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ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) -- We're hearing a lot more about freezing pipes as the deep frost just keeps getting deeper. This of course due to the extreme and prolonged cold.
"One foot, two foot, three foot," said MnDOT Material Lab Supervisor Ken DeCramer. "And we're only half way there. Four foot, five foot eight-and-a-half inches."
MnDOT keeps tabs on frost depth for potential road issues when the thawing starts come spring, but we're still freezing and as temperatures keep dropping, problems are rising.
"I've been monitoring frost in the district for 25 years and this is the deepest I've seen," said DeCramer.
Across the area several 6-and-a-half-foot-long devices measure how deep the frost lies in the ground. A florescent dye is used to differentiate where the ground is frozen to where it's not.
"We've had so many days in a row where it's been below zero and that's where you see the deep penetration," said DeCramer.
"We haven't been that way for a long time, there's some records that go way back. If you go further north, up in northern, Minnesota it's off the charts. You can't even see it," said Mike Dougherty of MnDOT.
The frost in the ground keeps growing and it is already at levels we haven't seen in these parts in almost 30 years. Temperatures would suggest that, as we are also climbing the ladder in terms of coldest winters of all time. In comparison to date, we have about a foot more of frost than last year.
"Back here in December we're doing all right, but since then it's been dropping," said Dougherty.
And in some cases where soil is a little different in Lanesboro or Winona, frost depths are deeper and will continue to get deeper until long term relief arrives.
MnDOT keeps track of the frost because of the potential road issues that it can cause such as pot holes. Once the frost starts to come out, it does so unevenly and that's why there are weight restrictions on roads. The more frost, the higher the potential for problems. It's a bridge MnDOT will have to cross when it gets there.
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Garth Brooks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the performer. For his debut album, see Garth Brooks (album).
|Garth Brooks
Brooks in April 2010
|Background information
|Birth name
|Troyal Garth Brooks
|February 7, 1962 (age 51)
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S
|Yukon, Oklahoma, U.S.
|Vocals, guitar, piano, saxophone, harmonica
|Years active
|Capitol Nashville, Liberty, Pearl/Big Machine
|Associated acts
|Chris Gaines, Trisha Yearwood,Steve Wariner, Chris LeDoux,Ty England
Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American country music artist. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at Number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Brooks' integration of rock elements into his recordings and live performances earned him immense popularity. This progressive approach allowed him to dominate the country single and album charts while quickly crossing over into the mainstream pop arena, exposing country music to a larger audience.[1]
Brooks has enjoyed one of the most successful careers in popular music history, breaking records for both sales and concert attendance throughout the 1990s. His recordings continue to sell well and, according to Nielsen Soundscan, his albums sales through May 2013 are 68,630,000[2], which makes him the best-selling albums artist in the United States in the SoundScan era (since 1991), a title held since 1991, well over 5 million ahead of his nearest rival, The Beatles.[3] Furthermore, according to RIAA he is the second best-selling solo albums artist in the United States of all time behind Elvis Presley (overall third to the Beatles and Elvis Presley) with 128 million units sold.[4] Brooks has released six albums that achieved diamond status in the United States, those being: Garth Brooks(10× platinum), No Fences (17× platinum), Ropin' the Wind (14× platinum), The Hits (10× platinum), Sevens (10× platinum) and Double Live (21× platinum).[5] Since 1989, Brooks has released 19 records in all, which include; 9 studio albums, 1 live album, 4 compilation albums, 3 Christmas albums and 2 box sets, along with 77 singles. He won several important awards in his career, including 2 Grammy Awards, 17 American Music Awards (including the "Artist of the '90s") and the RIAA Award as Best selling solo albums artist of the Century in the United States.
Troubled by conflicts between career and family, Brooks officially retired from recording and performing from 2001 until 2009.[1] During this time, he sold millions of albums through an exclusive distribution deal with Walmart and sporadically released new singles.[6][7] In 2005, Brooks started a partial comeback, and has since given several performances and released two compilation albums.
On October 15, 2009, Garth Brooks announced the end of his retirement. In December 2009, he began a five-year concert deal with theEncore Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.[8]
Brooks was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on October 21, 2012.[9]
- 1 Early life and education
- 2 Career
- 3 Personal life
- 4 Setting records
- 5 Charitable activities
- 6 Awards
- 7 Discography
- 8 See also
- 9 References
- 10 Sources
- 11 Further reading
- 12 External links
Early life and education[edit]
Brooks was born on February 7, 1962, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was the youngest child of Troyal Raymond Brooks, a draftsman for an oil company, and Colleen Carroll, a 1950s-era country singer who recorded on the Capitol Records label and appeared on Ozark Jubilee.[10][10][11][12] This was the second marriage for each of his parents, giving Garth four older half-siblings (Jim, Jerry, Mike, and Betsy). The couple had two children together, Kelly and Garth.[13] At their home in Yukon, Oklahoma, the family hosted weekly talent nights. All of the children were required to participate, either by singing or doing skits.[14] Brooks learned to play both the guitar and banjo.[15]
As a child, he often sang in casual family settings but his primary focus was athletics. In high school, he played football and baseball and ran track and field. He received a track scholarship to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, where he competed in the javelin.[12][16] Brooks graduated in 1984 with a degree in advertising.[16] His roommate, Ty England, later played guitar in his road band until going solo in 1995.[17]
Later that year, Brooks began his professional music career, singing and playing guitar in Oklahoma clubs and bars, most notably the Tumbleweed in Stillwater.[12][16] Through his elder siblings, Brooks was exposed to a wide range of music. Although he listened to some country music, especially that of George Jones, Brooks was most fond of rock music, citing James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg, and Townes Van Zandt as major influences.[14] After hearing Unwound, George Strait's debut single, in 1981, Brooks decided that he was more interested in playing country music.[14]
In 1985, entertainment attorney Rod Phelps drove from Dallas to listen to Brooks. Phelps liked what he heard and offered to produce Garth's first demo. With Phelps's encouragement, including a list of Phelps' contacts in Nashville and some of his credit cards,[18] Brooks traveled to Nashville to pursue a recording contract; he returned to Oklahoma within 24 hours. Phelps continued to urge Brooks to return to Nashville, which he did. In 1986, Brooks married Sandy Mahl, whom he had met while working as abouncer. In 1987, the couple moved to Nashville, and Brooks began making contacts in the music industry. The couple later had three daughters: Taylor Mayne Pearl (born 1992), August Anna (born 1994) and Allie Colleen (born 1996). The couple divorced in 1999. Garth Brooks remarried on December 10, 2005, to Trisha Yearwood, a leading country singer.[12][16]
Brooks and fellow band member Jim Garver later reminisced of their times traveling with small shows at local bars. They would go so far as to set up local shows under the stage name "Yukon Jack" to re-live those days.[19]
|This section requires expansion with: Critical reception, musical stylings.(December 2008)
1989–1990: Breakthrough success[edit]
Garth Brooks's eponymous first album was released in 1989 and was a critical and chart success. It peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart and reached number 13 on the Billboard 200 pop album chart. Most of the album was traditionalist country, influenced in part by George Strait.[11] The first single, "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)", was a country top 10 success. It was followed by his first country number-one, "If Tomorrow Never Comes". "Not Counting You" reached number 2, and then "The Dance" put him at number-one again; this song's theme of people dying while doing something they believe in resonated strongly and, together with a popular music video, directed by John Lloyd Miller, gave Brooks his first push towards a broader audience. Brooks has claimed that out of all the songs he has recorded, "The Dance" is his favorite.[11]
His follow-up album, No Fences, was released in 1990 and spent 23 weeks as number-one on the Billboard country music chart.[20] The album also reached number 3 on the pop chart, and eventually became Brooks's highest-selling album, with domestic shipments of 17 million.[21] It contained what would become Brooks's signature song, the blue collaranthem "Friends in Low Places", as well as two other Brooks classics, the dramatic and controversial "The Thunder Rolls" and the philosophically ironic "Unanswered Prayers".
|"Friends in Low Places" (1990) MENU 0:00 A sample of Brooks's song, Friends in Low Places.
|Problems playing this file? See media help.
