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Demi's incredible figure is only bested by her new trophy!
Demi Lovato knows how to look classy at an event, and at the 2011 NCLR American Latino Media Arts Awards she wowed on the red carpet before taking home a major statue, besting her BFF Selena Gomez!
Demi, 19, looked stunning at the Sept. 10 event in Santa Monica, Calif., where she took home the award for Favorite TV Actress – Leading Role in a Comedy for Sonny With A Chance.
What do you think, HollywoodLifers — is Demi a better actress than Selena?
– William Earl
More Demi!
- Is Joe Jonas Apologizing To Demi Lovato In His New Song, 'I'm Sorry'?
- Demi Lovato Steals Something From The Kardashians For Her Music Video Shoot!
- Wilmer Valderrama Confirms He's Single. Demi Lovato Is Officially Back On The Market!
View Comment
Posted at 10:48 PM on September 12, 2011
Ok Demi finally gets credit were credit is due. Demi is so talented! I don't think any disney channel show can really show off someones true talent anyway. But I knew Demi could act when I saw her in the Greys Anatomy episode and she did amazing. I haven't seen nothing like that from selena so far??
Selena can probably act but I haven't seen anything from her to be like "omg this girl is a great actor". We haven't seen a lot from Demi really either but I'm glad Demi won it instead of Selena who wins everything and sometimes I don't think she deserves it.
Posted at 5:27 PM on September 12, 2011
As a Mum of three girls, I will only hope I raise my girls right and they do not see people the way of those on here do!
I'm not a fan of Selena Gomez/Justin Beiber. She looked desperate to grow up. I might have viewed her success for her talent if it wasn't for all the 'timing' of the media hype surrounding these two. After all it's still Hollywood. Demi's had to fight her own demons and yes singing is certainly her talent. But I think she picked the wrong Jonas brother. But hey that's life. Demi looks beautiful and elegant in an appropriate gown. You don't need to show skin to be talent, your talent should speak for itself.
Posted at 3:58 PM on September 12, 2011
Wow, shocked by these comments. Have any of you even watched Demi on this Disney show? I am sorry to say that I have (my kids usually only have it on Disney, Nick, or Cartoon Network) and she is horrible as an actress. Selena Gomez has much better comedic timing. Agreed that Demi has 100 times better vocals then Selena, but as an actress – not so good. So I agree 100% that this was given mostly because of her present circumstances.
Posted at 2:39 PM on September 12, 2011
Selena has no range of emotion, by the way. She cannot emote facially, in terms of natural expressions in reaction to given situations, which is one thing, but she cannot emote verbally. Her intonation is absent of the proper emotion for which she is trying to convey. And she is not dynamic in how she occupies space. She is dormant in scenes that her character does not directly control. It's like she is the same as a singer and as an actor. She's flat. One inflection. Doesn't go up. Doesn't go down. She has a baseline and she never deviates from it. Hence, her character has no "life," because she does not own the scene in terms of the way she occupies physical space, and her character has no "depth," because she does convey emotion naturally and fluidly. Trust me. I have a college degree in film and that girl cannot act. Neither can Demi, who, to her credit, has recognized where her true talent lies.
Posted at 2:26 PM on September 12, 2011
People have to realize that Selena is only popular within a very narrow target demographic. This here is an adult award, not a kiddie award, and Selena isn't likely to win very many, if any, adult awards. If we are talking Teen Choice, that's obviously Selena's wheelhouse. If we are talking out in the real world, amongst mature adults, there is a far greater appriciation for the recent work that Demi and Miley have done. Although neither Demi or Selena were particularly good on their shows. But this was a popularity contest in which more then just tweens voted. And that's why Selena lost.
Posted at 1:36 PM on September 12, 2011
Why is everyone so crazy about her? Sure she's pretty but not drop dead gorgeous, there are girls way prettier than her with more talent but are undiscovered. To me (not a hater not a fan) she will just be known as Justin's girlfriend and nothing more. She is a decently good actress but is overrated in that too. Other disney actresses are just as good but it's always credit given to Selena when others deserve it too. I just hate it when people suck up to people with not nearly as much talent as the fame they are gettng coz it's just sad and unfair. The only thing that makes her insanely famous as she is now is her reputation to date or hang out with the most famous people each time, Nick Jonas, becoming best freinds with Taylor Swift and mentioning her in every interview she does, Taylor Lautner, and now Justin Bieber at the height of his fame. Sure she is portrayed to be the perfect angel but judging by her famewhore reputation she is very manipulative, sweet but manipulative. I was a fan and went to her concert a few months ago but I cringed on the way home. Why? Coz of her weak messed up voice thus I stopped being a fan. I would much rather spend my money to get tickets to a concert of someone with talent rather than someone like Selena who is getting songs in the charts by dating Justin. She knew that her Disney show was ending and so she dated someone really famous so that more people started to know about her so she could be offered more acting roles. I'm sorry but, no infact I'm not sorry coz I have a right to an opinion, but I wouldn't stay being a fan of someone who dates famous people to get more famous coz that person is just a fake! I'd rather be a fan of someone real and inspiration as Demi Lovato who rightfully deserves more than the fame Selena is getting coz she is obscenely talented, something which Selena very much lacks. Any haters on this are just pathetic Selenators who can't accept true opinions. If anyone hates on this comment it won't really matter cos everyones entitled to their own opinion and this is mine.
Posted at 2:12 PM on September 12, 2011
Posted at 10:14 AM on September 13, 2011
Agree,but don't forget,everybody know Selena as "Justin Biebers girlfirend" not as herself,Selena Gomez. She isn't that popular,after 1 year,nobody know her name anymore,she will be "Has-been",but that isn't so with Demi Lovato and Miley Cyrus,they will be in the showbusiness for years!
Posted at 7:45 AM on September 12, 2011
Posted at 6:27 AM on September 12, 2011
Posted at 6:19 AM on September 12, 2011
Posted at 4:34 AM on September 12, 2011
Posted at 4:12 AM on September 12, 2011
Posted at 4:04 AM on September 12, 2011
Posted at 11:19 PM on September 11, 2011
Posted at 12:51 AM on September 12, 2011
absolutely not.demi cant act at all,she only has a goofy and angry/insulted face expressions,thats it.sonny is a primitive role,selena can play a lot better and has a lot more and more complicated facial expressions.as for singing,demi is maybe a bit better.and miley cirus is an average actor,not too good either
Posted at 11:16 PM on September 11, 2011
Its time to open up your eyes selenators that selena gomez talent cant compare to miley and demi because she will always be behind them…sorry but that's the truth..Demi got a killer voice while selena doesnt have a good voice..sorry selenators but that's the truth….good luck!!!!
Posted at 10:15 PM on September 11, 2011
Posted at 8:53 PM on September 11, 2011
Posted at 8:47 PM on September 11, 2011
Posted at 8:03 PM on September 11, 2011
Even if you don't like Demi acting, this was fair. ALMA Awards, Do Something Awards and People's Choice Awards aren't rigged, unlike the KCAs and the TCAs (read what appears at the end of ceremony about producers choosing the winners).
Selena was nominated for 3 ALMA Awards, and lost the 3. Obviously, Selena fans didn't vote enough. If you aren't happy you should have voted.
PS: Demi looked GORGEOUS at the ALMA Awards. Both this dress and the red one that she wore at her performance are amazing and fit her body perfectly. Can't wait for the performance. She always owns the stage with that voice of hers!! :)
Posted at 7:24 PM on September 11, 2011
Posted at 7:23 PM on September 11, 2011
thast right
Posted at 6:16 PM on September 11, 2011
Posted at 5:32 PM on September 11, 2011
Posted at 5:24 PM on September 11, 2011
Posted at 5:20 PM on September 11, 2011
i'm a fan of both of them, i love them both but demi is great at singing and selena not so much but demi cant really act and selena is awesome at acting and in her show it shows latina heritage. also sunny with a chance ended unexpectedly, wizards of waverly place followed through for every season it had. so now that demi won it the award looks like it was given to her out of pity. if this was a singing award then yes demi totally should have won no questions asked but it was an acting award so im sorry but demi should not have won that award.


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Apple's secret code names for iOS revealed
While Google has Ice Cream Sandwich, Apple appears to stick to dull sets of letters to name its operating systems. However, a developer reveals that internally, each iteration has a cool (ish) name. Like, um, Durango.
Sometimes, it seems that Google is just much more imaginative than Apple.
Well, when it comes to naming operating systems, that is. Google offers the sweet inducements of Ice Cream Sandwiches and Honeycombs.
Apple, on the other hand, seems to cling to a certain BMW-ness-- just a few letters and numbers and there you have it.
I am about to turn that world view upon its nostrils. For, thanks to the Cult Of Mac, I have received wind that Apple keeps its cute little code names clutched to its secretive bosom.
It seems that a developer called Steve Troughton-Smith decided to risk his reputation and fortune by revealing these names on Twitter.
I must stress that these alleged names are for internal Apple use only and if you suddenly use one in a San Francisco bar, some police officers and Apple security gentlemen might descend upon your door and demand you hand over your vocal chords.
The names themselves seem to reflect a desperate need on the part of their inventors to get fresh and ski. We have Alpine (iOs 1.0), Little Bear (1.1), Big Bear (1.2) and Sugarbowl (2.0). These were followed by Sugarbowl, Timberline, Kirkwood, and Northstar.
Then we have Apex (4.0), which is the name of a mountain resort. Baker (4.1) is also a skiing resort, as is Jasper (4.3).
iOS 4.4 was, apparently Durango. Which may well be a skiing resort, but is also the name of a desperately interesting Dodge. Did it not cross the minds of those creating these names? For something at Apple to be associated with Dodge, it is surely like the thought of Steve Jobs driving a Prius.
The skiing theme didn't go away. 5.0 was Telluride.
But 5.1? Now, that was Hoodoo. Was this an attempt to break with the skiing tradition? Was this someone's idea of, well, breaking the hoodoo? Alas not. Hoodoo is a skiing resort in Oregon.
Never let is be said that Apple changes piste lightly.

