text:
VIDEOS: Paul McDonald from 'American Idol' performs in Auburn
"American Idol" alum Paul McDonald performed Friday (Sept. 6) at Bourbon Street Bar.
It was his first time performing in Auburn since placing eighth on the 10th season of "Idol." McDonald attended Auburn University, where he studied biomedical sciences. He was last enrolled in the university in 2006 before leaving to focus on music. He has a sister in Auburn, in addition to family in Huntsville, Ala.
Friday's show was billed as "Paul McDonald and The Grand Magnolias," meaning that McDonald performed as an acoustic duo with Jonathan Pears. The performance was a mix of Grand Magnolias tunes, songs from when the act was known as High Tide Blues and an occasional cover.
Other than stopping in Auburn, what's McDonald up to?
He's currently touring with Hanson and told me he hopes to release new music before the end of the year. Shortly after his "Idol" run, McDonald married Nikki Reed, an actress widely known for her role as Rosalie Hale in the "Twilight" films.
I was a pretty serious Paul McDonald fan during the 10th season of "Idol," which Scotty McCreery won. McDonald's a great performer. When the "Idol" tour stopped in Atlanta, many concert goers didn't get on their feet until McDonald performed Rod Stewart's "Maggie May."
Friday's show solidified my belief that his appeal isn't confined to cover songs. Check out these videos from the concert.
The musicians kick off Friday's show:
I believe this one's a new tune:
Here, the musicians cover "Atlantic City" by Bruce Springsteen:
This one's from when the act was known as High Tide Blues:
The musicians perform "Bouquet of Lies (Ghost in Apt. 8)," a tune by Paul McDonald and Nikki Reed. Excuse the shaky camera work at the beginning of the performance.


text:
Mike Tyson Hotel Room Robbed
Talk about something straight out of a movie; TMZ is reporting that someone broke into Mike Tyson's Vegas hotel room over the weekend while the ex-boxing champ was sleeping. Lucky for the intruder, Tyson was asleep or he would probably have broken your face in.
Sources tell TMZ, Mike was staying at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Saturday night. Tyson was out like a bag of potatoes when all of a sudden, he awoke to rustling sounds and saw a flashlight. But by the time Mike realized what was happening, the intruder ran out of the room.
All I can think of is the scene from The Hangover where the boys steal his tiger, too funny. If you have a couple minutes, relive sports history with Mike Tyson and the ear bite…

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I'm from Chile and currently living in Seattle. I started with an Atari 800 XL and later moved to PCs. However, I always wanted an Amiga after reading about them on old magazines coming from Europe. I never saw or had a chance to buy one at the time in my small town.
Now days, 20 years later and after watching too many retro videos on YouTube , I got my first Amiga from eBay! an Amiga 600 PAL from UK without any mods. Unfortunately I found it has a problem (I've to wiggle the R audio port to fix composite video). I'm now waiting for a RGB to VGA adapter and CF PCMCIA card to install software and to continue checking the machine.
I've also started to build an Amiga 1200 using an FPGA and MiSTer. I've collected many parts so far (e.g. A1200 case, A1200 keyboard, triple LEDs, de10 nano FPGA, USB keyboard adapter) and last week I bootstrapped the FPGA for first time! (took me a while to figure out how to partition the SD card on Mac — I ended up manually patching the MBR using vim). Lots of fun!


text:
DANDELION always have in stock beautiful, Old York Sandstone, Millstone Grit or Westmorland Limestone Standing Stones, many being formed millions of years ago by Mother Nature; others having been hand-hewn by Pennine quarrymen in the 17th, 18th or 19th centuries. Standing Stones and Monoliths, greatly enhance gardens, flagged courtyards or can be incorporated as an eye-catching enigma in a meadow or by a pond or stream.
For those special garden designs, landscaping, water features and sculptural enigmas, DANDELION can supply large natural lumps of York Sandstone, Millstone Grit and Old Westmorland Limestone, obtained from legitimate sources.
These enigmatic, ancient standing stones, hewn centuries ago from quarried York sandstone, limestone, Millstone Grit, Red Furness sandstone etc., when set up within a lawn or other grassy area, make wonderful garden features. Standing stones or stone monoliths, if set up among alpines, heathers, bulbs or groupings of brightly-coloured flowers can look fantastic.
Another exciting concept is to set up one uniquely-shaped standing stone, surrounded by a circle of much shorter feature stones or boulders.
The example, shown right, of an ancient weathered and gnarled Limestone Standing Stone is a good indicator of how the old gate posts, once set in a lawned area, can look fantastic.


text:
What Is Rephrasing and Why Might You Need to Do It?
Rephrasing or paraphrasing is repeating something that has been said or written using your own words. Unlike summarizing which will repeat only the main points and reduce the length of something considerably, paraphrasing seeks to repeat all of the points and will result in text of a similar length to the original. Many students, researchers and other writers will use paraphrasing to:
- Prove that they fully understand a paper
- To simplify the text that they are paraphrasing
- To rephrase text for a different audience
- To improve how something was written to make it easier to understand
- To use without issues with plagiarism (copying)
Rephrasing sentences, however, is not as simple as many thinks, most struggle with ensuring that all points are repeated and they fail to change the wording sufficiently to avoid issues with plagiarism.
We Can Help with Rephrasing a Paragraph and Much More
Our professional rephrasing a sentence services can provide you with a full range of paraphrasing and other writing services that you may need:
- Paraphrasing a sentence, paragraph, paper or even an entire book
- Summarizing of any document or paper
- Writing and rewriting
- Proofreading to a high academic standard
- Professional editing
Our Rephrasing Services Are Provided by Experts
Many of the services that you see online for rephrasing a sentence provide their services through highly inefficient software or by using unqualified freelancers with a poor grasp of the English language. We, however, fully understand that our services can only ever be as good as the staff that we employ to provide them. This is why when you come to us for help you will always work with a rephraser that is highly qualified and experienced.
Our staff all hold higher degrees related to the areas within which they provide their services. They also have many years of experience and fully understand academic formatting, referencing requirements and they know properly how to do rephrasing sentences in the best way. All of our staff have native English language skills so you can be sure that your rephrasing will be done perfectly.
We Offer Guaranteed Rephrasing Sentences
We know how important it is that any service you use delivers what you are looking for and we provide all of our clients with a full guarantee for our professional rephrasing. Through our services you benefit from all of the following:
- Full satisfaction money back guarantee
- Delivery within your deadline, guaranteed
- Guaranteed plagiarism free writing, every page is checked for plagiarism
- Guaranteed error-free writing, we proofread everything that we provide


text:
Five kids -- $500! That's the back to school budget for the Ryan family. Underwear, belts, socks and 5 pairs of pants each are needed. But the Ryans are determined to make sure they stay in their budget.
Their one-stop shopping spot is the Uniform Superstore inside Greenspoint Mall. Polos start at $4.99 and pants just $7.99.
For the quality and price, Jasmine says the Uniform Superstore can't be beat.
"The quality is very durable," she said. "It doesn't shrink."
For five kids, including five backpacks priced at $9.99 each, the family total was $493.35 before tax.
The $40.70 in tax will put Jasmine over budget, so she will be back this weekend to save that money!
Academy has school uniforms polos for $4.99 and pants for $9.99. But this year Academy won't sell school uniforms in the stores, only as online orders.
Report a typo to the ABC13 staff


text:
Asplenium platyneuron 'Brunswick Giant'
Brunswick Giant Ebony Spleenwort
Write a review
| Ask a Question
Item #: 5226
Zones: 3a to 8b
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Note: This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.
Click to learn all about the genus Asplenium and to shop.
Click Add to Wishlist to receive an email if this plant is back in stock.
Asplenium platyneuron is a widespread US native, found from Maine west to Arizona, but for some reason is rarely seen in gardens. For a woodland rock garden, I cannot imagine a better choice than this durable, drought-tolerant, and easy-to-grow evergreen fern. The short, limp, sterile fronds have little value except to highlight the rigidly erect, narrow, fertile fronds that give the plant its anorexic but architectural structure. Our spore-propagated offering of Asplenium platyneuron 'Brunswick Giant' is from our original collection from Brunswick Co., NC, where it stood 18" tall in dry shade. About the only thing ebony spleenwort doesn't like is wet soils.


