text:
The first Mexican talkie. And no, it is not about Santa Claus.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
The first Mexican talkie. And no, it is not about Santa Claus.
(I first wrote this essay back in the late 1980s when my father was still alive and I was courting by mail a young woman who lives in my father's hometown. I have since revised it a bit and brushed up the grammar, but I have not changed any of the actual details concerning the things I had observed during my last two trips to Mexico. Nor did I make up any of the things that my Mexican friend told me in her letters -- although I would probably sleep better if I could pretend otherwise.)
The traveler who goes across the International Bridge at Laredo inevitably finds himself not just in another country; he finds himself in another world. There are beggars in the streets, hordes of outdated cars upon the highway, and gangs of youthful panhandlers swarming around each and every gas station. The road to San Luis Potosí will reveal in December a line of people by the roadside which initially seems to be part of some religious pilgrimage. Then a closer look reveals that the majority of these hardy travelers are women and children who are begging for food. Some may have goats, turkeys or even snakeskins for sale, offerings designed to sway the passing tourists into stopping. Once stopped, the tourists can expect to be surrounded by anxious faces, displaying a desperation more often associated with places like India or Ethiopia.
I must confess these images have a personal meaning to me. My paternal grandfather was a migrant worker from the state of Guanajuato who brought his family to the States while my father was still a young boy. When I was a child, I used to hear many stories about how rough it had been to live in Mexico back then. Life in the Detroit slums had not been easy for my family, but at least it beat starving to death back home in San Francisco del Rincón. I still remember one story my father told me about how he had awoken one morning while his father was still working in the United States and his sister Ofelia had had to tell him that there would be nothing to eat that day because there was no money for food. Stories like this add a perspective to the immigrant saga that can't be captured by a Neil Diamond song.
I used to regularly correspond with a friend who lived in my father's home town. Through her, I learned much more about Mexican society than I could from my brief trips to Mexico. For example, she once described an incident wherein the bus on which she was traveling was pulled over by custom officials. The passengers' luggage was confiscated and some of their contents were never returned. My friend was angry because she lost a valuable set of china that she had purchased on the way back from Mexicali; however, despite an emotional scene at the customs office, she was never able to recover it.
There are worse aspects than this to Mexican society. For example, I never realized how sheltered I had been back in the States until I was stopped by a small group of soldiers on the road between Leon and San Francisco del Rincón. It was Election Day, and the government was wary of any excessive activity. I was let go as soon as they noticed the "Turista" sticker on my car, but it was still an unsettling experience. Ironically, the soldiers were still there two days later during my trip to San Francisco del Rincón. They were no longer waiting by the roadside, but they were stationed in a side street by the main plaza, and indeed, the sight of five of them marching through the plaza itself seemed to attract little attention aside from a child's exclamation of "el militario." I don't pretend to be able to draw any serious conclusions about Mexican politics from these incidents, but I can't help thinking that if American soldiers had turned up outside the local precincts of most American cities on Election Day, it would have made front-page news. However, in San Francisco del Rincón, it did not even cause any major comment.
One might be tempted to interpret these comments to mean that I am anti-Mexican. I am not. I love my father's homeland with a great deal more affection now than I did when it was just a mythical presence in my childhood. Many of its traditions -- the serenata, the nacimientos, the Día de los Tres Reyes -- cannot be improved upon by American society. So what if many of its traditions are borrowed from Spanish and Arabic forebears. Are we here in America not expert borrowers ourselves? And have we not borrowed from Mexico in such areas as ranching and architecture?
I am quite Americanized by Mexican-American standards, and yet for many years I had an idealized picture of my father's homeland that was quite different than the image of Mexico I got from American movies and TV shows. Only recently did I have an opportunity to reconcile that image with reality. I don't lack any less affection for Mexico because of this new viewpoint, any more than an Irish-American lacks affection for the land of his ancestors just because he has heard of the latest trouble in Belfast. But I understand it better. And although I will probably always experience more of a culture shock crossing the International Bridge at Laredo than I do the International Bridge at Detroit, I do remember one moment in Mexico whose counterpart I had never experienced in Canada. I was sitting with my father in a bar in Salinas de Hidalgo. It was late at night, the streets outside were filled with recorded mariachi music, and I was far from home. Yet, for some strange reason, I felt that I was home. The world around me seemed much more familiar than the world I had seen in Canada during any of the brief trips I had made to Windsor. I have never been able to explain this. Perhaps I should not even try.
Labels: Detroit, Guanajuato, La Frontera entre Estados Unidos y México, México, San Francisco del Rincón, San Luis Potosí
Friday, November 21, 2014
It works like this, Private. Every soldier in a war doesn't have to believe in what he's fighting for. Most of them fight just to back up the other soldiers in their squad. They try not to get them killed, they try not to get them extra duty, they try not to embarrass themselves in front of them. Why don't you start with that?
--Joe Morton, Lone Star (1996)
Labels: Citas de Cine de la Semana XVI, Estrella Solitaria, Joe Morton, Soldados
My dad's always a hero. And he's always dead.
--Thomas Dekker, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, "Gnothi Seauton"
Labels: Citas de Televisión de la Semana XIV, El Exterminador: Las Crónicas de Sarah Connor, Héroes, Thomas Dekker
"Final Vengeance"
(This was my first attempt at writing a short story for publication. I would like to think that I have improved a bit since I first wrote this but I guess that's up to you all, the readers, to judge. Anyway, I hope you all like it.)
The moment Joe Mesey reentered the old neighborhood, he knew that his coming back was a mistake. Not for any foolish, sentimental reasons -- it's hard to be nostalgic about growing up in a slum -- but because his return was all too easy. He had expected an all-out attack the minute he entered his old stomping grounds; instead, he was simply ignored.
As a member of mankind's true oldest profession, a self-styled professional assassin who euphemistically referred to his calling as the "retirement business" and who commanded top dollar for a kill, this was a bit of an insult. He had expected a neighborhood crawling with cops -- or worse; instead, he found an area of deserted streets and neglected tenements -- a place seemingly as devoid of life as the dark side of the moon.
It was an eerie feeling. Had Joe been a lesser man, he might have turned the car around and searched for more populous surroundings. But he was on a mission here -- a personal mission. He had returned to this neighborhood to kill a man. A man whom he had killed a long time ago...
The room was filled with more candles than a religious shrine and their acrid scent and flickering light made Joe uneasy. He kept peering into the shadows of the old man's living room as if expecting to see something lurking there. Nothing was there, of course, but the way the old man kept bowing his head and peering into his little grey book made Joe uneasy. And he hated being made uneasy. Especially by a little old man who was destined within a matter of minutes to meet the Maker about which he endless prattled.
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the realization that the old man had said something. He looked up at the white-haired figure and smiled inwardly at the idea of this little man in the black suit and skullcap doing him bodily harm. As powerful as he may have once been, now he could not harm a flea.
"Pardon me, he said. "I didn't hear that last question."
"I was asking whether you had considered the consequences of your actions, Mr. Mesey," the old man said in a voice that was stern yet moderate.
"Of course, I have. I simply waste you and then my boss gives me a lot of money. What's to consider?"
"Hasn't the thought of punishment ever entered your mind?"
"Not really. The cops won't be able to prove a thing, and nothing you can do can change that."
"I wasn't talking about earthly justice."
"Oh, really?"
"Doesn't it ever bother you, Mr. Mesey -- the number of men you've killed?"
"Of course not. Why should it?"
"Fear of the dead is a centuries-old tradition," said the old man. "Some say it dates back to Neanderthal man."
"Well, that may be the case with some people, but I'm more like a surgeon. I live with death every day. It doesn't scare me a bit."
"If I were you, I would be scared. Murder is the supreme taboo; you have committed it not once, not twice, but times beyond counting."
"You're one to talk," said Joe. "Before you retired, you were in the rackets, too. You know how it is."
"Yes, I know how it is," said the old man, gazing at his folded hands. "But I never killed anyone directly. And when the ghosts of those I did kill indirectly began to prey upon my conscience, I knew it was time to leave."
The old man looked Joe in the eye. "But it's still not too late for you. The powers that be love a repentant sinner as long as he's sincere."
Joe smiled. "That's nice talk for a dying man but I intend to live a long time."
"Maybe not as long as you think."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I have taken the liberty of making certain arrangements in case my little talk with you should fail."
"Oh, I see. Like a sealed letter to the D.A. left in the hands of your attorney?"
"Nothing so crude, I assure you," said the old man. "Besides, I'm sure a man in your profession has sufficient connections to get such a letter swiftly discredited. No, my arrangements are of a more final and irrevocable nature."