Each of these songs, as well as the affectionate "Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House", reached number-one on the country chart.[11][20]
While Brooks's musical style placed him squarely within the boundaries of country music, he was strongly influenced by the 1970s singer-songwriter movement, especially the works of James Taylor (whom he idolized and named his first child after) and Dan Fogelberg.[22][23] Similarly, Brooks was influenced by 1970s-era rock of Billy Joel, and Bruce Springsteen and the operatic rock of Queen with Freddie Mercury. In his highly successful live shows, Brooks used a wireless headset microphone to free himself to run about the stage, adding energy and arena rock theatrics to spice up the normally staid country music approach to concerts. The hard rock bandKISS was also one of his earliest grade school musical influences and his shows often reflected this. Brooks said that the style of his show was inspired mostly by Chris LeDoux.[24]
Brooks has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1990.[25][26]
1991–93: Ropin' the Wind and The Chase[edit]
Brooks's third album, Ropin' the Wind, released in September 1991, had advance orders of 4 million copies and entered the pop album charts at number-one, a first for a country act.[10] Ropin' the Wind's music was a melange of pop country and honky tonk; hits included Billy Joel's "Shameless", "What She's Doing Now", and "The River". All told, it became his second-best selling album after No Fences. The success of this album further propelled the sales of his first two albums, enabling Brooks to become the first country artist with three albums listed in the pop top 20 in one week.[27]
After spending time in Los Angeles during the 1992 riots, Brooks co-wrote the gospel-country-rock hybrid "We Shall Be Free" to express his desire for tolerance.[28] The song became the first single off his fourth album The Chase. It only reached number 12 on the country chart, his first song in three years to fail to make the top ten.[29][30] Nevertheless, the song often received standing ovations when performed in concert, went to number 22 in the Christian charts through a marketing deal with Rick Hendrix Company, and earned Brooks a 1993 GLAAD Media Award.[31][32] Following "We Shall Be Free", the next single released in would be "Somewhere Other Than the Night", which peaked at number 1 in late 1992, "Learning to Live Again", a number 2 hit in 1993. The final single off of The Chase would be 1993's "That Summer", which would go on to be the most successful single from the album, reaching number 1 in July 1993, it is also one of Brooks' most recognizable songs.
1993–94: In Pieces[edit]
In 1993, Garth Brooks, who had criticized music stores which sold used CDs since it led to a loss in royalty payments, persuaded Capitol Records not to ship his August 1993 album In Pieces to stores which engaged in this practice. This led to several anti-trust lawsuits against the record label and ended with Capitol shipping the CDs to the stores after all.[33]
Despite the delay in shipping the album to certain stores, In Pieces was another instant No. 1 success, selling a total of about 10 million copies worldwide. Some of his fans were upset, however, that the album was not released simultaneously around the world. In the United Kingdom, one of Brooks's most committed fan bases outside the United States, country music disc jockeys, such as Martin Campbell and John Wellington, noted that many fans were buying the album on import. This made it the first album to debut in the top 10 of the UK Country album charts before its official release date. Once officially released there, in 1994, the album reached the top spot on the UK Country chart -albeit a particularly niche chart where few sales are needed to make the top slots – and number two on the UK pop albums chart. That same year "The Red Strokes" became Brooks's first single to make the pop top 40 in the UK, reaching a high of No. 13; it was followed by "Standing Outside The Fire", which reached No. 23. Previous albums No Fences, Ropin' The Wind and The Chase also remained in the top 30 in the UK.
To support the album, Brooks embarked on a 1994 UK tour, selling out venues such as Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre and London's Wembley Arena. He opened the London radio station, Country 1035 and made a number of general television and radio appearances, where he was often mocked by the presenters. On ITV's regional news showLondon Tonight, Brooks was described as "a top-selling, rooting tooting, cotton picking, Country and Western star, yeeha!" The nationwide Big Breakfast show's presenters Chris Evans and Paula Yates, commented that "He's selling more records than anyone in the world, but none of us have ever heard of him." Yates then told Brooks that, "Country singers always seem to be weeping over the dead dog and things," and also remarked, "I thought you'd come in here and twiddle your pistol around and be impressed." Although Brooks remained polite, he did observe that Yates was obviously unfamiliar with modern country music. Scores of Brooks fans later wrote to complain about his treatment on the show. Sometime after this, Dwight Yoakam appeared on the same show and after Yates told him, "You seem different from other country singers we've had on the show," Yoakam replied, "What? All two of us?"
Despite the disdain of the British media, Brooks's overall popularity in the country was evident, with a top disc jockey, Nick Barraclough, referring to Brooks as Garth Vader (a play on Darth Vader) for his "invasion" of the charts and his success in the country genre. Unlike Alan Jackson, who refused to return to the UK after being treated in a similar manner by the press, Brooks returned in 1996 for more sold-out concerts, although this time his media appearances were mostly restricted to country radio and interviews with magazines.
Elsewhere in the world Brooks was also considered a star, and he enjoyed hit records and sell-out tours in regions including Brazil, throughout Europe, the Far East, New Zealand, and Australia.[34]
In 1994 Brooks paid homage to one of his musical influences when he appeared on the hard rock compilation Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved, a collection of Kiss cover songs by popular artists from all genres. As the only country performer to participate, some worried that Brooks would turn his cover of the song originally sung by drummer Peter Criss, "Hard Luck Woman", into a country song. Brooks instead insisted on remaining true to the song, and requested that the members of Kiss perform the music on the track, the only song on the album that the band musically contributed. The unlikely collaboration performed the song live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in promotion of Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved, and despite its hard-rock appeal, Brooks's version did appear on the country charts.
Pop crossover success[edit]
1995–1998: Success in the mid-to-late 1990s[edit]
In November 1995 Brooks released Fresh Horses, his first album of new material in two years; within six months of its release, it had sold over three million copies. Despite its promising start, Fresh Horses plateaued quickly, topping out at quadruple platinum.[35] The album's lead single, "She's Every Woman" peaked at number-one on the Billboard Country Chart, however its follow-up single, "The Fever" (a cover of an Aerosmith song ) only peaked at number 23, becoming Brooks's first released Country single to not chart on the Top 10. However, Brooks had three additional Top 10 hits from the album following the second single, including "The Beaches of Cheyenne", that also hit number-one.
In 1997, Brooks released his seventh studio album, Sevens. Originally, it was scheduled to be released in August 1997, when he would promote it with a concert in Central Park. Plans went awry when Capitol Records experienced a huge management shakeup, leaving many of his contacts at the label out in the cold.[35] The album was then released in November 1997, and debuted at number-one on both the Top Country Albums and Billboard 200 album charts in the United States, and later became his fourth album to reach a sales of 10 million copies. Its first single was also Brooks's first duet, "In Another's Eyes" with friend and popular country singer, Trisha Yearwood. The song peaked at number 2 on the Country Charts. The album spawned three additional Top 10 Country hits, including two number-one hits between 1997 and 1998, "Two Pina Coladas" and "To Make You Feel My Love", which also was a Top 10 hit on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and was released on the soundtrack to the movie Hope Floats.
1999: Chris Gaines[edit]Main article: Chris Gaines
In 1999 Brooks and his production company Red Strokes Entertainment, with Paramount Pictures, began to develop a movie in which Brooks would star. The Lamb was to have revolved around Chris Gaines, a fictional rock singer and his emotionally conflicted life as a musician in the public eye. To create buzz for the project, Brooks took on the identity of Gaines in the October 1999 album Garth Brooks in ... The Life of Chris Gaines, which was intended as a 'pre-soundtrack' to the film.[36] Brooks also subsequently appeared as Gaines in a television mockumentary for the VH1 series Behind the Music and as the musical guest on an episode of Saturday Night Live which he hosted as himself.
