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By Ken de la Bastide and Scott Smith
Tribune columnists
— Not this year
Proposed legislation that would lower the personal property tax depreciation floor from 30 to 20 percent and a second bill to eliminate the tax will not be considered by the Indiana General Assembly this year.
Sen. Jim Buck, R-Kokomo, authored the legislation to lower the depreciation floor, stating at the Third House Session in January that it was filed only to start the discussion on eliminating personal property taxes in Indiana.
Kokomo and Howard County officials expressed opposition to the legislation with city officials estimating it would result in a $13.5 million shift from industry onto other property taxpayers. At the January meeting, Lawrence McCormack, city attorney, said the proposal could double property taxes for homeowners.
Buck said there are a lot of Indiana counties that are not dependent on personal property taxes. He said Illinois and Ohio have already eliminated personal property taxes.
Needing funds
The group opposed to the planned Prairie Breeze Wind Farm in northwestern Tipton County is preparing to make a presentation at the Board of Zoning Appeals hearing in an attempt to stop the development.
Tipton County Citizen's for Responsible Development have hired a Fort Wayne attorney to represent them and are seeking experts in the area of property values and health to counter claims made by developer juwi Wind.
Last week the group met in Sharpsville and organizers told those in attendance they needed $25,000 to pay the attorney and experts. Thus far the group has raised about 50 percent of that total and need another $10,000 to $15,000.
Opponents of the wind farm were encouraged to wear white shirts to the BZA hearing on Feb. 25 starting at 5:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Tipton High School.
How about a tax break?
If the farmers in Tipton County's Prairie and Liberty townships weren't standing to profit enough by leasing land to the Prairie Breeze project, the project would also lower their property taxes, according to a consultant's study released by the county Wednesday.
Agricultural land already receives a substantial property tax break in Indiana, with land assessed for tax purposes at a rate well below market value (land last year was assessed at $1,630 an acre).
According to the study, farmers would see property taxes drop around $2.81 an acre if the wind farm goes through. For someone with 500 acres to farm, that's a $1,045 a year savings.
Dumb lawsuit of the week
Everything these days is someone else's fault. Take, for example, Juanita DeJesus' lawsuit against the owners of Gary's minor league baseball team.
After losing sight of a foul pop-up during a game in 2009, and having it hit her on the head, the plaintiff sued, alleging the team should have put protective netting "continuously from first to third base." A Lake County court found in her favor.
Friday, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed the trial court's ruling, saying the plaintiff had failed to prove liability.
Further, the court said the team has no duty to place screening down the base lines, but only around the area behind home plate.
With players now hard at work in spring training, the timing of the appeals ruling couldn't have been better.


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A visually stylish comedy with dramatic overtones from director [[Performer~P145535~Tonie Marshall~toniemarshall]], Vénus Beauté (Institut) looks at the lives of three women who work at a small but successful beauty salon. Angele [[Performer~P4689~Nathalie Baye~nathaliebaye]] is an attractive woman just edging into middle age who is looking for companionship without commitment, even when it comes knocking. Her co-worker Samantha ([[Performer~P197775~Mathilde Seigner~mathildeseigner]]) has more boyfriends...more
64 out of 100 Metascore®
Generally favorable reviews
Read reviews
All Venus Beauty Institute cast + crew photos
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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|no reviews
WildSpring Guest Habitat is a small, ecofriendly resort in Port Orford, overlooking Oregon's spectacular southern coast. On five acres of old Native American grounds, WildSpring offers luxury accommodations in a naturally beautiful environment. With only five cabin suites built like small, stylish homes filled with art and antiques, set in a secluded forest...
|Excellent - 215 reviews
Located in Gold Beach, Gold Beach Resort is by the ocean and minutes from Curry Historical Society and Event Center on the Beach. This beach condo is within close proximity of Collier Buffington Memorial Park and Patterson Bridge. Make yourself at home in one of the 49 guestrooms featuring refrigerators and microwaves. Rooms have private balconies. Complimen...
Overall Rating - Excellent - 215 reviews
Excellent 9.0
Wonderful views from a private balcony, nice breakfast. Quiet location
Poor 1.0
The hotel lost my reservation and got me a sub par room at the next door hotel.
|Excellent - 86 reviews
Overall Rating - Excellent - 86 reviews
|Excellent - 210 reviews
Overall Rating - Excellent - 210 reviews
Good 8.0
Breakfast was lame. I needed some greeting cards mailed. They were still in the mail container the next day. Then they told me that the mailman does not pick up the mail, and they didn't have time to mail it.It was Saturday, and the post office was closed. So my mail will be late. :( The room was overpriced.
Okay 6.0
The room was comfortable, clean and reasonably priced.
The only accessible plug in was in the bathroom...I had to charge my laptop in the bathroom which was not convenient.Nothing extravagant, but well worth the price.
|Good - 65 reviews
Overall Rating - Good - 65 reviews
Excellent 10.0
Front manager Dean ¿¿¿¿¿¿ It is worth to stay if he is still working for this motel.
Please see the review.Before I stayed in this motel, I read a lot of negative things which some are true. Some people wrote this is an old motel and rooms are small. True. But, Dean was very nice to show me a lot of rooms and he let me pick the one I like(#108). All the rooms are different. There are some small rooms but have bathtub. Some are larger but shower only. Dean is very patient to the picky customer like me. I have end up staying one more night. In the morning, he was helping me and other customers to clean the car window from ocean wind. I would like to go back and say hi to him.*\(^o^)/* And I am not paid to write this review.
Good 8.0
It was adequate for the price
Super small roomStaff was friendly and it was good for the price
|Good - 116 reviews
Overall Rating - Good - 116 reviews
Okay 6.0
by beach
very old....obviously being redone by new owner.
Excellent 10.0
The money they charged is well worth for the Services they provided.
None. It may be old but clean. The money they charged for what they gave is Wonderful! Well worth it!!Location is great. You can just walk to the Beach. Room has bath tub, microwave, refridgerator, TV and Cable, room for clothes ( a small closet), nice firm bed and a large room, bathroom has natural ventilation, easy to throw garbages outside, table and chairs, a place for your food, curtains that are functional, park your car right by the room, good restaurants around and some are within walking distance. Great public library! One note: Small and nice enough do not have a physical building for a Visitor's Information Center but if you call, they are there for you! In addition, most tour activity info at the lobby and available for you to grab and go! How Lovely!
|Good - 148 reviews
Motel 6 Gold Beach is only 2 miles from the beach. Oregons Jet Boat Rides are less than 1/2 mile away. Play golf at Cedar Bend Golf Course 12 miles. Enjoy our modern rooms and indoor hot tub. Wi-Fi is free throughout the building
Overall Rating - Good - 148 reviews
Good 8.0
Price was good, on-site laundry. Room was clean and recently renovated. Busy hotel, with very little noise heard from inside the room. Would definitely stay there again.
Kind of hard to find, tucked in up on a steep hill.
Okay 4.3
The water pipes in the wall were overly loud (drowned out the tv) Beds were hard, pillows were hard. No soap in room. The shower switched from cold,to hot, to normal and back again. The guy who checked us in didn't know what he was doing. The old guy in yhe morning was overly rude when someone spilled their coffee when the tiny crappy cup broke. Trash talked him and pretty much chased him out.
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Offering sweeping views of Elk Refuge and the Pacific Ocean, Sorenson House is located in Port Orford, Oregon. This rustic self-catering cottage is surrounded by 160 acres of land, and guests here can enjoy hours of nature watching. A stove, refrigerator, kitchenware, and a dining table can be found in the cottage's kitchenette. A seating area with a sofa a...
