text:
O.C. roots: Started in Huntington Beach in 1962. Now headquartered in Brea
Employees: 800 in Orange, Los Angeles and San Diego counties and in Northern California
Annual revenues: Nearly $200 million
Imitators: The PennySaver name wasn't trademarked, so it has been copied by others across the U.S.
Household mailings: 9.1 million in California
Local editions: 780
Trivia: PennySaver broke the Guinness world record for the largest piggy bank in 2005; money put in the bank was donated to Hurricane Katrina victims.
Source: Original PennySaver, PennySaverUSA .com blog
Before there was a Craigslist, before Siri could tell you on your iPhone where the closest pizza joint is, there was the PennySaver. Started in Huntington Beach more than 50 years ago, the direct-ad mailer was the place to go to advertise your garage sale, clip cents-off burger coupons or find a plumber.
Even if you weren't in the market to buy or sell anything, PennySaver served as a source of entertainment. A 1985 Register story cited this ad: "Item: Python boa constrictor. Must sell, $200, all accessories. Ate family pet. Must go."
Never trademarked, PennySaver spawned a burgeoning industry of similar publications across the country, all under separate ownership but sporting the PennySaver name and advertising format.
Now the company that calls itself the Original PennySaver, based in Brea, is being sold along with its PennySaverUSA.com website for $22.5 million to OpenGate Capital LLC.
The Los Angeles private equity firm hopes to turn around the still popular but waning publication, whose nearly $200 million in revenues are less than half of what it was making in its heyday in the 1990s. The seller, Harte-Hanks Inc. in San Antonio, said it wants to concentrate on its core digital marketing analytics business.
The sale, expected to close by next week, is only the second time the company has changed hands since it debuted in Orange County in 1962.
Original owner Bob DeMarco sold the PennySaver to Harte-Hanks in 1973. The Texas publishing company moved the offices to Brea in 1981, expanded it statewide and then into Florida to become the largest direct-mail shopping publication in the country.
Harry Buckel was Harte-Hanks' PennySaver publisher during the go-go years from 1982-96. Now retired in New York, Buckel recalls that the PennySaver was a phenomenon from almost the day it opened its doors. It was able to target advertising for individuals and small businesses in any given neighborhood, a niche that newspapers had priced themselves out of.
"Whether it was the pizza guy or a hair salon, they could afford an ad right around their store," he said.
Buckel recounted a story he heard about the day Harte-Hanks executives showed up at DeMarco's office to check out the publication. There were people lined up outside the door waiting to place ads.
At 5 o'clock, DeMarco unceremoniously locked the door, leaving his remaining would-be customers standing there.
The Harte-Hanks people were shocked. "Why would you turn away customers with money in hand?" they asked.
"It makes them come back next week," DeMarco said. "It keeps them hungry."
Attempts by the Register to reach DeMarco were unsuccessful.
Under Harte-Hanks, the PennySaver took off. Buckel said that during his tenure, circulation grew from 1million to 4.5 million. In the best year, he said the publication had $500 million in revenue and 20 percent profit margins.
Comments are encouraged, but you must follow our User Agreement
Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to republish your name and comment in additional Register publications without any notification or payment.


text:
Rob Moves Out
Robert Pattinson moves out amidst Kristen Stewart cheating scandal. Read More »
Who Is Liberty Ross?
Six things to know about Rupert Sanders' model wife. Read More »
Liberty Ross Is Pissed
The wife of Rupert Sanders uses Instagram to snark Kristen Stewart. Read More »
- Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson "aren't speaking." I guess this should be weird when they co-present at the MTV Video Music Awards in September, huh? Hopefully they'll be back on speaking terms by the time they promote "Breaking Dawn Part 2″ in November. [People]
- Chris Brown has said something obnoxious about Frank Ocean's homosexuality. Of course he did. [Queerty]
- Lady Gaga posted photos on her website of a slumber party with Lindsay Lohan where they smoked cigarettes together, as one does with LiLo. [PopCrush]
- Bristol Palin, Pamela Anderson and others will assault your eyeballs once more on the "Dancing With The Stars All-Stars" cast. I'll skip. [US Weekly]
- Robin Roberts will be taking a leave of absence from "Good Morning America" for her bone marrow transplant. Get well soon, Robin! [Celebrity Cafe]
- The best of the sad Skillrex meme. [BuzzFeed]
- When the words "Cheyenne Jackson" and "porn" are in the same sentence, you know I'm clicking. [Queerty]
- Oh dear, that new reality show "Hollywood Exes" had a whole lotta racist bullshit on it. [Clutch Magazine]
- Boink Box is like Birchbox, but for sex stuff! [BetaBeat]
- A Nickelback fan fell into a gorge while attempting to sneak into a concert. That's what you get for listening to Nickelback, dude. [The FW]
- "Project Runway" contestant Mondo Guerra opens up about his HIV educational campaign called I Design. [Socialite Life]
[Photo: Getty]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Live updates
Fergie: Giggs can play on
Man Utd boss believes Ryan Giggs is worthy of a 24th season of top flight football after his Man of the Match performance against West HamRead the full story
Allardyce slams penalty calls
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce felt his side should have been awarded a penalty in their narrow defeat at Manchester UnitedRead the full story
Giggs: I'm enjoying my football
Veteran Manchester United midfielder Ryan Giggs, 39, told ITV's Gabriel Clarke 'I'm just enjoying my football,' after the 1-0 FA Cup Third Round replay win over West Ham.
Asked whether he will continue to play beyond this season, Giggs replied: 'We'll see. I'm just enjoying it at the moment and we'll have to see what this season brings.'
Highlights: Man Utd 1-0 West Ham
Wayne Rooney scored the only goal of the game at home to West Ham to earn Manchester United an FA Cup fourth round tie with FulhamRead the full story
Replay: Wayne Rooney blazes penalty over the bar
Not one of Wayne's best.
FT - Man Utd 1-0 West Ham
A close-fought, low-quality game, truth be told. Wayne Rooney scored one and missed a penalty, and while West Ham did push the home side at times they were probably second best. The Red Devils go through to a home tie against Fulham in the Fourth Round.
YELLOW - Scholes
Get your 'typical Scholes tackle' cliches out for the lads.
DISALLOWED GOAL - Hernandez
Another marginal offside call against Hernandez, but admire the pass from Ryan Giggs which put him through on goal - sumptuous.
Time for RVP?
MISSED PENALTY - Rooney
Oh dear Wayne. He's got right underneath that one and skied it over the bar! West Ham live to fight for ten more minutes at least.


text:
Man performing lewd act runs over guy in Niles parking lot
BY JENNIFER JOHNSON firstname.lastname@example.com April 24, 2013 8:20PM
Updated: May 29, 2013 6:42AM
A Niles man told police he was hit by a car driven by a man who had been exposing himself just seconds earlier.
According to Niles Police, the 34-year-old victim was in a parking lot in the 7200 block of Dempster on April 19 when his wife reported that a man sitting in a parked Hyundai appeared to be acting suspiciously.
The victim reported that the man was performing a lewd act in the car but attempted to cover himself with a piece of clothing, police said.
When the victim knocked on the passenger-side window of the car, the driver put the car in reverse, hitting the victim, who fell to the ground, police said. The man drove out of the parking lot and headed west on Dempster.
Police said the victim refused medical attention and didn't get the car's license plate information.