Brooks's endless promotion of the album and the film did not seem to stir much excitement and the failure of the Chris Gaines experiment became fairly evident mere weeks after the album was released. Although critics admired Brooks for taking a musical risk, the majority of the American public was either totally bewildered, or completely unreceptive to the idea of Garth Brooks as anything but a pop-country singer.[37] Many of his fans also felt that by supporting the Gaines project they would lose the real Garth Brooks.[38] Sales of the album were unspectacular and although it made it to number 2 on the pop album chart, expectations had been higher and retail stores began heavily discounting their oversupply.[39]Less than expected sales of the album (more than two million) and no further developments in the production of the film as a result brought the project to an indefinite hiatus in February 2001 and Gaines quickly faded into obscurity.[40]
Despite the less than spectacular response to the Chris Gaines project, Brooks gained his first – and only – US Top 40 pop single in "Lost in You", the first single from the album.
2000–2004: Official retirement[edit]
As his career flourished, Brooks seemed frustrated by the conflicts between career and family. He talked of retiring from performing in 1992[29] and 1995, but each time returned to touring. In 1999 Brooks appeared on The Nashville Network's Crook & Chase program and again mentioned retirement.[41]
On October 26, 2000, Brooks officially announced his retirement from recording and performing.[42] Later that evening, Capitol Records saluted his achievement of selling 100 million albums in the US with a lavish party at Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center.[43]
Brooks's final album, Scarecrow, was released on November 13, 2001. The album did not match the sales levels of Brooks's heyday, but still sold comfortably well, reaching number-one on both the pop and country charts. Although he staged a few performances for promotional purposes, Brooks stated that he would be retired from recording and performing at least until his youngest daughter, Allie, turned 18. Despite ceasing to record new material between 2002 and (most of) 2005, Brooks continued to chart with previously recorded material, including a top 30 placing for "Why Ain't I Running" in 2003.
In 2005, Brooks insisted that he was not touring and did not plan to record any new studio material until at least 2015. However, in August 2005 it was announced that Brooks had signed a deal with Wal-Mart, leasing them the rights to his back catalog following his split with Capitol.[44][45] Three months later, Brooks and Wal-Mart issued The Limited Series, a six-CD box set containing past material and a Lost Sessions disc with eleven previously unissued recordings. This set marked the first time in history that a musician had signed an exclusive music distribution deal with a single retailer.[44] The set sold more than 500,000 physical copies on its issue date, proving that Brooks still had a large fan base. By the first week in December 2005, it had sold over 1 million physical copies.[6]
Brooks took a brief break from retirement early in 2005 to perform for several charity causes. With Yearwood, he sang Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Who'll Stop the Rain" on theShelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast nationwide telethon for Hurricane Katrina relief.[46] He also released a new single, "Good Ride Cowboy", as a tribute to his late friend, rodeo star and country singer, Chris LeDoux.[7]
In early 2006 Wal-Mart issued The Lost Sessions as a single CD apart from the boxed set, with extra tracks including a top 25 duet with Yearwood, "Love Will Always Win".[47] The couple were later nominated for a "Best Country Collaboration With Vocals" Grammy Award for the song.
On August 18, 2007, Brooks announced plans for a new boxed set called The Ultimate Hits. The new set features two discs containing 30 hits, three new songs, and a DVD featuring music videos for each of these songs. The album's first single, "More Than a Memory", was released to radio on August 27, 2007.[48] "More Than a Memory" debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, becoming the highest-debuting single in the chart's history. The previous record had been set only one week earlier, whenKenny Chesney's "Don't Blink" debuted at number 16.[49]
In November 2007, Brooks performed nine sold-out shows in Kansas City at the Sprint Center, which had opened a month prior. Originally scheduled to be only one show, the performance expanded to nine due to incredibly high demand, with all nine shows (equaling about 140,000 tickets) selling out in under two hours.[50] The shows took place from November 5 to November 12, with the final show on November 14 – the final show was simulcast to more than 300 movie theaters across the U.S.[51]Brooks at the We Are One concert in 2009
Brooks performed five sold out concerts over two days at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California on January 25 and 26, 2008 (setting numerous records at the high profile venue in the process). These concerts were staged to raise money for firefighting efforts in California which had recently been ravaged by several wildfires. Tickets were priced at $40 each and all five shows (totaling more than 85,000 tickets) sold out in 58 minutes. CBS Television broadcast the first concert live as a telethon for additional fundraising.[52]
2009–present: return to performing[edit]
On October 15, 2009, Brooks announced that he was coming out of retirement to do weekend performances at Encore Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip. This arrangement continued into late 2012. This schedule allowed Brooks both to have the family life for which he had retired during the week and to continue to perform on the weekend. On October 28, 2010, Garth announced he would do his first "arena" concert in Nashville since 1998. All proceeds benefits the Community Foundation in Middle Tennessee in support of all those Tennessee residents affected by the disastrous flooding that occurred the weekend of May 2, 2010.
The financial terms of the agreement have not been announced, but Wynn did disclose that he gave Brooks access to a private jet to quickly transport him between Las Vegas and his home in Oklahoma.
Brooks's first weekend on shows in Vegas received positive reviews and was called the "antithesis of Vegas glitz and of the country singer's arena and stadium extravaganzas" by USA Today. The shows feature Brooks performing solo with his own guitar accompaniment, and include his own hits as well as songs that have influenced him. Artists covered in the show include Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Seger, Billy Joel, and Don McLean. His first performances at Encore Las Vegas coincided with his wedding anniversary, and his wife Trisha Yearwood joined him for two songs.
During a performance on August 19, 2011, Brooks told his audience that once his youngest daughter is in college he will be "firing the tour back up."
On July 12, 2012, for one night only, Brooks performed in front of a sold out audience at Scotiabank Saddledome to help the Calgary Stampede celebrate its centennial anniversary.[53]
In October 2012, it was noted that Brooks was nearing the end of his residency at the Wynn in Las Vegas. During an interview, he mentioned that he would still do 'one-offs' and would like to record the show for possible DVD release. When asked about a comeback in 2014, he said, "We'll see..you know what's in my heart and what I wanna do, but we just can't say anything."[54]
In April 2013, Brooks and George Strait performed together at the 48th annual ACMAs in a tribute to former ACMA producer Dick Clark, in the first such performance by two ACMA Artists of the Decade.[55]
On July 6, 2013, Garth Brooks joined with Toby Keith to put on a benefit concert for victims of the 2013 Oklahoma tornadoes. The sold out concert featured artists Mel Tillis, John Anderson, Willie Nelson, Trisha Yearwood, Sammy Hagar, Kellie Coffey, Ronnie Dunn, Carrie Underwood and Krystal Keith. It was held at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and all tickets were only $25. Brooks told Tulsa World, "Once we got the news that the tornado had hit Toby's hometown, Miss Yearwood and I told Toby we were at his service for whatever he chose to do… I am amazed at the human spirit the tornado victims have shown. I am humbled by the giving of the volunteers. It is an honor to get to be a part of this healing process." This was the first time Brooks performed in his home state of Oklahoma since his tour in 1997.[56]
On October 18, 2013, Garth seemingly announced via email that he was returning to music full time. The message read, " The sevens have aligned. It has begun... Thank you for believing...love, g" [57]
Personal life[edit]
Brooks graduated from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, where he starred on the track team. He later completed his MBA from Oklahoma State and participated in the commencement ceremony on May 6, 2011.[58]Brooks' Second Wife Trisha Yearwood
Brooks married his college sweetheart, songwriter Sandy Mahl, on May 24, 1986. They met when Garth was a bouncer at a bar. Brooks and Mahl separated in March 1999, announcing their plans to divorce on October 9, 2000, and filing for divorce on November 6, 2000.[43][59] The divorce became final on December 17, 2001.[59][60] Brooks and singer Trisha Yearwood began dating after Brooks's divorce, and married on December 10, 2005, at their home in Oklahoma, marking the second marriage for Brooks and the third for Yearwood. They own homes in Goodlettsville, Tennessee; Malibu, California; and Port St. Lucie, Florida, but primarily live on their ranch in Owasso, Oklahoma, a suburb of Tulsa.[61]
In 2000, Brooks attempted to donate part of his liver to country music contemporary, and close friend, Chris LeDoux; however, it was found to be incompatible. LeDoux received another donated liver, but died in March 2005 due to complications from liver cancer.[62]
Setting records[edit]
The Recording Industry Association of America announced that Garth Brooks was the best-selling solo artist of the 20th century in America.[63] This conclusion drew criticism from the press and many music fans who were convinced that Elvis Presley had sold more records, but had been short-changed in the rankings due to faulty RIAA certification methods during his lifetime.[64][65] Brooks, while proud of his sales accomplishments, stated that he too believed that Presley must have sold more.[64]
The RIAA has since reexamined their methods for counting certifications. Under their revised methods, Presley became the best-selling solo artist in U.S. history, making Brooks the number two solo artist, ranking third overall, as The Beatles have sold more albums than either he or Presley.[66] The revision brought more criticism of the accuracy of the RIAA's figures, this time from Brooks's followers.
