text:
The Palace of Auburn Hills Detroit MI (Live Music Venue)
+ content
The Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills - Description
The Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills, often referred to simply as The Palace, is a sports and entertainment venue in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, USA. Opened in 1988, it is the home of the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. Since 1998 it has also hosted the Detroit Shock of the WNBA. It was also the home of the defunct Detroit Vipers of the IHL (1994–2001), Detroit Safari of the CISL (1994–1997), and the Detroit Fury of the AFL (2001&nda...
The Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills, often referred to simply as The Palace, is a sports and entertainment venue in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, USA. Opened in 1988, it is the home of the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. Since 1998 it has also hosted the Detroit Shock of the WNBA. It was also the home of the defunct Detroit Vipers of the IHL (1994–2001), Detroit Safari of the CISL (1994–1997), and the Detroit Fury of the AFL (2001–2004). It has also hosted numerous concerts and other special events throughout its history.
Before The Palace opened, the Pistons had lacked a suitable home venue. From 1957 to 1978, the team competed in Detroit's Olympia Stadium and Cobo Arena, both considered undersized for NBA purposes. In 1978, owner Bill Davidson elected not to share the new Joe Louis Arena with the Detroit Red Wings, and instead chose to relocate the team to the Pontiac Silverdome, a venue constructed for football, where it remained for the next decade. While the Silverdome could accommodate massive crowds, it offered substandard sight lines for basketball viewing. A group led by Davidson bought vacant land in Auburn Hills from Joseph Shewach, and built The Palace there for the relatively low cost of $70 million, using entirely private funding. The Davidson family holds a controlling interest in the arena since its construction, first through Bill and currently Karen.
The arena opened in time for the Pistons' first NBA championship season, in 1988–1989. Since then, when one of The Palace's basketball occupants has won a championship, the number on its address has changed. Its current address is 6 Championship Drive, reflecting the Pistons' three NBA titles and the Detroit Shock's three WNBA titles (the Detroit Vipers' 1997 Turner Cup championship has not been officially recognized in the arena's address). The original address was 3777 Lapeer Road.
The first musical act to perform at The Palace was Sting, on August 13, 1988, followed by David Lee Roth, Pink Floyd and Crosby, Stills and Nash.
The Palace was also the site of an assassination attempt on Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page while he was on tour with former band mate Robert Plant during the "No Quarter Tour". On March 31, 1995, Lance Alworth Cunningham, a 23 year old who thought that Led Zeppelin music contained "satanic messages", tried rushing the stage with a knife. The man waited until the song "Kashmir" started and then made his charge for the stage while waving the weapon. The man was tackled by patrons and security about 50 feet from the stage.
The Cure recorded their live album Show at the arena across two nights on July 18 and 19, 1992. Also, KISS recorded their third live album here on November 27, 1992.
Phish played the arena on December 6, 1997. They also played there during their fall tours in 1995, 1996, & 1999.
The arena hosted WCW World War 3 pay-per-view on two occasions in 1997 and also in 1998 as well as WWF's SummerSlam in 1993. On August 26, 2001, Madonna broadcast live on HBO her Drowned World Tour. It hosted TNA's Slammiversary event on June 21, 2009.
The Palace was the home of two brawls, one between the NBA's Pacers and Pistons and the other between the WNBA's Shock and Sparks.
In 2008, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the arena, it was announced that The Palace would be raising banners to the ceiling for musical acts that have had multiple sold-out shows at venues owned by Palace Sports & Entertainment. Bon Jovi was the first to get a banner in February followed by Neil Diamond in July. In addition, these artists received banners outside the building on lightpoles along with other members of Palace Sports & Entertainment's most attended acts including Kid Rock, Bob Seger, The Dave Matthews Band, The Barenaked Ladies, Van Halen, Rod Stewart, Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Tim McGraw and Jimmy Buffett.
Something wrong with this listing?
Report a problem
Something wrong with this listing?
Report a problem
Submit a Quick Report
- Content Issue -
Important page lacking content
Ugly content
Non-nightlife content
Massage/Swinger content
Duplicate page
Symbols in title
Cityname/details in title
Symbols in description
Ranks out of order
Selling something
Wrong content added
Advanced Report
Address: 5 Championship Drive
Detroit MI US (Auburn Hills)
Venue Type:
Live Music Venue - Stadium / Convention Centre
About clubZone
Terms of Service
About Us
Sell Tickets Online
ticketZone Support
Sell Tickets on Facebook
White Label Ticketing
Web-based Box Office
Ticket Printing
Wristband Printing
Drink Tickets
Follow Us
New Years Eve Events
Times Square NYE
Find parties, nightclubs and tickets with the clubZone nightlife app!
Top Clubzone Cities In
Top Clubzone Cities In
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
New York
San Francisco
© 2001-2014
myZone Media Inc.
All rights reserved


text:
County sex charges have been filed against a community activist who works for Cleveland City Hall.
A Cuyahoga County Grand Jury has indicted James Box on eleven charges, including kidnapping, attempted rape, attempted sexual battery, gross sexual imposition and soliciting.
Court papers say this involves at least one incident at Amer-i-can office on Lee Road in Shaker Heights. Box is accused of groping two young women.
Box has been outspoken working in the streets.
19 Action News contacted Box about the charges by phone and he said, "I didn't know anything about that. None of that's true."
Box has been suspended without pay from the city's Community Relations Department.
Copyright 2013 WOIO. All rights reserved.
LIKE Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Get Text & Email Alerts Download our Apps Send us photos & video
7831 N. Business Park Drive
Tucson, AZ 85743
(520) 744-1313
FCC Public File
EEO Report
Closed Captioning
FCC Public File
EEO Report
Closed Captioning
FCC Public File
EEO Report
Closed Captioning

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Are you looking for someone to MAKE SURE that your conference or event will go off without a hitch?
Do you need someone who can deal with any situation, regardless of how big or how small it is?
Would you like someone on your team who can also work with your
sponsors and exhibitors to ensure they get the most out of your event?
You have come to the right place!
Warwick is a Master MC. What that means is you don't just get a few jokes and introductions, you get guidance, support and you also get to relax knowing your event is in good hands.
Many executives really know their stuff but they tend to put people to sleep when they start to talk about it. As your Master MC Warwick will coach your executives on how to best deliver their message in a way that gets engagement from the audience. He is also happy to share with you his experience from the thousands of events he has been involved in to give you some ideas if you would like them.
As co-founder of the Exhibiting and Sponsorship Institute he is intimately familiar with what it takes for the sponsor to have a successful event. He works with them, their presentation style and will even facilitate a sponsor panel to make sure they get the results they need to be willing to sign up again for next year.
On performance day, Warwick is your man – you need something, just ask. As a Master MC he is there to make your event a massive success and will do what it takes to make that happen. Click some of the buttons above to find out more, see Warwick in action or start the booking process.
How Do You Get People To Take Action?
Warwick's experience is that one of the biggest challenges that marketers, sales people and managers face is how to get other people to take action. To address this, Warwick wrote a short report on What Makes A Good Call To Action. If you want to get a copy of this report, simply sign up to his Weekly Motivator and it's yours as a gift.
Do You Have a Conference Emergency?
One of the services Warwick offers is as a last minute MC. This is particularly useful for Melbourne based events but he will happily travel to your required location (depending on travel time and availability) if needed.
Some of the Emergency Solutions he has provided include:
• At the start of Day 2 of a conference, the high profile MC had a flare up of kidney stones and had to be rushed to hospital. With in 40 minutes he was on stage as MC for the conference and finished the day with a topic relevant song.
• A speaker called in ill for a conference 30 minutes prior to their session. Warwick was able to arrive at the conference and run an interactive session that was voted Best Session of the conference
• Due to a date mix up, the keynote speaker at a conference Warwick was MCing missed the conference. With 15 minutes notice he gave a highly popular and relevant plenary keynote.
If you have a Conference Emergency, call Warwick directly on 0408 592 158 to see if he can help you.
In particular I appreciated the way you kept me informed prior to the event and your early arrival.
As the organiser it gave me one less thing to worry about!
Your ice breaker was perfect. It was a load of fun and directly linked to our brand in a way I could have never imagined.
It was so easy to deal with you and you really contributed to the success of the event.
Warwick I highly recommend your MC services and look forward to using you again in the near future.
Warm regards
Dana Grgas
Events Manager
Australia Human Resources Institute
I just wanted to say thank you for the amazing job you did yesterday as the MC for TEDxMelbourne.
It was always going to be a challenging day with our decision to stream vision from the USA. It was particularly challenging in that their feed was not as reliable as we would have liked. Your ability to get back on stage at the right time and fill in with relevant and thought provoking questions and facts was fantastic. The fact that you held and even enlivened the crowd during this difficult moment did not go unnoticed.
Our AV team were so impressed with how you dealt with the situation as well as the rest of the audience.
Your flexibility on and off stage just made the day so much easier for us as event organiser. I look forward to working with you again and highly recommend your MC services to others.
Warm regards
Jon Yeo
TEDxMelbourne Licensee