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Less than a 6-minute walk from the coast, Captain's Quarters is located in Port Orford, Oregon. This detached, self-catering holiday home features a kitchenette and free WiFi access. This studio-style holiday home comes with a refrigerator, microwave, coffee machine, and kitchenware. Additional amenities include a wrap-around terrace and a cable TV. Capta...
|no reviews
LakeHaven is located in Port Orford. Free WiFi access is available in this holiday home. The accommodation will provide you with a hot tub. You can enjoy lake view from all the rooms. The property offers free parking
|no reviews
Sixes River Heights is located in Port Orford. Free WiFi access is available in this holiday home. The accommodation will provide you with a TV and a DVD player. Private bathrooms also come with a bath or shower. Extras include a sofa and video games. An array of activities can be enjoyed on site or in the surroundings, including fishing. The property offer...
|no reviews
Whalers Cove is located in Port Orford. Free WiFi access is available in this holiday home. The accommodation will provide you with a TV and cable channels. You can enjoy sea view from all the rooms. The property offers free parking
|Excellent - 25 reviews
The lodge is located in the rural southwest corner of Oregon, 40 miles from the California border. Situated on a wooded stretch of the engaging Rogue River, it is just 7 miles from the Pacific Ocean
Overall Rating - Excellent - 25 reviews
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|no reviews


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Routes Sorted
L to R R to L Alpha
Again, Ruckmans only give this one star. But becuase it's not a 5.7 you can just muscle up, and it requires a bit of thought, and movement in and out of the groove, I give it two. Besides, it's another one that's just plain fun. This route follows the large, arcing groove splitting the Egg in half. Move up the face and groove as required, protecting in the pockets and irregularities. Good placement skills are advised. Belay at the belay station in the trees. The second pitch moves along the face to the crack about 20' right of the belay station, and then follows the groove to the top of the formation. Reaching this crack is a bit run-out, but again the climbing is easy.
Bring a full rack. The groove accepts a variety of nuts and cams up to 3".


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Tuesday, April 01, 2008
I Heart Roundtop
Oh what joy!
My favorite find was these shutters...$20 for the PAIR!
I love Roundtop...and I love my husband, who, loving me so much, knows, I could not have slept last night until my vision for above our bed came to life. I slept happy last night!
Roundtop is one of my favorite places on earth to be...so much creativity in one concentrated area. I walk away inspired for months.
Anytime I get to see a lump sum of beauty, created by humans, I am reminded that we have been gifted so uniquely, so divinely and all of our gifts point back to the greatness of God. Whether it's a songwriter composing a song, a writer making me see life and color in black and white words, or a designer creating a new piece of furniture out of 50 pieces of old furniture...the end result is miraculous and moving.
I looked around at all the creative ideas and designs and was overjoyed to remember that anything we do that's innovative and fresh has been inherited by the ultimate Creator and supreme Newness maker.
Walking around that place, several times, my eyes watered up...and it wasn't because I walked past the porta potties. There would be times when I would think, "God, you are so brilliant and the possessor of all talents and gifts, and yet you share those with us, in tiny pieces and amounts." I felt like a nut job...I mean really...it's weird to want to worship God because of painted furniture. I know. I fought the weirdness all day, but finally surrendered.
All the way home, in the car alone, I couldn't help but wonder...
What will heaven look like?
How lovely will it be to see God doing what He does without the sin of man interfering, tainting and destroying?
I can't wait to see God, to walk around and admire His work, His creativity, His brilliance. I can't wait to thank Him for giving us a little of His divine DNA that allowed us to do some things down here on earth that remind us all, that someone much greater than us has to be responsible for things like Mount Rushmore, Curb Side Prophet, Waterlilies and the Junk Gypsies booth in Roundtop.
Here's last year's post on Roundtop. It's worth a trip!
10 comments:
- Becky said...
This looks and sounds like such fun! I never knew about this! Looked up their website and wish I'd known sooner...perhaps I can go next year. I'm preparing my own "Rockin' Roundtop Yard Sale" for this Saturday! You can call lots of my junk 'antique'!! :o)
Hope you are doing well, as I have still been thinking of you and wondering what is happening! Has inspired me to write about my children's stories on my blog, currently working on my son's.
- texasmcvays said...
This is the queen of cheap. Kim and I went last year and she has already been this year and I am going on Sunday (after attending church on Saturday night of course! Which is so difficult for us since we set the church up on Saturdays for Sunday Service!) We purchased super cute old quilts for $5, bed skirts for $3, cute boxes and stuff for $5-10 last year. So this year it is on like Donkey Kong!
- The Kramer Family said...
Amen sister! Good thoughts. I turn a bit wacky myself when I'm there in awe of such giftedness. Thanks for the reminder of this. I'm bringing the camera!
I love the shutters. Great find. Super idea!
Love ya!
- Hendrick Family said...
Oh Kyle, I can hear you saying that and it makes me laugh!
- Laurie said...
Okay... this is going to seem weird but I have a fear of things hanging over our bed. Heavy pictures and so forth... I always feel like they might fall on us during the middle of the night, while we are sound to sleep. OUCH!! So, are those shutters and flowers secured REALLY well. :) Just wondering!!
Do we play ya'll in soccer?? Our team number is 517. Nathan is in the youngest division. I wasn't sure which division ya'll were in. Oh, and Joe coaches and yes, he DOES wear the gray shirt. Not his first choice either. He's just not a rebel like Aaron. Just kidding, Aaron!! Hope we see you at the fields this Saturday.
One last question...
Where is Roundtop??? Never heard of this. Antiques in Calvert and Fredricksburg yes, but not Roundtop.
See ya soon...
- Hendrick Family said...
Laurie, that's not weird at all. I can't sleep with the ceiling fan on because I am afraid it will fall down, land on me and cut my legs off.
I don't know why being asleep while that happens makes it more terrifying, but it does.
I think we're in the league above you. But, you may play Reese Garratt. Tell Joe I'm proud he wears the shirt. At one point, believe it or not, Aaron was such a good boy that always followed the rules...and then he married me...and I am slowly rubbing off on him.
But, I do think a doctor probably pulls off that fancy polo better than a worship leader.
And, Roundtop is about 20 miles away from Brenham. You take 290 towards Austin, then there's a sign that points you toward Roundtop. It only takes me about an hour to get there. Fun!
- Landreneau Family said...
One day, I will be there with a big truck. It's just not working out for me right now.:(
Cute shutters!
- BrunerAbroad said...
2 years ago Mandi Marek got us the hook-up and we ate at Royer's Roundtop Cafe. It was seriously the BEST food I've ever eaten in my life. Pricey, but worth it. It's one of my life goals to eat there again. If y'all never eaten there, you should put that on your list of things to do. But be warned: if you don't have the hook-up you'll have to wait in a super-long line.
- Carrie said...
I have a trip planned for next year in Canton. Closer ot me! I love this kind of stuff. Did you find anything else good??
- pbmciver said...
Wow - looks great


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The knock on the Boston Celtics going into the 2012 NBA Playoffs, and at every stage thereafter, was that the team's offense was just too mediocre to sustain a long run. But on the strength of the team's elite defense, excellent production from Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo and truly great coaching from Doc Rivers, the Celtics found themselves with two opportunities to land in the NBA Finals.
But as WEEI.com's Paul Flannery notes, in the end, those offensive issues turned Boston away. Miami held the Celtics to six points over the last nine minutes to clinch the Game 7 victory and a Finals berth.
In the end it was their offense that betrayed them, as it has throughout the 2011-12 season. They had to work so hard to create space and they simply ran out of room. The Heat took away Kevin Garnett in the paint and they forced Rajon Rondo into playing a twisting, contortionist halfcourt game, rather than the chaotic end-to-end mess that is his true strength.
Strengthening the offense will be a key priority for Boston in the offseason. Ray Allen, a free agent, is not widely expected to return. More importantly, fellow FA Kevin Garnett's future is up in the air. He proved during this postseason that his offense does have something left in the tank. But he, Rondo and Paul Pierce certainly need some help.
For more on the Celtics, visit CelticsBlog and SB Nation Boston.


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CALEXICO - November is Diabetes Awareness Month and that is why The United Way of Imperial County held a free diabetes health screening on Monday morning.
Over 13,000 Imperial Valley residents suffer from Diabetes. Over 4,000 of them don't even know they have the disease until they are faced with serious health problems.
And that is why The United Way of Imperial County and its partners put on the free clinic for the 3rd year in a row.
