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Music Webmaster Len Mullenger
Star Wars Some Observations on that Phantom Menace by Jeffrey Wheeler
I had a difficult time trusting the critics who rated "Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace" lower than 3 and a half stars (out of four), and after seeing the film I must say that I no longer have that difficulty... I simply do not trust them. Looking back, it becomes increasingly clear that these guys simply did not give the film a chance. There is too much plot, too much character, and too much detail for it to sink in with one sitting. Lucas moves the story and visuals quickly, and because of the subtleties in visuals, character, script and performance -- the whole shebang -- the film demands more viewings. George Lucas deliberately stuffed his plate, took risks, pushed the envelope, and now challenges his audience. When most filmmakers do this it is gaudy and damp, but Lucas focuses on the minutiae. Take, for example, the character development of Darth Maul, a no-nonsense Dark Lord of the Sith: He speaks two lines in the entire film. His appearance and silence alone establish him as, well, the strong and silent type. A scene where he leaps inhumanly from a speeder, another where he paces like a trapped animal, scenes where his face and eyes and body language tell everything from thought to motive. You can sense his backstory -- he is believable, real, yet clearly a killing machine along the lines of Jaws or Alien. Indeed, the film relies heavily on defining the characters through actions rather than words, which of course is what Lucas is best at. The inhabitants of the story are archetypes, and as such we know their personalities already. What is left to the details of action must suffice. This is how a "Star Wars" film works. Lucas is a visual director, not a literary director. This film follows visual storytelling, not arthouse narrative.
The primary plot involves the slimy political ambitions of Emperor... er... Senator Palpatine, around whom the entire course of the film pivots. There are four sub-plots, interconnected by the machinations of Palpatine. Plot Point Two: As part of Palpatine's ploy to rise in power, he orchestrates a deal for "the greedy Trade Federation" to try gaining control over a small planet of Naboo. Plot Point Three: As a result of the invasion, two Jedi Knights, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, become involved in the political masquerade. Plot Point Four: Complications from that lead the Jedi Knights to an accidental meeting with Anakin Skywalker, whose destiny as a Jedi is just beginning. Plot Point Five: Palpatine's involvement with the Dark Jedi -- the Sith Lords -- sets the stage for the future. Though not plots (yet), Lucas adds some sparks of a future romance, along with a few other passing references of what to expect in 2002.
The story is simple and smart, made surprisingly intricate by introducing the plot points non-sequentially, relying on seemingly minor actions to make major impacts, and playing off of at least two plots simultaneously. This is the first prequel, and like the first act of a play it need not be anything more than exposition for future episodes. That Lucas surpassed what was necessary is a treat.
Despite huge cuts in detail to narrow the film down to an agreeable 131 minutes, the undercurrents of Lucas' original screenplay remain, and are occasionally enhanced. These are probably the darkest undercurrents in "Star Wars" history, with the fate of an entire Republic placed on perilous ground. Despite the steady flow of superficial comic relief (not all of it successful), the film's depths indulge in twisted, sinister irony and mythological, possibly allegorical correlations. The heady philosophies of duality, symbiosis, and balance serve as the foundation of the entire film. A colleague of mine called the film a Greek tragedy wrapped like a birthday present. That about describes it.
Another aspect of the film is that it dazzles with special effects, but not at the expense of the story. A spectacular race, initially seen as an excuse to show-off unforgettable special effects, turns out to be a key piece of tract for the film's climax. These sights exist for a reason: some are main characters, some are in supporting roles, some are used for dramatic purposes, some for comedic, some establish a sense of place, some decimate that place. There is no waste of imagery; one could watch the movie without sound and know exactly what is going on, why it is happening, and who everyone is. The special effects, which are indescribably fantastic, contribute rather than detract.
The acting is above the norm for a "Star Wars" film. The worst of the leads, Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker, boasts more exuberance than Mark Hamill ever will. Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor are perfect for their roles, and Natalie Portman makes Carrie Fisher appear just plain dull. Ian McDiarmid is, as always, a joy. Terence Stamp makes a lasting impression despite his paltry screen time. Ralph Brown and Hugh Quarshie, however, are supporting actors who neither support nor act (typical, though, considering they inhabit the most unnecessary roles in the film).
The most hotly debated issue is not the film itself, but the presence of the computer-generated Jar Jar Binks. He is like the Three Stooges rolled into one insanely bombastic alien (a Gungan, to be exact). He is initially annoying, but frequently garners laughs, may become almost cluelessly endearing, and, amid the accusations of George Lucas not developing his characters, is positively excessive in his personality. (Another benefit is that he is only one nuisance, as opposed to that screaming flock of unwashed teddy bears from "Return of the Jedi.") He is an acquired taste, but I liked him. In fact, the Gungans as a whole are extremely underrated: Boss Nass, the Grinch-like Gungan leader, has what must be the oddest facial tic in film history, and as Captain Tarpals played Desi to Jar Jar's Lucille I wondered how one could possibly dislike Lucas' comic touch.
The reviewer in Newsweek said their underwater city looked like a sunken Lamps Plus showroom, but I watched the screen with feelings of awe and wonder. Those feelings recurred increasingly from that point on until they became a steady stream.
Aside from shoddily handled space battle, the finale of this film is by far the best action in the series yet, and the duel rates as the best sword fight in blockbuster history. For action buffs, these moments are truly worth the price of full admission. And the sound has a lot to do with it...
The sound effects in this film are arresting, and I am a loss for words to describe them unerringly. The sound mixing, however, left me saddened. Composer John Williams suffered several bad sound mixes recently, mostly at the hands of Steven Spielberg ("Saving Private Ryan" and "Amistad" both had moments where the music was actually mixed too loudly, and I am sure that if Williams knew he was in the spotlight thanks to some kooky sound engineer he would alter his music accordingly). For the "TPM" soundtrack, Williams composed a fair deal of the music in true "Star Wars," front-and-center mode, but the only time it holds its own in the film's soundscape is during the finale. Those who did the mix for the music seem to have forgotten, or not realized, that the "Star Wars" movies are films where the marriage of music and images is operatically indelible. If you do not notice the music (consciously or subconsciously; it does not matter which), then you do not feel its effect. A lot of the music in this film is under the sound effects, and the sound designers are at fault. When it comes to video and DVD, someone needs to return and mix the music louder, and hopefully keep the history of "Star Wars" music in mind for the next two flicks.
Despite the lousy reproduction both in the film and the album, the score is a delicacy. Some of the best story clues are musical: a march for a victory celebration is an upbeat arrangement of the Emperor/Sidious/Palpatine theme, and 'Anakin's Theme' utilizes a variation on the 'Imperial March,' both instances of John Williams physiological genius as it applies to film scoring. There are many scenes like this, and it is telling that one can find little as interesting, intelligent, and appropriate as Williams' "TPM" score in any studio blockbuster of the past decade. The use of choir is spine tingling, the brass writing is pure "Star Wars," and the dynamics of the score smoothly change from place to place without missing a beat. (For those still conscious and reading, my review of the soundtrack album is available.)
There are several more flaws in the movie, however... most of them excruciating. The dialogue ties with the likes of "Titanic" and "Armageddon" for the Most Inane awards. However, in the film's defense, neither "ANH" nor "RotJ" were much better, and "ESB" had its share of pains. Like the others, I suspect fans of the series will come to love the movie because the dialogue is unpretentious and oversimplified. What I cannot forgive is the film's opening, which is easily the worst in the series. It exists to set the foundation for the tale, but its only interesting traits are the tributes to "2001: A Space Odyssey" and old "Flash Gordon" serials, and perhaps the rather historic introduction of the Jedi. Lucas introduces the villains (the Neimodians) as two-dimensional, cowardly, nauseating representatives of the Trade Federation. They look like frogs in kabuki costumes and talk like savagely stereotyped Japanese from American World War II propaganda -- it would be culturally offensive were they not so incredibly obtuse as to make such offense a waste of brainpower. They go a long way toward ensuring the first minutes provide information without providing the interest to retain it. This is an epitome of action without urgency.
At the movie's heart, however, is a grand story, accompanied by great skill from those involved. So why do some people not like this film? Roger Ebert came up with the most intelligent explanation: "If it were the first 'Star Wars' movie, 'The Phantom Menace' would be hailed as a visionary breakthrough. But this is the fourth movie of the famous series, and we think we know the territory; many of the early reviews have been blasé, paying lip service to the visuals and wondering why the characters aren't better developed. How quickly do we grow accustomed to wonders. I am reminded of the Isaac Asimov story 'Nightfall,' about the planet where the stars were visible only once in a thousand years. So awesome was the sight that it drove men mad. We who can see the stars every night glance up casually at the cosmos and then quickly down again, searching for a Dairy Queen." So I say see the film, pay attention, rediscover what it is like to watch a "Star Wars" movie, resurrect that chance for wonder.
Jeffrey Wheeler email@example.com
[See Jeffrey's review of John Williams's score for the new Star Wars Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace on this site now]