Joe laughed. "If that's meant to scare me, it didn't work."
"It wasn't meant to scare you -- now."
"Listen, old man," said Joe, pulling out his gun. "I've had about enough of this Jewish superstition nonsense you've been giving me."
"Jewish? Who said it was Jewish?" The old man's voice took on a sepulchral tone. "The faith I follow is older than Judaism."
That's when Joe's gun went off. The first bullet hit the old man in the chest; the two followup shots hit him in the belly and the groin. Joe never knew whether his shots were the result of anger or blind panic, but the results were the same. One dead Jew (or so-called Jew, if his last words were correct) who had time to do little more than glare and mumble an inaudible curse before succumbing to the permanent paralysis of death. Hardly the formidable adversary he had anticipated.
"I hoe you prepared well for the afterlife, old man," Joe said as he stood up. "Because you're going to have all eternity to enjoy it."
He left the house quietly, but not before giving some thought to the arrangements the old man had mentioned. However, search as he did, he could find no trace of any hidden cameras or tape recorders in the old man's residence...
The old apartment house where he used to live was boarded up now -- a victim of urban renewal. Gazing at the crumbling exterior brought back many memories for Joe. Memories of living with his old man -- an embittered widower with five children to raise. A man who had sought refuge in a whiskey bottle and who used his youngest child -- Joe -- as a punching bag until the day Joe fought back and caved in his father's skull with a tire iron. Yes, the place did bring back a lot of old memories -- none of them good.
He smiled grimly and attacked the boards on the front door with a tire iron. As the ancient nails reluctantly began to yield, he once more looked around the neighborhood, expecting any minute to see a cop -- or something -- appear around the corner to question him about his activity. But none appeared. Joe seemed to be the only person around in what should have been a crowded slum neighborhood. It was as if he was in the land of the dead.
Joe shuddered. He was normally not an imaginative person -- in his line of business, you couldn't afford to be -- yet something about that last phrase -- and the way it popped into his mind, unsummoned -- made him uneasy. Especially when he looked back upon certain recent events...
The first clue Joe had that the old man's arrangements were not just talk occurred in Chicago. He had heard the old line about being able to meet almost anyone in the world by standing on State Street, but he never expected to see Vinny McCloskey there. And for a very good reason -- Vinny had died six months ago.
When he first confronted Vinny with this information, Vinny seemed as shocked as Joe. His eyes went blank; he appeared to be remembering something.
Then he remembered.
"You!" he screamed. "You're the one who killed me."
Within an instant, Vinny's hands were around Joe's neck, choking him with the strength of the violently insane and the insanely violent. Vinny was a big man; his hands were the size of steam irons. Killing Joe should have been as easy a task for him as cleaning fish. But it did not work out that way. Joe had been around too long not to be prepared for the unexpected; he freed himself with a blow to the groin -- then pulled his newly-purchased revolver and fired a bullet meant for a prominent state witness into Vinny's chest.
At this point, Vinny smiled -- the vacant smile customarily associated with the hopelessly insane -- and then he collapsed. For a moment, Joe was aghast. After all, even the most blasé hitman does not meet dead people on the street every day. Then he took Vinny's pulse. The bullet wound Vinny had just received was not necessarily a mortal one, yet he was already dead.
Needless to say, the witness job was blown. No one had witnessed the confrontation between Joe and Vinny, but that didn't mean the cops would not be interested if they ever caught wind of it.
And what of the body? Although Joe managed to safely dispose of it without being seen, that still did not account for its presence. Surely he had not just killed the real Vinny; after all, the real Vinny was supposed to be feeding the worms in a South Side cemetery. That meant the man he had killed was an imposter, no doubt made up to look like Vinny with the help of a clever plastic surgeon. But an imposter with Vinny's height and build? Possible, Joe thought, but not probable. Which meant...
The last board came off with an angry screech. Now the door was open and he could seek shelter from the open street. Yet Joe was not satisfied.
If he was right, the man he came to kill would be lurking inside, safe from the summer heat. It unnerved him to realize how matter-of-fact he was handling the whole situation. Had his own boss told him a similar story, he would not have believed him -- even if his life depended upon it. Yet here he was, standing outside his old apartment house, treating his long-dead father as a potential adversary…
He pushed the door open with his foot, holding the tire iron ready in case of attack. None came. Inside the entrance hall was nothing but dust and silence.
As Joe stepped inside, he again held the tire iron ready to ward off a sudden attack. But -- again -- none came.
Perhaps I only dreamed the first incident, he thought. Perhaps I was wrong and the old man's curse was only a figment of my imagination.
Then Joe thought again and shook his head. For he remembered Frank Lupesco...
It had happened at a men's room in the Miami Airport. Joe was combing his hair before boarding a flight to San Juan when he felt himself being seized from behind. Without warning, he was whirled around and thrown against the opposite wall. Before he could recover, a knife was at his throat, and on the nape of his neck, he could feel the hot breath of the man standing directly behind him.
That's when Joe moved. Stomping down hard where he guessed his assailant's left foot to be, he reached up at the same time and grabbed the knife-bearing hand. Its skin felt cold and clammy -- like a dead frog -- but he did not let that prevent him from bending the hand back against the waist until the knife dropped. And the bones broke.
Joe's assailant was curiously silent for a man who should have screaming in agony.
Instead, the only thing Joe heard was "It's not that easy, kid."
The voice was familiar, but not the face. When Joe turned around, he found himself staring into a bleached parody of a human face, the type of scarred and tattered face you'd expect to see on a man who had spent the last seven months on the bottom of the Hudson River, not on a living person.
Then the man smiled -- if you could call what he did smiling -- and Joe recognized the familiar lop-sided grin of his former mentor, Frank Lupesco. It had been Lupesco who had gotten Joe his first job in the "retirement business." Frank had taught Joe everything he knew. Taught him so well that when Frank retired and decided to turn state's evidence, Joe was the one chosen to bring him down. And he did. Seven months ago.
And here Frank was, standing before him, smiling as if his broken wrist was a mere scratch.
"This one's for you, kid."
With frightening suddenness, Frank lunged forward and grabbed Joe by the throat with his other hand. Pressing his other forearm against Joe's throat as well, he pinned Joe against the wall and started to squeeze. Joe's face began to turn blue; he was running out of time. In desperation, he punched his opponent in the stomach. His fist went all the way through.
As Frank let go, Joe was too relieved to do anything but stand and watch Frank's body collapse in upon itself like a punctured balloon. Too late he thought of questioning him; by then, his body was merely a pile of decaying flesh awaiting disposal.
That's when Joe realized that the plot against him was more than simply an elaborate scheme of vengeance. Even the best plastic surgeon could not have instilled such qualities into a Frank Lupesco lookalike. The man who did had to be a person who had experience dealing with the supernatural. A man who not only had such experience but who also possessed a grudge against him. Somebody like -- like -- the old man!
By then, the old man's name had faded away from Joe's memory, but he still remembered that scene in the room full of candles, and he also remembered the old man's ominous last words.
At first, it seemed ridiculous -- an old-fashioned curse at work in the twentieth century. And yet it was the only explanation which made sense. If only there was some way to break the curse...
Then it came to him. The curse was operating in a pattern: confront Joe with all his previous victims, in the order of their deaths, and have the attacks increase in intensity. Considering the number of people Joe had killed in his lifetime, such a pattern could easily wear him down before it ended. And sooner or later one of the victims was bound to get lucky and kill him.
But suppose he short-circuited the curse. Instead of waiting for the victims to go after him, he would go after the victims. And the most obvious one to pursue would be the first one -- his father. The only one he had killed for free...
The sun was going down now, and there was still no sign of his old man. He smiled at the irony -- the old man had intended to avenge his own death by using Joe's own old man to kill him. Perhaps he had been counting on the power of nostalgia to prevent Joe from delivering the fatal blow. Well, it won't work, Joe thought. There was no love lost between him and his father. He killed him before and he could kill him again.
Then it occurred to him -- what if this was exactly what the old man had wanted? For Joe to come up here to New York and face the ultimate challenge? Joe had not been attacked since that day in Miami. The trip up here had been way too easy -- almost as if he was being set up.
He scoffed at this thought. There was nothing to fear. He had a loaded revolver in the highest caliber and absolutely no reason not to use it. Everything he had experienced so far told him that the old man's walking cadavers were still vulnerable to gunshots. There was nothing to fear.
And then he heard it. A quiet, scraping sound like dead leaves rustling across the sidewalk. No footsteps -- just a quiet, rustling sound. Then the doorknob turned. Joe slowly drew out his revolver and aimed it at the front door. This is going to be easier than I had anticipated, he thought. Then the door opened...