Those that attended got some very important information about the disease as well as a short class on how to prevent diabetes.
The clinic has seen hundreds of residents come through. Some are aware of their health status, while others just don't know.
They are the reason that health screenings like this one Calexico play a vital role in the health of the community.
"It's extremely valuable", says Clinicas de Salud del Pueblo, Director of Programs, Cynthia Dagnino. "A lot of the people that we see at these type events usually have an idea of what's going on but you do come across people who are clueless and have no idea so this provides them information they might not have known otherwise".
Also included in the screening was a blood pressure and blood sugar test.
Tito Sandoval went through the screening. He says that he appreciates the information he received because it might just save his life one day.
"It is very important to know the condition that one is in", he says. "Knowing what I know now will let me choose my food more wisely. Sometimes we just look at the labels but don't really understand them. Now I understand the numbers and facts on there, especially the amount of sugar that it contains".
Robert Perez says that he is a part of the event because he knows the struggles that families in Imperial Valley go through.
"We have people who have long hours, don't eat well, nutrition is low and don't have the opportunity to see a doctor", he says. "Again, we're providing a service to help the community. Not everybody can afford to see a doctor or do they have the time. By doing this, we can provide a service for them".
The screening took less than 10 minutes to go through and those that took part in it didn't leave the clinic empty handed. They were each given a United Way pin for their participation.
They were also given pamphlets and brochures with information on diabetes as well a body mass chart.
Sign up here to receive breaking news stories from KSWT.com and morning updates to your email inbox.


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Good news for the Red Sox: second baseman Dustin Pedroia sent a text to manager Bobby Valentine to tell him that his broken finger would not keep him out of action. Bad news for the Red Sox: Bobby Valentine attempted to read the text while riding his bicycle.
Red Sox Manager Bobby Valentine suffered minor injuries to his knees and hips after skidding on his bike and sliding down a hill in New York's Central Park.
[...] An avid biker, Valentine admitted it's wrong to ride and read texts. At least he was wearing a helmet.
After dwelling on this story for a while, I have some conflicted thoughts on the matter. They are as follows:
- Valentine should have known better. That knowledge is pretty basic. I'll really let him have it if he tries that again.
- If I'm the GM, I don't care if your player has an injured hand. I'll bar you from the clubhouse if you do something dangerous like that.
- Shouldn't Valentine get hit with a fine for texting and riding? He ought to be slapped with Huffy at the least.
- It's not like Pedroia's injury really matters anyway, since the Red Sox deraill the Yankees by 25 games.
- Pedroia is a phenomenal talent. Every other second baseman wishes he could be him. Expect great things from him in the years to come.
- If Pedroia can play at full strength with a broken finger, that'll be a miracle. I personally wouldn't play if I were him.
- I bet the Red Sox locker room atmosphere has been rather tense. Pedroia's decision to play should help lift morale a bit.
If you have any other relevant thoughts on the matter, we would certainly like to hear them.


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GigaomAn algae startup emerges with a pilot plant in Alabama
Startup Algae Systems is finally talking about what it's been up to. Read more »
Startup Algae Systems is finally talking about what it's been up to. Read more »
The funding adds to the $245.5 million the company has already raised. SpaceX is on the verge of trying out a reusable rocket that could dramatically lower its launch costs. Read more »
NASA isn't done investigating Mars for its past (and present) capability of hosting life. Its upcoming 2020 rover will have added abilities like radar that can probe the planet's surface hundreds… Read more »
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njf67aov4XA After a short 24-hour delay, NASA launched a rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California Wednesday morning, which contains a satellite and a spectrometer that will monitor carbon emissions from… Read more »
Tech innovations are leading to better and more low cost ways to monitor Earth's vital signs and answer tough questions. Read more »
NASA is launching a new challenge, hosted on Amazon Web Services, that gives the public access to a trove of earth sciences data and computational resources in the name of discovering… Read more »
Mainframes still account for 60 percent or more of global enterprise transactions. Read more »
Made In Space's printer passed its final NASA test ahead of schedule, allowing its launch date to be moved up from November. The machine will print 21 test parts once it… Read more »
A 22 MB video transferred in 3.5 seconds, compared to the more than 10 minutes it takes with traditional equipment. Read more »
Scientists have dreamed of sending a spacecraft through Titan's thick orange atmosphere to get a look at its surface. Two $100,000 grants could put two preliminary plans into action. Read more »


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Road to Sochi: Ladies short program09 Jan
Road to Sochi: Ladies short program
Polina Edmunds finished in a surprising second place in her senior skating debut, finishing only behind Gracie Gold. 2010 Olympian Mirai Nagasu is in third and defending national champion Ashley Wagner is in fourth.
Reigning junior champ Polina Edmunds delivers a strong program to close, sending the crowd to its feet #Boston2014 http://t.co/ZT3pZloOxp—
Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) January 10, 2014
Wagner drops to FOURTH after short program w/ Edmunds' 66.75. Almost a replay of Denney/Coughlin's sitchu, yet more shocking #Boston2014—
Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) January 10, 2014
Cesario, Edmunds round out competition
The short program ended with Samantha Cesario and Polina Edmunds, two young skaters fighting for a spot on the podium. Cesario scored a 54.40 to move into 11th, while Edmunds shocked with a 66.75. She moved into second place with an energetic, high-flying routine.
Reigning junior champ Polina Edmunds delivers a strong program to close, sending the crowd to its feet #Boston2014 http://t.co/ZT3pZloOxp—
Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) January 10, 2014
Zawadzki not at her best
Returning U.S. bronze medalist Agnes Zawadzki started strong, with a triple-triple combination, but made mistakes on other jumps and was given a 54.18 to put her in 11th place. After her score was read, Zawadzki held her head in her hands.
Zawadzki – 3T (just…) / 3T yes! 2Z (oh man)…2A just got it – somewhat disappointing for her #Boston2014—
Andrew (FS) (@mz734_FS) January 10, 2014
Wagner shaky
Two-time national champion Ashley Wagner's short program was clean, if not as difficult as she planned. Wagner was supposed to do a triple-triple combination, but doubled the second jump. The rest of the program was well-skated. She said to the cameras after skate, "Triple triple! Next time" It earned her 64.71, which put her into third place behind Gracie Gold and Mirai Nagasu.
Ashley Wagner looked cautious during her short program, almost playing it too safe—
Barry Wilner (@wilner88) January 10, 2014
Baga gets crowd behind her
Boston's Kiri Baga fed off an energetic crowd to deliver a clean, fun performance. She did not have a triple-triple combination, however, and scored just 54.02.
Goes to show why Kiri Baga can get high scores w/o the big jumps, what a super energetic program, had the crowd going #Boston2014—
Jackie Wong (@examinerskating) January 10, 2014
Late error costly for Miller
Hannah Miller skated a frenetic, exciting program to "Firebird," complete with a triple lutz-triple toe combination, but fell on a late double axel. She scored a 57.49 to get fifth place with five skaters left.
Gold finds redemption
Gracie Gold had a disastrous short program in 2013. She did not repeat the disaster in Boston on Thursday night. Gold nailed every jump, include a humongous triple lutz-triple toe combination. She scored a 72.12, putting her into first place with six skaters left to go. It's a new personal best for her.
good start for Gracie Gold, last year's runner-up. Gorgeous 3lutz-3toe combo—
Barry Wilner (@wilner88) January 10, 2014
Gao into third
Christina Gao is a student at Harvard, and had the Boston crowd behind her as she completed the a graceful, clean routine. She had problems in a footwork sequence that were surprising, compared to the rest of her routine. The 60.91 was her personal best, but enough to only put her into third place.
2010's darling delivers
Mirai Nagasu starred for the U.S. in 2010, and delivered a memorable short that featured a triple-triple jump and earned her a 65.44. The skate put her in first place with eight skaters left to go.
The enigmatic Mirai Nagasu just turned in a nifty short: 65.44 pts puts her in first for the moment.—
Bonnie D. Ford (@Bonnie_D_Ford) January 10, 2014
Music snafu!
