You must take responsibility for you actions.


text:
The Orange Leader
Duyen Do, a freshman biochemistry major from Orange, was among a contingent of University of Dallas students and campus ministers that traveled to Kansas City, Mo. in March for this year's Alternative Spring Break (ASB). While there, the group volunteered with A Simple House, an organization that serves, according to their mission statement, "the poorest of the poor," helping prepare and deliver meals to homeless people and to repair the house that serves as a base for the group's ministry.
During ASB, students participate in service-oriented activities that meet spiritual needs and provide personal enrichment. Preparation for ASB takes place in various ways, including an application and interview process. Once selected, the group of students goes through a faith formation process and learns the organization's pillars – service, prayer, simplicity and community. The students also raise funds to cover the trip expenses, and attend a day-long retreat before they leave for their assigned location.


text:
Parents, get ready to open up your wallets. It's about time to start shopping for school supplies.
According to the National Retail Federation, on average people with children in kindergarten through high school will spend $688.62 on their children's back-to-school shopping, up from $603.63 last year. That money, combined with back-to-college spending, will total $83.8 billion, "serving as the second biggest consumer spending event for retailers behind the winter holidays."
Patch has compiled some tips for how to stay within your family's budget on these shopping sprees. And we want to hear what tricks you have, too. Please add your thoughts to the comment section below so your neighbors can benefit from your frugal wisdom.
Frugal Living suggests going on a shopping trip through your home before you hit the stores:
See if there are any items on your child's school supply list that you might already have. Things like rulers, pencil boxes, calculators and backpacks do not need to be replaced each year, so don't be afraid to reuse last year's if it's still in good shape.
The website has a creative solution to how to get personalized supplies on the cheap:
Plain Jane school supplies always cost less then their fancier counterparts, but let's face it: to a kid they just aren't as fun. The solution? Buy the budget-friendly basics; then, let your kiddo jazz them up with stickers and colorful doodles.
Organized Home explains that the "shop at home" strategy works better with some advanced planning:
Designate a box, shelf or covered records box as School Supply Central. This tip will serve you well throughout the year the year. Find that stash of 9-cent boxes of crayons or a few packs of binder paper from last summer's shopping spree? Tuck them into the box.
CNN Money suggests going digital
You can save 50% or more off the cost off a new textbook by downloading it from CafeScribe. … Students can also rent textbooks from "Kindle Textbook Rentals" for 30 days to a year for 80% off the price for the paper books.


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Agricultural finance
Agricultural finance is concerned with the financing of agricultural-related activities, from production to market.
Study plan
First year students planning a major in agricultural finance will complete two junior prerequisite units of study (12 credit points) in accounting and either econometrics or economics. In second year students complete intermediate study in corporate finance. Third year students will further their study in finance by selecting from senior units of study available. Fourth year specialised study is undertaken at a senior level in agricultural economics.
Graduate opportunities
A major in agricultural finance will suit students with interests in both finance and agriculture. The career opportunities in agricultural finance span from assisting with loans to working in sales. Graduates will have a solid understanding of the requirements and challenges faced by farmers, in order to thrive in professional agricultural finance roles.
Related subject areas
Agribusiness, agricultural economics, agricultural marketing


text:
August 2, 2014
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. Palisade hosted the Jackpot Duals for grappling District 51 style. Click the video above to watch some of the highlights from the night.
Team Points
Fruita Monument: 202.5
Grand Junction: 141
Central: 126
Palisade: 110
KKCO firmly believes in freedom of speech for all and we are happy to provide this forum for the community to share opinions and facts. We ask that commenters keep it clean, keep it truthful, stay on topic and be responsible. Comments left here do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of KKCO 11News.powered by Disqus


