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Archive for the 'Cinema' Category
Boredom Boredom B'dum B'dum
Today is Record Shop Day. I've been frequenting mine (Alan's in East Finchley) plenty recently so I'm just making an internal nod to indy record shops and I've just played a classic record Spiral Scratch by (the) Buzzcocks (albeit not on vinyl, I'm in the wrong room) – the track I played is Boredom because I've been thinking about it a lot yesterday and today.
I'm living in this movie
But it doesn't move me
I'm the man that's waiting for the phone to ring
Hear it ring-a-ding-a-fucking-ding
You know me, I'm acting dumb
You know the scene, very humdrum
Boredom, boredom, boredom
I was just out jogging, listening to a podcast with Irish writer John Banville talking about Raymond Chandler and Philip Marlowe. Banville, under his low-brow pen-name Benjamin Black (which I don't much like – as fake as they come, a bit like Julian Barnes' Dan Kavanagh), recently wrote a Marlowe book at the request of Chandler's estate, The Black-Eyed Blonde. Marlowe stories usually start with the gumshoe sitting bored in his down-at-heel office waiting for something to happen, usually a dame walking through the door to give him a knight-errant mission.
Then late last night I was listening to a radio programme from BBC Radio 4 called The Buchan Tradition about John Buchan, marking the centenary year of The 39 Steps. Richard Hannay is bored in London at the start of that ripping yarn when lo and behold a spy dies on his living room carpet and the adventure begins.
That's also often the case with Sherlock Holmes – he's bored out of his brain, coked off his face, ennui has well and truly set in when a character shows up at 221b with a juicy mystery to solve.
One of my favourites, a resident of The Shelf of Honour, The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers, opens with the protagonist bored in the "dead and fermenting city", London in the dog-days of late summer. When the opportunity crops up to sail around the Baltic and North Sea coasts, in spitting distance of imperial Germany, with an English eccentric in an Aran jumper, it's the perfect cure not just to boredom, but also to the complacency and materialism of modern life. One of my favourite scenes is when Carruthers, the narrator, can't fit his trunk through the opening into the Dulcibella, the boat he is due to go off for a trip in and he has to dump most of his stuff (which he never really needed).
Recently I watched again one of my all-time favourite movies, Apocalypse Now, with Enfant Terrible No. 1 (a convert to The Godfather movies). Damn it's good. Great. Nearly perfect. It opens with Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) bored to near-death in a hotel room in Saigon. Waiting for a mission.
Saigon…shit. I'm only in Saigon.
Every time, I think I'm gonna wake up back in the jungle.
I'm here a week now. Waiting for a mission. Getting softer. Every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker. And every minute Charlie squats in the bush…he gets stronger. Each time I looked around…the walls moved in a little tighter.
There's boredom as debilitating ennui as in Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du Mal. But there's also boredom as a motivator, a prompt into adventure. The question is whether in real life the blonde walks through the door or the spy expires on your carpet? Does the ring-a-ding-a-fucking-ding really come?
Anita Ekberg created a moment of magic
Sad to hear about the death of actress Anita Ekberg today, all the more so as she died in poverty after having lived the dolce vita during her movie-making days. This is what she did for me…
I'm flying home with my family on a cheap flight which means picking up a connecting flight in Rome. I balls up the time because of a combination of variable time difference between place of departure, place of transit and place of arrival together with shift to British Summer Time while we were abroad. So we miss our flight back to London and it's the last flight. We end up going into the city for the night as I've never been there. My Mrs is frazzled, Enfant Terrible No. 1 is feeling under the weather, so they hit the sack. Meanwhile Enfant Terrible No. 2 and I decide to see what the Eternal City's got to offer. It's already past midnight when we head off along the Via Veneto (Fellini's hang-out). I think of the first famous site of Rome that comes to mind: the Trevi fountain. I don't even know really what it looks like. I know the name mainly from Holly Johnson's Love Train. We make our way through the warm night city navigating as best as I can manage with a crappy hotel map, passing various minor fountains along the route. Eventually we come round a corner to see the fountain that matters. There are loads of people hanging out there, all very chilled, bit of a hippy vibe. The air is pleasantly warm. We drink in the atmosphere and absorb the magic of the place at that time. A man offers to take a photo of us both on my camera (above). It's all an extended moment of magic. I've never seen La Dolce Vita at this point.