text:
I have a Cheez-It problem. You're not listening, I really have a Cheez-It problem! I have never met a Cheez-It I didn't like. Some people can't resist chocolate or ice cream, some people it's pizza or some other food or sweet. While I enjoy all of those foods on occasion, Cheez-It's are the food equivalent of crack cocaine for me. (Note: * Cheez-It's are a cheese flavored cracker made by Sunshine foods and can be found on the shelves of any major food store in the US.)
It takes all my willpower to pass up the isle where the Cheez-It's reside on the shelves at my local grocery store. My ever-loving girl friend Kimberly rolls her eyes at me in shear disgust when she sees how weak I am to the power of these little crackers, which draw me in like a cheese flavored black hole. "But you have given advice on nutrition to millions of people Will, how could you of all people be so weak willed about some little cheese flavored cracker?!"; she says. I hang my head in shame and avoid eye contact with her for the rest of the day...
The point of this introduction is to point out we all have our weaknesses and we are all human; even me. I find Cheez-It's to be cheese flavored morphine!
This small problem got me to thinking. If there is one thing I have learned after all these years of doing nutritional research, writing countless articles on the topic of nutrition, and working directly with people on their diets, it's this: it's rarely one single thing a person does that is sabotaging their efforts to lose fat and or gain muscle, but a bunch of little things that have an accumulated effect.
There are some amazingly simple behaviors and strategies we can all add to our nutritional goals and workout plans that will have a positive effect. Using my own addiction to Cheez-It's as the primary example, I am going to cover a few of these surprisingly simple yet effective strategies. A few issues to keep in mind:
- Taken alone, these simple tactics will have very little effect. Used alone without any other dietary changes and an exercise plan, these strategies won't amount to much. However, as I mentioned, it's often many minor mistakes adding up to a lack of results for people, and taken in that context, these are some simple mistakes that can be avoided, hopefully resulting in an accumulated effect in a positive direction.
- I didn't invent any of these tips. They are some of the oldest and simplest tips you will ever read. I don't even know who first came up with them, and I bet most people have seen these strategies in other places, such as various diet books, articles, or web sites. I do however think that they may be so old and so simple that most people with the best of intentions about their nutrition and exercise plan, don't follow these simple concepts.
These tips are more about behavior changes and psychology than nutritional science, study results, or research. I have written many articles based on the later topics, but this is not one of those. If you are looking for more in-depth science oriented information about nutrition, supplements, and fat loss or gaining muscle, I suggest reading my ebooks on the topic and the many free article on my web site www.brinkzone.com.
Next Page: Simple Bodybuilding Weight Loss Tips.


text:
|Home > About SkillsUSA > Key Facts > Fact Sheet
SkillsUSA Fact Sheet
Overview: SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student to excel. SkillsUSA is a national organization serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations, including health occupations and for further education. SkillsUSA was formerly known as VICA (the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America).
Membership: More than 300,000 students and advisors join SkillsUSA annually, organized into more than 17,000 sections and 53 state and territorial associations. Combining alumni and lifetime membership, the total number served this year is more than 350,000. SkillsUSA has served more than 11.6 million members since its founding in 1965.
Mission: SkillsUSA's mission is to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens.
SkillsUSA is an applied method of instruction for preparing America's high performance workers in public career and technical programs. It provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development. It builds and reinforces self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. It emphasizes total quality at work including high ethical standards, superior work skills, life-long education, and pride in the dignity of work. SkillsUSA also promotes understanding of the free-enterprise system and involvement in community service.
Partners: In 2014, more than 16,000 teachers and school administrators served as professional SkillsUSA members and advisors. More than 600 business, industry and labor sponsors actively support SkillsUSA at the national level through financial aid, in-kind contributions, and involvement of their people in SkillsUSA activities. Many more work directly with state associations and local chapters.
Programs: SkillsUSA programs include local, state and national competitions in which students demonstrate
SkillsUSA programs also help to establish industry standards for job skill training in the lab and classroom, and promote community service. SkillsUSA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and is cited as a "successful model of employer-driven youth development training program" by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The SkillsUSA Work Force Ready System is a comprehensive tool to help students document entry-level skills as defined by industry and accepted by state education policy. Developed under a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant, the Work Force Ready System features 47 industry-driven assessments.
The Professional Development Program (PDP) teaches 84 workplace skill competencies in a series of hands-on self-paced lessons.
The Career Skills Education Program (CSEP) contains 49 online lessons teaching basic employment and life skills to college/postsecondary students.
Student2Student Mentoring gives high school students a chance to mentor younger students in the area of career development.
CareerSafe is a credentialed 10-hour online training program developed in cooperation with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to provide students with basic knowledge of safety and a credential desired in the job market. It is offered by K2Share.
For more information:
Jane A. DeShong Short, Program Manager
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together
to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student excel.
SkillsUSA | 14001 SkillsUSA Way | Leesburg, Virginia 20176
SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit and tax-exempt student organization under the Internal Revenue Service Code, Section (501)(c)(3).


text:
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Officials are taking a close look at Saturday night's police-involved shooting that left two bystanders wounded.
As WCBS 880′s Paul Murnane reported, police sources said Glenn Broadnax told investigators he was on a death mission as he stumbled into traffic outside the Port Authority Bus Terminal around 10 p.m. on Saturday.
Broadnax, 35, wandered through traffic and pointed his fingers at police like a gun, 1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg reported.
- Review Under Way After Bystanders Hit During Police-Involved Shooting Outside Port Authority
- WCBS 880′s Paul Murnane Reports
In response, two officers fired a total of three shots, which all missed the emotionally disturbed Brooklyn man but struck two female bystanders.
John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor Maki Haberfeld said the department will evaluate the officers' training and disciplinary records. As a matter of practice, the department always reviews police-involved shootings.
She said recent incidents, like the brutal deadly attack on a soldier in London, serve as a reminder that police officers are on high alert for dangerous individuals.
- Review Under Way After Bystanders Hit During Police-Involved Shooting Outside Port Authority
- 1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg Reports
"Believe me, this is the biggest nightmare of any police officer: to be forced to shoot in a crowded situation. That's something that no police officer ever wants to be part of," Haberfeld told Murnane. "It's hard to expect police officers to be able to diagnose the person who behaves in an erratic manner, 'oh, this is just somebody who has some emotional or mental problems' as opposed to somebody who is going to push a button and explode themselves."
In a statement, the NYPD reiterated that officers …read more
Source: CBS local New York


text:
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight contenders Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald faced off in a pivotal showdown at last night's (Nov. 16, 2013) UFC 167 from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
To watch full fight video highlights of Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald right now click here.
No. 3-ranked MacDonald sought to prove that he was the rightful heir to the next UFC 170-pound title shot against surging Lawler, who knocked out Josh Koscheck and Bobby Voelker in rapid succession earlier this year.
MacDonald had won his last five mixed martial arts (MMA) in a row. But he also experienced a ton of criticism for his most recent performance, a clear but rather uninspired unanimous decision over Jake Ellenberger at UFC on Fox 8 in July.
This one turned out to a war, with Lawler pulling off the huge upset in one of the biggest wins of his long and storied career. Let's take a look back at a defining moment for Lawler at UFC's twentieth anniversary show.
The fight started out tentatively at first with MacDonald looking to utilize his superior reach to keep the power striking of Lawler at bay. MacDonald controlled the Octagon but didn't put forth a ton of volume. Lawler threw some good low kicks at the lead leg of "Ares." MacDonald threw continuous front kicks to create distance as Lawler struggled to find an opening. He finally got one with a kick and some follow-up punches.
The second round saw MacDonald go for a single leg early on. Lawler fought back with a few shots and then went to the body. MacDonald opened up his striking game with hard body punches. It was a back-and-forth battle on the feet until MacDonald scored the fight's first big takedown, controlling Lawler. "Ares" landed some sharp elbows to close out the second frame.
Lawler came out throwing heavy leather in the last round, tagging MacDonald clean. Lawler threw a knee but was taken down. The fight got stood up and Lawler launched another big hook. MacDonald went for the takedown, getting it for a brief moment before Lawler reversed to rain down shots. "Ruthless" floored MacDonald with a great combo and swarmed to look for the finish. The veteran fighter continued to score points from side control on a dazed MacDonald.
Not to be outdone, MacDonald went for an armbar and then got a big takedown to land more elbows as the fight came to a close.
It was a war that had Lawler take home a tense split decision. With the win previously number ten-ranked Lawler will get huge boost up the rankings. He wraps up an absolutely huge 2013 with three finishes in what may be the most talented in all of MMA.
The sky appears to be the limit for the rejuvenated Lawler. A bout against the winner of next month's Carlos Condit vs. Matt Brown bout could provide an excellent fight for Lawler as the seemingly confusing title picture at 170 pounds gets worked out. He could even be fighting Johny Hendricks for either the interim or official Welterweight championship.
Either way, "Ruthless" will be ready.
Not long ago it was considered inevitable that MacDonald would soon be facing the tough decision of fighting his good friend and training partner Georges St. Pierre for the belt. After two subpar performances, MacDonald will have to go back to the drawing board. Perhaps he suffered from a bit too much hype, the kind that comes from having an inflated ranking that wasn't quite yet deserved.
He's still a very young and talented combatant with a bright future ahead of him. However, he needs to re-evaluate his fighting style and shift his focus away from superior gameplanning to taking his opponents out. He has the ability to finish some of the best in the world; he may just be overthinking matters.
"Ares" will be back. But will he ever be as good as people expected him to be already?
Robbie Lawler continued his huge run at Welterweight by knocking off the favored Rory MacDonald. The surprise contender will get another huge bout in his next trip to the Octagon. Just who should that be?


text:
(WRCB) - The front that brought the heavy rain yesterday has moved on by, and behind it we now see the cool, dry air settling in.
Temps this morning are in the upper 40s and low 50s. This afternoon highs will only reach the mid 70s. The normal high is 82. With the low humidity, the air will feel amazing today.
We will warm back into the low 80s tomorrow through Saturday, but another front will push through on Saturday. It will not bring much in the way of rain (only a 20% chance), but it will give us a reinforcing shot of cool air that will know highs back into the 70s and lows into the 40s by Sunday.
Download the WRCB weather app for the interactive radar and the 10 day forecast.
900 Whitehall Road
Chattanooga, TN 37405
(423) 267-5412
WRCB Jobs EEO | FCC Public Files


text:
Today, Irsay tweeted this little nugget:
Yea I saw Barkley n Luck last nite,and there's others with big time potential..but we want 18 back under center soon/18 now-2012Class future
Let's break this down.
First, Irsay says that Barkley and Luck have been seen, and mentions that there are others. This indicates to me that drafting Luck isn't a foregone conclusion in Indy. The Colts are obviously still considering the "trade-down-but-still-draft-a-quarterback" route. This would land them a great load of picks, but would let Luck be picked up by another team.
This is interesting and all, but it's not the part that interests me. I figured the Colts were still considering that.
The interesting part is this little bit: "18 now-2012 Class future." This hints at the Colts drafting a quarterback (possibly Luck), but also keeping Manning.
This has been proposed by many fans, for Manning to tutor a new quarterback, but has also been dismissed by many as an impossible solution. Irsay also specifically denotes the future as the 2012 class, not a generic future class. This could indicate that the Colts are definitely planning on drafting a quarterback in the spring.
Of course, this could be all just motivational speak coming from Irsay, to keep the fans' hopes up. But it's always nice for the fans to be able to speculate about something.


