text:
We loved this deal too, but it's no longer available. Check out our other sweet deals here.
Heat Pump Doctors
From $2,350 for a 3.5kw / 4.2kw Toshiba Heat Pump & Air Conditioning Unit incl. Installation (value up to $3,500)
Discuss this Deal
Join the discussionHighlights
- Keep your home cool and crisp in the hot summer weather.
- Grab a 3.5kw / 4.2kw Toshiba heat pump and air conditioning unit including installation for only $2,350, or grab a 5.0kw / 5.8kw for $2,800 from Heat Pump Doctors.
- Four functions to choose from; cooling in summer, warm in winter, dehumidifier and the classic fan option.
- Comes with a five year warranty.
- Get ready for winter and ensure your home is nice and toasty.
Unfortunately, there's no dial in the sky to get the weather to the perfect temperature—but there can be one in your home.
Grab a 3.5kw / 4.2kw Toshiba heat pump and air conditioning unit, including installation for only $2,350, or grab a 5.0kw / 5.8kw for $2,800, from Heat Pump Doctors. The 3.5 / 4.2kw heat pump is ideal for bedrooms or the master bedroom (approximately 30-35m2 of heating - subject to room type) and the 5.0 / 5.8kw is ideal for a lounge or open plan living area (approximately 45-50m2 of heating - subject to room type).
With summer here in full force and your fan on every night, it's probably time you upgraded to a much-needed heat pump to keep you cool on those hot nights and warm and snug on those cooler nights. Simply pick the room and the Heat Pump Doctors will come along to your place to install it, so you're all set to go.
- Efficiency: measured by COP - get almost 4kW of heat output from these units for every 1kw of power.
- Plasma air purifier – absorbs and eliminates dust, pollen and viruses – collects tiny particles as small as 0.0001 micrometre. Can collect house dust in a room up to 21m2 within 30-minutes and consumes very little electricity.
- Anti-mould pre-filter
- Self-cleaning filters – inhibits the growth of mould and reduces moisture within the unit to avoid bacteria.
- Super oxi deo filter – contains a combination of coffee bean extract, vitamin C and Super Zeolite filters to work as an anti-oxidant and deodoriser.
- Air Ioniser.
- Five fan speeds including auto speed.
- Real time on/off timer and repeat timer functions.
- DC Hybrid Inverter technology – saves power, reduces energy costs and reaches your desired temperature as quickly as possible.
- Super quiet unit operation.
- Includes code of compliance – certification for electrical works completed during installation, which will be useful for your home insurance purposes.
- Please click here for a diagram of the special features.
Heat Pump Doctors
Mobile service Auckland-wide
0800 123 345 or 021 824 006
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Business in trade
Valid from Jan 18, 2013Expires Apr 18, 2013
Bookings essential. Subject to availability. Blackout period 14 Feb to 7 Mar applies. While stocks last. 1 unit per coupon, but can combine purchases of multiple units. Mobile service covering greater Auckland area. Additional costs may apply for any extra work required outside of standard back-to-back installation. Installation includes up to 5 metres piping, which is in most instances more than sufficient. Any extra piping required will be charged at $40 per metre. If an extra electrical circuit is required there will be an additional charge of $120. Installation does not include wall-mounted brackets for outdoor unit – if this is required there will be an extra charge of $80. Not available for roof installation – extra charges will apply if outdoor unit is required to be installed on roof. Additional charges may apply for multi level homes. No cash back. No refunds. Not valid with any other offers.
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Getting more bang for your buck
Good news:
If you don't use your coupons before they expire, they're still worth the money you paid for them for an extra three months.
GrabOne FaceValue gives you another three months after your coupons expire, making it even easier to enjoy businesses all over New Zealand.
How does it work?
- A coupon is valid up until and including the expiry date printed on the coupon.
- If you don't use it before the expiry date for whatever reason, the coupon retains the value you paid for it for an additional three months.
- This means you can turn up to the business up to three months after the coupon has expired and put the money you spent to buy that coupon towards the service or experience printed on your coupon.
For example, if you spend $50 on a $100 dining voucher but don't use it before the expiry date, you will still be entitled to $50 worth of food and beverage services at that business for an additional three months.
The same goes for coupons without monetary values assigned to them. For example, if you buy a bungy jump deal but don't use it before the expiry date, you can still put the money you spent on the coupon towards a bungy jump, for another three months. Remember, the FaceValue of your coupon can only be put toward the service or experience printed on your coupon.
A few things to note:
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- It's always best to use your coupon before the expiry date, so you get the most value for your money. And if you're a bit forgetful, we now automatically remind you if your coupons are about to expire.
- During the FaceValue period, your coupon can only be put towards the service stated on the coupon.
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- The conditions on your coupon still apply during the FaceValue grace period.


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First Year Programs
Contact Us
Student Academic
Success Programs
500 West 56th Street
Room 100W
New York, NY 10019
Main Office: 212.484.1130
About Us
Follow SASP
Upcoming Events
Student Academic Success Programs (SASP) offers a variety of programs and tools designed to give you the academic skills and experience needed to succeed in your first year at John Jay. Explore this page to find out which programs fit your interests and how to become part of the student community.
Getting to Your First Day
CUNY Assessment Tests (CAT)
Summer Academy
Early Start Program
Making the Most Out of Your First Year
Academic Programs for First-Year Students
Freshman Milestones
Top 10 Tips for Academic Success
Student Early Evaluation
SASP Peer Mentors
First Year Student Showcase

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Sponsored by: Desert Diamond Casino
Dec 21, 2011 6:27 PM
TUCSON - The Wildlife Center is calling it a Christmas Miracle: the bobcat that was caught in two steel traps, shot in the face, and beaten earlier this year has fully recovered and was released back into the wild.
Back in September, a wildcat was caught on a property near Ina and Thornydale - the homeowner said he was trying to protect his chickens. The Tucson Wildlife Center came to rescue the cat after the incident was brought to the attention of Arizona Game and Fish, who did not end up charging the homeowner.
"Trapper," as the bobcat was later named, was taken in by the Tucson Wildlife with a badly-shattered jaw, gunshot wounds in its face, and two steel traps hanging from each of its back legs, according to a representative for the center. Trapper underwent major surgery to repair the extensive damage to its jaw, as well as damage to its legs and toes from the steel traps.
Within three months, x-rays showed that Trapper was ready to be released back into the wild, "as far from man as he could get," the Wildlife Center states in a news release.
Below is a YouTube video showing Trapper being released back into the wild:
1 hour ago


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Source: Good Relations
Yeo Valley, the British family-run dairy company, has unveiled a new look across its dairy range (picture) and introduced a host of new yogurts, all to be on shelf this March. The new-look has been designed to illustrate the delicious Yeo Valley taste and reflect the brand's ethos as an independent family farming business from the West Country. The new packaging is complemented by a new logo – a white heart containing the words 'Yeo Valley Family Farm', designed to communicate the real-life family farm and show the heart of the brand is in Somerset's Yeo Valley. Every product will also carry a 100 % 'Yeoganic' message – Yeo Valley's own description reflecting its total organic status and ethical farming procedures. The packaging will also feature the Soil Association's new Ethical Trade badge (see picture below).
Yeo Valley will be extending its signature range with the introduction of NEW Mild and Creamy. Within the Big Pot (450g) range Yeo Valley is introducing a number of new lines, including NEW Rhubarb, Peach & Apricot, Blueberry with a hint of Lime, Raspberry & Passion Fruit, Mango & Vanilla and a limited edition Blackcurrant & Elderflower. Yeo Valley's classic big pots have also been improved to make them tastier and creamier. NEW limited edition Greek Style with Lemon & Ginger will complement the Greek Style with Honey as well as the Greek Style with Coconut and Greek Style with Vanilla which will both move to big pot format.
Yeo Valley (picture: a view over the valley) is introducing a brand new premium range called Top Notch. Designed for two to share, these 450g pots feature Yeo Valley's top-selling thick and creamy vanilla yogurt with a generous layer of fruit compote. Also new to the collection is 0 % Fat Vanilla Yeogurt & Granola breakfast pot, featuring a thick and creamy 0 % fat vanilla yogurt with a generous layer of organic ingredients: oat flakes, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and honey. Targeting consumers looking for breakfast on the go, it will be available in both retail and convenience stockists in the UK. Yeo Valley's existing range of First Yeos, Little Yeos and Yeo Tubes will be repackaged in new farm-inspired packaging and will be joined by a NEW Yeo Smoothie! Selection. From launch, the children's range will feature a major on-pack offer to win one of 50,000 t-shirts from Mini Boden. Yeo Valley will be introducing Really Creamy Organic Rice Pudding, a twinpack of 150g pots of delicious thick and creamy rice pudding soon. More information about Yeo Valleyis available here


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WIMBLEDON, England -- Talk about what will be an intriguing upcoming U.S. Open championships. Roger Federer's title at Wimbledon means the Swiss, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will head into Flushing Meadows with one major each in 2012.