On November 5, 2007, Brooks was again named the best selling solo artist in US history, surpassing Presley after audited sales of 123 million were announced.[67]
In December 2010, several more of Presley's albums received certifications from the RIAA. As a result, Elvis again surpassed Brooks.[68] As of June 2012, the RIAA lists Presley's total sales at 134.5 million and Brooks's at 128 million.[69]
As of January 2012, Brooks officially passed the Beatles as the top-selling act of the past 20 years, moving 68.5 million units worldwide, almost 5 million more than the Beatles.[70]
Charitable activities[edit]
In 1999, Garth Brooks began the Teammates for Kids Foundation[71] which provides financial aid to charities for children. The organization breaks down into three categories spanning three different sports:
- Touch 'Em All Foundation – Baseball Division
- Top Shelf – Hockey Division
- Touchdown – Football Division
The foundation enlists players to donate a predetermined sum of money depending on their game performance. Brooks has participated in spring training for the San Diego Padresin 1998 and 1999, the New York Mets in 2000 and, most recently, with the Kansas City Royals in 2004 to promote his foundation. Starting during the 2008 season, fans at Royals games in Kauffman Stadium now sing along to "Friends in Low Places".
Brooks is also a fundraiser for various other charities, including a number of children's charities and famine relief. He has also donated at least $1 million to wildlife causes. It was announced that Garth would perform a charity concert on January 25 and 26, 2008, at the Staples Center for the victims of the recent California Wildfires. On December 1, tickets went on sale and sold out within minutes, prompting them to announce 3 more shows. All 5 L.A. shows sold out in less than 59 minutes. CBS aired the first of these concerts (January 25 at 9 pm) live, giving viewers a chance to donate to the Firefighters Relief efforts.[72]
In December 2010, Garth played 9 shows in less than a week in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena to benefit victims from the May 2010 Nashville flood. Over 140,000 tickets were sold and $5 million raised.
A $500,000 donation Brooks made to Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital in Yukon, Oklahoma, in 2005, led to a widely-publicized lawsuit. According to Brooks, the hospital promised to name a new women's health center after his mother, Colleen Brooks, who died of cancer in 1999; the hospital later decided not to build the new facility, took the position that its naming commitment was non-binding, and refused to return the donation. On January 24, 2012, an Oklahoma state court jury in Claremore found in favor of Brooks, ordering the hospital to pay $500,000 for the original donation and an additional $500,000 in punitive damages.[73]
Brooks, along with Trisha Yearwood, has supported Habitat for Humanity's work over the years, including the annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project.[74] They have worked alongside the Carters in the United States and in Haiti, lending their time and voices to help build safe, decent and affordable homes. Brooks' Teammates for Kids Foundation provided more than $1 million in funding to Habitat to help build homes in Thailand following the Asian tsunami.[75]

subset: commoncrawl


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A memorial visitation will be held for Hidenori Iijima, 70, of Palatine, on Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. at the Ahlgrim Family Funeral Home, 201 N. Northwest Highway, Palatine, IL 60067. A Buddhist priest will be conducting the memorial service at 7 p.m. following the visitation.
Hidenori, was born in Tokyo on Oct. 12, 1941, and passed away on Oct. 02, 2012. Mr. Iijima's work experience included more than 20 years as Chief Engineer for a local printing press manufacturer. His talents are appreciated for furthering many designs and improvements in that industry. He will be sorrily missed by his many friends and associates.
He was the beloved husband of Marie Denise Cormier; loving father of Samuel Yoshinori Cormier-Iijima; dear brother of Kazuyoshi Iijima and Mieko Matsushita; and adored uncle of Rieko, Fumi, Yukari, and Yuka.
In Lieu of flowers memorials are appreciated to the American Cancer Society, 1114 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60004.ñ


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Dates to keep in mind if you want your packages to arrive by Dec. 25. Deadlines for International packages including military are at the bottom:
United Parcel Service United Parcel Service (UPS) says December 11 is the last delivery day for guaranteed UPS Ground Shipments going anywhere in the United States.
The following days are deadlines for shipping to the following areas that UPS says should make it to their destination via ground by Dec. 25, but not guaranteed.
December 13 - West Coast
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Italian job theme to school prom (From Daily Echo)
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Italian job theme to Winchester school prom
10:42am Monday 30th June 2014 in News
BEN Read and his friends had a plan for their school prom.
They decided to re-create the iconic 1969 film The Italian Job by arriving in a fleet of Minis.
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by Gean Morenu
throngs of art school postgraduates, freshly versed in French
postmodern theory, may gripe fashionably for a couple of years
about the nepotism of gallerists, critics and the system of
cultural commerce; but very few do anything other than pander to
it when the student loans kick in. Real insolence is rarely
profitable or marketable, and no one likes a tenure track party
pooper. Notwithstanding the occasional nomad with a trust fund,
and aesthetes are professionals. Or, at least, that is how such
a defense might rest.
Needless to say, such
simplistic binaries always miss something. But given that much
critical and historical discussion in the arts similarly pits
ãoutsiderä against ãinsider,ä one might suspect that a
complexity is being ignored these days, largely at the expense
of recognizing real innovation. In most parts of academia, as a
dialogue narrows in scope, donât the questions involved tend to
beg or contain answers that their language anticipates? Do
magazines like this one effectively assist a larger network÷of
galleries, exhibition spaces and graduate schools÷in setting the
stage for a type of sanctioned anarchy, where various unspoken
semantic and contextual strictures temper the artistâs free
will? Rhetoric can often place conditions on freedom in any
arena, but in the sphere of Art, where autonomy and choice are
sacrosanct, the concerns are especially acute. At what point,
exactly, do we begin to experience such limits as an audience,
or feel the consequence of them as makers? And, most
importantly, where or to whom should we turn for hopes of
Kendell Geers is one obvious
choice. For more than a decade, his interventions have criss-crossed
the globe, ãscratching,ä as the artist has often said, ãwhere it
does not itch.ä2 A self-described insiderâs outsider, his varied
oeuvre÷of conceptual gestures, accompanying documentation,
objects, photographs, installations, video projections, texts,
wall drawings and sound work÷specializes in inverting power
relations, most often through the performative, where private
and public mirror one another. Norms, such as the sanctity of
the exhibition space, are suspect. The viewer is regularly
implicated in some way, and the intrusion of a tense collective
reality mocks the passive expectations of an audience hoping to
glimpse slivers of the artistâs ãprivate world.ä The spirits of
the trickster, the activist and the art historian find a
fearless synergy in Geers, and his strategies engage where
others might lapse and merely sermonize. Giving ãexpression to
that point where emotion strips language of all its power to
control usä remains his dream and task.3 No apologies. No
Geers has been identified as
one of the most suspect people on the planet÷an apartheid-era
white South African male÷since his birth in May 1968, a date
that he changed in 1993 to coincide with the 1968 student
rebellion in Paris and the utopian activities of the
Situationist International founded by Guy Debord. At 15, he
became a runaway÷abandoning his father, an abusive alcoholic
mechanic, and several unabashedly bigoted extended family
members who worked as police officers. His mother fled when
Geers was a boy for similar reasons. Upon leaving, he changed
his given name of Jacobus Hermanus Pieter Geers to the less
provincial Kendell and vowed to avoid speaking Afrikaans. He
also swore to wear black as often as he could to express of his
newfound identity as ãa quintessential African,ä someone black
on the inside regardless of heritage.4 He managed to attend
university and discovered fine art by chance, while sitting in
on a particularly engrossing class devoted to the history and
practice of Dada. After publicly refusing to serve in the South
African Defense Force during apartheid, he was forced into exile
to escape a six-year prison sentence on the heels of his
graduation. He lived in New York City for a year, worked as a
studio assistant to artist Richard Prince, among others, and
returned to South Africa after the release of Nelson Mandela
precipitated his formal pardon.