We get back to London and I rent a DVD of Fellini's masterpiece. I find the movie captivating but that scene truly magical. The design of the audio really strikes me, the not using the sync sound of the fountain. Seemingly this is because Fellini was shouting directions while they were actually shooting. Whatever the reason, it helped create one of cinema's greatest moments and Anita Ekberg was central to it. That enchantment she created somehow elevated what was already a beautiful experience in my life.
That's what Anita Ekberg did for me and I'm grateful. It's a shared experience I'll never forget – and nor will my beloved son.
You're a work of art, you're the Trevi fountain
You're a golden heart, you're the highest mountain
You bring me flowers every day of my life
You save me from the worry and the strife
Take me in your arms
Baby, baby, I'm on a winning streak
When I met you I reached my peak
Your perfect view makes me feel brand new, yeah
Well, you're just right to keep me up all night, up all night
Working all the time to make you mine, all mine, yeah
Riding the love train, stroke it up, riding the love train
Lovin' all the time to keep you feeling fine, yeah
Riding the love train, stroke it up, riding the love train
Best of 2014
20,000 Days on Earth
The Theory of Everything
Male Lead:
Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything
David Oyelowo – Selma
Nicholas Cage – Joe
Tom Hardy – Locke
Benedict Cumberbtach – The Imitation Game
Ralph Fiennes – Grand Hotel Budapest
Female Lead:
Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Male Support:
Tim Roth – Selma
Steve Carell – Foxcatcher
Ethan Hawke – Boyhood
Tom Wilkinson – Selma
Female Support:
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Sienna Miller – American Sniper
Richard Linklater – Boyhood
Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard – 20,000 Days on Earth
Christopher Nolan – Interstellar
Pawel Pawlikoski – Ida
Paul King – Paddington
Yann Demange- '71
Paul Webb – Selma
Paul King – Paddington
Wes Anderson – Grand Hotel Budapest
Anthony McCarten – The Theory of Everything
Production Design:
Grand Hotel Budapest
Visual FX:
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
(John Newman – Love Me Again)
Morning Phase – Beck
Tribute – John Newman
With The Artists – Rhythm & Sound
Liquid Spirit – Gregory Porter
(WomanChild -Cecile McLorin Salvant)
Van Morrison on launch night of Nell's Jazz & Blues Club
Michael Franti & Spearhead – Islington Assembly Hall (with D)
John Newman – Empire Shepherd's Bush
ABC – Lexicon of Love – Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Peter Gabriel – So – Wembley Arena
A Taste of Honey – Shelagh Delaney – National Theatre, Lyttleton
Fiesta – adapted & directed by Alex Helfrecht – Trafalgar Studios
Oh What a Lovely War – Joan Littlewood & the Theatre Workshop – Theatre Royal Stratford East (Joan Littlewood centenary – with D)
Fings Ain't Wot They Used to Be – Frank Norman – Theatre Royal Stratford East
Art Exhibition:
Egon Schiele drawings: The Radical Nude – Courtauld
John Craxton – Fitzwilliam, Cambridge
Richard Hamilton – Tate Modern
Abram Games: designing the 20th Century – Jewish Museum, Camden Town
MALBA – Buenos Aires
Museum der bildenden Kunste – Leipzig (with N)
Book: (that I read this year)
Rabbit at Rest – John Updike
Germany crushing Brazil at the World Cup (7-1 semi-final)
Jonny May's try for England against the All Blacks at Twickenham
Philae probe from European spacecraft Rosetta landing on a comet
Dearly departed:
Joe Cocker
Jack Bruce
Tommy Ramone
4 reasons to go see Men, Women & Children
So it's that time of the year again – my first BAFTA viewing of the season. To get things off to a strong start I went to see Jason Reitman's Men Women & Children. He was at the screening (we crossed paths at the door of the Gents in the Ham Yard Hotel in Soho – I've seen him once before a couple of years ago at a screening of Up in the Air – he's the son of Animal House producer, Ivan Reitman). Also present in the immaculate new screening room were stars Ansel Elgort (The Fault in our Stars) and Kaitlyn Dever (Bad Teacher), plus producer Helen Estabrook, all interviewed after the movie by Jason Solomons (more comfortable than incisive like that old jumper with the paint spots on it).