text:
I just picked up an X32 after a couple in depth weeks of studying and research.
My principal gig is festival sound, wherein I'm Main stage at smaller festivals and 2nd or 3rd stage at larger ones.
I left analog a few years back with the purchase of a SL 16.4.2 and then a few months after that a 24.4.4.
In the two 1/2 years, dozens of festivals, and hundreds of bands, neither SL has given me a single problem. They have been absolutely robust, and literally zero issues. My rig for these things is a modified 5th wheel RV I tote the PA in, and the desk stays in the rig with a 200' 32x8 copper snake to the stage box and a amplified wifi rig. My workflow up til now has been set the input gains on the pres, then do everything else on the iPad. Most of the time I barely touch the desk ones I've set the pres inputs.
I multitrack every single band with Capture (a stunningly well written piece of software I must say. Never a single glitch).
I learned early on due to a bad generator at one of these things that having a pure sine wave UPS on the desk and the computer is not a nice to have but a must have.
My reason for going to the X32 is principally one of workflow. It's a PITA running back into the rig just to do a line check and set gains. The vast majority of these bands I've mixed so many times I have their input lists memorized and I've got very good channel presets saved out for each of the channels for most of these bands.
I do it that way rather than via scene as my "stays in place" channel lineup will vary somewhat from festival to festival, so I typically will recall my "zero" scene I've created for the festival that has the non moving channels with phantoms for DI's and basic low cuts and preliminary monitor sends in the ball park, then just drop the channel presets onto the lines and I'm good to go. My stage hands string lines, while I set up the mix and label channels on VSL and Capture.
IT's been a good workflow but at some of the smaller fests I'm the only guy, so every second counts and having recallable head gain on the pre's that can be stored as part of either a channel preset or scene is a compelling argument, and another big factor for me was having matrices. Even though I multitrack all bands, and put a stereo condenser crowd mic on another couple channels to get the crowd, it'd sure be nice to get a 2 track mix that includes that, so at the end of the set I can hand the band a pretty decent 2 track mix with the crowd.
Which brings me here. And to be honest, it's taken a long time to make the plunge. For the better part of a decade the only Behringer product I would own would be ones that in no way, shape or form be inserted into the audio path. (Which in my case was meant the patchbays, and even those got flaky after a year or so of use). I've had to loan out my 16.4.2 to other stages to replace dead non X32 Berhinger desks more times than I care to count, and it's invariably for a failed button or switch in a key location that renders the desk unusable.
Another bit of background, my "day" gig is at a control systems manufacturer, and my college is in EE, but I'm a principally a code guy and application design guy. Our stuff is sold and used by the pentagon, and all the 3 letter acronym spook shops, and the vast majority of the fortune 500, and for our stuff, failure is NOT an option. We've got systems in place that have been running 24/7 for over 20 years, so I know that you can engineer stuff to be pretty much fail proof, and it usually comes down to parts choices, sourcing and manufacturing.
So my issue with B products is it's not the design, it's the low level component part choices where to save 0.003 cents per part they'll go with one rated at 10K duty cycles vs. the next more expensive option rated at 200K or whatnot for example. I find it particularly illuminating that the much touted 3 year warranty excludes ALL the components that will typically fail due to a poor choice of part. Switches, encoders, faders, LCDs, LED's etc. So you'll have to bear with my skepticism on that regard. Granted this isn't like our stuff (or more appropriately its' not a 100K Midas or SC48 or Digico) so some cost saving measures and compromises have to be made, but switches, buttons and knobs are NOT the place to skimp, as they are the most heavily used item on any desk. A couple cents per part can make a world of difference.
I say this, because my reputation is only as good as my last gig, and believe me, I'm gonna be hanging on to my 24.4.2 for quite some time to come until I build a decent level of trust in this product. I'm doing my first festival on the X32 next week, simply because one of the bands also has one and I know I'll have a spare available in case this one flakes out (and my buddy informs me he's got a couple "sticky" buttons that he has to keep a reverse loop of gaff tape near the desk to pull them back up to their up position but they've been on tour and can't afford the downtime.
So with all that front loaded ranting, why even get one?
Make no doubt, the feature set is compelling, particularly for somebody who has to deal with 6-13 bands on any given day. So I held out for a good several months until these things have been out in the field for a while. I learned years ago the the principal purpose of any early adopter of bleeding edge technology is mostly to provide a softer landing spot for those who follow them off the cliff.
Well now I've got one. I spent several days prowling the forums (here and elsewhere) prior to picking it up, watching almost all of the webinars (quite helpful, thank you), and pouring over the docs, the Mac X32 edit app, and the iPad app.
Here's what I've found so far:
The Manual
Not so hot. This is what I call a "copy and paste manual" Write one set of instructions for a specific operation, then look at all the UI screens and find the lowest level see spot run operation, paste the instructions from the previous see spot run level instruction and change the numbers to fit without explaining one iota of WHAT you are doing and why. This is indicative that the tech writer has never actually mixed a show in his life. Sure there's information there but it's for the most part useless. I can find which shaft encoder to turn thank you very much, but it would have certainly helped if there had been a lot more WHY then WHICH. The most useful sections of the manual were the few pages in the middle set up to explain how to set up a monitor mix, how to get an effects bus set up, and the single most useful part of the manual was the block diagram. I figured more out from that one page than the rest of them combined, which is sorta sad, because not everybody knows how to read one.
It would have helped a LOT to have had important things to know for each topic. All these gotchas that your tech support people answer day in and out over and over agin? This stuff needs to be clearly explained in the manual in an easy to find fashion. Oh and it doesn't help that while there's an index there's no actual page numbers anywhere IN the manual to find stuff. No numbers on the pages renders the index pretty useless.
Good examples of things that should have been expounded on:
Hold Times on Gates and Compressors. I"d guess at this price point you've got a fair number of users who've never SEEN a separate parameter for hold. There's not only a lack of an explanation in Audio terms (ok, so what's this do and why is it there, and where would one tend to use it?), but no explanation or reference to it anywhere that I could find.
I'm guessing a lot of your users are first timers on a desk with DCA's, Mute Groups, and whatnot. Hell for many subgroups is probably a new concept. What these things are and WHY they exist (obviously engineering dollars were spent on making them happen so the exist for a reason), and I'll bet you've had a lot of folks scratching their heads as to what this stuff is and how to actually APPLY it. Especially the subgroups / DCA groups.
The effects section needs a LOT of help. it's not clear how any of this works, (like you have to turn the insert on or nothing happens), and the difference between banks 1-4 and 5-8 is about as clear as mud. No where was it covered how one would set up a stereo feed into a stereo effect so the effects send follows main buss panning.
The LCR modes have practically no info at all. It's hip that you've got a more or less built in ability to support Aux fed subs without chewing up an additional bus, but that wasn't covered either.
All the little places of utterly unidentified or explained parameter options:
Best example of this is the slope values and their enumerations (LC6/12/HC6/12 etc). Hell I have no clue what those mean. In fact the concept of keying and ducking aren't even mentioned anywhere. There's several other places where you have option parameters that aren't explained anywhere.
I'd suggest, since this has now been out a while that you do what we do. We have our tech support guys keep track of what kinds of questions they encounter. Periodically those get data mined and we take all the commonly ran into problems that are really based in not understanding how the product works and revamp the user guides to clearly explain that stuff.
[continued in reply]


text:
- Key Focus Areas
- Events
- Enquiries & Complaints
- Human Rights
- The Treaty
- Race Relations
- Disabled People
- International & UN
- Office of Human Rights Proceedings
- Library
- Making human rights relevant to all New Zealanders
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Article 1-5
- Article 6-10
- Article 26-30
- Article 21-25
- Multimedia
- Monitoring Places of Detention
- Human Rights and Water
- Human Rights in New Zealand 2010
- What are human rights?
- Human rights and the Government
- Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
- Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
- Human Rights Legislation
- About the Human Rights Commission
- Contact the Commission/Community Languages
- Human rights education
- Profiles – Human Rights Environment
- Action on the Transgender Inquiry
- Health of Trans People
- Discrimination and Marginalisation
- Citizenship
- Intersex People
- Resources
- Trans people: facts & information
- Terms of Reference
- Transgender Inquiry Summary of Submissions
- Transgender Inquiry Summary of Submissions – HTML Version
- Te Timatatanga: Introduction
- Nga Whakapuakanga Takotoranga Kupu: Terms of Reference and Terminology
- Te Whakaiti Tangata: Discrimination
- 1A Te Mahi Oranga: Employment
- 1B Nga Tikanga Hoko, Tuku Awhina: Goods and Services
- 1C Nga Wahi Watea: Public Places
- 1D Te Noho Pumau, Mau Tuturu, Mahi Whaiwhaia:
- 1E Te Take Matauranga: Education
- 1F Nohonga-a-whare: Housing
- 1G Te Tikanga Whakawa: Justice System
- 2. Te Ora Tinana: Health
- 3. Te Mana Whakawa Tane, Wahine, Hua Atu: Legal Recognition Of Gender Status
- 4. Te Ruaruanga Taha Wahine, Taha Tane:
- Transgender Inquiry Summary of Submissions – HTML Version
- Executive Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Children, Young People and their Famlies
- Employment
- Health
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Kia noho au ki toku ano ao
- O le Otootoga o Faamatalaga mai le Pulega
- Participation
- Links
- Religion in New Zealand Schools
- Youth Resources
Human Rights Environment
What are human rights?
Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled. They are expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948 and through international treaties adopted since then.
Human rights deal with how people live together. In particular they set out the basis for the relationship between the governed and those who govern.
Examples of human rights include civil and political rights such as the right to life and liberty, freedom of expression, equality before the law and the right to be free from discrimination. Social, cultural and economic rights include the right to participate in culture, the right to work, the right to an adequate standard of living and the right to education.
Everyone is equally entitled to human rights without discrimination
With human rights come duties and responsibilities.
There are two main pieces of law in New Zealand that specifically promote and protect human rights. One is the Human Rights Act 1993, and the other is the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
The Human Rights Act sets out the primary functions of the Human Rights Commission. These are to advocate and promote respect for and appreciation of human rights in New Zealand society; and to encourage the maintenance and development of harmonious relations between individuals and the diverse groups in New Zealand society.
The New Zealand Bill of Rights Act sets out a range of civil and political rights, which arise from the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Act includes, among other things, the right to freedom of expression, the right to religious belief, and the right to freedom of movement, and the right to be free from discrimination.
New Zealand has signed up to a number of international human rights covenants, conventions and protocols. This means that New Zealand has obligations to enforce these international standards through its laws.
What is the human rights approach?
- linking of decision-making at every level to human rights standards set out in the relevant human rights covenants and conventions
- identification of all relevant human rights involved, and a balancing of rights, where necessary, prioritising those of the most vulnerable people, to maximise respect for all rights and rights-holders
- an emphasis on the participation of individuals and groups in decision-making that affects them
- non-discrimination among individuals and groups through equal enjoyment of rights and obligations by all
- empowerment of individuals and groups by allowing them to use rights as leverage for action and to legitimise their voice in decision-making, and
- accountability for actions and decisions, which allows individuals and groups to complain about decisions that affect them adversely.


text:
Lean x Six Sigma = Results
What is Your Leadership Style?By: Michele Webb
There are countless numbers and types of leadership styles in organizations today. Unfortunately, many leaders today are ineffective because they are not motivators or because they have a warped idea about their role and purpose. As such, workers in these organizations suffer from inadequate leadership and likely have no energy, motivation or loyalty to the organization. Leaders who honestly appraise their leadership style can effectively reinvent themselves in order to inspire and motivate those whom they lead, are to be commended. Here are five basic categories of leadership. Identify which category best suits your style and how you can best use your style to motivate and lead those who work with you.1.Authoritarian. Leaders using this style are often harsh, demanding, and inflexible in their approach to others. Best stated as It is my way or the highway!2.Humanistic. This leadership style is characterized by someone who does not follow a precise plan. They allow others to set the agendas. You may hear a humanistic leader say What do you think we should do today?3.Charismatic. These leaders depend on personality and energy for success. You can hear them say Wow! I am really excited about this!4.Democratic. Democratic leaders are always seeking a group consensus prior to moving ahead. Have you heard anyone say this lately? Before we go any further, lets take a vote.5.Mission-Driven. Leaders who are mission-driven build teams to help bring about the organizations vision and purpose. They may be overhead to say, We are all in this together. There are some interesting observations to be made about these styles. For the first four styles: authoritarian, humanistic, charismatic and democratic, their style almost always reflects a person who is in charge, or at the helm of the business. When a leader is mission-driven, however, several other important factors emerge, most importantly that the entire organization is pulling together in the same direction. This means that there is far less motivating or nudging the troops and more forward direction. So, what is your leadership style? Review the five basic categories above and determine which style you typically present. If, after your review, you decide that you want to change your style, then reinvent yourself! Become a party of one to change and motivate yourself to become an effective leader! Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted. Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.
6 sigma training
The author manages a number of her own website businesses and is a member of a number of organizations for women Netpreneurs and business owners and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada USA with her two dogs. You can contact Michele at mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com or visit her website at: http://www.ebooksnstuff.com Return to Index
Visit Main Lean Manufacturing Site
Get More Info on Conflict Management Training
Lean Manufacturing Training
History of Lean
Corporate Culture
Partnership Process
Lean manufacturing definitions made simple
Lean articles
What is Lean Manufacturing ?