text:
Win Tickets to See The Joy Formidable on March 22nd!
Welcome to Ticket Tuesdays, a new weekly chance for you to score entry to some of the hottest shows and events in the Bay Area.
This weird, cloudy weather got you down? Lift your spirits with a major dose of power pop courtesy of The Joy Formidable. This anthem-obsessed UK band visits the historic Fillmore this Friday (along with opening acts Guards and Fort Lean), and we're giving away a pair of tickets to get your weekend started off right.
All you have to do is sign up for our newsletter below by Thursday, March 21, and a winner of these two willcall spots randomly. The winner will be notified via email. Good luck!
The Big Drink 2014: 50 Cocktails to Try Before You Die
The Big Eat 2014: 100 Things to Try Before You Die
The 2012 Big To-Do SF: 100 Things To Do Before You Die
The Big Veg 2011: 50 Vegetarian (Or Vegan) Things to Eat Before You Die
The Big Sweet SF: 50 Treats to Eat Before You Die
50 Things to Do in Wine Country Before You Die


text:
By one measure more than 32 years in the making, India's new aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, departed Severodvinsk harbor on June 8 and sailed into the White Sea for trials, including takeoffs and landings of Mikoyan MiG-29K/KUB fighters and Kamov Ka-27 helicopters.
The prototype MiG-29K (side number 311) was loaded by crane onto India's new aircraft carrier in Severodvinsk last month. The Sevmash Dockyard said that work to convert the former Russian cruiser Gorshkov is 90 percent complete.
India agreed to buy 80 Mil Mi-17V-5 helicopters worth $1.2 billion during a visit to Delhi by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev early this month. These will replace 35-year old Mi-8 choppers the Indian Air Force currently flies. The deal includes weapons options and an offset obligation worth $405 million. Accompanying Medvedev were Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdukov and United Aircraft Corp. chief Alexei Fedorov.


text:
Bob describes what fans can expect from the last game of the regular season.
News-Gazette.com embraces discussion of both community and world issues. We welcome you to contribute your ideas, opinions and comments, but we ask that you avoid personal attacks, vulgarity and hate speech. We reserve the right to remove any comment at our discretion, and we will block repeat offenders' accounts. To post comments, you must first be a registered user, and your username will appear with any comment you post. Happy posting.


text:
Houston, Texas woman Audrey Deen Miller, 42, must have heard about the recent incident in Florida in which Michael Jones beat his girlfriend with her own dog, because when her husband threatened the cat, Miller was ready for him. On September 25, 2012, around 7:15 a.m., Miller and her husband were reportedly arguing about their cat. According to Assistant Police chief Mark Herman, "The husband was arguing with the wife about the cat. He was taking the cat outside, threatening to harm it. The wife retrieved a weapon and shot him in the stomach." Of course, it's also possible that she likes the cat better than she likes her husband. Police were called in after neighbors heard the shot and Miller was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The husband was reported in stable condition at a local hospital, and the cat is fine.
Man Takes a Stand Against Drugs — By Abusing Animal?


text:
NEW ORLEANS - The state of Louisiana has now joined a lawsuit filed by Mississippi challenging new flood insurance rates tied to the Biggert-Waters Act.
Insurance commissioner Jim Donelon filed a brief supporting that lawsuit, which calls for Congress to study the impact before the rate hikes are implemented.
It's an issue that has riled residents of Louisiana and other coastal states, and homeowners like Cheryl Kelly of Venetian Isles have been paying close attention.
"It's really crazy," said Kelly. "How can you say we're going to charge you these rates?"
The Biggert-Waters Act, which was designed to prop up the nation's flood insurance program, was going to impose huge rates increases on some homes.
"I have hired the lawyers that GNO Inc. was working with and joined with Mississippi, Florida and Massachusetts," Donelon said.
Two months ago, the state of Mississippi filed suit against FEMA to block the implementation of the new rate hikes. Now, Louisiana has joined in and filed an amicus, or "friend of the court" brief, showing its support.
"It calls for a suspension of the rate increases until the study is done, and legislation has been introduced, but it's gotten pushback in Congress," Donelon said.
Louisiana's legal strategy gives the state two chances of success when it comes to blocking rate hikes that could devastate homeowners, businesses, and in some cases, whole communities.
"An amicus brief says we do generally support, but it allows us to look and see what happens in Mississippi, and depending on how that goes down, maybe we file identical or modify it to increase chance of success," said Michael Hecht with GNO Inc., which has been crusading against the rate hikes.
Venetian Isles homeowners say joining the lawsuit in Mississippi could help develop cooperation and save their community. They also say it could lead to the development of a Chef Menteur land bridge that could protect the entire region.
"If we could coordinate with Mississippi to see what their issues are, I think it would be more cost-effective for everyone concerned," Kelly said.
While the region works on long-term flood solutions, Louisiana will wait to see if the courts offer some insurance rate relief before Congress acts.
"The lawsuit is a good strategy, and it shows Washington D.C. how serious this issue is," said Hecht.
For homeowners, there's still a long way to go, but the war against massive rate hikes has begun.
In addition to the lawsuit, there's a bill to postpone the new insurance rate hikes. Michael Hecht says a bipartisan group of lawmakers is now trying to get it attached to the defense bill, but it's not known if it will succeed.
Donelon says the rate increases would have a negative impact in as many as 20 states, but he says no state is as adversely affected as Louisiana.
Fox 8 WVUE-TV
Louisiana Media Company, LLC.
1025 S. Jefferson Davis Parkway
New Orleans, LA 70125
General Number: (504) 486-6161
News Tips: (504) 483-1503
News Room Fax: (504) 483-1543


text:
Police shot and killed a man Sunday evening following an alleged armed robbery attempt in New Jersey.
The 45-year-old man was shot at the corner of Hillside Avenue and Kingsley Street in Leonia around 4:30 p.m.
Police say the incident is still under investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutors Office.
KDFW FOX 4400 N. Griffin StreetDallas, Texas 75202
Main Station Directory:(214) 720-4444News Fax:(214) 720-3263 or (214) 720-3333


text:
Yet another lie used by a Government run "health" program to create scare tactic posters to hype up the "war on obesity". The second (heavily Photoshoped) photo is being used on posters and ads on buses. http://jezebel.com/government-org-photoshops-little-girl-makes-her-fat-to-511392761
Source: jezebel.com
37 Notes/ Hide
- cats-are-great-man reblogged this from mintygreenelephant
- ladyvyolence likes this
- mintygreenelephant reblogged this from fatoutloud
- mintygreenelephant likes this
- hoboandbunny reblogged this from ixhaku
- ixhaku reblogged this from fatoutloud and added:
? This is simple science. EXCESS SUGAR MAKES YA FAT.
- hypocriticalsjws reblogged this from fatoutloud and added:
Seriously guys, sugary drinks don't make kids overweight! Don't you know anything?! Fuck you, scientists and nutritional...
- transcosette likes this
- alxxturner likes this
- ashnaismyname likes this
- maggiemunkee likes this
- therodentqueen likes this
- bigliftingbaby likes this
- mother-blobfish likes this
- fatandsassy2013 likes this
- bambi-babie reblogged this from mother-blobfish and added:
I think the same way she does ^^^ Fat can be healthy, but it usually isn't. And yeah, sometimes people are just built...
- mother-blobfish reblogged this from fatoutloud and added:
Wow it truly is amazing!! Even a fellow fat person wants to tell me I have self hate!!! The only problem I have with fat...
- fightcps likes this
- viewovermerryton likes this
- ainisblog likes this


