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KineRAW Super 35mm 2K Camera Pre-Orders Have Begun, Prices Starting Under $7,000
The last time we talked the KineRAW S35, Kinefinity had released RAW sample clips for the general public to mess around with and grade. If this is going to be the way things are done with smaller companies (like Blackmagic) — Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, and Sony are going to have to get on board. Allowing users to handle files straight from a camera is the only way to judge actual quality and to know if a particular camera is going to work for you. The KineRAW S35 is now inching ever closer to being the real deal, as Kinefinity started limited pre-orders at the BIRTV show in China.
If you haven't seen it, this is the clip that got so many people excited:
Here are some more samples:
Here are the specs and recording times for the camera:
It's looking like Kinefinity is going with a tiered structure for camera pricing, and the base package with HDMI only and without a lens mount starts at about $6300. For around $400 more, you can add HD-SDI which will give you monitoring only in 1080p for 3G HD-SDI and 720p in standard HD-SDI. Since this is a mirrorless camera which features a back PL mount just like the Sony F3, almost any lens in existence is adaptable, but the mount will need to be designed and manufactured. Purely mechanical (that means no automatic iris control), will start around $200, and in addition to PL, they are also working on Nikon and Canon EF mounts. Unfortunately right now this means that users are limited to lenses with a manual iris only (unlike the Blackmagic Cinema Camera which has an electronic Canon mount).
All in all if you want a real functioning camera you're probably looking at somewhere between $7,000 to $8,000, which, if you've been looking at the competition, is quite a deal. At this price point and sensor size there is nothing in existence that can touch RAW recording. Some were a little confused about my comparison to the F3, but I was trying to find the nearest competitor and they share a very similar body type as well as the PL base mount (and really not too much else). It will be interesting to see how the actual resolution measures up against those mid-range cameras, since the KineRAW is actually pixel-binning to get to 2K (from 4K). This means combining pixels at the sensor level to reach a data rate that the recording media can handle. Unfortunately, this will be happening before debayering, so the final image will most likely not be quite as sharp as the C300 and F3. There is no doubt it will be an improvement upon DSLRs, however, and resolution is not the only thing that matters. Sharpness aside, the ability to record RAW images cannot be understated, and low-light sensitivity should be more than enough for most situations.
As of right now the pre-orders are only available in person, but it would stand to reason that it won't be too long before they open them up online (since pre-orders will supposedly be delivered within 45 days). Either way there isn't support for the camera outside the U.S. right now, so if you were able to pre-order outside of China online and there was a problem, the camera would have to go back there. We'll see if that changes when it gets a true worldwide release.
These are interesting times, and just as RED changed the game and brought the price of digital cinema cameras down to Earth, these new cameras are putting RAW and digital cinema quality within reach of even the smallest productions.
If you want to play with samples of the footage, head on over to this post.
What do you guys think? If you had the money would you pre-order the camera based on the footage that has been released?
Link: Kinefinity
[via DSLR News Shooter & Cinescopophilia]
We're all here for the same reason: to better ourselves as writers, directors, cinematographers, producers, photographers... whatever our creative pursuit. Criticism is valuable as long as it is constructive, but personal attacks are grounds for deletion; you don't have to agree with us to learn something. We're all here to help each other, so thank you for adding to the conversation!
honest on 08.27.12 @ 11:47AM
I'm incredibly excited to physically try this camera out. I need to know how it operates and feels in my hands before making any decisions regarding a purchase. For me a cameras handheld ergonomics come a VERY close second to image quality. When operating I much prefer physical buttons and switches to touch screen controls. I need to be able to make adjustments without lowering the camera from my shoulder or having to look at a screen. I'm so glad Kinefinity went with a design that is closer to the Alexa then the Red or BMC. Exciting times indeed!
Where do you live?
Fcruz on 08.27.12 @ 1:01PM
This can also record a 1080p file like the Black Magic, right?
The current resolutions are: 2048×1080, 1920×1080, and 1280×720.
With 2048×1080 its normally cropped in post to 1998×1080 for DCP 1.85:1 and 2048×858 for 2.39:1 DCP.
I love the image out of this camera. Plus it's very easy to grade. I agree with NDrillot, I would like to physically hold the camera to get a feel for it. This and the BMCC are the cameras that most interest me. I'm not a colorist so my video is not as good as Dans' or James' lol.
Enjoyed playing with this footage. I think this camera and the BMCC have similarities. Their images give off different looks. Both feel cinematic to me though. Exciting times.
Hopefully Kinfinity can partner with someone in the states so the can eliminate the log shipping times and shipping to China when there is an issue with the camera.
Awesome prospect but somewhat scary thinking about service or warranty having to send back and forth to and from China.. :/
producerx on 08.27.12 @ 3:23PM
Thats not a big deal if you know how to import and export goods. It can get to China in 5-7 days if you know what you're doing. You can also pre-order the camera via proxy if you have a chinese connection.
Knowing about the import business is useful in situations like this.
That is a point, but most of the issues that have come up with the two cameras I have here were able to be taken care of by myself swapping a part and installing new firmware revisions.
nigel Thompson on 08.27.12 @ 2:04PM
Where do i pre order ? somebody give me a link PLZ…..
Ali Taleb on 08.27.12 @ 2:15PM
Awesome :-)
Too bad you can't see the uncompressed TIF on my 2K CRT monitor or the Cineform ™ playing on my Brother's 2K monitor in his editing software etc.
The lack of compression artifacts is a big leap forward for micro budget filmmakers, and sad for Kodak ™ as they don't have anything at EI ISO 2560 I have seen that you can shoot color movies with?
nigel Thompson on 08.27.12 @ 2:20PM
ok never mind maybe i should have read everything and not let excitement get to me LOLOL
marklondon on 08.27.12 @ 2:38PM
Can't wait to try it out.
What state do you live in?
john jeffreys on 08.27.12 @ 4:00PM
id rent it for sure and see how it performs.
ryan on 08.27.12 @ 6:22PM
from where?
There is a lot to like about this camera: Super 35 sensor, Native Cineform output, PL Mount with easy adaptors, quick button functionality a la Alexa, etc, etc. The cineform option really nudges this camera over the BMCC because working with CInema DNG on a feature film is just not realistic for a low budget filmmaker. The data requirements are obscene. As long as the camera isn't buggy, this is going to be a winner for low budget cinema.
mark london on 08.27.12 @ 5:05PM
Agreed. For me its the size of that sensor (no cropping), and a PL mount Day 1. Also, some basic slow-mo. XLRs!
Peter on 08.27.12 @ 10:05PM
I would rather have an FS700. 240fps AVCHD with future 4K is more interesting than 2K 30fps max RAW. The KineRAW only claims 11.5 stops of dynamic range for its RAW anyway.
I think people are all worked up about codec quality, but the codecs aren't so very bad these days. Things are blamed on the codec but the damage takes place elsewhere, such as the sensor or downsampler, which can't be circumvented with external recorders. Macroblocking in the shadows when you underexposed a shot is about the worst of codec damage, but there are techniques for dealing with it. And RAW is bandwidth/storage intensive. Light and expose your shots properly!
Joe Marine on 08.27.12 @ 10:25PM
I would say if you're not grading your footage much, it's a valid point. Unfortunately for a lot of projects that will do a final color grade, codec fidelity is extremely important. I did tests grading the D800, internal vs. ProRes 4:2:2 HQ, and having that extra color space makes an enormous difference.
Again it all depends on what a user needs. The FS700 4K mode would use a lot more data than Cineform on this camera, so it's interesting you put that out there. Kinefinity has also said it's likely they will allow buyers of this camera to upgrade to 4K recording when that becomes available – though that's certainly not set in stone.
Peter on 08.27.12 @ 10:43PM
I'm not anti-RAW, I like the BMCC and am considering getting one. That offers 2.5K RAW or ProRes which gives you cropping room for stablization etc. while this has only 1080 lines for its 2K mode…no cropping room allowed. The BMCC offers 13 stops of DR and is less than half the price of this, and it's a company with a track record in this industry as opposed to another one. The FS700 has the must-have for slo-mo, has an E mount that can be adapted to anything, a bigger sensor area I believe (?), and comes from an even more established company for about the same price. And I think an external recorder on the FS700 would capture a good image, especially if they have the ability to send 4K out in the future (right? I'm not an expert on the FS700).
I don't see what's interesting about this camera vs. what is already available at comparable prices. RAW on its own isn't enough to be worth a froth.
marklondon on 08.28.12 @ 1:10AM
That would all be fine, except have you seen the pictures out of a FS700? If you're ok with those, and find them cinematic, I'm not sure a discussion about RAW codecs is the highest priority for you.
I like the footage from the first clip, and also considering a BMCC. I'm kind on the fence with the RAW hype. Though this VIMEO link was an interesting clip graded from FS700 AVCHD files http://vimeo.com/39405035
Besides RAW, the main interest is in it's form factor, the the fact that it has a S35 sized sensor, and the that in theory it's mount can be adapted to considerably more lenses easier than the BMCC can. I NEVER trust camera companies when it comes to how much DR they claim their cameras have so the fact that Kine is only advertising 11.5 stops doesn't necessarily make me think it will have less DR then the BMCC. Until production models of both cameras are in the wild and someone does a professional test we just can't know how much DR each camera really has.
You need to see the uncompressed results in person on a good 2K monitor that does not clip the highlights and shadows…
I would also mention that we don't know for certain how much the 4K recorder for the FS700 is going to cost. Hopefully Sony does the 4K in the most economic and democratic way, however it certainly will drive the price of the FS700 beyond it's original 8K starting price.
Between the BMCC and the KinRAW it's an extremely exciting time for low cost CINEMA cameras!!!! Hopefully both cameras offer similar AMAZING image quality!
Good point. The cool thing is all three camera in question look to be capable tools in storytelling. Anyone one of these is way above the DV cameras with DOF adapters used to make some pretty cool films over the past decade.
Really an interesting news. Look forward to the pre-order . lol !!
You can email Kinefinity.com (sm) directly about order dates.
Marvin on 08.27.12 @ 11:35PM
A reminder for those who want to use EF lenses, KineRAW S35 currently cannot control iris electronically, but it might be possible with a future firmware upgrade.
Joe Marine on 08.27.12 @ 11:47PM
I know I tend to be a little verbose, but still:
"Purely mechanical (that means no automatic iris control), will start around $200, and in addition to PL, they are also working on Nikon and Canon EF mounts. Unfortunately right now this means that users are limited to lenses with a manual iris only (unlike the Blackmagic Cinema Camera which has an electronic Canon mount)."
Simon on 08.28.12 @ 4:01PM
What I would like to see, as soon as it is possible, is an unbiased comparison between the overall performances of the KineRAW, the BMDCC & the Panasonic GH3. I would find something like that really useful for knowing which camera is for me. I'm not going to actually need a new video camera until late 2013 anyway. I just like to know in advance my best options. I have noticed one thing in my search for a great camera: there are loads of cretinous fanboys of particular brands and models of technology out there.
Any news on the S16 version of the KineRaw? On the official website under the KineRaw-S16 and KineRaw-S8 tabs is nothing. Just blank.
They said they are looking into the S16 design concept in light of the other cameras going on the market now, and they still plan the S8, you can suggest they have an option in the S8 for a mechanical shutter so that there is zero jell-o and skew and no rolling shutter for shutter angles 0 to 180 degrees. Feel free to write directly to Kinefinity.com (sm) and tell them your interest in the S8 and S16 models, as well as a 4K S35 model etc.
From a quality vs. work-flow hassle issue the current S35 2K model is a good balance. The low noise from the 4K sensor binned down to 2K helps the de-Bayer processing go faster on the DNG frames since less filtering is needed to get clean results.
andy on 08.30.12 @ 3:57PM
i want to buy as soon as possible, but not before i see actual real world film footage, as well as lens/battery solutions for the bmc. i was more or less 100% decided on it but this has me reconsidering. the test footage from the bmc has been impressive, but that first video at the top of the page has me thinking twice…
I've shot lots of footage and the results are very good so far, I have not posted it on Vimeo until now because its a big step down to convert the uncompressed footage to H.264 for Vimeo to accept it. You can try to get some uncompressed Cineform ™ MOV off the Kinefinity.com (sm) web site. Stay tuned for more footage toe be available…
andrew on 08.30.12 @ 4:02PM
Personally I'm for the Scarlet. Look at this point cameras need to be in 2K or 4K. Still going for 1080p and calling it 2K is crap. Nice video, but still has that ugly DLSR look.
The look of the KineRAW-S35 ™ depends on how you de-Bayer the footage, and that depends on if you are using the Cineform ™ compressed or CinemaDNG ™ uncompressed shooting mode. With DNG you have more de-Bayer options maybe so you can get control over the look, with Cineform ™ you can apply 3D-LUT and get different sort of looks, if you use the stock go-pro ™ 3D-LUT then you will get a stock look, if you use custom color corrections the you have fine control as you like.
MARK GEORGEFF on 08.30.12 @ 8:36PM
With the cost for this camera…being sooo low, you can do all the fix ups you need to do. It just can't be that crappy of a camera when you take into consideration the higher costs with the EPIC, SCARLETT, etc. This is exaCtly what've I've been waiting for…if my first indie feature is budgeted under 20 grand????
Guess others filmers out there pretty much have that silver spoon with them their whole life.
There's no discussion about this whole debate with me. I'm getting it. Plain and simple. I don't want to rent anything any more.
It's still going to come down to the specific story you're filming and how a low budget approach with this camera is more than well worth it.
Its all about what you movie is going to look like, if you put all your money into the camera there is nothing left for what you are shooting, if you put all your money into what you are shooting there is not much for a quality camera, the price for KineRAW-S35 ™ leaves something for the what goes in front of the camera and has the True RAW recording on a 4K sensor (binned down to 2K for faster work-flow). The Binning of the 4K sensor down to 2K also improves the S/N ratio and gives you higher EI ISO to work with. Also its a true Digital Cinema camera shooting 2048×1080 at real 24.000fps for direct use in DCP and Digital Projectors in Digital Movie Theaters, its not just a HD camera being called a cinema camera, it IS a cinema camera…
I got time to convert the KineRAW-S35 ™ 2048×1080 version of the video Alvin Somwaru helped shoot in Golden Gate Park into Letter-boxed MPEG4 1920×1080 for posting on Vimeo,
"KineRAW-S35 ™ I1 2K boxed 1920×1080 full range (grade a1) "Daisies and Windmills" on Vimeo"
I used TEncoder ™ set to 12000 kbps and two pass compression for the conversion from the graded uncompressed AVI but there are still some compression artifacts that show up here and there, anyone have suggestions for a better free, or maybe not free, encoder for making H.264 video files that Vimeo will accept?
I was using just the MPEG4v2 option in VirtualDUB ™ but that is one pass and shows much worse compression artifacts. If you see the video as looking too light and washed out on your MAC notebook let me know about that, I may try to post another copy graded darker. It seems there is a bug in Quicktime ™ where it shows videos too light and washed out looking, under Media Player ™ on my Brother's PC with the CRT monitor set to 1920 resolution it looks OK as far as brightness. Viewing on a LCD or HD monitor it may look like the highlights are burned out and the shadows too dark since I encoded it full range for PC viewing.
If you follow the link for Alvin Somwaru from my Vimeo page for the video above, you can see some more footage on his Vimeo page he processed from Cineform ™ clips shot in the KineRAW-S35 ™ that I have not had time to grade and letterbox yet for posting on my Vimeo page…
Are you being payed by Kinefinity? Like, maybe a US rep or something?
No, I am not the US rep on payrole of Kinefinity.com (sm), I was talking with them before they started the camera development. I have been talking with various True RAW CinemDNG recording camera makers, and am working on support for the BlackMagic ™ and Aaton ™ Digital Cinema Cameras as well as I just added audio extraction for the Acan dII ™ camera. OptimaCine.com (sm) another company in China was the first to get a 2.5K raw recording camera to shoot, Kinefinity.com (sm) got their first footage a bit after that. My de-Bayer program was in serious development since 2009. It part of my freeish DI system that is a not cost download from my web site for finishing motion pictures. I'm just trying to support the KineRAW-Sxx ™ cameras in my DI system, and so that requires talking to them and processing some tests to work out having things work together well, some special meta-data is generated in the KineRAW ™ DNG tags for use in my de-Bayer program.
Got word from Kinefinity.com (sm) that they will be going to NAB 2013 in Las Vegas (in April),
Quote: [Our booth number in this coming NAB is C12813.]
So if you have wanted some 'hands on' time with their cameras, this will be the first time they are showing them outside China as far as I know.
I've been shooting some additional test footage with both the KineRAW-S35 ™ and the prototype KineRAW-S8p ™ and may post that on my Vimeo page when I get it edited together. They are working on a demo reel for showing at NAB 2013, so if you have any suggestions of shots you would like to see you can email them and ask them to have one of their field testers shoot something like what you would like to see maybe so that when you go to NAB 2013 you can see how it turned out. They said they will have cameras there you can look over, and maybe the KineRAW-S35-mini ™ they are still working on, its a smaller version with the same high quality 100% true RAW DNG recording and S35 sensor with sub-PL mount for using a wide range of movie and still lenses, as I understand it, you can email them for detailed specs if you are interested.
Also the MSRP and shipping should be lower for the KineRAW-S35-mini ™. So jot down booth C12813 if your going to NAB this year and say high, they have been developing these cameras for many years, and the larger KineRAW-S35 ™ has been in field testing in China (in addition to the one I got to do calibrations in the monitoring with). They said they are very busy putting cameras together to ship out, so, so far things seem to be going well for them.