text:
There are loads of myths concerning ISO9001 and most are perpetrated by those who are ignorant of the true facts, nevertheless I hear these repeated as though they were absolute gospel.
Here are just some of these:
ISO9001 is a bureaucratic system which requires a piece of paper for everything.
False. The system should work for the organisation and not the other way round. If set up correctly ISO9001 will prove highly beneficial. Paper heavy systems are really out of date.
Dictates how any business must be run.
False. The standard states that all businesses are different and that the standard should be adapted to fit the business and not be prescriptive so that the business has to fit the standard. However the main elements are parts of any good practice system and there is no 'Rocket Science' involved.
Inflexible system.
False. If correctly set up the system will allow for unexpected events and can be as flexible as you need it to be.
Directors only must sign off all released work.
False. It is usual for identified job functions to release work but these do not have to be Directors. Most good systems will allow deputies to release work if the primary release person is unavailable.
Costs a fortune to set up and run.
False. The actual assessment and certification fees vary between certification bodies and of course the size of your company but these can be very reasonable.
As far as setting up your system, you could do it yourself. It could be more effective in the longer term to employ the services of a qualified consultant who will utilise best practice.
Requires huge quality manuals.
False. The days when manuals filled a bookcase and were almost too heavy to lift are long gone
Requires procedures for everything.
False. The standard specifies only six mandatory procedures;
Documents control, control of records, internal audit, Control of Non-conforming product/service, Corrective action & preventive action. Most businesses will have other process orientated elements documented but these are decided by the management of the business
You can produce faulty products and still meet ISO9001 provided you do it all the time.
False. Customer satisfaction is a primary measure. Poor quality products would mean dissatisfied customers and not meet ISO9001
Does not allow for quick turnaround of urgent work.
False. ISO9001 does not hinder fast turnaround of orders, in fact it ensures that records are kept to show what has been done and when
Must answer a phone by the third ring.
False. There is no mention of this in ISO9001. Some call centres have this as a requirement but it is certainly not specified in the standard.
The standard says "Say what you do - do what you say and prove it".
True. The standard uses the PDCA model - Plan, Do, Check, Act.
Most good businesses are already doing most of the requirements of ISO9001.
True. Enough said?
Sunday, 21 October 2007
ISO9001 Quality Management System Myths
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Welcome to my world of 10mm Wargaming I am intending to use these pages to document my ongoing wargaming projects, and the various rules i use. I hope, you may find them interesting. And even possibly learn something from them, even if its only, how not to do things.
Tuesday, 30 May 2017
This Bloody Field
The Battle of Shiloh was the first truly large battle in the American Civil War's western theater, and the largest until Chickamauga the next year. With largely inexperienced troops, the two sides faced each other and knocked each other around until one withdrew from sheer exhaustion. Try your hand at the gaming table and manage the chaos of untried and untested combat troops thrown together and pitted against each other in a fight to the death along the Tennessee River!
These scenarios are designed to be used with almost any American Civil War regimental-level set of rules. Rules are included for figures based on 20, 30, 40, 50, and 100 historic men per figure/stand. Times are given for 10, 15, and 20 minutes per game turn. Maps are in full-color, as are the numerous color photographs of the modern battlefield.
Scenarios include:
Confederate Onslaught
Sherman Attacked!
McDowell vs. Pond
The Crossroads
The Peach Orchard
The Hornet's Nest
Bull in the Cotton Field
Duncan Field
End of the Line
And a full order of battle!
Historic Imagination LLC
Posted by Andrew Bruce at 07:30
Labels: Books
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Movie Reviews & Staff Picks
20th Century Women
4 out of 4 stars
By Bayard Lewis
Published 4/10/17
The lives of three generations of women are explored in 1979, amid a changing social landscape in Southern California. Dorothea (Annette Bening) is raising her son without a father in the picture and also becomes a mother figure to Abbie (Greta Gerwig) a young adult woman who rents a room in their home. The third woman is Julie (Elle Fanning) the best friend of Dorothea's teenage son, who sneaks into their house at night to platonically share a bed with Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann).
Each character is undergoing a unique identity crisis. The mother is at a point in her life where love seems like a faraway dream. Abbie, the renter, finds solace in punk culture and is starved for attention and love. The teenage son Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann) is caught in the middle of the three women's lives, as he tries to assert his individuality and ability to make life decisions. Concerned that he needs a role model to teach him how to be a man, his mother enlists the help of the other two women to provide support and guidance for his pathway to adulthood.
The film reflects deeply on the relationship sphere for women post-feminism. The women represent three generations who are forging their way through a dualistic culture that is both supporting their progress and hostile toward their power. The mother does not want to see the younger women take their freedoms for granted.
"20th Century Women" may only speak to a certain audience; maybe those who have grown up in non-traditional households, were raised by single mothers, or those who had unusual influences during their coming of age. For the right viewers, it could open a cathartic landscape and a place for self-exploration of identity and the meaning of relationships.
Patriot's Day
3,5 out of 4 stars
By Bayard Lewis
Published 4/10/17
The bombing during the 2013 Boston Marathon was an event that shook the city to its core, but also created a collective sense of community around the survivors and first responders who experienced the aftermath. "Patriot's Day" builds up vignettes of lives that would change following the act of violence. Moments in the lives of families and spouses create a somber recognition of the fragility of life.
Mark Wahlberg plays Tommy Saunders, a cop who must attend the marathon as part of a disciplinary action for bad behavior. We quickly forget his feelings of resentment over the assignment when tragedy strikes.
The manhunt for two suspects shuts down Boston for a few days as law enforcement works to stop their plans for more violence. A building sense of tension and a sustained feeling of realism help the action scenes to embroil the viewer in the midst of the chaos.
Director and co-writer Peter Berg shows the empowering strength of the survivors, how they have adapted to life with missing limbs and emotional scars. A husband and wife who survived together are portrayed in the film and then honored at the ending, telling their story of healing and how their injuries actually benefitted their lives.
Berg's third collaboration with Mark Wahlberg may be his best. His previous films "Lone Survivor", "Deepwater Horizon" also took historical events in American history, uncovering a soul and meaning in the tragedies. The continued emphasis on realism, personal stories, and parallel plot lines make "Patriot's Day" a worthy film for mature audiences.
3 out of 4 stars
By Bayard Lewis
Published 3/26/17
Pittsburgh in the 1950s becomes a potent secondary character in Denzel Washington's latest acting and directing venture in "Fences". Playwright August Wilson places his characters within a world where racial tension is palpable and there's anger about injustice in employment and national sports.
Viola Davis plays Rose, the wife and mother who bears a burden of not being able to live out her own life. She's trapped with domestic responsibilities and a husband who does not fully realize his abusive behavior and subtle misogyny. Denzel Washington plays her husband Troy, the breadwinner of the family who expresses bitterness about his responsibility of providing for his family. Washington delivers convincing monologues that reflect the tough life that Troy has braved. There's allusion to Troy having an alcohol problem, but we never see him so inebriated that he is stumbling or incoherent. His falling back on the bottle may symbolize an inability to deal with whatever emotional trauma happened earlier in his life.
All of the main actors appeared in the acclaimed broadway production (with the exception of Jovan Adepo as Cory). Through their intense work to perfect those performances, they appear very natural in the film adaptation. The story focuses on the dynamics of family life and the tension brewing between Troy and his son, as Cory is eager to assert his identity and take steps towards a career in football.
Troy discourages his son's football dreams for reasons that have more to do with himself than his son's possibility for athletic scholarships and success. He fears that his son will face racism by pursuing a career in sports.
Scenes are long and drawn out, with interesting dialog, but it's too apparent that the film is not functioning as a typical dramatic film. Wide shots of the characters are used and we don't get up close and personal often enough. Other than the street, backyard, and porch scenes, there is little intimate detail that allows the viewer to get 'lost' in the world. This slice of life is so confined within the family home and street, that we don't often see the characters interacting with the outside world.
This is the 3rd film Denzel has directed, after "Antwone Fisher" and "The Great Debaters". "Fences" probably has the most deep source material, exploring the trials of family life and a marriage in jeopardy. This faithful adaptation creates long scenes that don't always have a dramatic payoff. The story only has two climaxes, and in-between we spend everyday moments with these characters that are more fitting for the stage instead of the screen.
3 out of 4 stars
By Bayard Lewis
Published 3/12/17
In the days following JFK's assassination in 1963, America looked to their surrogate mother for guidance on how to process the shock and grief of losing their leader. "Jackie" tells a different kind of narrative that jumps back and forth in time between Jackie's interview with a reporter a week after the tragedy and the moments of the shooting.
We sympathize with her obsessions about how her husband's funeral would be remembered by the public and whether or not should would make a public appearance with her children. People close to her were pushing her to stay out of the public's eye, but she knew that was not enough. Natalie Portman takes on the persona of Jackie, donning a unique accent and a role that was probably more demanding than anything in her career so far.
The acting here is both the best of times and the worst of times. The filmmakers have painstakingly recreated the White House tour that was broadcast for millions to see in 1961. The tour was emulated shot-for-shot, which creates an opportunity to step back in time, but it makes Portman's acting here feel wooden and often forced. She might be concentrating on too many things at once: maintaining a difficult accent, moving on exact marks, and mimicking Jackie's body language.
Peter Sarsgaard as Bobby Kennedy provides a more subdued reaction to familial death. He places blame on himself for the sequence of events that lead to the parade in Dallas. Sarsgaard expresses a great deal of inner turmoil that only comes out brief moments of frustration. The only thing really lacking is Bobby's missing accent. In the scenes where he and Portman are talking, his normal speaking voice paired with her crafted accent is distracting.
The camera work is compelling, with mostly subdued color tones that echo another time. For the White House tour shots, a special camera was used that created a grainy appearance to match the broadcast television footage from that era. The up close moments of Jackie's face during her pain and the atmospheric walk through the cemetery to chose JFK's resting spot are just a few of the moments where the camera successfully pulls us into her universe.
The strongest moments capture Jackie facing her sorrow alone and Portman is strongest here. She weeps in front of a mirror while wiping blood from her face and the extended cut for this shot made me feel uncomfortable, as if I needed to reach out and console her. Back at the white house she slowly sheds her bloody clothing and while showering her tears mingle with droplets of water, a sequence that only works in this length in an art film.
A lot of risks have been taken in telling Jackie's story of pain following her husband's death. Chilean director Pablo LarraÃn creates a vision of her world that is filled with extended human moments that are difficult to watch. Since he is viewing her story without the framework of an American, there is creative freedom to find his own perspective about what she went through as a widow, mother, and as a beloved public figure.
4 out of 4 stars
By Bayard Lewis
Far removed from cozy neighborhoods and suburbs are the the lives of young blacks and minorities whose daily life is one of survival. Young Chiron is bullied at a young age and actor Alex R. Hibbert expresses more than words in the gaze of a boy who is seeking acceptance and love. His mother is a crack addict and his father is out of the picture.
Through the performances of three actors, we experience slices of Chiron's life at 11, 17, and 25. During his coming of age, all three of these time periods express pivotal moments in his life: awareness of his sexuality, taking courage and standing up for himself, and finding healing in reconnecting with one of the only peers to treat him with dignity. While these are all tough challenges for a teen living in a rough neighborhood, they cross cultural boundaries, showing that the path to adulthood is riddled with insecurity, emotional highs and lows, and deep core needs as human beings.
At age 11 he's befriended by a drug dealer (Mahershala Ali) who welcomes the boy into his home and provides a sanctuary from his unhealthy life at home. The anguish of seeing his mother in a pattern of self-destruction is expressed deeply through the eyes of young Chiron. He says very few words, but through careful direction, he doesn't really need to; his silence is more powerful than dialog.
Much of the film is painful to watch, especially as the teenage Chiron (Ashton Sanders) is bloodied by one of his friends while standing up for himself. This friend was the one peer he was able to open up to and express his deepest feelings. Director Barry Jenkins creates intimate moments with characters where they are put in vulnerable positions, reflect on their condition, and try to create deep connection with friends and protectors.
The cinematography steeps us in Chiron's world, getting close during moments of fear and fortitude, and using light as a sculpting tool when he is hiding in a crack hole from bullies, or about to have his first intimate contact. Cinematographer James Laxton has many credits to his name, but this is the first significant recognition for his work, and I expect we'll see more beautiful, intimate camera work in future films that reach award-show status.
With a tiny $5 million budget by Hollywood standards, a new masterpiece of cultural cinema has been made, but one that crosses boundaries of race and sexual identity. "Moonlight" carries a deep sadness, but also a longing for hope that can transcend trauma and pain. It was nominated for 8 Oscars and won Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Manchester By the Sea
4 out of 4 stars
By Bayard Lewis
With Oscar season culminating this month, one of the films up for 6 Academy Awards was sadly missed in the theaters by the average American moviegoer. "Manchester By the Sea" is a dramatic masterpiece that provides a canvas to examine some of the most difficult moments of the human experience. Death, separation, guilt, and grief are explored through the eyes of Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck), a working man who has chosen a life away from his family.
Lee's life is devoid of joy and he does handyman work for an apartment complex with a matter-of-factness that limits his interpersonal connections. When a woman spills beer on him intentionally at a bar to break the ice and introduce herself, he brushes off the possibility of having an extended interaction with her. We see glimpses into the beauty of everyday life in the moments of shoveling snow and tossing colorful items into a dumpster that breaks the bleakness of winter.
When Lee's older Joe (Kyle Chandler) brother suffers a heart attack, he leaves for Manchester, Massachusetts, but he's unable to say goodbye to him. In the morgue Lee says farewell in his own way. There is something odd about how he seems to be holding a tremendous of amount of pain beneath the surface. In his brother's will, Lee learns that his brother secretly made him the guardian of his teenage son, which doesn't seem extreme at first, but eventually Lee's current life shows him emotionally unfit to be a father figure.
Lee must juggle the ramifications of his brother's sudden passing by being a temporary guardian while legal matters are worked out. He comes into contact with his ex-wife Randi (Michelle Williams) at the funeral and the tiniest expressions on Affleck's face signal that he is creating an inner world for the character. We see their personal transformations over time and Randi has moved on, but her trauma comes to the surface when she tries desperately to connect with Lee. Williams crafts a believable mother, wife, and friend who opens deep emotional wounds to try and comfort her former husband.
The tragic past surrounding Lee's family is gradually revealed through a series of flashbacks that seem cut in time to take the audience back while he is daydreaming about these memories. He was a father to two girls and deeply loved his wife. He had a great relationship with his nephew and was involved in his adventures up until his family situation changed.
Writer/director Kenneth Lonergan deeply explores tragedy, but he also plants seeds of hope within a script that should stimulate both sadness and compassion for patient viewers. A story is revealed that juxtaposes how two people have coped with loss and a recognition that eventually we all must deal with death in our own way. It's one of the best difficult films to watch I've seen in my lifetime. Affleck and Williams' performances are landmarks in their career and powerful enough that their pain is our pain.
The Edge of Seventeen
4 out of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
Angsty dramas about the experience of the American teenager have a way of winning hearts when they are done in an authentic and earnest way. Hailee Steinfeld ("True Grit") plays Nadine, a seventeen year old girl whose life story of feeling like an unwanted oddball with a tragic past comes to a head when her best, and only friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) suddenly starts dating Nadine's older brother.
There's great exploration about the ego-driven behavior that teens can have because they feel unfairly treated or that no one is listening to their grievances. Nadine acts selfishly in demanding that her best friend chose between their friendship and dating her brother. She wants her best friend all to herself and deep down is jealous that she is unable to garner the attention of her crush.
As unwarranted as Nadine's behavior appears, she still manages to be a likeable character because most people have experienced jealousy or self-loathing during their teen years. Her isolation after breaking off her friendship is fraught with bad behavior and an eventual realization that she wants to change but doesn't know how. Teens and young adults can relate to this experience of isolation because most of us have been there during the coming of age years. The musical backdrop is filled with an eclectic selection that features works by Billy Joel, The Pixies, Aimee Mann, Beck, and more handpicked tracks that are not merely fodder for selling a soundtrack album.
Topping out a great cast is Woody Harrelson playing her history teacher Mr. Bruner. His snarky responses to Nadine's griping are some of the best dialog written for the film. He shrugs off her one-on-one therapy sessions, but becomes more understanding as her situation swings more extreme. Not everyone had a high-school teacher they felt they could relate to, but Nadine finds the callous exterior of her teacher strangely endearing.
"The Edge of Seventeen" is full of heart and it's the best landmark teen drama since Emma Stone in "Easy A". First time director Kelly Fremon Craig's script fills each character with enough depth to bring them full circle as they play their parts in Nadine's transformation. There's just enough suggestive content and coarse language to give the film an R-rating, which is a little ironic, because the people who would benefit most from seeing the film are probably right on the cusp of adulthood. Older millennials will probably also absorb the wisdom of how technology has changed both the way young people reach out for connection and choose to isolate themselves.
4 out of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
In 1950's America, marrying outside of your race was illegal in Virginia and a number of other states. Richard and Mildred Loving's relationship could have landed them in prison if they had chosen to stay in the state. They covertly traveled to Washington DC to get married.
When Mildred was pregnant with their first born, police officers illegally entered their home as they slept, arrested them, and held them in jail. After pleading guilty they agreed to leave the state for 25 years and could not return together.
Their story unfolds slowly, intimately, showing how their lives are interwoven with both families and that they experience heartache when forced to uproot their lives in Virginia to stay married. Even within her own community, Mildred endured damning looks from her neighbors who disapproved of her marrying a white man. They begin a new life together for their family in Washington DC, accepting that the cost of their marriage freedom means living away from their parents.
Renewed hope arrives years later in 1963 when Martin Luther King Jr.'s march on Washington is televised. A freshman lawyer for ACLU contacts them with hope that their case could be heard by the Supreme court. I was glad to see that the film did not fall back on an unnecessary dramatic showdown with the halls of the Supreme Court, but rather showed that Loving family continued their lives as usual.
Director Jeff Nichols has hit dramatic gold again with this tale of social justice. His previous films "Mud" and "Midnight Special" also contain a level of character development that's sorely lacking in most films that make it to wide release. The basic arc of the story contains enough human depth that there's no need to artificially introduce climaxes.
"Loving" is an intimate window into the lives of two people who simply wanted to raise a family in peace. Throughout the film tender moments between Mildred and Richard reveal their deep love for one another. An inferior film would have used overly melodramatic moments to hammer the meaning and emotions into the audience's heart. Their courage is explored in the highs and lows of their entanglement with the legal system and their eventual vindication with the Supreme Court striking down anti-miscegenation laws. Without specifically referencing recent equality laws in the U.S., the film's heartbreaking story reminds the audience that bigotry in public service has a limited lifespan.
The Light Between Oceans
3 out of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
In a tale of love and loss, Michael Fassbender plays Tom Sherbourne, a veteran of World War I who has returned home to settle down to a life of self-seclusion on Janus island as a lighthouse keeper. At first he resists the romantic gestures of Isabel (Alicia Vikander) a woman on the mainland who tries to peel away the dispassionate outward expression that Tom wears.
Within five minutes of the opening it's clear that the cinematography creates a rich world, capturing natural light and the emotional waves of the two leads. The seaside environment provides bursts of color during sunsets that are rare among the films mostly subdued color palette. Beyond the artistry in the camera work, the film's greatest strength is the ability of the Fassbender and Vikander to contain so much in their expressions. Fassbender has a soulfulness behind his eyes, an inner world that conveys much of the character's struggle for normalcy. Vikander takes us through the throes of love and pain as she becomes a mother. At times we both pity her and wish that she could overcome her torment.
While back on the island, they begin exchanging letters and Tom allows his heart to open to Isabel. They wed with the understanding that Tom will continue his post on the island and they will build a family there together. The story took too much time getting to the second act, where Tom and Isabel try several times to have children and are grief stricken by multiple miscarriages. After the second miscarriage, a baby in a boat washes ashore and they decide to keep the child, after Isabel convinces Tom that 'we're not doing anything wrong'. This sets into motion something that will haunt them in the future.
The timeless themes of love and heartbreak are explored in a somewhat predictable framework, where they will face consequences for bringing a child into their family that did not belong to them. It almost feels modeled after a classic Greek myth.
"The Light Between Oceans" is a slow drama, the kind of film you need to be in the right emotional space to appreciate. Its beauty and nuanced performances are worthy of the right audience, but be prepared wait for nearly an hour to experience the central conflict. The story takes extra time to unfold the feelings of its protagonists and leads to an ending that pulls the heart in multiple directions at once.