Will one of the big three nab No. 2, or will Andy Murray -- or someone else -- break through at the season's final Grand Slam?
But before we focus on New York, let's look back at an eventful two weeks at Wimbledon. Here are five takeaways from the men's draw:
1. Machine-like performance from Federer
Is Federer the best player on the planet at the moment? It's a relevant question since he has reclaimed the No. 1 ranking from Djokovic. But he's probably not.
As Caroline Wozniacki knows, you're judged on performances at majors, and prior to Wimbledon, Djokovic and Nadal had appeared in four consecutive Grand Slam finals.
However, Wozniacki and Federer don't really belong in the same sentence. Based on his career achievements, Federer returning to No. 1 is easier to digest than Wozniacki getting there in the first place.
There's much to like about Federer, but his will to win stood out the most at the All England Club. Federer's fluid shots were a little more inconsistent this tournament, but give him credit for grinding (not usually a word we associate with Federer) his way to glory.
Federer desperately wanted a seventh Wimbledon title and a 17th major, not to mention that No. 1 ranking.
With his back aching and two sets down to Julien Benneteau earlier in the tournament, for once, Federer could have packed it in. But no.
And when he was in trouble in a fourth set against Xavier Malisse, with the back likely even worse, he similarly dug deep.
His love of the game, competing and setting more records provides inspiration. He continues to say it, and he means it.
2. A step forward for Murray
Now is not the time to criticize Murray, even after he slid to a painful 0-4 in Grand Slam finals.
Although Nadal's exit in the second round made life easier on the court for the Scot, off it, that wasn't the case. The pressure soared, really soared. The casual tennis fan, if not hard-core fans, expected Murray to ease to the final without breaking a sweat.
It seldom works that way.
What Murray goes through at Wimbledon can't be compared to French players at the French Open, Aussies at the Australian Open or Americans at the U.S. Open. Not even close.
Murray has no other British countrymen who are viable threats in singles, and most of his career, he hasn't. The last men's homegrown players to win the Australian Open, French Open and U.S. Open came in the Open era, not during the Great Depression, as in Great Britain's case.
When he's had time to absorb the fortnight, Murray should be content. It was another first -- reaching a Wimbledon final.
Murray plays best on hard courts, and he'll be looking forward to New York.
3. Oh, those knees
Nadal's knees have troubled him throughout his career, and to expect him to suddenly be 100 percent for a sustained period is unrealistic.
When Nadal canceled an exhibition with Djokovic, which was scheduled for mid-July, because of tendonitis, it came across as an excuse for his five-set loss to Lukas Rosol in the second round. Some folks surely rolled their eyes.
The type of person Nadal is, you'd have to say injury did play a role in the defeat to Rosol; Nadal is an honest guy and not prone to fibbing.
But Nadal's game also allowed Rosol to rip the ball. If it was Federer on the other side of the net, he'd have done more to pull Rosol off his game.
If Nadal recovers in time to play at the Olympics, he can only hope his knees will be OK on hard courts, the surface he says does the worst damage to his beat-up body.
4. Isner starting from scratch
A season of promise is turning into a season of disappointment for John Isner. Was it only a few months ago that Isner beat Federer on the road in the Davis Cup and Djokovic in Indian Wells?
The victories were something to build on heading into the French Open and Wimbledon, but now those upsets, really, mean little. They were isolated, not a sign of things to come.
Isner entered Wimbledon in the top 10, yet he leaves with a 3-6 record in his past nine encounters -- not to mention a bruised ego. The big issue remains for him: He just isn't able to break his opponents enough. His past two conquerors at majors, Alejandro Falla and Paul-Henri Mathieu, possess serves that should allow Isner to work himself into the points.
More than any other U.S. player, the U.S. Open will be vitally important to Isner.
If Isner underperformed, Mardy Fish did the opposite. Out of action for more than two months following a heart scare, Fish grinded his way to the fourth round, in which he didn't surrender tamely to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
5. Don't knock Djokovic
Federer and his back. Rafa and his knees. Murray clutching at his back and hip. And Djokovic's illness.
It's a tough grind, the tennis circuit.
After winning three of the four majors in 2011, there was only one way to go for Djokovic. Nadal knows the feeling.
All things considered, the Serb has done well in 2012.
Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have raised the bar in men's tennis. But despite Djokovic's semifinal loss to Federer here at Wimbledon, he did win the Australia Open and reached the final at the French Open. That's not a terribly shabby season, now is it?
- Serena, Sharapova advance to Aussie final
- Williams-Sharapova won't change rankings
- Fed Cup team turns to Williams sisters, Keys
- Hewitt says next Aussie Open likely his last
Wimbledon 2012 -- June 25-July 8
2012 champions
Women's singles:
Serena Williams
Men's singles:
Roger Federer
Women's doubles:
Serena and Venus Williams
Men's doubles:
Jonathan Marray and Frederik Nielsen
Mixed doubles:
Lisa Raymond and Mike Bryan
Slam Central »
Follow us on Twitter »
Watch on ESPN
Wimbledon.com »
Wimbledon alerts: Text "Wimbledon" to 43776
Day 13
• Federer beats Murray; wins 17th Slam
• Garber: Roger Federer's return to glory
• Bryant: The final word from Wimbledon
• Bryan, Raymond win mixed doubles title
• Federer wins seventh Wimbledon title
• A magical moment for Roger Federer
• Tough one to swallow for Andy Murray
• Five things we learned from men's final
Day 12
• Serena stops Radwanska to win Wimbledon
• Garber: Serena rides savage serve to title
• Bodo: The sky-high stakes in Federer-Murray
• Bryant: No more moral victories for Murray
• Tandon: What to watch in Federer-Murray
• Serena wins fifth Wimbledon title
• Serena one of the greatest all time
• Serena's thank-you speech
• Serena on win over Radwanska
• Digital Serve: Men's final preview
Day 11
• Federer dumps Djokovic; will play Murray
• Finalist Radwanska battling illness
• Williams sisters reach doubles final
• Garber: Just like old times for Roger Federer
• Bryant: Can Murray destroy the demons?
• Ubha: Djokovic clearly off his game
• Bodo: Hopeless cause for Radwanska?
• Tandon: Five things to watch in the final
• Tandon: From au natural to all made up
• Blog: Wimbledon businesses benefit
• Vote: Who will win the final?
• Digital Serve: Serena's final to lose
• Brad Gilbert's analysis on Federer
• Roger Federer takes down Djokovic
• Roger Federer ecstatic
• Murray's dream almost here
• Murray reaches first Wimbledon final
• Can Murray beat Fed?
• 5 things we learned from the men's semis
Day 10
• Serena stops Azarenka to reach final
• Garber: Serena serves Azarenka off court
• Ubha: Serena conquers inner demons
• Tandon: How much will grass help Federer?
• Vitale: Breakfast at Wimbledon, Baby!
• Digital Serve: Men's semifinal preview
• Lendl on coaching Murray
• Rinaldi looks at the Fed-Djoker rivalry
• Radwanska takes care of Kerber
• 5 things we learned
• Serena's dominant performance
• Serena ecstatic with win
• The essence of power
• Serena spoils Azarenka's bid
Day 9
• Bryant: Murray, Tsonga believe
• Ubha: Five takeaways from the quarters
• Garber: Fed shows legends majestic game
• Tandon: Don't listen to Serena's words
• Harwitt: Why to watch Radwanska-Kerber
• Digital Serve: Women's semifinal preview
• Novak Djokovic dispatches Florian Mayer
• Federer whips Youzhny
• 5 things we learned
• Tsonga defeats Kohlschreiber
• Murray foils Ferrer's bid
• Men's semifinal preview
Day 8
• Recaps: Men | Women
• Bryant: Williams ready for all comers
• Harwitt: Azarenka blooms at Wimbledon
• Garber: Fish went beyond expectations
• Bryant: Federer is not done yet
• Ubha: Not the end for Baker
• 5 things we learned on Day 8
• Serena takes out Kvitova
• Nothing to lose for Serena
• Murray reaches quarterfinals
• What's next for Brian Baker?