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Perhaps the most interesting European prospect eligible for the 2010 NHL Draft is Ludvig Rensfeldt, the 6' 3" 194 lb center from Gavle, Sweden. Rensfeldt played with the Brynas Junior in 2009-2010, scoring 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points in 39 games, while leading his team to a league title. Various scouting reports have compared him to Fredrik Modin, the 6'3" 218 lb left winger who plied his trade on Vincent Lecavalier's left side in Tampa Bay before moving on to Columbus and Los Angeles. It seems that the comparisons are based mostly on size, because Rensfeldt is a completely different player than Modin.
His Central Scouting profile has the typical tidbits that are used to make educated decisions about the player, things like his biggest influence, favorite meal and favorite website... so we have to look elsewhere to find useful information. Central Scouting says Rensfeldt is a left wing, but his Elite Prospects profile mentions that he's "...a skilled and creative center who also can play the wing." While Modin is a big winger, he's not renown for his high skill level, and has never been a center in the NHL.
Rensfeldt himself says that he strives to be "...a great, creative player that scores a lot of points and has a great shot." and mentions that he does not model his game on any one player, but he likes "...big players that score a lot of points like Anze Kopitar, Joe Thornton, and Johan Franzen."
The comparisons between Rensfeldt and Modin end at "big body" and "plays well on the boards". Rensfeldt plays "heavy" and is difficult to knock off the puck - he is the most effective Swedish puck-battler available in the draft pool. But he's more than just a big forward. He's good in the faceoff circle, uses his size to his advantage and he's an excellent passer with on-ice awareness.
The best rundown of Rensfeldt comes from Hockeysverige.se's profile of the big Swede. In it, Rensfeldt talks about his father, Per Ola Berggren, who is an expert in the field of sports psychology, an area that the Oilers have very recently begun to focus on. According to Ludvig, his father has written multiple books on the topic and lectures regularly. His clients include Johan Hedberg and Henrik Tallinder, and Ludvig mentions that his father helped Hedberg with his self-confidence. Rensfeldt also mentions that it's good to "...have someone to talk to..." when things go poorly.
Ludvig was also able to travel with his father while visiting Hedberg in Pittsburgh and Atlanta. He mentions that he follows the Penguins and Thrashers (though the Thrashers "...are a boring team..."), but he really has no favorite team in the NHL. After reading this interview, I wonder if Central Scouting made stuff up for his profile, or if Rensfeldt answered quickly to get through the questions.
Modin played his 19-year-old season for Brynas in the Swedish Elite League and registered nine goals and nine assists in thirty games or .6 points per game. Rensfeldt will make the move to Brynas' SEL team next season as he's been working out and practicing with the big club since the season ended. It's expected that he will have more of an impact that Modin did during his 19-year-old season.
The writer asked him when he thinks he'll be ready to play in the NHL, and Rensfeldt seems grounded about the work to be done, saying "...About three or four years I'll probably be ready for it. That is my goal."
Should the Oilers take Taylor Hall, they're going to need a play-making center to go along with him. Rensfeldt has been one of the highest-rated international players on nearly all scouting lists since the beginning of 2009. He's big, he plays the boards, he can score and he can work the corners. It's a solid pick for a team with a burgeoning Swedish element. Besides, it's always a good idea to have a guy named Ludvig on your roster.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ball Check SOB Style
Find out how to talk to the boy or young man in your life about doing a testicular self-exam, or "ball check" as we say in SOB language. You can save their life by sharing our Ball Check pamphlet!
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The SOB's can be found all over the world… Although it started in the U.S., Save Our Balls has fans in the UK, Australia, Germany, Canada, Singapore, Japan, and beyond.
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Fill up your ball sack, er, shopping cart with SOB gear. They're sure to be a starter to some interesting conversations!.
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We raise money by selling our hilarious products which promote awareness and we also host events to raise funds for the cause. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our video newsletter, tune into our YouTube channel, and bookmark our website and store.
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Do you have a boy in your life? A son, Godson, brother, cousin, grandson, nephew, or young man that you care about? Have they been told about testicular cancer and how to perform a self-exam? If they haven't, and even if you're not sure, you are encouraged to take the bull by the horns, if you will, and have that conversation.
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When you buy one of our fabulous products, a percentage of the purchase price is donated to the charities we work with.
We proudly donate to the Sean Kimerling Testicular Cancer Foundation, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society.
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Common sense thoughts on why TC may be on the rise. What do you think?