1.5 out of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
The fate of most of the world's population is at stake when an eccentric billionaire leaves behind a hidden virus intended to wipe out most of humanity and permanently remedy overpopulation. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Robert Langdon, an expert in art history, symbolism, and a puzzle solving wiz, that you may have seen in "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels and Demons".
Langdon awakens in a hospital struck with amnesia and a head wound, and he experiences nightmarish flashes of scenes from Dante's Inferno. Suddenly people are out to kill him, setting into motion several elaborate chase scenes that weave through Italy. Running with him is Dr. Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones) and she is a better character than the bulk of the players that are so transitory that we can't get lost in the plot maze with them. Jones does the best she can with this role and even though it's nowhere near her best films, her earnestness does help move the plot along.
Tom Hanks has done very few bad films since achieving fame in Hollywood, but I'd like to hope that he was either contractually obligated to take on this film or maybe he did it as a favor to director Ron Howard to continue continuity with the character.
The real strength of the film are the historic landmarks used as plot devices: the Piazza San Marco in Venice, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, and several areas in Florence. The spectacle of these locations captured for a dramatic film, however weak, was beautiful enough to keep me minimally engaged while I lost interest in the characters. There are a few plot twists that make a last ditch effort to save the film.
Screenwriter David Koepp adapted "Inferno" and he was already working within a framework that was too flawed to effectively translate a pop-thriller book to the screen. It doesn't have enough character depth for mature viewers to care about the heroes and the chase sequences are yawn worthy after too many have already happened.
This is the least compelling of all three films adapted from Dan Brown novels. "The Da Vinci Code" was propped up by a more compelling plot and the acting chops of Ian McKellen and Audrey Tautou. "Angels and Demons" had an exciting story, memorable scenes, and tie-ins to Vatican secrets. While Inferno's predecessors had lower disasters at stake, both had more compelling villains and moments that actually make the viewer care what happens to the characters.
3 out of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
With recent political upheaval around the world, as consumers of mass media we need to be more vigilant in seeking true, hard facts. A sad and disturbing legacy of Holocaust denial goes back decades, but came to an important crossroads in 1998 when historian Deborah Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz) is sued by David Irving (Timothy Spall) for libel. Her book " Denying the Holocaust" asserted that Irving intentionally promoted false facts about the Holocaust to deny its occurrence.
Lipstadt encounters resistance from her own Jewish community members in fighting Irving in court. Their heated discussion around a dinner table is one of the best scenes in the film that takes place outside the courtroom. Deborah also goes with her legal team visit to Auschwitz. The gray weather and cold tones capture a somber, chilling atmosphere and a recognition that the site of one of the worst atrocities in human history remains as historical landmark and shrine for the victims.
Irving attempts to use tiny construction details to put holes in the story of Auschwitz being used a camp for mass extermination. Fortunately, the larger picture has so many irrefutable facts that Irving, rather than the Holocaust, ends up being the ultimate subject on trial.
Free speech and the necessity to fight untruths are resounding themes in the film that are met with resistance so that the audience also feels under pressure, as Lipstadt did in the years leading up to her appearance in a London courtroom to defend her book.
"Denial" takes moment in history that should not be taken lightly when our zeitgeist of misinformation campaigns and denial of scientific evidence to further political agendas infiltrates the common sense of everyday Americans. It's not as powerful a film as it should be, but hits enough of the right chords to feel that victory over bigotry has been won.
The Birth of a Nation
2.5 out of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
Films set in early America have a way of pulling at our heartstrings. Our Founding Fathers declared that 'all men are created equal' and yet they were slaveowners who limited equality to their fellow white males. Some used passages from the Bible to justify prolonging the bondage of thousands of men, women, and children stolen from their homeland.
Nathaniel "Nat" Turner was born a slave in Virginia and during the film we see his curiosity for the world of reading open up a seed that would lead to his ascent as a leader and revolutionary. Inadvertently, the wife of his master may have been instrumental in Nat's ability to summon strength and courage from the good book. She didn't want him reading other books 'only meant for white folks', but one book was enough for Nat. Writer/Director/Actor Nate Parker has found a unique voice in this film, though his acting strength is counterweighted by moments that feel better fit for a made-for-TV movie than a serious piece of cinema.
There are moments of brutality that reflect the times of slavery, but shockingly, the owner of Nat's family, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer) is more kind hearted than his neighbors, protecting Nat from some of the nastier members of the community.
Well into the story, Nat's owner turns suddenly from a man with higher moral standards than his fellow slave owners into a belligerent drunk that doesn't hesitate to let one of his slaves be raped by a neighbor. This is a major flaw in the film, because even though we see the financial threads of his plantation unraveling, he becomes an almost unrecognizable villain overnight. His fall, while necessary to allow the audience to accept his upcoming death at the hands of Nat, takes a shortcut that cannot be ignored.
The slave revolt, while only lasting two days, became the deadliest slave uprising in the United States. For decades Turner was remembered as a radical killer, but placed in the greater context of history, fighting for freedom with violence has happened in many revolutions across the world.
Deepwater Horizon
3.5 out of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
The worst oil rig disaster in U.S history may seem like a distant memory now because it happened almost seven years ago. For the families of the Deepwater Horizon crew, the accident still carries deep scars. 11 people were killed and the ensuing blowout lasted 87 days, causing an environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
Mark Wahlberg plays engineer Mike Williams, who expressed reservations about beginning drilling when an essential safety test was brushed aside by the BP company men on board the rig. Both he and rig supervisor James Harell (Kurt Russell) are uncomfortable with the situation, but burdened by the weight of weeks of schedule delays and millions of dollars
The heightened sense of anticipation is tested several times before the oil well actually blows. We know what's going to happen, but the editing still succeeds in creating nail biting tension from the tests before the blowout occurred to the last moments of rescue.
Director Peter Berg brings a similar style used in "Lone Survivor", with walls of sound and an immersive environment brought to life by one of the largest sets ever constructed. Two million pounds of steel and other materials were used to recreate the rig. The level of realism achieved creates a somber reminder that the horrific events on Deepwater Horizon were not only preventable, but could be repeated if greed outweighs safety. This is one of the most intense films not involving war I've seen in my lifetime.
by Bayard Lewis
4 out of 4 stars
In 1962 New Wave French filmmaker Francois Truffaut set out to interview Alfred Hitchcock about his creative process as a director. Until that time Hitchcock was viewed by many in the cinema world as a mere entertainer and not a serious creative artist. Through their week long session, Hitchcock reveals insights into his process of crafting iconic images.
His first experiences as a filmmaker were during the era of silent pictures and the style of storytelling with facial expressions, symbolic objects, and careful sequencing would echo throughout his body of work. Current master filmmakers David Fincher (The Social Network), Martin Scorcese, Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Tokyo Sonata) and others recount their admiration for Hitchcock in his stylistic choices and ability to captivate audiences with minimal, but effective imagery.
This is a museum trip of sorts, a journey connecting decades old works to today's cinematic geniuses that were irrefutably influenced by Hitchcockian elements. The ability to 'contract or extend time' was one of the primary techniques Hitchcock mastered to tell his stories. Many moments from "Vertigo", "The Birds", and "Psycho" explore the psychological subtext and possibly surprising religious themes that are woven throughout. For any lovers of film history or the process of filmmaking, "Hitchcock/Truffaut" provides a steady stream of 'ah ha' moments and a deeper reflection on the emotional hooks within Hitchcock's works that made them timeless.
The Best Video Releases of 2016
by Bayard Lewis
(In no particular order...)
The Lobster
This modern day fairy tale examines the pressures of life in a near-future world where single people are treated as undesirables, then turned into animals if they are unable to find suitable companions. Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz star in this dark comedy about finding love and acceptance. (Some content may be disturbing to young viewers.)
The Big Short
In this dramatized true story, a stellar adapted script and cast sheds light on a group of financial market wizards who shorted the housing market in anticipation of its collapse. Excellent, thought provoking dialog, parallel storylines, and well-paced editing elevate this otherwise basic story to one of the year's best films.
American Honey
Follow a group of disenfranchised youth as they tour America selling magazine subscriptions. This indie film is brimming with beautiful cinematography, reflections on life in America, and a look at microcosms within our society that are often brushed aside. (For mature audiences: contains explicit sexual content.)
Hell or High Water
A modern western filled with great on-screen dynamics features Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, and Ben Foster leading a stellar cast. Like most great crime dramas, it doesn't require action throughout to be interesting or appealing. Along with "Slow West", this is the best Western since Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven".
The life of a young college freshman in the 1950's is turned upside down when he meets a woman at a conservative university in the midwest. Self-perseverance and battling prejudice are just a few of the great themes explored by "Indignation". Tense dialog scenes and a coming of age story will captivate young and old audiences alike as Logan Lerman plays in the role of his career.
Captain Fantastic
A family of children raised away from society must return to the normal world after their mother dies unexpectedly. Viggo Mortensen plays the father figure in a pleasantly offbeat drama about the importance of taking risks, standing up for your beliefs, and questioning the system. The film is packed with memorable scenes and quotable dialog, but not at the expense of the story.
Stop motion animation reaches new highs as adult characters portrayed by puppets actually mirror the emotions of their human counterparts. Acclaimed writer Charlie Kaufman brings another tale of relationship woes to life with wit and self-deprecating humor. "Anomalisa" explores timeless musings on love, happiness, and existential crisis. See it twice, because the first act contains so many mysterious elements that need the second and third acts to reveal their purpose.
This intense story of the drug wars near the Mexican border explores the pressures on both sides of the system. A by-the-book FBI agent (Emily Blunt) discovers that the lines between good and evil blur as the battlefield sways between investigation and offensive action. The haunting score, striking cinematography, and expertly choreographed action sequences create a compelling, intense experience. Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin guide us through a hazy world where people tasked with fighting crime take a Machiavellian approach.
Swiss Army Man
Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe star in this offbeat buddy film that finds comedy in the human experience, but also things like the flatulence of a reanimated corpse. The wild and creative imagery will dazzle you and the unabashed reflections on human intimacy and coming of age make a deeply moving and endearing story.
The Revenant
The story of mountain man Hugh Glass is recounted in vivid, sometimes gruesome detail as he survives a bear attack and a forced burial. What "Saving Private Ryan" did for the beaches of Normandy, this does for the American West, but the continuous action and invisible camera cuts elevate it to a sensory experience rarely achieved in cinema. Filmed entirely with natural light under intense conditions, "The Revenant" recounts a story of survival that is altogether brutal and meditative; finding a balance between violence and communion with nature.
More great films of 2016 that didn't make the list:
99 Homes
Boy and the World
Bridge of Spies
Eye in the Sky
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part II
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Jafar Panahi's Taxi
The Jungle Book
Kubo and the Two Strings
The Lady in the Van
Midnight Special
The Witch
American Honey
4 out of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
This road film about disenfranchised youth took me by surprise when seeing it on the big screen. It could have been an unbearable three hours, but not a minute is boring in this documentary-style drama about a teenage girl who leaves a tumultuous family life and joins a crew of youth selling magazines door-to-door.
In her debut acting role Sasha Lane as 'Star' is mesmerizing. She is vulnerable and yet unafraid to share her spirit with the world. Star and her cohorts represent an often unexpressed longing that American youth have for deeper brotherhood and a departure away from life focused on material possessions and achievement.
Opposite Sasha Lane is Shia LaBeouf as Jake. They share an unusual bond and through their eyes we see beauty and pain, love and loss. LaBeouf gets a unique opportunity to share his talents away from the crop of big-budget action flicks. Riley Keough plays Krystal the intense, sometimes wicked boss of the crew and her scenes with Star are some of the best in the film.
Fearless camera work reinforces the emotional havoc the characters navigate as they attempt to reconcile their discontent with society. The camera almost never settles, consistently moving, sharing intimate details of these young men and women's journey in an alternative lifestyle. The imagery and emotions engaged more than just my sense of sight and hearing, making me feel as if I could reach out and touch these characters.
(This film carries an 'R' rating and contains several scenes with strong sexual content.)
3 out of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
It's been three years since Edward Snowden exposed the American government's massive surveillance programs and fled to Russia. Oliver Stone recounts his story beginning with Snowden's medical leave from the army and entry into the CIA, using out of sequence storytelling to deliver a compelling look at one of the most important figures in the new millennium.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt portrays Snowden as a likeable genius, albeit one with initial naivete about the government's methods of collecting information. Eventually he grows uncomfortable with the unethical nature of surveillance operations, including blackmail. His girlfriend Lindsay Mills (Shailene Woodley) endures a rollercoaster ride as with him as the secret burden on his conscience grows heavy. They have playful chemistry on screen together and both have feelings that the viewer can validate as Snowden grows closer to blowing the lid on the NSA's data collection programs.
The film waves a wand with a little too much slickness and a big budget, but it does not overly sacrifice the window into the lives of Snowden and his partner Lindsay Mills. "Snowden" is an entertaining film that touches on the humanity of the man, whom many of our leaders have labeled a traitor.
It's a sobering reminder about the serious issues surrounding right to privacy and unconstitutional spying. To learn more about the story in his own words, check out the documentary "Citizenfour" which contains the testimony recorded by the camera crew in Snowden's Hong Kong hotel room.
3.5 out of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
Emergency water landings for planes have almost always ended in tragedy. In January 2009 Captain Chesley Sullenberger saved the lives of over 100 passengers by quickly using years flight experience to disregard the directions given by air traffic control when a bird strike disabled both engines.
Tom Hanks takes on one of his best dramatic roles in recent years as "Sully". Just days after the incident the captain is grilled by FAA investigators who question his decision to land in the Hudson River, rather than at two nearby airports. Even though his instincts saved the lives of every passenger aboard, the story reveals intense dreams riddled with guilt and nightmarish scenarios.
The level of realism during the flight sequences creates an engrossing world, where the viewers fly alongside Sully and the copilot Jeff Skiles, played by Aaron Eckhart. They make split second decisions that buck convention, and the film insinuates that Sully may have been one of the only pilots skilled enough to achieve a water landing of this magnitude.
Hanks and Eastwood take what could have been a lackluster 'B movie' in the wrong hands and instead shaped it into a compelling character piece that ranks among the better films of 2016. Moments of the story are carefully repeated, but each time we learn new insights about the characters that solidify the case for heroism. Telling the story out of sequence prevented the plot from drifting into a murky medium of melodrama. The villains of the film may have an agenda driven by insurance adjustment and they nearly manage to convince us that Sully's intuition was dead wrong.
Sully goes up against two FAA officials who are convinced he made the wrong decision and try to prove errant judgement with computer simulations. As the story wisely shows, what good are simulations if they don't accommodate the human factor? The writing carefully walks a tightrope between introducing too much technical jargon and not giving intelligent audiences enough information about the flight to make an informed decision about the hero's actions.
Director Clint Eastwood leads us toward a courtroom drama of sorts, where Sullenberger and copilot Skiles must defend their actions in front of a panel capable of ending their careers as pilots. We know their vindication is coming, but Eastwood has timed the exciting plot turns just right to avoid sending our interest into a tailspin.
Southside with You
3 out of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
In the western world many relationships start with a first date. It's usually a make or break few hours that determines whether two people find a spark of attraction. "Southside with You" takes a small but important slice of life from Barack and Michelle Obama's first date in Chicago. It's a simple premise that could have fallen prey to overt political correctness or melodrama.
Barack was fresh out of Harvard Law School and doing a summer internship at the same law firm where Michelle was an associate. We learn that he had previously tried to meet her outside the office a few times without success. Even on their first outing, she keeps telling him 'this is not a date'.
The heart of the film is that it doesn't shy away from showing personal weaknesses. Obama struggled with having a father he saw as a failure and Michelle worked for a law firm that was not involved with the type of cases she felt made a difference. They both cared about social justice and that thread brought them together.
There is just enough humor sprinkled throughout this short story. Barack is smoking in his car just before he picks up Michelle and sprays breath freshener inside his mouth and the front of the car. Once in the car, she is a little disturbed by a rusty hole in the floor. He jokes about how "hazy" his memories are of high school because of overindulgence in marijuana.
Sharing intimate details of their family life begins to the deconstruct the walls they put up to avoid revealing their frailties. The story took awhile to romance me as a viewer, but the payoff was worth the wait. Even if you are not an Obama devotee, this movie may charm you with a look at who these two people were before entering the political sphere. It's beautifully rendered in the warm glow of a summer afternoon.
Most of the powerful moments are in the second half, so be patient and enjoy the little nuances, especially the quiet moments when they were on the verge of disconnecting entirely. It's a short but significant story told with tenderness, a film that finds edge in vulnerability; and the magic that occurs when two people let their guard down enough to truly see one another.
Jason Bourne
2.5 stars of 4
by Bayard Lewis
Nine years after "The Bourne Ultimatum" Matt Damon reprises his role as Jason Bourne, a superhuman ex-CIA black ops agent. The original three films were expertly made and maintained a level of interest in the character that did not diminish over time, so this addition to the series has a high benchmark to meet.
We learn more about Bourne's father and the secrets behind his initial family entanglement with the CIA. Although family ties could be a strong plot hook, the story is not as well developed or intriguing as any of the first three films. Yes, there are thrilling, intense moments where Bourne is on the run from multiple assailants and is able to outwit them with lightning fast movements. He swipes a molotov cocktail in the midst of a violent protest and uses it as a barrier between himself and the agents on his tail. Despite two or three excellent action scenes, the lead up to all the fast paced mayhem is rather dull.
Tommy Lee Jones replaces other seasoned actors (Brian Cox, Joan Allen, and David Strathairn) as the ranking CIA officer. He will stop at nothing to assassinate Bourne and protect a new covert surveillance program to amass data on every American. Jones is lukewarm in this role, because inadequate details are revealed about his motives or justification, compared to previous villains.
Alicia Vikander (of "Ex Machina" fame) as CIA operative Heather Lee is truly the best aspect of the film. Her character maintains a cloudy agenda throughout the story, as she puts pressure on her superiors to capture, rather than kill Jason Bourne. She juggles the young, unfettered charisma of a new agent and the fortitude needed to survive an agency besieged by political upheaval.
The director of the second and third Bourne films, Paul Greengrass, wrote and directed again for this film. Although his trademark documentary style camerawork is still present and keeps sections of the story buzzing, it only achieves momentary thrills, almost never resolving to bring us deeper into Bourne's psyche or the shadow world of the CIA.
Bourne wages a battle that teeters between self preservation and the defense of ideals. Matt Damon does everything he can within this limited script, but sadly his character does not receive any significant development in this, hopefully final film. Overall, it's a more mature piece of entertainment than most of the action blockbusters, but it certainly doesn't deliver much worthy of the Bourne namesake.
Cafe Society
2.5 of 4 stars
by Bayard Lewis
Woody Allen's latest story, "Cafe Society," goes back in time to the posh era of 1930s Hollywood and New York City. Bobby (Jesse Eisenberg) – a young man that Allen could have played decades ago, albeit one with less angst and social anxiety – journeys to Hollywood looking for new opportunities with hope his studio-head uncle can help him land a job.
Steve Carell plays Bobby's uncle Phil, and the two men become unwittingly entangled in a love triangle with Phil's secretary Vonnie (Kristen Stewart). Yet "Cafe Society" almost never presents a definite sense one of the two men is more worthy to win the girl, a significant flaw that may prevent some viewers from getting pulled into the story.
While Eisenberg is without a doubt the best member of the cast, Stewart gets an unusual opportunity with a story that takes her character through a journey of conflicted love and escapes some previous typecasting in the "Twilight" series. She's an actress I wouldn't really picture in an Allen film, but she exudes a charm and innocence that makes us understand why Bobby falls in love with her so quickly.
Seeing 1930s Hollywood in all its lavishness took me by surprise. The extensive costume design and locations selected fulfill Allen's goal to take the viewer to another time and place, forgetting the woes of the modern world. The golden light and broad array of colors are captured by master cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, who fills every frame with a classical lighting style echoing the Hollywood of yesteryear. Storaro was also behind the camera for "The Last Emperor" and "Apocalypse Now."
"Cafe Society," a love letter to the 1930s, is beautiful on the surface, but lacks the character depth we've come to expect in Allen's best films. There are no edgy characters here: they don't have the quirks to make them interesting, deeper relationship woes or existential musings to make the viewer analyze their own life. It's almost as if someone has taken Allen's writing fingerprint and erased too much of what makes his work endearing and authentic.