Joe's first thought was that it was all a trick. That the old man had anticipated his actions and sent a stranger to take him by surprise. After all, Joe might not remember every single man he killed, but he certainly would have remembering icing a woman. Then he looked beyond the woman's black dress and veil -- recognized a face which he had seen only once before, in a wedding portrait kept by his father because it was the last picture taken of her before she died in childbirth. And suddenly he knew why the old man was so certain that Joe would not be able to kill her.
He had time to say only one word before the first of many blows fell: "Mother."
Labels: Cuentos de Mi Id III, Cuentos de Miedo
Thursday, November 20, 2014
American film director and comedian Mike Nichols -- best known for such movies as The Graduate and Primary Colors -- cried "Cut!" for the last time on November 19 at age 83.
He will be missed.
Labels: Comediantas y Comediantes, Directoras y Directores de Cine, Mike Nichols, Obituarios
American soul singer Jimmy Ruffin -- best known for singing such songs as "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" and "Hold on (to My Love)" -- finished his last solo number on November 17 at age 78.
He will be missed.
Labels: Cantantes, Jimmy Ruffin, Obituarios
American television producer and writer Glen A. Larson -- best known for creating such TV shows as the original Battlestar: Galactica and The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries -- finished his last script on November 14 at age 77.
He will be missed.
Labels: Glen A. Larson, Guionistas, Obituarios, Productoras y Productores
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
AKA Pedro Infante Cruz.
Born November 18, 1917. Died April 15, 1957.
He was one of my late father's favorite actors and he has been described by my father as the Mexican equivalent of Clark Gable. (Only this version was as famous for his singing as he was for his acting).
He is best known for the 1948 Mexican movie Nosotros los Pobres but he has been in many other movies as well. Unfortunately, he is not that famous north of the border but then I doubt he ever worried too much about that during his lifetime. I know my late father never did.
Labels: Actores, Cantantes, Feliz Cumpleaños, Iconos, Mexicanas y Mexicanos, Pedro Infante
Critics have written so much about all the fan service in the 2014 Veronica Mars movie that it will undoubtedly come to a shock to those few Veronica Mars fans who have yet to see the movie that it has absolutely no scenes like this:
Or this:
Or this:
Or this:
Or even this:
Of course, those who have complained about the fan service in the Veronica Mars movie usually don't mean this kind of fan service. What they really mean is that the movie is mainly aimed at fans of the Veronica Mars TV series. And being such a fan, it would be dishonest of me to pretend that the movie was not aimed at people like me.
Then again so what? James Bond films are usually aimed at fans of James Bond, Harry Potter movies are usually aimed at fans of Harry Potter and of course, the last three Star Wars movies were aimed at fans of the first three Star Wars movies. Such aim does not necessarily mean that the cinematic result will make for a bad movie. Then again it does not necessarily make for a good movie, either. As always, you have to judge by the final result.
As for the matter of fan bias, well, I have seen quite enough bad movies aimed at various fan groups that I can readily understand why people might be hesitant to see yet another movie that indulges in "fan service." Then again it is not unusual for the same people who object to one type of fan service to have little or no problems with other types of fan service. For example, a lot of critics of the Veronica Mars movie had no trouble with the last Star Wars trilogy -- which had their share of fan service -- and vice versa. And as much as I would like to think the best of such critics, I would be a lot more comfortable with doing so if such critics were honest enough to admit if their real problem with the Veronica Mars movie was that it was not made primarily with them in mind. Then again I see many movies that are not necessarily made for me in mind so I may be a tad biased on this subject. Indeed, as a Hispanic Catholic half-breed living in a predominantly White non-Hispanic Protestant society, I would be very surprised if most of the movies available for viewing in the U.S. were made for the likes of me. But that is a subject for another day.
Anyway, it is not as if the movie is likely to be that hard to understand if you have never seen the TV series upon which it is based. I must admit that it has been quite a few years since I saw the last episode of the series and since then, I have not bothered to memorize every minor character just in case I had the opportunity to see a new episode. Then again, it did not seem very hard for me to imagine any non-fan seeing the scene in which a snobbish woman acts mean to Ms. Mars at her high school reunion and not concluding that the snob in question was a former nemesis of Ms. Mars during the original series. (After all, I did not remember that particular character's name and yet I was able to figure out who she was.) Indeed, most complaints about the movie's fan service seemed to have little if any confidence in the intelligence of would-be moviegoers. (Though I guess director Rob Thomas should be flattered by the implication that his movie was just too smart to be understood by non-fans.) And it didn't help the case of the movie's detractors that their complaints seemed to echo similar complaints that were made about the 2005 movie Serenity -- a movie that was quite popular with many people who had never seen Firefly (the TV series upon which it was based).
In any event, if I had to pick the most bothersome aspect of the Veronica Mars movie, it would not be the "fan service" or the limited screen time enjoyed by actress Jamie Lee Curtis but rather the way the movie finds it necessary to give a reason why Veronica Mars does the things that she does. Apparently, it is not enough for her to want to do the right thing or help her friends; she has to have a "problem" which makes her do all her heroic deeds. Indeed, Hollywood has gotten so used to presenting its audiences with dysfunctional characters that it seems difficult to present a genuine heroine on the big screen nowadays; instead, it is more fashionable to present a dysfunctional character who just happens to do heroic things. Perhaps this is the inevitable result of a society that has been given many reasons to become cynical due to the Iraqi War and the recent economic crisis. Then again you can find reasons to be cynical in almost any period of history so it seems odd to witness this recent cultural war against heroism. And especially odd to see it take its toll on a character as likable as Veronica Mars.
Then again a part of me is glad that the Veronica Mars movie proved to be as good as it was. After all, I used to be a big fan of the Harry Potter movies -- but I gave up on the series after I found myself hating the movies more and more -- so much so that I did not even bother to see the last film in the series. For that matter, I also used to love the Star Wars movies -- but I found myself rolling my eyes more and more at some of the excuses film critics would make for the second trilogy and if it were not for the fact that my late sister's children like those three movies so much, I would be a lot more vocal on this site about my dislike for them.
Anyway, like most moviegoers, I don't go to the movies hoping to have a bad time. But I don't like the idea of pretending I did not see a bad movie just because other people than me seem to like it. So while I am not likely to be the most objective critic of the 2014 Veronica Mars movie, I would like to think that I am among the most honest. At least I hope so.
Labels: Aficionados, Heroínas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kristen Bell, NSFW, Películas Nuevas IV, Rob Thomas, Veronica Mars 2014
Monday, November 17, 2014
Born November 17, 1966.
She is the Cuban-born daughter of a Cuban father and a Spanish mother. She is best known as a model, actress and television personality but she is also famous for being MTV's first Latina VJ and Revlon's first Latina spokesperson to be signed to a worldwide contract. She was also a co-host of the TV show America's Funniest Home Videos from 1998 to 1999 and has appeared on such TV shows as Dream On and Cybill.
However, she has changed a bit over the years as the above two photos will show. (The top one was taken in 2009; the other was taken in 2013. Of course, the one at the very top of this post was taken in 1997.)
Labels: Actrices, Cubanas y Cubanos, Daisy Fuentes, Feliz Cumpleaños, Modelos, NSFW, Presentadoras y Presentadores de Televisión
If you believe the stress of an office or a production line can cause ulcers, migraines, hives -- think about spending six months in a bunker waiting for somebody faceless to kill you.
--David Drake, Introduction to The Military Dimension: Mark II
Labels: Citas de la Semana V, David Drake, Estrés, Guerra
Sunday, November 16, 2014
AKA Joanna Jane Salmon.
Born November 16, 1942.
She is an English actress best known for her guest roles on such TV shows as Banacek and Night Gallery. The one role for which I most remember her is that of Elaine Latimer in the old Night Gallery episode "The House", which is, of course, the source of the above image.
Needless to say, it still haunts my dreams.
Labels: Actrices, Feliz Cumpleaños, Inglesas y Ingleses, Joanna Pettet
Born November 16, 1484(?). Died July 18, 1566.
He was a Dominican friar and Spanish historian who went on to speak out against the many atrocities being committed by his fellow Spaniards against the native residents of the New World. He was the first person to be officially designated as "Protector of the Indians" and unfortunately, one of the first people of his time to suggest a shamefully imperfect alternative to the enslavement of Native Americans. (In his case, it was the enslavement of Africans in place of Native Americans.)
Regardless of that, he was still a part of Spanish history and ironically he symbolizes both the best and worst impulses of his time. At the very least, he deserves credit for arguing for the humanity of the native Americans at a time when that was a very unpopular viewpoint in the Spanish Empire.