As Courtney Hicks prepared to start her program, she got into position, and stood there, and stood there. The announcer finally told her she was allowed to reset before her music started. Hicks laughed off the awkward start, but then fell early in her routine. She scored a 51.69.
That botched combo is going to cost Hicks big. Did steps in between so won't count, and can't tack another on anywhere else—
Nancy Armour (@nrarmour) January 10, 2014
Angela Wang followed Hicks with a graceful but flawed program that earned a 54.40.
Flatt falters early
2010 Olympian Rachael Flatt singled her first jump, which was supposed to be a triple lutz. She has battled injuries recently and carries a full course load at Stanford. Her skating is more cautious than it was four years ago, and she earned just a 46.57 for her skate.
Ouch. Rachael gets 46.57, is in ninth after 10 places. Even I think that's a bit harsh.—
Nancy Armour (@nrarmour) January 10, 2014
"It was a disappointing couple of minutes but I came here to do my best," says 2010 champ @RachaelFlatt #Boston2014 http://t.co/mASgkFv0xp—
Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) January 10, 2014
Before Flatt, Leah Keiser had a coveted triple-triple combination and moved into second place with a 57.41. Through nine skaters, Ashley Cain remains in the lead.
Siraj falters in front of home crowd
Skating at home in Boston, Yasmin Siraj fell on one a combination jump to earn a score of 44.67 to put her in last place. She was part of a shaky start to the second group, which also featured a 48.98 from Vanessa Lam and a 47.87 for Caroline Zhang.
Cain leading after first group
Ashley Cain held onto her lead after Joelle Forte scored a 50.53, and Mariah Bell moved into second place with a 56.72. The next group of skaters feature Rachael Flatt, the 2010 Olympian who has battled injuries recently.
Cain hits personal best, leads after three
Early in the competition, Ashley Cain took the lead with her best score. She earned a 61.45 for her program. Barbie Long is in second with 55.55 for a balletic performance, and Francesca Chiera scored 52.81 in her senior debut.
The short program is just that — extremely short. It's under three minutes, and skaters must finish certain required components, like a triple jump and a footwork sequence, in a short time. The old adage about the short program is that a skater cannot win an event with their short program, but they certainly can lose it. A good short program sets up a skater to be successful with her free program.
MORE: Take a look at how to tell the figure skating jumps apart.


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Book Trailer Thursday: That's Not a Feeling
Posted by: Annie Bostrom
How many pupils do you have? This book trailerite cartoon man has two… in each eye. We better pay attention to what he has to say.
Keir's starred review tells us that the rolly-eye doctor and apparent mythology expert is the cultish headmaster of a school for troubled teens, the backdrop for this "wonderful and noteworthy debut" in the form of "not your usual coming-of-age tale." Pick it up to find out if your feelings are feelings.


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ODU Receives Grant to Strengthen European Ties
Old Dominion University's ACCESSEU, a comprehensive plan to build alliances and partnerships between Hampton Roads and Europe, has been awarded a $157,000 grant as part of the United Nations' 2011-12 "Getting to Know Europe Grants Competition." ACCESSEU is led by ODU's graduate program in international studies and the graduate program in business administration.
"This is a tremendous recognition of the region and the university," said Regina Karp, associate professor of political science and director of the graduate program in international studies, the project's principal investigator. ACCESSEU is an 18-month program dedicated to relationship building between our region and Europe, and is centered on the themes of education, community awareness and local networking.
According to Karp, such a partnership is long overdue for Hampton Roads. She points to the fact that the region has a large European presence with NATO and the military, and that half of the area's international businesses hail from Europe, including BAE Systems, Maersk, Siemens and Volvo. "By strengthening these relationships and building new ones, we are harnessing the industrial, educational and civic potential of Hampton Roads," she said.
The initiative will introduce the Hampton Roads community at large to European perspectives on global problem solving. This includes educational activities for high school, college and graduate students in social studies, European history, politics and government, and a model Europe simulation exercise with other universities in the region.
Larry Filer, who directs ODU's M.B.A. program in the College of Business and Public Administration and served as the co-principal investigator, said the grant will benefit both ODU and the region. "It will help us strengthen some ongoing programs and existing regional outreach activities. In addition, we will be able to create several new initiatives in the area of economic development partnerships with the European Union, which should be a tremendous asset to the Hampton Roads business community."
ACCESSEU plans to arrange study abroad visits to European Union offices in Brussels and to a number of Hampton Roads sister cities in Europe. ODU's business college currently sponsors an annual trip to Western Europe to study the major port cities. According to Filer, the trip would be expanded to add more students, including students from low-income families, and to focus on political and diplomatic issues. Upon their return, the students will share their experiences with high school students through in-class presentations.
"From an academic standpoint, nearly every event taking place during the grant period will be open to students and many of the activities will be specifically targeted to our student body," Filer said. "The grant from the EU provides further evidence of our M.B.A. program's commitment to international business education, and it also provides additional momentum for our program right on the heels of our recent top 15 ranking in international management education by the Princeton Review."
In terms of community outreach, ACCESSEU is partnering with the World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads in its annual World Quest community quiz competition, to introduce a special section on Europe and the European Union. A partnership with the Economics Club of Hampton Roads, which hosts a series of annual luncheon programs and is sponsored by ODU's business college, will focus on such themes as the European Central Bank and trans-Atlantic investment.
To infuse the region with an EU presence and promote regional connections between Hampton Roads and Europe, ACCESSEU will create a Mobile EU Information Exhibit at some two dozen local civic and cultural events. Stocked with up-to-date information about the European Union and special features on rotationally selected member states, this grass-roots exhibit is designed to make the EU accessible to the public at large.
The project also plans to create a Europe/EU Regional Faculty Expert Guide, to be located at the ODU Business Gateway, an office that offers companies, organizations, military commands and entrepreneurs resources to help solve business problems, expand capabilities and create new ventures. The guide will centralize expertise on the EU and Europe and quickly connect the regional educational, business and cultural communities, facilitating formal and informal exchanges between different constituencies and creating much-needed regional synergies.
"These partnerships are tremendously exciting for students and business leaders in the region," said Karp. "If Europe and the United States cannot work together, then we cannot succeed. Partnerships like these are integral for the challenges of tomorrow."
This article was posted on: December 3, 2010
Old Dominion University
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Room 100 Koch Hall Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0018
Telephone: 757-683-3114
Old Dominion University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution.


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(This article and more from Danny Massaro can be found on The CalfMuscle)
Yesterday, I wrote about my hiring as Browns GM, effective immediately. I elaborated on the importance of four facets in order to turn the Browns into a winner: Coaching, talent, philosophy/vision, and state of the culture.
I was rambling so much and accomplishing so little that I decided to make this a series. Today, I'll hire a coach. Wednesday I'll discuss free agency and Friday we'll walk through the NFL Draft.
My first order of business as General Manager will be to fire Pat Shurmur with a smile on my face. Along with the head coach, I'll call in Brad Childress (Offensive Coordinator) and Mark Whipple (Quarterbacks Coach) and inform them that their services will no longer be needed either.
Chris Tabor (Special Teams Coordinator) is doing a pretty poor job this season, but Phil Dawson and Josh Cribbs save his job. George Warhop (Offensive Line Coach) not only maintains his job, but I sign him to an extension and promise him that I'll sooner rather than later get him NFL-caliber offensive guards for once.
I'm giving the defensive staff another year at least. They've had to put up with injuries (Phil Tayor, Chris Gocong, etc.) and four games without the team's best player (Joe Haden) because he decided to sniff some ADD medicine in Vegas. Plus, when the unit is all together, they play well. Dick Jauron (Defensive Coordinator) has his defensive unit ready each week, his only downfall is really the lack of talent and depth – outside of the defensive line.
With that said, let's interview.
QUARTERBACK COACH: With an inexperienced (notice I didn't say young) quarterback, his coach has to become his best friend. In contact 24-7. On the field, off the field, film study, chalk talk, in the headset, everywhere.