I was going to ask director Jason Reitman why he had decided on a female English voice-over (Emma Thompson, who sounded like she didn't really understand the American words she was being asked to say about sports and stuff) but the fella before me asked that one so I had to improvise. First I asked him why he used a voice-over narration at all (and quite a lot of it), and then I asked whether he had gone to Framestore for the space shots as a no-brainer in the wake of Gravity (it's wonderful to see a London institution in such a dominant global position).
On the way out I had a chat with Ansel Elgort about selfies and who took the photos in the movie story of his screen mum and her lover. I thought it was a Judas scenario – who is narrating when he's alone in his torment? – but Ansel reckoned the obnoxious couple took a photographer along to the wedding proposal, a "cheesy" act. I'm not entirely convinced but maybe that happens in the good ol' US of A. He has 4 million Instagram followers so what do I know?
So the reasons to go see the film are:
1. Rosemarie DeWitt – I fancy her something rotten, very distinctive nose. She looks oddly like Davina McCall (who I bought a coke a few years ago at a BAFTA nominees party in Marylebone). Probably first noticed her in Rachel Getting Married and loved her in the delightful Your Sister's Sister.
2. Carl Sagan's words – My friend Doug Miller is always going on about Carl Sagan and he's a man of taste. His taste is well proven in this movie as the voice-over of a Carl Sagan DVD provides the philosophical perspective in this story. It's the "Pale Blue Dot" speech from Cosmos which says that us humans are basically a race of jumped-up monkeys floating in the blackness on an insignificant lump of rock – and that's why we need to be kind to one another.
It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.
3. Mobile phones – it really draws your attention to how much we all use them, especially while walking around.
I took this picture a couple of weeks ago in The Wolesey – these people never came off their phones in over an hour and hardly exchanged a word. One of the few things that sticks with me from Dr Susan Greenfield's slightly odd book Tomorrow's People is the new state of mind which sees us regularly living in two places at once thanks to this technology.
4. The Internet – this is probably the first movie I've seen that has a serious stab at examining what the internet is doing to us – through blogs, porn, social media, games et al – and how we connect in all regards these days.
Dear Dear Dickie – 4 ways to remember Richard Attenborough
The Great Escape (1963)
This one (from the year I made my debut on earth) is for me his most memorable role as an actor – as Bartlett, who can forget that tragic end, machine-gunned in a field by the heartless Nazis alongside his stalwart Scottish buddy, MacDonald (played by the ever dependable Gordon Jackson)?
In Which We Serve (1942)
His fresh faced debut, already a screen presence to be reckoned with. Directed by David Lean and Noel Coward, a suitably English place to start.
Chaplin (1992)
My hero well captured by the talented young Robert Downey Jnr. under the assured direction of Dickie.
Cry Freedom (1987)
I remember this one opening my eyes to the outrages of apartheid South Africa back in my university days. Denzel Washington was powerful as Steve Biko and first came to international prominence under Dickie's direction.
Richard Attenborough was instrumental in the establishment of Channel 4 – Deputy Chairman from 1980 to 1986 as it got on its feet and Chairman from 1986 to 1992 through its golden age.
He was also a key leader in BAFTA, associated with the Academy for 30 years and President for over a decade.