Labels: Activistas Políticos, Bartolomé de las Casas, Españolas y Españoles, Feliz Cumpleaños, Historiadoras y Historiadores
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Watching me? Well, good luck with that. I hope they brought a good book.
George Orwell has been referenced by both sides of the Anglo-American political fence so often that if he had never lived, he probably would have been invented. I have always found it especially interesting how often both sides ignore that side of Orwell which is most politically inconvenient. For example, conservatives don't like to remember that Orwell was often as stern a critic of capitalism as he was a critic of communism while the liberals don't like to remember that the incident that ultimately turned Orwell against communism was the destruction of Orwell's Socialist kindred spirits in Spain by Stalinists who were supposedly on the same side of the Spanish Civil War as Orwell and his comrades.
Needless to say, you don't see that side of Orwell depicted in many popular movies. Indeed, most movie adaptations of Orwell's work tend to focus around his classic novel 1984, which is about a futuristic dictatorship whose control over its subjects is so complete that not even death can free them.
Unfortunately, 1984 is so familiar to most Anglo-American moviegoers due to its having been taught in so many high school and college literature courses that it would be hard to make a movie adaptation of it that most adults would not find predictable. Indeed, when I had the chance to watch the 1984 film version of 1984, I remember finding its first few minutes so predictable that I turned it off right away -- and it did not help that the movie itself came across as a thinly disguised campaign ad for 1984 U.S. Presidential candidate Walter Mondale.
Fortunately, Terry Gilliam's 1985 movie Brazil was not so predictable. Indeed, I could argue that its plot owed as much to author James Thurber as it did to George Orwell because its protagonist -- Sam Lowry (played by Jonathan Pryce) -- spends so much time having the type of fantasies that Thurber describes in his short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." In fact, it is tempting to argue that Brazil takes the usual Walter Mitty story to its darkest conclusion because so many characters -- including Sam Lowry -- suffer such dire consequences as a result of Lowry's attempts to act out his fantasies. That is not exactly the type of conclusion I expected to find in a movie made so close to the "don't dream it, be it" era of the 1970s, much less in an era when it was popular for filmmakers to wax nostalgic about the various dreams of the 1960s.
Nor was its Aesopian moral as predictable as I expected. It took me quite a few viewings of the movie to catch on to the fact that Gilliam was not content to promote the same old "fight the power" clichés we have seen in so many bad science fiction movies. Instead, his political message was more complicated. On one hand, he obviously did not expect his audience to approve of the dictatorship for which Lowry worked. Nor did he expect us to approve of Lowry's politically neutral attitude. Yet when Lowry became romantically obsessed with a female lorry driver named Jill Layton (played by Kim Griest) and tried to help her by joining in "the revolution," it was not entirely a coincidence that Lowry's actions not only led to the death of an innocent man but ultimately made things worse for Jill, one of the most sympathetic characters in the movie. Indeed, I have long suspected that the true reason for Lowry's breakdown toward the end of the movie was not so much fear of torture but the suspicion that his actions throughout the movie not only failed to prevent the tragic fate of a woman he loved but actually hastened it.
Of course, it might have been easy for Gilliam to give Lowry a more crowd-pleasing story arc but that was not the type of tale he wanted to tell. And in an age which has seen all too many revolutionaries succeed in making things worse for the people they were supposedly fighting for, I don't know that it is a bad thing to remind people who would fight against the powers that be to be careful what they wish for lest they end up like Sam Lowry.
Of course, Brazil is noteworthy for other things besides its political commentary. For example, it is difficult today to watch the various scenes in which Lowry's co-workers watch old movies on their computers and not be reminded of how often modern office workers use the Internet for similar purposes. Indeed, their use of computers as just another source of entertainment always seemed more realistic -- even in the days before the Internet became so popular -- than the usual "evil computer" movie that was so popular back in the 1980s.
For that matter, I loved how the director threw in a visual reference to an old Marx Brothers movie by having it show on the TV set that Jill was watching while she was taking a bath. Given the frequency with which Brazil is referenced by both liberals and conservatives, I can't help but wonder how much of a coincidence it was that he had the most likeable character in the movie watch a movie starring the guy who took pride in not wanting to be a member of any club that would have him for a member.
Gilliam used so many visual details to make the world of Brazil believable that it seems depressing that it was not more of a hit at the box office. But then the most popular movies are not always the most deserving movies and it could be that Brazil hit too much of a nerve to be popular with all but the most serious of moviegoers. Then again many potential fans could have been scared away by its length. After all, not everyone likes long movies. And of course, some of the moviegoers who were less than impressed with it could have been like the blonde art student I met at a local book store in the late 1980s who -- despite looking like a long-lost twin of Kim Greist -- admitted that she fell asleep during the movie. It could be that Brazil -- like most very long movies -- works better on DVD or VHS because the viewer always has the option to turn it off at a certain point and then return to it at a later time the same way one would return to a beloved novel that one just can't finish reading in one sitting. But that could just be wishful thinking on my part.
In any event, I find it amusing to note how much the movie seemed to have anticipated the recent War on Terror and the propaganda that accompanied that. Indeed, the opening sequence in which a government spokesman accuses the masterminds behind the latest terrorist incident of displaying bad sportsmanship was much on my mind during many of the months after the 9/11 attack in New York City -- especially whenever I spent too much time watching the Fox News Channel.
However, I don't find it so amusing to note how little most people in power seem to have learned from it. Then again the lessons it has to teach are not the type of lessons that are likely to appeal to a person in power. Indeed, like most great satires, Gilliam's Brazil seems destined to be deliberately misunderstood by those who most need to learn from it. But then such lessons are never easily taught so it is just as well that the movie exists to reach those few who will learn from it. And perhaps those few will be enough to make a difference for future generations.
Labels: 1984 (Novela), Brasil 1985, George Orwell, James Thurber, Jonathan Pryce, Kim Greist, Películas de Ciencia Ficción I, Películas Neoclásicas II, Películas Políticas I, Revoluciones, Terry Gilliam


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You can now filter search results with text. Example: "person: john" will search only person pages for "john".
Hush's plan enters its next phase, and this time it isn't Batman who's in the crosshairs.
The Great Culling is here. Things are getting pretty nutso for the Secret Avengers.
Didn't the Illuminati used to have a doctor? Strange, I wonder what he's been up to.
Battlefield: A Dojo. Win by K.O. Bane is on venom. No prep. H2H only.
Akuma stomps.
RIP Bane
Isnt this kinda an unfair fight for Bane?
Akuma hands down!!!
Akuma wrecks.
Akuma destroy
Gosh, I feel bad for Bane. Bane x10 still isn't fair.
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Gulfport casino development denied
Published: May 17,2012
Tags: casino, gaming, GULFPORT, Harbortown Casino, Mississippi, Mississippi Business Journal
JACKSON — The Mississippi Gaming Commission has asked casino developer Rotate Black to try again.
The commission, in a 3-0 vote Thursday, again rejected the company's plan for the Harbor Town Casino on the waterfront in Gulfport.
In April, the commission asked developers to add more to their proposal, hoping the additional investment would bolster coast tourism.
Harbor Town's Jake Vanderlei says the company expanded its gaming floor by 44 percent, added 200 additional slot machines and 26 tables. He says the new proposal also added hotel rooms and a parking garage
Executives had hoped the $6 million increase in the investment would be enough to win approval.
Rotate Black chief executive Duel Cooper says the company will consider its options.
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Submit News
Massive 250 MW Solar Farm's Construction Begins in California Next Year
Jason Mick
December 1, 2010 11:20 AM
comment(s) - last by
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A map of the planned 250 MW solar power plant, showing preserved land (green) and installation area (blue).
(Source: NRG Solar/SunPower)
The plant will be located roughly halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, just south of California's Bay Area.
(Source: Wikipedia)
Plant would take around 15-20 years to break even if electricity was sold at coal power rates
If there's one thing critics and proponents of solar power alike can agree upon, it's that solar power, like any commodity, will go down in price when it is produced at a greater volume. Recently announced plants, like a
280 mega-watt (MW) installation
in the Arizona desert go a long way towards achieving that sort of volume increase.
As does a new 250 MW installation in San Luis Obispo County, California which was
formally announced
this week. Construction on the new plant will commence
next year and is expected to create 350 construction jobs.
San Luis Obispo is a coastal county that is relatively rural and lightly populated by Californian standards. It's roughly halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, two of the state's biggest cities.