text:
After an extensive discussion within the organization, the Boy Scouts of America's approximately 1,400 volunteer voting members chose today to adopt the membership policy resolution and remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone.
The final vote breakdown was 61.44 percent for the proposal, and 38.56 percent against. The change takes effect Jan. 1, 2014.
"Voyageurs Area Council supported the passage of a behavior-based, neutral National BSA standard for young people. This direction is in alignment with our council's long-standing practices," said David A. Nolle, Scout Executive/CEO of the Voyageurs Area Council, which serves over 4000 young people through 1500 volunteers in 140 community partner organizations in Northeastern Minnesota, Northern Wisconsin and a portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Throughout and beyond the debate over BSA policy, the organization continues to stay focused on what is most important – the young people themselves. Everything BSA does revolves around keeping young people safe and preparing them to be leaders and individuals of strong character by helping them discover the principles of Scouting.
The vote reinforced that all members must display the highest levels of good conduct, that any sexual conduct within Scouting is unacceptable and that resolving issues of sexual orientation in our society is outside the scope of Scouting's mission. This is in keeping with Scouting's history. For more than a century, Scouting has brought together individuals and organizations with varied backgrounds and beliefs to help young people grow into adulthood.
The mission of Voyageurs Area Council is to serve more children, better, in alignment with their parents' values. Voyageurs Area Council simply expects appropriate behavior from all who choose to affiliate with its program. Parents freely choose the units that they believe will provide the best experience for their children.
Voyageurs Area Council serves over 15% of all boys and young men and young women ages 6 – 21 through a diverse and talented pool of adult volunteers who are committed to Scouting's high standards. The organization's vision of having a positive influence in the lives of 100% of the young people within its communities remains a driving force for its decision making.
Today's national voting results were tabulated and certified by TrueBallot, an independent, third-party voting firm.