subset: commoncrawl


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If you were to believe my grandmother, practically everybody is Jewish. As with many bubbes — although we didn't call her bubbe — she swept almost everyone she wanted into "the tribe." Sometimes, as with Cary Grant, to my childhood amazement, she even turned out to be right.
But she never mentioned Fidel Castro. He was a pariah after all. (This grandmother was no lefty.) It wasn't until years later I heard the rumors that the Comandante himself was a landsman. He was from one of those Spanish marrano families, so the legend went, that converted from Judaism into Catholicism during the Inquisition.
I never believed it — or, more precisely, I seriously doubted it. Until now.
My eyes were opened when I read Jeffrey Goldberg's fascinating report about his recent journey to Havana to meet Fidel. Castro had invited Goldberg to Cuba after reading a piece he wrote in the Atlantic about the Iran-Israel conflict. At their meeting in Havana, the aging dictator made the usual criticisms of Israel, but then quite emphatically informed the journalist of his distaste for Iranian president Ahmadinejad's rampant anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial. He went on to talk about the unique heritage of the Jews and how Ahmadinejad was wrong not to respect it and that Israel deserved to exist.
Castro… attacking another Third World despot and recognizing Israel? Strange business indeed.
There could be only one conclusion. Fidel is Jewish after all.
Not that this is anything to be proud of. Its just interesting. (And, yes, I know this evidence is still highly circumstantial, but trust me. You've heard of gay-dar? This is Jew-dar.) Maybe the old bird is feeling a little guilty. Who knows? Lately, he even admitted he mistreated homosexuals and that socialism wasn't all that it was cracked up to be as economic system. What's next? Barack Obama abjures unions? We'll see. This is going to be an interesting year, Jewish or otherwise.
To my gentile and Jewish friends, happy new year.
26 Comments, 22 Threads
1. Delia
This whole post had me rolling, Roger! Your sense of humor was a refreshing bit of comedy gold.
My "Whitedar" goes up every time I see a dude or dudette in Khaki pants and a polo shirt!
My "Obesedar" goes off the charts whenever I visit "Walmart people.
My insulindar goes off the charts whenever I see a dude who looks like Willy Wonka.
September 8, 2010 - 11:17 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
2. saskatoona
Delia, I think Roger was a bit serious.
September 9, 2010 - 12:33 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
3. chuck
I have also long heard that Castro was from a "converso" family.
September 9, 2010 - 1:16 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
4. Eric R.
Whether or not Castro was Jewish, Cuba had, for a country of its size, a fairly sizeable Jewish population in the pre-Communist days. I can't believe Castro did not have some contact with them starting with his college days — and certainly when he played minor league ball in the US.
September 9, 2010 - 2:07 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
5. pelaut
Big deal. Castro has to get back in the line behind the Danes (Land of Dan), the Incans and Mormons, and assorted Christian Identity people. And me, a wannabe.
September 9, 2010 - 5:28 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
6. cfbleachers
Happy New Year, Roger. I read the article (the first part) by JG and came away with some mixed emotions. Cuba has been a brutal (and from what I read, quite racist) society the past four decades. Not to put too heavy a stereotype on this bizarre twist, but, that doesn't sound very Jewish to me.
An old man facing his own mortality for several years, may be hedging his bets a bit, or, perhaps his disbeliefs are having an argument with his what if's. JG intimated as such, when he made reference to the Hitchen's moment.
We may never know. If Fidel is now worried about his soul, it must be clashing with his worry about his image and legacy. In any event, Ahmadinejad won't be swayed, of course.
But, maybe…just maybe…all those apologists for leftist hatred and antipathy for Israel, might be given pause. One of their great heroes has left the anti-Jew reservation. He is even heading away from the anti-Israel reservation. He may not be one of the "tribe", but, by present appearances, he doesn't want to commune with the leftist haters any longer either.
Notify the BBC. Notify the JournoListas. Bashing Israel and hating the Jews as a bloodsport…apparently is out of season.
Strange New Year coming, Roger. Have a happy, healthy and prosperous one.
September 9, 2010 - 6:12 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
7. Cynic
Maybe Castro is seeing more in the Iranian, Venezuelan connection, than the CIA is capable of analysing, and is getting worried enough to get Goldberg to pass on the message?
Islam is already hard at work converting Brazilians in the favelas of Rio, apart from the metropolitan areas they are developing in southern Brazil on the Paraguay border.
Soon Cuba might become like a new Israel, a thorn in the side of Islam.September 9, 2010 - 7:46 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
8. J.J. Sefton
Not so strange. The son of one of my closest friends has started a program to re-establish synagogues and bring rabbis to Cuba, so Castro's statements are rather interesting in that light.
September 9, 2010 - 7:56 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
9. Gringo
Maybe there were Marranos [Jewish converts-forced converts- to Christianity] in Fidel's family tree. Fidel's father was from Galicia, in the far northwest corner of Spain, farthest removed from Muslim influence and control. Off hand I would associate Jews in Spain with the Muslim rule, so it would seem to me not likely that a Gallego/Galician would have Jewish ancestry. If Fidel's father were from Andalucia in the south of Spain, more likely. BTW, I knew a Spaniard whose family had secretly practiced Judaism for the over 400 years that Judaism was prohibited in Spain. Once Judaism was permitted, his family discarded all pretense of having converted.
September 9, 2010 - 9:08 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Roger L Simon
I have been in Galicia on a couple of occasions, Gringo, for the International Association of Crime Writers Convention in Gijon. This is back in the eighties, but I vaguely remember seeing Jewish remnants. They are everywhere in Spain. The percentage of people with Jewish blood is probably huge – and yet there media blindly attack Israel almost more than any (go figure).
And, JJ Sefton, Pajamas Media would welcome an article about the attempt to bring Jewish culture/religion back to Cuba. Fascinating. I have been in Havana some time back (1979) when I met a number of Jews still living there (mostly film people, not surprisingly).
September 9, 2010 - 9:17 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Roger, thanks for the informed view. While I have met many Gallegos or descendants of Gallegos in Latin America and TX- most Spanish immigrants in the 19th and 20th century to Argentina and Cuba came from Galicia- I have never been to Spain, let alone Galicia.
September 9, 2010 - 1:59 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
10. Sarah
"Castro" is one of the "converso" surnames in Galicia and Portugal. This is well known. But really, Roger, must one claim him? I've got by very well all these years with fingers firmly in my ears and singing "Lalalalalala" whenever I think of Castro.
And you are correct — I suspect if anyone "tested" for Jewish blood, most of Galicia and Portugal is at least some mix. There are reasons for this. (Although some of the Iberian "Jews" were forcibly converted Carthaginians after the Punic unpleasantness. At least, to believe some authors. So, Gringo, the history goes before Moorish rule, to Roman rule and before that to Greek colonization. It's under-studied, frankly) How on Earth this squares with their press and populace and their sentiments on Israel, I can't tell you. Except that historically there was also a high demonization of Judaism and Jews. It's built into the language even. In Portuguese slang "Judiarias" is torture. (Though not absolutely sure if this means 'as practiced by Jews' — as is normally interpreted — or 'as were practiced on Jews'. I suspect originally it meant the later, because of the use of the verb Judiar, in older documents.)
I was lucky, my family couldn't be more pro-Israel without moving there. (And I suspect mom would have made us if dad had let her.)
Happy New Year! May it be one of life and light.
September 9, 2010 - 10:51 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
I remember reading this. From the NYT 2008: Gene Test Shows Spain's Jewish and Muslim Mix.
The genetic signatures of people in Spain and Portugal provide new and explicit evidence of the mass conversions of Sephardic Jews and Muslims to Catholicism in the 15th and 16th centuries after Christian armies wrested Spain back from Muslim control, a team of geneticists reports.
Twenty percent of the population of the Iberian Peninsula has Sephardic Jewish ancestry and 11 percent have DNA reflecting Moorish ancestors, the geneticists have found. Historians have debated how many Jews converted and how many chose exile. "One wing grossly underestimates the number of conversions," said Jane S. Gerber, an expert on Sephardic history at the City University of New York…
The study, based on an analysis of Y chromosomes, was conducted by biologists led by Mark A. Jobling of the University of Leicester in England and Francesc Calafell of the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona. They developed a Y chromosome signature for Sephardic men by studying Sephardic Jewish communities in places where Jews migrated after being expelled from Spain in 1492 to 1496. They also characterized the Y chromosomes of the Arab and Berber army that invaded Spain in A.D. 711 from data on people living in Morocco and Western Sahara.
After a period of forbearance under the Arab Umayyad dynasty, Spain entered a period of religious intolerance, with its Muslim Berber dynasties forcing Christians and Jews to convert to Islam, and the victorious Christians then expelling Jews and Muslims or forcing them to convert. The new genetic study, reported online on Thursday in the American Journal of Human Genetics, indicates there was a high level of conversion among Jews.
I like that the article pointed out that intolerance was not a monopoly of Christians. Expulsion and conversion was simply a continuation and/or adaptation of policies that the Muslims brought to Spain.
September 9, 2010 - 2:21 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
11. Mike Reynolds
Well, if Fidel, as he gets set to meet his maker, is really having a change of heart, let him re-establish diplomatic relations with Israel.
September 9, 2010 - 11:45 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Henry Reardon
You're thinking too small, Mike. How about going for BIG changes, like the free elections that he promised would take place shortly after he and his cronies seized power in 1959? Those are WAY overdue! And once a democratic government is in power, all the rest will likely flow from there. Surely there would be a major change in diplomatic outlook, including re-establishing relations with Israel, as a result of getting democracy.
September 9, 2010 - 12:05 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
12. John
Hey, maybe Castro's first name is really Fivel.
September 9, 2010 - 1:09 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
1492, when Jews were expelled from Spain, was 518 years ago. Converso ancestry by now is probably equally divided among all the citizens of Spain.
What is really amazing about Castro's statement that Israel has the right to exist is that Castro is denying the central principle that holds the Marxist-Islamic Alliance together. Iran's two very best friends are Venezuela and North Korea–the world's most rigidly Marxist countries. Chavez and Kim Jong-Il must be horrified now that Castro has abandoned them.
Under Che Guevara, Cuba's first forced-labor camp was established. Homoeseuals were sent to such camps for re-education, as were AIDS victims and counter-revolutionaries. Cuba had already stopped imprisoning homosexuals before Castro's recent statement. But totalitarian countries always persecute gays. Castro has made a major change in that he has separated Cuba from his Communist brethren on this issue.
Interestingly, one sometimes sees gay-rights activists wearing Che T-shirts. Perhaps now they will learn what Cuba used to do to homsexuals. Or maybe they won't care, since the only issue that matters to them is anti-Zionism–for some reason nobody will ever understand.September 9, 2010 - 8:17 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
14. Douglas Fletcher
Let him make a deathbed confession. The sooner the better.
September 10, 2010 - 1:52 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
15. Terrye
It could be that Castro is getting old enough now that he does not feel the need to pretend anymore. It happens with age.
September 10, 2010 - 3:22 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
16. gus3
From the "for what it's worth" dept.:
During WWII, Franco made no secret that he would shelter Jews who could make it to Spain. His co-fascist in Germany was very unhappy with him. (So, to patch things over, Franco sent tungsten to Germany for materiel, and let the Luftwaffe bomb Gernika to shreds.)
Also, there's Yiddish film history of hoping to escape to Argentina. I saw a film clip about 15 years ago, of an early "talkie" in which the momma asked, "Where will we go?", and the poppa naming Argentina as a possible destination. If anyone can name the movie and the character, I'd be grateful.
In any case, the history of modern Hispanic culture being friendly (at times) to persecuted Jews is well-established.
September 10, 2010 - 6:35 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
17. David Levavi
On the subject of secret Jews: On 9/19 the Pope will be visiting England to beatify Cardinal John Henry Newman preparatory to elevating him to sainthood.
Newman's father was an Eighteenth Century English banker emigrated from Holland and, almost certainly, he or the future Cardinal's grandfather were Jewish refugees looted and driven from Spain by the Catholic Inquisition. (Protestant Holland, eager for the Jews' mercantile and maritime skills, welcomed the refugees at home and in her imperial possessions.) Newman's mother was a also a refugee in Anglican England, a Protestant Huguenot originally from France.
For English and Irish Catholics, the conversion of a brilliant and distinguished Anglican cleric (Newmann Sr. was a declared atheist; his son was took Anglican Baptism joyfully at college and rose in the Church) was cause for great celebration. It confirmed the "old" faith. The Anglicans were less pleased.
The ironies here abound. The son of two refugees driven from their homes by the Catholic Church and welcomed to live peacefully and prosper in Protestant England turns away from the Anglican Church and converts to Roman Catholicism.
In addition to his notable accomplishments, Newman is remembered for his differences with Pope Pius IX especially on the issue of Papal infallibility. Pius IX is for remembered the towering arrogance which led ultimately to the loss forever of the Papal Estates and the military power of Popes.
And there lies fertile ground for historical conjecture. Happened this way:
A maid in an Italian Jewish household secretly baptised the family's six year old boy. Word got out to the Papal Police and the boy was removed from his parents' home to be raised Catholic. Pius IX not only denied the entreaties of the boy's mother and supported the kidnap, he paraded before photographers and journalists with the boy. Eyewitness accounts of the Pope's play with the boy including hiding the boy under his cassock strongly suggested sexual impropriety.
The affair disgusted civilized people around the world. Told of the negative response, Pius IX haughtily and publicly dismissed public opinion regarding Papal Authority. Napoleon III withdrew his protection and not long thereafter, the Papal Estates were lost and secular Italy was unified.
Did the kidnap and forced religious and sexual conversion of Edgardo Mortara especially resonate in the breast of a probably homosexual Catholic cleric of Jewish and Huguenot descent? Did it influence his opinion of Pius IX, Papal Authority and Infallibility? The truth is buried with John Henry Newman's remains which, frustrating the Catholic Church's hunger for relics, have returned to dust.
September 12, 2010 - 10:07 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
18. susan
Did anyone ever see the movie 'Voyage of the Damned'? I read the book of the same title years ago because one of my best friend's grandparents were on the St. Louis which carried refugees from Germany and tried to disembark in Cuba, before hopefully continuing to the U.S. My friend's grandparent's had sent their children to the U.S. earlier and finally landed in Britain so they could learn English in order to immigrate to the U.S. Others chose to leave to other ports which didn't end so well.
It was an interesting part of history when you delve in how FDR wanted a third election and the country was anti-immigration because of people being out of work.September 13, 2010 - 6:13 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
19. Occam's Beard
Aren't there intimations, at least by some, that Torquemada himself was Jewish? Anyone have a read on the authenticity of those intimations, or is that urban legend territory?
September 19, 2010 - 9:56 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
20. 大陸捉姦
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January 5, 2011 - 2:25 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
21. Edgar Charter
I'm impressed. I don't suppose I've met anyone who knows as much about this subject as you do. You're truly well informed and very bright. You wrote something that people could understand and made the subject intriguing for everyone. Really, great website you've got here.
January 5, 2011 - 7:44 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
22. Chiam_Yankle
It's his mother that was Jewish, which is the parent that counts.
Met some of the small community very recently. They have a synagogue and a kosher butcher shop. If you go there, you can stay at a recently renovated Hotel Rachael. They have a kosher restauerant. All the rooms have Jewish surnames and check out the private dining room on the roof! Wonder if someone sweeps it if you know what I mean. The place is elegant to the max. And the Chassids fly Moyals for circumcisions.
My feeling is that many would leave if allowed. Just a thought.
July 11, 2011 - 1:51 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
Comments are closed.