text: Strict Standards: Redefining already defined constructor for class XML_Parser in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/os.php on line 1188 Strict Standards: Declaration of XML_Parser::raiseError() should be compatible with PEAR::raiseError($message = NULL, $code = NULL, $mode = NULL, $options = NULL, $userinfo = NULL, $error_class = NULL, $skipmsg = false) in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/os.php on line 1604 Strict Standards: Declaration of XML_Unserializer::startHandler() should be compatible with XML_Parser::startHandler($xp, $elem, &$attribs) in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/os.php on line 3503 Strict Standards: Declaration of Cache_Lite_File::get() should be compatible with Cache_Lite::get($id, $group = 'default', $doNotTestCacheValidity = false) in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/cache.php on line 1020 American Poems: Kitchen: Silpat toaster oven 7 7/8 x 10 13/16 for a 8 x 11 sheet pan Home Apparel Appliances Books DVD Electronics Home & Garden Kindle eBooks Magazines Music Outdoor Living Software Tools & Hardware PC & Video Games Search All Products Apparel Appliances Arts & Crafts Automotive Baby Beauty Books Computers DVD Electronics Gourmet Food Grocery Health Home & Garden Industrial & Science Jewelry Kindle eBooks Kitchen Magazines Miscellaneous Mobile Apps MP3 Downloads Music Musical Instruments Office Products Outdoor Living Pet Supplies Photo & Camera Shoes Software Sporting Goods Tools & Hardware Toys VHS Video On Demand PC & Video Games Watches Wireless Wireless Accessories Advanced Search Sitemap View Cart Checkout Location: Home » Kitchen » Silpat toaster oven 7 7/8" x 10 13/16" for a 8" x 11" sheet pan Silpat toaster oven 7 7/8" x 10 13/16" for a 8" x 11" sheet pan enlarge Other Views: Brand:HIC Harold Import Co. Category:Kitchen List Price: $13.95 Buy New: $12.90 as of 9/2/2014 22:25 EDT details You Save: $1.05 (8%) In Stock New (13) from $12.90 Seller:checkysdeals Sales Rank:4,181 Number Of Items:1 Size:10.87" x 7.87" Shipping Weight (lbs):0.1 Dimensions (in):10.5 x 7.5 x 0.1 Warranty:limited warranty MPN:AE275200-01 Model:2385 UPC:814442002757 EAN:0814442002757 ASIN:B0050YG8GQ Availability:Usually ships in 1-2 business days Features: Non-stick baking mat; made of silicone Made of silicone; reusable Heat resistant up to 480 degrees Easy to clean Similar Items: Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat, 11 5/8 x 16 1/2-inches, Half Sheet Size Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Jelly Roll Pan Baking Mat, 14-1/2-Inch by 10-Inch Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Microwave Baking Mat, 10.25-Inch Diameter Octagon Animewild Nonsitck Cookie Sheet 11 X 8 Toaster Oven Granite Ware Mini Toaster Oven Cookie Sheet Editorial Reviews: SynopsisSilpat is an indispensable kitchen tool, for professionals and amateurs alike. No more greasing and flouring pans, baked goods will slide off this ingenious baking sheet as soon as they are cool. And the surface distributes heat brilliantly for even baking. This innovation, made of fiberglass and silicone, is good for over 2,000 uses, and is FDA, NSF and Kosher certified. Silpat is an award-winning product, and has been highlighted on the Food Network. This new size is made just right to fit on a toaster oven tray. A perfect way to do everything from heating pizza to baking cookies, chicken and more! It is completely non-stick, and can be used at temperatures up to 480 degrees. CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME. Brought to you by American Poems Categories •Apparel •Appliances •Arts & Crafts •Automotive •Baby •Beauty •Books •Computers •DVD •Electronics •Gourmet Food •Grocery •Health •Home & Garden •Industrial & Science •Jewelry •Kindle eBooks •Kitchen •Magazines •Miscellaneous •Mobile Apps •MP3 Downloads •Music •Musical Instruments •Office Products •Outdoor Living •Pet Supplies •Photo & Camera •Shoes •Software •Sporting Goods •Tools & Hardware •Toys •VHS •Video On Demand •PC & Video Games •Watches •Wireless •Wireless Accessories Subcategories Home & Kitchen Features •Featured Categories Related Categories •Baking Mats Baking Tools & Accessories Bakeware Kitchen & Dining Categories •Home & Kitchen Features Home & Kitchen


text:
By David L. Ulin
LA Times
---- — Earlier this month, when I was in the desert, I spent some time with A.S. Fleischman's Southern California noir "The Sun Worshippers," written in the early 1960s and unpublished until now.
Fleischman, who died in 2010 at age 90, is perhaps best remembered as Sid Fleischman, the Newbery Award-winning author of such middle reader novels as "The Whipping Boy" and "By the Great Horn Spoon!"
Yet before he wrote for kids, Fleischman was a screenwriter who also published popular fiction: thrillers, crime novels, westerns. His 1960 novel "Yellow Leg" — reprinted in the same omnibus paperback edition as "The Sun Worshippers" — was the source of Sam Peckinpah's debut, "The Deadly Companions," for which Fleischman wrote the script.
"The Sun Worshippers" is a tale of hubris, the story of Gamage, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist turned failed screenwriter, who finds himself in the desert town of Thebes, Calif. ("City of the Sun"), where he has agreed to write the authorized biography of a wealthy land developer who is building a full-sized pyramid as a twisted sort of self-tribute and a real estate come-on.
Gamage is smart enough to see this for the con it is, but he needs the money. And there is unfinished business with a woman (isn't there always?), who happens to be the developer's daughter-in-law. It's a classic setup, which is both the novel's charm and its failing — that it doesn't do enough with the tropes of noir, Southern California culture or the desert, that it doesn't make us feel them at the core.
And yet, reading "The Sun Worshippers" makes me think of other desert writing, going back to Mary Austin's "The Land of Little Rain" (1903). "Scratch the surface a little and the desert shows through," Bertolt Brecht wrote about the region, and it's a theme that marks our local literature.
Raymond Chandler and John Fante — the magnificent closing scenes of "Ask the Dust" (1939) take place in the desert — Carey McWilliams and Joan Didion and Hunter S. Thompson ("We were somewhere around Barstow," Thompson begins "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (1971), "on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold"): All of them address the desert, understanding it as a central underpinning to Southern California, the elemental territory from which the region was developed and to which it will return.
As for more recent evocations, I'd recommend Ruben Martinez or Hari Kunzru, whose "Desert America" and "Gods Without Men," respectively, came out this year.
Richard Rayner's 1988 novel "Los Angeles Without a Map" comes to a head in a taut desert scene. Then there's Tod Goldberg, whose terrific 2009 collection of short stories, "Other Resort Cities," uses the desert as a kind of metaphorical leaping-off point, examining the fallout of a rootless culture — not unlike the one in which a man might build a desert pyramid to himself.


text:
|A to Z Listing | Recently Added | Search Agency Services
Service Description
The Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) Information Services Division (ISD) provides outside plant cable installations through the Planning, Design and Engineering (PD&E) Section. The PD&E section plans and prepares drawings for construction of new, and removal or rearrangement of existing, overhead or underground lines, cables and conduits to obtain optimum and economical utilization of communications facilities. PD&E has the ability to analyze traffic loads, evaluate available and existing lines, and estimates or forecasts of projected traffic to determine new construction or rearrangements and/or cable removals if required. PD&E selects routing of lines and equipment required for newly engineered projects. PD&E prepares detailed construction and installation drawings, estimates equipment, labor and material costs. Initiates work authorization request and submits requests with substantiating drawings and documents to management for approval. PD&E orders material and equipment required and directs work activities to ensure conformance with engineering specifications and work authorization.
Supporting a building's internal Structured Cabling Solution (SCS), PD&E performs all services using the Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) methodology of installation for all types of cable media including copper, coaxial and fiber optic cables. This methodology provides and incorporates all telecommunication standards such as Telecommunication Industry Association/Electronics Industry Alliance and American National Standards Institute (TIA/EIA/ANSI) codes and procedures. PD&E services include all aspects of Telecommunication transport such as voice, data, video (CCTV,ctv) and wireless cabling to the customers demarcation points while complying with federal, state, local government fire and electric codes and standards. OSF/PD&E contracts only qualified vendors that possess certifications through BICSI for all installation and repair services. This comprehensive approach provides high quality, standards based, wiring infrastructure for all state agencies, Universities, Colleges and local government entities throughout the State of Oklahoma. PD&E provides high quality transport material through vendor contracts that grants a one year warranty from date of purchase.
The PD&E maintains 4 categories of services:
Category A
Category B
Category C
Category D
Note: After the design phases for each category, the PD&E manages the procurement and installation phases of the project by ensuring continuity, efficiency and professional results. Each phase includes comprehensive end to end testing and a five year warranty on labor from the date of installation.
Upon completion of the requested work, an acceptance form is presented to the customer approving and accepting the work.
Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI)
OMES has adopted BICSI as the state's methodology for all cabling throughout the State of Oklahoma. The PD&E section will review and advise architect/engineers of the state's requirements for cable placement and equipment in Point of Demarcation design. Using the latest in CAD software, the PD&E can input computer based design drawings for cabling infrastructure design and review. The customer can expect:
Customer Benefits/Responsibilities
Customer Market
This service is available for all Oklahoma state agencies, offices, officers, bureaus, boards, commissions, counsels, units, divisions, bodies, authorities, or institutions of the executive, legislative or judicial branches of state government. It is also available to counties, municipalities, townships, tribal governments and other political subdivisions.
How Do We Charge?
The PD&E fees are established by state statute and dependent upon the size and requirements of the project. A sliding scale is use to determine the cost of the project and any change orders requested.
Please contact the OMES Service Desk if you need any addition information about services in this catalog.


text:
If you thought Tracy Morgan couldn't be more rambunctious than as alter ego Tracy Jordan, just wait til you hear what's cooking at FXX.Read More »
As we said yesterday when we were running down the best TV shows of the last year, the season is officially over, and Emmy voting for the 2013 installment of the awards closes tomorrow. Having run down our favorite series, we wanted to turn our attention to some of the performers who've been appeari...Read More »
"30 Rock" is gone, but Tracy Morgan was never meant to stay off the air for long. The "Saturday Night Live" alum is starring in a new comedy pilot for FX called "Death Pact," the network announced today.Read More »
The teaser trailer for Blue Sky Studio's "Rio 2" has just hit the internet and the brief clip doesn't explain much, instead encouraging you to shake your tail feathers while you'll undoubtedly wonder, at least for the first thirty seconds or so, if you're watching a commercial for a feature-length v...Read More »
This has been a crazy week for animation news – Henry Selick's seemingly doomed "The Shadow King" got resurrected; DreamWorks Animation's financial troubles became very public (leading to schedule shifts and the cancellation of one film); and now here's another bit of animation world news to get the...Read More »
If the last few years have been a golden age of TV, 2013 might mark the end of that era, as many of the shows that have been the highlights of the last few years are wrapping up this year. We've already seen the underrated "Fringe" finish, "The Office" and "Breaking Bad" are wrapping up this summer,...Read More »
Good news, guys! Not only is the "Arrested Development" movie getting made, but it's going to get a sequel! And they're both going to win Oscars, too! That's according to Chloe Moretz anyway, who's been to the future, so she should know. And, like Zach Galifianakis, you'll also be able to have a ra...Read More »
Yes, Jesse Eisenberg and Melissa Leo have made their first film together with "Why Stop Now." But while they are both known for being solid dramatic actors, the feature debut from writing and directing pair Phil Dorling and Ron Nyswaner finds them exercising their excellent comic skills instead.Read More »
IFC Films acquired North American rights to the Sundance indie dramedy titled, which was titled Predisposed, but will now be called Why Stop Now, with the tagline, "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Rehab," as the first official poster shows.Read More »
When recorded series go live, it's usually hard to overcome the stuntiness of it all. (Alec Baldwin promised in a promo that the live 30 Rock would be "liver" than ever, so we all get to make up new words). But 30 Rock found a brilliant, hilarious meta-solution by making its l...Read More »