text:
We Are On A Mission To Simplify Risk & Vendor Management
In 2009, Michael Berman, Ncontracts' founder and CEO, was serving as a general counsel in the financial technology industry. Overseeing risk management for financial institutions in the midst of a financial crisis, he saw a process that was plagued by unconnected data, duplicated work, and disorganization. Large financial institutions were using spreadsheets to manage risk. Not only was there an enormous amount of wasted effort, but these efforts were inadequate to identify and manage risk on all levels.
Michael had a vision–a better way to manage risk. Recruiting a paralegal who is now our Executive VP of Operations, he started Ncontracts in a windowless office over a Mexican restaurant. The first customers were local banks willing to give a new company (and a new solution) a chance. Word soon spread—they had created a better way to manage risk and compliance for financial institutions. A centralized system that enabled organizations to collaborate, with departments working together toward the goal of managing risk.
What Does the N Stand For?
The N in Ncontracts stands for inside (or Nside as we like to think of it).
In the world of risk management, details matter. From enterprise risk management, contracts, and vendor management to BCP, findings, and cybersecurity, there's no room for material errors. The consequences are too great.
That's why Ncontracts is all about the quality of what's inside. We know that regulators are examining more deeply than ever before. We know that changing economic and environmental conditions make up-to-date risk management necessary to thrive, survive and be profitable. We know that small oversights can result in big problems, and we believe in providing solutions that empower institutions to manage risk accurately, thoroughly, and efficiently. From our in-house legal and risk management experts to our software solutions to our unlimited training and support, we build each solution from the inside out.
It's what's on the inside that counts.
Today, Ncontracts offers risk management software solutions that work together. Our system offers seamless integration. Dedicated resources. Unlimited training and support. And our work is guaranteed.
If you're still managing risk with manual processes like spreadsheets and bulky, obsolete binders, we've been there. It's time to upgrade to a solution that's as simple as it is powerful. Ncontracts.