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What is the best tablet for teenagers? Honestly, it kind of depends on what you are looking for as far as utility goes for the tablet. Since these tablets are an investment with most families, you want to get the best bang for your buck so to speak. By far the best priced tablet is the Kindle Fire. Although, pricier than most other tablets the MS Surface is most assuredly the very best tablet for your teenager to get their homework done on. If you teen wants the basics for surfing and connecting with their friends, getting some homework done and also wants the best tablet for games, then an Android tablet or the latest iPad (4) are your best bets. The iPad Mini Retina Display is one of the most popular tablets around today.
|Kindle Fire HD 7″, Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, 16 GB – Includes Special OffersThe Kindle Fire HD with the 7 inch display screen is the best buy of tablets on the market. It also boasts the fastest Wi-Fi of any other tablet currently available. Teenagers will have a wide range of options with the Kindle as they can stream movies, access apps for the latest games, connect to Facebook and Twitter along with their email accounts. The tablet has a front facing camera that allows for video calling besides taking photos. Plus they can download books to read from the Kindle Store.
The Kindle Fire line uses the Android system with Amazon customisations. This means you don't get full access to Google Play, the Android App Market. However, you DO get full access to the Amazon Kindle market, which includes movies, games (the most popular android games are available for Kindle as well) as well as the obvious: Kindle books.
The Kindle Fire is so cheap, the word online is that Amazon must be losing money on every Kindle they sell. They do get it back of course: in books, games and movies sold, market share etc.
Even more affordable is the First generation Kindle Fire. It's of course a bit slower and the screen isn't HD, however it is also less expensive and it does have full access to the Kindle store, including all the educational content available there.
|Microsoft Surface (64GB with Black Touch Cover)The Best tablet for teenagers doing their homework on is by far the new MS Surface. It has all of the capabilities of using the internet to research their homework and the software to compose reports with Microsoft Office.
Like on other tablets they can use the Surface for connecting with their favorite Social Media sites and get their emails. They can take photos with two options as the camera works both front facing and rear facing. There is access to stream movies and apps for playing games or connecting to an existing game system like Xbox. The price is significantly higher than the Kindle but then the capabilities of the tablet are more advanced as well. It runs the new Windows RT operating system made for mobile devices. This tablet is like a small laptop with better mobile utility.
Do get the touch-cover: your teen will need it to navigate MS Office. With a touch cover the Surface tablet by Microsoft is almost a laptop replacement. What makes it NOT a laptop replacement? You can't install your favorite Windows programs on it. You CAN install apps though – and the Windows App Market is catching up with Android (see Samsung below) and Apple (iPad) every day.
|Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (16GB, Deep Grey)This tablet is relatively new to the market and runs on the Android operating system which is Linux based. A good tablet for games and also a great one for homework.
The Samsung Galaxy Note offers a technology using an S Pen (aka built in stylus) that your teenager can use to create art along with jotting notes while researching for their homework or class project. The Samsung Galaxy Note is definitely the best tablet for artistic teens: no other tablet can be used to draw on so precisely. I bought myself one because I liked drawing on my iPad but was getting frustrated with the lack of precision of drawing on an iPad – even with a stylus.
The Galaxy Note 10.1 has Wacom technology built in. That means it's built to be pixel precise when used with the S-Pen.
The tablet also comes with a version of Adobe Photoshop Touch that allows for some pretty cool photo editing.
All in all this is a very versatile tablet for teens as they can take notes, compose text, edit and of course connect with their Facebook and Twitter friends. Send and receive emails and use the front facing camera for taking photos or a video call.
|Apple iPad 4 With Retina Display With Wi-Fi 16GB In BlackThe tablet that is most preferred by kids and adults when they want to play games as the amount of apps that are available is mind boggling. Of course you do not want to get your teenager a tablet that is just for games. This newest version of the iPad is two times faster than the previous version which is a benefit to a teen who wants quick access to the information they are looking for. Apple has some pretty fantastic educational apps that your teenager can use, too.
Social media connection is a must with teens and they can use their iPad to do that. There is also a voice dictation feature where your teen can make vocal note of assignments or thoughts of where to look for homework answers.
If you can't afford the full iPad, you may want to get the iPad Mini for your teen. You'd be getting full access to the iTunes app market and the tablet is not a bit slower and the latest version has just as crisp a screen.
More great gadgets for teens.
Teenagers are embracing the tablet devices in a huge way. These touch screen mobile devices offer them all of the computing needs that they have plus give better mobility to them. They are much lighter in weight than having a laptop to carry around and will perform all of the tasks that they want. They can connect with their friends on the different social media sites. Play games, read books, watch movies and research homework.
The devices are run under touch screen technology and in most cases, except for the Kindle Fire, can be attached to a small keyboard that is purchased separately.


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Acne Studios edge fur peacoat / CAC12UPF13
Edge Fur Peacoat by Acne Studios. Classic double breasted peacoat updated with a shearling body & tonal wool sleeves. Wide notched lapel / Back waist belt / Welt pockets at waist / Fully lined / Boxy, relaxed fit / Color: Black Noir / 82% Wool, 18% Nylon 100% Cupro lining.Sizing: Fits true to size. Model wears a size 36.Model's height is 5'9½"; bust 32"; waist 22"; hips 33"EU 34 / XSEU 36 / SEU 38 / MEU 40 / LÂ
Worn with / Acne Studios Patti Slit Back Shirt, Acne Studios Chime Cropped Leather Pant & Acne Studios Daan Mary Jane.
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Amongst the hundreds of entries in this year's Nevada Day Parade was an unexpected...almost-parade crasher. A black bear wandered into an east Carson City neighborhood early Saturday morning.
Sheriff's deputies kept onlookers back while wildlife officials tranquilized the bear in a backyard on Joshua Drive. They say the 400 pound black bear will sleep off the tranquilizers overnight and that Sunday morning he's be transported up into the hills above Carson City and released.
They also say it's the third black bear to have visited Carson City this week.
Written by Erin Breen
KTVN-TVPhone: (775) 858-2222Fax: (775) 861-4298
Mailing Address:4925 Energy WayReno, NV 89502


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Route Guide - iPhone / Android - Partners - Forum - Photos - Deals - What's New - School of Rock
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The wall containing several beautiful pink slabs adjacent the power plant. There are also two large boulders on the scree slope with routes on them.
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Cross the river at the bridge south of the power plant.
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Humjob 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport, 90'
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text: When the mock drafts first started coming out as soon as the Rams' dreadful season was over, they had the Rams taking the overwhelming favorite in Ndamukong Suh first overall. Now Gerald McCoy is slowly but surely passing him on a lot of draftboards. I understand McCoy is better at putting pressure on the quarterback but I thought the main thing about getting a DT was to help stop the run? Isn't Suh the better fit for this?