text:
(This story is long.. I am writing it down maybe more for me then anything… it has played through my head a million times since it happened, and I am just blown away by how powerfully it has impacted us… so thank you for indulging me!)
Last Thursday was a busy day for me… I had lots of errands to run and hubby had been gone all week and I thought he was coming home that night. I had wanted to get the house all cleaned and finish up all my chores that I had not completed throughout the week.
I had lots of plans, and not much time to do them in!
I needed to stop by and mail the business section of the Star Tribune to sweet Migdalia, one of the neatest ladies I have ever met! She and I and a bunch of other wonderful bloggers were just in an article the ST ran. (Migdalia lives in New York though, so didnt have access to a physical copy.)
I was chatting with Lee, that runs our little post office, and my neighbor Lindsey walked in. We chatted for a second and then I apologized, but I had to run. Busy day!
Walking out I glanced to a white car in the parking lot that was running and had people in it, then turned my head to the left. What I saw made my heart stop.
There, lying on the ground, was an elderly woman. It appeared she had fallen. I ran over to her and reached for her arm and was going to try to help her up when I saw blood everywhere. She had fallen and hit her nose (we later learned it was broken) and was bleeding from a gash on top of her nose as well as from within.
(I also learned later that she was on medication that thins your blood, so this contributed to the 'gush')
She was so calm… just saying over and over, "I'm fine…really, I am fine."
I, however, was not. The other car in the tiny parking lot started to back out and I shot the passengers a frantic look.
They kept driving.
I turned and banged on the window and tried to get my neighbors attention… luckily she saw me and rushed to the womans aid as well.
I knew that we needed to get her out of the bitter cold and get her head back. Lindsey mentioned that we might need to call an ambulance.
I picked her up and helped her to her car as quickly as could when Lindsey appeared with a first aid kit and was able to get some proper bandages on the wounds.
After Shirley (the elderly womans name) was reclined in her car and the blood stopped for a bit we could see how bad it was. Her nose was completely pushed to the right and her lips were black and blue and swollen, and she was missing some teeth.
Shirley lives with her disabled husband in our small town. Lindsey and Lee and I stood in the cold and tried to figure out how we were going to get her to the hospital 25 minutes away.
Finally, it was decided that (the most wonderful neighbor and kindest person in the world) Lindsey would drive her and I would follow. That way if Lindsey needed to go inside with Shirley I could watch her four kids. (I had my three kiddos in my car and she had her four in hers!)
We got Shirley to the hospital where the nurses met us outside with a wheelchair and helped get her inside. When we went to leave they were a little perplexed, "Dont you want to stay with her? This is your mother right? Or grandma?"
Lindsey and I just looked at each other… "No, no… we just found her outside our post office. We were just worried about her."
They seemed a bit surprised but rushed to get Shirley inside and taken care of.
The next day Lindsey called and let me know she had been in contact with Shirley. Yes, her nose was broken. She had lost some teeth but was going to get into her dentist that day to get them repaired. She was unable to eat due to the pain, but was hoping to get a shake that afternoon.
The kids and I had talked a lot about what happened. When they saw Shirley and the blood and the blood all over me, they had been understandably shaken and confused. Why was she alone mom? Why was she bleeding? Will they take care of her at the hospital?
They were very concerned!
We all agreed that we were going to adopt Shirley and her husband Don, and do everything we could to make their lives a little easier.
We made lasagna and cupcakes and brought them over to Shirleys house.
The moment she had opened that door I started getting all teary and reached over and just hugged her. This sweet woman, who less then 24 hours ago had been a complete stranger, had captured my heart.
When Colton (seriously the bravest kid ever) saw Shirley, he was visibly shaken. She has two huge black and blue eyes and a swollen mouth and her nose was quite swollen and bandaged. In spite of her physical state, she was hopeful and gracious… sure she would be making a full recovery very soon!
We gave her the food and told her we would like to stop back and check up on her if it was ok. She smiled and said, "That would be the most wonderful gift ever."
I agree… but I think we are blessed ones!
I tell you, I was so touched by Shirley. She was brave and kind.
I was also just blown away by my neighbor! Lindsey dropped everything she was doing to just reach out and help a total stranger. She was considerate and caring and patient and loving with Shirley. Such an inspiration!
Shirley and Don are definitely enduring a difficult trial with this whole experience… and right before the Holidays. I cant even imagine the toll it has taken on them already. Prayers that she heals so quickly please!
I am just so grateful for how God revealed Himself through this experience.
He put everyone in place that needed to be there that day to help her.
He also really put it on my heart that I need to give back more and get out of this selfish routine I am in.
And that if I wanted to teach my kids compassion and care that they needed to see it in me. They needed to see mommy making unselfish choices and reaching out to people in need.
Sadly, I'm not sure they had seen that before.
I think we are going to be getting to know a lot more about Shirley in the near future.
I just know she is a blessing from God!
If you dont mind just offering up a prayer for her that she may heal quickly and be able to help with her disabled husband, that would so be appreciated!


text:
The progenitor of virtualization was Turing's Universal Machine. Two-way translation between logical functions and strings of symbols is no longer the mathematical abstraction it was in 1936. A single computer may host multiple, concurrent virtual machines; "apps" are coded sequences that locally implement a specific virtual machine on an individual device; Google's [...] servers constitute a collective, metazoan organism whose physical manifestation changes from one instant to the next.
George Dyson, Turing's Cathedral
Turing Linux is an operating system (OS) comprising a minimal base just sufficient to support VirtualBox (VB), providing quick access to other OSs. This is useful for teaching or learning GNU/Linux and for testing or exploring other OSs, without having to re-boot to switch between them. Multiple OSs can be run at the same time. It has 2 versions: Basic – just enough OS to run VirtualBox, & the enhanced version which includes a few tools to make the distro usable for a few other basic common tasks (such as web browsing). Either of these could be used as a starting point for a new distro. Each version also contains Remastersys which can be used to generate an ISO file of the current system.
The Turing Linux Operating System, is a Debian-based Linux distro designed to facilitate the creation and running of Linux distros. It is a minimal distro offering little more than a Linux kernel, standard GNU/Linux utilities, a small graphical user interface (OpenBox), a VirtualBox (VB) in which to run guest Linuxes, and Remastersys (RM) for the creation of distributable copies. It comes in 2 versions: Basic & Enhanced.
The objectives of TuringOS are to provide:
- A barebones foundation for building new, Debian-based distros;
- A distro that facilitates the exploration or demonstration of various other Linux distros.
Use Cases
- Distro hopping. Explore multiple distros simultaneously, no need to reboot or switch computers, you can have multiple windows each with a different OS.
- Teaching Linux. Demonstrate the various Linuces to your students easily (a variant of distro-hopping but worth an explicit mention).
- Use the same computer for multiple purposes, e.g PVR with say Mythbuntu, + general PC with a less stripped-down system.
- Accomodate multiple users with different OS preferences.
Why is it named Turing Linux?
A Universal Turing Machine is a Turing Machine (TM) that can simulate the action of any other TM – essentially by using a description of the other TM. Similarly this distro can simulate the action of any other distro by using its description, namely the ISO file you put into VirtualBox. And besides, there's surprisingly little actual (as opposed to theoretical) computer stuff named after Alan Turing. There is a programming language called Turing, which appears to be all but defunct. So, I dedicate this distro to the memory of Alan Turing.
1 comment for "Turing Linux"
Great initiative, good to know, a kind of meta Linux distro so to speak. I will give it a shot.


text:
Tuesday morning a Charlottesville judge dismissed an underage possession of alcohol charge against former University of Virginia quarterback Peter Lalich.
Lalich was arrested last July and put on probation. He violated that probation when he continued to drink.
Lalich was kicked off the team in September and transferred to Oregon State. He was ordered to complete an alcohol program, and is compliance with that program in Oregon.
Reported by Tracy ClemonsSee Bio / Email