Then 22, Geers began taking
photographs of himself in private÷frontal head shots, snapped
minutes after pouring pints of blood over his freshly shaven,
dramatically darkened and encrusted head. The blood was his own,
gradually extracted from his arm just prior to the grisly
baptism. These stark self-portraits, oddly punctuated by the
artistâs piercing blue eyes staring forward, are enduring
archetypes of the time and place in which they were made. The
spring of 1990 was an arguably heady period that seems almost
foreign now, given the uber-cynical aftermath of our post 9/11
world÷lest we forget that the fall of the Berlin Wall and the
Tiananmen Square uprising preceded Mandelaâs freedom by mere
months. On one level, the image of Geers still seems to embody
the brief political exhilaration of that season almost
wistfully÷affirming South Africaâs (and the worldâs) shared ties
of blood, the need for autonomy and the sense of individual
impermanence÷the ãwe all die, we all bleed, unite all creedsä
mantra given a full didactic treatment. However, as effectively
as it pleaded for an end to suffering, it also hummed with a
sinister and prophetic aura÷one that any look at the current
international news will emphasize. In the years that followed,
and even now, South Africa has been bathed in blood. The social
destruction and educational neglect caused by apartheidâs
divisions mean South Africa leads the world in violence, murder
and rape. Geersâs deadpan visage continues to stare at his home
from a seemingly distant past, embodying the hopes and
contrition of an entire nation implicated in its own undoing÷a
mirror held up to, and a warning for, the world.
I have tried to critically
use the tactics and strategies that I learned in the fight
against apartheid as strategies for creating art. I am not
interested in illustrating themes of apartheid as much as trying
to translate the resistance to one power structure as a method
to resist another power structure. Both apartheid and the art
system are built on a consumer capitalist culture and both rely
on the complacency of the bourgeoisie. So why not use the same
strategies? I think that as time has gone by, my method has been
greatly misunderstood, for the violence seems to be the only
thing that people focus on and reject. On the other hand, I come
from the most violent city in the world, so why is it that I
should not use that space and resist the cool temptation of
translating everything into some kind of designer dissent? There
is no anarchy of the mind in the art system I know÷just loads of
safe cathartic rituals.5
Throughout the nineties, Geersâs career ascent appeared to be
much like a tightrope walk without a net; and along with his
reputation as enfant terrible came more than a few
enemies. Installing a six thousand volt electric fence in
several international group shows and turning it on with only
one deterrent÷a small metal warning sign÷may have imposed some
curatorial distance, even if Geers conceived the work,
respectfully enough, as a reference to Sol Lewittâs thin pencil
line drawings ãwith 6000 volts running through each line.ä6 Acts
such as throwing a brick through a gallery window and displaying
the detritus as an installation, or placing texts that were
effectively personal bomb threats against the art establishment
in museums, also did much to ensure some backbiting. The number
of feminist diatribes written in response to the artistâs
presentation of a leg-splayed (notably Caucasian) Hustler
centerfold÷complete with the ornamental topping of his own
semen÷in a display case could provide enough raw material to
stuff an effigy. But it was his one-time voluntary conscription
to every existing political party in South Africa, and the
eventual display of the nine ID cards that were issued to him,
that elicited his first death threats. He began the project just
hours after hearing of the massacre of seven Zulu taxi
passengers in Johannesburg at the hands of gunmen demanding to
know each passengerâs political preference. ãOnly one man
survived,ä Geers reported at the time. ãHe lied about his
political allegiances. That got me thinking.ä7
When Nelson Mandela opened an
exhibition in Berlinâs Haus der Kulturen der Welt in 1995, Geers
arrived to greet him, at the end of a long line of artists and
handshakers, wearing head-to-toe camouflage and a latex mask
caricaturing Mandelaâs own face. A surprisingly good-natured
exchange followed, with Mandela laughing and complimenting the
artist on his idea. ãI did not know how to greet a god,ä Geers
conceded, ãso I thought about the African tradition of masks in
which the wearer showed their highest respect for a god by
wearing a mask of the god. I also wore camouflage÷the modern
African Îfabric and maskâ.ä8 A mob of angry German onlookers saw
no humor or meaning in it, however; and as Mandela left the
reception, Geers was attacked and a loud debate ensued among
everyone involved.
Granted, listing such acts and
responses in a reductive way, without the benefit of each oneâs
complete context and two steps removed from a real experience,
is unfair. Yet doing so sheds a lot of light on how many
misconceptions of the artistâs work have grown and reinforced
themselves in some parts of the art world. Geers is not
interested in illustrating shock tactics, nor does his work
easily lend itself to summary. He creates deceptively simple
situations: simultaneously embodying a thought and the end
product of a process, his work often functions more like the
scene of a crime, where visitors try to reconstruct what has
transpired and then try to find their own relationship to that
understanding. Inside such a process, the viewer can clearly see
the self and how the self is constructed inside language, and
inside what some might call morality. In a strict sense, a
covert politics operates here as well, due to the commitment
demanded of the viewer when he or she assigns or, rather,
decides meaning. The fact that Geers never makes his position
clear in relation to the object, image or situation is perhaps
the greatest source of frustration for some of his most vocal
critics. But, without this ambiguity of stance, the artistâs
strategies would quickly become pedantic, moralizing and, worst
of all, predictable.
When surprise is so important,
it usually follows that anything goes, often with or without the
consent of an audience. This year, Galleria Continua hosted
Geersâs latest solo exhibition, ãMondo Kane,ä in San Gimignano,
Italy. At the request of the artist, staff members were
instructed beforehand to inconspicuously collect used or empty
wineglasses and cocktail tumblers from all of the attending arts
patrons during the opening reception. Each glass was taken
without the knowledge or permission of the user, and later
carefully dusted for fingerprints by a police officer called in
for the occasion. The next day, the glasses were labeled and
displayed on eight virgin glass shelves as a project entitled
Fingered (2002).
Fingered makes
everyone÷from the tipsy international curator to the baker in
the gallery kitchen÷one and the same, and cites all involved
equivalently. The piece registers much like a line-up of
suspects of the kind that police show crime victims during a
manhunt, except that here the victims are on both sides of the
one-way mirror looking down at themselves, while the real
instigator, Geers, remains at large and invisible. Viewer and
art system are implicated in the creation of the meaning and
value of the piece, and perhaps broadly by extension, of
everything the artist has ãtouchedä in the name of art. Fingered
parodies the idea of originality by using the fingerprint÷the
thing most commonly held up as most unique to each of us÷to
represent something that is at once a universal hallmark of
guilt and a constantly discarded self-portrait. When viewed as a
whole, the dusty blackened prints read as a sea of casual
features÷each expressing the same thing, each pointing back
unexpectedly to the culpability of
the audience.
Masked Ball (2002), on
the other hand, not only requires viewer consent to function,
but also participation. Masked Ball is exactly that÷a
latex mask of Italian president Silvio Berlusconi (caricatured
in the same manner as Geersâs Mandela mask) with a soccer ball
placed snugly inside. The artist refers to it as a ãnomadic
sculpture,ä due to its constant displacement by occasional
uninstructed nudges and kicks from visitors.9 Berlusconi, in
addition to being Italyâs president, also exercises a
controlling monopoly over all major Italian television channels.