text:
Sarah created this artwork at age 12 on April 24, 1994, in an MDA sponsored children's art workshop at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She received an associate's degree in liberal arts from North Shore Community College and is continuing studies in psychology.
Julia created this artwork at age 11. In addition to creating artwork, she enjoys writing and has had several poems published in her college literary magazine.
Jennifer created her artwork at age 15 at an MDA-sponsored children's art workshop held in Fort Wayne in 1997. She enjoys scrapbooking and crocheting.
Download a printable PDF of the CMD Care Guidelines
For the booklet in English:Download a printable PDF of this entire booklet
In December 2010, an international panel of doctors and scientists, including many supported by MDA, published standard of care guidelines for CMD. Although directed at physicians and other professionals, the guidelines are helpful to parents as well.
It isn't known why the CMDs cause muscle weakness earlier than other types of muscular dystrophy. One possibility is that the muscle proteins affected in CMD are required early in the development of an infant's muscle, while muscle proteins linked to other muscular dystrophies don't become important until the muscles begin to get a lot of use as a child grows.
A diagnosis of CMD can be confusing because for many years the term was used as a "catch-all" name to describe conditions that looked like other muscular dystrophies, but started much earlier or followed different patterns of inheritance.


text:
Hunahpu's Day 2014: When Bad Things Happen to Good Festivals
Doug Fairall
With everything on offer, there were a few standouts for me. Danish "gyspy" brewer Mikkeller brought some amazingly funky Betelgueze, a complex and sour gueze that really got me going. Another funky sour was New Belgium's Loves Leopold, its La Folie aged in Blackberry flavored Whiskey barrels.
And, of course, this year's Hunahpu's Imperial Stout was a must-have, especially when it's offered from draft. It wins every time. Speaking of beers you would not expect to find on draft in Florida, Three Floyds Zombie Dust was killer as well.
The list could go on, but there were a couple of beers that even gave these previously mentioned standouts a run for their money, and that's the magic that came out of 3 Sons Brewing from Davie.
Whatever time of the day you might have passed their booth, the line was long. Brewer Corey Artanis was putting out some flavorful beers, all in decadent form: a bourbon-barrel-aged imperial vanilla coffee stout called Summation (which indeed became the delicious sum of its parts), Double Scoop Neapolitan ice cream stout (did someone leave a gallon of ice cream in the keg?), and an imperial peanut butter chocolate stout among others. All of them proved highly appropriate to be poured at Hunahpu's Day.
But as the day went on, something didn't seem right. Behind the food trucks and the massive refrigerated trailer pouring beer was a long line. Was that the line to get in? How could that be; it's 1:30 p.m.?
I walked out to take a look. On the road, I could see a couple of staff members frantically trying to process this line.
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text:
Profile: Melissa Rufty
by allthebest • 26 Jan '10 • Melissa Rufty, New Orleans, profile • 25 Comments
Like most talent in life, natural ability plays a leading role. Whether it's drawing, dancing or designing. You've either got it or you don't. Well, New Orleans based interior designer Melissa Rufty has it, and with plenty to spare! I have been a big fan of Melissa's colorful and sophisticated design aesthetic for the better part of two years. It was from Courtney Barnes that I first learned of Melissa. I think my heart actually skipped a beat the first time that I laid eyes on her work. Layer, texture, color, refinement and personality were all in attendance.
Thanks to our friends Michael and Quinn, Melissa and I finally had a chance to meet in person last summer. The Southern raised, Tulane educated Melissa is as affable and interesting as the interiors she fashions. Drawing inspiration from the bewitching city that is New Orleans, Melissa imbues the same alluring style in all that she creates.
How would you describe your style?
Ever changing but always rooted. I am easily and often inspired, but somehow all of my rooms end up with beautiful antique wood and an oil painting or two. Someone recently described my design style as – southern elegance with a modern edge. It really resonated with me, so I will hang my hat there for now!
What is your most prized possession?
The fabulous antique chandelier that hangs in my dining room. My parents purchased it fourteen years ago from Gerrie Bremermann's shop in New Orleans. It was a 30th birthday present.
My father suddenly passed away just three weeks before my birthday. My mom, who never lets a birthday go unnoticed, regardless the circumstance, surprised me with a tiny wrapped box. Inside was a miniature crystal chandelier and a note that read, "He would want you to sparkle always." Bottom line, things are simply just that—things! It is the sentiment that accompanies most things that makes them priceless.
Who has most influenced your direction in life?
Without a doubt my parents. My mother is the epitome of southern style. She is old fashion in her values and ahead of her time in fashion and entertaining. And did I mention that she is always right (I mean ALWAYS). We have a funny expression in our office…"What would Beulah say?" My father was a creative genius. He is legendary for his elaborate parties, practical jokes and surprises. I'd like to think I got her taste and his imagination!
What virtue would you most like to possess?
Who are your style icons?
Sienna miller. You just never know what she's going to put together, and yet it always works and seems effortless. And of course Aerin Lauder, she has so much of her famous grandmother's timeless grace. She looks as wonderful in a ball gown as she does a pair of jeans.
Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?
I really adore the design work of Amelia Handegan from Charleston. She is a color savant! Her low country, effortless approach to design is unmatched.
What is your idea of earthly happiness?
The smell of salty seaside air, my children, belly laughs and my sweet husband pouring me a great glass of wine (while fanning me of course)!
Who do you most admire?
Kay Thompson's Eloise. She lives at the Plaza, she has a never ending imagination, an unbreakable spirit and an unmonitored charge account—a girl after my own heart!
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Raising three wonderful daughters. However, I'm not done, so I guess the verdict is still out.
Profile by Ronda Carman