text:
Your business can sponsor a special live event. We'll say thank you with recognition on our publicity materials, as well as VIP access to the event and related activities.
You might choose to lend your support to an event featuring a popular national personality heard on our airwaves. Past examples include Garrison Keillor and David Sedaris.
Or you might sponsor an event that gives back to the community. And WFIU stages an annual Listener Reception, a free event that allows thousands of people to mingle with on-air personalities and fellow listeners.


text:
At least 6 dead as tornadoes cause widespread damage in Illinois
BY MATT MCKINNEY, JON SEIDEL AND ALLISON HORTON Staff Reporters November 17, 2013 8:56AM
- Weather Live Blog
- Photos, videos, stories from affected areas
- VIDEO: Bears fan discusses weather delay; rain-soaked view from press box
- 'Starting over at age 75′ after tornado hits Washington, Ill.
Article Extras
Related Stories
Updated: November 18, 2013 7:41AM
Strong thunderstorms battered the Chicago area and delayed the Bears game — but the worst damage was Downstate in central Illinois.
National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Friedlein said the agency confirmed that a strong tornado touched down near Coal City — around central Grundy County and far western Will County — with wind speeds between 113 and 157 mph. That EF-2 tornado was part of the same storm that produced the unconfirmed reports in Washington, Frankfort, as well as Dana, in rural LaSalle County, according to the weather service.
As many as 16 tornadoes touched down across the state from the southern tip, to as far north as Frankfort, near the Will and Cook county border, Friedlein said. Weather spotters near Washington, a suburb of Peoria, reported a funnel cloud touched down in the area Sunday. But crews were waiting for daylight to survey the damage and make a final determination, he said.
Officials confirmed that six people were killed when tornadoes hit central and southern Illinois. One person was killed in the the central Illinois city of Washington, where a tornado destroyed several blocks of houses. In Washington County in southern Illinois, the coronor said an elderly man and his sister were killed when a tornado struck their farm house in the town of New Minden, about 50 miles southeast of St. Louis. Patti Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, said three people were killed in Massac County in far southern Illinois.
In Washington, a rural community of 16,000, whole blocks of houses were erased from the landscape, and Illinois State Police Trooper Dustin Pierce told the AP that the tornado cut a path from one end of town to the other, knocking down power lines, rupturing gas lines and ripping off roofs.
Working under a full moon Sunday evening, Washington residents Phil and Carmen Jones carried "the important stuff" to their car.
They were in church when the storm hit. Just before the service, Carmen Jones recalled, the preacher told everyone to go to the basement.
"We were singing in the basement with all the kids," she said.
When they returned home, they found the house they have lived for 40 years had been destroyed. Their two Yorkshire terriers were under their bed.
"I found them under the bed . . . where good puppies belong," Phil Jones said.
Not sure where they would sleep Sunday night, they packed up their dogs and their clothes in the back of their sedan. Phil Jones did his best to shut the door — the roof is gone, their garage is missing and the windows are blown out.
"Nothing like starting over at age 75," Phil Jones said.
"We don't have to rip that wallpaper off now," Carmen replied.
Many of those injured in Washington were taken to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in nearby Peoria. The hospital disaster response team was dispatched to Washington, where they set up a triage station to handle incoming wounded. The hospital treated 37 patients, three of whom remained in serious condition Sunday evening, hospital spokeswoman Amy Paul said.
On its website, the city advised residents that there would be a curfew from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day until the weekend.
A resident of Washington said a tornado wiped out his house and his entire neighborhood in a matter of seconds. Michael Perdun told the Associated Press that when he heard the sound of the tornado bearing down on his neighborhood Sunday morning he only had time to run downstairs, grab his 10-year-old daughter and crouch in the laundry room until the tornado swept through. When he walked up the stairs, only the wall of his fireplace was standing.
The tornadoes did so much damage that Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said "it is clear that coordinated local, state and federal resources will be needed to rebuild."
Gov. Pat Quinn was handling phone calls from emergency officials across the state, spokeswoman Brooke Anderson said. He canceled his Monday schedule to tour hardest-hit areas.
Thompson said the state's emergency operations center was activated Sunday afternoon in Springfield. Personnel were dispatched to Washington to work closely with local responders there. Emergency communications equipment was set up to help with communications among first-responders there. Technical rescue teams also were sent to Washington.
Southwest of Chicago, an undetermined number of people suffered minor injuries Sunday, buildings were damaged in Coal City and people were rescued after being trapped in a church in Diamond. Fences were knocked down, traffic lights were out and tree limbs were felled in some neighborhoods, while others escaped unscathed.
Coal City firefighter Nick Doerfler confirmed buildings were knocked down by the storm, which touched down near Diamond, Berta Road and along Route 113 and Interstate 55 southwest of Joliet. Doerfler said people had been injured, but nobody was reported killed.
The Chrome Rack bar and the Assembly of God church in Diamond also suffered significant damage, said Chuck Pelkie, a spokesman for the Will County emergency management agency. An unknown number of people were trapped in the church at one point, he said, but they were rescued and only minor injuries were reported. Seven houses in Manhattan suffered major damage, but only minor injuries were reported, Pelkie said.
In Chicago, Friedlein said, winds up to 59 mph were reported at Midway Airport. But those weren't recorded until after the storm hit the Chicago area between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The area generally saw between a half-inch to an inch of rain, but he said localized areas saw as much as three inches of rainfall.
In the southwest suburbs, authorities were surveying the damage left in the wake of the storm. Frankfort Police Chief John Burica reported said tree limbs knocked down power lines early Sunday afternoon. No injures, no flooding or major damage have been reported at this time, the chief said.
"For the size of the storm, we're in good shape," Burica said.
While the Bears-Ravens game started on time — just after noon — play was stopped and the seating area was cleared. Fans were passing the time in the covered concourse area, until the game resumed at 2:25 p.m., officials said. The National Football League makes the decision about any game delays, officials at Soldier Field said.
"We've been season ticket holders forever and this is the first time I've seen it this bad," said Rebecca Marino, 26, a store manager from Downers Grove, who came to the game with her sister. "They made an announcement to seek shelter and we decided to leave. Our lives are more important than this," she said.
Kevin Berglund had booked a South Shore Line return trip to his Chesterton, Ind., home, but worried during the delay that he'd miss the train. He stood in the concourse beyond the south end zone, people watching and connecting with friends.
"We're dedicated fans," he said.
Those crammed under overhangs and into the United Club during the delay watched television, bought food and drinks and even, outdoors, snuck cigarette sessions despite Soldier Field policy.
Jackie Vitiello joked that she didn't know "what's going on outside," as she was sipping a beer inside the United Club.
Andy Murphy of Wauconda admitted to being bored during the day, but vowed to stick it out.
"We have a deficit to make up," he said. "We'll stay the night if we have to."
Before kickoff Sunday, Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications issued an alert urging Bears fans attending the game to take extra precautions to ensure their safety.
During the storms, no flights were allowed to leave or enter both O'Hare or Midway airports, according to the city's Department of Aviation. Flights may be delayed up to an hour at both airports.
Contributing: Jessica Koscielniak, Mike Deacon, Adam Jahns, Patrick Finley, Reema Amin, Susan Demar Lafferty, Mike Nolan, Associated Press
In Washington, a rural community of 16,000, whole blocks of houses were erased from the landscape, and Illinois State Police Trooper Dustin Pierce told the AP that the tornado cut a path from one end of town to the other, knocking down power lines, rupturing gas lines and ripping off roofs.


text:
World's smallest satellite phone has world's dorkiest antenna
If you frequently travel to the far ends of the earth — hell, if you ever go any distance from a major metropolitan area — then you're no stranger to nonexistent cell service and dropped calls. Yeah, Verizon, it's the network all right. Next time you go on safari, bring along GSP-1700 satelitte phone and worry no longer about being near a cell tower. Purported to be the world's smallest satellite phone, it still comes with a gigantic and goofy antenna to make you stand out from the crowd. Fortunately, the antenna is detachable so you can keep it in your fannypack with your binoculars and Serengeti map when you aren't making calls. Since you'll be connecting to a satellite and not a tower you can make a call from basically anywhere in the world, save Antarctica (sorry, penguins). The phones come out this month for about $885.
Globalstar, via Oh Gizmo!


text:
Health Tip: Keep Your Child Safe in a High Chair
(HealthDay News) -- A high chair makes it easier to feed your child, But you should make sure the child can't tip it over.
The American Academy of Pediatrics mentions this safety checklist for high chairs:
The chair should be sturdy and not tip over easily.
If the chair folds, make sure it's locked before the child sits down.
Fasten all safety straps in the chair, and don't allow your child to stand up in it.
Don't position the chair close enough to a table that your child can push against the table and tip over.
Children should never be left unattended in a high chair. Older kids should never be allowed to climb on it.
Avoid using a high chair that hooks onto the table, in place of a freestanding one.
- Mother's Depression Tied to Later Delinquency in Kids
December 22, 2014
- Preschoolers Need Eye Screening, Experts Say
December 19, 2014
Learn More About Sharp
Sharp HealthCare is San Diego's health care leader with seven hospitals, two medical groups and a health plan. Learn more about our San Diego hospitals, choose a Sharp-affiliated San Diego doctor or browse our comprehensive medical services.
Copyright ©2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


text:
Book your room at Hotel Columbia
Standard Double or Twin RoomMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 1 infant)
Superior Double or Twin RoomMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 infants)
Triple RoomMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 1 infant)
Double Room Single UseMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 infant)
Hotel in Rome (Rome City Centre) near Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
Collect 200 points
Simply enter your Nectar card number when prompted. Your points will be credited 30 days after you return from your trip.*Offers may apply
This hotel is located in Rome (Rome City Centre), close to Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Diocletian Bath, and Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Also nearby are Roman Forum and Colosseum.
Hotel Features
Hotel Columbia provides a bar/lounge, complimentary wireless Internet access, a rooftop terrace, and dry cleaning/laundry services.
Room Amenities
Flat-screen televisions come with satellite channels. Guestrooms also feature complimentary wireless Internet access, air conditioning, and climate control.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
At your hotel
At your hotel
A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast. High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary.
This Rome hotel also offers a rooftop terrace, tour/ticket assistance, and multilingual staff. For a surcharge, a roundtrip airport shuttle (available on request) is offered to guests.
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- 24-hour front desk
- Total number of rooms - 45
- Number of floors - 6
- Bar/lounge
- Complimentary newspapers in lobby
- Free breakfast
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Free Wi-Fi
- Multilingual staff
- Rooftop terrace
- Luggage storage
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Offsite parking reservations required
- Year Built 1800
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
Stay connected
Available in all rooms: Free Wi-Fi
Available in some public areas: Free Wi-Fi
Park your car
Offsite parking reservations required
In your room
- Air conditioning
- Climate control
- Phone
- Minibar
- Daily housekeeping
- Complimentary toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Bidet
- In-room safe
- Desk
- Satellite TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- Free Wi-Fi
- Room service (limited hours)
- Pillow menu
Eat and drink
A complimentary buffet breakfast is served between 7:30 AM and 10 AM.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
The fine print for Hotel Columbia
When you arrive
Check-in time starts at 1 PM
When you leave
Check-out time is noon
How you can pay
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No pets or service animals allowed
- A tax is imposed by the city: EUR 4 per person, per night, up to 10 nights. This tax does not apply to children under 10 years of age.
- Crib (infant bed) fee: EUR 16 per night
We should mention
Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 999.99, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation. This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply). Guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property.