Day 7
• Recaps: Men | Women
• Garber: Worst-case scenario for Sharapova
• Manic Monday live blog
• Clijsters falls short in final Wimbledon
• Digital Serve: Women's quarters preview
• Tom Rinaldi behind the scenes
• Sharapova blown off court
• Serena holds off Shvedova
• Drama for Serena Williams
• 5 things we learned on Day 7
Middle Sunday
• Garber: Players dreaming of Olympic gold
• Ubha: Super Monday breakdown
• Federer ready to rebound
• Players can't wait for the Olympics
• Digital Serve: Day 7 Men's preview
• Digital Serve: Day 7 Women's preview


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But Lohan says she's less interested in her earning potential than she is in finding a real actor's piece, like the movies that go to Kirsten Dunst and Natalie Portman. ''But we can't push it too over the edge,'' she says. Her agents are urging her to sink her teeth into a riskier role, but Dina is wary: ''I have always said that with the Julia Roberts and Meg Ryans, you don't want to see them in really dark material.'' Lindsay was circling a script called Margaret, about a high school student who has an affair with her African-American teacher and gets an abortion, but it's a no-go, unless the writers cut some of the controversial material. Her agents also sent her a treatment about Deep Throat porn star Linda Lovelace. Close your mouths, boys it's on the back burner.
What the girl really wants is to work with directors like Cameron Crowe or Steven Spielberg, but first she has an album to promote. Mottola's team has her booked on MTV's TRL, Ellen, and MTV's New Year's Eve broadcast. (Alas, a mini-uproar would erupt when she was accused of lip-synching on the Dec. 6 Good Morning America. A label rep confirmed the use of guide vocals but insisted that Lohan ''sang 100 percent live.'')
But now, Lohan is taping a Sessions@AOL set at Manhattan's Hit Factory with her band. While she sings, dancing around in her jeans and sparkly top, her 10-year-old sister, Ali, rests her chin in her hands, dreaming of what she could be when she grows up. Which in her sister's case was when she turned 11 and starred in her first movie. Director Nancy Meyers cast the then-freckle-faced unknown in the 1998 Disney remake of The Parent Trap. ''Lindsay has a good head on her shoulders,'' she says. ''Even when she was 11, she was focused, centered, and real. Supertalented, and she's funny. Who knows how any of us would be at 18 years old making lots of money and being a movie star and living that life? Who knows?''
(This is an online-only excerpt of Entertainment Weekly's Dec. 17, 2004, cover story.)


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The storm may have been over by Tuesday, but residents of east and southeast Queens were still feeling the effects of getting walloped by Hurricane Sandy. The sky remained gray and overcast and there was sporadic rainfall, but the blustering wind was no longer wreaking havoc.
One could not go more than a few blocks without seeing the effects of the so-called "frankenstorm" — a mix of hurricane and nor'easter conditions. Some trees were snapped in half, others were torn out by the roots. Dozens of traffic signals were dead, causing chaotic traffic conditions in some areas.
Several businesses lost their awnings, and one beauty shop on Merrick Boulevard lost part of its facade along with it. Many residents were left without power and calls to the city didn't go through or were met by an answering machine, which told people to leave a message. There was massive flooding in the Rockaways, five known deaths and sporadic looting reported. Some 100 houses were lost to fire in Breezy Point. The boardwalk broke away from the beach and smashed into people's homes. Motorists drove through virtual lakes at the Queens-Nassau County border near the Bay Harbor Mall.
"The situation in the Rockaways is grim," City Councilman James Sanders Jr. (D-Laurelton) said at a press conference Wednesday at his Laurelton office. "The area gets worse from one end to the other. ... The police are understaffed and cannot do the job. I have spoken to the mayor and have requested the National Guard."
There is no electricity or heat in the Rockaways, Sanders said, and he estimates food would run out before the end of the week. "There are bodegas selling food, but there is a question of how safe the food is. I've seen some Chinese restaurants open. Where are you getting supplies and how are you cooking this stuff?"
Some 50,000 people were without power in Sanders' district as of Wednesday morning. In addition to the Rockaways, Rosedale and Springfield Gardens were also hard hit.
Some areas in St. Albans and Jamaica also experienced problems.
Servio Moreno has lived in his home on Parsons Boulevard for 30 years and said Sandy is the worst storm he's ever seen, surpassing Tropical Storm Irene, which struck last year.
"The wind was very strong," Moreno said. "I stayed inside with my family. We hoped nothing was going to happen, but then we had this problem with the tree."
At around 8 p.m. Monday, the fierce winds toppled the tree in front of Moreno's house, onto his fence and against the side of the home. He said he called 311, but couldn't get through.
"It fell over and all I heard was a boom and the lights went off," Moreno said. "And they're still out."
Michael Wilkie of 171st Place in St. Albans experienced a similar situation except luckily for him the tree outside his home fell into the street instead of collapsing on the dwelling. Wilkie said he knew something was going to happen when he noticed the tree beginning to bend from the wind.
"We didn't lose power, but the lights kept blinking on and off for an hour," Wilkie said. "I tried calling 311, but I kept getting a busy signal."
One good thing about the storm is that it brought out the best in some people, who worked with their neighbors to clean up the mess.
Nina Doster lost power when a tree collapsed on her house on 122nd Avenue in South Jamaica, but she was thankful that several of the men who live on the block helped cut the tree down, while the women worked sweeping up the leaves and branches. A Con Edison crew was out there on Tuesday afternoon working to restore the power.
"The storm was very scary," Doster said. "The wind shook the whole house. Me and my children were inside watching television and we heard a big boom and we looked out the window and saw that the tree had fallen onto the house."
On Sayres Avenue in St. Albans, the hurricane was no match for a massive tree, which was ripped out by the roots, taking with it part of Marion Anderson's lawn, blocking the street and his driveway. He said he was going to have to start removing some of it with a chainsaw in order to get his car out.
His neighbors Leola Ross and Bobby Williams said they have repeatedly asked the city to prune the tree because the branches had become wild and unruly, but to no avail.
"We have had a lot of problems with that tree," Williams said. "It has big branches that were hanging over the street, and they were dead and they were about to fall off."
In Springfield Gardens, 142nd Avenue resident Danny Palmer was standing outside with some friends talking, since he was without power and couldn't do much else. A huge tree had landed on the power lines causing them to spark and short out. Phone lines were also out of service.
"It was around 10 o'clock when the tree came down," Palmer said. "We didn't hear any noise, but the power went out right away."


text:
When the little old lady indicated that I should remove the dripping wet bath towel from my otherwise naked body and deposit it in the laundry basket she was hauling across the locker-room floor of Osaka's venerable Naruo Golf Club—that, I think, was the only time during my weeklong tour of Japan that I felt like a gaijin, or foreigner, uninitiated in the post-golf rituals of this rugged archipelago. I had just returned from the hot baths of Naruo's onsen, where I had timidly joined a group of elderly gentlemen who were soothing their strained muscles in the steaming mineralized waters, and was congratulating myself on having not breached any of the strict rules of etiquette that dominate society here. But then, from seemingly out of nowhere, she appeared and demanded my towel.
I was, truth be told, more than a little taken aback. But can you blame me?After all, Naruo is one of Asia's finest inland courses, a sort of Sunningdale of the East—and the last time I checked, that friendly club in the heart of Berkshire wasn't employing grandmothers to strip towels from the loins of its male visitors. Nevertheless, after a quick scan of my immediate surroundings confirmed that nobody else seemed to find her presence the least bit unsettling, I whipped away my sole remaining cover of decency and bade her a cheery domo arigato.
I really shouldn't have been all that surprised, of course. The Japanese golf experience, like pretty much everything else in this most hospitable of nations, is different, and markedly so. But it's also wonderfully refreshing. And as a golf destination, the country presents one of the final frontiers of the developed world that hasn't been touched by the hand (or the club, for that matter) of mass tourism.