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Throw an Ice Cream Social
Get tips for having a party that will satisfy your sweet tooth
By Aimee Couture
A Cone Cross Section
Offer guests a variety of different edible ice cream holders so they can personalize their sweet treat. We like to mix it up with traditional sugar cones, fun waffle bowls and classic ice cream cups. Keebler Waffle Bowls, Keebler Sugar Cones and Keebler Ice Cream Cups, prices vary; available at most grocery stores
Courtesy of Keebler.com


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YouTube Link
The BlackBerry Storm3 looks pretty awesome, in fact, it looks like what the first and second Storm devices should have been. It looks like RIM has canceled SurePress too, which is great because a touchscreen device doesn't really need it.
The BlackBerry Monaco is going to be coming out on Verizon, and considering the iPhone 4 is now out on Verizon, RIM has some incredible competition for touchscreen customers. Many previous BlackBerry owners will move to the Storm3 because they may want to keep BBM or some of their favorite BlackBerry apps, but RIM needs to work on the value prop for the Storm3 versus the iPhone 4. Specs after the jump.
Continue reading 'Video of the BlackBerry Storm3 Aka the BlackBerry Monaco'


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Quirky News
Man takes a dip in hotel fish tank
A video of a man going for a swim in a Channel Islands hotel's tropical fish tank is going viral online.
The hotel guest, seemingly the worse for drink, clambers fully clothed into the 12,000 litre aquarium in a hotel lobby.
He then swims and paddles around - as his giggling pals capture the moment on their mobile phones, reports The Mirror.
The joker, known only as Matt, was then ordered out of the tank and escorted from the foyer by a furious security guard.
The incident took place at the £184 a night four-star Radisson Blu hotel in St Helier, Jersey
A spokeswoman for the hotel said: "It was a dangerous stunt for all involved - including the fish."
However, she added that all the fish were unharmed.
It has been posted on YouTube where one viewer commented: "They should have filled the tank with piranhas."


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The Blood Type Diet Archives Volume 5
Posted By: Thomas SeayDate: July-06, 1998 at 23:18:23
In Response To: Re: Essene/Ezekiel bread - where in UK? (lisa mac)
Ishat 100 percent sprouted or doesit have flour in it as well?
By the way, Lisa and Sandy, did I tell youthat I think English women are hot...youare highly under-rated in myopinion.


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Your Guide To Finding Low Income Housing, Apartments, Section 8 and More |
Home | About Us | News/Blog | Help/ Resources | FAQs |
Low Income Housing In Las Vegas, NevadaThe Economic and Urban Development Department of the City of Las Vegas is responsible for managing affordable and low income housing programs for low-income Las Vegas residents. The Homeless Prevention Rapid Rehousing Program includes 40 single-family homes for rent to households with qualifying income. The City's Neighborhood Stabilization Program provides funds to families with incomes limited up to 120% of the area median income to buy abandoned or foreclosed homes within targeted area throughout the city. Financial assistance for downpayment and/or closing costs are included. Nevada state legislature requires redevelopment agencies of cities with populations greater than 300,000 to set aside 18% of their tax revenue to increase and improve affordable homes for low-income households. Las Vegas has been successful in utilizing these funds to provide a variety of apartments, single- and multi-family homes, and mixed-use and mixed-income apartments. In addition, the Low Income Housing Trust Fund (LIHTF) provides more newly-constructed and rehabilitated rental housing for low-income families whose income does not exceed 60% of the area median income. If the median income for a family of four is $50,000, for example, a qualifying family must have income of no more than $30,000 to receive housing assistance under the LIHTF program. Las Vegas also offers the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program to provide housing assistance for persons infected with HIV or AIDS. Qualifying recipients must meet HUD Section 8 housing income limitations. Read more about Las Vegas' low income housing options at www.lasvegasnevada.gov


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For the quickest response... call toll free 888-569-5775
Breaking News! Kodi is home... his owner explains why Lost Pet Professionals is so successful at recovering missing pets.
What you may ask... What others say!
Request HELP for your MISSING Pet
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting help with your search... Professional vs. hobbyist
Who is Karin TarQwyn? How long has she been doing this?
My dog has been missing a long time... how long is too long?
How long will my pet's scent be good for the K9 tracking team?
How does this work? How much does it cost?
Myths, Methods & SCAMS!
McDuff... A Wheaten love story... A Halstead... WIN Rescue
11 days GONE... Dante in El Paso, TX.
Happy pet owner...Shouting it out on craigslist
Lessons learned... J. Ashcroft...Norman, OK
7 miles & 2 weeks...M. Bowman... Auburn, AL
All pet detectives are NOT equal... D. Edelen... Sacramento, CA.
A very tough case... A. Knoll... Midwest Wheaten Rescue... Omaha, NE.
Havanese on the run... Dr. T. Boekbinder DVM... Carmel, CA.
Roaming Yorkshire terrier... K. Brock... Tuscaloosa, AL.
Hundreds of miles from home...K. West Davis, Austin, TX.
More testimonials...
In the news...Videos, newscasts, media
In the news...
Videos, newscasts, media
Happy ending for Dallas family
Bringing home Bubba...
CBS presents... The Pet Detectives
Pet Detective cracks the case...
Famed Pet Sleuth comes to St. Paul
Animal Planet features
More videos & media
Contact Information:email: firstname.lastname@example.com number: 888-569-5775Our terms of service:Although we endeavor to help and assist in the return of missing pets, we do not guarantee that by using our services your pet will be found. Our clients pay for services based on the hourly use of our time, expenses and efforts. For this reason, we do not refund fees for deposits or services rendered.
Call 888-569-5775 California Private Investigator license #PI28194 Nebraska Private Detective license #656 Oklahoma Private Investigator license #05AG148199 Missourri Private Investigator license #2014 012295
Lost Pet Professionals and/or Karin TarQwyn does not employ K9 Handlers. K9 Handlers are Independent Contractors who work with Lost Pet Professionals on an independent basis in different parts of the U.S. and Canada. Lost Pet Professionals and Karin TarQwyn are released from any and all liability that may result from the hiring of said Independent Contractors by pet owners, rescues or other entities. Independent Contractor K9 Handlers are released from any and all liability or loss that could result from the search. location and recovery of missing pets. Pet owners, rescues and other entities that decide to hire K9 Handlers or Karin TarQwyn will contractually release K9 Handlers from all liability that could be associated with the search for their missing pet prior to the Independent Contractor K9 Handler or Karin TarQwyn arriving on location.
Copyright 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Karin TarQwyn


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Fifth grade class in Chuchoquesera, Peru
When I visited the classroom pictured above in the Peruvian highlands back in 2004, I noticed that slightly more than half of the students were girls. I remarked on this fact to the human rights activist who was giving us the tour of this Quechua-speaking indigenous community. He smiled sadly and said, "Yes, but this is fifth grade. In sixth grade, children go to a lower secondary school that is farther away. Most of the girls won't go. It takes too long to walk there and they are needed to help at home, so the parents won't let them go. Besides, most of them will be married soon." Unfortunately, this is a situation that is repeated throughout the world
In the United States, where education is both compulsory and free, we often forget that the right to education is not meaningfully available in many parts of the world - especially for girls. The UN estimates that there were more than 67 million primary school-age and 73 million lower secondary school-age children out of school worldwide in 2009. In addition, an estimated 793 million adults lack basic literacy skills. The majority of them are women.
Since then, I have visited classrooms and asked questions about girls' access to education in countries on several continents. This is a photo I took at Buduburam Refugee Settlement in Ghana.
Kindergarten class, Buduburam Refugee Settlement, Ghana
Boys far outnumbered girls in this classroom, illustrating one of the problems for girls in accessing education. When resources are scarce, parents will often choose to spend the money on school fees for their sons rather than their daughters.
There are many good reasons to ensure access to education for girls, however. Educating girls is one of the strongest ways to improve gender equality. It is also one the best ways to promote economic growth and development.
"Investing in girls is smart," says World Bank President, Robert Zoellick. "It is central to boosting development, breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty, and allowing girls, and then women—50 percent of the world's population—to lead better, fairer and more productive lives."
@jl - Thank you for reading and commenting. You are right, education is a small cost. The total cost per student (including teacher salaries, uniforms, books, supplies, exam fees, and a daily meal) is approximately $250 per year. A small investment with big results!
@Fusun - thanks for your kind comments. Have a nice day!


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POSTED: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 - 11:44am
UPDATED: Friday, April 13, 2012 - 8:53am
UPDATED: Friday, April 13, 2012 - 8:53am
UNDATED - Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison conceded the Republican nomination for Texas governor to Governor Rick Perry last night.
The GOP nominee will face democratic nominee and former Houston Mayor Bill White.
The 2010 Texas gubernatorial election will be held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010.