The new plant will be a joint venture between NRG Solar, Inc. and SunPower Corp. -- two veteran solar power firms (SunPower, alone, will have installed over 1.5 GW of solar power by the year's end). NRG Solar is expected to pitch in $450M USD over the four year launch period. NRG will own the plant, it is basically contracting SunPower to design, build, and operate the plant.
The plant will begin producing electricity in late 2011. By 2012 to 2013 it is expected to reach full capacity, as construction completes. The plant is expected to provide enough power for 100,000 households.
The new plant is named the "California Valley Solar Ranch".
NRG Solar is seeking government loans from the U.S. Department of Energy to initially finance the construction. While U.S. President Barack Obama recently
handed out $1.85B USD
in grants to solar power projects, the new installation likely will not receive any of this money.
Securing a government loan is critical to the NRG and SunPower's plan. States Howard Wenger, president of the utility and power plants business group at SunPower, "The DOE is playing a critical leadership role in supporting renewable energy that provides economic and environmental benefits, as well as a secure, stable energy supply in the U.S."
The project has been in the works for the last two years. It is expected to be operational for at least 25 years.
Challenges to the plant's success remain. Currently environmental activists in California are
vigorously resisting large solar and wind installations
, which they fear will damage fragile ecosystems. They have filed lawsuits to try to block similar projects.
The California Valley Solar Ranch project may placate these critics, thanks to the 2,399 acres it sets aside as a wildlife habitat. The plant and associated facilities are expected to occupy 1,966 acres of land.
Another challenge is the underlying economics. While the California Public Utilities Commission has agreed to buy 25 years worth of power from the installation, likely at an inflated price, it remains to be seen exactly how much money the plant will make. Coal power costs around $0.06-$0.08 USD per kilowatt-hour, so if the solar plant's power was sold at an equivalent rate, it would take around 15 to 20 years for the plant to break even. Thanks to large markups to alternative energy power, though, it should break even much sooner, boosting NRG Solar and SunPower. Nonetheless, some consumers may be unhappy with paying this kind of markup so that their power can be "greener".
Still, it's common knowledge that you have to invest up front to gain access to new technology. And with large scale installations like this new one in California and the currently developing one in Arizona, the cost per kilowatt hour of solar power in the U.S. should fall over the next few years.
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RE: Seriously
The pattern follows thusly: For any given fringe movement, there's an incredibly passionate and equally vocal group of people that leads the charge. This is the phase during which the message is polished and honed, the talking points nailed down and disseminated among the faithful. After they've been established as an enduring presence, they need only one major accomplishment (such as Al Gore's Nonsensical Hooplah) to move that fringe closer to the mainstream; counter-arguments to their talking points start to form, but they maintain momentum while the counters are similarly disseminating as their talking points did before.
Eventually, attrition takes it toll, the arguments are swatted down faster than the faithful can vomit new ones, and then there'll be a lull as the whole mess falls to the wayside as a new fringe movement readies to move into the mainstream. Repeat.
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With the Fourth of July happening this Friday, chances are you'll find yourself at the pool. It wouldn't be the Fourth without a BBQ and pool party. A common annoyance of being in the pool is the frizzy hair that comes after. After you're done hanging out in the water, you sometimes want to go out. Drybar's GoldMine promises to alleviate that problem. It's made with a Nori Red Algae (Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract) that restores elasticity, softens and adds shine as a leave-in conditioner. It leaves a multi-dimensional shimmering effect with two types of light-reflecting, super-fine Mica. It's perfect for any type of hair. All you have to do is put it on damp hair, mid shaft to ends, before blow drying or you can put it on dry hair for a shimmering finish.
Forget About Frizzy Hair After the Pool
Today's Object of Desire: Hey Joe Coffee Mug
Today's object is dedicated to all of you caffeine addicts. If you're the type of person who really needs their coffee in the morning, the Hey Joe Coffee Mug is the best way to start your day. Why is that? This is a mug that actually brews the coffee. Yes. It brews coffee in the mug. Powered by a rechargeable battery, it heats the coffee to your liking and is then ready to drink. It's really not that expensive either. Running at about $69, it's just a bit more expensive than a normal thermos you would buy at Starbucks. We can imagine this being a huge hit during the winter.
Today's Object of Desire: Made in USA
Every four years, the world's top nations face off in the World Cup. It is time when patriotism runs high and fans come together to cheer on their nation. The USA has defeated their rival, Ghana, from the last World Cup and we move on to our next round against Portugal. That game will undoubtedly be difficult, so, it is important that our players know that we are rooting for them. Sport your USA pride with this "Made in USA" t-shirt from Homage. It is made right here in the US and you should sport it at the local bar or viewing party. The US's next game is this Sunday at 3:00 p.m. We only have one thing to say: USA! USA! USA!
Today's Object of Desire: Batman Tumbler Golf Cart
Today's object of desire is dedicated to dad. In case you've forgotten, Father's Day is this Sunday. Here is a gift idea, though, it is way farfetched, but awesome nonetheless. The Batman Tumbler Golf Cart is the perfect gift for a dad who loves comics and golf. While playing 18 holes, dad can also pretend he's Batman. It's win-win situation. With its go-kart motor, this cart can reach speeds of 38 mph. Sure, it doesn't have the cool weapons or jet propulsion and that's okay. It does have leather seats, though. Be ready to spend close $20,000 on this bad boy. We think dad is worth it. Do you?
Today's Object of Desire: Beats Solo2 Headphones
If you've been paying attention to the news, then you know that Beats Headphones by Dr. Dre were just about by Apple for an incredible $3 million. Let that number sink in. Beats do seem to have superior sound quality and it is quite the status symbol to own a pair, but that's not why we're bringing them to you today. These are Beats Solo2 Headphones. It seems as though Dre knows what he's doing when it comes to sound. The new Solo2s utilize a more dynamic sound and a comfortable enough to wear all day. You can pick yours up for $200.
Quench Your Hair this Summer at Mane Attraction Salon
It's hot out there. You know it. We know it. Everyone in the Valley knows it. The worst part is that it is barely even June. That's means, it's only going to get warmer. The dry heat can wreak havoc on your hair. To combat, Mane Attraction Salon wants to quench your 'do'. Anyone who purchases a $36 summer blowout special between Memorial Day and Labor Day will receive a complimentary Bumble & Bumble Quenching Masque hair treatment. It's the perfect way to keep your hair healthy and hydrated. It restores the natural moisture barrier to provide flexible softness, strength and glorious detangling.
Today's Object of Desire: Mspa Inflatable Hot Tub
There's nothing quite like the feeling of getting into a hot tub after a long day. The problem with hot tubs, though, is that it seems like no one has one. That's where the Mspa Inflatable Hot Tub comes in. The only things you need for the Mspa to work is a water source and power outlet. Seems easy enough, right? You may think it being inflatable would compromise the structural integrity, but the triple-layered laminated PVC skin suggests otherwise. This bad boy has a total of 110 air bubble jets that will keep you relaxed throughout the duration of your soak. It's also significantly cheaper than your standard hot tub, coming in at under $700.
Today's Object of Desire: Aero-X Hoverbike
The future is here, friends. What do we mean by that? Feast your eyes upon the Aero-X Hoverbike. Yes, that is a bonafide hoverbike. A bike that hovers. Like, in the air. Has our point come across yet? The Aer0-X is everything the kid version of you has always wanted. It can fly 10 feet in the air and travel up to speeds of 45 mph. If you need to turn, just treat it like a motorcycle and shift weight to the side you wish turn. The practical uses are endless with the hoverbike. Mostly, we would use it for fun. As you might expect, the Aero-X is not cheap. Coming in at $85,000, it's the price of a luxury car, BUT, it's a freaking hoverbike. Also, you have wait until 2017 to purchase this bad boy.
Turn Heads With the Smoky Eye Look
When your makeup is done really well, every eye in the room is looking at you. In a good way. Learning that art can be a difficult process. That's why Citrine Natural Beauty Bar teaches these classes. On Thursday, May 29, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., you can learn how to get the smoky eye look. It's perfect for that fancy party or just a night on the town and will surely impress your date, friends, and pretty much everyone there. For $85, Citrine will teach you how to get the look while providing drinks and small bites. The hands-on course will also give you the materials and makeup to create the look for you to take home with you. That way, you'll be ready for the weekend. Go out there and get 'em, ladies.
Today's Object of Desire: Kohler Touchless Toilets
If you thought we were above writing about toilets, you are sadly mistaken. The toilet could be considered the throne of your castle. We've sat on some pretty uncomfortable ones in our day. Sometimes, toilets can be beyond disgusting, depending on the company you keep, of course. The Kohler Touchless Toilets makes it so you don't ever have to worry about any of that again. The cool thing about Kohler is that you can either purchase a completely new toilet or you can get a conversion kit for your current throne. Like many public restrooms, these use a motion sensor to flush when you're done. What an age we live in.