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Eau Claire (WQOW) - We're hearing from both
sides as the Wisconsin Supreme Court reviews the domestic partnership law.
The court heard
arguments Wednesday, in a lawsuit filed by a conservative group, Wisconsin
Family Action.
UW-Eau Claire Women's
& LGBTQ Resource Center Coordinator, Christopher Jorgenson, says, "I think the more ground you make
politically the more some groups try so hard to take back what you've fought so
hard to get."
Wisconsin Family Action President,
Julaine Appling, says, "What we are asking for is that the entire
chapter be ruled unconstitutional."
In 2009 the state's domestic
partner registry came to be. One group says it mimics marriage, while another
says it's not even close.
Jorgenson says, "It's
tiring that groups try and consistently try and place themselves on the wrong
side of history. Because if there's one
thing for certain they will be on the wrong side of history because their idea
of family does not represent what family has come to be known, not only in the
state of Wisconsin but in this country."
Appling says, "I am
not concerned about being on the right side of history. There isn't a right
side of history; there is a right side of truth. And the truth is, marriage is
what it is, a man and a woman."
Wisconsin Family Action
filed the suit and is working to wipe out the registry as a whole. They say it
goes against the state's constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
"It is a disservice
to the people of our state to not actively and aggressively protect that
institution," explains Appling.
Jorgenson says, "If
even polled now, the state of Wisconsin
would answer much differently than it did in 2006."
The registry gives
same-sex couples some of the same legal rights a husband and wife have. Here's
one example: same-sex couples are eligible for medical leave if their partner
has a serious health condition.
"The idea that we
even have to try and protect domestic partnership versus marriage is
frustrating. Because all it does is have a group of people, who are already
marginalizes, try and fight for the table scraps we have been given historically…
Because separate, but not equal, does not work."
state's high court is not expected to make a decision until next summer. Two years ago the Wisconsin Family Action group
took its argument before a Dane
County circuit judge.
That judge ruled the registry does not violate the state's constitution.


text:
This book, 'portfolio' is a collection of some of my most loved images from the past three years of travel. It focuses on humanity, social issues and photojournalism. Portraits of people from all over the world, from the mundane to the extreme and even dangerous.
I hope soon to publish further books based on photo-essays by subject matter


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Sofitel Brisbane - Did the job
My wife & I stayed overnight at the Sofitel in Brisbane mainly to see a local game of AFL and also stumbling on the city's Riverfire festival.
The main advantage of this hotel is it's location. The train from Brisbane airport stops right underneath the hotel and it's merely an esculator ride up to the lobby. It is also conveniently located in the Brisbane CBD with just a short stroll to most of the city's attractions.
The room was big enough for the two of us. The decor was nice & new & the LCD TV was a pleasant surprise. The king bed was a little hard on the back but not too bad overall. A little disappointed in the bathroom. Just would not expect a 5 star hotel to still have a shower/bath combination. The slippery surface made getting in & out a little frightening.
The service from the reception & concierge was really friendly. A problem with the key & a mobile phone charger being left behind was sorted out promptly. The only down side to the service was the waiting in queues at the front desk everytime we encountered it.
We didn't use any of the hotel's dining facilities as there were plenty of other & less expensive options a short walk away into the city.
All in all, the Sofitel was useful for a base for an overnight stay in Brisbane but not as polished as other 5 star hotels.


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The words "teenage" and "rebellion" may seem like they go hand in hand, but it hasn't always been that way. In the past, getting older meant a child was becoming an adult. Look at their behavior that you call "rebellion" and ask yourself some questions. Is this behavior really my child simply becoming an adult? Because sometimes what we label as rebellion may simply be the child making a decision for themselves.
One thing that may help (MAY help, mind you!) is to think about the choices that other adults make. If your child makes a decision that you don't agree with, but it's a decision that other adults make all the time, maybe it isn't rebellion at all! Maybe it is simply your child becoming an adult! For example, their choice in clothing, or how they style their hair. Their choices may not be your choices. But are those choices OK? If another adult made that choice, would be really be upset or confused? Because if not, perhaps it's an OK choice for your child to make.
Here is a picture of one of my children's favorite "rebellions" – facial hair!
Some parents allow their children many choices in their homeschool. Instead of telling them when each thing must be done, they just tell them WHAT things must be done. "Finish these ten things before 5:00″ for example – leaving them to decide when they want to do each item. Some children would prefer to get up at 5:00 and be done by noon! Is that wrong? Or just a choice they make? What if it's on the other side? What if they get up at noon, and don't finish their schoolwork until 5:00? IS that wrong, or just a choice?
Frankly, in my home, I truly did make them finish their work by 4:00. I know that it MAY have been a fine choice for them to make, but it didn't work well with our family. I needed my husband to "play the heavy" in some areas, so they had to be done before he got home, in order for him to work his magic and make sure it was all done each day. We had sports in the afternoons, and I really don't do well after dinner. Having them turn in assignments during my own times of fatigue would have been horrendous! So make sure that you decide what works for you family, more than anything!
Do you enjoy these daily doses of high school homeschool wisdom? Sign up to get them delivered via email or reader!


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The time of day and how much sleep you got the night before could have an impact on blood test results.
Researchers in the UK put healthy male volunteers in a controlled environment and measured levels of certain metabolites every two hours.
One day they were well-rested, the next day they were sleep deprived.
They found metabolic processes were significantly different after the participants had a poor night's sleep. They say this could have an impact on test results and the effectiveness of certain medications.


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regional news
From NCPR Blogs:
North Country now is reporting this week about a new effort Massena is making to keep local kids off drugs: distributing drug testing kits to parents (actually, they're giving them to the school district for distribution to parents who want...
Yesterday NCPR began its series on young people in the North Country by talking with Becca Johnson, a St. Lawrence County native who has made her life in the orbit of New York City. And here on the In Box, we talked about what you're seeing in...
Today NCPR launches an on-going series where we'll be digging into all the complex questions that surround the issue of "brain drain" and the flight of young people and families from the North Country. This has emerged as one of...
News stories tagged with "youth"
Hangin' on the Strip in A-Bay
Jul 21, 2005 — The streets are full of tourists in downtown Alexandria Bay, in stark contrast to dark, quiet days of winter. David Sommerstein got the year-round perspective from a group of local high schoolers checking out the scene in front of Jreck's subs. Go to full article
Raise Your Voice: Living on Your Own Isn't Easy
Jun 13, 2005 — For a lot of kids in high school, the opportunity to live in your own apartment is like a dream come true, a long awaited chance for independence and freedom. That's what Brittany LaBrake thought. Brittany was living in a foster home for five years. A month before her 18th birthday, while she was still in high school, she signed herself out of foster care to live on her own. Brittany moved into an apartment in Potsdam with her boyfriend, Gary. She wanted to live her life independently, bravely, like her hero, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from TV. But it's not that easy. Here's Brittany's audio diary, a part of our series Raise Your Voice: Stories from North Country Teens. Go to full article
Campaign Finance Reformers Regroup
Nov 09, 2004 — The 2004 Election was the most expensive in U.S. history. There were more TV and radio ads than ever before. And there were 3 presidential debates, but the issue of campaign finance reform barely got a mention. Those who want to reduce the amount and influence of money in politics are re-grouping to bring their message back to the headlines. Joan Mandle is executive director of Democracy Matters, based at Colgate University, with chapters on college campuses nationwide. She told David Sommerstein the 2004 election makes campaign finance reform more important than ever. Go to full article
County Investigates STAR Abuse Claims
Feb 19, 2004 — The St. Lawrence County legislature Tuesday night heard allegations of physical abuse regarding its military-style program for troubled youths. Two former employees and parents of a former participant say drill instructors used excessive force on their middle and high school students. As David Sommerstein reports, lawmakers are calling for an external investigation. Go to full article
Growing Community in Gouverneur
by Todd Moe
Aug 09, 2002 — Ground was broken and tilled last spring for a new community garden in Gouverneur managed by young people. Todd Moe visited the garden as the first seeds were planted. Go to full article
Cubans Seek Political Asylum in Canada
by Jody Tosti
Jul 31, 2002 — Some of the 23 Cubans who stayed in Canada following World Youth Day have emerged from seclusion to apply for refugee status. The rest are expected to do the same this week with help and support from the local Cuban community. Jody Tosti reports. Go to full article
Rockin' at the Green
Jun 18, 2002 — High school musicians usually get a chance to perform for an audience at school jazz band or orchestra concerts. But aside from parties and the occasional high school dance, there are few opportunities for young rock musicians to test their licks in public. For 7 years now, the Norwood Village Green concert series has provided an outlet for high school bands to rock out. David Sommerstein takes us backstage at the High School Rock Band Festival. Go to full article
A Place to Grow: Gouverneur's New Community Garden
by Todd Moe
Jun 04, 2002 — Ground was broken and tilled late last month for a new community garden in the village of Gouverneur. It's not the first or the only community garden in the North Country, but it's one that will be managed by young people and youth groups. Organizers say it will be a reliable source of fresh vegetables for area families and food pantries, as well as a powerful means to bring people together. Todd Moe visited the garden as the first seeds were planted. Go to full article
Director Jay Craven on Teens in Film
by Martha Foley
Jun 03, 2002 — Martha Foley talks with film director Jay Craven about giving young people a start in film. Craven's credits include "Where Rivers Flow North" and "The Spitfire Grill". He's involved in the teen film forum at the Lake Placid Film Forum this week. Go to full article
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There are plenty of online articles that talk about personal finance. Many of them deal with saving for retirement and often contain the sentence "to have $x by age x, you need to save $x, assuming 8% return". In fact, I ran into an article today, quote:
If you are 35 and starting from scratch, for example, you need to save around $735 per month to have $1 million by age 65, assuming an 8% average annual return.
I haven't punched out the numbers, but I'm sure it's correct. Unfortunately, vast majority of readers will not get 7-8% return over the next 30 years.
People greatly misuse this magical 8% figure. Yes, it's true that long-term performance of S&P 500 (my favorite index, if I had to pick one) did yield similar gain. From 5/2/1983 (162.39) to 5/1/2013 (1,582.70), S&P 500 has compounded annual growth rate of 7.89%, an impressive record over 30 year period. If you span it out to 50 years, the percentage figure drops closer to 7% mark, but it's still great return nonetheless.
But I would argue that none of those returns are very much likely going forward. Two primary reasons are:
A) Past performance is not indicative of future results
Ah, the familiar phrase that you can find in small tiny print at the bottom of financial documents.
If S&P 500 returns 7% annually for the next 30 years, it will be sitting at 12,047.91 on 5/1/2043. If S&P 500 returns 8% annually for the next 30 years, it will be sitting at 15,926.17 on 5/1/2043. I would argue that there is almost no chance that S&P 500 can reach those levels in the next 30 years.
Unprecedented amount of wealth has been generated over the last three decades, not just in the United States but globally. World Bank estimates Gross World Product (GWP) to be $68.98 trillion as of 2011. If we go back 30 years, it was $11.31 trillion. The growth rate comes out to 6.21%. There are obviously many factors in play when determining stock prices, but in the grand scheme of things, such growth rate in GWP is required for S&P to enjoy similar success it had. It's true that companies can squeeze profits without a growing economy, but there needs to be a solid economic growth for profits to increase over extended period of time. Will GWP be around $420.42 trillion in 2041 (6.21% growth rate)? Or even $237.69 trillion (4.21% growth rate)? Can we really keep up with all the advances we've had in the last few decades? But more importantly…
B) Market volatility and lump-sum dilemma
Volatility, which in turn makes timing important, makes the 8% claim inherently difficult to actually achieve. $36,000 investment in 5/2/1983 would've grown to $350,866.43 on 5/1/2013, which results in 7.89% annual gain over the 30-year period. But this is not how vast majority of people invest; they do it over time as they do not have one large lump sum to put away.
If one invested $100 per month for the same 30-year period, the money would've grown to $113,963.45, which results in meager 3.92% annual gain. Of course, that is still relatively good return over time, but it's nowhere close. The less compounding effect over time also greatly reduces the amount of investment as well.
Wait, was the return on the latter example diminished by the fact that S&P 500 has done a round trip back and forth over the last 13 years? This is a valid point, so I cherry-picked a 30-year period which has seen pretty much a straight line up: 3/2/1970 to 3/1/2000. Over this time period, S&P 500 has returned compounded annual growth rate of 9.84%. $36,000 investment would've grown to $601,337.42. However, $100 per month investment for the same 30-year period would've grown to only $321,439.57, resulting in 7.57% growth rate. Yes, it's still fantastic, but not the same.
It's absolutely true that market volatility can help an investor score a better return over time, as it allows one to invest at a lower cost basis. But that's not a "general" investor.
You should think hard when assuming anything in finance. 8% annual gain is not an exception.