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Archive - Jul 2011
July 12th
Playing is good for you
Why it matters
Re-creating your real life social actions online when they are often quite intangible in distant countries allows users to take a more active involvement. Through interacting online with applications such as School Land, users can understand more vividly the real world impacts.
Adopting trash
French shampoo brand Dop has created an operation to clean the French beach of Oleron. Named "Adopt a piece of trash", it invites people to virtually pick up a piece of trash and adopt it , with the possibility to display it on Facebook. The adoption was simple, quick and funny. For each kilogram of virtual trash picked up, the brand gave 5 euros to a NGO to really clean the beach.
Why it matters
Charities can often fall victim to their worthy causes when it comes to getting people's money or their voice. Adopting some trash puts light-hearted humour at the fore to good effect.
Can simply changing the tone of your approach have a big impact on how readily your social cause is adapted?
Japanese cameras take a snappy change of direction
When conceived, these Lomography cameras were meant to commemorate Japan's Golden Week, a time for celebrating Japanese culture and taking a well-earned rest from work. Now, the cameras have taken on a whole new meaning; they have become a way to help a community with a lot of work ahead of them. With the purchase of this camera you contribute to the donation of EUR 20,000 to the Red Cross Relief Japan.
Why it matters
The company reacted in very quickly to change their purpose to help the people in Japan. How can marketers take advantage of the same level of flexibility to ensure what they offer is always at its most relevant?


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International Arms Race: This is about to get real.
"Collaboration was never an option," Brophy said. "It's a long word that takes entirely too long to type. So, we challenged BrewDog to a battle of the brewing arts and they accepted. Now, it's time to face off."
The time for talking is over. This shit is about to get real.
You can order both beers here: www.brewdog.com/product/international-arms-race
We will also put the beers head to head on draft all over the UK with Matt Brophy (BrewMaster & COO) and Ben Savage (Vice President) coming over for 5 epic head to head events in BrewDog bars in August. We assume Ben is Vice President of Flying Dog, not actual America, but you never know with US job titles.
Each event will see our draft lines split between BrewDog beers and Flying Dog beers (including plenty of Flying Dog rarities never before seen outside the US). Matt and Ben will be at each event to talk more about Flying Dog and their beers and answer all your questions too. Each event will also feature a drinker vote to determine which of the battle beers will be crowned the winner.
- BrewDog Aberdeen Thursday, 7pm August 23
- BrewDog Glasgow Friday, 7pm August 24 with live music
- BrewDog Newcastle Saturday, 4pm August 25 with live music
- BrewDog Manchester Sunday, 3pm August 26 with an awesome BBQ!
- BrewDog Camden, August 27 at 7pm Camden
Posted in - brewdog-news
- Nottingham will be having an event with the beers on. Just not having the visit from the Brewers. Starts Friday 24th at 8pm Tony @ Notts22.08.2012
- Is Edinburgh getting the Flying Dog challenge without the actual brewers visiting ? What about an online link ? SashDog22.08.2012
- No Brewdog Nottingham event? What gives... Jambla22.08.2012
- it was yummy at the AGM. look forward to it. pk21.08.2012
- An IPA with no hops? Should go well with my fish & chips with no fish. Olsta21.08.2012
- Yes. BrewDog James21.08.2012
- Can you confirm if the Flying Dog beers will be coming to Edinburgh as well? Benquinn21.08.2012
- See you in a few days. Can a few Equity Punks visiting from Pittsburgh get a look at the progress of the new brewery? HorstDraper21.08.2012


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Group notifications
T.J. Sheehan Distributing
If you are a licensed beer retailer in the greater Syracuse area or western New York State and you would like to meet with a sales representative or place an order, please give us a call at the number below. We look forward to becoming your go-to source for the world's finest ales and lagers.
To view the entire T.J. Sheehan portfolio, please log in with a New York zip code and click on the Product Catalog tab. You can browse by category, including brand, style, place of origin, package type, seasonal availability, etc.
Customer Service: (315) 451-7250
In 1983, L. Knife & Son purchased T.J. Sheehan Distributing in the Syracuse suburb of Liverpool, New York. Since its inception, T. J. Sheehan has always been the Anheuser-Busch wholesaler for Onondaga County, but has taken on the mission of building and maintaining the finest and best selling selection of craft beers and imports available in New York State. T. J. Sheehan continues to be the most successful and appreciated wholesaler in northwestern New York State through its ongoing effort to always employ the finest people, and its commitment to maintain the most coveted portfolio of beer in the world.
T.J. Sheehan Distributing is one of the L. Knife & Son Companies.


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Baseball Drills: Defensive Baseball Drills : Catching : Sway and Frame
Improve the catchers ability to determine when to frame a pitch.
Catcher in full gear; 5 baseballs
Coach should be from 30 to 50 feet from the catcher depending on the arm strength and accuracy of the coaches arm. Catcher should know the basics of swaying and framing. Instruction for both swaying and framing
Execution: Modification:
This drill is a 5 round drill where the coach will throw a pitch. The catcher will sway to the pitch if needed, catch the ball, and frame the pitch if necessary. The coach is the umpire and it's up to him to determine if the catcher made the right decision about whether to frame the pitch or not.
If the coach determines that the catcher made the wrong decision or used poor technique, the drill stops, all balls are returned to the coach and the drill starts over.
First round is 5 pitches with the catcher dropping the ball to the side after catching it and framing it if necessary. The coach should throw the pitches rapidly. This helps the catcher develop a good habit of not framing the pitch for too long. Second round is 4 pitches, Third round - 3 pitches, etc.
The goal for the catcher is to complete the drill without having to start over.
Changing the number of rounds will help make this drill work with any age group.
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....that anyone who lives in an area which expects frequent earthquakes is crazy. I've never been so scared in my life. I still can't find my cats - God knows where they found to hide.....either that or they got frightened to death and are rapidly cooling under the bed somewhere. All the pictures fell off the walls and tables and dressers. Books fell out of bookcase. We're in a moderately tall building (17 floors) and the whole thing swayed back and forth. Ceilings cracked and walls cracked. Still not entirely sure there's not structrual damage but how the he!! can you tell? And that's only a 5.9. I vow to be a nicer person from here on out.
dont worry, your cats will be fine. As soon as they get over the shock, they will come out of hiding. You are nice enough as you are, so dont be getting crazy
I think they actually sensed something before I felt it. They usually just lay on the bed and sleep all day but right before the shaking started all three of them came running over by my feet with their tails tucked and their ears flat and they were growling. All of a sudden they started running around in circles - a few seconds later the shaking started and the pictures started falling and all you could hear was pipes groaning and plaster falling. I thought the apartment above me was going to fall through the ceiling. The cats and I all ran for the stairs and they ran so fast that all of them hit their heads on the wall at the end of the foyer - they just turned around and kept running. They hit the hardwood floors and skidded all over the place. If I hadn't been so damn scared it would have been funny. Thank you....but I'm pretty sure there are those who will disagree with you.
animals can definitely sense things are going to happen before they happen. Humans just dont pick up on it. Folks on this board need to learn how to have a discussion without making it personal (myself included). This forum is the most passionate, but also filled with views that are extreme on one side or the other...not much down the middle thinking going on. alot of hatred as well. i dont know anyone on here personally, so i dont have the right to hate them.
could not sleep got up very early, had a real busy day, and took a quick power nap.. woke up checked the email, holy shyt earthquakes in No. Va. .. my sisters were checking on their sons who live in the area, everyone is ok.. the earth is angry, grasshopper.
Consider dogs who can be aware of people going into seizures, before the person goes into seizures.. cats and dogs in thunderstorms, even crickets and other noisy bugs at night.. and we think they are not paying attention or they are dumb.
My favorite clairvoyant cat is Oscar, the Death Cat. I wish everyone could have an Oscar. A cat with an uncanny ability to detect when nursing home patients are about to die has proven itself in around 50 cases by curling up with them in their final hours, according to a new book. Cat predicts 50 deaths in RI nursing home - Telegraph
It was crazy... I heard folks felt it in Boston, South Carolina, and even Toronto. Glad to hear you're ok; I hope your cats come out soon too!
I can see one of them tucked way under the bed. No idea where the other two are hiding out. They won't even come out when I shake the treat box. Gives a whole new meaning to the words, "scaredy cats."
I hope all my friends and foes at Patsfan.com are well, and have suffered no physical loses, and I am sure you will be happy to know that I survived unscathed, I guess I dodged the bullet this time.
No small feat to survive in Portland, Oregon. Seriously, though, you were banned at Gang Green? For what? For actually being a rational Jet fan?
========================================= Hey, I am sitting on a major fault line, "The Ring Of Fire" and all that, Mount St Hellens is in view, at least whats left of it. That was an event. I am banned at Gang Green this is true, and I don't know why, I suspect it was because of my low post count.
Oh, I meant that Portland is also home of the naked bike ride. Heh, then I've probably been banned too. This image is quickly becoming the icon of this disaster.
Aww, poor guys (or girls... or both haha). Mine's like that too. She heads for the hills when she hears the garbage truck for crying out loud. The treat box is usually a good tool for revealing where she is though.
I remember seeing something like this on CNN or Fox a couple of years ago: Dogs can smell lung cancer on a patient's breath | cancer, dogs, lung - The Orange County Register That is amazing...although that list bit might require a somewhat uncomfortable encounter with a dog's nose.
Well, we've now reached the point where two of the three seem to have forgotten all about it. The third, who is the biggest, and generally the toughest and bravest, will only come up the stairs if he is allowed to sit on someone's lap...and every time he hears a noise, including normal conversation, he flattens his ears and digs his claws deep into your leg - all the while shaking like he's got palsy. I fear for his sanity....and I am bleeding from a thousand tiny holes.
An article about the National Zoo.. Zoo mystery: How did apes and birds know quake was coming? - The Washington Post