I believe in Brandon Weeden. I don't agree with former GM Tom Heckert's decision to take him with the 22nd pick of the draft, but I see Weeden winning a lot of games here. Under Shurmur, Weeden was set up for failure. He was stuck under center and running three step drops to double slants and double tight ends in the flat. That stuff doesn't work against the computer in Madden with the difficulty on rookie (Ouch – Burn!).
Also, Weeden hasn't received the tutoring that a rookie QB deserved. No, I haven't spent time at Browns practice or in meetings, but you can tell by Weeden's interviews, performance, and body language that he is sort of swinging at the air. It sounds/looks like he is out their almost on his own on Sundays. He might as well turn his headset off.
I credit Weeden's inability to "break out" on the Too Many Chiefs, Not Enough Indians principle. Whipple, Childress, and Shurmur all feel too entitled. They all want the offense to be theirs instead of Weeden's. Childress is a former head coach and an awful one at that. Shurmur should have been fired before he got the job. And Whipple can't do anything with Weeden because of the other two idiots. Oh, and Nolan Cromwell (Assistant Offensive Coordinator) is out because 1.) His offense is awful and 2.) There are already too many Offensive Coordinators (Shurmur, Childress, Whipple, and Cromwell are all considered OC's in some way).
Now for the hiring process.
A new QB Coach for Weeden is essential to the team's success. Next fall, he will already be 30 years old. His window is obviously smaller than most. I'm hoping for five more good seasons.
I'm looking to pair Weeden up with a coach known as a teacher and a communicator. I don't care if he is an offensive super genius, I just want him teach my quarterback so that every time he steps up to the line he is confident in his steps, his checks, his decisions, and his throws.
My hire: Jason Garrett, current Dallas Cowboys Head Coach
Bear with me. Garrett is three losses away from getting the boot from Jerry Jones. Garrett is a former NFL QB, he turned an undrafted kid from Eastern Illinois into a division winning, 30 TD quarterback. I know Garrett will probably get a bunch of interviews for offensive coordinator positions around the league, but he'll still be getting paid by the Cowboys and perhaps he'll want to take a step back from the high pressure of being a Head Coach or Offensive Coordinator. Also, if when Garrett steps into his new role as QB Coach, he'll still have a large amount of input in gameplanning. I'm confident that he won't clash with the new OC or HC like Shurmur and Childress did because it doesn't seem to be his personality.
Plus, Jason Garrett is a native of Cleveland Heights and University, Ohio. There is no place like home, right?
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: I've been a Browns fan for a long time and excluding the 2007 season and a few Kelly Holcomb games, Cleveland's offense has been consistently bland and stagnant. I have Garrett at QB coach, he is a man with a lot of NFL playing, coaching, and coordinating experience. With that, I just want an OC who consistently scores points where he is.
Realistically, I doubt any NFL Offensive Coordinators or NCAA Head Coaches leave where they are now to coach an offense that lacks any real playmakers. Trent Richardson may lead a few to consider, but Greg Little and Josh Gordon aren't exactly a huge selling point.
That's fine. I don't think I need an NFL Coordinator, but I'd like to have my new OC to have some NFL experience. With an offensive line in place (and their coach still their), a talented running back, and a quarterback that can make all of the throws, I just want a guy who knows how to score.
My hire: Todd Monken, current Oklahoma State Offensive Coordinator
I know what you're thinking and yes, the fact that Monken spent a year with Weeden has a lot to do with the hire. But on top of that, Monken has found success everywhere. He won a National Championship as LSU's Passing Game Coordinator and as the Wide Receivers Coach in Jacksonville for three years, he made Mike Sims-Walker, Mercedes Lewis, and Mike Thomas a 170+ catch trio
And then there was (is) his two year stint as Mike Gundy's right hand man at Oklahoma State. His offenses have been potent to say the least.
I love this hire because it encompasses everything I'm looking for. NFL experience, but not too much that he'll consider himself above his other coaches, a history of scoring a lot of points, and a smooth transition for Brandon Weeden – the most important player on the roster.
HEAD COACH: As new GM, I'm trying my hardest to be professional and not name drop, but how in the world did Mike Holmgren not hire John Fox? I'm still sick about it. The worst part is Fox was rumored to want to come to Cleveland. Ugh.
Anyway, in order to keep this post under 3,000 words, I'm going to go throw each process (calls, interviews, second interviews, final interviews) and sum up each step in the process.
(Also note: I'm assuming that these jobs are also open – San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs)
Bruce Arians, Indianapolis Colts Offensive Coordinator
Todd Haley, Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Coordinator
Jon Gruden, Former Tampa Bay Bucs Head Coach and Current Cracked Out ESPN Analyst
Nick Saban, Alabama Crimson Tide Head Coach
Jim Tressell, former Ohio State Head Coach
David Shaw, Stanford Cardinal Head Coach
Chip Kelly, Oregon Ducks Head Coach
Perry Fewell, New York Giants Defensive Coordinator
Ray Horton, Arizona Cardinals Defensive Coordinator
Josh McDaniels, Denver Broncos Offensive Coordinator
Step 1: Phone interview with all of the candidates. Despite Nick Saban's history with the Cleveland Browns, he claims he is going to remain the Head Coach of the Crimson Tide (I'll believe that until that Dallas vacancy is filled). Jon Gruden, despite being a native son of Northeastern Ohio also claims that he wants to stay where he is, in the booth. Again, I'll believe that until I see rumors of Chucky in contract negotiations with the Philadelphia Eagles or until I hear of Gruden and Bud Adams (Tennessee Titans owner) salivating over Jake Locker film.
After speaking on the phone with Todd Haley and Jim Tressell, I'm a little bit turned off and won't be inviting them in for a face-to-face interview. I have the utmost respect for Haley as a coordinator and his success speaks for itself, but I'm still turned off by the way he handled his stint in Kansas City as the head man, and in all honestly, he is just a douche. Tressell was enthralled by the idea and I know that the state of Ohio would eat it up if he were the hire, but he came off a little too much like a Grandfatherly figure than a no-nonsense follow-me coach. That's fine for college ball, but I don't see it correlating well in coaching grown men.
So, I invite Arians, Horton, McDaniels, Fewell, Kelly, and Shaw in for an interview.
Step 2: I like what David Shaw has to offer, and I believe that he'll make a great NFL coach very soon, but upon speaking with him, I'd like to see more to his body of work. He worked under Joe Banner in Philadelphia as the Quality Control Coach in the late '90s, and Mr. Banner likes him a lot, but I have to go with my gut. Shaw isn't the guy.
Bruce Arians calls me before his interview to inform me that he has decided to elect between the head coaching job in Carolina or Kansas City as his next position. I don't really blame him. I respect his decision of choosing between Cam Newton or the first pick of the draft in KC.
I'm impressed with Ray Horton as well, but he is adamant in bringing Dick LeBeau's 3-4 defense here. I like the idea, but this organization has invested the last three offseasons in 4-3 personnel. My explanation isn't enough. He says if he's the guy, the 3-4 is coming. I have too much faith in my young defensive line.
That leaves Josh McDaniels, Perry Fewell, and Chip Kelly as the three finalists.
FINAL INTERVIEW: I don't know why I like McDaniels so much. He openly ticked off every good player in Denver and was run out of town. But there is an aura about him. Mr. Haslam sees it, Mr. Banner sees it, and I do too. And we all know that a Josh McDaniels offense is known for scoring points.
Perry Fewell is another gem. He's been sitting in on Head Coaching interviews for years now and has never been hired. Sitting in a room with him one-on-one, I don't understand how he's never gotten the nod as a head coach. He is a defensive mind, and a 4-3 guy at that. Plus, his reputation around the league is immaculate – a hard-worker, a brilliant mind, and his players adore him. He's not the diva that Gruden or McDaniels would be and he doesn't have the swagger that Horton or Saban have, but you can just tell that Perry Fewell was put on the earth to be a football coach.