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February 18, 2008Lee County -- The Big Switch will happen one year from now. Are you ready?
Starting February 17th, 2009, old analog televisions that use antennas will not work, unless you get one of the new converter boxes to bring you into the Digital TV age. Carol Rathel's Television is her main source of information for keeping up with the latest weather developments. "I have kids and horses, and have to keep up with any developing storms," Rathel said.Rathel uses an analog TV with an antenna, and she knows she will have to get ready for the Big Switch. "I don't have any clue how to."
The federal government ordered the switch to digital, a more flexible and efficient technology that offers dramatically better quality transmission. Shermaze Ingram of the National Association of Broadcasters said "Anyone out there that does not have a digital set will have to upgrade. Otherwise, they won't get a picture," if they get their signal over-the-air.The good news for the nearly 20 million households that receive over the air television signals, the switch to digital is pretty simple. All you have to do is get a converter box that hooks to your TV.To get your converter, you first sign up to receive a forty dollar coupon from the federal government that will cut the price down to ten or twenty dollars each. Each household can get two of the forty dollar coupons.
U. S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said "We've already received requests from half a million households."The converter boxes will soon be for sale in most stores where you can buy televisions. But all the stores we contacted in Albany said they do not have them in stock yet. Many people will not have to do anything. If you bought a new television for Christmas, you won't need the converter, it's only needed for TV's that are several years old and don't have a digital tuner.
If you subscribe to a cable or satellite service you don't have to change anything; those companies will convert the digital for you. It's just for people who get their signal over the air. But it's time to get started going digital, because one year from now if you haven't made the switch, your old analog signal will go black.
P.O. Box 3130
Albany, GA 31706
(229) 446-1010
FCC Public File
(229) 446-4005
EEO Report
Closed Captioning


text:
Route Guide - iPhone / Android - Partners - Forum - Photos - Deals - What's New - School of Rock
Select Route:
Sit start from good holds under a low roof, fire out to the lip with the right hand and then work out left and up the face to the arete. try to avoid ferns and moss as you top out
As you appraoch the den it's in the back corner or the large bouler on your left. It starts from a sit under a low roof, the cliff will be at your back.
pads and a spotter, getting onto the arete is heady. You will want a spotter to move your pads so you can jump off from the lowest (8 ft) spot on the boulder


text:
Wild trade for Cam Barker
Kim Johnsson and 2009 1st-round pick Nick Leddy go to Chicago. Barker's salary is pretty high, but I don't really think he's worth what the Wild gave up for him. Maybe he'll be a great pickup for them. I kinda see him as JML Lite, albeit 5 years younger. Maybe someone here disagrees with me, but I don't really think this trade makes a whole lot of sense for Minnesota. Chicago gets some salary relief. Johnnson's contract is expiring, and Barker has another 2 years.


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Join Website or existing users Login
At a very wet and muddy Moorend the Cleck Junior Colts won a thrilling National under 17 Northern Quarter Final with a spirited second half fight back.
Northwich travelled over the snowy Pennines as qualifiers from the Lancs/Cheshire League having finished second in Division 3.
Cleck were still without the injured Adam Clough and Conor Tilby-Baxter and the unavailable Cameron Brannan but Steve Hawkesworth, Brad Marsden, Rob Lowe and Josh Taylor filled the gaps.
Cleck got an early wake up call when Northwich's speedy left wing scored after five minutes.
Jack Seddon soon put Cleck back on terms with a characteristic quick tap penalty. Danny Clark added the conversion.
Northwich were looking dangerous in the backs and poor tackling let them score two tries to create a 17-7 lead mid way through the half.
Josh White hit back when he picked up from the base of a scrum to score, Danny Clark again converted.
Northwich's speedy right winger then scored a solo try from his own 22. Cleck appeared to have him tackled on half way but he spun free to sprint in by the left hand corner.
Just before half time a series of forward drives led to George Speight just being forced into touch. At half time Cleck were down by 8 points 14-22.
The second half witnessed a real turn around. With the pitch getting ever heavier and muddy the Cleck pack took complete control dominating in the loose and set scrum.
Jimmy Sheridan was driven over with Danny Clark again converting to get Cleck back to within two points and then Jack Seddon scored his second with the forwards putting together a series of drives to give Cleck a 26-22 lead.
Northwich were now seeing little ball and what little they did get was being spilled by their backs in the poor conditions.
Josh White put Cleck well clear with a pick up and drive before Jack Seddon completed his third hat-trick of the season.
In the dying minutes Ryan Mortimer drove for the line and beautifully off loaded to Rob Lowe to score. Danny Clark converted to give Cleck a 45-22 victory.
A superb second half performance by the whole team but particularly the pack in which captain Josh White led from the front and took the game to Northwich.
The Cherry & Whites now entertain either Wilmslow or Keswick (who play this Sunday 11th) on Sunday 18th March in the Semi-Final. Our friends at Selby beat Darlington Mowden Park 13-7 and play Bolton away so there is a chance of an all Yorkshire Final.
Team – Green, Bairstow, Robinson, Wright, Speight, Clark, Hirst, Mortimer, Brown, Sheridan, Seddon, Hawkesworth, Neal, Marsden, White Replacements – Lowe, Taylor.
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By Cade Fowler - bio | email ALBANY, GA (WALB) –We have a happy ending to a story we brought you two weeks ago about a homeless man who needed emergency surgery.
Members of an Albany church were searching for 48-year-old Donald McCloud who had a mass on his brain that will cause blindness.
Thanks to one of our viewers, they found McCloud in an abandoned house dehydrated and nearly blind.
Church members tracked down his brother in Florida who took him home Thursday to get the surgery he needs.
"We are truly thankful and we thank God he was found alive because things were looking dim for him," said Frank Wright.
"We thank God for there still being some good people out there when something like this happens to get in and help," said Saints of God House of Worship Pastor Arthur Lee Wright.
Members of the Saints of God House of Worship say they want to thank everyone who helped find McCloud and support their homeless ministry.
©2010 WALB News. All rights reserved. Feedback
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text:
Reviewer: Scott Nehring
Should I see it?
A weak yes.
Director: Rian Johnson
Written by: Rian Johnson
Starring: Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano and Jeff Daniels
Rated R for violence, language, sexuality/nudity and drug content
Watch or Rent This Movie Here
Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) lives in a world of time travel. Most people in his time don't know this is the case. Time travel is something that has yet to be invented, this does not stop folks from the future messing with the past however. Joe fuels a fast lifestyle and drug habit by working as a 'looper' for the citizens of the future. Poor saps who upset a criminal organization in the future are sent back to Joe's time and loopers, such as Joe, gun them down in an efficient execution. This assures the target from the future is removed, without the complications of a body or other evidence. This set up works out neatly for Joe until he is asked to gun down his future self (Bruce Willis). Younger Joe's future self (let's call him Older Joe) escapes his execution and the chase begins. Younger Joe tries to stop Older Joe as he slowly tracks down and kills the 'modern day' crime syndicate that will mark him for execution in the future.
Johnson's handling of the complex relationship between the two Joes is unique and full of potential. He begins to deliver on this potential by cleverly displaying how Younger Joe originally kills his older self, goes through his life becoming Older Joe (who knows what is coming) and using that memory of killing himself to keep himself (Older Joe) alive at that point and being able to escape. Sound complicated? It is, yet Johnson found a way to show it and make it completely logical.
Unfortunately, there is a problem and it isn't a small one.
Johnson doesn't have confidence in his complex time travel tale. He takes what is a carefully constructed future universe and plot and spoils it by inserting a completely unneeded and distracting subplot involving a child with supernatural powers. You read that correctly. Out of nowhere Johnson introduces a child with horrifying psychic powers who is being protected by a woman (Emily Blunt) living in a distant farm house.
The child subplot derails the original tale and turns a sharp genre film into a M. Night Shyamalanesque sham. What should be a complex look at the current/future self – free will vs. fate argument devolves into a meaningless mess as Johnson is forced to abandon his initial narrative to deal with the loose ends caused by this unrelated addition.
***Spoiler Alert***
The inclusion of the psychic kid brings Younger/Older Joe into a strange place. Older Joe, knows what the future holds. This includes knowing that the psychic kid grows up to be a monstrous crime boss. Johnson attempts to utilize this strange point-of-view to put Older Joe in a horrible situation. Knowing what he knows, is Older Joe right to assassinate the child before he can commit his future crime? This is the classic argument of going back in time and killing Hitler. This is an interesting proposition but it is too large to be hung on a preexisting narrative. It should be its own story instead of being a side-issue. This is evidenced by the lack of dimension in the psychic kid. The child does not retain any discernible personality, he is not really 'human'. He is a thing, a plot point which needs to be dealt with rather than a likable child the audience can come to understand and therefore want to survive.
Johnson is a very strong director, but has shown with this and his previous film, The Brothers Bloom, that he has loose restraint on his storytelling. He needs a script editor who will reign in his needlessly grand inclinations. If he had remained true to his original narrative, this would have been an exceptional film. Thanks to his lack of focus, he has produced an unfortunately splintered and forgettable movie.
Related Reviews:
Bruce Willis movies
Pulp Fiction (1994)