I had wanted to visit Japan for as long as I could remember. As kids, my friends and I quickly realized that almost all the best toys and gadgets originated there. From remote-controlled race cars to Walkmans and Game Boys, everything we considered cool bore the Made in Japan stamp. Later, while at university in England, and usually after spending an agreeably lengthy session in the local pub on a Saturday night, my roommates and I would watch crazy Japanese game shows that Channel 4, in a moment of genius, had acquired the rights to broadcast. In these shows, contestants would subject themselves to painful (and often dangerous) ordeals in return for fistfuls of yen. The episode I recall most vividly involved a troop of young Japanese men taking turns submerging themselves in a glass tank full of snakes and other slimy reptiles while lithe, bikini-clad young women danced seductively on a podium. The basic idea of the game, we presumed (with no subtitles, we could never quite tell), was that the longer each guy managed to stay in the tank, the longer the girls would dance and the more money the guy would win. These were the days before Jackass and Fear Factor, and we'd never seen anything like it. It was utter madness, but to our ale-fogged adolescent minds, it made for hysterically entertaining viewing. We all agreed that Japan merited a visit—just as soon as we'd graduated and paid off our student loans.
But of all the generic images of the country that found their way into my consciousness over the ensuing years—from bullet trains to karaoke bars, from ancient Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines to sushi restaurants and sake-drinking businessmen—it was that of a beautifully landscaped golf course set amid a jaw-dropping background of snowcapped peaks and the pastel tones of sakura (cherry blossoms) that interested me most. Whether I saw this image in a magazine or on television I'm not sure, but it was far and away the most exotic golf landscape I had ever come across. Golf in Japan looked unquestionably good, and I wanted to try it for myself. Besides, I'd heard that Japanese golfers stopped for lunch and a beer before setting off on the back nine, which sounded like something I could easily get used to.
It might come as a surprise that there are more than 2,300 courses in Japan, close to half the total for the whole of Asia, and a great many of them can be seen as you descend from the clouds for the final approach into Tokyo's Narita airport. The eastern seaboard of Honshu, the largest island in the archipelago and home to more than 80 percent of Japan's population, is covered in pleasing lowland forest, and as I flew in I couldn't help but notice the sheer number of holes hewn out of the mighty, deep-green pines below. In the five minutes prior to touchdown, I counted at least eight courses—a heart-lifting sight for any travel-weary golfer at the end of the lengthy transpacific flight.
But when was the last time you heard of anyone visiting Japan with the sole purpose of teeing it up?Other than Tiger Woods's annual pocket-filling foray to the Dunlop tournament at the Phoenix Seagaia Resort on the southern island of Kyushu, my guess would be never.
There's a reason for this, and for Japan's stagnant tourism industry in general, says John Thornton, founder of Japan Golf Tours, a new operator aimed at English speakers. Thornton, whose help I came to rely on almost constantly, blamed it on the common perception that we in the West have long held about the Land of the Rising Sun: that it is the most expensive country in the world.


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Cheating, or Just Trying Hard?
NASCAR yesterday ejected Chad Knaus, crew chief for Jimmie Johnson's #48 Lowe's Chevy, for the remainder of Speedweek -- and perhaps for two more Cup races -- for a rules infraction during qualifying on Sunday. Rules infraction being the polite way to say "cheating."
Knaus used a device to raise the 48 car's rear window, giving it an an aerodynamic edge on Sunday.
Now, Junior Johnson once said you can't win without cheating. It seems to me that everyone kind of accepts that philosophy, at least in the sense that you're looking for an edge. NASCAR even acknowledges there are gray areas, which kind of leaves teams in the dark about knowing when they've crossed the line.
But let's remember, they're not just racing for pride out there. There's big money at stake and big money has been invested. So the sanctioning body has to do its job to keep the playing field even. Anything less would be unfair. Besides, this isn't the first time Knaus has run into aerodynamic difficulties: He got smacked last year for the 48's roof being too low in the Las Vegas race. That's what I'd call a track record.
At any rate, Jimmie Johnson, a fan fave, is in a pickle. Not only does he start from the back of the pack in Thursday's 125, but he's lost his play caller for the 500. Ouch! Should the team owners start thinking about a permanent replacement for Knaus? I know I would. I'm sure the team sponsors will weigh in, too.
And where does that leave Terry Labonte, who got caught using an illegal carbuerator in Sunday qualifying?Hanging in the wind for now. It's possible there'll be disciplinary action for Labonte's 96 team, too. That would be a shame for the former champ, though I don't know the extenuating circumstances of his "rules infraction."
What are your thoughts? Has NASCAR made Knaus and the 48 team a high-profile scapegoat?
Or does the punishment fit the crime?
One of the speedway PR flaks asked me yesterday if I'd heard that one of the Alpine skiers at the Olympics has dubbed a big high-banked turn on the men's downhill course "Daytona" - and that the sportscasters had picked up on it. Neither he nor I have had time to watch to see if that's really true. Has anyone out there heard this, or is it a Daytona urban myth? Let us know, please. Thanks.
Live Chat on Wednesday
Join me for a live chat tomorrow from 2 to 3 p.m. That would be in the "Daytona time zone," which I think is the same as Eastern time, but sometimes that gets a little hazy.
Dirt Track Racing Tonight
I'm heading to Volusia County Speedway tonight to catch the dirt track action. I'll post tomorrow morning on that.
By Mike Snyder |
February 14, 2006; 10:40 AM ET
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They're definitely calling the last turn on the downhill ski run Daytona, because it's banked pretty high - didn't say which of the skiers had named it that as far as I heard.
Posted by: hl | February 14, 2006 12:44 PM
Thanks Hi. That's so cool. Cheers!
Posted by: Mike | February 14, 2006 01:00 PM
Once the France family starts applying penalties equally across the board, a lot of the 'gray areas' would be easier to navigate. Junior gets away with things that other teams get tagged for, period. And so forth with other favored owners...
Posted by: 88 Fan | February 14, 2006 02:58 PM
There's "being creative" and then there's cheating. Modifying the aerodynamic profile of the car while it's running classifies as cheating, at least in most forms of professional auto racing today.
I'm surprised that one of the Hendrick teams would have to stoop to this. They're generally pretty good on the restrictor plate tracks.
The rules will always have grey areas. That's where the "being creative" comes into play!
Posted by: Chuck Fry | February 14, 2006 06:15 PM
Couldn't agree more with you, Chuck.
Posted by: Mike | February 14, 2006 07:29 PM
88 Fan:
Lots of folks make the same argument, but we don't have the proof, do we. I guess we have to cross our fingers and put faith in the officials. Good luck to DJ this week.
Posted by: Mike | February 14, 2006 07:31 PM
I've been watching the Olympics all week and there is definitely a turn they're calling Daytona -- which I think is officially called the Borgata turn. It's either right before or after the "blue jump" and shortly before the finish. It banks high into the tree line and, like NASCAR, to the left.
Posted by: Yup | February 15, 2006 01:35 AM
NASCAR should extend a job offer to Mr. Knaus much like they did to0 Gary Nelson years ago. End of problem.
BTW, you mentioned you were headed to Volusia County Speedway. Have you ever had the pleasure of watching the DIRT modifieds in action before? They're awesome!!
Posted by: Phillip | February 15, 2006 06:17 AM
They are cheating and they know it. If they thought what they were doing was legal, they would not have waited until after the morning tech inspection to make the change....
Junior Johnson may say that you need to cheat to win, but other teams are winning and not getting caught cheating. That either means that 1) they aren't cheating; or 2) they are but are better at it. If it is the later, Hendrick would have fired Knaus long ago and replaced him with someone who could cheat without getting caught.
Posted by: Kevin | February 15, 2006 08:07 AM
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| Email | Full Article (TrendHunter.com/id/174028) |
After a hard day of work, the best way to relax is to sit back in your favorite recliner and sip on a rum and cola float. It carries all the punch of an alcoholic beverage with the sweet satisfaction of chilly ice cream.
However, there is something quite unparalleled about this drink and that is due to the addition of the bacon straw. The drinking device is made by wrapping bacon around a long skinny roll of foil, coating it in brown sugar and baking it in the oven. When everything is toasty brown, the foil is removed and you are left with a cylindrical slurping bacon wrap. The bacon adds a smokey and salty flavor to your rum and cola float that is unusually addicting.