text:
Ranked #1 of 8 for Best Car Wash
Sorry! There are no tips for Genie Car Wash.
The 2014 Austin A-List awards are based on more than 8,600 votes from local Austin-area experts.
See the full results →
Best Tire Shop ⋅
Best Antiques ⋅
Best Thai ⋅
Best Pet Photography ⋅
Best Detailing
Connect with Austin A-List
© CityVoter, Inc.


text:
Pilot's watches are IWC's specialty. The Swiss manufacturer has been producing high-quality pilot's watches since 1936, including the classics that make up the Mark series. Currently, they offer around two dozen different pilot's watch series.
The International Watch Company, also known as IWC, presented their first pilot's watch in 1936. Since then, IWC has been considered the pioneer in developing and manufacturing pilot's watches.
The original watch from 1936 had a diameter of 37.5 mm, making it relatively large for its time. This special watch had a finely ridged bezel with marker needle, enabling the wearer to record short periods of time. Not all planes were equipped with a fuel indicator in the 1930s, so pilots kept track of the flight time via the watch bezel. This allowed them to monitor the flight time, fuel consumption, and cruising range. Large, light-colored Arabic numerals and a black dial define the look of this special watch. The decentralized seconds is located at six o'clock. The escapement is protected against magnetism, which can negatively impact a timepiece's precision. Many features of this original watch are still being used today. Current pilot's watches have stark color contrasts and luminous hands to make them more legible, and many have streamlined designs featuring protection against magnetism.
The 52-caliber T. S. C. Big Pilot's Watch (reference number 431) followed in 1940 with an impressive 55-mm diameter case. IWC delivered this timepiece to the German Air Force. It was not the watch's size, but rather the rest of its design, that has influenced the look of classic pilot's watches to this day. Black/white dial contrast, sword hands, stick indices, Arabic numerals, and a triangle at 12 o'clock all remain typical design features of classic pilot's watches.
The watch from the 1940s was succeeded by the Big Pilot. IWC has been producing this 46-mm stainless steel watch with a black dial since 2002. The watch isn't as big as its predecessors, but its new size is more practical. The 55-mm cases were meant to be worn over flight suits and weren't created for everyday civilian use. The Big Pilot has a seven-day power reserve thanks to a long mainspring and a special winding mechanism, the Pellaton winding system. It's named after its inventor, Albert Pellaton, who was the technical director at IWC for many years. In 1950, he patented this new technology whereby an automatic watch is wound bidirectionally by the natural movements of the wearer's arm. The round power reserve display is located at three o'clock.
One of IWC's top pilot's watches, the Mark XVIII, has its roots in 1948. IWC introduced the simple pilot's watch Mark 11 in that year; a watch that served as the Royal Air Force's service watch for 30 years. The name "Mark" comes from the RAF as well; the British used the term to refer to all interchangeable air force equipment that came from different manufacturers. In 1981, the RAF gradually phased out the Mark 11. By that time, IWC had made 8,000 timepieces for the military and 1,500 for civilian use. In 1994, IWC presented the watch's successor and switched to using Roman numerals for the name Mark XII.
The Mark XVIII, with a diameter of 40 mm and a thickness of 11 mm, has been available since 2016. Visually, it's not too different from the Mark 11. The wide sword hands, which replaced the older baton hands, immediately catch the eye. However, IWC made some concessions to keep the watch technologically up to date: The watch features a date display and an automatic movement instead of the legendary manual Caliber 89.
IWC also produces the Pilot's Watch Automatic 36. It's modeled after the Mark XVIII in terms of design, but has a smaller case diameter of 36 mm.
The Pilot's Watch Chronograph isn't as minimalistic as the Mark XVIII. The 43-mm watch features a stopwatch function as well as three subdials. The small seconds at nine o'clock catches the eye thanks to a small red seconds hand standing out against the black/white color scheme. Its caliber, caliber 79320, is based on the popular Valjoux 7750 movement produced by the world's largest ébauche manufacturer, the ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse (ETA).
One of IWC's series is dedicated to the pilot and writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The Little Prince. The Frenchman was presumed dead in 1944 after disappearing during a reconnaissance mission while flying his Lockheed P-38. The series has a distinctive retro touch and the watches stand out with their characteristic blue or brown dial. They all come with a brown calfskin strap. The watches' case backs feature Saint-Exupéry related engravings, such as a P-38 or a portrait of the man himself. The collection also features a split-seconds chronograph. With this chronograph, you can time intervals while continuing to time another event.
The Spitfire series pays homage to the most well-known pursuit plane from the Second World War. The case back features an engraving of the plane's silhouette from a bird's eye view. Most Spitfire watches can be identified by a slate gray dial.
IWC entered the era of jet planes with their Top Gun series. The name refers to the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, more commonly known as Top Gun. Top Gun is also the name of a successful 1986 film starring Tom Cruise. The watches in the Top Gun series all feature a ceramic case, setting them apart from the other pilot's watches. The backside features an engraving of the Top Gun logo. The series also includes variations on other well-known IWC pilot's watches, such as the Big Pilot's Watch Top Gun, based on the Big Pilot. The case, strap, crown, and dial are completely black, while the hands, numerals, and stick indices are white.
Do you want an authentic pilot's watch? IWC has been producing pilot's watches for civilian and military use since the 1930s. Very few Swiss manufacturers have a connection to aviation like IWC does. Their most significant competitor in this regard is Breitling.
If you want to stay trendy with a larger watch, then the 46-mm Big Pilot is a good choice. New versions made of stainless steel cost around 10,000 euros. If you prefer a red gold case, then the Big Pilot from the Spitfire series costs a total of 21,000 euros new.
Some of these pilot's watches also offer special complications. The Timezoner Chronograph can display multiple time zones. The Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar from the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry series has a perpetual calendar and perpetual moon phase display and shows the date, day of the week, month, and year.
The Mark XVIII is much less complicated; it features only one complication, a date display. The watch closely resembles the legendary Mark 11 used by the RAF. New, you can buy a simple Mark XVIII for around 3,500 euros. A vintage Mark 11 from the 1950s costs double that. The original Mark 11 had a diameter of 36 mm, but pilot's watches that size have become rare. IWC brought back the standard 36-mm size with their Pilot's Watch Automatic 36. New, it costs between 3,000 and 4,000 euros.
IWC was manufacturing watches well before their first pilot's watches were made in 1936. However, they had a bit of a bumpy start. Florentine Ariosto Jones (1841 - 1916), an American, founded the International Watch Company in 1868 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. Jones wanted to produce watches cheaply in Switzerland and sell them for profit in the United States. However, expensive import taxes prevented this from being a successful business model. After switching owners multiple times and declaring bankruptcy twice, IWC remained in the hands of the Rauschenbach and Homberger families from 1880 to 1978. IWC was heavily affected by the Quartz Crisis and again switched owners. Since 2000, the company has been a part of the Richemont Group along with other luxury brands such as A. Lange & Söhne, Cartier, and Panerai.