text:
My heart has been heavy since April 15, 2013, when the best and worst of humankind converged at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
I've prayed a lot, specifically for the healing of the injured, and for the grieving to receive peace and comfort which surpasses all understanding.
Being a long distance runner myself, I can't help but feel for the poor runners who were turned away before they were able to cross the finish line.
[Read the rest of this article...]
Since hunting season is long gone and the 2013 season is depressingly far away, let's reflect on our favorite hunting moments of 2012.
Mine came on the day my 12-year-old son, Graham, got his first buck.
After three seasons, countless cold hours and 26 fruitless trips to the deer stand without a presentable shot, I can honestly say Graham paid his dues for that little 3-pointer. My first buck didn't come easy either, so I wouldn't have it any other way.
Customer Service • Email Us • Advertise
© Buckmasters.com, All Rights Reserved. • 10350 Highway 80 East • Montgomery, AL • 36117 • 800-240-3337


text:
Select () or exclude () categories to narrow your recipe search.
As you select categories, the number of matching recipes will update.
Find exactly what you're looking for with the web's most powerful recipe filtering tool.
Sort by: Date | Rating | Most Helpful
"Overall, this is a good vegan mac and cheese recipe.
The good: The texture is perfect! It's creamy and thick, just the way you want it to be.
The bad: I don't think the flavor is quite right. I added some onion powder for a little extra tang, more mustard (both prepared and powder), and more salt..."
"AMAZING! So easy, so good!"
"These were good. Not super fantastic. It was my first attempt, but they came out very spongy... still had good flavor."
"perfect hummus! i liked that it didn't call for any oil."
"YUM!! I used a lot of garlic. It was excellent!"
"I really like this recipe, though it can get kinda sloppy. I skipped the peppers because I don't like them. My BF said it looked "gross," but I thought it was very tasty."
"I make these every summer now! They are great baked or grilled. They are quick, and you can make a bunch for later because they refrigerate beautifully. Some may have to be careful about too much Old Bay, but I'm from Maryland, so it's hard for me to over do it. ;)"
"I thought this was good. It was very moist. I made it with the fudge frosting, which was SO rich. The pieces should be TINY. OMG, I ate a regular-sized piece and really regretted it. SO sweet. The cake was tasty, though."
"What a great idea! This was quick, easy, and delicious. Thanks!"
"really, really delicious!"


text:
Definitions for qiqiharˈtʃiˈtʃiˈhɑr
This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word qiqihar
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
or Chi•chi•haerh or Tsi•tsi•har
a city in W Heilongjiang province, in NE China. 1,380,,000.
Category: Pinyin, Geography (places)
A city in Heilongjiang province, China.
Qiqihar is a major city in the Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China. The municipal area has 1,514,188 inhabitants, while the total population of the prefecture-level city is 5,367,003 at the 2010 census. These are mainly Han Chinese, though the city is also home to thirty-four minorities including Manchu, Daur, and Mongolians. Close to Qiqihar are numerous wetlands and the Zhalong Nature Reserve, famous in China for being home to numerous red-crowned cranes.
Find a translation for the qiqihar definition in other languages:
Select another language:
Discuss these qiqihar definitions with the community:
Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:
"qiqihar." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2014. Web. 20 Dec. 2014. <http://www.definitions.net/definition/qiqihar>.


text:
But it doesn't have to be.
Continue Shopping.
Categories Health Topics Condition Specific Formulas Lung & Bronchial Formulas Chest Rub
Nature's Baby Organics, Ah-Choo! Chest Rub, Eucalyptus, 2 fl oz (60 ml)
- Shipping Weight: 0.24 lbs (0.11kg)
- Product Code: NAB-00016
- UPC Code: 183060000163
- Package Quantity: 2 fl oz (60 ml)
- Dimensions: 2.2 x 2.2 x 2.2 in, 0.2 lbs (0.09kg)
- Expiration Date: Jan 2017
Product Overview
- Calms, Soothes & Relaxes to Support Wellness
- USDA Organic
- 95% Certified Organic Ingredients
- We Use the Finest Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil.
- Cruelty Free
Treat yourself & baby with this easy to apply balm. Formulated with a special aromatherapy blend to calm, soothe, relax, support clearing and promote wellness.
Suggested Use
Massage gently onto the chest, or lightly under the nose. Take care not to get Ah-Choo! near baby's eyes.
Avoid contact with eyes. Test on a small area of skin if known to have allergies. Not for internal use. Keep out of reach of children. Not recommended for children under 6 months of age.
Supplement Facts
*Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, *cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *olea europaea (olive) oil, *eucalyptus globulus, *lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, *melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil, tocopherol (non-GMO).
*Certified organic ingredients.
100% vegetarian. Paraben, propylene glycol and gluten-free.


text:
A follow up post to the previous Zen. Lax. Lacrosse. post on doing yoga to open practice. Focusing on letting go can be as important on focusing on achievement.
Author Archive | Gregory Rose
Zen. Lax. Lacrosse. How Do You Open Practice Every Day?
Welcome to the first edition of 'Zen. Lax. Lacrosse.', which is a vegged-up version of Zen, Lacrosse and the Art of Stringing. This rebranded and refocused version of my LAS blog encompasses the gamut of lacrosse, but from a totally unique and open viewpoint; asking the hard questions with the utmost of honesty, diving deep […]
Traditional Thursday: Prevention and A Pass On
Traditional Thursday, this week, is about honing in a few of the finer details of stringing a traditional. These adjustments that I've made are an attempt to confront real pocket issues by slight modification. I'll note what the issue may be, then what was done to alleviate it. Try some.
Wheaties, Nike, Red Bull, Oh My!
Since Paul Rabil was dubbed 'The Million Dollar Man' in lacrosse a few months ago, and in light of the recent Pannell sponsorship contract with Wheaties, I have been urged internally to bring some awareness to the subjects of player sponsorship, what it does for the sport and what it means for people in general.
Traditional Thursday: A Few Mods and Why
To add on to Connor's post on tension, which is one of the most important aspects of stringing traditional, as well as evenly spaced diamonds, I'd like to show a few things I do which I think make stringing traditionals a bit nicer and why.
Back from India and Ready to Teach
What I learned in India and how it helped continue the transformation we call life in me.
Nepal: Amazing Energy Everywhere.
Namaste, namaskar, ciao, hello, good day; it's good to be back. After finally mustering up the time to do something else besides look at beautiful scenery, enjoy temples and local folks, and write my book, here I am, to tell you of some of my experience in Nepal.
Captioned Photo Story: from Stringer's Shack to Harlem Lacrosse.
Before leaving NYC for #crosscountrystring, there was a trip up to Stringer's Shack in Mass., which led into a workshop at FDA in Harlem. These photos tell the story.
Sometimes to widen your range, you need to roll with it.
We're on the road! Day one of our trip to California and this is what we've been up too, w/ video.
Workshops across the USA in a pickup truck: 6/16 to 7/10, then to Asia.
Well, it seems as if traveling across the country on the open road is coming to fruition; all thanks to everyone! If you've kept up a little bit on my stringing tour, you'll know that I had to fly around this spring to all the locations where I held my stringing workshops, due to not […]


text:
Perhaps you have a long document that you'd like to read all the way through without having to continuously press the arrow keys to move the insertion point. You can do that by scrolling, using the scroll bar.
The scroll bar is on the right side of the window, as shown in the picture. To use it, click the scroll box, and then drag it up or down to move through a document without moving the insertion point. Or click the single scroll arrows at either end of the scroll bar to move up or down.
To quickly scroll by using your keyboard, press PAGE UP to go up one screen or PAGE DOWN to go down one screen. You can try all this in the practice.