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Summary |
Fulbright Flinders University Distinguished Chair in American Political Science, Prof Malcolm Feeley |
Start Date |
16th Oct 2012 6:00pm |
End Date |
16th Oct 2012 7:30pm |
Venue |
Stanley Burbury Theatre, University Centre, Sandy Bay campus |
RSVP / Contact Information |
E: firstname.lastname@example.com; P: 6226 2521 |
A public lecture to be presented by
Fulbright Flinders University Distinguished Chair in American Political Science
"Over the past thirty years, the movement for privatisation of prisons has made substantial gains in the US, Great Britain, and Australia. As of 2010, over thirty states in the US have at least one private prison and many more privately operated jails; Great Britain has at least eleven private prisons; and Australia has at least seven."
The United States and Australia lead the world in the development of private prisons, and this development has generated considerable controversy and resistance. This presentation acknowledges that privatisation is and has long been one of the major sources of innovation in the criminal justice system.
Malcolm Feeley will examine the historic and contemporary role of private entrepreneurs in developing innovations in the criminal process. He will review the transportation of English and Irish felons to North America in the eighteenth century, Jeremy Bentham's plan for private prisons and its implication for American prisons of the nineteenth century, and contemporary developments such as private prisons in the US, England and Australia, private facilities for juvenile offenders, electronic monitoring, new forms of private probation and other forms of entrepreneurial activity in the criminal process.
Professor Malcolm Feeley, who teaches in the School of Law, Jurisprudence and Social Policy Program, University of California, Berkeley, is one of two Fulbright Flinders University Distinguished Chairs for 2012. He has written or edited over a dozen books, including The Process is the Punishment (1992), and Fighting for Political Liberalism: Comparative Studies of the Legal Complex (with Terrence Halliday and Lucien Karpik. 2008). Malcolm will come to Australia for five months to undertake research into privatisation in the criminal justice system in Australia as part of a comparative study he is undertaking of the subject in the US, England and Australia.
This Fulbright Scholarship was established through the support of Flinders University the U.S. Department of State and the Australian-American Fulbright Commission.
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The Global Intelligence Files,
files released so far...
Index pages
by Date of Document
Our Partners
Al Akhbar - Lebanon
Al Masry Al Youm - Egypt
Asia Sentinel - Hong Kong
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Malaysia Today - Malaysia
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Rolling Stone - United States
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Taraf - Turkey
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Sunday Star-Times - New Zealand
Community resources
courage is contagious
The Global Intelligence Files
On Monday February 27th, 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files, over five million e-mails from the Texas headquartered "global intelligence" company Stratfor. The e-mails date between July 2004 and late December 2011. They reveal the inner workings of a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment laundering techniques and psychological methods.
Released on 2012-10-18 17:00 GMT
Email-ID | 3033086 |
Date | 2011-05-19 02:30:49 |
From | firstname.lastname@example.com |
To | firstname.lastname@example.com |
List-Name | email@example.com |
Key Issues
* China will give 50 JF-17 aircraft to Pakistan.
- Libya
* The TNC is analyzing the possibility of representing Libya at an
upcoming OPEC meeting.
* NATO is reportedly targeting Libyan command and control facilities
more aggressively.
* 2 suspected Libyan terrorists were arrested in Tataouine, Tunisia.
* The Tunisian interior ministry denied that Gadhafi's wife and daughter
were in Tunisia.
- Yemen
* Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh refused to sign the GCC deal and
the opposition said that the deal would probably not have been
accepted by street activists.
* The Yemeni interior ministry denied that there were mass graves in
- Bahrain
* Bahraini troops reportedly raided Nuwaidrat, according to PressTV.
- Syria
* US State Dept talking points said that Assad
should be ready to implement political reforms or leave.
- Chinese army chief of general staff Chen Bingde said that China did not
intend to militarily challenge the US.
- Indian PM Manmohan Singh and Uzbek President Islam Karimov signed 34
- A new corruption probe was begun against Mubarak aide Zakaria Azmi.
- The US State Dept denied that BMD is aimed at Russia.
- A legal complaint preventing a presidential run by the Guatemalan first
lady was denied by the constitutional court.
- Chen Bingde said that continued US arms sales to Taiwan will affect ties
with the US and that trying to contain China using Taiwan would be futile.
Decent amount of items today
* Gaddafi's wife, daughter, son in charge of Telecom, and a former
adviser in the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs/curent Assistant
Director of Military Intelligence all crossed over to Tunisia over the
* Obama put sanctions on Syrias Assad a number of high level official
heads and departments (incuding PM, Int Min, security head...Two
Iranian suppliers were also tackeled
- The GCC mediator in Yemen left without a deal being signed
- Pakistan is pushing the Haqqani network to join peace talks as one
elder says they are spooked, but US still doesnt think they would make a
good negituating partner
- AQ's Inspire Magazine has shown up in Russian Language trans
- Kazakhstan will be the first CA country to send troops to Afghanistan
- Russia expelled Israel's military attache for being a spy
- Gates and Mullen said no evidence high Pakistanis knew about OBL and
said USG needs to stop taking operational detials
- Leader of Zetas in Guatemal reportedly captured
- Rosneft got new proposals from BP outside of the proposed share swap
- two were killed in a train blast in Myanmar as US Envoy met with
- UAE is opening an embassy in NATO
051811 - 1000
The EU will in all likelihood pass sanctions on al-Assad and 9 others next
week. Meanwhile a general strike in Syria today was not followed widely.
In the third Al Qaeda- related incident in the last ten days. Nine armed
men killed four military and policemen at a checkpoint. Three of them
being killed in turn.
051811 - 0500
Fars says that the Tribal Coordination Committee of Iraq has warned the US
that if it stays longer than the 2011 pull out date that it will join the
Sadr forces in an armed campaign against the US forces
The US says that it had RQ-170 low observable UAVs flying over Abbatobad
for months before the OBL raid. The important part of this is what the
revelation of a continuous encroachment in Pak territory for months will
do to US-Pak relations
Rompuy lets China have it over the value of the RMB, open access for
foreign businesses and products, the rule of law and even sites the 'Arab
Spring' when talking to an Audience in Shanghai. It was diplomatic and
somewhat veiled to the point that China will find it hard to directly
oppose what he said but there is no way it can be missed or ignored
SCAF says that there is no way that it is moving to pardon Mubarak and
that it is just a rumour being spread to split the country
Chris Farnham
Senior Watch Officer, STRATFOR
China Mobile: (86) 186 0122 5004
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Benjamin Preisler
+216 22 73 23 19


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2. Put the chicken meat back into the Crock-Pot with the chicken broth and add the carrots, onion, bay leaf and poultry seasoning. Cook on LOW for 7 hours and add pasta. Cook for another 1/2 hour and then remove bay leaf.
3. Mix the Bisquick and milk together to form a dough and drop by the spoonful into the Crock-Pot so that the top will be completely covered by dumplings. Turn pot on HIGH and put cover back on to cook for 1/2 hour.


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Below are listed U.S. patents issued to Montana inventors March 25 through April 15, 2014. For assistance in patent filing, call Billings patent attorney Antoinette M. Tease at 406-294-9000.
Lee E. Cannon of Bozeman and Don G. DuPerault of Las Vegas, Nev.: Method, apparatus and system for perpetual bonus game. 8,678,900. March 25. IGT of Las Vegas, Nev.
Lee E. Cannon of Bozeman, Mike Maroney of Bozeman, Robert Guinn of Henderson, Nev., Mick D. Roemer of Las Vegas, Nev., William R. Adams of Las Vegas, Nev., and Jason DeGrandmaison of Atlantic City, N.J.: Methods and apparatus for providing tickets from gaming devices and/or lottery terminals. 8,678,916. March 25. IGT of Reno, Nev.
David A. Farber of Ojai, Calif., Richard E. Greer of Red Lodge, Andrew D. Swart of Pennington, N.J., and James A. Balter of Santa Barbara, Calif.: Method of generating a web page. 8,683,076. March 25. Level 3 Communications, LLC of Broomfield, Colo.
Benjamin Meager of Bozeman: Pressure equalization apparatus for a bottle and methods associated therewith. 8,684,205. April 1. Paha Designs, LLC of Denver, Colo.
Wayne H. Hanson of Bozeman: Foldable adjustable dynamic wheelchair. 8,684,396. April 1.
William E. Kirkpatrick of Bozeman: Centrifugal fan. 8,684,676. April 1.
Tim J. Watts of Billings, Alex Offerdahl of Stevensville, Joe Atwood of Bozeman, Jim Driscoll of Overland Park, Kan., Steve Loar of Billings and Jeff Stabnow of Billings: Systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer medium to determine premiums and indemnities for supplemental crop insurance. 8,688,483. April 1. Watts and Associates, Inc. of Billings.