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Maybelline • Color Sensational in Plum Perfect • Lipstick
(25 reviews)
Average Rating. | 4.0 |
Would buy this product again. | 72% |
Ingredients |
eclair9 on 12/16/2013 12:18:00 AM more reviews by eclair9
Age: 19-24 Skin: Acne-prone, Olive, Warm Hair: Black, Coarse Eyes: Black
The perfect fall/winter plum for my medium-olive skin. It's slightly creamy and it goes quite dark (making it ideal for me). It's pretty easy to manipulate too... if I pat some off I can get a warmer plum color.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
keridabeenfabb on 9/10/2013 1:56:00 PM more reviews by keridabeenfabb
Age: 19-24 Skin: Acne-prone, Medium Brown Hair: Brown Eyes: Brown
is plum perfect the purplish color that is limited addition #1000??
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MaritzaCarreno on 9/5/2013 12:31:00 AM more reviews by MaritzaCarreno
Age: 18 & Under Skin: Oily, Tan Hair: Brunette Eyes: Hazel
I actually LOVE this lipstick it is AMAZING I can compare it a little with MAC Rebel lipstick. I like how it is a burgundy dark red purple! It's a great color for fall. I recommend it!
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*TOP REVIEWER* sarahfeeni on 6/9/2013 2:52:00 AM more reviews by sarahfeeni
Age: 30-35 Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium Hair: Blond Eyes: Blue
Its hard for me to find true Gems in the drug store. This is one them. Plum Perfect is THE MOST PERFECT warm, plum color with mulberry undertones. Its actually hard for me to even call this lipstick plum as it really looks like a deep plummy red/mulberry. Probably why I love it so much since a lot vampy purples make me look scary and old and simple plums I find a wee bit boring.
I have had this lipstick for almost 4 years. yep, 4 years. It is still creamy and smooth and gorgeous to put on. the color still looks fantastic and it is hand-down my favorite autumnal lippie to wear. I love wearing it with NARS Amour bush. I recently purchased NARS Montenegro cream blush and I could see these two making quite a pair.
This lippie makes my whole face glow in a warm, wintery way and my blue eyes stand out very well so long as I have a touch of black liner and mascara on. its my fool-proof, cozy winter makeup look. good for day or for night. Definitely going to be treating myself to a new tube come October. :)
for reference, I am blond, eyes grey/green, warm toned. I can get very tan and I can also be rather pale. I hover around NC30 most of the time but come summer tan can be nc40, I prefer Aveda tinted moisturizers in #3 for paleness and #4 for tan
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
*TOP REVIEWER* lightgirl on 5/14/2013 3:55:00 PM more reviews by lightgirl
Age: 30-35 Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine Eyes: Blue
I purchased MAC Capricious lipstick based on its beautiful color... but it's a Lustre finish which in my experience = too sheer, bleeds, lasts about 5 minutes on, etc etc. I went to Target on a mission to find a dupe of Capricious and I ended up with Plum Perfect - and boy am I happy!!! The color is a medium/deep Raisin Berry color ... the epitome of what I have been looking for for years. It goes on creamy and even and mostly opaque.. I will update when I have tested it out for a day about it's performance.
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Annachelle on 2/2/2013 8:07:00 AM more reviews by Annachelle
Age: 19-24 Skin: Combination, Fair Hair: Black Eyes: Green
I picked up this lipstick for AU$12 at my local Big W. the colour looked pretty in the tube but showed up much darker on the lips. I instead patted it on my lips, and found that it left a beautiful, natural MLBB shade. It turned out to be quite perfect for me, as I cannot find any lip tint that I like except for the Mark Totally Balmed line, which are now discontinued. I plan on making my own lip tint, using this lipstick. Some say the smell is odd, but to me it smells like vanilla, and also smells like a certain brand of playdough my cousins owned when we were little. I adore the packaging. The shiny purple cap is very appealing! Overall, love the lipstick! I would definitely recommend it!
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*TOP REVIEWER* MissLerina on 1/13/2013 4:06:00 PM more reviews by MissLerina
Age: 25-29 Skin: Oily, Olive, Warm Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine Eyes: Brown
Shade description: burgundy
- pigmented
- long wearing
- drying
Comments: Great shade for the fall/winter seasons. This line of lipsticks are pretty drying, but easily fixed with a balm or gloss.
Will repurchase.
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dowagerprincess17 on 11/4/2012 3:46:00 PM more reviews by dowagerprincess17
Age: 19-24 Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine Eyes: Brown
As much I love the consistency of the lipstick , I hate the color. The color is plum with hints of mauve and pink. But when put on my pigmented lips it turned out to be some crazy color. Also, the color is a bit tacky for my choice. It looked really pretty when swatched on my hand but doesnt look good on my lips.My bad.
But the consistency is super moisturizing, staying power is okay and the pigmentation is super rich !! Its just crazily pigmented. You just need one swipe of it to get the color.
Overall has all pros of a good lipstick, so if you like the color , go for it !
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Jake54 on 5/21/2012 8:23:00 PM more reviews by Jake54
Age: 36-43 Skin: Oily, Olive Hair: Black Eyes: Brown
I bought this after seeing a tutorial by Lisa Eldridge on Youtube for a dark lipstick look (http://www.lisaeldridge.com/video/12334/trend-dark-lipsticks/). I think she used YSL 8 Belle du Rose? I didn't know if I'd wear this in public until l played around with it a bit. This lipstick works perfect. I like this line because it has great coverage and staying power. I don't mind the vanilla taste, it's okay. If you want a darker, dramatic lip look for evening events (I wore this look to a gallery opening) in the fall or winter, this will do the job. I only wear this once or twice a year, so I doubt I'll be repurchasing. If I do, I'll probably splurge on the YSL.
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*TOP REVIEWER* alexanna7 on 10/31/2011 5:23:00 PM more reviews by alexanna7
Age: 36-43 Skin: Normal, Olive, Neutral Hair: Black, Straight, Fine Eyes: Brown
plum perfect is a dark plum/burgundy.it's got a shine to it.verry pretty for fall! Love the texture of those lipsticks! Smooth on the application,pigmented,last long.go well with:plum,white,black,nude,gold,purple,pink,brown eye shadows.love it!
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New Spotify Playlist – Pure Pop For Never People!
Sorry I've been a bit crap at updating recently. Between computer problems at home, pressure at work, and the general blandness of most of the comics recently, I've not really had any momentum for posting. Hopefully that'll be back again soon and I'll be back to the level of productivity from last month within a few days.
Anyway, the nights are drawing in, so we all need some cheerful pop music to pick us all up, and here is a playlist of just that.
Come On In by The Association is as good an opener for anything as you could hope for. The one time I DJ'd I started this up as soon as the doors opened (unfortunately, of course, no-one heard it as they hadn't arrived yet. This is the kind of thing you don't think of if you've never DJ'd before).
Mayor Of Simpleton by XTC is one of those list songs like What A Wonderful World, to which it bears a huge lyrical resemblance – "Never been near a university/Never took a paper or a learned degree… And I may be the mayor of Simpleton, but I know one thing and that's I love you". The music is insanely catchy, though, and I'm amazed this was never a hit. Everything here's perfect and thought through – listen to that bassline from Colin Moulding, going all over the place, commenting on the main melody – but at the same time it's *immediate* in a way much of XTC's stuff isn't… I actually considered just doing an XTC playlist today, they're so great.
Broadway by Stew is one of his few cover versions, a radical reworking of the Clash song, turning it into a disco track backed by drum machine, analogue synth sounds and fast-picked banjo (presumably played by Probyn Gregory?), this gives some idea of what the Negro Problem's side project The Covers Problem sounded like (at some point I must post an MP3 of their live cover of the full Thriller album).
I've posted Nerdy Boys by Candypants in more than one playlist before, but who cares? It's the best pop single of the last decade.
7 And 7 Is by Love is the song that invented punk, back in 1966 when the rest of California was busy inventing hippysim, and it's still one of the most ferocious records ever (fantastic song to play live, too, especially since the rhythm section has to do all the work while the guitarists just have to slash out chords). Drumming by the great Alban "Snoopy" Pfisterer (I've told Holly that if we ever have a kid I'm going to name it Alban "Snoopy" Pfisterer in tribute, which has ensured we shall remain child-free).
September Gurls by Big Star is the track that invented powerpop. Unfortunately, Spotify removed the three proper Big Star albums recently, so this is what sounds like a full-band demo – every element of the track is there, but not *quite* as tight as the finished version. For those who don't know the original, though, it'll more than suffice.
More Important Things by The Mockers is another catchy-as-hell harmony-based spiky jangly guitar song. Sometimes I like those.
Baby It's Real by The Millennium is a track I've adored for ten years even though it breaks the cardinal rule of lyric-writing , Harry Nilsson's "Never use the word baby unless you're talking about a little person".
Friends Of Mine by The Zombies is almost unique in that it's a song about being happy about other people being in love, although rather sadly almost all the (real) people named in the backing vocals have either split up or died (Jean and Jim are still together forty-one years later though, if that's any consolation).
This Whole World by The Beach Boys is an astonishing tour de force. Stupid lyrics, but in one minute fifty-seven this manages to cycle through something like five different keys, never settling on one for more than a couple of bars, in a completely unusual structure.
Thankful/It's Over Now by Linus Of Hollywood is another example of LoH's rather odd attitude to women (which I can only hope is a Randy Newman-esque 'writing in character' thing) – "If you would just leave and take all of your things I'd be grateful… don't forget to take your mood swings/don't forget to take your nasty attitude" over one of the most upbeat, bouncy pop tunes I've ever heard. Again, a cleverly-structured, complex piece.
And Jaded by The National Pep is my attempt at doing a pop song as clever and complex as the last couple, or even more so. And if you listen to it through spotify, I'll get a whole shiny penny to share with my collaborators…
I Know A Song That'll Get On Your Nerves…
For a while now, I've been complaining vociferously on Twitter about the lack of a vocalist for the National Pep, my band (such as it is) – my friend and songwriting partner Tilt Araiza has agreed to continue writing songs with me, but for some reason seems to think "I don't want to, and anyway I'm moving thousands of miles away very soon, and am not going to travel from California to Manchester to play in a bar in front of five people" is an adequate excuse to stop singing with me.
I've tried working with other people to no avail, so have finally bitten the bullet and considered the possibility of singing my own stuff. This does, of course, have the slight downside that people have told me for decades that my voice sounds like a donkey being tortured to death, but I thought I'd give it a try anyway.
So I've decided to record myself performing one of my old songs (from my old band, Stealth Munchkin) and upload an MP3 to see what people think of my vocal 'abilities'. Please have a listen to this and tell me – truthfully – what you think of the vocals. I want to know if it's actually worthwhile me continuing to make music without a lead vocalist.
The MP3 is very noisy – this is the first thing I've ever recorded by myself with this computer, and I only managed to get everything set up an hour ago, so recorded this without setting levels properly or anything like that – and the song itself is a bad one. I wrote the music when I was seventeen, and my old singer wrote the words when she was 19, and it shows (and before anyone says anything, I had heard neither Five String Serenade by Arthur Lee or My Beloved Monster by The Eels when writing this – I was actually ripping off Tell Me What You See by the Beatles). I chose it not because it's a good song (it isn't – it's almost literally sixth-form poetry) but because the main vocal part is in my range but it also allows me to try different ranges in the backing vocals, and because it's all major chords so it's easy on the banjo (with the exception of the last chord – Ddim7 – which I fluff horribly).
Listen and let me know what you think. Proper posts resume tomorrow (my writer's block seems to have cleared…)
Spotify Playlist – Jake Thackray, Arthur Alexander, Incredible String Band, Dudley Moore
This week's playlist doesn't have a theme as such, but is just some music I like.
After an introductory snippet, we start with Anyone But You by The Mumps. The Mumps were a late 70s art-rock/punk band led by reality TV star Lance Loud (who takes lead on this) and musician Kristian Hoffman (who sings lead on the middle eight). In this form, this song sounds like a very rough demo for the version on Hoffman's 2002 duets album &, possibly the best album of the last decade, which is near-identical to this but tighter and with Stew singing Lance Loud's part (other people Hoffman duets with on the album include Darian Sahanaja, Van Dyke Parks, Russel Mael, Rufus Wainwright and El Vez). Unfortunately, Hoffman's solo work is not yet on Spotify, but this will give some idea of how it sounds. But buy Hoffman's album, seriously. Best album of the last ten years.
Where Have You Been All My Life? by Arthur Alexander is, shamefully, the only track by the great soul singer on Spotify (not only that, he's not on eMusic either – a definite argument for the continued existence of CDs). Alexander is mostly known now for his influence on British bands like the Beatles (who covered many of his songs live) or the Stones, but he really deserves much more recognition.
I've had a minor obsession with the Threepenny Opera since LOEG: Century was released a few months ago, especially Pirate Jenny. I usually listen to the version by Nina Simone because she interprets the English version of the lyrics best, but Lotte Lenya singing it with Kurt Weill's original orchestration is the definitive version in the original German.
Suzy Creamcheese by Teddy & His Patches is not, strangely, a cover of the Zappa song, but a totally different song, obviously inspired by the spoken bit and percussion jams at the end of Freak Out! but sounding far more like the Thirteenth Floor Elevators, with a bit of the Count Five thrown in. A marvellous garage rave-up.
Lady Lynda by The Beach Boys is included because I've always felt that Al Jardine was a horribly underrated vocalist – being in a band with Brian and Carl Wilson would let anyone get overlooked, but I actually think he was at least on their level, and while this song (a hit for the band in the UK, written by Jardine about his then-wife, based around Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring) isn't one of their best, it does really showcase his vocal abilities. In fact more than that – when the 'live' album and DVD this is from came out, it was claimed that there were no vocal overdbubs after the fact, in which case (as you can hear here) Jardine must be the only man in the world who can double-track himself live, while simultaneously singing a totally different backing vocal line – sometimes without even moving his lips…