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Help me out! I have tickets to game five -- they're standing room only tickets, and I've never had that kind of ticket.
I'll be on the home run porch, but some questions:
- How badly does your view get blocked out?
- Should I get there early to get to the rail?
- If I leave the rail, am I screwed?


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dining room
This year Saucy decided to decorate all of the rooms in the house with sort of the same theme: berries, sticks, branches and red cardinals. She dug deep into the sorted containers and dug out what she needed for this snow-flocked tree in the corner of the dining room.
Saucy lurrves a nicely flocked tree, even though it drops its flakes like a hot mess of dandruff when it is set up and taken down. After a few more uses, these branches might be bald.
She's doing quite a bit better this year... the house is well decorated and it isn't the very last minute. Coaching the Cheerios and making cupcakes for them to sell for the last couple of years ensured tree setup at the last possible minute. This feeling of having things done and ready... Saucy could get used to it.
After the holidays are over and the ornaments are back in storage, Saucy is flirting with the notion of papering that green wall above the wainscotting with grasscloth wallcovering. Your thoughts?
3 comments:
- KL Crab said...
I used grasscloth one time to help update a bathroom with Green tile in an effort to provide some texture and color change with resorting to a chisel. It may depend on what you ca n find, but I like the effect quite a lot. Yuur decor looks lovely, i am not generally a fan of flocked trees- but that is lovely.
- December 09, 2013
Oh the grasscloth would be nice - but then, I like the green too so if you don't get it done you are still a decorating winner :) Merry Christmas!!!
- December 11, 2013
- ivan koki said...
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I think it may be help all of you. Thanks a lot for enjoying this beauty blog with me. I am appreciating it very much! Looking forward to another great blog. Good luck to the author! all the best!))
- December 21, 2013