Kenneth H. Green of Whitefish: Clamp and repair tool. 8,689,599. April 8. Timberline Tool LLC of Kalispell.
David Harriton of Missoula: Tank assembly for attachment to a tire carrier. 8,690,033. April 8. Streetcar ORV LLC of Wixom, Mich.
Kevin Burgess of Sheridan, Wyo., Daniel E. Clawson of Fresno, Calif., David Yakos of Bozeman and Bryan Walthall of Bozeman: Leak-free reciprocating stemmed valve. 8,690,119. April 8. Big Horn Valve, Inc. of Sheridan, Wyo.
Lee E. Cannon of Bozeman, Mike D. Roemer of Las Vegas, Nev., Robert Guinn of Henderson, Nev., and Michael J. Mitchell of Las Vegas, Nev.: Method and apparatus for gaming machines with a tournament play bonus feature. 8,690,661. April 8. IGT of Reno, Nev.
Justin F. Chapweske of Bozeman: Rate sensitive packet transfer mechanism over a peer-to-peer network. 8,694,606. April 8. Google Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.
Paul Guerra of Los Gatos, Calif., Curt D. Hammill of Missoula, James S. Cunningham of Boulder, Colo., and Charles Schryver of Atascadero, Calif.: Dual durometer insulating boot for electrosurgical forceps. 8,696,667. April 15. Covidien LP of Mansfield, Mass.
Todd A. McAdams, Harold W. Howe, Jeffrey E. Draper and Lawrence C. Farrar, all of Butte: Self-contained breathing closure and container. 8,696,778. April 15.
Harold W. Howe, Timothy S. Troutman and Michael E. Meichle, all of Butte, and Adrian L. Krag of Santa Clarita, Calif.: Field deployable surface plasmon resonance based biosensor. 8,696,991. April 15.
Thomas L. Cable of Newbury, Ohio, and Stephen W. Sofie of Bozeman: Method for making a fuel cell from a solid oxide monolithic framework. 8,697,313. April 15. The United States of America as represented by the administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration of Washington, D.C.
Wayne R. Thiem of Bozeman: Electric insulator. 8,697,999. April 15.


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The Oscar Hopefuls: Best Actress Candidates Are Everywhere, If You Know Where to Look
Academy Awards By Neil Miller on November 12, 2014 | Be the First To CommentThe Oscar Hopefuls is a new series that allows us to take a dive into the Oscar race. Instead of focusing on the marketing campaigns or the buzz, we want to focus on what really matters: the movies and performances themselves. This will include deep dives into individual movies and musings on various categories throughout awards season. Originally I had intended to kick this series off with a look at a spectacular movie that will likely be overlooked. However, today a topic was brought to my desk that feels equally deserving of the space. That great movie, to be named later, will be the focus of the next edition of The Oscar Hopefuls. For now, I'd like to focus on a topic that's always been important to me: leading ladies. Over at The Washington Post, Alyssa Rosenberg writes about A Year without Best Actresses in response to a Gregg Kilday article at the Hollywood Reporter about the lack of quality Best Actress candidates in comparison to the wealth of choices in the Best Actor category. And while there's much to be said about the balance between male and female leads overall, I'm not entirely sold on the lack of quality candidates in 2014.
'The Congress' Review: Eye-Popping Animation and a Crazy Heart
Fantastic Fest By Jack Giroux on August 28, 2014 | Be the First To CommentWhen it comes to independent films and major releases, animation is fairly underutilized medium. There are exceptions, but for the most part, it's generally used for kid-centric stories or to paint a lush, if slightly more adult, world. That's why movies like A Scanner Darkly and The Congress are so special. They use animation for drama and to express ideas that go beyond a few pretty shots. Both films shouldn't be compared past that point, but they are both emotional, visual, and mental exercises — rides that you either go along with from the start or don't. If director Ari Folman's The Congress grabs you from its first frame, then expect a rich science-fiction film packed with commentary, ideas, laughs, tears, and beauty. Speaking of beauty, Robin Wright (played conveniently by Robin Wright) has lost it, at least according to some slimy agist studio executive we meet working at Miramount. She's now 44 years old. That usually means for actresses their careers are winding down, but after years of "bad" choices and choosing family over work, Robin isn't the big deal that she once was. The offers aren't coming in, at least not the offers she's interested in — she wouldn't ever dare to take part in a science-fiction film.
Ari Folman's 'The Congress': Where is the Human Element in 21st Century Filmmaking?
Culture Warrior By Landon Palmer on July 23, 2014 | Be the First To CommentStardom is a fundamentally contradictory experience for audiences. On the one hand, we can feel like we know a star intimately as a human being, despite the many roles that they play and despite the fact that they do not know us. We carry our past knowledge of the star onto each new project. And every time a star is captured by a camera, a brief record of them is made, in a moment solidified for a seeming eternity. Marlene Dietrich may be long deceased, but in revisiting any close-up fashioned from Josef von Sternberg's films, she can feel as immediate to us as she was to the cameras eighty years ago. On the other hand, a star is always both more and less than a human being. Stars are the foundation for an industry of magazines, brand names readily available for peddling products, personalities to be mimicked, fashion icons to aspire to, and economic conditions for a film's making and marketing. We can experience fleeting moments of intimacy with a star image, but the industry that makes stardom possible continually alienates us from a polished, selectively represented human being before us. It is through this dual capacity of stardom that stars continue to exist well after the physical lives of the people who embodied them. These inherent tensions between personhood and media are explored in great depth in Ari Folman's new film The Congress, a film that uses the strange condition of stardom and the technological advancements of the current […]
Who Should You Be Rooting For on 'House of Cards'?
Features By Kate Erbland on February 18, 2014 | Be the First To CommentJust in time for Valentine's Day, Netflix gifted its subscribers with the full second season of its hit series, House of Cards, featuring a slam-bang season opener that left viewers reeling (and tweeting copious versions of "OH MY GOD") and that pushed already-nefarious characters to new levels of both evil and unlikability. No, there's no rule that characters need to be charming or likable or aspirational, but it sure is nice to watch a show that stars someone (anyone) whose actions you can respect and admire. The Underwoods and their lackeys have always been particularly underhanded, but the second season has already shoved them into new realms and practices of what is best described as over-the-top, unrelatable, and outsized evil. These are bad people doing very bad things, and as fun as it might be to watch them inflict their brand of political and personal striving on enemies, deserving or not, they are not the kind of characters anyone can actually root for. But if you can't back the two lead characters of a series, who can you? Spoilers ahead for the first episode of House of Cards' second series premiere.
Sundance 2014 Review: 'A Most Wanted Man' Takes the Long Way Around
Movie Reviews By Rob Hunter on January 19, 2014 | Be the First To CommentThe 9/11 attacks were planned from the beautiful, immigrant-friendly city of Hamburg, and Germany swore afterwards that it would never happen again. In addition to tightening security for those coming into the country, part of their efforts to stop terrorist cells from operating so freely within their borders included the creation of a small intelligence unit whose sole purpose is prevention. Günther Bachmann (Philip Seymour Hoffman) heads up the team (which also includes Daniel Brühl and Nina Hoss), but his latest mission challenges more than his skill-set and determination. It shakes his drive, moral compass, and dedication to "making the world a safer place." A Most Wanted Man is exactly what you'd expect from the director of The American, and while that assessment will mean different things to different people the film remains a meticulously crafted adaptation of John le Carre's bestselling novel.