text:
Jon Stewart, Bill O'Reilly 'rumble' in mock debate
By JOSH LEDERMAN Associated Press October 6, 2012 11:24PM
Moderator E.D. Hill (left), Bill O'Reilly and Jon Stewart at "The Rumble In The Air-Conditioned Auditorium," mock debate Saturday night at Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. | Jamie McCarthy~Getty Images for The Rumble
Article Extras
Updated: October 6, 2012 11:42PM
WASHINGTON — There were all the trappings of a high-octane presidential debate: the over-the-top declarations, the practiced zingers and the schmaltzy appeals to America's truest values. But the presidential candidates were nowhere to be found.
In their place Saturday were two celebrity gabbers who have claimed their stakes to the polar opposite ends of the political spectrum: Bill O'Reilly and Jon Stewart. The political odd couple came to Washington ready to tangle in an event mockingly dubbed "The Rumble in the Air-Conditioned Auditorium."
Choice words not suitable for the faint of heart dotted the 90-minute exchange between the Fox News anchor and the star of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," who bantered aggressively but good-naturedly over birth control, President George W. Bush and the "War on Christmas."
Stewart came prepped with a mechanical pedestal he used to elevate himself, making the height-challenged comedian appear taller than the lanky O'Reilly when he wanted to drive a point home.
"I like you much better that way," O'Reilly quipped at one point as he gazed up at his ideological foe.
The political feud between the two caffeinated TV personalities dates back more than a decade. Much like family members who just can't resist pushing each other's buttons over Thanksgiving stuffing, Stewart and O'Reilly love to disagree but appear not to hold grudges after the latest spat has run its course. The y have appeared on each other's programs since 2001, but the face-off Saturday at George Washington University was their first head-to-head debate.
Appearing wholly presidential in dark jackets and makeup under a sign reading ,"Yum, this banner tastes like freedom," the two quickly turned to talk of government spending and the 47 percent of Americans whom Republican Mitt Romney, captured on a secretly taped video, referred to as dependent on government.
Stewart, defending government involvement in health-care and social programs, said the U.S. has always been an entitlement nation.
"We are a people that went to another country, saw other people on it and said, 'Yea, we want that,' " Stewart said. "Have you ever seen 'Oprah's favorite things' episode?"
Asked whom he'd like to see as president, O'Reilly dead-panned: "I'd have to say Clint Eastwood."
"Well why don't we ask him," said Stewart, mocking the Hollywood actor's widely panned speech at the Republican National Convention by getting out of his chair and staring at it. The crowd erupted in laughter.
In an apparent show of bipartisanship, Stewart even got on O'Reilly lap at one point.
"And what would you like for Christmas, little boy?" O'Reilly said slyly.
"The display that you saw tonight is why America is America. Robust, creative, no holds barred," O'Reilly told reporters after the debate. "You can call it whatever you want, but you wouldn't see this in a lot of other countries. That's for sure."
Organizers said about 1,500 people attended the event, but the main audience was intended to be online, where the event was live-streamed for $4.95. On Twitter, viewers complained they missed the event when the video servers crashed. Organizers said video will be available for download and that those who experienced errors will be eligible for a refund.