I'm amazed that Chip Kelly has lasted this long. Not because we don't want him, but I didn't know how appealing Cleveland, Ohio would be to probably the most appealing coaching candidate (outside of Nick Saban) in the country – college or pro experience. A lot of people recognize Kelly for his high-tempo explosive offense, but he reputation to run the best practices at any level has me intrigued. Chip Kelly thinks that he can make a lot of noise with Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson, regardless of who is at receiver.
THE FINAL CHOICE (I refuse to call this The Decision – you can imagine why): Mr. Haslam, Mr. Banner and I have narrowed it down to two offensive coaches and a defensive coach. One former pro head coach, one college head coach, and a lifetime coordinator.
When making our final decision we weigh four things: Each candidate's success in their coaching career, eye for talent and the kind of player that they said they liked and want on their team (meaning fit in their scheme, character, smarts, ability, priorities, etc.), their vision (offensively, defensively, immediate expectations, four-plus-year plan), and the state of the culture at their former jobs.
The state of the culture killed McDaniels. His episode in Denver and Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall wanting out was too much for us to look past.
Our final two are Chip Kelly and Perry Fewell. Both successful coaches throughout their entire career, both found a perfect marriage between scheme and personnel (Kelly to his skill guys and Fewell to his NASCAR formation d-line), both are hard workers and expect immediate success, and both owned their locker room (or in Fewell's case, his defense).
Kelly would be the home run pick for the fans and the media but Fewell has learned from Tom Coughlin and spent offseasons learning how to put a team together from Jerry Reese. But then again, with the immediate success of Greg Schiano and Jim Harbaugh, Kelly seems hungry to be the best coach to go from college to the pros.
This is harder than I thought. In my 24 years of life, who would have thought hiring an NFL Head Coach would be my toughest decision yet?
The Hire: Perry Fewell
Fewell fit the mold too perfectly that we were looking for. His only downside is he's not the media friendly fireball coach that a lot of people want. A lot of people think that this organization needs a headliner at the helm, but we felt once Saban and Gruden told us no that we couldn't get caught up in the "Who is Popular" argument. I'm not even saying that Gruden or Saban would have gotten the job over Fewell, but what I'm saying is that we realized as the interviewing process went along, that being a ESPN.com front-pager is only worth so much.
Fewell is a defensive mind who believes in the defense that we are putting in place. We feel that with Garret and Monken (who we are very high on) that having a coach that is defensive-minded would be to our advantage. He has won a Super Bowl and learned from a Super Bowl winning coach.
And ultimately, he shines the brightest regarding our four criteria.
Regarding coaching, he's a winner and his former players scream his praises. Nobody in the NFL has utilized talent as well as Fewell; he found a way to get his four best defensive players on the field at the same time despite them all playing the same position. And not only did it not hurt them, it burned the opposition. His defensive philosophy is to get to the quarterback and that is what wins in this league. Plus, it has lacked in Cleveland for years. Also, he's a guy who is going to let his other coaches coach – and trust them – just like Tom Coughlin does. And the culture everywhere he has been (huddles, meeting rooms, and locker room) has been a winning culture. Perry Fewell units have carried themselves as champions and as a result they've become champions.
Cleveland, say hello to Perry Fewell.


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2 years ago, the Nets went into the summer of 2010 with hopes of landing Lebron James. Obviously, we all know how that ended for us. However, one of our main competitors in the chase for Lebron was the Knicks. Fast forward one year, and the Nets are once again attempting to land an all-star small forward in Carmelo Anthony. Where does Carmelo end up? On the Knicks. It is no surprise that the rivalry between the Knicks and Nets is becoming more heated than ever. Whenever a player states he wants to play in New York, immediately everyone starts arguing whether he wants to play for the Nets or the Knicks. Well, it looks like you can add one more all-star's name to the list of players these two teams will fight for: Dwight Howard.
Yup, you heard me. According to a reliable source (which no matter what you guys say, must remain unnamed), the chase for Dwight is going to come down to the Nets and the Knicks. It's no surprise that Dwight wants to play on our Nets. He has made that very clear since before the season began that he wants to open up the Barclays Center in a Nets uniform. On the other hand, we have heard no reports about the Knicks truly being a contender for Dwight. We have always heard Nets, Lakers, or Mavs. However, this source (who is an agent for many NBA players) has said that Dwight wants to play in New York, and while his preference remains the Nets, he would not mind playing on the Knicks. This scares me because of the fact that the Knicks could offer Orlando Amare and Chandler, which is a deal that would be very hard to top for the Nets.
The thought of the Knicks trading for Dwight really scares me. They definitely have the pieces to obtain him, he would most likely sign an extension there, and then we would most likely lose Deron. This would honestly be the worst case scenario for us. To lose another all-star to our rivals would be a dagger to the heart for this franchise, and could possibly set us back another few years. All I can pray for is that King works his magic (no pun intended) and comes up with a 3 or 4 team trade that will satisfy Orlando's desires and bring Dwight to the Nets. Until the night of March 15th, we are going to hear countless Dwight rumors, so be prepared. Just don't be surprised if the Knicks come out of nowhere and enter the race for Dwight near the deadline.
P.S. Please do not argue with this post and tell me it's not true. You may not want to believe it, but it came from a reliable source, and as a Nets fan, I thought it was my duty to share this news with all of you.


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Smart phones, Wi-Fi, social networks – we're doing more online than ever before. In fact, being constantly connected to our technology via mobile devices and online accounts is just part of our daily lives. Are you aware of the potential for cybercrime because of what you do, the devices you use, and important security steps you might be overlooking?
Today, Norton released the results of our 2012 Riskiest Online City study. We evaluated a combination of ten risk factors that might increase a person's risk for cybercrime. The risk factors included each city's real world cybercrime data from Symantec research and consumer data such as the amount of time spent online, availability of public Wi-Fi networks, adoption of social networking and use of smart phones. By crunching the numbers and evaluating the per capita rankings, Norton and partner Sperlings' BestPlaces came up with the list of America's 50 riskiest online cities.
Topping the list is Washington, D.C. at the #1 riskiest online city, followed by Seattle, WA and San Francisco, CA at cities #2 and #3. Now the reasons why one city might get a higher ranking than another can vary. In the case of Washington, the city ranked high for almost all the risk factors, including having a higher incidence of real world cybercrime activity (both infections and attempts on computers). San Francisco, where the residents tend to be extremely "wired" and early adopters of new technology, also enjoys a high number of publicly available Wi-Fi hotspots but ranked a bit lower in actual cybercrime activity, perhaps demonstrating higher levels of cyber safety awareness in that community.
The important take away for each of us is that the more we adopt, acquire and use new technology and online services, we have the potential to increase our risk for being hit by cybercrime. Yet, with awareness and vigilance, you can reduce that risk, no matter where you live in the world. I have three tips to share to help you stay on top of some of the main issues for stopping cybercrime:
You can read the press release of the study here.


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What weighs more, the ton of things wrong with "One Lucky Elephant" or the film's main subject? That depends, I guess, on whether you think that subject is Flora, the elephant of the title (though I never understood in what way she's "lucky"), or circus ringleader Ivor David Balding, who is still quite a heavy man. I see it as his selfish tale of not wanting to let go of his pet, star, friend, daughter and anything else he thinks of Flora, upon whom his St. Louis-based show is named. Balding and the elephant have been together 16 years, but she's no longer into circus work and needs a new home. Early on he tells a local news crew that the separation is like sending his kid off to college. If you're familiar with Doug Block's "The Kids Grow Up," there is indeed some similarity between that film's story of parent-child separation and this one.
A more obvious comparison, though, because both films involve the long, sad lives of animals adopted young and then transferred from home to home, is to be made with James Marsh's "Project Nim," which arrives in theaters weeks after "One Lucky Elephant" and is so poignant and polished it makes this film look like an amateur home movie. In fact, the camera quality on "Elephant" is such that actual home movie footage inserted into the doc is hard to distinguish from the material the filmmakers shot themselves. At least news reports are distinct; I'm pretty certain they were ripped from YouTube or a comparable site and look even worse. Suffice to say, if you must see it, don't bother with a screen bigger than your laptop.