The Dripping Wet Trailer for 'Adore' Starring Naomi Watts and Robin Wright
Movie News By Scott Beggs on June 25, 2013 | Comments (1)The trailer for Adore, and presumably the movie itself, leaps unstoppably from one impulsive decision to the next. It's the adult drama version of a horror movie where we're yelling for them not to go up the stairs (or not to have sex with their best friend's son), but they do it anyway. Why don't movies ever listen to their audiences? A lot fewer people would get slashed by masked killers, and a lot fewer women would give in to the impulse to feel what the fruit of their friends' loins does to their loins. The women of Anne Fontaine's (Coco Before Chanel) new movie are Roz (Robin Wright) and Lil (Naomi Watts), two childhood friends who now have children of their own. On what looks like a Blue Lagoon-style bit of isolation with their sons, Harold (Ben Mendelsohn) and Ian (Xavier Samuel), things heat up, a ton of bad decisions are made, and the sons swap moms. So, yes, it's basically the prestige version of this. And, yes, it's incredibly sexy:
'The Congress' Trailer: Hollywood Wants to Own Robin Wright In Dizzying, Bold New Film
Movie News By Kate Erbland on May 13, 2013 | Be the First To CommentAri Folman's The Congress appears to play its hand quite quickly – the Cannes film's first trailer opens with a shot of star Robin Wright being talked to by a faceless man as if she were, well, Robin Wright. Sure, this is a slightly skewed "Robin Wright" (it doesn't seem as if this Robin starred in House of Cards, but damn if it doesn't seem like she started her career with The Princess Bride), but it's a version of "Robin Wright" nonetheless. And someone has a proposition for her. At first, it all seems relatively straightforward – a Hollywood studio ("Miramount," which certainly looks like another studio that ends in "-mount") wants to purchase the rights to Wright's likeness and, thanks to technology, that essentially means they will scan every bit of her (not just physical, by any means) and use it to "star" in any film they see fit. It's not a great deal, but it might be her last shot, so she takes. Obviously, it's not all going to end well, but Folman's film subverts our ideas of what would follow from such a deal, and it all goes totally wild, nuts, and (maybe even) amazing, as The Congress unfolds into vibrant animation and stirring score, with a possibly epic adventure thrown into the mix. It's really one stunning trailer, and our hopes for the final film are now suitably high. Um, also? Wright might have animated sex with animated Jon Hamm (it certainly sounds like him). You're sold now, right? Get a taste for The Congress after the break.
Review: 'House of Cards' is 'Game of Thrones' in Modern Day DC
Features By Scott Beggs on February 6, 2013 | Comments (3)The similar structure of their titles isn't the only thing Game of Thrones and the new Netflix series House of Cards have in common. The first is set in a brutal Medieval-style fantasy world, and the second is set in present-day Washington, DC, but the scheming and lustful grabs at power are pulsing wildly at the heart of each. Of course they have their differences as well. Since Cards focuses on House Majority Whip Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey), it's maybe more exact to call it a version of Game of Thrones told almost explicitly through Tywin Lannister's point of view. The congressman is aggressive and shrewd in his search to become President, but as the complete 13-episode season of the show (or 13-hour movie-you-have-to-keep-pressing-play-to-see) proves, there are other combatants willing to protect their interests just as fiercely and just as intelligently.
NYFF: 'The Princess Bride' Reunion Screening Gleefully Transforms Lincoln Center Into a Grindhouse Theater
Features By Caitlin Hughes on October 6, 2012 | Be the First To CommentCommemorating the 25th anniversary of The Princess Bride, director Rob Reiner, screenwriter William Goldman (also the author of the source novel) and stars Robin Wright ("Buttercup"), Wallace Shawn ("Vizzini"), Chris Sarandon ("Prince Humperdink"), Mandy Patinkin ("Inigo Montoya"), Carol Kane ("Valerie"), Cary Elwes ("Westley"), and Billy Crystal ("Miracle Max") all gathered at NYC's Alice Tully Hall on Tuesday as part of a New York Film Festival special event screening. This marked the first time in almost 26 years that they have watched the film with an audience, re-experiencing the saga of Buttercup and her Westley (and all swordsmanship and kissing involved). Throughout the film, which sold out the 1,086-seat Lincoln Center venue, attendees of all different ages loudly applauded and hooted for their favorite lines and for the first appearances of their favorite characters. They were worked up into a fervor, more closely resembling a ribald grindhouse crowd than one at a typical NYFF screening. This large-scale showing injected new life into The Princess Bride, and it is especially great that the audience was so responsive, given that the cast sat through the film and were able to witness the extreme appreciation of their work firsthand.
6 Scenes We Love From 'The Princess Bride'
Features By Christopher Campbell on September 30, 2012 | Be the First To CommentLast Tuesday was the 25th anniversary of the theatrical openings of The Princess Bride, and this coming Tuesday sees the release of a 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray of the movie, which features a new two-part retrospective documentary. Also on Tuesday, a new print of the fantasy adventure classic will screen during the New York Film Festival, complete with a reunion of actors Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal and Carol Kane and director Rob Reiner (no Fred Savage? Inconceivable!) for a post-film conversation. So, we've got a new Scenes We Love this week to honor the beloved comedic romance (don't call it a rom-com), and maybe this sounds like an impossible task. After all, if you love one scene from The Princess Bride, you love them all. We could just say, we love that 100-minute-long scene in which a stable boy-turned-pirate fights a giant, a genius and a swordsman in order to rescue a princess from kidnappers and then stop her from marrying an evil prince, all as it is told by an old man to his grandson. Then just embed the film in its entirety (if it were available this way). But we can isolate a handful of favorites — that's six scenes, if we go by Count Rugen's hand — and if there are any others you wish to bring up, we invite you to do so.
'A Most Wanted Man' Adds Support for Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Casting Couch By Nathan Adams on September 6, 2012 | Be the First To CommentBack in February it was reported that there was a new adaptation of a John le Carré novel being developed, and that it was looking to put Philip Seymour Hoffman in a leading role. It all sounded very exciting, but Hoffman's involvement wasn't official. Well, some time has passed since then, details on the project are starting to solidify, and the crew has even started to put together a cast of familiar faces to join Hoffman in supporting roles. But first, let's recap exactly what this project is. A Most Wanted Man is a story about a half-Russian, half-Czech immigrant who comes to Germany—scarred and starved—looking for his father's lost fortune. His past is mysterious, his motives are suspect, and eventually his pursuits get the attentions of a British banker and a young female lawyer, who both try to help them in their own way, and who end up forming a strange love triangle in the process. There's no time for romance, however, as the man's arrival also gets the attention of a group of spies from three different nations, and soon all of the players converge in ways that are likely steeped in intrigue and double crossings.
Enter to Win a Rare Vinyl 'Rampart' Poster and a Script Signed By Woody Harrelson
Features By Scott Beggs on May 11, 2012 | Comments (49)Word on the street is that Oren Moverman's Rampart is pretty damned good. It stars Woody Harrelson as an LAPD cop in the wake of the Rampart scandal in the 1990s. It also features Ice Cube, who doesn't at all still represent the LA of the early 1990s. The thing is, even if the movie were terrible, this poster would still be awesome. It looks absolutely stunning, and we're giving one away. Plus, one (1) lucky winner will get a Harrelson-signed script to go with their new wall art. How do you enter? Excellent rhetorical question! Here's how:
33 Things We Learned From the 'Princess Bride' Commentary Tracks
Commentary Commentary By Nathan Adams on March 8, 2012 | Comments (4)When Jeremy said he needed someone to fill in on Commentary Commentary so that he could focus his energies primarily on South by Southwesting, I simply replied, "As you wish." But then I was left with a conundrum. What movie should I watch the commentary track for? After rifling through my DVD collection I ended up with a handful of possibilities, and I wound up choosing The Princess Bride for one reason: when else would I ever listen to the commentary tracks on this movie, if not now? The Princess Bride is so much fun, such a whimsical experience, that if you're going to put the DVD on, you want to watch the movie. You don't want to hear some old guy rambling over all of the classic lines. Consequently, this thing has been sitting on my shelf essentially since DVDs began, and I still haven't listened to either the Rob Reiner or the William Goldman commentaries. So, here we go, I'll take the hit and give them a listen, pick out all the interesting stuff, and you can go about your usual business of properly soaking in all the action, adventure, and romance the next time you need to get your Princess Bride fix.
Over/Under: 'Forrest Gump' vs. 'Being There'
Features By Nathan Adams on January 17, 2012 | Comments (9)When thinking about which films I consider to be overrated, I keep coming back to two different categories. First there are the art films that get embraced by the movie geek community and praised to high heaven for their crafting, whether they really makes for an exceptional overall movie-going experience or not. And then there are the movies that get overrated by the mainstream. They're mostly sentimental movies that tug on the heartstrings, with characters that hit low lows, but then achieve some new victory. Robert Zemeckis' Forrest Gump is definitely the latter. It's a movie that seems designed solely to make parents and grandparents nod knowingly at historical incidents they remember and then tear up when a sad part rolls around; but they love it for it. Being There was nominated for the Palme d'Or and even won Melvyn Douglas an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor back when it came out, but it's a movie I never hear mentioned these days. As a matter of fact, other than the little bit of nostalgia that remains for Harold and Maude, I would say that Hal Ashby is a director whose career has been kind of forgotten by my generation of film fans. That's a shame, because the man did some great work, and this film in particular has one of the last great performances by the legendary Peter Sellers.