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TGS: Hands-on with rhythm heroics in Astro Ranger
Tucked away in a ignored corner of TGS was Astro Ranger, a rhythm action arcade game from Korea. I was immediately drawn to it. The art direction and general premise here is very reminiscent of Viewtiful Joe, which is a sure... more

subset: commoncrawl


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Former state police superintendent Brendan Doherty, who ran as a Republican against First District Congressman David Cicilline in 2012, is endorsing Democrat Gina Raimondo for governor.
Brendan Doherty says he has "absolutely, positively no intention" of running as a Republican candidate for attorney general in 2014, although he's still considering a campaign for governor.
Some Republicans hope that Doherty, the former superintendent of the state police, would represent the GOP as an alternative to Democratic AG Peter Kilmartin in next year's race for attorney general. But Doherty sounds distinctly uninterested in the idea.
A poll released Thursday by North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling touts Gina Raimondo's gubernatorial prospects for 2014, while casting doubt on the re-election hopes of Governor Lincoln Chafee.
Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian, Cranston Mayor Allan Fung and 2012 CD1 candidate Brendan Doherty are keeping their lines of communication open as the three Republicans consider their possible moves for 2014.
Brendan Doherty doesn't intend to run for the House again, but he may be open to seeking some other office, according to Doherty's campaign manager, Ian Prior.
Following his concession remarks at the Providence Marriott last night, Doherty seemed to rule out another political run. RIPR's Flo Jonic provided this transcription:
Jonic: Do you see another political run in your future? Doherty: This was no dress rehearsal. Jonic: By you saying this was no dress rehearsal, you mean 'not again'?
Jonic: Do you see another political run in your future?
Doherty: This was no dress rehearsal.
Jonic: By you saying this was no dress rehearsal, you mean 'not again'?
Congressman David Cicilline enjoyed a larger-than-expected victory over Republican challenger Brendan Doherty yesterday by improving his performance from 2010 in seven communities.
Cicilline won the race by slightly more than 12 points (53.1 percent vs 40.7 percent).
The results are surprising since Doherty learned some of the lessons from John Loughlin's losing 2010 campaign, particularly the need to aggressively raise money, and because Cicilline has been buffeted by a large measure of unflattering local headlines since he landed in Congress.
It's almost all over but the voting. Some questions to consider:
1. If David Cicilline loses, does he try to stage a comeback in 2014?
2. If Brendan Doherty loses, does he move to the head of the list of possible GOP gubernatorial candidates in 2014?
3. How come the RI Republican Party can't find a GOP candidate for John Loughlin's old seat in a conservative part of the state?
4. If Doherty loses, will it be because he waited too long to get his message rolling, or because Democrats had a far better ground game?
Thoughts as the days dwindle to hours leading to Tuesday's election:
Presidential race. The earliest indication from a swing state will likely be New Hampshire, which is in the eastern time zone and is the only battleground state in New England. Crucial to an Obama victory is a big run up along the Connecticut River, from Keene to Hanover, then winning Concord and the Sea Coast communities. Romney must do well among conservative Democrats in Salem and Manchester and score substantially in traditional GOP areas, such as the Lakes Region and along the I-93 corridor.
Just four days until Election Day, as my latest TGIF goes to press. As usual, feel free to send tips and thoughts to idonnis (at) ripr (dot) org. Let's go:
How many Ken Block-style voters are out there?
That's a big question, since Block says he plans to split his ticket on Tuesday, voting for President Obama and Republican CD1 candidate Brendan Doherty. If Doherty is going to prevail as Rhode Island's great GOP hope, he needs tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders to do the same thing.
Block explained his stance during a taping of RIPR's Bonus Q+A, which will air Friday at 6:40 and 8:40 am:


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For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Ben Norman
Publicist, Wiley-Blackwell
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Wiley Announces New Agreement With JISC Collections
Wiley-Blackwell, the scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE: JWa and JWb), and JISC Collections have successfully concluded a new three year NESLi2 agreement for the higher education and further education communities in the UK. This agreement offers libraries access to more than 1,500 journals on Wiley Online Library on mutually beneficial terms that take into account the financial challenges facing the library community at this time. Customers have flexibility and choice; they can choose to license the full collection or a subset – whichever best meets the needs of their researchers and students – and are able to balance their selections with their budget constraints each year.
The agreement also reflects Wiley's recognition of cost per use as an important measure of value. By improving discoverability and increasing usage of its high quality content, Wiley is committed to providing better value for customers and reducing the average cost per download across the consortium over the term of the license.
"We understand the challenges that UK academic libraries face and are pleased we were able to achieve an agreement that facilitates access to Wiley's high quality publications necessary for a productive research and learning environment, ultimately supporting the outstanding scholarship coming out of the UK higher education community" said Reed Elfenbein, Vice President, Director of Sales and Marketing for Wiley- Blackwell.
Lorraine Estelle, CEO of JISC Collections said: "We are pleased to have reached agreement with Wiley in a timely fashion. Our negotiations were conducted against a backdrop of financial uncertainty in the UK higher education sector and Wiley listened to us and took this on board when putting together their proposal"
About NESLi2:
NESLi is the national initiative for licensing online journals on behalf of the higher and further education and research communities in the UK. NESLi2 was established in 2004 as a successor to earlier consortia initiatives that emerged with the arrival of online journals in the mid-1990s. The content from 17 leading scholarly publishers are covered NESLi2 agreements which typically span 1-3 years in duration and over 7,000 online journals are available to authorized users.
About Wiley:
Wiley-Blackwell is the international scientific medical, technical and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons, with strengths in every major academic and professional field and partnerships with many of the world's leading societies. Wiley-Blackwell publishes 1,500 peer-reviewed journals and 1,500+ new books annually in print and online, as well as databases, major reference works and laboratory protocols. For more information, please visit www.wileyblackwell.com or our online platform, Wiley Online Library wileyonlinelibrary.com one of the world's most extensive multidisciplinary collections of online resources, covering life, health, social and physical sciences, and humanities.
Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., has been a valued source of information and understanding for more than 200 years. Wiley's global headquarters are located in Hoboken, NJ, with operations in the US, Europe, Asia, Canada and Australia, see www.wiley.com.
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Eat one, Chumpscalade
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Favorite Movies
MGS 3: Crab Battle
Rated 4.3628 Stars
Snake is in for the fight of his life against a foe unlike any he's ever encountered.
Comedy - Parody
Noodles on my Back
Rated 4.3051 Stars
A music video about a hippopotamus singing about noodles on his back
Music Video
Metal Gear Awesome
Rated 4.3739 Stars
Metal Gear is awesome is so is this movie.
Comedy - Parody
The Transformer
Rated 4.4155 Stars
A thrilling adventure filed with suspense and intrigue!
Comedy - Parody
Favorite Games
Madness interactive
Rated 4.2273 Stars
An extensive game based on the Madness Combat animations by Krinkels
Action - Shooter - Run 'n Gun
Tactics 100 Live
Rated 4.2648 Stars
Send your 100 point army into battle in this multiplayer tactics game.
Strategy - Other
Rated 4.1868 Stars
One of the best Flash fighting games ever!
Action - Fighting - Brawler
Artillery Live
Rated 4.1727 Stars
2v2 multiplayer artillery game.
Strategy - Artillery
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Distress Call
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Finish Scene 8
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Kim's (P)Oops
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Take The Fight To Them
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Ace Base
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Plan B
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Got The Job Done
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Ace Pilot
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Ace and Sprokit
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Total Medals Earned: 278 (From 24 different games.)