text:
Casual UFC fans who are relatively new to the sport might be wondering why some Japanese guy they've never seen before is headlining UFC Fight Night 21.
Kenny Florian told Fighters Only magazine what he thought about the arrival of Takanori Gomi in the UFC:
"I think it's a huge treat for the hardcore fans who've been following this sport for awhile. It's always surprising to have newer fans who ask me who I'm fighting and I say 'Takanori Gomi' and they say 'Who is that?' And I'm like, 'You haven't been following this sport, obviously.'"
Because if you had been following MMA in anything resembling a serious fashion for the last 11 years you'd have heard of Takanori Gomi, "The Fireball Kid."
There's a lot more to the story, but here are the three things to know about Gomi:
- The Greatest Lightweight in Japanese MMA History: He was the first PRIDE lightweight champion, earning his title in one of the most competitive and stacked tournaments in MMA history including Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, UFC champ Jens Pulver, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Joachim Hansen, Yves Edwards and Luiz Azerado. Before that he was the long-time Shooto champion after beating the legendary Rumina "Moonwolf" Sato and going 14-0 to start his career.
- Gomi vs Diaz: One of the Greatest Fights in MMA History: Gomi's epic No Contest (LOSS) against Nick Diaz at PRIDE 33 in Las Vegas has to be one of the most entertaining fights I've ever seen. Gomi blitzed Diaz early on with a barrage of wild punches out of no where before gassing a bit and getting worn down by Diaz' combination punches. In the second Gomi tagged Diaz again, shattering his orbital bone, but Diaz held on and began to once again wear down a fading Gomi with precision punches in bunches. Gomi dove for a take down and found himself caught in a gogoplata. Diaz' win was ruled a No Contest due to a positive marijuana test.
- Brought a Brutal Boxing Game to Japanese MMA: Although he began as a champion grappler as a teen, Gomi's mature style relied on his blazing fast power punching. This was a departure from the traditional submission minded Japanese fighter and electrified fans.
Sounds great, right? Well the problem is that Gomi's lost 2 of his last 4 fights and 4 of his last 11 (if you count the Diaz fight as a loss). Jake Rossen sums it up:
Thirty-one isn't osteoporosis territory, but Japanese standout Gomi has spent 11 years on the fight circuit. That's approaching the expiration date for all but the most genetically favored athletes. It's not that Gomi has dropped fights with the kind of spectacular fades reminiscent of Chuck Liddell and Matt Hughes; it's that his in-ring disposition has been a mixture of bored and drained. He insists a U.S. tour will reinvigorate him. We'll see.
So how does Gomi explain his recent mixed results? MMA Junkie reports:
"I'm lazy," Gomi admitted with a laugh. "It was hard to stay motivated for fighting for so many years. I knew I should have trained more before the fights. But when I go to the ring now, I want to show an explosive fight.
"So many fighters are coming from all over the world (to fight in the UFC). I had been training in the same way for years. But now I'm more excited, and my conditioning is very good."
Gomi has certainly seemed bored fighting for the stumbling Sengoku promotion ever since the end of PRIDE. Even in his hey day he proved prone to being upset, losing to Marcus Aurelio in a non-title fight (he later avenged that loss) and coming in out of shape against Nick Diaz, whom he was expected to beat. But he's only 31 and might very well have something left in the tank.
Lots of quotes and fight videos in the full entry.
Here's Josh Gross' original write up of the Gomi-Diaz fight:
For Gomi it was yet another non-title affair against a good, quality submission fighter with a serious mean streak. Nick Diaz(Pictures) represented as dangerous an opponent as Gomi - whose strong chin and heavy, fast hands had morphed him into a bit of a banger these days - could find.
The result? Possibly the most entertaining fight in PRIDE history, one that forced both men to the hospital afterwards.
They went after one another from the start. Gomi put Diaz on the floor and walloped him with big right hands, but having been under the likes of Diego Sanchez (Pictures) and Karo Parisyan(Pictures), the deeply experienced 23-year-old from Stockton, Calif. remained calm.
Diaz said after Friday's weigh-in that Gomi was simply too small for him, and he was right.
The pace became furious after they stood and Gomi landed a shot that put Diaz back on the floor. The traditional 170-pound fighter recovered well and bounced his fists off Gomi's stationary, unprotected face. Jab, straight, left hook. Jab, straight. Right hand lead. Everything Diaz threw connected.
It was impossible for Gomi to weather the attack, but he did, if for no other reason than a staunch refusal to go down. But he paid a serious price, and a NSAC-appointed ringside physician examined Gomi closely between the first and second periods.
They went back at it to start the second, and Diaz suffered a nasty gash underneath his right eye. The 28-year-old Gomi seemed invigorated, but that changed rapidly when Diaz started to bounce more strikes off his face.
Gomi, hurt, moved in for a double-leg. It left him exposed to Diaz' lethal ground game and before his back had touched the canvas, the limber American slung his left leg over Gomi's right arm, locking it underneath the former Shooto and current PRIDE champion's neck.
Diaz (15-6-0) brought his other leg up to lock the gogoplata - an almost theoretical submission that has now finished fights on consecutive PRIDE cards - and force a tap at the 1:46 mark.
Here's the fighter of the year award article Sherdog did in 2005:
Sherdog.com has selected Brazilian Mauricio Rua and Japanese Takanori Gomi as its 2005 Fighter of the Year recipients. This is the first time the honor has been shared.
Both men dominated competition en route to winning separate PRIDE Grand Prix belts.
Gomi capped off his fantastic 2005 by knocking out Hayato Sakurai (Pictures) on New Year's Eve to capture the PRIDE Lightweight Grand Prix title, becoming the first native Japanese to hold a PRIDE belt. Like "Shogun," the 27-year-old Gomi was unbeaten in five fights this year, doing all his dirty work from May through December.
Gomi's road to the title was not an easy one. Before stopping Sakurai the former SHOOTO welterweight champion submitted the man many felt would be his stiffest challenge in the tournament, Tatsuya Kawajiri, by rear-naked choke 7:42 of round one. Later that same evening, Gomi (23-2-0) would scrap for 15 minutes against Chute Boxe's Luiz Azeredo, winning a unanimous decision and advancing to the Grand Prix finals. That also marked his second victory over Azeredo in 2005, the first coming by way of vicious first-round knockout. Rounding out his year's effort, Gomi decisioned a scrappy Jean Silva in July.
Here's a great Genghis Con video HL of Gomi's greatest hits:
Gomi vs Diaz part 1
Gomi vs Diaz Part 2
Gomi vs Jens Pulver PRIDE Bushido 9, opening round of the GP
Gomi vs Ralph Gracie:


text:
Hey Gaslamp Ballers:
Interleague play returns,and guess what:the Padres are scheduled to take on the New York Yankees June 17-19 at Yankee Stadium. We Padre fans know about the '98 World Series when those Yankee fans with IQs so low they have their own wind chill factor chanted "Padres Suck" when the N.L. Champions were introduced. And of course,the Yanks,who won 114 regular season games,swept the Friars,and many Gaslamp Ballers were disgusted when the Yankees celebrated the sweep at the Q. Some of my favorite highlights from the '98 World Series:
1. Tony Gwynn's home run to the upper deck of Yankee Stadium in Game 1. The greatest home run he ever hit. The greatest World Series home run in Padres history.
2. 65,000+ fans attending Games 3 and 4 of the Series,not only the largest crowds to see a ball game ever in San Diego,but that is also larger than any crowd at a World Series game at that cesspool at Chavez Ravine. Dodger fans,you've been owned!
3. While the Yanks celebrated their 24th World Championship,the 65+K at the Q gave the '98 N.L. Champs a curtain call,thanking the Padres for a great season,and the greatest moment in San Diego sports history.
4. And during the opening week of the 1999 season,the Padres proudly raised the 1998 N.L. Champions banner and the Padres received the N.L. Champions rings,a reward for being the greatest Padres team ever.
Yes,the Pads and Yanks have met during interleague play. In 2002,the Bronx Bombers made their only regular-season appearance in San Diego to date,winning 2 out of 3,but the Padres played hard in all 3 games,with Brian Lawrence stifling New York for San Diego's 1st ever win over the Yanks,and in the 2nd game of that series,61,000+ fans came to the Q to see a future Cy Young Award winner named Jacob Edward Peavy make his Major League debut against New York...and by the way,the game was on national TV,courtesy of Baseball on Fox. (Peavy did very well in that game.) In 2004 the Padres and Yankees played at Yankee Stadium,and in the 1st game,the Friars spanked the Yanks 10-3,as Adam Eaton dominated Murderer's Row (Jeter,A-Rod,Matsui,Sheffield,Giambi,Posada,etc.) and Phillip Joseph Nevin put the icing on the cake with a huge home run in the 9th inning to lock this one up for San Diego. The Padres lost the 2nd game of that series,although Dennis Tankersley (?) pitched a decent game,and in the 3rd game,former Yankee David Wells returned to the Bronx,and for once the Yankee fans who chanted "Padres Suck" 6 years ago,would cheer for a Padres pitcher who was one of the Yankees' own. Boomer pitched a heck of a game,but the Padres' bullpen could not give David the win,and the Yanks won in extra innings.
Now the Padres and Yankees meet at Yankee Stadium,this time this will be the final season for Old Yankee Stadium as the new Yankee Stadium will be built for the 2009 season. We know the Padres and Yankees are struggling,with San Diego fighting to just have a decent season,but the Yankees are doing bad too. Remember when Notre Dame had that 0-5 start,and a 3-9 season last year (which included 38-0 disasters against USC and Michigan)? Hopefully like the Fighting Irish's upcoming 2008 schedule,the Padres fortunes will change for the better when they will take all 3 games from the Yankees in two weeks at Yankee Stadium.
If any of you Gaslamp Ballers have any comments on this post,feel free to do so. And:are there any Padre fans in New York City? Gaslamp Ball invites you to tell why you are a Padres fan. And I invite all Gaslamp Ballers to share their thoughts of the '98 World Series,and were they there at the Q,and were they there for the '98 pennant ceremony and the ring presentation?
Go Padres...Experience it! Sweep the Yankees on June 17-19!