Masked Ball touches on a nationâs mania by referencing
its passion for sport, and then challenging that energyâs
direction by encasing it within the grinning face of control. It
is both a comic invitation to play and a situation to elicit
childish opposition. Word has it that the artist has plans to
create a similarly masked football ãteamä composed of all of the
worldâs major political faces (Bush, Blair, Castro and so on),
no doubt with the intention of enticing future roomfuls of art
lovers to really kick around the powers that be.10
In Truth Or Dare (Jan Hoet)
(2001), a roomful of bugle megaphones, huddled together amid a
tangled mass of connecting cables, softly broadcast several
audio loops÷each documenting erratic cries of pain from
international curator Jan Hoet. Hoet had agreed beforehand, at
the behest of Geers, to submit himself to the talents and
expertise of a Dutch dominatrix for the sake of the recording.
But, judging from his wailing, the curator got much more than
the simple art prank that he clearly expected. Geers indulges
his sado-masochistic urge toward authority in a much more real,
but no less amusing, way here÷successfully reversing an
established control hierarchy, while slapping a psychic
high-five with rejected artists everywhere.
Humour, black and all, is
just about the most important uniting element in all my works. I
am very influenced by the concept of Andre Bretonâs Anthology Of
Black Humour and have always wanted to update it. There is a
perversity in the everyday that I think of as humourous and it
is that perversity that I try to weave into my work. When I use
humour, itâs usually a way to make the viewer self-conscious, so
that their response reveals something of themselves...I am also
very taken with the concept of the medieval court jester÷the
single and only citizen who can make fun of the king, make jokes
of everybody around them, and still get away with it. He is the
only person who can honestly and publicly say what others dream.
This is something more than a freedom.11
The notion that our personal limits and tolerances can protect
and betray us in the face of intensity characterizes the
masochist. Pleasures, such as laughter and orgasm, can become
painful if overly sustained; and in turn, pain or any other
prolonged, deliberate and sharply focused sensual experience can
become trance-like and meditative. In Deep Throat (2002),
Geers attempts a spatial hypnosis of a similarly masochistic
nature that brings to mind the dream machine experiments of
Brion Gysin during the early 1960s.
Using video, Deep Throat
projects a film loop of a scene from the 1970s porno of the same
name against a rotating mirror ball from close range. In a
darkened room, hundreds of silent, strobing, fragmented images
spin slowly across the walls, surrounding the viewer. Discerning
the content of each image by following it around the room is a
difficult and nauseous experience, made daftly ironic by the
fact that the loop shows a woman reaching sexual climax. Like a
muted version of the fabled Studio 54 drug haze, Deep Throat
marries dizzy vertigo and eroticism in a flickering disco dream.
Nearly all of Geersâs recent
forays into video have explored the dichotomy between the brutal
and the meditative, with Deep Throat likely ranking as
his most sardonic effort to date. However, the artist often
buries his wit so deeply that the experience feels almost a
priori÷with repetition invoking a simple mantra, transforming
content (no matter how disturbing) into something almost like a
force of nature, outside the bounds of language. T.W.
(Scream) (1999) and My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts
(2000) distill cinematic action into one potent moment÷the
former projecting a tightly cropped womanâs face repeatedly
screaming in terror onto a double-sided screen, and the latter
airing two disjointed scenes from Coppolaâs The Godfather
in which a cigar-smoking fat man laughs knowingly in his easy
chair. After the obvious pop culture references fade, the
repetition of the edit effectively erases narrative in both
instances, leaving the viewer with a painfully intimate
overstatement of reality. What once seemed a distant fiction
suddenly reads as real and claustrophobic. The artistâs decision
to leave the connecting cables of each work strewn across the
footpaths of the viewer also underlines his intention of
heightening a tangible risk alongside the palpable air of danger
that has become his trademark.
Geers lifts practically all of
his source material from the public domain÷sampling and
recycling bits and pieces from high literature, bathroom humor,
colloquial expressions, cult cinema and the bylines of art
history÷with the encyclopedic ease of a DJ. Nothing is out of
bounds. Mondo Kane (2002), in addition to being the title
of his latest exhibition, is also the name of an oddly
self-referential work made of concrete and glass. Its title
references two films. One is the 1962 Italian shockumentary
Mondo Cane, which stunned the world when it was first
released as it traveled back and forth from the ãcivilizedä
world to the ãprimitiveä world, depicting bizarre religious
rituals, sautéed insect entrees, and the human being lost and at
natureâs mercy. The other allusion is to Orson Wellesâs
Citizen Kane, which opens with a tarnished sign on a
forbidding black wire fence that appears eerily similar to
Geersâs electrified version. ãMondo Kaneä could also be
mistranslated as ãMondo Ken,ä or ãKendellâs world.ä The piece
looks like a chest-high version of the classic Modernist cube,
sacrilegiously cast in concrete and violated by hundreds of
broken bottles jutting out from all sides. Several years ago,
Geers displayed a similarly broken Heineken bottle÷with its
ãimported from Holland, original qualityä label still affixed
and intact÷as a self-portrait. In Mondo Kane, he expands
that choice to represent an irreverent and almost virus-like
domination of the flimsy sanctities and certainties of art
history. In piercing Modernismâs infamous ãfinal objectä with
green glass shards, Geers recalls his previous readymade and
clones it into a conquering army. The Modernist cube exists no
longer as a gravestone, but as a carcass being actively fed
upon. Like everything else in Geersâs universe, it is potential
prey÷a metaphor of the eternal triumph and revisionism of
NOTES 1. Text reprinted courtesy of the artist and Stephen
Friedman Gallery, London. 2. Interview with the artist by the
author, July 2002.
3. Christine Macel, ãThe Art of the Phoenixä, ArtPress 257
(2000), 28÷33. 4. Interview with the artist by Peta Krost,
Saturday Star, January 24, 1998. 5. Interview with the artist by
the author, July 2002. 6. Ibid.
7. Stephen Laufer, The Weekly Mail and Guardian, February
25÷March 3, 1994. 8. Interview with the artist by the author,
April 2002. 9. Ibid.
10. Interview with Silvia Pichini (Assistant Director, Galleria
Continua, San Gimignano, Italy) by the author, July 2002. 11.
Interview with the artist by the author, July 2002.
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Resie, Hampton, Campbell and Ryan Gerken attend the Maryville Orthopaedic Clinic reception that not only welcomed their new physician but also celebrated the practice's facility expansion and new services. For more information about MOC, call 865-984-0900.
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Solar panel prices continue their decline
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- Staff Portland Business Journal
Solar prices are still falling, and while it's not the off-the-cliff variety of 2011, the price declines continue to complicate the industry as a whole.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory released a study this week that shows prices have fallen between 11 and 14 percent for large and small systems in 2011.
So far this year, prices are down between 3 and 7 percent, according to the report, which looked at the cost of more than 150,000 solar systems in the U.S. installed between 1998 and 2011.
To put that drop in perspective, prices typically decline 5 to 7 percent per year and have do so since 1998.
"This report shows just how far solar power has come in the U.S., and how much more we can do. Faced with a recession economy, messy election politics and an entrenched electricity marketplace, solar is quietly defying the odds and reinventing our national energy landscape. It's really remarkable," said Adam Browning, executive director of the Vote Solar Initiative.
Those costs not only include the panels, but what is known as the "balance of system," which is everything else from brackets to labor to get the system on a roof.
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This Web site is intended for use by US residents only. See International Sites. See our delivery policy for full details. Copyright 1998-2014, Staples, Inc., All Rights Reserved.


text:
FILA re-established its presence within the sneaker community with the release of various retros over the last couple of years. FILA is set to release the RED Pack collection that will be headlined by the Stack 2— the second FILA signature shoe for NBA great Jerry Stackhouse.
The Stack 2 stays true to its 1997 form and features a predominantly white upper that is complemented with a red and blue strip that runs throughout the side panel. An icy sole is reintroduced to give it that old school feel.
Alongside the Stack 2, the Red Pack will debut new colorways for the FILA 95, FILA 96, KJ7, and the Overpass Runner. Look for the pack to drop on March 6, so start STACKING that money now.


text:
Hey Eagle Eyes. Did you notice Knoxville native and Broadway legend John Cullum playing the part of "Leap Day William" on "30 Rock" a week ago? He wasn't easy to pick out.