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Reptiles, bugs and boats and florida?
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Reptiles, bugs and boats and florida?
Rob!!!!!!!!! your back!
Thanks for the advice. I am a little weary of all the wildlife down there. Up here we just jump in and swin in any river or lake with the biggest worry is getting a leach on you... I guess I am entering a whole new world...I owe you a bit of gratitude for introducing me to Rose! You were right- she''s incredible and works harder than anyone I''ve known to please a customer. She saved me from Cape Coral and found me a fine place in Port Charlotte.
I am very excited about the move.
I looked for you at the marina but didn''t know your boat. I had my eye on one of the 34'' Irwin''s they had for sale.
I can''t thank you enough for helping me ..
maybe we can go for a sail in a few months!
I''ll remember to keep my lookout for that ship with a skull and crossbones flying high on the mast!.
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1984 Citation 31 Mast
My mast got bent in a storm a few weeks back. Does anyone know where I can get a replacement? New or used would be okay with me.
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What will be the surprises of training camp?
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What will be the surprises of training camp?
I'm going to say that one or more of the lower tier WR's suddenly appears on the radar screen and pushes Bradford and Gaffny. I think this is going to be an exciting race at training camp. I think a couple of the younger players have as much speed as Bradford and they have better hands. AJ becomes a bocking WR for DD.
BJ becomes the 2nd TE replacing BM.
Our O-line as planned works extemely well and becomes the talk of the NFL.
Carr looks very impressive, because of the time he has to see the field. However, the run becomes the dominating part of the offense behind DD and the O-line. The O-line doesn't still block as well they should for the passing formations.
DD looks very impressive running behind the revised O-line featuring our TE's and WR AJ.
Our D which we think on paper looks great has a number of problems and is still a year or two away. I hope not, but I think this is going to be the case. If they prove me wrong, hey, I would be happy.
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Michael Collins breaks down Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn's decision to end their relationship of nearly three years.
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Topic: UAE
Time for Our Allies to Ante Up in Funding Afghan Security Forces
It's good to hear that the Afghan government and the international community are signing off on a plan to increase the size of the Afghan Security Forces from today's level of 266,000 soldiers and police up to 378,000 by October 2012. Such an increase is vital if Afghan forces are to have any hope of controlling their own territory. A good rule of thumb, laid out in the Army-Marine Counterinsurgency Field Manual, is that it takes one counterinsurgent per 50 civilians to defeat an insurgency. Given that Afghanistan has a population of 30 million, that suggests the need for 600,000 security personnel — a milestone that Iraq has already passed.
Even with 378,000 personnel, the Afghan security forces will still fall short, but remember that there are also 140,000 foreign troops in the country. Their presence (assuming that current force levels don't fall) will bring the total to 518,000 — within shooting distance of the benchmark. That should be more than enough, at least for the time being, considering that the insurgency is isolated among the Pashtuns, who make up less than 50 percent of the population. Of course, if foreign force levels fall by the fall of 2012, the anti-Taliban coalition will find itself hard-pressed to continue recent battlefield gains, which is another reason why it's important that the administration and its allies not reduce their forces prematurely.
The gains in the size and effectiveness of the Afghan Security Forces are in large measure a tribute to U.S. Lt. Gen. Bill Caldwell and his superb team at the NATO Training Mission–Afghanistan. They have brought newfound vigor and skill to the "train and assist" mission that had been lagging, along with the rest of the war effort, in past years. Their work isn't cheap, as the Times notes:
[T]he planned increase will mean billions more in spending to train and maintain the security forces, and 95 percent of that cost is borne by the United States. Between 2003 and 2009, the United States spent $20 billion to finance the Afghan Army and police. A growing force, pay increases that were intended to retain soldiers and police officers, and the costs of improved training and equipment drove the total to $9 billion in 2010, and $11.6 billion is budgeted for this year.
But that's still a lot cheaper than sending more American troops into harm's way. What irritates me about the whole situation is that it is the U.S. that has to pick up the tab. Our troops are already doing the bulk of the fighting. Why don't our rich allies — e.g., Japan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, France, Italy, Germany, Britain — pay for more of the cost of training? Some of those countries have made sizable troop contributions; others haven't. But the U.S. has done more than any of them in terms of fighting the Taliban directly. Why do we have to do so much more than the rest of them in financing the Afghan Security Forces too?
I should note that their failure to ante up should not be an excuse for us to walk away. This is not an act of altruism; it is very much in America's national-security interest to have a functional and effective security force in Afghanistan to prevent a Taliban/al-Qaeda takeover. Our security perimeter runs right through the Hindu Kush. But that is also true for many of our allies who would also face severe repercussions from a Taliban takeover. They should be doing more to avert that catastrophe.
Iran: Calculus Changing for the "Force Option"?
There's more than one way to undermine America's ability to conduct military strikes on the Iranian nuclear program. Iran has been working hard on one of those methods over the last six months: denying us our use of regional military bases for the attack.
Of the bases we use in the Persian Gulf region, the most significant to an attack campaign are in the small kingdoms of Bahrain and Qatar, which host, respectively, our fleet headquarters and a very large multi-use facility at Al-Udeid Air Base. For security operations in the Strait of Hormuz, we also rely on the use of airfields and ports in Oman. We have additional facilities in Kuwait and the UAE, but for waging an offensive campaign in any part of the Gulf region, the necessary bases are the ones in Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.
These are the nations Iran has been concentrating on. The approaches are different for the different nations: in Bahrain, where a majority of the Arab population is Shia and the emir's government is justifiably concerned about unrest fomented by Tehran, the Iranians have alternated between threats and cajolery. In August their intimidation campaign paid off: the Bahraini foreign minister announced that Bahrain would not allow its territory to be used as a base for offensive operations. Because the U.S. military doesn't usually operate strike aircraft out of Bahrain, the impact of this is uncertain – but it could well jeopardize the U.S. Navy's ability to command and supply its fleet during an air campaign.
With Qatar and Oman, Iran has sought bilateral defense-cooperation agreements. That approach introduces ambivalence in the host nation's strategic orientation – and hence in the status and purpose of the U.S. forces on its territory. Last week, for example, Qatar hosted a visit by three Iranian warships and a military delegation. The unprecedented event concluded with an announcement of Qatar's readiness for joint military exercises with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
And in August, Oman signed a defense-cooperation agreement with Iran. The pretext focused on by the media was the explosion that rocked a Japanese oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on July 28, an event that remains unexplained. But the agreement, ratified by the Iranian parliament in December, portends joint defense drills, intelligence sharing, and cooperative administration of security in the Strait of Hormuz. This is no mere technicality: Oman has signed up to make difficult choices if Iran seeks to shut down the strait in response to a U.S. strike. The new agreement posits a definition of security in the strait that excludes U.S. oversight. At the very least, Oman is now more likely to deny the use of its airfields and port refueling facilities to American forces.
These consequences are not inevitable. But Washington's latitude to "calibrate" force against Iran is effectively gone. If we hope to operate from bases in Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman now, we will have to be "all in": we will almost certainly have to guarantee to our hosts – who would be breaking agreements by siding with us – that they won't be caught in a protracted cycle of retaliation from a still-dangerous Iran. Perceiving that prospect themselves, they have started hedging their bets. We may validly perceive benefits in waiting to take action, but doing so always carries costs. This is one of them.
The Administration's Incoherence on Iran
The comments of our top national security officials on the topic of Iran are becoming alarmingly incoherent. A case in point comes from Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. He cautions that the mullahs are liars:
Asked whether he believed Tehran's vows that its nuclear program was for peaceful purposes, Mullen said: "I don't believe it for a second."
"In fact, the information and intelligence that I've seen speak very specifically to the contrary," he said.
"Iran is still very much on a path to be able to develop nuclear weapons, including weaponizing them, putting them on a missile and being able to use them."
Yet what does Mullen propose we do? Well, we should talk to them. But we have to be realistic, because the Iranian regime can't be trusted:
"I still think it's important we focus on the dialogue, we focus on the engagement, but also do it in a realistic way that looks at whether Iran is actually going to tell the truth, actually engage and actually do anything."
But didn't he say that we know they aren't telling the truth? You can see why Iran's Arab neighbors are petrified that there is no "plan B" for stopping the Iranian regime. Or, as one of the WikiLeaks cables (highlighted by a frequent reader) explains:
On July 15, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner joined Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan (MBZ) and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan (ABZ) for a dinner covering a range of regional issues. MBZ expressed serious concern over Iran's regional intentions and pleaded for the U.S. to shorten its decision-making timeline and develop a "plan B." He encouraged the U.S. to clearly communicate "red lines" to the Iranian Government, on nuclear and regional stability issues, with direct consequences for transgressions. He painted to a nuclear Iran as an existential threat to the UAE and invoked the well being of his grandchildren while urging the U.S. to act quickly. MBZ asked for close coordination between the U.S. and UAE to deal with the Iranian threat.
If Iran has military capabilities far beyond what we imagined ("The cables … reveal for the first time that the United States believes that Iran has obtained advanced missiles from North Korea that could let it strike at Western European capitals and Moscow and help it develop more formidable long-range ballistic missiles"), the Arab states are supportive of military action, and we know the mullahs are professional deceivers, why in the world are we still babbling about engagement? I honestly don't know. Members of Congress should find out — before a national security failure of unprecedented dimensions occurs. It would be on Obama's watch — but on the lawmakers' as well. And it will be a disaster for the savvy and the dull-witted alike.
Bureaucracy 101
A college course could be built around the new UN report on North Korea's continuing proliferation activities. The report, released on Friday, was ready for publication in May 2010 but was delayed for six months by China's Security Council veto. That veto having been lifted, the report is now available to the public.
The news stories surrounding the report are focused on North Korea's attempts to ship weapons and their components to Iran and Syria, in the months after the "tough" sanctions adopted by the UN in mid-2009. (Pyongyang's underground nuclear test in May 2009 prompted the newest sanctions.) The UN report cites four instances of cargo being interdicted by other nations, including episodes in Thailand and the UAE that were widely reported in the Western media.
But the real story in this report is its dryly precise account of the implementation of sanctions. Read More
The UAE No Fan of the Blackberry — or Intellectual Freedom
The link between political freedom and economic prosperity is by now well-established. It is no coincidence that capitalism and democracy developed at roughly the same time and in the same place — 18th-century Great Britain and to a lesser extent the 17th-century Netherlands. It is hard for a country to prosper if it has a political system intolerant of the kind of intellectual freedom needed to generate good ideas and to attract freethinkers.
That news doesn't seem to have reached the United Arab Emirates, which has announced plans to ban Blackberry e-mails and text messages because the state-security services find them hard to monitor. Perhaps as a Crackberry addict. I'm biased, but I have to say that this is one of the dumber decisions that the UAE could make given that Dubai — its principal city — has built its wealth on its reputation for being freer and more business-friendly than the surrounding Arab states.
If this decision stands, Dubai's long-term future, already endangered by reckless real-estate speculation, could be further put at risk.
RE: UAE Ambassador: The Benefits of Attacking Iran Outweigh the Risks
Jeffrey Goldberg provides the full remarks:
I asked him, Do you want the U.S. to stop the Iranian nuclear program by force?
And he answered: "Absolutely, absolutely. I think we are at risk of an Iranian nuclear program far more than you are at risk. At 7,000 miles away, and with two oceans bordering you, an Iranian nuclear threat does not threaten the continental United States. It may threaten your assets in the region, it will threaten the peace process, it will threaten balance of power, it will threaten everything else, but it will not threaten you."
He went on to say, "I am suggesting that I think out of every country in the region, the U.A.E. is most vulnerable to Iran. Our military, who has existed for the past 40 years, wake up, dream, breathe, eat, sleep the Iranian threat. It's the only conventional military threat our military plans for, trains for, equips for, that's it, there's no other threat, there's no country in the region that is a threat to the U.A.E., it's only Iran. So yes, it's very much in our interest that Iran does not gain nuclear technology."
It is not an attack on Iran that the moderate Arab states fear the most; it is American reticence and a nuclear-armed Iran. The Obama team has dawdled and evaded the most pressing national-security issue of our time: is the U.S. willing to use military force to prevent the emergence of a new nuclear threat to the West? Eighteen months into his presidency, it is not clear that Obama is. That the UAE ambassador should have a more robust and reasoned position than the U.S. president is one more sign of how dismal a job this president has done on the most important issue he faces.
Jason Bourne, Call Your Office
Another day, and another Western government chastises Israel for the use of non-Israeli passports in the assassination of Hamas terrorist mastermind Mahmoud al-Mabhou. This time it's Australia's turn. Australia's PM, Kevin Rudd, was quoted as saying that
Any state that has been complicit in use or abuse of the Australian passport system, let alone for the conduct of an assassination, is treating Australia with contempt and there will therefore be action by the Australian government in response.
Clearly, one needs to believe Dubai's police on the revelations about the forged passports. There is no smoking gun yet about Israel's responsibility. And hopefully, Israel will keep quiet about this. As Yossi Melman indicates in today's Haaretz, the investigation is rising to comical levels, even as the evidence against Israel is thin.
Look, anyone familiar with James Bond, Jason Bourne, and the Mission Impossible franchise knows that secret agents travel on forged passports. And even assuming Israel is responsible, what did anyone expect — a bunch of Israelis to show up at Dubai airport waving their Israeli passports? Just imagine the conversation.
UAE immigration officer: Nationality?
Agent: Israeli.
Immigration officer: Occupation?
Agent: Mossad agent.
Immigration officer: Purpose of your visit?
Agent: Targeted killing of a top Hamas terrorist.
Immigration officer: Welcome to our country, sir, and have a nice day.
Sure, it would have been preferable that those involved were not caught on camera and belatedly identified — although every new release of suspects by Dubai's police makes their involvement look less credible. How many people does it takes to kill one Hamas terrorist, even in Dubai?
There would not have been so much grief in London, Paris, or Canberra. Countries are more likely to turn a blind eye when friendly secret services do not get caught abusing or violating their laws. The problem with the outrage is not the deed itself, then, but the embarrassment resulting from the exposure.
Finally, the international outrage has forgotten to take into account the obvious: Mahmoud al-Mabhou deserved to die. He was a terrorist. He was involved in something sinister and potentially very big — which had to do with arms-smuggling from Iran to Gaza. He had personally killed Israeli hostages. There should be little sorrow expressed about sending him to delight with heavenly virgins long before he had planned.
The Dubai Effect
Max Boot is quite right that the Middle East needs Dubai, and not only because it embraces modernity and flouts the region's taboos. It's also an example of good government, at least by the Arab world's standards, and good economics if you look past its excesses.
The United Arab Emirates' most extravagant city-state has a more or less transparent market economy and a degree of personal freedom rarely found elsewhere in the Middle East outside Israel and Lebanon. The government doesn't micromanage the personal lives of its citizens as in Iran and Saudi Arabia, nor does it smother the economy with heavy state socialism as in Egypt and Syria. Its bureaucracy is efficient — investors don't spend years acquiring permits and filling out paperwork before they can open a shopping center, a hotel, or a Starbucks. The Islamic religion is respected as it is everywhere else in the Middle East, but clerics don't make the rules. Read More