I interviewed Lord David Puttnam about him recently for my book, When Sparks Fly. I was thinking of including him in the Film chapter (Choose Life) which focuses on Danny Boyle. With its central theme of the creative rewards of openness and generosity, Attenborough struck me as the cinema embodiment of British public service values. Channel 4 and BAFTA are just two of many appointments which demonstrate his prodigious energy and unfailing commitment to public service media/arts, from the brilliant Chickenshed Theatre to the Mandela Statue Fund.
Chapters and Verse (Phase 2: Weeks 12 & 13)
Took a moment to look back over the chapter titles I've fixed so far and enjoyed seeing them arranged together:
- With a Little Help from My Friend
- Take A Chance And Say You Tried
- The Rock of Change
- Give Away Everything You Know
- (Everyone you meet is) Fighting a Hard Battle
All but the first are quotes from the chapter protagonist. I was taking stock in a comfy hotel room in Toronto where I headed for a few days peace&quiet. The crappy English-type weather helped focus the mind, and together with the jetlag that had my brain pin-sharp at 2am, meant it was a productive trip. I alternated between processing Joan Littlewood-related interviews (interesting to listen back with a few months separation) and starting my next chapter, the one on Film which focuses on Danny Boyle. He represents a different kind of openness and generosity from what I've covered so far – his centres on bringing out talent in others and sharing the praise, very much leadership qualities which is the essence of being a film director.
While I was away I had the pleasure of meeting various directors at Hot Docs, the annual international documentary film festival (billed as the biggest in North America). I particularly enjoyed chatting with Charlie Lyne whose film Beyond Clueless was playing and James Motluk who is working on a really interesting Dylan-related doc.
The Future of Cinema as envisioned by Martin Scorsese
This open letter to his daughter was published in the Italian press at the turn of the year by Martin Scorsese. Coming from someone so steeped in the cinematic tradition it is particularly striking, not least in the way it perceives hope in digital technology. To drive home this Janus-like ability to appreciate past and future with equanimity, yesterday Scorsese unveiled a blue plaque for Powell & Pressburger on Dorset House in London with Michael Powell's widow and his own editor, Thelma Schoonmaker. I had a memorable encounter with Michael Powell in 1985 when I set up the Cambridge University Film Society – he had been brought back into prominence then by Scorsese and other champions like Ian Christie.
Dearest Francesca,
I'm writing this letter to you about the future. I'm looking at it through the lens of my world. Through the lens of cinema, which has been at the center of that world.
For the last few years, I've realized that the idea of cinema that I grew up with, that's there in the movies I've been showing you since you were a child, and that was thriving when I started making pictures, is coming to a close. I'm not referring to the films that have already been made. I'm referring to the ones that are to come.
I don't mean to be despairing. I'm not writing these words in a spirit of defeat. On the contrary, I think the future is bright.
We always knew that the movies were a business, and that the art of cinema was made possible because it aligned with business conditions. None of us who started in the 60s and 70s had any illusions on that front. We knew that we would have to work hard to protect what we loved. We also knew that we might have to go through some rough periods. And I suppose we realized, on some level, that we might face a time when every inconvenient or unpredictable element in the moviemaking process would be minimized, maybe even eliminated. The most unpredictable element of all? Cinema. And the people who make it.
I don't want to repeat what has been said and written by so many others before me, about all the changes in the business, and I'm heartened by the exceptions to the overall trend in moviemaking – Wes Anderson, Richard Linklater, David Fincher, Alexander Payne, the Coen Brothers, James Gray and Paul Thomas Anderson are all managing to get pictures made, and Paul not only got The Master made in 70mm, he even got it shown that way in a few cities. Anyone who cares about cinema should be thankful.
And I'm also moved by the artists who are continuing to get their pictures made all over the world, in France, in South Korea, in England, in Japan, in Africa. It's getting harder all the time, but they're getting the films done.