text:
Thee Emergency / The Hands / Faceless Werewolves
Sunset Tavern; Seattle, WA
Sex appeal in the midst of garage rock testosterone -- it was certainly the theme of the evening. In a musical landscape teeming with carnal acts of male chauvinism, ladies ruled the evening with a style usually reserved for royalty and admirers usually lined up to bend their knees to Meg White and Liz Phair.
Austin's Faceless Werewolves had the dubious honor of opening the show cold, but there was certainly a lot of fire in the Texas trio. Perhaps it was the femme fetale backbone, but the blistering guitar prowess of the man simply known as Baldomero was too tough and rugged to ignore. Most eyes were fixated on the drummer, whose golden locks and Betty Boop vocal styling gave even the biggest mullets a case of the jelly knees.
The biggest musical gift of Faceless Werewolves is their ability to switch genres and tempos effortlessly. While most of the set was dominated by tilted garage stomps, noticeable hints of country swing and finely aged surf rock crept into song after song. Texas living certainly influences the state's best up-and-comers, and it's certainly safe to say Faceless Werewolves are reaching past the Lone Star State with their musical brand.
Local boys The Hands had the unenviable task of following up aural sex appeal, and sadly they weren't able to live up to the task. The Austin-based openers won the crowd over so quickly that The Hands either phoned in their set or just couldn't get their mojo working sandwiched between the ladies of rock. After a few songs, I was ready for some fresh air (as was my company), but little changed in the set from my viewpoint outside. I chalk it up to an off night, as the buzz around the guys has been nothing but positive in Seattle.
Death-by-garage concluded with Thee Emergency. A steady blend of frazzled hair and old-world soul, Thee Emergency come across as the party-band answer to MC5. As tempting as it is to make a lame "Kick Out the Jams," joke, the curvaceous Dita Vox did just that as she dominated the place with sex appeal and confidence. The Pacific Northwest doesn't produce women like Dita (though the boys of Thee Emergency — at least in appearance — come a dime a dozen), and though I wasn't seduced by her performance, it certainly wasn't a surprise to see men fawning over her like a school crush. But don't let her sexiness foul you; Thee Emergency knew how to pack 'em in and keep 'em talking well after the evening was through.
Bob Dylan
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts; Bethel, NY
"No Smoking."
I stared, dumbfounded, at a sign bearing this proclamation at the site of the original 1969 Woodstock. No smoking? I'm sorry, but is it possible for the entire staff of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts to have suffered massive memory loss and forgotten just where they were? A girl wearing rhinestone sunglasses strolled past me, talking on her cell phone: "Yeah, I'm at a Bob Dylan concert. Yeah, I dunno, I don't really like him." It then struck me that a more appropriate name for this ... place might be "Woodstock, Inc." Fighting the urge to clap my hand to my forehead, I made my way through a sea of lawn chairs, peering toward the stage. One of those little black dots down there had to be Bob Dylan. The wavering, smoky strains of his voice were unmistakable.
A performance from Bob Dylan these days might be disappointing for those who remember him as the prickly, chain-smoking hipster in D.A. Pennebaker's 1968 documentary Don't Look Back. Still, this show was attended by a sizable amount of twentysomethings (myself included), proving that new generations of us young folks still appreciate this man's significance.
The mass of lawn dwellers (in various states of consciousness, I might add) and the ineptitude of the beverage vendors robbed me of the first few songs, but I managed to settle down on the grass to a fixed-up rendition of "The Levee's Gonna Break." Peering through my binoculars, I noted that Dylan (And His Band) wore matching black cowboy hats. The band's slick, bluesy sound was crisp and a little too calculated, but that crackling voice cut right through it. Bob Dylan would sing however he damn pleased, and we were lucky buggers for getting to hear it.
Still, Dylan can be a nice guy when he feels like it. The crowd-pleasers abounded, with "Just Like A Woman" (which I was lucky enough to hear as I approached the lawn), "Tangled Up In Blue," and "Highway 61 Revisited," though some were barely recognizable as a result of elaborate new musical arrangements and his wandering pitch. A full minute of "Blowin' In the Wind" passed before some of the audience members caught on and applauded appreciatively. "Spirit on the Water," a musing tune from 2006's Modern Times, drove the crowd to shout "NO!" as he sang, "You think I'm over the hill / You think I'm past my prime." I was not one of the chorus, but I was pretty proud of the man for being there in the first place.
Rounding out the encore with "All Along the Watchtower," Dylan introduced his band in a rare show of crowd interaction. He then went on to make this myopic statement: "It's nice to be back here. Last time we played here we had to play at 6 in the morning, and it was a-rainin', and the field was full of mud." A jab at the original Woodstock, which Dylan declined to play? If he wants this aside to remain a mystery, you can be sure that's just how it'll remain.
Animal Collective / Marnie Stern
The Coronet; London, UK
During live shows, some bands like to perform songs that the fans pooled before them have heard before that night — favorites that engage and inspire, setting in motion infectious sing-alongs and a sort of dancing that sheds any indication of self-awareness. Some bands even like to return to the stage for encores. Apparently, Animal Collective does not fall within the ambit of some bands. This is a different sort of group, a truth made evident from just a single glance through their fascinatingly unpredictable catalog (one that includes a collaboration with a British folk singer whose first LP hit wax in 1970 and this year's polarizing solo album, Avey Tare's Pullhair Rubeye).
Unfortunately, the queue outside the venue was so tremendously long that it prevented me from catching all but the last bit of Marnie Stern's opening set. I enjoyed what little I heard, particularly, as it tied into her easy stage presence and her irreverent sense of humor. Following her set, she dispensed of her musician persona and became a fan herself, lurking visibly through the darkness on the side of the stage to witness the future of Animal Collective.
Just after 10 PM, Animal Collective spread across the stage in a row of three. Looking like a spelunker with his electronics awash in the light beaming from his headlamp, Geologist occupied the left of the stage, while an unassuming Panda Bear hunched over his equipment on the right. Avey Tare, peering out from beneath a hat cocked coolly to one side, grabbed the center position, leaving himself room to switch feverishly between some sort of equipment standing at the rear of the stage and a partial drum kit parked between Panda and he. Save the drum kit, all of the night's music was to be generated electronically.
Three songs into the set — just after "Who Could Win a Rabbit," which followed devastating renditions of "Doggy" and "Hey Light" that had Avey destroying a cymbal with one hand while steadying a bobbing microphone near his lips with the other — Avey announced that the trio intended to perform some new material. The guy behind me quickly called out "#1" (which is, for the uninitiated, one of nine tracks from the forthcoming full-length Strawberry Jam), assuming aloud that we were about to be showered with pieces of the great new record. They couldn't possibly ignore the fanboy buzz that's surrounded "Fireworks" during the past week, nor could they escape rocking "Peacebone," which is slated as the first single from Jam. Well, in typical AC fashion they resisted these seeming inevitabilities, choosing instead to unleash a barrage of even more recent material, presumably to be released at some point, on some label, and in some format. And so went, at least for a bit, the possibility of massive sing-alongs and fits of cathartic fist pumping.
For the most part, the new songs sounded fantastic set against the backdrop of lush and choppy electronic soundscapes. The band was tight throughout, and the audience seemed to really take to the material, despite struggling with a ponderous unfamiliarity. The tracks were properly and expectedly diverse, and they succeeded at keeping AC relevant and exciting for at least a couple more years. When the band finally ripped into some older tunes near the end of the set, the crowd was quick to release the energy it had conserved while the newer stuff ran its course. "Leaf House" was a particularly lively closer. Suddenly, the guy with the black tank top and the terrific odor was not the only fan showcasing some wonderfully awkward dance steps.
Daniel Johnston / Sister Suvi / Dog Day
Zaphod Beeblebrox; Ottawa, Ontario
The question was not whether the pudgy, graying, tentative man on stage should be singing such lovely sentimental, vulnerable pop songs but whether he would make it to the stage that night at all. At least that was the covert opinion of many young scenesters among the crowd for this sold-out show in Canada's capital city. The artist was none other than everybody's favorite tortured soul, Daniel Johnston; hence, the voyeur faction was out in full force. Those expecting zany escapades not featured in the special features section of the The Devil and Daniel Johnston DVD would have to be disappointed, but those anticipating a heartfelt set by a truly unique songwriter would leave the venue on cloud nine.
Johnston ambled onto the stage at this club's ungodly 10pm headline act set time to a barrage of cheers and claps as a man befitting of his "legendary," "cult," "outsider" status. Armed with only a battered acoustic guitar, he played a handful (literally) of his sickly-sweet and sentimental solo songs before being bolstered for the rest of the show by a crack backing band consisting of local musicians to great effect, even though more solo stuff would have been appreciated (especially a stint at the piano).
With trusty lyric notebook in hand ("Please keep the lights on, I can't read my lyrics."), the man known for delicately balancing his numerous disorders seemed very in control of the show, choosing wisely from his massive oeuvre of songs. Although he could have drawn more selectively from the over 400 compositions, he fed the sheep (including this wide-eyed hack) a great gruel consisting of songs that people would have called out for regardless. "Casper the
Friendly Ghost," "Walking the Cow," "Mean Girls Give Pleasure," "Funeral Home," "Speeding Motorcycle," and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Your Grievances" were delivered using that same lisped voice and messy strumming that we all have grown to expect and love.
Of course, much of Johnston's appeal is his vulnerability and the amateurish qualities he brings to the stage -- songs are off-centered, off-kilter, and missing parts; his voice cracks, goes off-key at times -- and it makes it all the more endearing. Earnest, revealing and always emotional, Johnston had the crowd eating out of his hands before we or he had even arrived at the club.
Sister Suvi is a side project of Patrick Gregoire, of Islands notoriety. A trio prominently featuring singer Merrill on tenor ukulele (seriously!) and fiddle, they played an impressive set of jumpy, catchy songs that the audience absolutely adored. I am looking forward to an album release soon, partly to confirm that my scribbled "acoustic female-fronted three-piece Pixies" is still an accurate description of the band but mostly because quirky, confident songs like "Monsters," "Nothing," and "Run Run Run" were in my head for days after the show.
I missed most of the opening set by Halifax's co-ed quartet Dog Day, but I overheard someone saying how much it "rocked." I believe it. On a night when Daniel Johnston not only made it on to the stage but wowed the crowd and which saw an opening band that had the notoriously staid government grunts and restaurant servers of Ottawa swaying and clapping, I'll believe anything.
Califone / Curtis Harvey / The Bitter Tears
Blender Theater at the Gramercy; New York, NY
The stage was overflowing with instruments. At least six acoustic and electric guitars were scattered across the floor, accompanied by drums, a banjo, classical bass, violin, keyboard, trombone, and trumpet. Before even catching a glimpse of the first act, I had the sense that we were in for a night of good, old-fashioned music making. These days, when it's common for bands to be accompanied by synthesizers, laptops, and even iPods, such an array of instruments bring to mind a sort of timeless musical ideal. The evening that was to follow lived up to these high expectations, with performances evoking those fantasies we all must have, of secret cabals of mind-bogglingly talented musicians jamming for hours on someone's back porch in the mountains. I've heard Califone referred to as "Americana," and while for me that term will always be inextricably bound up with vitriolic patriotism, it seems an apt description for the folk and frontier influences that the band embodies.
Before I get too philosophical, though, let's talk about The Bitter Tears. Three members of the all-male, five-piece band showed up onstage in ill-fitting vintage wedding dresses. The drummer opted for cat ears, and the comparatively tame keyboard player sported a hat and pipe straight out of a 19th century hunting lodge. Their horror-film facial expressions and penchant for falsetto (among other unexpected vocal affectations) were difficult to process at first. Was it all just some big, ironic joke? Well, whether it was or not, The Bitter Tears won me over as they blew through genres, from folk to cabaret and blues to silent film scores. The singer assumed various exaggerated characters, often jumping into the audience, still in that wedding dress, singing and grimacing into the faces of spectators. Though I'm still not sure what exactly I saw, I'm pretty sure I'm glad to have seen it.
Curtis Harvey is a veteran of Rex, Pullman, and Loftus, a collaboration between members of Rex and Red Red Meat, the cult favorite from which Califone evolved. This is all to say that he's an old friend of the Califone family, a talented guitar player whose sound complimented that of the evening's headliner. Harvey performed the first few songs solo, beginning by recording guitar parts, looping them, and using the loops to accompany himself. At first I wasn't thrilled with his lyrics, on standard topics like love, regret, and the passage of time, but these reservations fell away as I got lost in the rich country and blues guitar and Harvey's smoky, seasoned voice. His set only improved as members of Califone and The Bitter Tears began to join him onstage. I even bought into some of his unadorned lyrics, like the simple, witty, "I heard you started smoking… nice." Harvey even took the time to teach the audience to sing the chorus to one of his final songs, instructing us to sing along as though we were singing to someone who had wronged us. It was a great moment, with each audience member transforming the personal betrayals that everyone has lived through into something universal.
"I guess it's not cool, like, rock stuff," said Califone frontman Tim Rutili, setting the mood for the evening with a heartfelt speech about a mentor who had introduced him to the arts when he was in junior high. As it turns out, that old friend, a bearded fellow named Tony, had recently moved to New York, and Rutili brought him onstage to sing a song and help launch his career in the city. The two men hugged, and Rutili looked like he might have been about to tear up. He was right, of course—it wasn't "cool, rock stuff," but it was emblematic of the identity that Califone has created for itself. They have no need for skintight jeans or rock star snarls; their music speaks for itself.
I have long been impressed by the way that Califone avoids and transcends the passing trends and fascinations of the independent music world. The band makes sleepy, gorgeous albums perfect for warm, languid summer nights. Their contemporary, improvisational brand of folk incorporates electronic elements without allowing them to overwhelm the traditional instruments that are integral to each song. Last year's Roots and Crowns (Thrill Jockey) is probably their best work to date, and I was pleased to see it dominate the set.
They played each song into oblivion, with "Our Kitten Sees Ghosts" transforming into long, rambling jam. Because of its hushed quality, I had worried that Califone's music wouldn't translate to live performance, but the band adapted well onstage, producing a far bigger and more saturated sound than I had expected. Standout tracks from Roots and Crowns felt even stronger live, with Rutili murmuring the lyrics to Psychic TV cover "The Orchids" as though they were ancient secrets too sacred to say aloud. Califone, like Curtis Harvey, collected more and more members culled from the evening's other acts as their set progressed. By the time they performed "Pink + Sour," towards the end of the night, the stage was packed. I didn't realize that I could love that song, which turns on the simplest but most exquisitely sour four notes, even more than I already did. Well, the live version, complete with strings and brass, was so good that time just stopped. The song could have gone on for five minutes or two hours. I have no idea because I was completely lost in it. Later, walking back to the subway, I could barely speak, but I did start to understand what Rutili means, in that same song, by "lost my language."
[Photos: Sean Ruch]
Sasquatch 2007: Day 2
The Gorge; George, WA;
Any discussion, mention, or, gulp, Review of the second day of Sasquatch 2007 must begin with a description of The Mighty Wind, a harsh tear of bad weather that affected everyone who attended, from the performers to security to lil' ol' people like you and me shivering on the grass. After experiencing a maelstrom of hail the year before I figured I'd snore my way through this year's festivities, and then WOAH-WOA-godDAMN, THIS SHIT IS RIPPING APART MY FLESH, NOT TO MENTION MY BRAND-NEW WEDDING-GIFT TENT. FUCK MEEEEE... WITH WIND!
Capitalization aside, this was some bad-ass wind. We're talking Wyoming-style wind, and for anyone that's been to Laramie and lived to tell about it, that's some serious shit. Worst of all, wind is the most invisible of enemies. At least with rain, hail, sleet, and snow, you can see what you're dealing with. When wind starts blowing, there's nothing to blame. It's like being pushed around by an imaginary friend or slapped in the face by Cosby in Ghostdad. Which sucks. And when the sun goes down, a playful wind suddenly becomes a deadly cooling force, adding an icy chill to already-frigid settings and turning those gleeful festival frowns upside-down. Argh.
Appropriately, I didn't even see it coming. Day 1, save a few unpleasant visions of Blossom with a guitar, was smooth sailing, and then FLOCK ME, I arrived at the Vantage campsite – a few miles from the gorge – Saturday night and realized my tent was fighting for its life. But when it comes down to it, FUCK the tent; I was more worried about getting some sleep. Every time I was about to succumb to Mr. Sandman a fierce ripple of wind would gash my tent. It was like being inside a transparent bicycle helmet and watching a nasty fall from the inside, over and over... which doesn't make any sense really; the gist of what I'm saying is this: without the tent, I would lose all hope of shelter. Honestly, I don't know how the tent survived all night, and as for sleep, I might as well have been trying to catch a few 'Z's in a meat locker on a bed of nails and broken glass; it wasn't happening.
Upon waking up in the morning – presuming we slept at all – we cooked up some kosher hot dogs (which is a whole 'nuther story; turns out I married into a non-gentile family) and tried to prevent sand from blowing into them. We also attempted to make ourselves believe we were having fun. But it was shitty, real shitty, just like all vacations are if you can't smile through the hard times. So we sucked it up and bore the brunt of the weather with, if not good, decent humor. Besides, we had work to do. I'd sooner of met Mr. Cock (the guy that issued us the speeding ticket in PART 1, remember?) at a rest area for some good ol' fashioned dinner jamming than let the elements turn me away from a concert experience. It was time to prove just how dedicated we were by covering Sasquatch 2007 without letting our sandy vaginas (or hot dogs, for that matter) slow us down.
As my wife and I finally walked into the 'non-hip-hop' Sasquatch Festival on its second day I could hear the middling sounds of {Blackalicious} emanating from the main stage. A part of me yearned to mosey over for the possibility of hearing "Chemical Calisthenics," but I had a promise to keep; after almost seeing {Minus The Bear} about a dozen times, I was determined to finally witness their act in person. Not because I count myself a flagrant fan of anything they've done since their debut record/EP, but because I really wanted to see Dave Knudson, formerly of Botch (making more sense, isn't it!?), molest his guitar like only a true French-tickler guitarist can.
Unsurprisingly, Minus The Bear, save the painfully average vocals, were entertaining in a Chin Up Chin Up kinda way, in a Late 1990s kinda way, in a limited-but-so-what-they're-fun kinda way. And they thrashed more than just about any band at Sasquatch. Their frenzied guitar runs were practically built to please crowds, and Knudson didn't disappoint, weaving his spider fingers all over his fretboard. More than that, seeing this performance allowed me to skip Patrick Wolf's set, and for that I was brimming with surety; I had made the right choice.
I was also thankful for {Bad Brains}, because... they're Bad Brains. No matter how bad their material got over the years (ever heard Rise?), no matter how simultaneously empty and washed-up they sounded up on that Sasquatch stage, no matter how terrible those reggae songs are compared to the Real Thing, no matter how decrepit H.R. looked and sounded, no matter how perversely funny their classic songs are when interpreted 20-plus years after the fact, no matter how sad it was to see a legend debunked, no matter how many people are duped into buying shitty Bad Brains albums looking for the good stuff, no matter how shockingly little Beastie Boys' approval means, no matter how depressing it was to see punk-shirted fans in the crowd trying to make the performance something it wasn't, I can at least say I saw Bad Brains in concert. Hell, if someone asks me what year it was, I can just tell them is was the early '80s and leave it at that. What's more, Bad Brains didn't play any of their latter-day metal jams, which in turn didn't painfully remind me of the other once-punk acts that followed suit after hardcore died down (D.R.I., Suicidal Tendencies, D.O.A., T.S.O.L.)... of course there's always parenthesis for that, eh?
Little did I know the debilitating average-ness of Bad Brains' set would be a relative glimmer of light compared to that of {The Polyphonic Spree}, which comprised what it likely the worst performance I've seen since... man, I can't even think of one. However, before I get to that I had a few things to get off my chest, which I detailed in my noteback as such:
– Holy god, what a lovely surprise! It appears that the folks that produce Chex Mix have added ADORABLE mini-bagels to many of their any-time snacks. Oh they're so cuuuute! I like to take teeny-tiny bites or pretend I'm a giant eating a handful of human-sized bagels. This is more fun than eating the heads off Haribo gummie bears!
– I'm sitting with a bunch of Canadians right now, whom live on an island near B.C. They seem nice enough, but when I told about my scaling of the two miles of steps in B.C. they don't seem to know what the Jiff I'm talkin' about. A strange bunch, these... One of the guys has an 'I Love Hot Moms' t-shirt on, which is cool but does he want to fuck my wife? Pregnancy fetishes are sick but real... They also mention there's a huge noise-rock scene in Canada that I can read about by visiting THIS SITE (www.stillpost.ca)... I, of course, tell them that only tinymixtapes covers noise with tha realness and that I'll never mention that crummy Canadian site in my review. Er, well, no, actually I promised to check it out, and did, sorry. At this point I overhear my wife telling one of the Canadians that Blossom's Mayim Bialik is playing a solo set at Ozzfest this year; I realize I've cultivated this joke for too long so I reveal the cold, awful truth: the closest thing to Blossom at Ozzfest will be Static X... which, actually, isn't too far away on the Puss-meter so hey, no reason to fret! Oh, one more thing: The Canadians are insisting I inhale some of their pixie grass, so, not wanting to be a party pooper, I do. Far the-fuck out, man, doobers!
– I'm a total fucking idiot. Just a minute ago Caro and I were kissing in the grass and a random girlie came up to us and asked, "Can I make out with you guys?" To which I instinctively replied, "SURE!!!" Then when she started toward us I saw the look on Caro's face, reconsidered and said, "Well, er, maybe not." The girlie sauntered off, disappointed. I pulled off a last-second save but I'm fairly sure my wife thinks ... hmmmm, not sure what she thinks really but I've possibly gone from being a Kevin Bacon-in-She's-Having-a-Baby figure to inhabiting a John Leguizamo-in-Summer-of-Sam space. Not good.
With a lot of tough choices coming up today I whipped out my official Sasquandary schedule and started making a diagram for Carolina. Stoned for the first time in weeks, I find myself getting downright obsessed with our order of operations. I map things out for her like John Madden detailing an off-tackle sweep, using arrows, underlines, and circles to make my point. When I'm done my schedule looks like one of Robert Crumb's brother's latter-day comics: messy, compulsive and worrying. Oh well, I'm serious about this shit!
– Caro's brother and I are having an argument-slash-conversation about Bjork's lighting scheme from the night before, which was mostly neon green. He calls it "J-lo lighting" and I don't know what in the name of Diddy he's talking about. Is it an unbridgeable generation gap separating our lines of reasoning? Is Caro's brother crazy? And who is this 'J-lo' character I keep hearing so much about? It must be a rapper in Fitty Cent's posse...
And I'm back to deliver the bad news about The Polyphonic Spree. To be blunt, after a brief infatuation with Polyphonic a few years back, I've come to realize more and more just how much I truly dislike their music. Was I lured in by their 30-odd-members-in-robes gimmick, dangled in front of me tantalizingly like an indie-rock baby carrot? Absolutely. Am I sorrowful in retrospect? You bet yer ass I am. The Spree's performance at Sasquilla outlined in florescent Sharpi everything I abhor about them. Their songs mostly sound like even-cheesier -- if that's even possible -- takes on "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You" by Kiss from the Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey soundtrack: anthemic, anemic, choral, bloated, lightweight, bright on the outside but dead on the inside. Tim DeLaughter, who gets props from me for his days in Tripping Daisy and his forward-thinking ambition (he did, after all, sorta pioneer the more-the-merrier band dynamic), just looks silly on-stage, inhabiting a million clichéd stances and yelping wayyy over the top of his band, which was, by the way, comprised of only a dozen or so musicians. Not that I care, but that's some false advertising, is it not?
And why did The Polyphonic Spree stop playing? With a few more tunes to build steam, they might have managed to emerge from the drudgery of their first few songs, but with the wind blowing a bit – okay, TONS – DeLaughter announced that the Spree's set was done. He also said something about not wanting to die... what? I can understand leaving the stage amid heavy rain or, COUGH, hail, but... wind? How menacing is wind, really? Who gives a shit? You sure as hell didn't see festival attendees bolting for the gates as soon as a few gales picked up. Although it's possible they were forced to put a stop to their set, I say BALLS to The Spree. Afraid of dying? Shit, I guess people from the Pac. Norte just don't think in those terms. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM TEXAS NATIVE, GET A LITTLE WIND IN YER VAGINA?
With The Spree's set long gone, we trekked over to watch Tokyo Police Club, the only band left standing at this point. It should also be noted that, at some point, Spoon played. I don't know when, but they played. Suffice to say I wasn't there to see it, but that was no huge loss as I saw them as SXSW a few years back and didn't exactly get Freaked. We also managed to see a few {Money Mark} tunes, and I will say one thing about that and leave it alone: If you don't mind G Love, you won't mind Money Mark; however, if you have taste, avoid this fucker like Wal-Mart. No seriously, RUN LUKE, RUN FOR THE HILLS and such. Get my drift? Good.
Back to {Tokyo Police Club}, a band that is demonstrating just how out-of-hand the world of rock 'n' roll is getting. How can a group that formed in 200-bloody-5 have already played the Monterey Pop Festival, formed a fan club, and seen its frontman go into rehab? Has anyone outside the realm of blogger-dom even heard of these guys? Whatever happened to spending years fine tuning your sound and coming of age on trips to Hamburg? How are we going to hear another White Album when most bands have imploded or gone through an antiquated 'experimental' stage by the time they release their third or fourth album? Rock is dead, I tellsya.
Then again, maybe not; Tokyo Police Club ROCKED MY ASS OFF. No kidding, they were tight as a goddamn tiger and ready to spring, then pounce, on the surplus crowd that gathered in lieu of the MLB-style wind delay. I'm not so much a fan of all things TPC; it's mainly a certain point in most of their songs that gets me, where the kick drum starts dropping a fatty four-on-the-floor beat, the synths shift into pin-prick-y overdrive, and bassist/vocalist Dave Monks forgets about his workmanlike singing chores and focuses on diddling his four string. FUCK, maybe I was just desperate for a rawk fix at this point in the day, but I was locked in like the Millenium Falcon following the pull of a tractor beam. Of all the Hype bands I've seen in the ball-sucking Blog era, Tokyo Police Club are one of the only acts that didn't make me want to move to Greenland and start a biker bar in protest.
And wouldn't you know it, Tokyo Police Club even appear to have a sound they could remotely claim to be their own. Shades of this, shades of that, but never so much that you can't see the sun poking out. Monks' voice is serviceable if not superb, and that synth-player guy is the type of dude everyone should have in their band, teeming with enough energy to keep his comrades honest and shouting some pretty decent back-up vocals. As thee Club, ecstatic over their suddenly huge crowd and making the most of it, ticked down their set I gleefully anticipated {The Black Angels}' performance, as I had been spending quite a bit of time with their music. I reviewed them for TMT (what's this? Did I kinda rip them?), interviewed them for a magazine based in New Zealand (coincidentally me mum's home nation), and in the process listened to Passover more than any man would voluntarily listen to anything besides Oh, Inverted World, Person Pitch, or Is Night People.
Come to find out, the Angels' militant '60s drones don't translate all that well to a live setting. Their music, technically superior to Tokyo Police Club's randy workouts, seemed to flail in the wind, losing impact with every uniformly dull drum beat and fuzzy guitar lead. And what of the multi-media feast-for-the-eyes concerts I've heard about? All I saw was a band, and an unconvincing one, at that. Which leads me head-first into another realization: The Black Angels' music isn't really that climactic. Lay down a flippant, purposely droll rhythm, a riff fashioned from the buzz of The Stones' "Satisfaction," a few ulterior riffs to thicken things up, add some spooky Lou Reed-rippin' vocals – which did actually come off quite nicely -- overtop and you have pretty much every wing the Angels use to fly. Oh, and don't forget to ensure the songs go on forEVER without changing even a wee bit; not a recipe for concert success, especially considering the size and scope of the Gorge, which eats bands like The Black Angels for breakfast and chases them with... {The Dandy Warhols}.
That's right, being the bone/thick-headed asshole I am, I insisted we stick around for the Dandies rather than make the trek to the mainstage to check on Spoon's status. Well guess what, I REGRET NOTHING! Er wait, what the fuck am I saying, of COURSE I regret my choice, as The Dandy Warhols slumped through much of their set. And here I was hoping to come out of this with a new respect for Courtney Taylor-Taylor (puh-leeze) and co.... but how can I not deride a band so obviously aided by studio tricks? Taylor-Taylor-Taylor-Taylor-Taylor-Taylor's voice was deader than wood from a soggy tree, monotone, deeper than necessary and absolutely lacking in the sort of charisma a young, un-hyphenated Taylor must have brought to the stage a decade ago. Did I really expect the Dandies to duplicate the shrill soprano from "We Used to be Friends"? No, but... but... but... it would have been nice to be treated to something even resembling the product pressed to CD.
Even with all their flaws sticking out like a paunchy beer gut (or my wife's pregnant belly) I still found the Warhols' set to be mildly enjoyable. They were one of the only groups at the 'fest with an unapologetically rock sound and stance, and a few of the familiar songs transported me back to the Days of Yore, such as when I turned on MTV one day and saw the video for "Not if You Were the Last Junkie on Earth" and swore off the Dandies forever. But that's how they hit you; they disgust you, then they annoy you, then they irk you, then they don't impress you, then they fail to Rock you, then they... reel you in, flop on the line as you might. As despicable as Taylor-Taylor seems to be where royalties and other band-related issues are concerned, that's not the worst quality for a band to have. And so I give The Dandy Warhols neither a plus nor a minus; rather, I give them a shrug. And no, I DON'T "dig" on vegan food.
Next: {Interpol}. If you would have told me that, save the obvious highlights (Björk, Beasties), Interpol would be easily the best band at Sasquatch, give or take Grizzly Bear, I would have laughed in your face, spit in your mouth, and probably raped you. But there it was, glaring at me: Totally fucking post-punk excellence, care of a band that has some of the WORST live bootlegs you'll ever hear in your life. Surely, with a paltry four members they'd never compete with the gang-banging of The Arcade Fire, the previous night's penultimate act, right?
Wrong (and fuck you, for the record). Interpol were tighter, heavier, bass-ier, more urgent and flat-out better than the Fire, and Paul Banks' voice, indebted to Ian C. as it may be, flawlessly echoed the sheep-bleating of Turn on the Bright Lights and Antics. To be reasonable, Interpol's songs are perfect concert fare to begin with. They're consistent, each instrument is totally distinct from the other, and there's always a beautifully delicate, usually arpeggiated, guitar flourish at the end to drive home the melody. "Not Even Jail" was so sharp I'm literally getting head-to-toe chills as I think about it and write this; from the verses – which sound like an ominous mission – to the choruses – which sound like that mission's battle sequence – to the TRANSCENDENT instrumental breakdown at the conclusion, this track was so good it was almost sickening. And it was only one song; we were also privy to "Obstacle 1," "Slow Hands" and a few tracks off the upcoming new album that, truth be told, sounded awkward enough that I'm not even going to analyze them further; Interpol obviously need more time to work out the kinks.
A tad disappointed with the non-inclusion of "Roland" and a few other tracks from the debut and dumbfounded at the stilted nature of the new tunes, I nevertheless cannot find fault with Interpol's set, a pounding, dramatic rendering of songs the indie public – and beyond – have fell in love with over the years. As obsession-affirming as Interpol's set was, it was a little bit of a letdown in that it signaled that another triumphant Assquatch weekend was coming to a close. But it also heralded the arrival of {Beastie Boys}, so it was with a giant bundle of nerves that I got ready to finally witness the spectacle of, as a stoned Canadian might say, "Beasters."
They did not disappoint. I had a helluva time at their instrumental set the day before, but nothing touches a true-blue Beasties brew of quips, rhyme flips, production blips, and ninja kicks. In addition, considering Beck's limp show-ending puppet charade in 2006, it was inspiring to see such an old group -- I mean, who are we kidding? -- bring the goods. Mike D, MCA, Ad-Rock, and Mix Master Mike flaunted the antics we've all come to expect from hip-hop's first White Light, drilling through classics like "So What'cha Want," "Intergalactic," and... "Sabotage"... again? Well, I could have done without hearing a second eagle's-squawk version of their popular hit, but what can you do? Trust me, they made amends...
How they manage to throttle so hard in a live setting is somewhat of a mystery. What separates the bad live hip-hop acts (Cypress Hill, Public Enemy, Beans, from what I could hear, Blackalicious) from the good ones (Kanye West, The Roots, the fuckin' Beasties)? To me, it's obviously the Phun Phactor; the Beasties were kickin' it just like they would in a studio, an apartment building, or shit, a staircase, slanging a casual flow that gains strength as each member feeds off one another. It's Energy that rules the hip-hop roost, not strength-in-numbers, bravado, or whatever else passes for panache these days. Need I even mention the trio's sense of humor? They have the the art of stage banter broken down to a true science, especially Ad-Rock, who seemed to carry with him a schtickl of extra electricity, doing most of the between-song talking and generally infusing the 2007 Sasquatch Festival with a much-needed boost of un-stuffy levity and East Coast hipster swagger. Of course calling Ad a hipster might actually prove just how old I'm getting, so I'll let mah sleepin' dawgs lie, a'ight?
And that's it. Sasquatch. Festival. 2007. Dig it, bitch.
[Illustrations by Carolina Purdum]