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Type: | Boulder |
Consensus: | Hueco: V4 Font: 6B [details] |
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Submitted By: | Brad "Stonyman" Killough on Nov 14, 2008 |
Comments on HP Sauce | Add Comment |
Show which comments —
By hp40local Nov 22, 2009 CONDITION REPORT |
last time i saw this problem it looked like it hadn't been touched in a good while as there was moss that was about as thick as a carpet on it |
By Brad "Stonyman" Killough Administrator From: Alabama Nov 23, 2009 CONDITION REPORT |
Haven't looked at Sauce in a while. If it's covered with moss, we need to talk to Mike and let him make a decision on go or nogo. Some of the moss is rare and shouldn't be disturbed. Thanks for the heads up. |


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Through the Looking Glass: Coping with COPA
Last week, a federal court in Philadelphia began hearing arguments on the legislation known as COPA. No, I'm not talking about DOPA, the Deleting Online Predators Act, or COPPA, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. I'm talking about yet another legislative acronym: COPA, the Child Online Protection Act. Like so many legislative acronyms involving education, this one has found itself back in front of a judge. It's the classic debate over government regulation versus technology-centered solutions to keep students safe - though as you'll see, the positions of the government and free-speech advocates might not be what you'd expect. And where does media literacy education fit into the equation?
The case, ACLU v. Gonzales, is the latest round in a battle that goes back eight years, when Congress first passed the Child Online Protection Act. The idea behind the act was to force commercial website operators to restrict access by minors to avoid exposing them to material that might be deemed harmful to them. The law was drafted in the wake of another piece of legislation, the Communications Decency Act, which was trashed unanimously as unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court. Lawmakers hoped the COPA legislation would be more focused, and thus survive judicial scrutiny, but so far they haven't had much luck. Appeals courts, arguing the law was too broad, have kept an injunction in place since the law was passed, preventing the government from going after website operators. The US Supreme Court has ruled on the legislation twice already, each time sending it back to lower courts for further review.
Shannon Duffy, in a summary of the case on Law.com, notes the uphill battle faced by the government:
It's not all that often that a month-long trial begins in federal court where everyone knows from the start which side is likely to win.But that was the situation Monday in ACLU v. Gonzales as the final round of litigation got underway in a challenge to the Child Online Protection Act (COPA), a law which threatens criminal penalties for commercial Web site operators that allow children to access material that is "harmful to minors."
Eight years after it was passed, COPA has never gone into effect because Senior U.S. District Judge Lowell A. Reed Jr. granted a preliminary injunction that, after two trips to the U.S. Supreme Court, won the approval of a 5-4 court. Although the majority was a slim one, the high court's holding was that the ACLU and its co-plaintiffs are "likely to succeed" in proving that COPA is unconstitutional. But "likely" doesn't mean certainly, and the Justice Department isn't giving up the fight.
It comes as no surprise that the American Civil Liberties Union is taking a leading role in arguing against COPA. What may be surprising to many, though, is how they're going about doing it. They take the position that COPA is unnecessary because filtering technology is effective enough to combat most instances of young people being exposed to inappropriate material. Even though they've been critical of filtering in the past, they're embracing it for this case.
Chris Hansen, lead attorney for the ACLU, offered the following remarks during the trial's opening statements.
This, your honor, is about free speech. It is about the First Amendment, and the First Amendment has always been controversial throughout the nation's history. More particularly, every time a new technology comes into existence, people become concerned that the speech that will take place over that new technology will somehow be abusive or frightening or scary. As a result, every time there is a new technology there is a move to censor that new technology. We are talking here about moves to censor speech on the Internet….… Filtering solves the underinclusiveness problem. It reaches overseas sites. It reaches noncommercial sites. It can be used to block access to e-mail and [instant messaging] and peer-to-peer and other forms of Internet communications. In other words, most of the underinclusiveness as represented by COPA is solved through filters. It solves the overinclusiveness problem. Adults don't have to use filters. They can set up their computer; that only their children are covered by filters and they are not. It also adds additional levels of protection for children, including monitoring the sites that the children go to and tailoring the degree of filtering to the age and maturity of the child and to the values of the family….
… The evidence will show that filters are largely successful. The Department of Justice has stipulated that it uses Internet content filters on the Department of Justice's websites, on the FBI's websites, on the Bureau of Prisons websites and so on. They have stipulated those filters are effective in blocking access to sexually explicit material for the employees of the Department of Justice….
… Although they won't quite put it this crudely, the defendants argue that parents are too stupid to be able to use filters. Insulting argument. And it is wrong. Use of filters is quite simple. It is just as simple as most other computing programs. It is probably more simple than [Microsoft] Word, for example….
In essence, the ACLU is taking the position that the government has taken when it comes to the federal E-Rate program, which subsidizes school and library Internet access. In order to receive E-Rate funds, schools and libraries must institute filtering as a way of protecting students. And if the DOPA legislation passes, that rule would be increased to filtering a wide range of commercial interactive sites, including blogging tools, wikis and online social networks, whether they contain material harmful to minors or not.
Given this long-standing push by the federal government to increase filtering policies in schools, the Justice Department's argument in the COPA case is, shall we say, ironic. Eric Beane, presenting for the Justice Department, noted in his opening statement:
Although there is a certain appeal to deferring to families and testing whether private solutions work better than government action might work, this experiment has been attempted and this experiment has failed. The evidence will show that a shocking amount of pornography slips through these filters and into the hands of children. The evidence will show that the patchwork of status quo solutions is not working well enough…. That the only way to adequately protect children is to regulate the problem at the source, the commercial pornography industry.
So it seems we're through the looking glass. The government's position can be summarized as filters=bad, while the ACLU insists, filters=good; not exactly the positions you expect to hear from each side. Of course, it's understandable in the context of a court case that both sides would present an argument that is either black or white, but not gray. I wonder, though, how all of this will affect the DOPA legislation, which is still lingering in Congress. If the Justice Department were to win the day by arguing that filters are ineffective, would that poke holes in DOPA, making it more likely to fail on appeal? And if the ACLU wins, as conventional wisdom suggests, will Congress begin to call the ACLU their best friends in the fight for making DOPA a reality. Either way, I feel myself getting dizzy from the possibilities.
The ACLU's Chris Hansen, however, did go on to hint at how there may be alternative to filtering:
… Filters, however, are not the only alternative that parents can use if they are concerned about protecting their children. One very important alternative is educating your child as to the nature of the Internet, how to engage in searches, what is inappropriate for them and what is appropriate for them…. … Schools don't rely solely on filters. In fact, they spend considerable time educating the students about the nature of the Internet, about how to conduct searches and about how to find what it is that they want to find without finding things they don't want to find. Parental education, school education, librarian education all play a very significant role in protecting children.
Yet in these back-and-forth decency wars that have waged for almost a decade now, we never seem to find the supporters of better media literacy opportunities winning the day. It's always government regulation versus technological solutions, while people-centric solutions get lost in the fog of war. What will it take for us to create a stronger national dialog about the need for improving student media literacy as part of the debate over how to keep them safe in the 21st century? -andy
I just don't get the ACLU. We are talking about kids here, not adults. The world is a big, bad ugly place sometimes. Can't we protect the innocence of our kids for a little while. They'll learn soon enough. If they can't be safe at school, where can they be safe??
I think the ACLU is trying to make that very argument. They're saying that filters are the way to make kids safe, and point out that the law does nothing to block content coming from overseas, where the majority of inappropriate content is based. So whether you agree with their tactics or not, I find it hard to argue that they are not concerned with child safety.