Kevin Carr's Weekly Report Card: December 22, 2011
Features By Kevin Carr on December 22, 2011 | Be the First To CommentThis week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr pulls out his screening schedule, which looks like a gambling addict's racing form. He bounces from huge, mainstream releases to minor indie award contenders. Facing motion-capture CGI, tattooed bisexual investigators, cross-dressing waiters, silent film actors, and a lead star who is literally hung like a horse, Kevin tries to make sense of the seemingly countless releases this holiday week. Exhaustion from this process makes it impossible to buy a zoo or face the 3D end of the world, but his movie stocking is full, nonetheless.
Kevin Carr's Weekly Report Card: September 23, 2011
Features By Kevin Carr on September 23, 2011 | Be the First To CommentThis week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr decides he's going to learn history from Hollywood. After all, why not when three out of the four major releases are based on or inspired by a true story. He learns about the true history of baseball with Moneyball (and was sorely disappointed it wasn't called Monkeyball because a movie about monkeys playing baseball would have been awesome). Then he learns all he needs to know about marine mammals and depressed children in Dolphin Tale. Finally, he faces the cadres of screaming tweenage girls to see Taylor Lautner in ABduction. That's based on a true story, right?
Fincher's 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' Trailer Gets Legit
Movie News By Nathan Adams on June 2, 2011 | Comments (3)A couple days ago a red band trailer for David Fincher's upcoming adaptation of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" hit the Internet and made the rounds among movie blogs and message boards. It wasn't really clear if it was an unintentional leak, or if it was put out to look as an intentional leak as a bit of viral marketing that fit in well with the hacker status of the female protagonist, or maybe if it was just a trailer released without much fanfare due to its pseudo NSFW status. But none of that really matters anymore. Now we've got an officially released trailer for the film that looks a heck of a lot like the leaked one, but is all high definition and pretty, and doesn't have any bits that are naughty (sorry, side boob lovers). So what does this trailer have in store for us? Nothing shocking really; but enough to get my blood pumping anyways. This little bit of advertising is quick, kinetic, and full of energy. It's got a hip re-imagining of a Led Zeppelin classic, a very digital, very typical of David Fincher aesthetic, very gorgeous production design. Also, it probably can't help but remind me a lot of that one movie I saw… you know, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The trailer is a reminder that I've already heard this story, already solved this mystery, already lived alongside these characters, and it can't help but feel awfully familiar. But it looks awfully damn pretty […]
Review: 'The Conspirator' Isn't The Worst Experience You Could Have In A Theater
Movie Reviews By Rob Hunter on April 17, 2011 | Comments (7)Everyone remembers where they were when they first heard that President Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated. I was in third grade, under the creepy Catholic tutelage of Sister Hermina (she refused to die!), and the lesson on Lincoln's presidency had come to dramatic and shocking conclusion. Granted, those aren't the words I would have used to describe it at the time, but I do recall feeling frustrated, confused, and angered at the tall, bearded man's death. So why open a film review with a reference to a grade school history lesson? Because the film in question, Robert Redford's The Conspirator, feels like a two-hour lecture on some of the very same material. Viewers learn about the coordinated assault against Lincoln and two members of his cabinet, the capture and conviction of those responsible, and their subsequent hangings for the crimes. While the material here is more detailed than the lesson taught by zombie nun it's also presented dryly, without any real energy, emotion, or drama, and very much in the spirit of a made-for-television movie. It doesn't help matters that Redford uses his directorial lectern to include some incredibly unsubtle and politicized comparisons to our own modern day battles between personal freedoms and national security.
Robin Wright In Talks To Join David Fincher's Remake Of 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo'
Movie News By Lauren Flanagan on August 9, 2010 | Comments (2)I've been skeptical of this remake since it was first announced late last year, but as the cast starts to take shape I'm slowly coming around. First came word that Daniel Craig would play disgraced journalist and super sleuth Mikael Blomkvist – fine. Then came the news that Stellan Skarsgard had been offered the role of Martin Vanger, a suspect in the 40-year-old cold case the story revolves around – excellent. Now we know that Robin Wright (formerly Penn) is in talks to play Millennium magazine publisher and occasional Blomkvist lover, Erika Berger – sounds about right. The Erika Berger role is small but significant. While not huge in the first novel, the role figures a lot more prominently in the following two books (and presumably movies) and the idea is that Wright would return for both. As far as I'm concerned this remake is still completely unnecessary, but I have to admit that this casting is great. Wright is the perfect combination of beauty and brawn and I think she can pull it off. Of course we're still waiting on the decision that will make or break this movie. The filmmakers are on the hunt for the young actress who will play the title character, and given the incredible performance by Noomi Rapace in the Swedish version, whoever is chosen will have some awfully big shoes to fill, and some pretty rabid fans to win over.
Neil Miller
Scott Beggs
Rob Hunter
Kate Erbland
Christopher Campbell


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In My Chair - Portraits of Friends and Clients at the Studio
'In My Chair' is a collection of portraits taken at my studio the past several months. I usually start each session at the studio before venturing to a location; my studio has a great feel and the music is usually pumping loud through my Bose system. It's fun to ask the model/subject to DJ tunes with their mobile device ... the first few minutes, whether your professional or not, is always a bit uncomfortable. So...my chair is a great pl to let the magic begin...hence...In My Chair.
Click read more to see the series.
Photography Lighting Natural Light - Light Chasing
Chasing the Light is something I have talked about for the past couple of years. The one thing constant when shooting is there will always be available light; a constant light source. Most newbie shooters want to jump into off camera flash and forget that half of the image comes from an available light source. I start by hunting interesting light that's taking place and add additional light as needed; that is called "Light Chasing." Training your eye to see refections, hard vs. soft, shadows, etc. takes time. Walk around like a detective the next time you do some street light and search for light. Watch the video!
Photography Tips - Natural Light Chasing Technique from Lightenupandshoot on Vimeo.
Wedding Photography - Barbie and Ken? WTF!
IErica Djeko Olsen, a DJ from NY/LA, showed me this hilarious blog post of a Barbie and Ken wedding. I'm not a wedding photography for a reason...the blog post by RocknRollBride.com got me laughing my ass. I recently shot a wedding only because the couple specifically wanted something different. The stereotypical wedding photography was not what the client wanted...I think rock-n-roll wedding bride's post does a great job in trying to tell photographers and couples getting married to move away from the typical cheese. It's time photographers step up their game in terms of artistry. I know that weddings are big business and create jobs for a lot of people armed with cameras. The reason for this post is to encourage photographers to be unique and not be typical. Put your unique spin on what's right for each individual/couple.
I recently did a shoot for a client who wa completly opposed to the typical and bad cheese crap that floods the market with bad wedding photography. I hope this inspires great photography...if I can inspire one wedding dude or chick to not do horrible wedding then I know I am doing something right. Feel free to contact me or post your honest opinion...
OH! I leave you with some fun stuff I did in Vegas for a couple last weekend who did want "cheese."
ClICK MORE for a LINK:
Approach and Work with Models Tag Along in LA - Nov. 9-10
Learn how I approach and find models in this two day Tag Along in Los Angeles, CA November 9-10
Get the details on how you can be 1 of 4 people for this event: https://www.eventbrite.com/event/8957874243
The Light Weekly Workout - w/Mikey
The Lightenupandshoot Light Workout
(set-up shot...I love seeing set-ups)
Little did I know four years ago that the Lightenupandshoot philosophy would inspire so many people around the world, take me down a seemingly never ending path of adventure and give me access to exclusive groups of people. I originally started LUAS to document my journey living in a foreign country and to show that an ex-mortgage professional could achieve success outside the world of finance.
Click READ MORE to get the whole skinny (including photos)...
Handheld HDR in Amsterdam - Lightenupandshoot Style
Hand held HDR (3 frames) of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Photograph and detailed description by Dennis Van Agthoven...click read more for the full Dutch Skinny.


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Love to cook. Have been baking for the church coffee hour each week, get great reviews no matter what I make.
My family-husband and 2 sons love it when I am cooking. They also pick on me about my collection of cook books, I have hundreds of them. Love Recipe Zaar.