He was wearing a bald cap, a white mustache and a flat hat. But his deep voice is unmistakable.
The episode was another gem from the comedy: a spoof of holiday specials, this one being for Leap Day. Too bad Leap Day William is only seen once every four years.
Oh, well. Cullum is worth the wait.


text:
Less than an hour after Diego Sanchez pulled out of his scheduled co-main event at UFC 135 against Matt Hughes (45-8), the UFC may have already found a replacement. Former welterweight contender Josh Koscheck (15-5) sent out this pair of tweets late Monday afternoon.
:) got a fight in 21 days b*tches........
Oh ya 19 days then or something like that!!!! Either way it looks like I am in to fight matt Hugh if he takes it????
Koscheck was priming for a move to middleweight on the main card of UFC 139, however those plans may have been put on hold with Monday's announcement. MMA Nation will continue to update you on the situation as it develops.


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Looking for used construction equipment or used lawn equipment? You have come to the right place!
Aztec Rental's pre-owned equipment inventory consists of a wide range of used equipment, from used lawn mowers and used trailers to construction equipment like generators, compactors, and power tools - for sale online and at our locations in Sugar Land and Houston, Texas.
Our used equipment inventory is constantly changing with sales, trade-ins, and rental equipment conversions, so check back often or give us a call if you don't see what you are looking for. If you want updates on inventory additions and get first looks/chances on used equipment join Aztec Rental on Twitter or Facebook.
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WAUSAU (WKOW) -- A Wausau woman who disappeared in 2004 at the age of 16 has been found living outside the United States.
Connie McCallister is now 26. The Daily Herald reports she was an honor roll student at Athens High School when she disappeared with her then 22-year-old boyfriend on Aug. 15, 2004.
Judy Weise works at Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens and is spearheading fundraising efforts to bring McAllister home. She said Wednesday the family is reluctant to divulge certain details, including where McAllister is now. But Weise said McCallister told family she was drugged and taken to a foreign country against her will in 2004. At one point, she was badly beaten and treated at a hospital, where someone helped her get a new identity. Afterward, it was difficult for her to get word to family.
The Herald reports a church missionary later met McCallister, learned of her situation and about three months ago contacted the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
"We have confirmed, through conversations on Skype, that this is really Connie, and she did ask for help in getting home," said Wausau Police Captain Greg Hagenbucher. "But she won't come back without her children."
Weise says McAllister has three children.
Capt. Hagenbuchar did not immediately return a call Wednesday from The Associated Press seeking an update on the then-boyfriend, who is also wanted on charges of first-degree sexual assault involving an unrelated victim.
Wausau police say officials with the U.S. Consulate are working with McCallister to gather the required documents and identification records necessary for her to return home.
McCallister's mother, Cindy McCallister, now lives in Florida, but Weise says several family members remain in the Wausau area.


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Click the button below to add the Dia Compe B730NR Sidepull Caliper Brake Rear Silver to your wish list.
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Kayland Apex Trek
4-star: 0
3-star: 0
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1-star: 0
Excellent support; very, very breathable, but waterproof;…
Price Paid: $275
Excellent support; very, very breathable, but waterproof; light weight; sturdy. The Trek is a mountaineering boot, but my pair is so lightweight and comfortable that I have chosen to wear them for backpacking and even a day hike.
I've worn my pair for two years in the mountains around Bozeman, MT, and on Mt. Adams in Washington.
Retailers' Descriptions
Here's what other sites are saying:
Lace up the Kayland Men's Apex Trek Mountaineering Boot for demanding Himalayan treks or your next trip to the Cascades. Thanks to its rigid platform and eVent waterproof breathable membrane, this boot tackles everything from rugged trails to summer glacier crossings. The Vibram Tsavo sole provides traction on slick terrain, and Kayland's Ankle Lock System adds support.
- Backcountry Outlet
The light but hard-wearing Kayland Apex Trek Boots are ideal for demanding trekking and mountaineering at moderate altitudes. The new Ankle Lock System together with the new lace lock system protect the ankle and ensure it is well-supported throughout its range of movement. Upper made of breathable, abrasion-resistant fabric with microfiber and A.L.S. Shock absorber microporous midsole + premium molded heel counter for lightweight support, control, and comfort. Vibram Tsavo rubber insoles provide superior grip, edging, braking. Engineered Composite Insoles deliver ergonomically-appropriate flex and stability with better push-off, improved support, and torsional stability. Asymmetric lacing allows upper to conform more precisely to each individual's foot. Event lining optimizes the balance between waterproofness and breathability. All-conditions; Semi-automatic crampons.
Kayland Men's Apex Trek
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The Kayland Men's Apex Trek is not available from the stores we monitor. It was last seen May 16, 2010 at Backcountry Outlet.
If you're looking for a new mountaineering boot, check out the best reviewed current models.


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« Video: Rick Ross f/ Stalley – 'Ten Jesus Pieces'
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Tracklisting: A$AP Rocky – 'Long.Live.A$AP'
Just days after unveiling the release date and cover art, A$AP Rocky has tweeted the tracklisting for his long-awaited debut Long.Live.A$AP.
The 16 tracks from the Harlem rapper feature an eclectic mix of collaborators including Florence + the Machine's Florence Welch, Santigold, Pharrell, ScHoolboy Q, Big K.R.I.T., Skrillex, Yelawolf, Gucci Mane, and more, plus the first single "F**kin' Problems" with Drake, 2 Chainz, and Kendrick Lamar.
Long.Live.A$AP drops January 15. See who made the lineup.
Long.Live.A$AP Tracklisting
1. "Long Live A$AP"
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Apr 6
Thanks to all of our wonderful supporters, the kids at Jessie's Place, our shelter for women and children, were able to have a very happy Easter.
The festivities began early in the week as volunteers and staff helped the kids with several Easter-themed art projects. The children also got to take part in an Easter egg hunt and several groups of volunteers were kind enough to donate Easter baskets for the kids. Every child at Jessie's Place got a basket filled with candy and toys and everyone got to enjoy a new video, "Tale of 3 Trees." Thank you to everyone who helped make this a special Easter for our homeless kids!
One of our Jessie's Place kids, Alex,
hunts for his Easter eggs!by Bonnie Hendrix
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Illinois State Police report the arrest of a Roodhouse, Illinois truck driver who has been arrested and charged with multiple drunk driving charges after a traffic accident Monday night.
Gary Lemons was driving west on I-72 in Pike County, Illinois, when just before 11 PM, he drove his semi-trailer into a wooded area. He stated he fell asleep while driving.
He was arrested for DUI, illegal transportation of an alcoholic beverage, improper lane usage, driving while fatigued, operation of a commercial motor vehicle while under the influence, and unlawful possession of alcohol in a commercial motor vehicle.
Lemons suffered minor injuries.
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So, wasn't sure whether or not to post this in the section with links but figured it would get lost there. This story about our rookie is absolutely amazing. I think with Mutombo gone last year, we drafted a saint this year and a guy in the mold (Personality wise) of a hybrid of Mutombo and Battier, which I'm PRETTY sure is the 2nd coming of whatever religious messianic figure you want to endorse.
If this has been posted before, I apologize, but it would bear repeating:


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JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Customers using a Bancorp South debit card may want to double check their account balances.
The bank posted a message to online customers Tuesday about signature debit card transactions made Friday, double posting to their accounts.
Bank officials call the issue a internal processing error.
They say they are working to correct the problem.
According to a statement issued by the bank, they plan to refund the money, and any charges or fees associated with the duplicate transactions.
©2010 WLBT. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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Incubator Arts Project Presents Buran Theatre's MAGIC BULLETS, Now thru 5/11
Following their 2013 national tour, Buran Theatre returns to the New York City stage with MAGIC BULLETS, a new hybrid theatre work that entertains a "trip" through health and wellness in modern America. '
Utilizing Buran's trademark rambunctious performance aesthetic, MAGIC BULLETS will pick up where Nightmares (2013) left us: wrestling with our understanding of the sublime, from the universal to the microscopic. Completing the triptych that began in 2010, the work will address our crave for a quick fix-whether it's anti-depressants, chemotherapy or romantic love. How do we know we are unwell? How can real healing occur? And can we ever return to health? Or is always a trip to some other destination?