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Montrose Avenue
Police have issued a community alert in the Mayfair neighborhood, after a woman was sexually assaulted Monday night.
Police: Man Electrocuted While Climbing Pole To Tag Roof
The 19-year-old man was climbing the pole in the 1800 block of West Montrose Avenue at 2:45 a.m. when he came in contact with a transformer.
Two Critically Injured In Drive-By Shooting On Northwest Side
Two men are in critical condition after they were shot during an apparent gang-related shooting in the Northwest Side Irving Park neighborhood early Saturday.
Reports: Slain Uptown Woman Owned Popular Hair Salon
A woman who was found shot and stabbed to death in her Uptown neighborhood apartment was well known as the operator of a hair salon nearby, according to published reports.
2 Dead, 15 Wounded In Weekend Shootings
At least 17 people have been wounded – two fatally – in shootings around the city since Friday night.
Woman Shot To Death In Uptown Apartment
A 45-year-old woman was found shot to death in an apartment in the Uptown neighborhood Sunday morning.
Residents Rescued From Burning Building In Ravenswood
Quick action from firefighters helped save residents overnight at an apartment building in the Ravenswood neighborhood.
5 Men Stabbed Near Montrose And Elston
Five men were stabbed early Friday morning, in what police believe was a gang fight near Montrose and Elston avenues.
Organizer: Go To Uptown To Watch Gay Pride Parade
As you've no doubt heard by now, big changes are in store for the Gay Pride Parade this Sunday – and organizers are urging spectators to camp out on the new Uptown leg of the route.
Man Killed After Slamming Into Guardrail On Kennedy Expressway
A driver hit a guardrail and died after losing control of his vehicle on the Kennedy Expressway overnight.
Cops: Driver, 19, Critically Hurt In Crash Was Intoxicated
A 19-year-old driver was allegedly intoxicated when he crashed into a tree on the Northwest Side early Saturday, injuring himself and a passenger.
Man Charged With Sexually Assaulting Woman In Lincoln Square
A 27-year-old man was arrested on Saturday, after sexually assaulting a woman in an alley in the Lincoln Square neighborhood.
Daily Deal Sites Blamed For Driving Restaurant Out Of Business
Popular daily deal sites are blamed for driving a hot dog diner into debt.
Man Charged In 2009 Murder Of Lincoln Square Bar Owner
A man has been charged with the murder of a Lincoln Square bar owner who was brutally beaten in an attack outside the bar two years ago.
Alcohol-Fueled Fight Leads To Shooting In Albany Park
Police say an alcohol-fueled argument led to a shooting overnight in the Albany Park neighborhood.
Raccoons Invading Along Lakefront
Dark-eyed, wild bandits have invaded both the north and south lakefront, but officials are working to out-smart them.
Van Slams Into Thrift Store In Albany Park
A van slammed into a Salvation Army thrift store in the Albany Park neighborhood early this morning.
1 Held In Fatal Uptown Shooting
A person of interest is being questioned in connection with a shooting in the Uptown neighborhood that left one man dead and another wounded.
Cop Performs CPR, Saves Toddler's Life
A Chicago Police officer is being hailed as a hero, for helping save the life of a toddler who couldn't breathe Thursday afternoon on the Northwest Side.


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lose 3 games tonight in nba by 1 1/2 total points. got bad line on 2 of these games. when I get a good line the line never is close. only comes into play when I lose by 1/2 or 1 point. starting now will keep track of my 1/2 and 1 point wins and losses in nba and also extra innings in bases as was below 20% last year in extra inning games. thay say it evens out so looking for 70% winners in extra inning games this year.
Make post sticky on:
Damn man that is just brutal....


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Biggest mistake when selling in winter
OK, I had been hot to trot writing about the early spring market back in January when the temps were unseasonably mild and it looked like we were all going to get off easy again.
No such luck. Instead, we're stuck with winter for a few more weeks. And if you want to sell your house right now amid all those mounds of snow and treacherous walkways, you have to adapt.
So what's the biggest mistake? Not shoveling enough!
By that, I don't mean hastily digging out a cursory footpath to the house and sloppily shoveling the driveway until it looks mostly clear.
But if you want people to brave the winter weather and look at your house, you had better make sure there's safe and easy parking, not just in your driveway, but on the street.
Here's what Rona Fischman of 4 Buyers Real Estate in Cambridge had to say on the subject. (For short timers here, Rona used to write the afternoon post on this blog and is sorely missed.)
I interviewed her for a piece on winter selling that appeared, well last winter, but no matter. It's an evergreen, as editors like to say of features that have long lives.
"If they are concerned about breaking a leg, then they are not paying attention to your house in a good way," she told me.
But it's more than just about safety, but also convenience and even aesthetics, she helpfully explained.
If someone is forced to circle the neighborhood looking for a spot to park amid the snowdrifts, they might just decide to keep driving on past.
And, while you put your back into it, be careful where you hurl all that dirty snow. Nothing is a bigger turnoff than ugly, char black mounds of snow near the doorway.
If you have to, hire an extra hand or two. After all, if it results in getting a few more buyers to take a look at your house and maybe even make an offer, it's money well spent.
Been to any really bad winter open houses? What's on your list of the biggest winter bloopers for home sellers?
The author is solely responsible for the content.