Am I being too harsh? Normally I would think so. After all, what's the worth in me so negatively criticizing the decade-long effort of director Lisa Leeman and writer/producer/cinematographer Cristina Colissimo? Or even co-producer/composer Miriam Cutler, who also works for Circus Flora? That it ultimately, somewhat surprisingly reveals itself to be a set-up for a non-profit organization we can donate to in order to keep Flora well cared for at a sanctuary in Tennessee? That's one reason I need to be harsh, because why should you pay for a feature-length animal rights PSA? Particularly one that spends much of its running time seemingly celebrating the circus and the zoo and focusing on how cute baby elephants are before finally getting us to this relatively preferred refuge outside of Nashville?
I still wouldn't mind so much if "One Lucky Elephant" wasn't so highly praised by everyone else. It shows how low the critical standards for documentary are lately. Yes, I will give the film a few things. It presents a complex relationship and concentrates a lot of its time on a man who isn't so much a bad guy as just an easily unlikable one, and like the basic plot of "Project Nim" it displays the dangers of getting too close to creatures made to live in the wild, for us and them. It could be a little more discouraging of those institutions that encourage transport of elephants out of Africa and India in the first place. And as far as the character arc of Balding is concerned, there's never really any indication that he wouldn't just do the same thing over again, from the start or now with a new animal (as far as I can tell, Circus Flora has not gotten a replacement for its retired namesake).
The filmmakers don't have to worry, though. My reviews, while posted to Rotten Tomatoes, don't affect the Tomatometer, and so "One Lucky Elephant" can continue with its 100% score, which is typical for undeserving documentaries that are only reviewed by a few outlets, many of them consistently too gentle with non-fiction film -- and advertisements disguised as such.
"One Lucky Elephant" is now playing in NYC and opens in LA later this month.
Recommended If You Like: "Larger Than Life"; "Water for Elephants"; your grandpa's home movies from the zoo
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Follow Christopher Campbell on Twitter (@thefilmcynic)
DW | May 10, 2014 8:08 PM
Wow Chris,
You sure think you are important. Ha.
Lorenza | April 29, 2014 6:31 PM
The fact of the matter is all wild animals must be respected as the animal nature they are and kept with their kind in the wild of their environment. I was very sad for Flora. It is bad enough she witnessed her mother killed and taken from her pack to be sold for the benefit of those who slaughtered her family. She was bought by a man who forced her to be who she became. This in itself is very sad. How would we like it if someone bought us for a price, caged us and forced us to become what that someone wanted us to be? Not only was Flora devastated by her family being killed, she had to endure more suffering in order to entertain humans for man's benefit. It didn't matter what Flora wanted, it only mattered what that man wanted. I'm happy that Flora is finally with her kind living in the wild of freedom. Now she can think for herself without man forcing her to become what she is not.
Ashley | April 16, 2014 11:27 PM
I liked the documentary and I don't think he was being selfish at all. I think they should let him see flora since she was his " pet" after all for all those years and like he said he loves her and she loves him. People will say bad stuff about you no matter who you are so I think people shouldn't judge him by the decisions he's made because everyone has choices in life and he thought the choices he made was best for her. I think it was wrong for them to tell him he couldn't see flora and i hope they will change there minds soon. So quit being haters and try putting yourself in his shoes!!
Dave | April 16, 2014 9:08 PM
This review is terribly shallow, and totally misses some important elements within the story.
First, producing a documentary which spans the breadth of time and place as this tale will inherently include video of widely varying quality.
Second, Mr. Campbell doesn't seem to recognize the growth in David's appreciation for the animal's comfort and well being as both he and Flora age together.
And finally, David demonstrates a deep affection and caring for Flora long after she can no longer provide for him. Throughout the process he develops a tremendous understanding of Flora's needs and in the end did everything he could to make sure those needs were met, even to his own detriment; the pain in the loss of contact with her.
Is David flawed? Certainly. Is the documentary perfect? No, it isn't. But it does provide a beautifully intimate window into elephants, helping us to understand the amazing nuances of personality of which these spectacular animals are capable.
Ryan | April 2, 2014 1:06 PM
Susan - You don't get it and the irony here is that the writer of this article is talking about people like you and yet you continue to make comments to reinforce the fact that you still don't get it. You feel bad for Mr. Balding? Really? You feel bad that Flora can't visit with the man that kidnapped her, tortured her, caged her, forced her to be in a circus for his profit, etc? I don't understand your mindset here. Your justification is that they formed a bond since elephants have long memories and very close relationships. What if the relationship is forced since the elephant wants to eat? What if the relationship is forced because the elephant is kept in a trailer and doesn't want to get whipped? What if the relationship is forced since this is the only living thing the elephant has a chance to bond with?
The filmaker has succeeded in making you feel sorry for the man that created this entire problem.
Vendetta | June 26, 2013 9:33 PM
I am an animal lover of all species and enjoyed the documentary,"One Lucky Elephant." Though I too don't quite understand why she was such a lucky elephant. After watching this I felt very sad for Flora and Mr. Balding. Watching this has made me change my views about animals in circuses. I never gave it much thought until I seen how these animals are treated. I also think it was uncalled for to say Mr. Balding is still heavy. What does that have to do with the subject matter of this documentary? Do you think that Flora cared that he was heavy? He loved Flora but sometimes we don't do the right thing.
Donna | April 15, 2012 9:30 AM
Wow just want to say that after seeing this documentary the main feeling I got was what an unluckly elephant she was - not lucky. I was absolutely disgusted that the lady from the animal sanctuary refused to allow Mr Balding to visit Flora. To think that this small minded woman would think that it would be in the best interests of the animal to cut all contact with the only person in her life that she had established a real bond with is beyond comprehension. Not only now has Flora had to endure the cruelty of being separated from her family as a youngster but now she has to endure being separated from the only person that raised and cared for her and with whom she shared a bond and friendship. Great the person she trusted and known all her life has abandoned her. Yeah good on ya sister your really helping Flora - thats why she was throwing rocks at you to show her appreciation. You can see Flora dosen't think much of her new owners. I think that if Mr Balding new he wan't going to be allowed to see Flora again he wouldn't have sent her there in the first place and rightly so. Sure I dont condone circus animals but the reality is it happened to Flora and in the process she had someone she could trust. Its a shame he didn't stand his ground more and demand to see Flora. I feel sorry for Flora and Mr Balding.
Candace White | January 18, 2012 3:57 PM
I still feel disturbed after watching the documentary and had a feeling that I had missed something or misunderstood it - I can't get the image of poor Flora being trained out of my head. There seemed to be no compassion in it - for a young animal who had been traumatised already by the murder of her family (and we know how close elephants' bonds with their families are). I saw the film last night and still feel bad about what I saw. It's disgusting that so many idiot parents take their brats to circuses that use animals - maybe if they see this documentary they will think twice (although I agree that the film didn't really take a stand against circuses - I think that caused some of my confusion).
Definitely won't be watching the film about Nim - I wouldn't be able to cope with that at all.
Diane | January 17, 2012 10:01 PM
Just watched this documentary, a short reply, sad sorry little man that does not care about wild animals. This was all about him.
Brian | January 5, 2012 6:00 AM
Thank Heavens we have Christopher Campbell to tell us how things really are. There I was, feeling deeply moved by this documentary. But now I know better - although I couldn't tell while I was watching, it was actually pathetic! Yay Christopher!
Tabitha | December 14, 2011 7:36 PM
I say âDear Floraâ is indeed lucky. She may love him and he her, BUT, he let the cruelty happen to her, when she was being trained. She had no one else to love but he, no other elephants and they are herd animals. She was chained and disrespected totally, they have long memories. So I can see what Carol was saying. âShe wants Flora to relax and be with her own kindâ. And every time he came back, Flora got upset. There wasnât anyway to handle the problem, he had to stay away. If he had thoughts at all, he would have realized that.