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Powdered Alcohol: The New Kool-Aid of Teen Drinking?
Written on July 8, 2014 at 9:11 am , by Family Circle
By Julie D. Andrews
We were visiting my brother, his wife and their kids in Georgia. It was our first time in Peachtree City, a picturesque suburban haven, where it's hip (and safe) for teens to flit around on backwoods paths to ball fields and drive to local cupcake shops in decorated golf carts. The place seemed so first-kiss sweet and innocent.
Yet, I still can't forget what happened there. Largely because it just wasn't the sort of thing you imagined going down in such a pleasantville. As my sister-in-law filled us in on the neighborhood news, she told us of a local dad who found his 16-year-old son, early on a Sunday morning, coiled at the bottom of the family hot tub, limp and lifeless.
The honors student, who attended a nearby Baptist church and played junior-varsity soccer, had bought a package of Mojo Diamond Extreme Potpourri at a nearby convenience store, taken it home and smoked the OTC synthetic marijuana. In one puff of smoke, there vanished a just-beginning life, so bursting with opportunity and hope and yet-to-be-had tingly moments that the sheer thought of this boy's final breath still sends a jolt through my spine.
Teens are impulsive. They're experimental, feel invincible and can rapidly get in way over their heads. Over Memorial Day, soaking in a hot tub at my sister's house in Maryland, I couldn't help but think of this tragedy, and want to level with my A-student, every-sport-playing 12-year-old nephew about the dangers of youthful experimentation—dangers that exist for every teen, no matter their GPA or extracurriculars.
What's the latest newfangled intoxicant? Powdered alcohol. On April 8, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau granted label approval for Palcohol packets, then, 13 days later, rescinded that approval. The government called the approval an error, but the manufacturer, Lipsmark, soon announced its plans to tweak and resubmit labels for final approval.
Powdered alcohol is discreet—therefore, ideal for covert underage drinking. As Senator Chuck Schumer, who called on the Food and Drug Administration to ban Palcohol, pointed out, it can be easily slipped into pockets and shoe soles, and brought into parks, concerts, you name it. It can be cavalierly sprinkled onto food, mixed with water or snorted—a particularly big cause for concern.
Snorted alcohol immediately alters the brain. While no research has yet been done, preventing us from knowing the full risks, we do know that snorted alcohol is absorbed—and can intoxicate—instantly and that doing so may significantly impair judgment and motor skills. Worse, predicts Joshua Lafazan, a member of the Syosset School Board and the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, powdered alcohol could "certainly lead to many more instances of alcohol poisoning for youth."
It's not your kids, it's the age and the time and the hormones and the peer pressure. Call it what you must, but talk to them.
Julie D. Andrews is a writer living in New York City. Her new book, Real Is the New Natural, dismantles the negative, destructive messaging about body image and beauty bombarding us daily under the guise of health.
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You Make It, We Post It!
Written on July 7, 2014 at 10:30 am , by Family Circle
"Thank you #FamilyCircleMagazine for the recipe, and the cute idea of putting it in jars!" says Instagram user @ashmarie122 who snapped a shot of our Banana Pudding. The traditional southern treat is easy to prepare and personalize—she left out the bananas for an all-vanilla indulgence! Create an entire Low Country-inspired feast with these down-home recipes.
Want to be featured here as next week's chef?
Here's how: Make a Family Circle recipe, take a photo and share it on Instagram by tagging @FamilyCircleMag and #FCMADEIT.
Categories: Made-It Monday, Momster | Tags: Family Circle recipes, Made-It Monday
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A Summer Code of Conduct for Your Kids
Written on July 3, 2014 at 8:00 am , by Rosalind Wiseman
Since I moved to Colorado from Washington, D.C., almost two years ago, I have grown to love summer. First off, there's no humidity. As a native Washingtonion, I thought living in the wet, moldy sponge that is D.C. from June through September was normal. What's more, every day here is beautiful, there aren't annoying bugs everywhere, ice cream is plentiful and people are in a good mood. The only complaint I have: The school ends the third week of May. That is just way too early.
To be fair, no matter how hard we parents work all year, for our kids, summer should be a time to sleep in late, relax, roam around, and hang out with friends. But in order for parents to not get really irritated and start walking around the house muttering about how lazy and slovenly their children are, we have to have an agreement about how summer is going to go down.
So three weeks into their vacation, I told my boys: "I want you to relax and have fun and neither of us want me constantly nagging you or raging at you ("raging" is the word my boys use to describe my very calm requests). So here is how I think we have the best chance of accomplishing these very important goals." Then I shared with them my "Summer Code of Conduct." Perhaps these rules to relax by will help you preserve your sanity this season.
1. If you want to kick back. . . don't leave cups and dishes around the house. This is especially true if you have eaten cereal and/or drank chocolate milk with an inch of chocolate sludge at the bottom and left it wherever you finished it. This is also true with clothes (dirty or clean), technology accessories like ear buds or headphones, new or used tissue paper, sports equipment, art projects and any small pets. You won't be able to relax because all of these actions will automatically result in your parent flipping out—as in making you clean everything you have spread around the house and nagging you as you do it).
2. To be left alone. . . you must read a book of your choosing, outside if possible, and enjoy it. Your parents will leave you in peace while you read—unless they see that you are hiding a handheld device behind the book. If you are, we get to make you do additional chores around the house such as loading the dishwasher (see #1), folding laundry, taking out garbage and more.
3. When hanging out indoors with your friends. . . know the house rules. If you're hanging out at another person's house, you are expected to follow the other family's policies without argument. Likewise, your friends are expected to follow our family rules when they are at our house. If not, your parent will make it clear to your friends what the family rules are.
4. When hanging out outdoors with friends . . . respect the freedom we give you. Summer is time to spontaneously hang out with buddies. But that will happen much more easily if you check in with your parents on a consistent basis. So when your parents ask you by any method where you are and when you will be home you need to answer concretely. For example, "Soon" and "In a little while" are not appropriate answers to a parents' text message about when you will be returning home.
5. While improving your video game or tech skills . . . Watch the clock. I know video games aren't all bad. They just can't take over your life or be a major source of conflict between siblings. So each child can have ninety minutes per day on the device of their choosing for fun. Basic necessities must be taken care of before engaging any technology, which are defined but not limited to putting on clothes, brushing teeth and hair, and taking care of any pet needs. All technology activity must end an hour before bed (to assure a good night rest) and devices be charged in parent's bedroom. Other projects involving technology are excluded from the ninety minute limit.
6. If you want to impress me. . . . tell me how you plan on giving back this summer. A couple times a month over the summer, the family and whatever friends want to join in, will do community service together. Examples are making dinner for a children's or teen shelter, painting a family homeless center, gardening, mowing lawns or getting groceries for an older person. When I know you're up to some good, I can kick back and enjoy summer too.
Have you laid down some rules of the road for your kids this summer? Post a comment and tell me what they are below.
Rosalind Wiseman is the author of the new best seller Masterminds and Wingmen as well as Queen Bee Moms & Kingpin Dads. For more info, go to rosalindwiseman.com. Read more of Rosalind's parenting advice, here.
Do you have a parenting question? Email email@example.com.
Categories: Momster, Parenting Advice by Rosalind Wiseman, Parenting Teens & Tweens | Tags: Ask Rosalind, rosalind wiseman, summer camp, summer vacation
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Moms and Daughters Bond While Working Out with "Biggest Loser" Trainer Cara Castronuova
Written on July 2, 2014 at 2:16 pm , by Family Circle
Learning about fitness and health is as easy as having fun—that's what celebrity trainer Cara Castronuova has in store for her camp-goers.
Camp Kid Warrior in Patterson, New York, which is open to boys and girls ages 7-18, will focus on eating balanced meals, an assortment of exciting workouts (including Zumba, martial arts and kickboxing) and, most important, getting kids inspired by fitness.
With a staff of motivational athletic counselors, the camp is offered by Cara's very own nonprofit organization, the Knockout Obesity Foundation, which gives children in need the chance to exercise and keep at it.
Traditional camp activities like arts and crafts, fishing and archery will also be offered.
Learn more about the program and the organization by visiting knockoutobesityfoundation.org.
Special Delivery! Could a Little Purple Box Change Your Love Life for the Better?
Written on July 2, 2014 at 11:50 am , by Lynya Floyd
After we posted on Family Circle's Facebook page that we were looking for readers to try out a romance kit, my email inbox didn't stop dinging for the next hour…plus. So many readers responded! We selected several moms from across the country and asked them to await the arrival of the Bedroom Chemist—a subscription service that delivers a discreet box of intimacy-enhancing products specially curated for, well, a good time. Every six weeks you get a bundle. No one knows what's in the box—not the mailman, not your kids and not you—until you open it. We asked testers to try the products out and tell us what happened. Here, two testers share their stories.
Tester #1: "This Was One of the Most Romantically Fun-Filled Nights We've Had in a While."
With a house full of kids—and all their various activities—there's not too much time for romance. My husband and I made a decision that we were going to really make this past Valentine's Day special. Our older daughter was in charge of taking her two younger sisters and her daughter to the movies. I made a nice romantic dinner for two with candles, wine and chocolate-covered strawberries. My husband even helped with the cooking!
After we enjoyed our dinner and having the house all to ourselves, we decided to try the kit. I lit the candle and left it on the nightstand for a bit to let the wax melt. This was our first time experimenting with a candle and it was so much fun! We massaged each other with some of the warm wax, which made our skin so smooth and soft. It also had a wonderful fragrance and made the bedroom smell really good.
It was also our first time using a vibrator, which was fun and interesting. We would probably try it again. We did not need to use any of the lube and with all the fun we were having, we forgot we had the sexy scratch-off cards. This was one of the most romantically fun-filled nights we've had in a while. Can't wait until the next date night—we will definitely be using our kit again.
Tester #2: "I Would Recommend It to Anyone Just for Something Different."
The biggest challenge that my husband and I have to intimacy is timing. We've been married 22 years and have two teenagers. I never would have thought that finding time to make love would be so hard once the kids got bigger.
I loved the idea of the romance kit just to make us make the time to be together. The kit came in the mail on a Thursday. I told my husband to reserve one hour on Friday for me. We eagerly anticipated the next morning. What happened? I got called in to work, so scratch that plan. It took a few days, but we finally got to try out the items.
I was excited about the candle. I love a massage. The problem with the candle is that it took a really long time to melt…Like, we got tired of waiting so we never used it. But it still sits on the nightstand for another day with better planning. The lubricant was the best of any we've ever used! But I'm guessing my husband applied too much of the "sensation-enhancing" balm—he couldn't tell how many drops were coming out—because it was like I was on fire. The little vibrator was really cute and I liked the feel of it. But it just didn't have enough power for us. Even though we didn't love everything, all in all it was a great time and I would recommend it to anyone just for fun—and something different.
Want to spice things up between the sheets and try out this kit yourself? Check out the BedroomChemist.com ($50 or less per package) and let us know how it goes!
WIN IT! Family Circle Summer Shopping Spree Sweeps With RetailMeNot.com
Written on July 1, 2014 at 2:15 pm , by Family Circle
Let digital coupon site RetailMeNot.com foot the bill for all your summer shopping needs by entering Family Circle's gift card giveaway sweepstakes. There are four $500 visa gift cards up for grabs. Here's your chance to WIN! See official rules, here.
Categories: Giveaways, Momster | Tags: Giveaways
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Driver's Ed 101: The Parent Edition
Written on July 1, 2014 at 7:30 am , by JM Randolph
Do you know any parents who love teaching their kids to drive? Me neither. Now that my husband and I are at our official halfway point—midway through our third teen's permit—I've finally reached a point of peace with it.
With the first new driver, I thought I'd be the cool, laid-back stepmom who wouldn't stress out or raise her voice. This was before I fully grasped that the things that exasperate you about your kids around the house will exponentially exasperate you when they're behind the wheel, because now those annoyances are dangerous and expensive.
You put your reasonably intelligent teens in the driver's seat and it's as if aliens have abducted them and left poorly functioning drones in their place. The girl who speaks fluent French gets the brake and gas pedals mixed up. The boy who does complex logarithmic equations in his head fails to notice when the car in front of him brakes. The volleyball star who anticipates the moves of every member of the opposing team can't anticipate a single move by another driver.
Yet even when they lull you into a false sense of security by pretending to ignore you, it turns out your kids are always watching you.
At a four-way stop, our second teen driver stopped smoothly and took her turn in order.
"How was that?" she asked.
"Perfect!" I said.
"You have the best stops out of everyone," she explained. "You let up on the brake a little before you come to a complete stop, and then it doesn't jerk at the end."
That's a habit I developed in my 20s, back when I smoked and drank coffee from an open mug while driving (stopping like that keeps the coffee from spilling). I didn't mention this.
When the third kid got her permit, I looked back on previous experiences and accepted a few things that have made it easier:
1. The car's going to get dinked up.
The first teen jumped the curb in our driveway, ripping off the entire undercarriage covering while her father and I watched. She then proceeded to tell us how it wasn't her fault. The second one ignored, for three days, the fact that the car had been bombed by a pack of wild turkeys. When we demanded she wash the car, she used a steel wool pad. She's hit the retaining wall so much that the bumper looks like it was attacked with an industrial cheese grater.
We're in no rush to get nicer cars.
2. I will accomplish nothing by holding my Jesus handle and pressing my imaginary brake pedal.
It is far more effective to calmly point out facts:
You should brake now.
Accelerate, or you'll get run over.
You missed the exit.
3. I will accomplish nothing good by imagining worst-case scenarios.
Instead, I bring myself back to the present moment by calmly asking questions:
What's the speed limit here?
Are you trying to crawl up that guy's tailpipe?
4. I will raise my voice at some point.
It's okay to yell when they do something truly dangerous. They're new enough to the whole driving thing that they may not understand immediate danger. Parental anger usually gets their attention.
On a recent drive, the third teen did beautifully and didn't make a single error. But as we approached our driveway, she didn't slow down. Before I could speak, she turned, too fast and not enough. The noise was loud and jarring. I couldn't tell whether she hit the retaining wall or the power line pole. I tried to be angry—I pulled out the old standby, "What were you thinking!?!" but it felt as if I were playing a part. She knows what she did and she's unlikely to make that same error again. Fortunately, she only hit the retaining wall.
Inspecting the damage, I realized I couldn't tell new scratches from old ones, and laughed. Accepting that these things happen—and being desensitized by two previous drivers—made it suddenly funny to me.
But I didn't laugh half as much as I'm going to when the fifth one finally gets his license and I don't have to teach any more teens how to drive.
JM Randolph is a writer, stagehand, and custodial stepmom of five. She lives in New Jersey with her family and blogs at accidentalstepmom.com.
Categories: Momster, Parenting Teens & Tweens | Tags: JM Randolph, parenting teens and tweens, teen driving, teen driving apps
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"Like a Girl" Ad Will Really Give Teen Girls Something to Think About
Written on June 30, 2014 at 5:16 pm , by Jill Feigelman
It's not every day that an ad asks a thought-provoking question, but this Always ad sure does. The question: When did doing something "like a girl" become an insult?
A group of teens and younger children are instructed to complete certain actions—for example, running and fighting—like a girl. There's an eye-opening difference in how the two groups respond. The teens all act "girly," complete with flailing arms and concern about messing up their hair. The younger kids, however, run and fight fiercely.
Always found that girls experience a drop in confidence around puberty. The company partnered with the filmmaker and director of this video, Lauren Greenfield, to redefine the phrase "like a girl" so that it means something awesome.
Wait till you see how the teens react when they rethink what that phrase should mean.
Categories: Momster, Parenting Teens & Tweens | Tags: confidence, confidence in girls, puberty, viral video
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Coding While Female: Getting Our Girls on the Technology Bandwagon
Written on June 30, 2014 at 2:21 pm , by Suzanne Rust
You've probably been hearing a lot about coding in the news lately, and perhaps wondered what it is. Simply put, coding is the act of writing a program using a programming language. This is what makes it possible for us to create things like websites, apps and computer software, but I recently discovered that coding is so much more. It basically opens the gate to an array of exciting creative careers, but unfortunately, women aren't getting as involved as we ought to be.
According to the National Science Board, women make up a mere 26% of computer science and mathematics professionals in the United States. Female participation in computer science has actually declined to 18% from its peak of 37% in the mid-1980s. This is disquieting because STEM professions (science, technology, engineering and math) are expected to grow by 17% from 2008 through 2018, compared to 9.8% for non-STEM jobs. There are some incredible opportunities out there, and women are severely underrepresented. We have to change that, starting with our daughters.
Personally, I've been bugging my 14-year-old for the past year. "Look at these crazy stats! Don't you want to learn to code?" Her response: "No, Mom, it's not me." Argh. This conversation went on and off. I didn't want to push her if she felt it wasn't her passion, but I wasn't quite convinced that she understood all that coding encompasses or all that you can do with it, because quite frankly, I didn't either. Well, Google to the rescue.
Last Thursday we were lucky enough to attend Google's Made w/ Code launch here in New York, and it turned out to be a game changer for both mother and daughter. Host Mindy Kaling, special guest Chelsea Clinton and an outrageously talented and diverse group of women who code made a roomful of young women understand the endless possibilities. Danielle Feinberg, director of photography for Pixar, talked about her work on Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo and Brave; Miral Kotb, creator and CEO of iLuminate, discussed marrying her two passions, tech and dance, in her choreography; and Erica Kochi, cofounder of UNICEF Innovation, shared how she helped spearhead the development of technology that does things like track the distribution of 63 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets in Africa.
It was pretty exhilarating.
These dynamic women managed to make coding not only more accessible as a concept but fun, and my daughter and I were finally able to grasp all that coding can do. Now I'm scrambling to find her a coding class (nothing like trying to make last-minute summer arrangements!), but I don't mind because she is open to learning a whole new set of skills that could possibly guide her toward a fascinating, ever-evolving career.
Perhaps Kochi put it best: "Coding is not some random numbers running across a screen; it's a powerful tool that you can use to build the world you want to see." Start building, ladies.
Categories: Momster, Parenting Teens & Tweens, Technology | Tags:
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You Make It, We Post It!
Written on June 30, 2014 at 12:54 pm , by Family Circle
"We are berry patriotic!" says Instagram user @mommi_swag, who re-created our Berry Kabobs. The All-American dessert is easy to make and a surefire hit! Find other patriotic treats at here.
Want to be featured here as next week's chef?
Here's how: Make a Family Circle recipe, take a photo and share it on Instagram by tagging @FamilyCircleMag and #FCMADEIT.
Categories: Holidays & Entertaining, Momster | Tags: July Fourth Recipes, Made-It Monday
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Culture Club
Written on June 27, 2014 at 11:17 am , by Caren Oppenheim
Stay cultured with a trip to the museum, zoo or aquarium—all at a discount.
• Bank of America Museums on Us: Over 150 museums, zoos, and science centers for free during the first weekend of each month year-round for Bank of America or Merill lynch cardholders.
• Target Arts & Culture: 120 participants in free or reduced-price cultural events at target.com/arts.
• The Association of Children's Museums, The Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums: Free or discount admissions at select locations if you have a family membership at one near you.
Categories: Momster | Tags: free museum tickets, freebies and deals, online discounts
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Turn a Boring Summer Day into a $10,000 College Fund!
Written on June 25, 2014 at 11:31 am , by Family Circle
By Robb Riedel
The rev of a lawn mower. The chirping of crickets. The hypnotic melody of an ice cream truck. It's official: Summer has finally arrived! Which means the three words mothers dread the most can't be far behind: "Mom, I'm bored." It seems by the time school's been out for a mere week, there's already nothing to do.
But boredom isn't necessarily a negative, especially when it could result in winning some cold, hard cash for college. All your child has to do is invent the winning outdoor activity in the Clif Kid Backyard Game of the Year contest. Relish a rare moment of tranquillity by charging your kid with the task of inventing a new, fun fresh-air activity that doesn't promote violence and can be played by children ages 6 to 12. Your kid might get inspiration from your own childhood, when unstructured time meant heading outside to play tag, build a fort or ride a bike through the neighborhood. Kids can also check out previous finalists' creations, which include creative games like Tortoise & the Hare Ball and Sidewalk Chalk Adventure.
Go to clifkidbackyardgame.com to enter the name of your child's game, a description and a photo. The kid who creates the best activity will win a bike and helmet, a special block party for family and friends and, most important, a $10,000 educational scholarship!
There's no better reason to send kids outside to play! The contest ends July 3, so there's ample time for them to perfect their game's rules and submit photos. For more information, visit clifkidbackyardgame.com.
Categories: Momster, Parenting Teens & Tweens, School | Tags:
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|Weed growth will help walleye fishing here
By George Langley
The fishing opener has come and gone. The Saturday part of opening weekend of the general fishing season was pretty good, with reports of a fair amount of decent walleye fishing in the area.
|Tuesday, May 08, 2012 3:03 PM