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Thursday, December 29, 2005 :::
How Republicans Are Like Michael Jackson Fans Best Simile Ever This should probably read "Bush Supporters" instead of "Republicans" but I didn't want to editorialize the guy. ::: posted by dan at 11:40 PM :: [ link ] :: (8) comments
8 previous comments: am i the only one who read this article? or at least part of it... By , at 12:58 PM I read it. By Kristina, at 5:16 PM OK good - now we got at least a couple comments on the article - the zero looked so lonely... By , at 2:29 PM ...even though we didn´t even really say anything about the article. but hey! now it has 4 comments! By , at 2:30 PM They can't all be winners! By dan, at 8:38 PM 6 comments, bitches! By dan, at 8:39 PM Seven! I know how to increase the volume. People who drive motorcycles are jack asses and woman with children do not belong in the work place! By Kristina, at 12:12 PM ...and 8 to close it off. that was kinda fun... By , at 8:56 AM < Back to Blog |
sections planetdan home planetdan blog dan's pics recently Classy The last of the xmas parties. Distractions My Gift to You A Christmas Eve Miracle Damn You, Don Pablo's. Maury Christmas My First Christmas Present Holiday Sweater Party Time! friends erik jason mulgrew beware of the blog nyc babylon nofo sista c b stacy b trek geek scott second toughest sarah furry pierre and far away chez lynne peacebang the big lug little voice desimon monkey others the superficial stereogum boing boing golden fiddle girls are pretty mcsweeneys grow-a-brain more cow bell presurfer world of wonder worth1000 elbows email@example.com archive |
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So now that there is an ARFF section, what airport is everyone from.
Printable View
So now that there is an ARFF section, what airport is everyone from.
Depends on which one is on fire... :P I would like to do some ARFF but I need to look into it more before I get too far in the door.
MCAS Yuma,Az atleast for another 60 days then I will be back in Va looking for a job
Former Fire Chief of the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Eau Claire, WI.
Not international by any means but it looks good on a resume!!
Duluth Intl. Airport in Duluth, MN with the Minnesota Air Natl. Guard's 148th F/W.
Hickam AFB/ Honolulu International (We share the same runways)
Meh. Toga's.. well.. all the gentlemans clubs around here suck... You also have the options of Centerfolds, Lamplighter and Sugar Daddys...
Hey.. I'll be closer to your neck of the woods next week... Doing my annual burns at Volk Field 5-6 May.. I'm at Goodfellow AFB in Texas at Fire Inspector 1 school right now... 4 days left..
I no longer do ARFF, but I was stationed at Andrews AFB, MD. I've also been to Duluth, MN more times than I can count and almost joined the NG there as a firefighter when I got out of active duty.
AAFB Main Gate is about 15 miles from my Station in Northeastern P.G. County ........
From Sept '62 thru Feb '65 I worked on the CFR Crew at Baltimore's Friendship International Airport which is now BWI......... DC3s, DC6s...... Piedmont, Delta, American, Lake Central, United, And TWA...... The plane that always got my attention was TWA's Super Connies......... Those were the days.......:D
Wow. Those were some great planes.
Had one land in Eau Claire when I was working. He was heading to the EAA show in Oshkosh, WI and stopped for gas. He was coming from someplace in Washington. He let me walk in and look around, kick the tires and stuff. What a great plane and it sounds awesome on take off!!
Louisville International
Requested the forum due to the FAA Reauthorization Bill in the House right now. The possibility of it becoming law and requiring a structural response at airports makes the availability of people in the structural world not available on arff.info a good thing.
I was just there a couple weeks ago for the Thunder over Louisville. First time being in that town and it great!!! Awesome airshow and wonderful fireworks!
We got VIP tickets at Joe's Crabshack and that was center stage! Much better than the Chow Wagon area or the free space around which just looked like a big urinal...lol
Great town too. Love the blues bar we went to....can't remember the name but it just opened under new owners. On the street that is going to be renovated to compete with 4th Street Live which is a corporate owned deal. This area is going to be a local Mom and Pop area for the tourists like me!
Oh, and you guys can sure pour the bourbon....UFF DA!!
mmm.. Crown Royal...
//EDIT// Someone rename this thread "Dickey's Playhouse"
Rosecrans ANG Base, St. Joseph, MO. Both Guard and State employee.
Small Oil Company owned aerodrome in Northern Alberta. Mostly 727s, Embraer 175s, 737s and everything smaller Citation 10s Dash 8s, Dornier 328s etc and good ol helicopters.
A couple of year at BJC-Bromfield Jefferson county
I am an ARRFF firefighter . However I wont disclose my location as that will lead to my identity. It is not that I wish to troll this site, However I intend on bringing up for discussion issues that can be quite controversial and I know my supervisors skim through these boards. I can seriously see my *** in a ringer for exposing the truth.
Boeing Fire Department (Philadelphia Station), majority of our aircraft activity is the Chinook Helicopters. But we occasionally encounter other aircraft on our flight ramp. We run 3 ARFF Trucks, 1 Engine, 1 Special Ops Rescue, 1 Tactical ARFF Truck, 1 Ambulance and multiple utility vehicles. Firefighters work in four separate platoons on 12 hour shifts.


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Home | Visitors | Exhibitors | Press | Students | Authors |
Exhibitors | |
Custom Design stands Creating and building your own stand to reflect your company identity gives you the opportunity to stand out. • exhibit space • free listing and product preview in exhibitor directory • free listing and product preview in the Journal of the AES Convention issue • free listing on the AES website • free guest invitations • free staff badges • access to sponsoring opportunities • possibility to hold exhibitor seminars. |


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This section contains 825 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |
Critical Review by Ronald Curran
SOURCE: A review of A Tidewater Morning, in World Literature Today, Vol. 68, Summer, 1994, pp. 571-72.
Here, Curran finds in Styron's latest collection an essential optimism that underlies the dark and painful fictionalized memories of the author's boyhood.
"We each devise our means of escape from the intolerable." So begins the closing paragraph in the title story of William Styron's collection Tidewater Morning. Each of these three tales from youth holds in its own fashion to the truth in Styron's closing observation. They evoke Styron's experience of the 1930s at ages ten, thirteen, and twenty (even though "Love Day" carries us up to 1945 and the invasion of Okinawa). As the author looks back on his youth, he informs it with a hindsight the appreciation of which finds what is timeless in uniquely personal moments warmly set in social and personal history...
This section contains 825 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |


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Ask TOH users about Yard and Garden Tools
Corded Blower Vac WORX Trivac WG500
Unlike most blower vacs, there's no need to swap tubes for vacuuming and blowing, since both nozzles are built in—just flip a switch to change modes. Reach is limited by the length of your extension cord, but on the upside, the 12-amp motor will never run out of gas or need a fuel-line flush. Its plastic impeller reduced dry-leaf volume by 10 to 1 but, not surprisingly, struggled with wet ones.
Fine print: Blower speed: 350 cfm at 210 mph, maximum. 70 dB.
About $90, 8.4 pounds; worxtools.com -
From Our Partners
This Old House To Go


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I'm interested in travelling, photography, arts+crafts and baking. I love food and trying out new and exciting places to eat.
Kerrie has completed online and offline ID verification.
She stayed for one week at my apartment. She is very delight and kind through positive thinking. Also good communitator and clean. I hope want to see again as my guest. Thank you Kerrie.
I didnt get the chance to hangout at all with the family this time as they only stayed for a night. I was hoping that their flight was later and maybe take them on a short trip. They are very clean and respect the house rules! Happy holidays!
Kerrie stayed at the house with her parents and family. I'd have to say that they were fantastic guests. they were friendly and left the place very nice and tidy. Like most guests, they cleaned all their dishes and left the place very clean, I even think they swept up, took out the trash, and did some of the laundry I would otherwise have had to do! Super cool! Thanks Kerrie!
Very good guests, excellent communicatiors, highly recommend.
The friendly family was great tenants. Very clean, quiet and respectful of the place. Very flexible with their vacation plans, so they are willing to do any activities and down to earth yet very friendly. Also a great friend to have. Very respectful of the house rules and always keep in communication if needed anything. I would recommend them for future host. Happy Holidays