text:
It is very important to have a perfect wedding outfit on your wedding day in order to prove once again that you are a princess and that your fashion style is a wonderful and romantic one. You should know what to choose in order to look good and to feel amazing. It is important to choose an outfit which represents you and which is suitable not only for your wedding location and for your wedding theme but also for your personality and for your beliefs. If you wear something like that then you must not worry for your final appearance and you can be sure that people are going to adore you. It is very important to do your best to create an elegant outfit which can put you into the spotlight and which can help you look like a true goddess. Being a bride is not easy and you should know what to choose according to your body conformation and according to your silhouette.
The wedding bouquet
The wedding bouquet is the most important accessory for a bride and it has to be chosen with a lot of attention. It has the power to improve your aspect and it is going to transform you into a true princess if you know exactly what to choose and how to choose it in order to look amazing. You should choose special flowers, specific ones for the location of your wedding, in order to look authentic and original. If you live in Utah then you should choose classic flowers, casual ones, which are suitable for any bride and for any tastes and preferences. You are free to play with colors and combinations and you are going to obtain something really spectacular and interesting. If you feel overwhelmed then you should talk to a florist and you should tell him which your expectations are.
Natural wedding bouquet
If you want to opt for a natural wedding bouquet then you can be sure that you will not fail. Such a bouquet is great if you want to look and to feel amazing and it is going to help you obtain a wonderful wedding outfit and a special aspect. You can use any flowers that you want, such as roses, peonies, ranunculus, orchids, tulips, snapdragons, callas, lilies, daisies, gerberas, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, hydrangeas and so on.
The colors that you choose are also important and you should know that the most popular color when it comes to a wedding bouquet is definitely white. If you want a bold and impressive bouquet then you should opt for a red one while for a classic and elegant one, pink is the best choice. You are free to do anything you want as long as it is suitable for you and for your needs.
Silk wedding bouquet
If you love nature and if you want to protect it then you can choose a silk wedding bouquet. It is definitely a very interesting choice and it offers you the possibility to have any flowers you want, in any color that you want and in any season that you need. Silk wedding flowers are definitely cheaper and they are available during the entire year. If you opt for some good quality silk flowers then you have huge chances to obtain a spectacular bouquet which can look even better than a natural one. If you are worried for the fact that your wedding bouquet will not be a perfumed one then you have to know that florists have a lot of tricks and they can help you obtain a perfumed silk wedding bouquet. Such a bouquet is also perfect if you or your groom is allergic at flowers. It can help you avoid some undesired situations and it is going to help you look amazing.
The wedding centerpieces
It is not enough to choose your wedding bouquet. You must also choose some perfect wedding centerpieces in order to improve the aspect of your wedding location. Utah is a nice place and there are a lot of beautiful restaurants there. If you want your restaurant to look even more amazing then you should do your best to have some perfect wedding centerpieces and to match them with the rest of the arrangements but also with your wedding bouquet. If you manage to create a certain match between all of them and if you choose the most suitable wedding centerpieces for your location and for your wedding theme then you are going to have a wonderful wedding reception and all your guests are going to consider you a wonderful host.
The corsages of your bridesmaids
It is important to match your bridesmaids' outfits with yours and it is important to look amazing together in order to have some gorgeous wedding photos. It is your choice when it comes to their dresses and their corsages but you should know what to choose in order to make them look perfect. You can opt for identical wedding bouquets for all of you or you can choose small, white corsages for each of them. This is a very good solution, especially if they wear colored dresses because you are going to help them have an elegant final aspect and you are going to make them look like some perfect maids of honor. You should talk to them and you should ensure that they love what you choose and that they are going to wear it with a lot of pleasure.
If you want to look amazing on your wedding day and if you want to improve your wedding location and the outfits of your bridesmaids then you should not neglect the wedding flowers. They are special and important and they have to be chosen with a lot of attention if you want everything to look perfect and to have the time of your life. Choose the best flowers and the best colors according to your needs and preferences and you can be sure that all your guests are going to be truly impressed by your courage and by your elegance and that you are going to be seen as a gorgeous bride. You should talk to your partner and to your bridesmaids and you should choose the flowers together.


text:
Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'RACE 07 Mods' started by Andreas Demetriades, Jun 27, 2009.
I downloaded PT sims GT cars into a folder i created but where do i install?
It should come with an installer. Just put the Teams and Sounds folders into your Gamedata folder and allow overwrites, I think...


text:
The irony is that leading with features—operating in the comfort zone, as described above—can also cause a salesperson to lose control.
How? Once a specific offering (it) is mentioned, many buyers ask a very logical question: "How much does it cost?" But this is often too early in the conversation to discuss pricing, because no goals, problems, potential usage, or value have been established in the buyer's mind. A stick of gum costs too much, no matter what it costs, if you haven't decided that you want or need a stick of gum.
The traditional sales technique at this point—when price comes up too early—is to attempt to provide waffling kinds of responses ("Your mileage may vary") in an attempt to dodge the question. This can create a negative impression, and sometimes causes the seller to conform to the pervasive, unflattering stereotype of a "slippery salesperson." But there's an even worse scenario: Particularly among traditional sellers, there is also a powerful desire to hang onto this buyer at all costs, which can prompt the salesperson to quote unrealistically low numbers. If the sale progresses, the buyer will remember the unrealistically low figure quoted in the initial meeting. Eventually, it can become a barrier to moving toward a buying decision.
Yes, price is a qualifier, and it should be shared with buyers relatively early in the sales cycle. But until the buyer begins to understand the potential usefulness of the product, his or her reaction is very likely to be, "Hey, that seems expensive." And once that conclusion is drawn, the seller faces an uphill battle to regain mind share. And while there is no easy way to prevent buyers from requesting pricing information earlier than the salesperson would like to divulge it, discussing the potential usage of the product can defer these discussions until later in the sales cycle. The more valuable the usages that are discussed before cost is shared, the more reasonable that price is likely to sound when it finally is disclosed.
So again, this makes a case for discussing uses rather than features. But that's rarely what gets discussed in traditional sales calls. Given their training, their enthusiasm, and their formidable quotas, traditional salespeople feel compelled to present each buyer with every possible feature.
Assume a buyer is exposed to twenty-five product features, but needs only five of them. The buyer is very likely to draw the conclusion that the product must be too complicated and too expensive. In other words, it looks like overkill for the buyer's requirements. Buyers will object to having to pay for features that they believe they won't ever use. (No matter that they may be wrong in this; it's what they believe that counts.) Some traditional salespeople have been trained to believe that selling begins after the buyer says no, but the fact is, it's extremely difficult to turn someone around after he or she has voiced an objection about a feature. The traditional school of selling holds that an objection is a selling opportunity. We strongly disagree. Once a buyer has voiced an objection, the salesperson has to get the buyer to change his or her mind, and this is something that most people are reluctant to do.
The fact is, although traditional salespeople lead with their product to head off potential objections, they are far more likely to generate these kinds of objections when they take this approach. Part of the problem is a control issue. Who is controlling the conversation during a "spray and pray" session? The salesperson? He or she is doing all the talking, and the buyer is in the unenviable position of passively listening. Most human beings like to be in control, and buyers are no exception. In fact, they may be fully accustomed to being in control of most of the conversations they have in the workplace. So they may feel a strong need to seize control of this conversation—and the easiest way to do so is by offering objections. This job is made far easier if a seller generates a tidal wave of features. All the buyer has to do is wait for a bad feature, and then pounce.


text:
The Milford Second Street players have added to its performing arts schedule by offering $5 Movies at the Riverfront Theater. "Some Like It Hot" will be showing Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 (Spanish Soundtrack) at 2 S. Walnut Street, Milford. All tickets are general admission and can be bought at the door. "Some Like It Hot" is a 1959 comedy set in 1929 Chicago and was directed by Billy Wilder and stars Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon.
The film is about two musicians who dress in drag in order to escape from mafia gangsters whom they witnessed commit the Valentine's Day Massacre. The theater doors will open at 7 p.m. and the film will begin at 7:30 p.m. For questions call Suzanne Murphy at 718-938-5726 or visit secondstreetplayers.com.