Get a Free Hair Cut for Correct Spelling
Sorry ladies, this one is for the guys. Keep It Cut seems to be doing a lot of interesting campaigns, as of late. We like this one a lot. Have you ever seen the National Spelling Bee on TV? It's so popular that ESPN hosts it every year. Talk about pressure for those young… Athletes? Anyway, National Spelling Bee Week is coming up soon, May 25 through May 31, to be exact. To celebrate the competition, any guy can get a free a hair cut at the men's salon during that week, so long as they can spell a word correctly. Honestly, we kind of want to go just to try and spell some words. It'll be like we're in grade school again. The free hair cut is a nice prize, though.
High-End European Men's Fashion Is Coming to Scottsdale
Let's face it, not every guy has a lot of fashion sense. That's okay, it happens to the best of us. Perhaps you know someone who needs to ditch the old jeans and ratty t-shirt look. A new European men's clothing store will soon be opening its doors in Scottsdale Quarter. Suitsupply has locations all over the world and will make Scottsdale one of its newest spots. With Amsterdam being the source of their humble beginnings, Suitsupply's other locations include the Meccas of the fashion industry, like Milan, London, and New York. Set to open on May 22, the new store will have everything guys need to complete their wardrobes like suits, jackets, trousers, shoes, shirts and accessories. A lot of guys won't admit it, but there are plenty of dudes who like fashion. We can see Suitsupply becoming a pretty popular destination.
Today's Object of Desire: Modern Sprout Plug-In Planter
Everyone needs a little green in their lives. It's amazing how just a couple plants can really liven up the room. Even if you don't particularly have a green thumb, the Modern Sprout Plug-In Planter makes it easy for you. You really only need two things for this. First, you need a window that provides some sunlight. Obviously, plants need sunlight to live. Second, you need an outlet to plug this bad boy in. You can choose from weathered gray wood, reclaimed wood, gloss white, or a chalkboard design for the planter. Inside, all of the necessary components for a hydroponic system that will take care of all the hard stuff for you.
Pamper Mom at The Spa for Mother's Day
This is another friendly reminder that this coming Sunday, May 11, is Mother's Day. You better hurry up and make those brunch reservations because they're going to fill up fast, if they haven't already. If you're still looking for a gift for mom, the gift of relaxation is always a good idea. Consider getting her a treatment from The Spa at any location of the Village Health Club & Spa. There will be a special rate for the Ginger Champagne Breeze Package, a whipped citrus infused sugar and Shea butter body polish that's followed by a wrap of mint, champagne, and Shea butter and finished with a moisturizing ginger sorbet scented body milk. The package includes a body treatment, manicure + pedicure, facial and massage to pick and choose from. You can choose a single treatment for $89, two treatments for $159, three for $240, which includes lunch and champagne, and four for $310, which also includes lunch and champagne.
Today's Object of Desire: Riedel Boa Decanter
Today's object is all about bringing you the vino. This might be the craziest looking decanter we've ever seen. That makes us really want to buy it. Some of you may not care whether your wine is opened or has enough aeration. Once you get a load of this one, you're mind will change. The Riedel Boa Decanter is not only cool looking but also serves a greater purpose. Its unique shape opens of the wine in just moments. Shaped like a snake to commemorate the Chinese year of the snake, the glass is all blown by mouth, a very difficult process. It can hold up to 69 ounces of vino and will be the perfect conversation piece for your next party.
Today's Object of Desire: Glowdeck
Today's object of desire is dedicated to all you techies. You're all about aesthetics and that includes your smartphone's accessories. The Glowdeck is the perfect clock/stereo/cool thing to put on your nightstand. The best part is that it is all cord-free. There are no ugly wires hanging out here. The Glowdeck has a bluetooth music play back, wireless charging, and notifications built into the deck's screen. Available in three wooden options, you can choose from cheery, maple, and walnut. There is also a black acrylic option, as well. It's the perfect gift for all of the techies in your life.
Today's Object of Desire: Krups ZB500 Infinity Slow Juicer
It seems as though every health nut out there is now obsessed with juicing. No, not steroid use but actual juice. Juicers are starting to pop up every around the Valley and they're a hit. How difficult is it really to make juice? If you had the Krups ZB500 Infinity Slow Juicer, you could easily make your own. Sure, you have to spend an initial couple hundred dollars to purchase the juicer, but we imagine it would be overall worth it. The ZB500 is different, though. You have the option to make either juices or cocktails or you can make thicker things, like sauces and smoothies. The high-tech motor is also super quiet, which is a plus if you plan on juicing in the morning.
Prom & Mom Deal at SHINE a Blow Dry Bar
With late spring comes prom. If you have teenagers in your home, chances are, you've known about prom for the last few months. Or longer. For a lot of teenage girls, it's a night where they can get all dressed up and dance the night away. Aside from the grueling task of picking out a dress, the girls hair is a huge factor in the prom process. This can be equally stressful for mom. To make things easier and to add a little mom and daughter bonding to the whole thing, SHINE is offering a Prom & Mom deal. For $60, mom and the prom girl will get a blowout. Moms can choose a later date for theirs, if they choose. For prom day, blowouts are just $30. They also offering styling and braids. So, yeah, there you go.
Today's Object of Desire: Amazon Fire TV
More and more people are unplugging. Unplugging from cable providers, that is. What's the point of paying for cable when streaming devices are starting to become more and more prevalent? You don't have to sit through commercials (on most of them, anyway) and you can what to watch when you want to watch it. Apple TV, Roku, and Google's Chromecast pretty much dominate the market right now. Amazon has just joined the competition with its Amazon Fire TV. For anyone who owns a Kindle Fire, the Fire TV is the next logical purchase for you. Able to stream Netflix, Hulu, Watch ESPN, Pandora, and the obvious Prime Instant Video, the Fire TV holds up to 2G of memory and is made with a Quad Core processor. Basically, it's fast and can hold a lot of stuff. The Fire TV will also act as a gaming platform that gives you the option to purchase a controller. We have a feeling Amazon knows exactly what they're doing.
Today's Object of Desire: Peugeot Onyx Sofa
This has to be the most ridiculous sofa we have ever. Seriously. It doesn't look comfortable at all but it does look really cool. It's like one of those sofas you buy for no one to sit on. The Peugeot Onyx Sofa is hard as a rock. That's because a portion of it is made out of Volvic volcanic lava stone. The actual sitting area is made from molded lacquered black carbon fiber and fused to the rock. Also, it weighs around 800 pounds. It's not the most practical couch in the world, but if you happen to be a rich geologist, you should probably own this. Since it does weigh so much, reinforced floors might be a good idea.
Today's Object of Desire: Apple CarPlay
Today's object is for the Apple fan, specifically if you either have an iPhone 5, 5C, or 5S. Also needed is an infotainment screen in your ride. Okay, assuming you have those, Apple CarPlay is the next logical thing to purchase. When it syncs with your car, Siri and the touchscreen display will navigate you through what ever you want to do. You can get directions if you're lost, have text messages read to you and send one back, and obviously you'll be able to play music. It's just a nice gadget to have that doesn't rely solely on Bluetooth.
Today's Object of Desire: Shelfie Bike Mount
Today's object of desire is perfect for all who love bikes. Specifically, bicycles. Arizona is one of the best places to bike. The urban areas are flat and ideal for your road bike. We have numerous mountain bike paths for those of you who are bit more adventurous. One difficulty with biking is storage. They're big and can be hard to find a place to park in your home, especially if you live in an apartment. The Shelfie Bike Mount solves that while be practical and stylish. It hangs your bike from the wall but in manner that will keep it out of the way.
Twin Peaks Bikini Car Wash to Benefit Family of Fallen Officer
Earlier this month, Phoenix police officer Detective John Hobbs lost life in the line of duty. It's easy to forget how often the men and women in blue put their lives on the line to protect and serve. To help the Hobbs family, the Twin Peaks bar and grill on Camelback will be hosting a bikini car wash this Saturday, March 22. From 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, you should bring your car, truck, or motorcycle to the restaurant where 100% of the proceeds will go to the Hobbs family. The Twin Peaks girls wanted to show their support for the family and police officers everywhere and they will be using their "assets" to raise funds. We're guessing they are going to raise a lot.