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Biography of the Hon. Charles Colt
FROM: History of Livingston County,
New York
By James H. Smith
Assisted by Hume H. Cole
Published By D. Mason & Co. 1881
HON. CHARLES COLT. The subject of this notice was born January 23, 1793, m the town of Pittsfield, Berkshire county, Mass. He was
the youngest son of a large family of children. His early life was like that of New England farmer's boys of that
period-plenty of work, with limited educational advantages. At sixteen he was apprenticed to a merchant, to learn
the business, where he remained till he reached his majority. Meanwhile his father died.
During the summer of 1814, he made a trip on horseback to the Genesee country-the Far West of that day. His object
was to find a location where he could in that new country, with his little patrimony set up business on his own
account. Spending some time near Rochester where an older brother had settled, he pushed on as far as Buffalo.
On his return he diverged somewhat from the main traveled route to look over a tract of land on the west side of
the Genesee river, in the present town of York, inherited from the paternal estate by still another brother. Captivated
by the beauty and promise of the Genesee Valley, the prospector determined to settle in this locality. This determination
he carried into effect the spring of the following year, 1815. In copartnership with his brother he commenced business
as a merchant in Geneseo-under the firm name of Solomon and Charles Colt. This partnership was terminated by the
death of the senior member in 1823. Charles continued the business till about 1830.
Mercantile business of that day was principally barter, and in that way Mr. Colt naturally became a produce dealer,
and eventually devoted all his time and energies to that business. For many years he was the principal buyer of
farmers' produce in all this region. In that connection he was interested in a line of flat-boats navigating the
Genesee river between Rochester and Geneseo.
The opening of the Genesee Valley Canal in 1841 put an end to that primitive mode of water transit.
The early education and natural taste of Mr. Colt attracted him to agricultural pursuits, and from 1830 tO 1837
he was interested with Campbell Harris in grazing the tract of land known as the "Brinton Flats" on the
west side of the river; the property now owned by Charles F. Wadsworth.
With the late Gurdon Nowlen, Mr. Colt introduced into this county and manufactured what was then regarded a great
improvement -the famous iron mold-board wood plow. It was a rude instrument compared with implements of the present
time of the same character; but fifty years have wrought a great change.
It will thus be seen that the pioneer of 1815 was an energetic, pushing. active business man, of robust frame.
He continued to be a leader in his line till about the year 1853, when he retired and devoted the remainder of
his life to the care and management of a farm located near the village of Geneseo, where he continued to reside
till his decease which occurred July 27, 1866.
It would almost necessarily follow that such a man as we have briefly outlined would take a large interest in the
public affairs and politics of his locality. Mr. Colt was no office-seeker, but it is safe to say that he had much
to do in the administration of public affairs in his county for many years.
As Anti-Mason and Whig, and afterwards Republican he was universally regarded as a "leader." The only
State office he ever held was that of "Senator," having been elected to fill a vacancy in 1847 and for
a full term in 1849.
He was an active member of the County War Committee during the late Rebellion-giving to it his full quota of energy
and ripe judgment.
In his religious life Mr. Colt was no less active and conspicuous. For more than forty years he was identified
actively with the Presbyterian church of Geneseo-during all that time being both trustee and elder.
He left behind him a name honored for integrity and business enterprise. Two children, a daughter and son survive
Return to [ Livingston County Bio's ] [ New York History ] [ Online Biographies
] All pages copyright 2009. All items on this site are copyrighted by their author(s).
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here freely for personal use only. Privacy


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Senate Bill 4282 seeks to exempt brewers who produce less than 60,000 barrels of beer a year from the requirement to file annual information returns with the department of taxation and finance.
Current Issues
Download the latest Monthly Legal Update
Review a consolidated presentation of the latest legal proceedings or filter updates by state below.
Maine Bill Addresses Kombucha
S.B. 293 seeks to exempt kombucha, a fermented tea-based drink, from the excise tax imposed on malt liquor, low-alcohol spirits, wine and hard cider.
Sponsors Continue to Grow for the Small Brewer Federal Excise Tax Legislation
H.R. 232, the Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act (Small BREW Act), was introduced in the 114th U.S. Congress on January 8 by Representatives Erik Paulsen (R-MN) and Richard E. Neal (D-MA). Joining as …More
California Bill Would Change Beer Delivery Allowances
A.B. 569 would allow beer wholesalers and certain beer manufacturers to deliver beer, as specified, to daily on-sale general licensees between the hours of 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
New Mexico Small Brewer Sales Abilities Enhanced
Approved by the Governor, Senate Bill 440 would allow winegrowers and small brewers to obtain wine or beer directly from a winegrower or small brewer without going through a licensed New Mexico wholesaler. The bill …More
Self-Distribution Limit Increase Considered
House Bill 278 seeks to increase the small brewery limit from twenty-five thousand barrels to one hundred thousand barrels before the brewery must use a wholesale distributor to distribute its products.
Multiple Taproom Licence Legislation Signed into Law
Signed into law, Senate Bill 2325 would allow multiple taproom licenses to brewers with an annual production of 25,000 barrels or less.
Oklahoma Refrigerated High-Point Beer Sales Stalls
Apparently dead for the session, Senate Bill 383 sought to allow liquor stores the option to sell refrigerated high-point beer.
Small Brewer Exemption Threatened
Under House consideration, Senate Bill 688 require low-point beer manufacturers who assign a brand extension to assign the extension to the licensed wholesaler which has exclusive sales territory for the brand. The measure eliminates an …More
Franchise Reform Bill Under Committee Consideration
House Bill 245 provides for the termination of a distributor in the absence of good cause by small brewer suppliers that are 20% or less of the wholesaler's total sales in the prior calendar year …More


text:
Genetics and Molecular Biology
Print version ISSN 1415-4757
VENTURA, Karen et al. Karyotypic analyses and morphological comments on the endemic and endangered Brazilian painted tree rat Callistomys pictus (Rodentia, Echimyidae). Genet. Mol. Biol. [online]. 2008, vol.31, n.3, pp. 697-703. ISSN 1415-4757. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1415-47572008000400016.
The genus Callistomys belongs to the rodent family Echimyidae, subfamily Echimyinae, and its only living representative is Callistomys pictus, a rare and vulnerable endemic species of the state of Bahia, Brazil. Callistomys has been previously classified as Nelomys, Loncheres, Isothrix and Echimys. In this paper we present the karyotype of Callistomys pictus, including CBG and GTG-banding patterns and silver staining of the nucleolus organizer regions (Ag-NORs). Comments on Callistomys pictus morphological traits and a compilation of Echimyinae chromosomal data are also included. Our analyses revealed that Callistomys can be recognized both by its distintinctive morphology and by its karyotype.
Keywords : Callistomys; karyotype; banding patterns; Echimyinae.