Baby It's You by The Shirelles is the first of two Bacharach songs on this playlist – in fact the backing track here is Bacharach's home demo (as you can tell from the dropped-in solo, awkward and out of place). What always gets me about this song is the 'cheat, cheat' in the second verse. She knows that 'what they say about you' is true, but has chosen to forgive, but not to forget…
Little Miss Britten by Dudley Moore is Moore doing Little Miss Muffet in the style of Britten's settings of folk songs for Peter Pears. Absolutely *cutting*. Moore never really got to develop his talent for musical comedy after choosing essentially to become Peter Cook's straight man, but while these early pastiches are a little glib he could easily have become as good as Tom Lehrer or Flanders & Swann in his own right, rather than being the assistant to an even greater genius…
I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself by Dusty Springfield is another Bacharach/David song. This one has been covered by Elvis Costello (where I first heard the song) and The White Stripes, but this is the definitive version. I was reading someone (Bob Stanley quoted by Jonathan Calder, who I also just realised isn't on my blogroll, something I will rectify forthwith) recently talking about how at the time, Dusty Springfield was only seen as one of a number of interchangeable vocalists like Cilla Black, Lulu or Sandy Shaw, but now she's the only one who is still an influence on many, many new singers.
Ride The Wild Surf by Jan & Dean is a fairly formulaic J&D/Brian Wilson early surf song, appaling vocals and all (these records are a lot more dissonant than people remember), but I love the 'gotta take that one last ride' hook, the 'ride ride ride' at the end of the middle eight (with that throbbing bass staying on one note while the vocals go up and up) and especially the end of the track. Those elements are all things that either Wilson or Jan Berry (probably Wilson) almost certainly lifted from the Beatles (compare the end of every other Jan & Dean or Beach Boys single up to that point, with their fades, to the 'one-two-three, one-two-three, CHORD!' ending of both this and I Want To Hold Your Hand).
A Very Cellular Song by The Incredible String Band is a thirteen-minute multi-sectioned song with gospel and folk elements, featuring organ, harpsichord and crumhorn. The album this was on went top ten in 1967… (relistening to this recently, I was annoyed to discover that one of my own new songs bears too much resemblance to this – I'm rewriting it in my head at the moment).
Brother Gorilla (Le Gorille) by Jake Thackray is Thackray's loose translation of Georges Brassens' chanson. It actually sounds just like one of Thackray's own songs – the only clue to it being a translation is the rather forced 'swinging lissomely out of his cage' and 'the judge intoned with tranquility', both of which have too many syllables for their lines. But how many other songwriters could manage to get 'paleolithic' into a song and have it scan? (Incidentally, a warning – this is a comedy song about a hanging judge being raped by a gorilla. Some of you might find it offensive or triggering).
Liebster Jesu, Wir Sind Hier by Dr Albert Schweitzer is, yes, that Albert Schweitzer. As well as his missionary, medical and theological work, for which he's more widely known, he was also one of the world's foremost interpreters of Bach on the organ in the early 20th century, even inventing several new mic-positioning techniques for recording Bach more accurately. While this has some surface noise, it's still a lovely performance.
Wishing Well by The National Pep is one of a very small number of songs where I wrote the words as well as the music (Tilt rewrote two lines of this). In fact the song came to me, words and music, on the bus and I had to scribble it down and work out the chords later – I still can't actually play it on the guitar, having written it without an instrument. (The last couple of lines were added later, as the bus stopped before I could finish writing, and I still don't think they fit particularly well). Tilt and our engineer Steve managed to take my tinkly MIDI file (which Gavin R said sounded like the music from Super Mario Brothers when he heard it on its own) and Joe Meek it up enough to be usable (basically they played the MIDI file backwards through a good sampled harpsichord with reverb on it, then reversed the recording, plus a ton of other stuff), and Tilt and Laura Denison provided vocals.
C-H-I-C-K-E-N spells Chicken by The McGee Brothers is another song that some may find offensive – with good reason, as in its very first line it includes two racist epithets. Unfortunately, pre-war rural music like this (a song originally written, I believe, by the phenomenal banjo player Uncle Dave Macon) often has these elements – and I'm very grateful for Van Dyke Parks' cover of this (unfortunately not on Spotify) for changing those lyrics while preserving the wonderful song itself.
Speaking of cover versions by Van Dyke Parks, Donovan's Colours is a ragtime-ish instrumental version of Donovan's 60s hit, with some lovely percussion and cello bits to it. Just gorgeous. Remind me to do several more blog posts about Parks at some point – he's one of the unsung greats.
And Will You Remember Me by Janet Klein is a lovely little solo performance, just voice and ukulele.
This Week's Spotify Playlist – Jake Thackray, Sparks, Bob Lind, Wild Man Fischer
For those of you who are uninterested in my increasingly recondite ramblings on comics, continuity, canon, quantum physics and Doctor Who, here's some music…
Incidentally, I lose track of what I have and haven't included in these, but I hope there's always enough new stuff to keep people interested…
Come To The Sunshine by Harper's Bizarre is one of Van Dyke Parks' early songwriting/production works, and a little soft-pop classic.
Soulful Dress by Sugar Pie Desanto is a Chess R&B track from the early 60s, about dressing up before going out.
Vox Wah Wah Ad by The Electric Prunes is just what it says it is – the Electric Prunes demonstrating the proper use of the wah-wah pedal.
It's A Hard Business by Wild Man Fischer and Rosemary Clooney is… wait a second… let me say that again… by Wild Man Fischer and Rosemary Clooney. Yes, that Wild Man Fischer and that Rosemary Clooney. The homeless schizophrenic outsider musician and the jazz singer who starred in White Christmas and was George Clooney's aunt. What will I find on Spotify next – Perry Como Sings Jandek?
Mrs Toad's Cookies by Klaatu is from the last album by the Canadian band, who were most famous for writing Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft and for many people thinking they were the Beatles in disguise. I can *sort of* see the Beatles similarity here – especially McCartney – but to be honest it sounds like a collaboration between Jeff Lynne and Mike Batt. Which is no bad thing…
Wild Man Fischer and Rosemary Clooney?!
Ahem… Lighten Up, Morrissey by Sparks is a message I think we can all agree with…
Wagons West by The National Pep is another one by my own band, but again I do actually think it's a good song. I wrote the music, my friend Tilt wrote the words. Tilt sings and plays drums, I play all the other instruments and Laura Denison also sings.
The Father, The Son And The Friendly Ghost by The Native Shrubs Of The Santa Monica Mountains is a soft-pop/bluegrass song about Casper The Friendly Ghost, Abraham Lincoln and Trotsky, a Beach Boys-esque waltz-time middle eight (with a tiny hint of Zappa in the changes in the end) contrasting with a common-time banjo-plucking verse.
Living In Sin by Janet Klein is another of her naughty covers of songs from the early part of the last century.
Wild Man Fischer and Rosemary Clooney?
Eleanor by Bob Lind is a great little track from someone who's mostly only known for the one song Elusive Butterfly. This one's very, very Lee Hazelwood.
Havana Moon by Chuck Berry is one of the earliest knock-offs of Louie Louie, performed solo by Berry on guitar and vocals.
Misty Roses by Colin Blunstone is one I'm sure I've included in a playlist before, but it's also absolutely gorgeous. A Tim Hardin cover, with a fantastic string arrangement, this is one of those tracks that everyone should own.
Don't Fear The Reaper by The Beautiful South is a cover version of the Blue Oyster Cult song. I used to live round the corner from Paul Heaton, and he used to go to our local pub on quiz nights, but after my sisters started coming and blatantly gawping at him he stopped going (unsure if it was coincidence…)
On Again! On Again! by Jake Thackray has the greatest opening line of any song – "I love a good bum on a woman, it makes my day/To me it is palpable proof of God's existence a posteriori". Anyone who can make bilingual puns in Latin while doing Carry On style humour is all right with me. This song got Thackray pegged as a misogynist by many, who couldn't see that it was just possibly tongue in cheek (lines like "Please understand that I love and admire the frailer sex/and I honour them every bit as much as the next/misogynist" were probably not meant to be taken entirely seriously…)
And Go Back by Crabby Appleton is a great glammed-up powerpop track, produced I think by Curt Boettcher (it certainly sounds like his work – it sounds like his songwriting as well, actually)
This Week's Spotify Playlist… And Thank You For The #welovethenhs Response
That last post of mine threw me off my posting stride a bit, because of the sheer weight of response, by email, on Twitter, in the comments here and in the comments to Debi's repost of it (where our one troll went to hang out – I apologise, Debi, for getting a bit too angry there with someone who is, after all, a fellow human being, albeit one who wants to condemn millions of other fellow human beings to death because she doesn't like them…).
The response has been, frankly, ludicrous – I was even interviewed by the Wall Street Journal today in my lunch break (I are big media pundit! I am the new Iain Dale or something), which is frankly surreal, given the content of that last post – I would have thought "The NHS isn't designed to deliberately kill old people" was as uncontroversial a statement as one could make. I wonder what other misconceptions about cherished national institutions I'll have to try to dispel in international media. Maybe next week I'll be telling Le Monde that Last Of The Summer Wine isn't a paedophile ring but a whimsical Yorkshire comedy show…
Anyway, thank you to everyone who retweeted, commented or linked that post of mine, and now I'll get back to the stuff I *meant* to be posting this week. Tomorrow there'll be a post on comics and the day after the continuation of my guide to my blogroll, but for now here's a playlist.
My Mom Is Tor Johnson's Mom by The Native Shrubs Of The Santa Monica Mountains is a fantastic song that my friend Tilt linked me to last week. For those who don't know, Tor Johnson was the bald wrestler who appeared in many Ed Wood films, most notably Plan 9 From Outer Space. This song reminds me of my friend Blake Jones, but for a reference other people might get, the closest I can imagine is if The Dukes Of Stratosphear had done a Frank Zappa pastiche…
Think Carefully For Victory by The National Pep is one of two songs by my own band I'm including here (yes, Spotify even has *us* on it now) because I think they genuinely fit. It's a jangly pop song for which I wrote the music and Tilt the words. The lineup on this one (TNP has a *very* fluid membership) is me on guitars and keyboards, Tilt on vocals and drums, Gavin Robinson on mandolin (which we mixed too low, I think), Laura Denison on one line of vocal and Albert Freeman (of Wilful Missing) on some African instrument I forget the name of Đàn Bầu.
Save The Last Dance For Me by "Ike And" Tina Turner is a Phil Spector-produced, Jack Nitzsche arranged version of the Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman classic. Brian Wilson very obviously ripped off the backing track for this for Heroes & Villains.
Bicarbonate Of Chicken by Ivor Cutler is about ordering bicarbonate of chicken in a restaurant.
Just One Look by Doris Troy is better known, in Britain at least, for a vastly inferior version by the Hollies, but this is the original. This was actually originally a demo, but it was released unchanged and made the US top ten. In the intro, you can definitely hear the influence this record and others like it had on early reggae…
Through The Net by Glenn Tilbrook & The Fluffers is from Pandemonium Ensues, probably Tilbrook's strongest album since East Side Story. This one's very Kinksy.
Common People – Live by Pulp is a recording which always brings back memories for me, as I was at the Glastonbury where this was recorded, and saw Pulp quite by chance, having no intention to see them perform (I'd seen them on some late-night Channel 4 thing and dismissed them as crappy electropop based on a couple of minutes, and hadn't heard this, which was a huge hit single at the time). But it was the most astonishing experience of my life. I've seen Pulp and Cocker solo live quite a few times since, and they've always been good, but at that gig Cocker was simply the most astonishingly charismatic performer I've ever seen, and every moment is etched in my brain fourteen years later. (Christ, fourteen years? That can't be right, surely? 1995 was only a little while ago…). This recording was originally a b-side to the Mis-Shapes/Sorted For Es & Whizz CD single, but is now a bonus track on the reissued Different Class.
Baby Please Don't Go by Big Joe Williams is another song that's usually much better known in a beat-group cover version (the version by Them), but I prefer (just) the original, just vocal, sparse guitar and harmonica.
Beat Head by Candypants is included in this as part of my ongoing campaign to get Lisa Jenio recognised as one of the real greats in rock/pop music. I think this one might be about something naughty…
Hominy Grove by Van Dyke Parks is one of many great songs from Jump!, his album loosely based around the Uncle Remus stories.
Nasty Dan by Johnny Cash is another one from The Johnny Cash Children's Album. I always liked Cash doing this sort of material at least as much as the dark 'man in black' stuff for which he's better known.
Time Will Carry On by The Wackers is a nice bit of 70s harmony pop that, to me at least, stays just the right side of Bread or America.
I Got You Babe by Tiny Tim is Tiny Tim being both Sonny and Cher, accompanied by his ukulele.
Don't Smoke In Bed by Peggy Lee is a song that, I'm ashamed to say, I first got to know from k.d. lang's vastly inferior cover version. I could listen to Peggy Lee sing anything…
And Jaded by The National Pep is another of my collaborations with Tilt (I'd say the writing here is about 55/45 in his favour), and the closest I've ever come to realising the sound I hear in my head in a recording studio. It's a shame that Tilt didn't find our musical collaboration a particularly happy one, as I think the results were superb, if I do say so myself. On this, Tilt and Laura share the vocals, Tilt does drums, Blake Jones does the theremin and melodica on the tag, my wife Holly adds woodwinds, and I played guitar, all the keyboard parts, and ukulele (and mandolin? I know I had a mandolin in the studio but don't remember recording a mandolin part, but I *think* I can hear one on one of the choruses). I'm very proud of this one, and I don't think you'll hear music like it anywhere else.
(As Tilt says in the comments "Blake Jones is just the BEST – http://www.myspace.com/trikeshop Buy his music, make him rich: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/blakejones and http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bjtts ")
Tomorrow, comics.