text:
Express your glamorous side with the Butterfly Glamour Garden! This kit lets you plant and decorate your very own secret garden. Plant fragrant jewel weed and sweet alyssum and then glam up the dome with decals, glittery jewels, white marble chips and pink princess gravel. Your sweet smelling blooms will sprout in less than a week and are quick to grow. A butterfly friend is even included to make this Glamour Garden your very own.
Eventually you can transplant your gorgeous, rainbow-colored Glamour Garden outside and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Make your own bloom bustin', butterfly jammin', glam greenhouse today!
Recommended for Ages 4 and Up with Adult Supervision.
- Grow your very own secret butterfly garden!
- Special domed terrarium
- White marble chips
- Pink princess gravel
- Butterfly friend
- Butterfly Mix Seed bomb
- 2 germination disks
- Flower gems
- 3 gem decals
- Large and small stick on gems
- 4 themed plant stakes
- 12 mg Alyssum seed
- 10 mg Jewel Weed seed
- 35 mg Princess Flower seed
- 2 mg Rainbow Plant seed
- Guaranteed to Grow
- Complete Growing and Care Instructions
Dimensions: 9.0" x 8.0" x 11.0"
Weight: 1.27 lbs
Manufacturers Recommended Age: 4 and up with Adult Supervision
Warning: Choking Hazard. Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.