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Dry weather isn't just a west river problem, its causing headaches across South Dakota.
Some fireworks dealers are worried that continued dry weather could slow down business as the Fourth of July approaches. Fire officials are already warning people to water the immediate area when lighting off fireworks.
The dry conditions are beginning to worry people in the state's agriculture industry. They say crops will start to suffer if there isn't substantial rainfall soon. In Southeast South Dakota, drought has become a four letter word.
For farmers across the state the heat is on.
"This week their talking about temps in the upper 90's and possibly in the triple digits and that's not good for anybody." Said Gary Freeburg.
But it's not just the forecast that's making farmers sweat it's also the real possibility of the d-word.
"Right now this part of the state we're not on the drought map as far as the nation, however we're very close and if it continues to stay this way we will be on the drought map." Said Larry Wagner, an agronomy field specialist with the South Dakota State Extension office.
Western South Dakota is on that drought map, crops there are already suffering.
"I've got friends out there that haven't even got the first cut of the harvest and are forced to let it go to seed so they can get something out of their land, there's very little hay and it's very serious." Said Freeburg.
Freeburg is the owner of the Freeburg Hay Company. His hay crop luckily hasn't been impacted by the dry conditions thanks to the nearby Missouri River. However that wasn't the case a year ago.
Last year Freeburg couldn't plant on 2600 acres because it was too wet, but on Monday they baled 380 acres. Making it the third hay cutting of the season.
"On the hay side for us, the first two cuttings have been the easiest I've ever had in my lifetime in the business because of the quality. The quantity is not there but I'll take quality any day over quantity." Said Freeburg
With hay numbers low across the state and nation, the value of hay is bound to go up and could cause feed shortages for animals. Rainfall totals are below average but agronomists say farmers shouldn't give up hope.
"We've seen dry years at this time and bumper crops so things can turn around rapidly." Said Wagner.
As long as there's a crop to harvest, Freeburg will go to work.
"You can't make hay when it rains everyday, you make hay when the sun shines." Said Freeburg.


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Li-Ning is making a big push into the U.S. sneaker market with the addition of the Li-Ning Conquer sneakers. Li-Ning and Baron Davis team up to bring you one of the best shoes on the basketball market today. In tribute to Baron Davis' respect for the Chinese and their culture, his new Li-Ning Conquer shoe will soon release in a "Chinese New Year" colorway.
The shoe sports a deep red shrouded upper, honoring the color most commonly associated with the holiday. In China, the color red is symbolic of luck and happiness, and is frequently used for Chinese New Year decor and gifts.
Li-Ning Conquer Sneakers


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I appreciate irony. I love irony. I find it hilarious.
The irony of 2008 baseball is the fact that the team with the best record, the LA Angels, was not the best team in baseball. At all. Their actual record was an MLB-best 100-62, but their expected W/L record was the worst among AL playoff contenders at 88-74. Thus, the Angels were not the best team in the AL, but they were easily the luckiest.
Except in the 2008 playoffs, their luck ran out, sort of.
So what do you do when you have the best record in baseball, the ESPN analysts orgasm over how awesome your team is, and you get beaten by the clearly better (but less lucky) Boston Red Sox? You take it like a professional, congratulate the other team, and vow to exact revenge next year.
Unless you're the Angels, then you just blame the umpires, the Boston Red Sox, and the economy for your suckitude.
Without further ado, I present the Angels whinefest of 2008
It's way different than last year," said Lackey, who was 0-1 with a 2.63 ERA in two starts this postseason. "We are way better than they are. We lost to a team not as good as us."
[On Sunday] they scored on a pop fly they called a hit, which is a joke," said Lackey, referring to a popup that was misplayed into three runs. "[On Monday], they score on a broken-bat ground ball and a fly ball anywhere else in America [except in Fenway Park]. And [Pedroia's] fist-pumping on second like he did something great."
In conclusion, John Lackey is a grade-A douchenozzle.