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Travel Guide
The province of Salavan spans Laos from its western border with Thailand to its eastern border with Vietnam. Although it's home to spectacular mountain scenery, waterfalls and a diverse array of ethnic groups, much of this is currently inaccessible to all but the most intrepid and resourceful of travellers.
It says a lot about the province that, although its same-named capital city lies roughly at the centre, the road leading to it from Pakse, 125 kilometres away, reaches the town and comes to an abrupt dead end. Vietnam is only 100 kilometres further east, as the crow flies, but this is only good news if you happen to be a crow: there are currently no roads to speak of leading directly east. Instead, a new route has been opened up along route 15b to the north, which now leads all the way to Vietnam.
Although Salavan holds prospects for tourism in the future, much of the province is still too unexplored to allow travellers to simply wander around and find fun things to do. For now, most travellers only head as far east as Tad Lo, which is 85 kilometres from Pakse and easily accessible by public transport or motorbike. It's a beautiful, tranquil little spot along a series of three waterfalls that attracts a steady trickle of backpackers as well as Laotians on vacation. Those wishing to travel further east will find themselves facing a series of challenges. Among these are a lack of services, travel agents, translators and qualified guides.
Salavan is a frontier town that echoes in some way an Australian outback town. Hot, dusty, sleepy, with pretty much nothing to offer the casual visitor except for wide, open spaces and quaint rural scenery.
But it's exactly that feeling of being on the edge of a wilderness that gives Salavan its mystique and also assures that for the time being, it will only show up on the travel itineraries of those seeking an off-the-beaten track adventure. If tourism throughout the province opens up, then this will be a crucial base of operations, but until then, it remains a grim backwater. Note that we have been waiting for this day to come for the past decade but aside from the paving of route 15b there's been little progress.
If you do drift by here (perhaps you were heading to Savannakhet and got the names mixed up) at least there is a destroyed bridge to travel out to, a decent day market and a pleasant river to wander beside, along with a magnificent horizon -- but that's about it.
The hinterlands giving onto the border with Vietnam hosts hundreds of ethnic minority villages, many with their own distinct language and culture, whose lives have been shaped over the centuries by the tortured history of the region. But whatever travel adventures await there remain locked-up by the lack of roads, so unless you plan to walk or are able to hitch a ride on one of the Laotian government helicopters, the region is currently quite impossible to access.
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Text and/or map last updated on 21st June, 2013.
Adam gave up a corporate career in 2009 and left Australia for the hustle and bustle of Southeast Asia. He now lives in Indonesia, where as well as writing for Travelfish.org he plays around with www.pergidulu.com.
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Allison McVety's poems have appeared in The Guardian, Poetry London, Poetry Review, The Spectator and The Times, have been broadcast on BBC radio and anthologised in the Forward Poems of the Decade 2002-2011 and The Best British Poetry 2013.
The Night Trotsky Came to Stay (smith|doorstop), her first collection, was shortlisted for a Forward Prize. A second, Miming Happiness, featuring work shortlisted for the Manchester Metropolitan Poetry Prize, was published in 2010 and a third, Lighthouses in 2014.
Allison has read at Ledbury and Aldeburgh Poetry Festivals and at Cheltenham Literature Festival and was recorded for Poetry International 2014. In 2011 she won the National Poetry Competition.
"hymns translating to glory the everyday struggles of ordinary people" tribune
"In three stanzas, this poem captures not just the movement of time (that so obsessed Woolf) but also the passing of time in the poet's life, the journey from the girl in her exams, to the motherless woman at the end. It is a tour de force. It takes huge leaps and yet shimmers with small details: Minta's missing brooch." jackie kay