text:
By Brandon Artiles - bio | email
JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Mississippi corrections officials revealed that Jamie and Gladys Scott will be released from prison on Friday. The Scott sisters were serving double life sentences until Governor Haley Barbour announced last week that he was suspending their sentences.
Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps confirmed that the two will be formally told of their Friday release from state prison in Rankin County on Thursday.
Epps said that Jamie Scott would undergo a dialysis treatment on Thursday for complications with her kidneys. Jamie Scott's kidney condition was a factor in Barbour's decision to release the women from prison early. Gladys Scott has promised to donate a kidney to her sister.
The Scotts were given life sentences for their involvement in a 1993 armed robbery in Scott County that netted anywhere from $11 to $200, based on court records.
Copyright 2011 WLBT. All rights reserved. AP contributed to this report.
Hershey Company has unveiled its new corporate logo.?More >>
Hershey Company has unveiled its new corporate logo.?More >>


text:
If you placed an order on ApplianceHelp.com the order is still valid and you can check on its status and make changes here on PartSelect.com. Click here for more details.
Enter your model number and our Instant Repairman will help diagnose and fix your appliance.
Need help finding your model number?
A dryer's drum support rollers are essentially in the same spot on every dryer, regardless of a dryer's brand. Support rollers are installed below the drum. In order to gain access to and remove your dryer's drum support rollers, you will have to open your dryer's cabinet, and remove its drum. If you haven't done so already, open your dryer now. See the link below if you need directions.
You might notice that the roller on the left is more worn than the one on the right. This is actually quite common, but both rollers do need to be replaced at the same time. They may be held in place with either a nut or a simple spring clip. Remove the nut (or clip) before you remove the roller.
Discard the worn drum support rollers and replace with new ones. Use only one drop of oil on the hub. Over-oiling will lead to an accumulation of dust and lint, which can shorten the life of your rollers.
Replace your dryer's drum, reassemble the cabinet, and restore power to the unit. Run your dryer through a cycle to ensure it is operating as it should.
All brand logos are trademarks of their respective owners.
The PartSelect logo is a Registered Trademark of Atlantic Laundry Centres, Ltd.
Copyright © 1999-2014 , Eldis Group Partnership. All rights reserved.


text:
It's a girl for Lisa Ling and her husband Dr. Paul Song.
The former "View" co-host and current "Our America" host gave birth on Friday, March 8, E! News reports. The baby, named Jett Ling Song, was born at 1:24 p.m. and weighed in at 6 pounds and 6 ounces.
"Lisa and Jett are resting comfortably," a statement from OWN, the network that airs Ling's show, said. "The proud parents are enjoying the first day of parenthood and are looking forward to bringing their daughter home."
Ling, 39, and Song wed in 2007. The baby girl is the first child for the couple.
In December 2010, during an interview on "The View," Ling opened up about having a miscarriage. The journalist said she suffered the miscarriage about two months into her pregnancy.
"I just felt like such an incredible failure and I felt so alone when it happened," Ling said at the time. "I wasn't ready to tell any of my friends about it.
"I jumped online, I started pouring through blogs. Once I did start talking to friends, I realized that it's so pervasive," she added. "Almost every one of my friends has had one at one time or another but nobody talks about it."
Ling currently hosts the show "Our America" on the OWN network. The show documents controversial subjects in the United States like online brides, drug addictions, sex offenders and religious movements.
The journalist was a co-host of "The View" from 1999 to 2002. After she left the show, Elisabeth Hasselbeck joined the panel. It was recently reported that Hasselbeck might leave "The View," however, a spokesperson for ABC said that Hasselbeck has a "long-term contract" with the show.
On Thursday, March 7, it was announced that Joy Behar was leaving the daytime series at the end of its current season to concentrate on other projects.


text:
Expired Property Listing
This property is disabled.
Sanibel Surfside 117 in Sanibel Island
- bedrooms 2
- baths 2
- sleeps 6
- pool yes
- hot tub no
- pets allowed no
- type Condo
- community
rates (USD)
/ night
$ 1,295 - $ 2,845 / week
vacation rental description
The Sanibel Surfside Complex is a relaxing and quiet complex located just off of Middle Gulf Drive. Unit 117 is a two bedroom/two bathroom gulf front condo located on the first living level(elevator in the building). Offers Two TV's, Two VCR's, stereo w/CD Player, wireless internet access, full kitchen and washer/dryer. Sanibel Surfside offers pool, tennis and BBQ Grills on-site. Weekly minimum. Can accommodate up to six people.
condo rental amenities
BBQ Grill Community Pool Elevator Internet Access in Property Tennis Courts Washer/Dryer In Unit


text:
1. Donald Moeller executed 22 years after his crime
Tuesday night South Dakota closed the book on what could be considered one of its most gruesome murder cases—a case that spanned 22 years.
2. Portrait of what Becky O'Connell might look like today
Tina Curl, Becky's mother now lives with her family in Lake Luzerne New York. She told us earlier this fall that she was going to do anything she needed to in order to make sure she was back in Sioux Falls for Moeller's execution. She told us she was raising money to afford the trip back to Sioux Falls.
3. Death Toll Reaches at Least 51 in Sandy's Wake
At least 51 are confirmed dead and at least 2 are missing in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. Many died after getting hit by falling trees. Eighteen were reported dead in New York City.
4. 8M Without Power on East Coast
Some 8 million people were still without power on the east coast Tuesday night. Nearly 4,000 utility workers from as far as California are expected to arrive in New York City this week to help restore power.
5. Sandy, by the Numbers Sandy by the numbers: it has been 124 years since bad weather caused financial markets to shut down. Water reached a record high level at Battery Park in Manhattan on Sunday night, rising to 13.88 feet. Netflix saw a 20 percent increase in video streaming on Oct. 29 compared to one week ago. New York University has canceled classes until Nov. 5.
Removing poison ivy, sumac or oak plants


text:
And so begins the second half of WVU's spring practices.
On Sunday night, the team took the field two hours later
than normal, presumably done in an effort to allow the players and staff to
celebrate the Easter holiday.
Another change in the schedule was that the media would only
be allowed 25 minutes of observance as opposed to its usual 30. With that in
mind, let's get into five-sixths of an ordinary practice's news and notes,
starting with the scrimmage.
That Orange Bowl offense seemed to pick up right
where it left off in January. The first drive, which is the only one the media
was allowed to see (and even that apparently was only because we weren't shooed
away quickly enough), lasted just five plays.
Geno Smith got the ball going with a
first-and-10 at his own two-yard-line by connecting with Tavon Austin, who had
lined up in the slot to his right. Austin caught the ball far enough downfield
to gain the first down, but this was tackle football and no one was able to
bring him down before he had picked up 55 yards.
With the offense rushing to the line to
catch the defense before it had time to fully grasp what had just happened, the
run game got a chance to show its stuff. Shawne Alston rushed up the middle for
12 yards before Andrew Buie caught a screen in the flats and took it all the
way to the 3-yard-line, a gain of 28.
The only setback in the drive came on the
next play, when the offense was called for a false start that gave it a
first-and-goal from the eight rather than the three. But that was no deterrent
for Alston, who rumbled forward those eight yards for six points.
While the offense was chest bumping and
celebrating its 76th point of the new year, the defense seemed in
disarray. It hardly had time to figure out what had occurred on the first play
before it was suddenly being scored on. Co-defensive coordinator Joe DeForest
could be heard on the sideline saying, "All missed tackles."
WVU's offense has the talent to make missed
tackles turn into scores, and the defense needs to make sure this is the only
offense that witnesses its inability to bring down a ball carrier.
There wasn't time to jot down the starters on
defense, which actually seems more intriguing, but I did make note of those on
offense. The line consisted of Quinton Spain at left tackle, Josh Jenkins at
left guard, Joe Madsen at center, Jeff Braun at right guard and Pat Eger at
right tackle.
Quarterback Geno Smith got things rolling
behind center with Alston at "A" back and Ryan Clarke at "B" back, while
Austin, Stedman Bailey and Ryan Nehlen made up the receiving corps.
No real surprises there, but with the
combination of a camera to operate, notes to take and high-tempo offense at
work, I didn't notice what other personnel got on the field other than Buie.
Ivan McCartney, though not in the starting
lineup, was back in action throughout individual drills today. McCartney has
been struggling with an injury and listed as day-to-day for much of spring.
If you are an offensive recruit, you must be
pleased by what occurred on that initial drive. There were a number of high
school prospects on the field Sunday, including Anthony Jennings, a 3-star
quarterback with 14 offers according to Rivals.com, who hails from Marietta,
Georgia. Before the scrimmage began, Dana Holgorsen asked the 6-foot-2,
200-pound Jennings if he wanted to take the first snap. Difficult to predict
whether or not he would have also come away with a 55-yard hook up to Austin.
A few other recruits on hand included a running
back from Lanham, Maryland named Shamik Perry and Derwin Gray, a 4-star
offensive tackle with 13 offers from some big programs. Daron Roberts is in
charge of Gray's recruiting and he is certainly a player high on the
Mountaineers' list as they look to develop depth on the line for the future.
WVU got things started with special teams again
and again the focus was kickoff return. A surprised onsides was snuffed out by
Wes Tonkery on the first kick and the second was blocked perfectly for Austin
to get to the sideline and assuming Bailey picked off the last defender, it
would have been a touchdown.
Then again, that's the starting unit
against scout team, so the odds are ever in the return team's favor.
Actual officials with real whistles and striped
shirts were on the field to make sure the Mountaineers weren't doing anything
illegal through the course of each drill and into the scrimmage.