Twin Peaks Camelback | 2135 East Camelback Road | Phoenix AZ 85016
Today's Object of Desire: Wake Up & Smell The Bacon
Yes, this is a real thing. We're not joking. The Oscar Mayer Wake Up & Smell The Bacon is as real as the bacon you eat in the morning. Speaking of which, who doesn't love waking up to the smell of bacon in the morning? There's really nothing quite like it. The iPhone app/alarm clock, when plugged into your phone, releases the beautiful scent for when you're supposed to wake up. It's the kind of thing that every single person out there would love to wake to. It is truly a remarkable time to be alive. Too bad it doesn't actually cook bacon for you. Oscar Mayer, you really need to work on that.
Today's Object of Desire: Escape Mobile Cabin
Today's object of desire isn't necessarily an object. It's more of a building. Sometime you need to escape. The daily grind can really wear down on your soul and the best way to combat that is getting the hell out of dodge. That's where the Escape Mobile Cabin. This isn't a redneck mobile, no it is not. The Mobile Cabin is by far the classiest mobile home we've ever seen. It has a built-in bed with nightstands, a bathroom with walk-in shower, vaulted ceilings, and really tall windows. We know how we're going to escape the Valley this summer.


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Added May 15, 2013
by Edhnee .
Toulouse, France
May 16, 2013, 06.36 PMby Edhnee .
thank you!
May 16, 2013, 09.47 AMby alekat
Beautiful! i love the colours in the fabric
May 15, 2013, 09.23 PMby Mary Athey
the fabrics beautiful and it looks great made into this dress x
May 15, 2013, 12.15 PMby liliv-1
Lovely dress, gorgeous fabric!
Add to Favorites 2 people added it
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When growing up my Gram used to make these grilled cheeses for us. She would send us down to the local Italian bakery to get fresh hearth baked bread. Today I use fat free bologna, low fat cheeses and instead of butter I use butter flavored pan spray and plain white reduced calorie bread.
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America has a strong record of opening her arms to people in search of liberty and democracy, a place where all are free from religious persecution.
Liberty's lamp, which lit the way for generation upon generation, continues to illuminate our moral compass. But modern times are weighing on America's openness as millions of people from other lands sneak through our back door.
These uninvited guests, if you will, want to be green-lighted with a path to citizenship. They oppose stricter controls, which would stop them at the border, and they push back against tougher enforcement, which would send them home.
Meanwhile, the true immigrants apply for visas and green cards and play by other rules that, in due time, allow them a place in line to become "Americans."
The situation is pitting Christian against Christian as Americans turn up the heat on Congress and the White House to find common moral and legal ground on overhauling federal immigration law.
Americans want change, and they told Barack Obama as much when they sent him to the White House. He, in turn, promised change. But the more things change in Washington, the more they stay the same.
At their own political peril, the people who run Washington are pledging allegiance to a government of, by and for politicians.
The states - not the federal government - used to control immigration, and that's why Arizona's tough new law is a game-changer.
Consider its implications even though the law has yet to take effect.
USA Today reported Wednesday that schools in Arizona's Hispanic areas are seeing unusual declines in enrollment, and businesses catering to Hispanics are finding their clientele holding on to their cash in anticipation of July 29, the day the law will take effect.
One official with the Balsz Elementary School District, which has headquarters in Phoenix and is 75 percent Hispanic, said 70 students have been pulled out recently compared with seven students this time last year.
"They're leaving for another state where they feel more welcome," District Superintendent Jeffrey Smith told the newspaper.
An illegal immigrant who has worked in plant nurseries for 20 years said in the story that he is pulling up stakes.
"If I were alone, I'd try to stay," said Juan Carlos Cruz. "But I have a family, and I have to find a place where we can live with more freedom."
Ah, freedom. Good old American freedom. There's nothing like it.
Even though Arizona's law does not target Hispanics and explicitly forbids racial profiling, Mr. Cruz and his family are in an unfortunate predicament and could find it extremely difficult to find a new, welcoming home.
Dozens of state legislatures are considering following Arizona's lead on illegal immigration with resolutions, ballot proposals and legislation. Scores of measures have been enacted.
The movement reflects the mood of American voters, and a recent Quinnipiac University poll bears this out. Respondents approved of the Arizona law by 51 percent to 31 percent; 45 percent predicted it would reduce illegal immigration, compared with 36 percent who said it wouldn't.
Sixty-six percent of those polled said they wanted immigration reform that focuses on enforcement rather than on integrating illegal immigrants already here.
In the poll, 59 percent called illegal immigration a "very serious" problem for the country, virtually the same as the 57 percent who identified it that way in a survey in March 2006.
The White House and Congress must decide whether they will side with American voters or with illegal immigrants.
"The Arizona immigration law has emerged as a major divide in the country, but the numbers are on the side of those supporting it," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "The strong plurality who say they would like a similar law in their own state probably portends [that] the law will be an issue in many, many campaigns this November across the country. Depending on how those elections and court challenges come out, copycat Arizona laws could be a hot issue in state capitals after November."
The new twists on America's open-arms policy could very well mean that Washington politicians become pussycats who purr their way into the midterms without tackling immigration reform.
For sure, voters are warning incumbents and newcomers alike against taking their support for granted.
Illegal immigrants are listening. Let's pray Washington is, too.
- Deborah Simmons can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
© Copyright 2014 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.


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Driver blames spider for weekend crash
An Indiana driver says a spider caused her to hit two people in a parking lot.
The Franklin County Sheriff's Department said Sandra Rivera, of Indianapolis, was driving a minivan through the parking lot at Mounds Beach State Park near Brookville on Saturday afternoon.
Rivera's minivan struck Manuel Tapia, 28, and Novma Gonzales, 31, both of Indianapolis, as they walked through the lot.
The sheriff's department said Rivera told deputies that she had been distracted by a spider in the minivan, causing her to hit Tapia and Gonzales. The pair suffered leg injuries and were hospitalized, but their current conditions have not been released.
The incident remains under investigation.
Copyright 2013 by WLWT.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Blount signs with Patriots, apologizes to Steelers
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Great location next to the old town with plenty of on street free parking . Friendly helpfull staff small bar but ok . Brea.kfast ok but would probably not bother next time Room very small with small bathroom ok for 1 night .
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"Comment: Practice makes perfect"
Today the great majority of federal records are born electronic. That phrase has been commonplace for a decade, but few ask the follow-up question: If federal records are born electronic, where do they grow up and live?
The obvious answer is that electronic records live in the government's information technology systems. That being the case, we would suppose that the systems are designed to properly take care of electronic records.
But we would be dead wrong. Almost none of the tens of thousands of government IT systems are designed to properly maintain and dispose of the records they create or process.
The institutional weightiness of records leaped to public attention in recent years through the Enron Corp. and Arthur Andersen LLP calamities in the corporate world and the continuing saga of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in government.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 states, among other things, that heads of multinational corporations can go to jail when records are tampered with, altered or deleted. And, as few have noticed, federal employees can also spend time behind bars for tampering with records that are the subject of federal investigations.
In this altered climate, it stands to reason that heads of enterprises — government or private — want assurance their records are being properly managed.
One of the best ways to gain this assurance is to ask if proper records management is being designed into the enterprise IT systems. This is an issue never before addressed in government. Federal IT managers subscribe to the doctrine of life cycle management for IT systems, but until now, the life cycle in question pertained to systems, not the data generated or processed.
Now federal IT managers are beginning to hear the query: Have you provided for proper management of the federal records your systems carry such that you can guarantee that those records will stand up in a court of law?
The FBI is one of several agencies addressing this question systematically. Officials are creating a records management certification program for its IT systems.
Already the FBI records officer has clearance authority over new IT systems. Under the new program, both new and existing IT systems would have to pass through a certification process to ensure that federal records in the systems retain the authenticity, reliability, integrity and usability required.
The records management certification will go hand-in-glove with security certification. If new systems fail, they would go no further in the funding process. For existing systems, failure would mean systems redesign.
The situation presents an entertaining topsy-turvy. The lowly records officer, long toiling in the bowels of the agency, may suddenly receive the clout to tell the lofty IT managers they cannot have their new umpteen million-dollar toy until they toe the records management line.
Sprehe is president of Sprehe Information Management Associates Inc. in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at email@example.com.
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Steve Kelman considers the costs of corruption in Mexico, China, and most developing countries -- and argues that Americans should keep their own government troubles in perspective.
Agency leaders must proactively invest time, energy and resources to shape the future rather than reactively wait for change to happen.
Meet 24 men and women who are driving key changes in federal IT -- and shaping up as the community's likely leaders of tomorrow.
GSA's administrator talks with FCW about short-term hiring, long-term planning and Robert Frost.
Without a future vision and an appetite for risk, reforms lead down a rabbit hole. There is a better way.