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Posted: 11/15/2012
Lakewood First Graders Perform "Chicken Little"
Mrs. Kayfus' first grade reading intervention class presented their play "Chicken Little". The Lakewood Elementary students made the sets, costumes, and flyers and then performed the play to cap off their study of the fairy tale genre.
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Battle to reopen Redcliffe lagoon after storm and high tides inundated cove
- From: Quest Newspapers
- February 04, 2013
A massive clean-up mission is under way at Settlement Cove Lagoon in Redcliffe, to try and have the popular swimming hole open this week.
Like many parts of the Peninsula, the lagoon copped the full fury of ex-tropical cyclone Oswald with gale force winds bringing down trees and tidal surges dumping tonnes of sand, silt and debris in the lagoon's pools.
Councillor Koliana Winchester said she was hopeful of the lagoon being opened by the middle of this week as work to remove the sand and silt from the main pool.
"The toddlers' pool has been emptied for intensive cleaning while the job of getting rid of the sand and silt sitting on the bottom of the main pool is being done by hand,'' Cr Winchester said.
Once the sand and silt has been removed, the main pool will need intensive filtration.
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Garmin's new Oregon 550 and Oregon 550t GPS for in-car or outdoors
By Mick Webb
May 19, 2009
May 19, 2009 Garmin's latest handheld GPS offering for explorers who like to hit the open road - as well as veer completely off it on foot - crams a 3-axis compass, 850MB of on-board memory and a 3.2 megapixel, 4X optical zoom digital camera into a 6.8 oz., water and weatherproof package with a 3-inch touchscreen interface.
The Oregon 550 and Oregon 550t models include geotagging functionality so you can find your way back to the same spot on future treks and the internal memory of 850MB is expandable via a microSD slot.
The Oregon 550 comes with a preloaded worldwide map with shaded relief, and should the user require even more detail, microSD cards such as MapSource for land and BlueChart for water can be utilized for more comprehensive coverage. The 500t goes one further with additional topographic maps of the entire United States featuring details like trails, rivers and points of interest all inclusive.
The 3-axis built in compass is "tilt compensated" to work even when not being held level and the 3-inch touch screen is designed to be readable even in direct sunlight. Ensuring that everyone from the weekend warrior to the serious mountaineer are catered for, five customizable profiles are available - automotive, marine, recreation, fitness or geocaching.
The systems run on two rechargeable AA NiMH batteries, with 16 hours of use from a charge. The Garmin Oregon 550 is due to retail for USD$499.99 with the 550t is set at USD$599.99. The units are expected to be available mid – July.
Mick Webb
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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Balooga Bull is back
Temperamental star finally beats Magic D' Oro after two straight losses
The "Bull" is back and he's got company in the guts and class department.
Balooga Bull showed why he's been named champion here multiple times with a gutsy three-quarter-length victory over arch-rival Magic D' Oro on Wednesday night in the $30,000 Wheat City Stakes, and Manitoba-bred Jet Again gave no quarter to blue-blood Edison in the $30,000 Harry Jeffrey Stakes.
Leading trainer Ardell Sayler, who has developed Balooga Bull into one of the best horses ever seen at Assiniboia Downs, was relieved to have his champion back on track after two straight losses to Magic D' Oro.
"He's difficult to train," said Sayler. "He worries a lot and he doesn't eat well at the track. When he's on the farm during the winter he'll eat five gallons of oats a day, but not here. I have to thank veterinarian Cindy Casper for all her help. And jockey Paul Nolan gallops him every day. Everybody helps out with him. His groom is Richard Spencer. It's a team effort."
Balooga Bull has been the beneficiary of patient management by Sayler and his owner Paul Brandt. Now a five-year-old with earnings approaching $300,000, he's raced exclusively at Assiniboia Downs, compiling a record of 13-3-1 from 18 starts including wins in Manitoba's two most prestigious races -- the Manitoba Derby and the Assiniboia Downs Gold Cup.
Balooga Bull took the lead from the start in the Wheat City but he was soon joined on the outside by Magic D' Oro, who was forced to deal with some bumping at the start. The two raced as a tandem down the backstretch and through the final turn before Balooga Bull turned on the jets and opened a 21/2-length lead into the stretch. The race should have been over at that point, but Magic D' Oro came storming back late to get within three-quarters of a length at the wire. It takes a good horse to make a good horse, and Magic D' Oro has definitely forced Balooga Bull to his limits this year.
Trained by Rob Atras for Robert Mitchell and Martin Yeroschak, Magic D' Oro is another horse that has been well managed this year. And he's definitely improved under the care of Atras, who is winning at an amazing 40 per cent clip. Magic D' Oro has won three of four starts since arriving at the Downs. And the final time for the mile in the Wheat City, 1:37.60, was the best we've seen here in years.
These two horses are very closely matched and you can expect a few more epic battles between them before the season is done.
And while we're on the subject of management, how about the job trainer Jim Meyaard has done with Manitoba-bred Jet Again, who took heavily favoured Edison to the wall and lost by only three-quarters of a length in the 1 1/16-mile Harry Jeffrey Stakes on Wednesday?
Edison, a $950,000 yearling that was purchased privately by trainer Robertino Diodoro for the ownership team of Bob Butz, Rick Running Rabbit and Fouad El Kardy after finishing third in a tough allowance race at Belmont Park, had already won twice at Canterbury and Gulfstream Park.
Edison had a fitness edge, a class edge, a pedigree edge and a purchase-price edge on Jet Again, but someone forgot to tell the homebred he was supposed to wilt at the top of the stretch in the final prep for the Manitoba Derby. Jet Again had been pummeling restricted competition sprinting and his move up into open company in the Harry Jeffrey was akin to a top high school hockey player playing his first game in the NHL. He gets the Bobby Orr Award for his performance.
Full of run throughout under jockey Chris Husbands, Jet Again took the lead in late turn with Edison breathing down his neck. The pair dueled into the stretch and drew away from the field, with Jet Again finally giving grudgingly to his rival from the sixteenth pole.
It was an exceptional performance, which should set Jet Again up perfectly for the $75,000 Manitoba Derby on Monday, August 4.
It was also a solid first-time dirt prep for Edison, who is owned by Albertans and said to be bypassing the Manitoba Derby to run instead in the $200,000 Canadian Derby in Edmonton.
If Edison goes to Edmonton, barring any stunning shippers, Jet Again and his local owners Barry Arnason, Cam Ziprick and Charles Fouillard, will be the favourite for the Manitoba Derby.
"I just hope I can get the tank filled up again in the next 19 days," said Meyaard, whose additional post-race comments echoed those of Sayler, Atras and Diodoro. All had high praise and respect for their competition. Like their horses.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 18, 2014 C5
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Results 1 to 16 of 16
- 01-15-13, 10:12 PM Thread Author #1
Well I am underwhelmed...
Today went to the office and was handed a new Iphone 4S to replace the standard issue 3GS. This is after our IT evaluated Androids and Apple products. All I can say it's the same phone but a little faster. Siri? Meh...
Our IT refused to even consider BB. I was telling our Director of IT all the great new features of BB10 coming out. Perked up his ear and said he would look at it when the contract was up.
I also asked why not Iphone 5 and he said that after testing they were too buggy. He also talked to the carrier and they are not pushing it anymore. They had to take back 50 from another company and replace them with 4S. Not getting good feed back from the corporate world. The carrier is telling them to wait for Iphone 6 which will fix these problems.
My guess? Apples will become what was Blackberry this past year. They will need to re-invent themselves. -
Well I am underwhelmed...
I bet that was a excuse just to get the old stock of the 4s off the shelf. Most bugs that are relevant in the 5 are subject to any phone running ios6. From the 3GS to the 5.
Sent from my game boy colortwitter: @eve6er69_chris - 01-16-13, 05:43 AM Thread Author #3
Apparantly not. Our IT had multiple units they handed out to test for several weeks. Mysterious crashes and other issues. Did not ask for many details.
Saw a report in passing in the Dallas Morning News that Apple had cut their orders for parts in half recently, and their stock had taken a substantial hit, also. That's a big back-off from recent history. And with their recent announcement that their 'next big thing' is color, methinks there are some unpleasant days ahead for them.
If it needs fixing, report it!BlackBerry 8330, 9630, 9670, MB855 Photon, SPH-L710 Galaxy SIII. SPH-L720T* Galaxy S4If you can't make it better with bacon, try again! - 01-16-13, 07:57 AM #5
I can not understand why anyone would want an iPhone? I have never seen a phone with so many bugs and issues one doesn't know where to begin. For me its the dropped calls which happens so often you would think people would stop using them with the iPhone4 being the worst and iPhone5 being the best of worst for dropped calls. My SIL drops calls 70% of the time easily with her iPhone4 or 4s
Where my Dad works they just switched from the iphone 4 to iphone5. Meh
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01-16-13, 08:39 AM #7Had similar conversation with my IT/telemanagement groups. (10,000+ employee company)
Personal - AT&T Lumia 920 WP 8.1
Work -VZW iPhone 5 - iOS 8.1
Playbook - 32G
Nexus 7
I'm surprised you're underwhelmed going from 3GS to 4S. It's a lot faster and the screen is a heck of a lot better...I've always thought the jump from the 3gs to the 4 was a big one in terms of product quality, so 3gs to 4s is not something to be underwhelmed by...
Last edited by gtpointer; 01-17-13 at 05:40 PM.
I think the problems come from the iphones not being able to run apps fully in the background for a long time, they first only have a few functions active and then they get shut down.
Some corporations have need their own apps to keep running in the background all day. Even older BBs can do this better. - 01-16-13, 09:14 AM #10
Used iPhones from the first version to the 4S...never had any of those issues.
Since the iPhones have steadily had the highest (by far) customer satisfaction ratio in every single study done since 2008, i'll have to assume you're making this up.
For what it's worth, i'm extremely skeptical about the OP's claims too. - 01-16-13, 12:27 PM #11
Sorry but this is completely false. I've had an iPhone 4 for almost 2 years and have had it crash twice and the only time calls drop is when my signal craps out. I never have to reboot and can have as many programs running in the background as I want w/out any issues. I'm most likely switching to the BB10 QWERTY next month with my upgrade but it's simply for the keyboard and the fact that App's aren't a huge issue for me since I mainly text, email and browse the internet on my phone which BB10 will be great at.
A lot of people on this board who like to hate on the iPhone have never given it a chance or used one, they simply let their bias cloud judgment. It's an awesome, stable phone. - 01-16-13, 01:35 PM Thread Author #12
I personally do not like BB (outside of the Bold I once had). My wife has a small one - forgot which one. My son HTC one X. I've been with Iphone for the past 4 years so you cant really call me biased. I will not buy a BB10 since my company already pays for my phone. I do have 2 Playbooks which I really like.
However and if any Iphone user is honest with themselves Iphone multi-tasking sucks... WebOS, Androids and soon BB10 will run circle around Iphone for multi tasking. I'm on the road all the time and switching between apps is a big deal for me. To me it's a productivity issue. I want to get stuff done. Screen clarity to play Angry Bird means nothing to me.
Wether you belive my initial comment or not is entirely up to you. I just relayed something third-party. I have no reason to doubt my IT guy since this is what they do for a living and tested both Android & Iphones (4 & 5) and ended up with Iphones anyway. - 01-17-13, 12:37 AM #13
The way some of you talk, one would think double tapping on a big round button is such a big chore . Multitasking on iOS is not as elegantly handled as on WebOS or BB10, but it doesn't really 'suck'.
As far as 'productivity' is concerned, screen clarity (and size) to read my powerpoint slides on my phone is very much appreciated, thank you. It's a productivity issue
Still stuck with the 'Angry Birds' jibe? Please, remember this is 2013 - 01-17-13, 12:32 PM #14--------------------------------
The race is on for president of the "everything is awful, in every way, all the time, under every circumstance, no matter what!" crowd. Who will win in the end? - 01-17-13, 12:36 PM #15
I've had my 4S for 6 months and had the whole thing freeze maybe 3 times. Certainly way less than the 9900 before it. I've had apps crash a lot though or freeze. App Store was hanging quite a bit for a while there. Same with Facebook and Safari from time to time. Email too. Whoever made Apple's podcast app ought to be beaten senseless. :-)
I never have to reboot--------------------------------
The race is on for president of the "everything is awful, in every way, all the time, under every circumstance, no matter what!" crowd. Who will win in the end? - 01-17-13, 12:45 PM #16
Compared to the 3 the 4s is leaps and bounds a better "device".
But kudos to you OP for making a push for BB10 in your workplace! -
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