text:
Welcome to Ivanhoe Unbound, my little RPG imprint. I'm the sole
owner (if you can call it that) and author. My name is Kirt Dankmyer, but
my friends call me Loki. Sometimes I am called Xiombarg.
Oh, and to give credit where credit is due, I'd like to thank Ivanhoe
Productions (a LARP company I'm associated with) and Jim Olsen for a name
and a logo, tho I modified both to suit my tastes.
If you don't know what a role-playing game (RPG) is, go
here (or, if that link doesn't work, try another). If you don't know what I mean by Gamist, Narrativist, and/or Simulationist, you should read this.
By the way, I agree with Ron Edwards that system does matter, which is why I create my own
systems. If you want to discuss theory or anything else relating to my games, including potential new releases, join the mailing list...
This is an intensely narrative game
about making tough moral
and ethical
choices under pressure. Unsung works just as well for a game
where the protagonists are inner city cops,
as for a game set during the Vietnam "police action" or the American Civil
War. In fact, the game was playtested
with rookie cops as the
protaganists, and then later
using a SWAT team as protagonists.
The game uses a simple one-die mechanic,
and plays around a lot with player
control -- if your character loses it during a stressful situation, the
other players decide what happens to him. In fact, in many ways the
character effectiveness is affected by the moral choices the character
makes -- and by morally challenging other characters. The idea is to take
an interest in everyone's character, as well as your own.
This game is about the emotions invoked in
intensely dangerous situations, about personal stories often lost in the
statistical listing of crime and casualties, about what unravels during
Regrets spoken upon one's dying bed will
not return unnumbered victims dead.
As a break from Unsung, I started work on totally different game.
With Pretender, I was aiming at some familiar ground for RPGs:
creatures in the modern day. I wanted to hew
closer to the Sonja Blue series, to add something back to
the "personal horror" genre of RPGs: a sense of wonder
and exploration.
In essence, I wanted a game where it was easy
to play vampires in the modern day, but also were-gators,
mannequins that come to life during the night, races of immortals that
look (and act) like psychopathic children, and sentient colonies of
roaches. And more. It's all about flexibility, and lack of
focus is on extreme
personalities, grittiness, and creating the world as you go. I wanted,
however, there to be a framework for people to hang stuff onto. I also
wanted to
have shifting narration, and, as I said, a very "develop in play" style --
the GM and
the players would really "create a story together".
I tried to
think what system would suit what I wanted best, and settled on a
heavily-modified version of
has been, in short, a blast, and I'm looking forward to playing some
This was my
"modern" RPG, as informed
by the discussions at the
Forge. It's
diceless, and description-based. I had three goals in mind with this one:
I'm still rather fond of it, and I think it succeeds at most of its
goals. (With regard to the first goal, in retrospect, I feel the design is
more "low-contact
Simulationist" with some Narrativist leanings, but it certainly
eliminates Gamism.)
You can find out more about the design
decisions that went into it here.
If you want something a little more than freeform,
check it out. After all, it's free, and will remain so.
This was
my second description-based game, based on The Pool and a
lot of time spent at NASA. Either you're faster, better, or cheaper than the
other guy in the traits you're specialized in.
The Simple, One-Page Live-Action Role-Play system.
Written back in '96 or so as your basic rules-light LARP system. Perhaps at
some point I will release a third edition a little more in line with my
current preferences. I still kinda like it, tho -- I like to think it was
an interesting accomplishment for the time.
A Repertoire Composed of the Corpus of
Cacophony. This is an... extension... of the
In Nomine
setting, concerning
Archangel and a Demon Prince... and a secret.
Fixed Logrus.
A power for the Amber Diceless RPG, sort of the opposite number to the
Harmony. A Great Power
I wrote for the Equinox PBEM. With adaptation, it could be useful in any
Amber Diceless game.
Lie. A short short story set in
the In Nomine
Mandala. The power (an
equivalent to the Logrus or the Pattern) associated with Harmony. With adaptation, it could of
use in any Amber Diceless game.
Saints. A set of Templar
for Hell
on Earth. I'm particularly proud of Saint Fort.
Wild Card Mutation Table. An
alternate mutation table for Hell
on Earth.
A kaiju fight game... Narrativist Diplomacy... and s'more old thingies,
like my original version of the Grigori for In Nomine.


text:
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Before You Go and When You Arrive - Some tips for Partners at Impact 2013
Ryan Boyles email@example.com Tags: guide preview ibmpartners ibmimpact business-partner 1,492 Visits
Guest post by Kate Mougey, IBM WebSphere Business Partner Team With Impact 2013 and the Business Partner Summit approaching on Sunday, April 28 th , now is the time to register , if you are an IBM Business Partner and you haven't...
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The IBM Connect 2013 Business Partner Guide is now available.
Debora Cole firstname.lastname@example.com Tags: ibm connect guide 2013 business partner 2 Comments 6,399 Visits
The IBM Connect 2013 Business Partner Guide is now available. Want to see what we have planned specifically for our IBM Business Partners attending Connect 2013 ? It's all in the guide ! Take a look at the...
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IBM Sametime 8.5 Reviewers Guide refreshed for 8.5.2
Jacques Pavlenyi email@example.com Tags: brief ibm-sametime guide 8.5 reviewers executive 8.5.2 2,473 Visits
#ucoms #ibmsoftware Back in 2010 we released a detailed IBM Sametime Reviewers' Guide for version 8.5. We just refreshed and updated the Guide for the latest release, Sametime 8.5.2. This document will help you evaluate how IBM Sametime software can...
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The SWG Product Guide January 2011 edition is here!
Welcome to the new ECM eConnection Blog! Please make sure to create a "Bookmark" for this blog within the ibm.com Community (located at the top in the toolbar) or in your own Favorites Folder! To manage your blog subscriptions, click here and...
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Where does the ROI in cloud computing come from? Community Blog
Ria Hyman firstname.lastname@example.com Tags: computing svcmgmt management service payback guide ibmontwitter cloud cloudburst cloud-computing ibmcloud 3 Comments 2,056 Visits
As organizations examine the business value of cloud computing, it is important to understand how cloud can lower IT expenses. Understanding how long it takes until your business can recoup the investment it has made or is considering making in cloud...
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Tivoli's commitment to the midmarket
Tiffany Winman email@example.com Tags: accreditation monitoring partners essentials survival management deployment microsoft guide asset maximo tivoli ibm applications 989 Visits
When people think of Tivoli, they think of enterprise solutions. True, Tivoli rocks in large enterprises! :) However, we're also committed to midmarket solutions . Just check out our recent press release on our new Tivoli offerings announced at Pulse 2008. The...