text:
Acoustica Mixcraft 8-1 Crack
Mixcraft 8 Crack With Registration Keys Mixcraft 8.1 Crack with license keys Build 396 is free available now. This software is powerful tool ever for recording the music. Its advanced features for recording music include thousand of loops that gives you a real musician experience. All type of musical instruments includes in this latest package.… Read More »


text:
See our Master Builders Bucklers Hard Wedding Photography Gallery
The Master Builders Hotel at Bucklers Hard is on the Beaulieu River only minutes drive from the picturesque Beaulieu River and acclaimed National Motor Museum. It is actually the old home of the master builder who owned the company that made Ships of the Line who fought in the Battle of Trafalgar.
There is an iconic wide street of period houses leading down to the river which can be great for photographs but be warned that this area is open to the public and can be full of "muggles" during the Summer.
Down on the riverside is beautiful but looks best in the Summer when the leaves are back on the trees and blue sky is reflected in the water.
The venue itself is oozing with historic and maritime character it is very cozy, especially in the Winter with the small of wood smoke from the gorgeous fireplace in the wonderfully "cottagy" lounge.
The garden of the venue looks very pretty and slopes away down to the river's edge but this slope does restrict the number of level-ground places in the garden you could have group shots and if there weather was poor there are not many indoor options for large groups.
For smaller weddings this venue would be lovely with lots of options in all weathers. For larger weddings it is an exceptional historic venue with a difference provided the weather is fine enough for guests to spill out onto the gorgeous garden, iconic historic street and riverside.
by Steve Dunster
4 May 2015
Hampshire Wedding Photography
The Master Builder's House Hotel
Bucker's Hard
Beaulieu Estate
01590 616253


text:
This will be a smattering of random thoughts and reviews on all sorts of albums and the occasional film. Comments are welcome and encouraged.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Changing Horses by Ben Kweller
More info about him can be found here.
Changing Horses is Kweller's fourth album.
Young Ben Kweller is an artist carving a mark in music by recording and releasing original records and touring in the meantime. Chances are, you can catch him in your area at least once a year. Needless to say, he's a hard working guy. He's also an artist never content to sit back and churn out safe power pop instead choosing to follow the Muse, thus ensuring releases of well crafted and melodic songs. Changing Horses is his trip to the country.
One would think growing up in a small Texas town would give him instant country singer-songwriter cred and that his previous releases would reflect this. One would be incorrect. That would have probably been too easy for Kweller. Instead, he chose to rock, making decent pop records. Each of Kweller's albums have a sense of moving forward and creating music on his own terms. This may have been an album he's had in him all along, but felt like establishing himself before recording it. Or maybe he just felt like making an acoustic record.
Kweller has alway had a knack for melody. One of the things that makes his pop music so enjoyable is the fact that you can sing along with it. He applies this gift compeltely to this project. The pop melodies are wrapped in acoustic guitars, bass, drums, and some slide and pedal steel guitars. Most of these songs could have probably been given the rock treatment and still retained their appeal. However, the more laid back country settings work better with the lyrics. Titles like "Gypsy Rose" and "Sawdust Man" are not rock songs.
"Old Hat" is a pretty ballad with a very deliberate beat and gorgeous harmony-laced chorus. The song is filled with alot of musical space, which makes the payoff evern better. Underneath the space of the verses, a pedal steel whines over a melodic bass line and sparse drumming.
Every track contains Ben's Epiphone acoustic. Gone are the distorted electrics. But don't be fooled by the "country" tag associated with this album. Ben Kweller may be able to make great drinking singalongs like "Fight," but he never dives into a twangy country drawl. He sounds like Ben Kweller always has with a straightfoward singing voice.
The highlight of the entire album for me is "On Her Own." It's a classic Kweller road song about a girl breaking free with a huge hook and wide-open lyrics. It's all driven by a solid back beat and a lilting pedal steel.
Kweller is definitely a student of the art because like most good country records, it's a short listen. Changing Horses never demands too much from its listeners but makes a concise statement. Longtime Kweller fans will likely appreciate this detour and fans of Americana country-rock will welcome it.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
I finished up the teaching week at the Grand Canyon with the third set of students, all 102 students made it to the South Rim this week and it was exceptional. It was exceptional not just because kids got to run around outside (which is awesome), or that I sang along to top 40 songs with 7th graders for hours (if I hear Happy one more time…), or because the students were more themselves (student asks, Can I call you Diana? ;-), or because I am more me (teacher me vs. person me) or because they made all kinds of connections with their learning (which they did), or because it was the GRAND CANYON (which all alone is pretty stupendous) or because… etc.
I am in a pretty tricky position with these students… I am their sub who came in for 6 weeks, left for 5 weeks and then came back to finish the year (its a long story, but the original 6 week gig was all it was supposed to be). I don't know them as well as I need to know them, to be effective. I am in a crash course to know them, know them well enough to push them, to teach them about their own learning, to work *with* them and not just ask them to *do* work. It's not easy, but its a good challenge. Luckily, I am supported by a few really wonderful people (some of my teacher friends I've known the longest) that are there to help the situation along.
Another part that makes it difficult is that this is a two year program and I have become a key player in year one. I cannot stay for year two. From the back of the van, on Friday, the students started lobbying for me to stay. They knew I was headed to Philly for spring break to work on the SLA/Inquiry Schools projects and they heart-breakingly started saying things like, "just tell those Philly people that you quit while you are there", "we're way better than anything in Philly, I mean, we have the Grand Canyon" and it went on from there. Being the nomad has been unwieldy at times, but everyone that knows my deal, knows that I am not sticking anywhere right now… but, these kids didn't get the memo, or rather won't accept it. Encouraging them, as their teacher, to push themselves doesn't work well if they feel like I have one foot out the door. Everything I am doing is saying, I'm all in… but then… Argh.
This past week, I did about a month's worth of getting to know kids. Taking them to new places, outside the normal classroom allows you to accelerate the pace at which you know them, not just as learners, but as people. And it is a decidedly two way street. (a quick aside: I would make the connection that at SLA, we did much of this through informal social networking.) When people ask how to *fix* their schools, I think my new answer might be, how well do the people in this building know each other and what are the systems and structures that support that 'knowing'. I will be a better teacher because of the time I spent with the kids at the Canyon and they will be more invested in our class as learners, because we see each other as people, not just as teacher and student. We need more intentional structures in our schools that facilitate knowing and caring, not as a nice bonus, but as a core building block. You will never get as much from the learning experience as either a teacher or a student if you fail to recognize the relational power of first knowing teachers/students as people.
The bugger of it all for me… is that now that I know these kids, I am not going to want to leave them.


text:
Vacless Systems Inc. is a privately owned corporation based out of Los Angeles, California. Vacless's principles have been in the pool product engineering, pool and spa design and construction business for a combined 60 years of experience with it's founder P.E. (Professional Engineer) initiating product designs in 2003. Vacless Systems Inc. owns, manufactures and sells 12 versions of SVRS systems identified as Breather I, Breather II, and Breather III. Breather I is an automatic reset, Breather II is a manual reset, and Breather III is electronic with all products having adjustable versions and all versions having an offset post installation model. Vacless Systems Inc. is dedicated to raising the awareness of swimming pool and spa safety while providing products to prevent injuries and deaths associated with entrapment. Our goal is to provide a sense of safety and ease, allowing for complete enjoyment in and around the pool.Explore Products
Automatic Standard CenterLearn More
Automatic Adjustable CenterLearn More
Manual Standard CenterLearn More
Electrical Standard CenterLearn More
Manual Standard OffsetLearn More
Electrical Standard OffsetLearn More
In a study conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) of drowning and submersion incidents in Arizona, Florida, and California, toddlers between the ages of one and three account for 75 percent of submersion victims.
Multiple layers of protection in and around swimming pools can prevent serious injury or death to the most common victims which are children under the age of fourteen.


text:
Searching... Please Wait.
Wheelchair Accessories
Wheelchair Cushions
Wheelchair Maintenance
Wheelchair Parts
The product or category that you are trying to view is either not valid or not available. If you believe that you are receiving this message in error,
contact us
Wheelchair Parts - 1111 INDUSTRIAL PARK RD SW, BRAINERD, MN 56401, US - TOLL FREE 800-328-5343


text:
IceFrog, the developer of the upcoming tower defense game Dota 2 is a real cool guy. Not only does he make some really fantastic mods (the original Dota to be precise), but he makes changes to beta plans to make them accessible to all the gamers clawing to get at the video game.
Originally, Dota 2 was supposed to stay in beta for over a year with all the participants agreeing to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This means that the beta players cannot share information about the game to anyone outside the beta slot. So extremely fun games would be played and recorded, but they could never be shared with the outside world for an entire year. Considering that the original mod found acceptance in the entire community due to the recorded games and screenshots that were shared amongst players, this was not a very good idea. In fact as IceFrog himself says:-
So we decided our original plan was dumb.
So now, the beta is no longer under purview of the NDA, and the Dota 2 team will be adding more players to its closed beta test.
But there'll be no restrictions on what players can do with it they can release screenshots, make movies, shoutcast matches, write guides, publicly make fun of our HUD, or anything else their hearts desire. While they do that, we'll be shipping regular updates with more heroes, new features we've been working on, and improvements on the existing content as we get more and more feedback.
So, do you want in on the up and coming tower defense game? Just sign in on this web page with your Steam credentials to be added to the list!


text:
Style, location, and space--this one's got them all!
This two year-old home has real solid oak hard wood floors stained Coffee Bean, granite counters, and white maple cabinets throughout. Dramatic white and black kitchen is the focal point of this open floorplan with open stairwell to finished basement. Stone fireplace is gorgeous! Covered front porch and rear patio with an ample yard in fabulous shape. Front bedroom off entryway is easily used as an office instead. Dining room is open to kitchen and provides a flexible space to use how you'd like. First floor master bedroom is separate from other bedrooms. Basement is 80% finished, with huge flex spaces and wet bar with sink and cabinets. Two basement bedrooms are separated from each other. Lots of unfinished space has been retained for generous storage. The Copperleaf neighborhood boasts tons of community amenities, with more (like the dog park) coming!
Chris is the Managing Broker of the 8z Castle Rock team.