Through a series of seemingly unconnected scenes, events, songs and dance, MAGIC BULLETS will build a cacophony of disparate parts into a cohesive performance with live video and music. With a cast of 12 performers, the production will be an overwhelming sensory experience completing Buran's rhythmic, immersive performance style developed in The House of Fitzcarraldo (2010-2012) and Nightmares: A Demonstration of the Sublime (2013).
MAGIC BULLETS is written & directed by Adam R. Burnett with music by Casey Mraz, Catrin Lloyd-Bollard (CATFOX), and CS Luxem (Slime Detectives); and choreographed by Donna Jewell (Cabula6). Featuring Caitlin Bebb (Sponsored by Nobody), Donna Jewell, Michael Karp, Jud Knudsen, Catrin Lloyd Bollard, Erin Mallon (Requiem for Black Marie, Branched), Anastasia Olowin (Plum Deforce, Theatre Reconstruction Ensemble), Kate Schroeder (Evelyn), and Mari Yamamoto (Restoration Comedy). Set/light design by Nick Kostner; costume design by Jennifer Stimple Kamei; video design by Geraldo Mercado; additional design & music by Abigail Blueher; and technical direction by Taylor Riccio.
Incubator Arts Project (located inside St. Mark's Church) 131 East 10th Street at 2nd Ave. in Manhattan.
Tickets are $18.00 and can be purchased at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/16/1398985200000. For more information, visit http://www.incubatorarts.org/magicbullets2013.html.
Adam R. Burnett (writer/director) is a New York City-based playwright and director. Since 2007 he has been the Artistic Director of Buran Theatre. As a playwright Adam's work has been presented by MET Ensemble and Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, MO; Title:Point, Dixon Place (Little Theatre), The Brick, Incubator Arts Project, and The Silent Barn in New York City/Brooklyn; Helen Hocker Theatre in Topeka, KS; Tricklock Company and The Vortex in Albuquerque, NM; and Elfu Teatras and the Vilnius Chamber Theater in Vilnius, Lithuania, among others. His plays Money Buckets! and Nightmares: A Demonstration of the Sublime are published by Indie Theater Now and his literary writing has appeared in VICE Magazine, The Awl, Pif Journal, and Three Rooms Press. Adam has a degree in theatre and film from The University of Kansas. As a playwright/director he works with actors through an intimate process he has developed with Buran Theatre, which focuses on new narrative structures for the actor-in rehearsal and performance-as well as for the spectator in relation to the event of performance.
Donna Jewell (choreographer/performer) received her MFA in Dance from New York University's Tisch School for the Arts and is the Head of Dance in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of New Mexico. Ms. Jewell has been choreographing, performing and teaching in Europe and the United States for the last 20 years. She was a full-time faculty member of the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance and a tenured faculty member of the Department of Theater at the Mozarteum College of Fine Arts in Salzburg, Austria. As the artistic director of Jewell & Company she currently creates site specific work and dance/theater pieces for the stage and continues to work as guest choreographer, rehearsal director, and actress for Lawine Torren in Austria, a company devoted to theatrical works for large machinery (helicopters, snowmobiles, airplanes, trucks, tanks, and cranes) and humans (actors, dancers, BASE jumpers, and skiers). Ms. Jewell is co-founder of ECOTONE, an ensemble using improvisation as a model for performance. Ms. Jewell is also a guest performer with Cabula6 Theater, based in New York and Vienna, which delves into experimental, site specific works created in collaboration with company members and directed by Claudia Heu and Jeremy Xido.
Nick Kostner (designer) is a scenic and lighting designer and Design Director of Buran Theatre. His work with Buran includes designs for The House of Fitzcarraldo and Nightmares: A Demonstration of the Sublime. Mr. Kostner's last work at the Incubator was for Theresa Buchheister and Sarah Graalman's Destructo Snack, USA. He also designed the set for the off-broadway production of Triangle at 59E59 and has assisted on numerous regional and Broadway shows since moving to the east coast. Mr. Kostner's past designs in the midwest and on the west coast include productions of The Magic Flute, Tristan Und Isolde, Harold Pinter's Betrayal, The Shape of Things, and Brian Friel's Translations. He works often as an assistant to opera and ballet designer Bob Perdziola. Other work includes the production design for the feature film Reach.
Erin Mallon (performer) is an actor, writer and voice artist living in NYC. Recent acting credits include: Mac Wellman's one-person play Horrocks (and Toutatis too) (Sleeping Weazel), Buran Theatre's Nightmares (The Brick), Eric John Meyer's The Sister (Dutch Kills), Sibyl Kempson's River of Gruel (Prelude) and Sara Farrington's plays Mickey and Sage and Requiem for Black Marie (Incubator Arts Project). Erin's plays have been presented with Urban Stages, The American National Theatre, Last Frontier Theatre Conference, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Amios Theatre Company, The Great Plains Theatre Conference, InViolet Rep and The Brooklyn Generator. She is a devoted volunteer at The 52nd Street Project and the voice of many audiobooks and commercials. Next Up: Erin's play Branched directed by Robert Ross Parker and produced by InViolet Rep is premiering at HERE Arts Center (February 2014).
Incubator Arts Project cultivates and presents a multi-generational community of artists who challenge the conventions of live performance by producing original work at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery. IAP programs provide access to a fully equipped venue along with personalized career support and strategic investment of resources individually tailored to the needs of each artist. By providing production opportunities for emerging to mid-career artists, Incubator Arts Project functions as a training ground where formative repertoire is conceived and new work can be constructed as each participant's artistic voice develops a distinct style. In addition to offering artists exclusive access to a theater, technical assistance and administrative support, staff provides professional mentoring and advisement to assist in the process of making well-considered choices in support of artists' long-term stability and success during all stages of their careers.
Core programs include the New Performance Series, Other Forces, Music and Short Form. Incubator Arts Project is fiscally managed by Performing Artservices Inc., a New York based non-profit arts organization, and is artistically led by a team of curators who collectively make programmatic, artistic and organizational decisions.
Since 2006, Incubator Arts Project has presented award-winning work by artists including: Alec Duffy, Banana Bag & Bodice, Bluemouth Inc., Debate Society, Daniel Fish, Half-Straddle, Karinne Keithley, Object Collection, Vampire Cowboys, and Witness Relocation. Incubator artists have seen their work tour nationally and internationally and go on to Off-Broadway runs.


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PepsiCo North America Beverages is revamping the way it delivers its products, moving to specially spec'd dry van trailers, liftgates and pallets that were pre-loaded at the warehouse. It saves work for drivers, saves fuel, and speeds deliveries to customers. One of the leaders of this effort and others is Shelby Green, senior fleet director. Read more here.
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Fiery Crash Video Paints Portrait of Brave and Caring Truckers
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Review by Dan Seifert on Thursday March 29, 2012.
samsung galaxy s blaze 4g · t-mobile · android reviews · smartphone reviews · samsung news · android news · smartphone news · dan seifert
|Sponsored links, if any, appear in green.
One glance at the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G for T-Mobile and you might think that Samsung kidnapped some of RIM's industrial designers before it created this smartphone. Visual similarities to the two and a half year old BlackBerry Bold 9700 aside, the Galaxy S Blaze 4G packs thoroughly modern features under its skin, including a very fast dual-core processor and support for T-Mobile's speedy 42Mbps HSPA+ network.
Apart from a few quality issues with the display, the Blaze 4G's hardware is solid, and the smaller size is much easier to use with one hand than other Android devices that feature much larger displays. The only real complaint with the Blaze 4G might be the fact that its highlight feature - support for T-Mobile's 42Mbps network - is highly contingent on your geographic location.
Read on to find out what I liked and didn't like in the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G for T-Mobile.
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Dan Seifert
Dan is MobileBurn.com's Editor-in-Chief. Based in Poughkeepsie in New York, Dan can be found on Twitter as @DCSeifert.