text:
I know football starts tomorrow, but Volleyball starts today dammit. As the only Michigan team to probably be in Houston this year, you best believe I'm going to go see my favorite women's sport and write about it. Plus the team is actually pretty good. And attractive women in spandex are much more attractive than attractive women not in spandex. It's a fact.
Volleyball started off the season right today with a sweep (3-0) versus Louisiana Lafayette and the Rajun Cajuns at Fox Gymnasium on Rice University's campus. Unfortuantely for yours truly, Rice's athletic facilities are currently under a large amount of construction and Rice, despite all their brilliance, can't post signs directing people to the playing site. The site itself was a dump of a practice facility. The tournament is held at the basketball arena which won't be open until basketball season. I ended up missing the first game and the first handful of points in game 2. Without knowing it, I sat behind the Rice coach who gave me a good run down of the portion I missed. To quote her, "It was 25-10," with the scrunched up type of face that just says, "It was ugly."
Fast forward to a 9-5 lead by Michigan in game 2. When I arrived the 1st Michigan front was already on the court. The primary attack group features outside hitter junior #18 Juliana Paz, senior middleblocker #2 Beth Karpiak, and junior rightside hitter #5 Megan Bower. The Rajun Cajuns appeared to have a gameplan set up to shut down Bower. This opened the door for Karpiak. While rather spotty on nailing her one-sets (a quick set to the middleblocker) during game two, any two-set (more traditional set to the middleblocker) was blasted to the floor. Paz was the main force in keeping the game close throughout the middle of the second game. UL-Lafayette had no chance to block most of her shots as she mixed both the line and cross shots with high velocity and great accuracy. Michigan took this game 25-22, but never trailed after my arrival.
In set three, it was all Michigan, all the time. Karpiak appeared to have much better communication with sophomore setter Lexi Zimmerman. UL-Lafayette appeared well overmatched and fell soundly 25-17.
A couple things were exposed in the first match of the season:
There is a great difference between Michigan's top front row and its secondary front row. Paz, Karpiak, and Bower are leaps and bounds better than Rood (Jr Outside), Bruck (RS Fr. MB/Right side). Rood was couldn't land any kills in the third game and was replaced by freshman outside hitter Alex Hunt. She did not impress much either, but had limited action on the court.
The second thing easily noticeable in this game was Michigan's lack of height. Michigan's top three top out at six foot one. This may hurt when it comes to the Big10 season against the behemouths at #1 Penn State who measure no LESS THAN six foot three, much less #13 Wisconsin or #16 Minnesota. Blocking against UL-Lafayette was less than spectacular due to the lack of height. There were several balls that were missed and many others blocked out of bounds. Michigan defintely had room to improve there.
Another area to keep an eye on this season is the defensive specialist. Currently, true freshman #3 Sloane Donhoff appears to be the frontrunner for the position. Last years specialist Senior Kerry Hance has taken over full time Libero duties and has looked solid in the role.
Grades for the Game (UL-Lafayette is a very mediocre opponent):
- Lexi Zimmerman - A... played very well
- Juliana Paz - A... solid back and front row play
- Megan Bowers - A-... couple miscues here, but overall successful
- Beth Karpiak - B+... 2nd game was spotty. I heard the first game might have been very good, but construction kept me from seeing it
- Kerry Hance - A... hardly missed a dig
- Sloane Donhoff - A... when you don't write any notes on a DS, that means they did well
- Alex Hunt - B... possibly because I'm comparing her to Bowers/Paz, but no luck blocking or hitting
- Karlee Bruck - A-... blocked very well in her limited time. at 6'3" she is going to need to step it up before conference play
Team Score: A-... the 2nd game was an unnecessary struggle against a mediocre/weak team.
The Wolverines next take on University of Texas-San Antonio on Saturday at 11a.m. CDT. I don't think there is any live coverage of the game as CSTV has decided to cut back in everything this school year. I wouldn't expect to hear a radio broadcast either as the coming of Rich Rodriguez and the new football season will be the main media focus. I'll be at home for the UTSA game, but should be making another trip up to Rice for the night cap which features Michigan taking on the host Rice University.
I'm also thinking about doing a short post on which players are worth google image stalking. My current top picks are #2 Beth Karpiak and #1 Veronica Rood. There is also one of the girls who had a sling on her arm that looked rather good looking, but I couldn't identify her because she had a jacket over her number.
My pictures (yes, they suck): hthttp://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2444386&l=52b47&id=2207293
For mgoblue recap (as they care about minor notes that pertain to volleyball and stats and stuff): http://mgoblue.com/volleyball/article.aspx?id=144230
For the stats: http://mgoblue.com/volleyball/article.aspx?id=144234


text:
Sorry to disappoint the eager faithful, but Mad Mel's long-awaited Apocalypto is by no means the grand folly we'd all hoped - which is not to say that it's any good. Indeed, for this viewer, who has thus far managed to avoid the Passion juggernaut, there's not enough fuel for outrage in Mel's jungle trek. There's some particularly bloody violence, sure - and some of it certainly gratuitous - but far from the expected psychopathological tour through the Mind of Mel, Apocalypto is notable mainly for its utter conventionality. Not every producer/director would have wanted to make a jungle epic with unknown foreign actors speaking an indigenous tongue, or been able to secure studio financing for it, but almost any reasonably competent director could have turned out what we see on the screen, and how we see it.
The easy barbs aside, Gibson's certainly not a bad director, in the technical sense. If he evinces no real personality of his own, he's learned well from his mentors, and has a particular knack for giving large crowd scenes some subtly dynamic visual interest, rather than just relying on teeming masses to supply the effect on their own (as captives are brought through a village, feathers fly through the air as village women pluck chickens en masse, and men whip wet sheets around to send arcing volleys of water through the frame). His chief failing is simply that he has learned to make movies in Hollywood, and Hollywood filmmaking techniques exert a homogenizing effect on all the story material they touch - even that which is supposed to plunge us into an entirely different, alien world.
Gibson's Mayans might have sticks through their nose and looped earlobes, but they walk, talk (even in dialect), pose, gesture, and are filmed like any actor in any other Hollywood movie. One of Malick's many accomplishments with The New World was to make his natives different without turning them into alien Others or objects of exoticism: these people walked, moved, acted differently from the whites they encountered (who, to Malick's equal credit, walk, move, and act differently than whites do today). Imagination has to function alongside any surface "authenticity" in order to fully immerse us in some strange and distant environment - Gibson's technique in Apocalypto, on the other hand, would be equally valid for Lethal Weapon 5 (God forbid).
Gibson's utterly conventional choices, while not "ruining" the movie, thus render it singularly uninvolving, even during its more clever and lively moments. Ultimately, the greatest entertainment comes from totting up the visual and narrative cliches that really gather steam in the last 45 minutes or so; my personal favourite being the single, fateful (and slow motion!) drop of blood that gives away the hero's hiding place to his pursuers (made all the better as the villains have been eviscerating people all morning, thus, one would think, rendering precise blood identification more problematic). So fulminators of moral outrage will unfortunately have to look elsewhere, as Mel even has the historical sense to identify, in the closing frames, the titular catastrophe with the arrival of the European conquerors - though according to The Fountain, the natives should really welcome them as liberators.
muckster | December 1, 2006 9:13 AM
Saw it yesterday but I'm biting my tongue. What really got me was the eclipse; I don't usually exclaim at the movies but this made me call bullshit out loud.
brotherfromanother | December 1, 2006 4:27 AM
It's not that the film is outrageous, per se, but it is awful crazy (and kinda funny) that Mel Gibson sought such an elaborate and expensive frame on which to mount his usual obsessions (as opposed to, as you correctly observe, doing anything interesting or original with the material)instead of just making Lethal Weapon 5 (god forbid indeed).
The Mayans work beautifully as a subject for him because a) their culture lends itself to a brutalist depiction and b) their brutality can be neatly chalked up to heathenism --they can stab and mutilate each other to their (and Mel's) delight because they don't know better. (The Europeans' arrival a la Jurassic Park 3 is a howler: now things are gonna get organized, people!)
I agree wholeheartedly with your comments about Mel's technique (the Passion, which I know you haven't seen, was similarly recognizable in terms of camerawork, editing, score, etc) but this is most definitely a personal movie, too. Sure, anyone could have filmed the bit where the blue-stained captive has his heart pulled out and his decapitated head rolled down the temple steps; only our Mel would think to stage it again immediately thereafter (and, for a brief, glorious moment, from the severed head's point-of-view). And the itching-powder on the testicles gag (also repeated twice) reeks of Gibson's legendary on-set pranksterism.
I did like the bit where the jaguar eats the guy's face -- as Jon Voight says in Anaconda, "the jungle can kill you in a thousand ways." (Methinks Mel's made a list).
And yeah, The Fountain sucks.
brevitytheenemy | December 1, 2006 12:38 AM
Not that stupid, I think, though imperfectly expressed in that instance. Read on: what I'm referring to is exactly what I talk about in the rest of the post, these conventional techniques of shooting, editing, composition and choreography accepted without question and without regard to subject matter. Other directors like, oh I dunno - Michael Mann, say? - learned how to make movies in Hollywood, but the choices they make (whether or not they pan out) are based upon thoughtful responses to their material - Gibson's aren't. Thass it.
filmenthusiast2000 | November 30, 2006 5:17 AM
"His chief failing is simply that he has learned to make movies in Hollywood" --this is mad stupid, son


text:
COMEDY FOR A CAUSE Set for 6-7 March at Kalk Bay Theatre
Comedy for a Cause on 6 and 7 March is a stand-up comedy show featuring a stellar line up, and it's all for a good cause.
Andrew Fortune is an outstanding footballer, aged 12, who has the opportunity to go to Sweden in 2014 to attend an AFC Ajax training camp for the most promising footballers organised and run by the famous Amsterdam based soccer club (which has close links to Cape Town and SA soccer).
To help him go, four of South Africa's leading comedic lights have agreed to do a two-off show at Kalk Bay Theatre.
With a star-studded line up of Mel Jones, Dalin Oliver, Siv Ngesi and Carl Weber, you can be sure of a screamingly funny evening all for a good cause.
Doors open at 6.30pm and the show starts at 8pm. Tickets cost R120 and R100 for Gallery seats. Guests can enjoy a delicious supper before the show. For information and bookings visit www.kalkbaytheatre.co.za.


text:
Camp Tax ID: 84-601-4589
We offer a fantastic summer camp program that makes sure your kids have fun all summer long! Camp Explorer and Extreme Explorer are 10 week Summer Camp programs based out of Aspen Creek K-8. Both programs are licensed by the state of Colorado and campers will receive the highest quality in summer programming available. Camp Explorer and Extreme Explorers begin the week of June 2nd and runs through August 8th.
2014 Summer Camp Trips
2014 Camp Explorer Registration - Pre Registration CLOSED!
To Register Please Contact Billy cooper at 303.464.5541
wonderful service for kid's age 6 months–10 years, whose parents are participating in open recreation center activities or programs. This service is available to participants remaining inside the Recreation Center only. Please pick up a parent information handbook for specific policies and procedures at the child sitting facility.