She was just a baby when she went to the circus, which is why it so wrong to have âbig wild animals âin the circus and he didnât wasnât a great role model, I feelâ¦
Alana | December 14, 2011 1:27 AM
I am not sure Mr Campbell watched the same documentary as the one I just watched. I dont feel like I just sat through a PSA. They are usually boring as batsh*t and of no value...USUALLY. I feel Mr Campbell just took an instant disliking to Mr Balding.
Why did you feel it necessary to state " Ivor David Balding, who is still quite a heavy man"? Good lord man...I think Mr Balding knows he is carrying more than the ideal in body fat, but was it really necessary be sooo judgemental. I know I didnot have to read any further to know the vein in which your article was written.
Flors did not care that Mr Balding was "still quite a heavy man". I did not care for that matter. Are fat people less than in your eyes Mr Campbell. I can assure you Mr Balding probably has mirrors in his house, he did not have to do this doco to learn that bit of earth shattering news ...he is overweight...BIG DEAL..... Flora loves him for him.
You havethe hide of an elephant sir. Your article is an insult and I hope no one supports you or any employer of yours . I certainly WONT.
Mr Balding was sincere in this doco, and he acknowleged the rights and wrongs of his and others past actions. You chose to ignore that part of the doco.
Your review is biased, nasty and not a fair critique of the doco.
Les | December 6, 2011 7:34 PM
Bottom line: Flora's luck changed for the better when she arrived at the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. She remains there, with another African elephant as a friend, plus dedicated caregivers, ample space to roam, and state-of-the-art facilities for elephant care. In that sense, she is indeed one lucky elephant.
As for Carol, she no longer has any affiliation with the Elephant Sanctuary, aside from ongoing litigation. But you can google that at your leisure.
Whatever you may think about the film, or the motives of the people involved, it is irresponsible to cast aspersions on the Elephant Sanctuary, a non-profit organization that accepts retired zoo and performing elephants and provides them the closest thing possible to a natural habitat within the United States. It is an organization worthy of financial support, and if the film seemed like a PSA, so be it -- few entities are more deserving of a PSA.
Andrea | December 2, 2011 3:51 PM
All opinions are valid here, but the reality is we are incredibly selfish as humans, and need to rectify some of the havoc we have wreaked on other species. Elephants have always been my favorite animal, and they should NEVER be made to stand on a BALL! This documentary is important. I encourage anyone who is disturbed by preforming animals, to sign petitions at CHANGE.org under the "animals" section. Just type in "Elephants" and you can sign different petitions to help put a stop to Elephants in zoo's and circuses. Also, don't be afraid to share with your friends that taking their kids to zoos, circuses, and places like seaworld is ignorant and just plain wrong. Take care of all living things <3
shawn | December 2, 2011 11:54 AM
Did it every occur to you that it's of the subject matter, not the quality of the footage that is important here? You say of the film in your review: "If you "MUST see it..." WTH? Why aren't you encouraging everyone to see it? This film is not about the cinematography. It's about education.
The abuse heaped on Circus Elephants is a something everyone should know about.
The miserable lives these creatures live in Zoo's, in something everyone should know about.
What you do or do not like about a film is irrelevant.
Ben | August 9, 2011 6:21 AM
I liked it. I didn't see it on the big screen so maybe I wasn't aware of (distracted by?) the visual flaws. Certainly not as strong a film as Project Nim (although structurally I thought that film had flaws too). I thought it quite subtly evolved from a 'don't humans and animals have the closest bond' story to a quiet critique of animal captivity.
Pity - I'm a first timer to your blog and you had me agreeing with all your reviews until now...
Julia L. | June 11, 2011 2:10 AM
Wow. I have to wonder if Mr. Campbell (the reviewer) and I saw the same movie. Not only did the film poignantly explore big questions about what is family, how one lets go of beings that are deeply loved (and as both parent and an adopted person, this film really hit home for me), and how one can atone for unknowingly damaging another creature, it also raises all kinds of issues about both the ethics of keeping wild animals in any kind of captivity, including zoos and circuses.
The conflict between David, who raised Flora, and Carol, the woman who runs the Elephant Sanctuary, is hard hitting and heart breaking. I can't begin to understand why this reviewer thought the movie was a PSA. Moreover, to mention David's weight in such a mean-spirited way is reprehensible (without giving the plot away, David becomes ill as the film progresses).
The visuals in the film are honest and beautiful and match the richness of this film. One Lucky Elephant is deeply engrossing; the audience I saw the film with seemed to love it. The bathroom line buzz (I'm a woman, and if you ever really want to know what an audience thinks about a movie, listen in on line to the bathroom) was extremely positive as people discussed their feelings on both the movie and all the issues it raised. This movie touched me so deeply, and I sincerely hope people ignore this review so that they can have a chance to experience One Lucky Elephant. (BTW, I thought the film's title was meant in an ironical kind of way, not sure why the reviewer didn't pick up on it.)
Ty | June 9, 2011 11:21 AM
I have to agree with you - documentaries get too much praise these days, and all for the wrong reasons.
Cora Moore | June 8, 2011 4:29 AM
I don't totally disagree with your review. Flora is lucky because she is now living as wild as a captive elephant can in the USA. David Balding did hire lone elephant Dondi and her trainer for a season of his Circus Flora. She died last year of TB. I'm sure if it weren't for his health problems, he probably would try to get another elephant.
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Exercise is good for your child, but too much exercise can become a strain on their body. If your child ever begins to feel pain while exercising, they should stop their activity immediately rather than work through the pain.
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ACM SIGMICRO new membership offered at half-price to MICRO-34 registrants
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The ACM Special Interest Group on Microarchitectural Research,
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Mario Kart 64 Nintendo 64
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Date: Feb 10, 1997
- Critic Score
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If youve experienced Super Mario Kart on the SNES, this game will feel like a grand homecoming. New players of all skill levels will instantly pick up on the fun.
And on the eighth day, God created Mario Kart. He saw it, and it was good. [Jan 2004, p.189]
Although it doesn't break any new grounds in originality (like Mario 64), Mario Kart 64 is a great addition to the N64 line-up. The solid graphics, good sound, and addictive gameplay--coupled with features like being able to race yourself (from a former race) in a special ghost mode--make you want to play it forever.
Mario Kart 64 is much more of an arcade combat game than before but its lastability, like the 16bit original, will be measured in years not months.
A few new weapons, a 3D take and cleaner visuals can't hide the fact that this is essentially five year old game play that Nintendo could have done in its sleep. Although I found Mario Kart 64 to be eminently playable, I just couldn't shake the feeling that it was a knock off of the first game.
An improved version of the SNES game. It takes the same gameplay, the same controls, and the same modes and puts them into the 3D worlds made possible by the Nintendo 64.
It may be lacking the coins of the original, and the courses aren't as inspired, but it plays like a demon, and that's the important part, right?
A weak one player game, Mario Kart 64 excels in the multiplayer arena, and that alone is worth the cost of admission. Few titles can come close to this one in terms of party games.
User Score
Generally favorable reviews- based on 165 Ratings
User score distribution:
Positive: 47 out of 51
Mixed: 3 out of 51
Negative: 1 out of 51
Jul 5, 2012Maybe not the best version of Mario Kart out there, but probably the most sheer fun. Possibly the best multiplayer avaliable in video games, great maps, free-for-all battle mode... who am I kidding, it IS the best Mario Kart out there.… Full Review »
Jun 15, 2012Mario Kart 64 was an absolute fantastic title, don't get me wrong! I merely found that by today's standards, it is on nostalgic stilts and it doesn't quite stand up very well when we have such gems as Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. It still has great tracks, good music, and is still a fun time, but now seems to have gotten dusty. Furthermore, many of the tracks (especially the good ones) are in current Mario Kart titles. Overall, this Mario Kart 64 is a short, fun little title, but is sadly, overrated when compared to its own evolution.… Full Review »
Jun 7, 2011Wow this game is AMAZING! I don't have it on the original N64 console,but who needs it! I got the Virtual Console service by my side!Anyway this is the only racing game I play, no other. And it has my favorite plummer...MARIO! Soooo, in conclusion i love this game and it's a masterpiece to me.… Full Review »