VA's top tech official says he is balancing risks while trying to keep the department's online services open for business.
After five years on the job, the founding director of the Office of Government Information Services believes that a deeper understanding and acceptance of FOIA is seeping into the federal government.
The September attack, made public Nov. 10, potentially puts customer and employee personal information at risk, including addresses, Social Security numbers and emails.
The General Services Administration's Matthew Goodrich predicts more agency-driven authorizations and previews a new two-year road map.
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Paris Hilton - Justin Bieber Cannes Love Story Ends, Paris Found Bieber's Choice in Songs 'Lame'
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By nidhi tewari | May 21, 2014 1:53 PM EST
Paris Hilton is officially too old for Justin Bieber, it has been revealed. The 33-year-old socialite hooked up with 20-year-old Canadian crooner at the Cannes Film Festival some time back and Paris even went to Justin's place after that but her attraction faded out soon. Paris left Bieber's rented mansion just after half an hour, Perezhilton.com is reporting. So what was the reason? The Web site is reporting that Bieber played his own songs all the time while Paris was at his place and it was apparently too much for the blonde beauty to tolerate!
REUTERS/Albert Gea/Files
Canadian singer Justin Bieber performs during a concert at Palau Sant Jordi stadium in Barcelona in this March 16, 2013 file photo. Bieber has been accused of attempted robbery, a Los Angeles Police Department official said on May 13, 2014, following media reports that he had tried to snatch a young woman's mobile telephone. REUTERS/Albert Gea/Files
Paris is not a "Belieber" after all and could not tolerate his songs playing continuously at a stretch. "She said the party was really lame and couldn't stand the fact that Justin was playing his own songs... so she left after half an hour," a source close to Justin and Paris told Mirror.co.uk.
However, before coming to this conclusion, Justin and Paris had a good time with each other at Gotha nightclub in Cannes on Sunday night where Paris also gave a little lap dance to Justin and his friends, while sucking a lollypop.
"Paris had a private table above the DJ setup at the nightclub and was clearly loving being out and being the centre of attention. She was trying to dance sexily and looked really up for a party," a source close to Paris told the Web site.
However, the socialite became really annoyed when the onlookers at the club started filming her lap dance and taking pictures of her. This really irked her and she started yelling at the onlookers saying that she was being filmed by the rival club guys.
"She was yelling, 'I can't be filmed by a rival club - I'm being paid a lot of money to appear in another club!'" the Web site reports citing a source.
Paris was soon calmed by her people and brought to the table after which she started "dancing, sucking on a lollipop and flirting with Justin again," added the Web site.
Nevertheless Justin Bieber has been the centre of attraction at Cannes. The "Baby" singer was also approached by "American Hustle" actress Jennifer Lawrence at Cannes who attended his Cannes bash, theindependent.ie is reporting.
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Rangers "unlikely" to sign free agent Roy Oswalt
Feb 2, 2012, 10:31 PM EST
Roy Oswalt's options seem to be dwindling.
Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington told reporters on Wednesday that it's "unlikely" his team adds a starting pitcher before spring training, and now the Rangers are saying much of the same.
A source explained to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Thursday evening that the Rangers already feel like they have an adequate starting rotation for 2012 and don't want to move left-hander Matt Harrison to the bullpen to clear room.
The Cardinals might still be alive as a potential landing spot, but Oswalt did not appreciate their initial offer. Picky, picky.
- rogerbrad - Feb 2, 2012 at 10:35 PM
His time was up when we unloaded him in Houston
- bouwel92 - Feb 2, 2012 at 10:53 PM
he needs to come back to houston we need a strong pitcher in our rotation might as well come back to where he started his career
- phillyphever - Feb 2, 2012 at 11:04 PM
That's what happens when someone takes too long to make a decision. Hey Roy, bet you wished you took the Tigers offer after all huh?
- paperlions - Feb 2, 2012 at 11:13 PM
Not being able to get what you want still doesn't make you want what you don't want.
- Utley's Hair - Feb 3, 2012 at 1:26 AM
Your comment makes my head hurt, but I think I agree. But it's paperlions, so the jury's still out.
- phillyphever - Feb 2, 2012 at 11:34 PM
Well right now, no one wants him. So unless he swallows what's left of his pride and accepts a reasonable deal, he might as well retire.
- Utley's Hair - Feb 3, 2012 at 1:25 AM
There's quite the fine line between want and need, and there's no reason for him to "swallow what's left of his pride." Based on his past comments, all along, his retirement has been an option for him. If he doesn't find the situation that he feels is right for him, then he could very well ride that tractor into the sunset.
As I said before, I'd welcome him back into the pinstripes. Take your time Roy, and don't forget about us.
- phillyphreak - Feb 3, 2012 at 6:33 AM
Agree with Utley's Hair here. I don't think he has any "need" to play still. He probably wants to play but won't just go anywhere. He seems content to retire.
- proudlycanadian - Feb 3, 2012 at 6:47 AM
He did turn down an offer from the Tigers, because he did not want to pitch there. He has made a lot of money and if he does not get an offer that appeals to him, retirement is a viable option.
- pxeeks - Feb 2, 2012 at 11:48 PM
Come back to the Phillies. It's the wisest choice!! The team has Championship pieces spread throughout. This is the year Philly will have a parade down Broad Street!
- Utley's Hair - Feb 3, 2012 at 1:27 AM
From your keyboard to NinJr.'s ears.
- contraryguy - Feb 3, 2012 at 12:40 AM
Just keep him out of the NL Central.
Signed, Reds fans.
- Old Gator - Feb 3, 2012 at 1:01 AM
If he holds out and bides his time, he'll get a deal. It just kills me to think that the Feesh might have had him if they hadn't caved to Slobbering Ozzie's desire for Krazy Karlos Lamebraino.
- Utley's Hair - Feb 3, 2012 at 1:28 AM
Kinda makes you wonder why you were such a proponent for bringing Ozzie down to Macondo, doesn't it, Gator? Oh…wait….
- unclemosesgreen - Feb 3, 2012 at 6:30 AM
I wish he would come to Boston, that's who really needs him. Unfortunately, he hates Boston. There's no hunting, there's gay marriage, and he doesn't get to swing a bat.
John Henry should buy (another?) island somewhere and let Roy Oswalt hunt "The Most Dangerous Game."
And that would be the Borg, or course.
- Old Gator - Feb 3, 2012 at 7:39 AM
What a battery – Zaroff and Rainsford.
- andyreidisfat - Feb 3, 2012 at 6:29 AM
I have been saying all season he would end up back in Philly at about 7-9 mill.
- plowe70 - Feb 3, 2012 at 7:47 AM
Roy is going to land on his feet and get a nice deal. There is plenty of teams that could use ano allstar caliber sp. Perhaps when the dodgers ownership issue gets resolved they will make an offer.
- rooney24 - Feb 3, 2012 at 9:11 AM
Sounds like Roy is a little higher on himself than all of the teams that might want him. While he might still sign a decent deal, I think he wants to pitch for a contender. A lot of contenders have either set their rotations or have spent most of their money already. I think he is going to have the make the classic choice of contender for cheap or lesser team for possibly more cash. What are your priorities, Roy?
- Jonny 5 - Feb 3, 2012 at 9:55 AM
You all know this is EFFING KILLING Amaro right now. He's probably losing sleep, drinking heavily, smoking, and basically going crazy over this fiasco right now. I bet he's on the Phone with David Montgomery right now as a matter of fact….
- leftywildcat - Feb 3, 2012 at 10:25 AM
Come back to Philly, Roy, where you are much appreciated by the fans. Doesn't your best shot at the post-season come from being a part of the best rotation in baseball?
- stex52 - Feb 3, 2012 at 1:45 PM
Phillie he would probably at least be at home. St. Louis is, I think, a pretty good fit. Houston is for dreamers who want to trade him again in July.
But it starts to look like he just might walk. Too many see this arrogance. I respect a man who knows he is rich and is in a position to negotiate for what he wants. You don't see that enough.
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Sig Sauer Rimfire Conversion Kit Magazine Sig Sauer P226 22 Long Rifle 10-Round Polymer Black
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Design your home
3 Brookhaven, PA Outdoor Audio and Visual Systems
As we extend our living spaces to include outdoor rooms, it seems natural to want outdoor audio and visual systems. Sound system professionals can install state-of-the-art wireless weather-resistant music systems anywhere you want to add music to the mix. You can find more outdoor audio/visual in Philadelphia, Camden, Wilmington, Chester and Drexel Hill. More
Austin's CAV (215) 882-4123
Custom Home A/V installer Read More
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