text: Deal: Ozark Mountain Music Festival Package How to redeem Phone hotel directly. EXPIRED Contact us: 479-253-7837 E-mail this business » Go to website » Physical Address: 1905 Basin Park Hotel 12 Spring Street Eureka Springs, AR 72632 Ozarks Region Get Directions Calculate Trip 1905 Basin Park Hotel (11 other Deals) Price: $275 Expiration Date: 1/26/2014 Valid January 24th-26th. Package at a Glance Two night stay and two tickets to the Ozark Mountain Music Festival. Package Description January might be a little chilly outside, but it is not too cold for the first ever Ozark Mountain Music Festival (OzMoMu) to be held INDOORS at the Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs, January 24th-26th. 13 Acts/3Days of Bluegrass/Indie Folk Music. View full schedule here: ozarkmountainmusicfestival.com The Fine Print Valid 1/24-1/26. The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism does not endorse any property on this site. Information is supplied by individual property owners; we make no guarantee, explicit or implied, that the posted information is accurate. We do not confirm or warranty any listings. Confirmation is the sole responsibility of the renting or purchasing party. Owners are solely responsible for the accuracy of their listings and information.


text:
Pew Remembers Alan Davis (Summer 2007 Trust Magazine briefing)
The Pew Charitable Trusts mourns the death of Alan J. Davis, a member of the board, who died on May 8. He was known as a superb defense lawyer and dedicated public servant—"one of the most brilliant, principled, creative and original thinkers the Philadelphia legal community has ever had," said Mark A. Aronchick, former chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association. Mr. Davis was a partner with the law firm of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, where he practiced in the areas of commercial litigation, securities and criminal and municipal law. In 2002, he was listed in The Best Lawyers in America, a referral guide to the legal profession compiled through peer-review surveys.
He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a law degree from Harvard University, serving as editor of the Law Review. He was recruited from private law practice into public service in 1966 by U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, who at the time was Philadelphia's district attorney. As chief of the appeals division, "he made some of the finest arguments in the history of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court," said Sen. Specter.
Mr. Davis served as city solicitor in the 1980s, and in 1998 the city named its law library for him. The invitation to the dedication cited Mr. Davis's credo that "creativity, brilliance and principle start with a commitment to study, think and dream," and noted that the library "will long inspire others to achieve this vision of professionalism and excellence."
In the 1990s, Mr. Davis served the city and the school district as lead negotiator in labor talks. Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell, who was mayor at the time, called him an "unsung hero" in helping the city avert fiscal disaster, saying, "He was as responsible for the city's turnaround as any single person."
"I haven't been brought into easy situations," Mr. Davis observed in a newspaper interview in the mid-'90s.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Buzz Bissinger, whose 1998 book A Prayer for the City follows the Rendell administration from the inside, wrote an essay on Mr. Davis that appeared on the front page of The Philadelphia Inquirer the day after he died. "I loved to hear him talk," Mr. Bissinger recalled, "because his observations were shrewd and unpredictable and always to the bone. But I also noticed that he liked to listen, was curious about the world and understood that the only way to sustain that curiosity was to let others talk about it."
Mr. Davis, the reporter continued, was "brilliant, but also intellectually voracious, wise without a hint of pedantry—and perhaps most special of all, kind and gentle, away from the litigiousness that was his life."
Mr. Davis served on the Pew board from February 27, 2004, until his death. Grateful for his devotion and service, the institution's board and staff benefited from his wisdom, compassion and resolute optimism in improving the quality of life for all.


text:
Who do you think looks best today? (5 photos)
The best street style from London Fashion Week: http://ow.ly/p48HS via @StyleCaster
Beauty Products We Love
Our holiday fragrance lineup just got more decadent thanks to #Marni's...
WHAT SHE WORE Zoe is one chic pregnant lady! For an L.A. shopping trip, the stylist added a fur jacket and over-the-knee boots to her cozy all-black tunic and leggings.Read MoreLess


text:
Baltimore Calendar
Showing Results For:
Downtown (remove)
Bolton Hill and Reservoir Hill (remove)
Newborn / Baby (remove)
Shabbat (remove)
Refine Search
Free Newsletter
Community events, popular blog posts, recipes, parenting tips and much more. Privacy Policy
Bolton Hill and Reservoir Hill (1)
Kvell, verb `k'vell
To burst with pride, as over one's child
Kveller, noun `k'vell-er
Kveller.com is a website for those who want to add a Jewish twist to their parenting. For many of us, this is no simple matter. Read more »
Privacy Policy
Contact Us
Baltimore Resources
Baby & Toddler
Baby Names