But I don't think I'm being pessimistic when I say that the art of cinema and the movie business are now at a crossroads. Audio-visual entertainment and what we know as cinema – moving pictures conceived by individuals – appear to be headed in different directions. In the future, you'll probably see less and less of what we recognize as cinema on multiplex screens and more and more of it in smaller theaters, online, and, I suppose, in spaces and circumstances that I can't predict.
So why is the future so bright? Because for the very first time in the history of the art form, movies really can be made for very little money. This was unheard of when I was growing up, and extremely low budget movies have always been the exception rather than the rule. Now, it's the reverse. You can get beautiful images with affordable cameras. You can record sound. You can edit and mix and color-correct at home. This has all come to pass.
But with all the attention paid to the machinery of making movies and to the advances in technology that have led to this revolution in moviemaking, there is one important thing to remember: the tools don't make the movie, you make the movie. It's freeing to pick up a camera and start shooting and then put it together with Final Cut Pro. Making a movie – the one you need to make – is something else. There are no shortcuts.
If John Cassavetes, my friend and mentor, were alive today, he would certainly be using all the equipment that's available. But he would be saying the same things he always said – you have to be absolutely dedicated to the work, you have to give everything of yourself, and you have to protect the spark of connection that drove you to make the picture in the first place. You have to protect it with your life. In the past, because making movies was so expensive, we had to protect against exhaustion and compromise. In the future, you'll have to steel yourself against something else: the temptation to go with the flow, and allow the movie to drift and float away.
This isn't just a matter of cinema. There are no shortcuts to anything. I'm not saying that everything has to be difficult. I'm saying that the voice that sparks you is your voice – that's the inner light, as the Quakers put it.
That's you. That's the truth.
All my love,
{Scorsese's letter reproduced courtesy of L'Espresso}
Who hustles the hustlers?
This time last night I was putting the plan into action. On leaving work I faced up to the hassles and bustle of the tube strike and managed to get myself into the West End. I walked up from Embankment to Forbidden Planet in St Giles's and picked up a copy of a Dark Knight comic (along with my current fave, Sledgehammer 44). Phase 1 complete.
From there I headed across Soho to the Soho Hotel off Dean Street. I dropped down into the screening room (where I was last for the classic in-the-making, The Wolf of Wall St, with Enfant Terrible No.1) to watch, for the second time, American Hustle. I wasn't too taken with it on my first viewing on DVD – it felt a bit superficial and cold in the shadow of Silver Linings Playbook which was my top film of last year.
But it played much better for me on a huge screen – and all the better as Christian Bale, director/co-writer David O Russell and producer Charles Roven showed up in the modest-sized screening room and gave articulate insights into how the film works.
DOR placed the emphasis firmly on exploring "What's worth living for" / "what people live for". He also talked in terms of wanting to "find a way of loving [Irving Rosenfeld]" (the protagonist, based on a real person called Len Something). He picked up on his authenticity/sincerity and joie de vivre. And from there looking at how various pairs, from Irving and Sydney (Amy Adams) to Irving and the mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner), loved one another. So it was closer to Playbook than I had realised.
I asked one of the first questions – to Christian Bale. His Londonish accent (belying his Welsh roots) knocked my socks off. It must have already done the job on him as he was without socks and laces, reflecting a modest openness. He had mentioned that DOR's way of directing gave him space and comfort to "try crazy stuff" as he played the scenes. Also David's way of wielding a fluent and unpredictable camera meant the acting was whole body and exposed. So I asked, given this, 'What crazy stuff did you try?', probing for concrete examples. CB gave a long explanation, attentively directed at me in the second row, which made it clear that each take was deliberately different, a certain amount of improvisation or harking back to older versions of the script took place, and we ended up focused on the scene outside the Plaza Hotel in New York where Irving tries to lure Carmine back in. It was a very full and thoughtful answer (see beard-stroking below).
After the Q&A the distributor invited us into an adjacent rather red bar for drinks. I chatted with the MC, Edith Bowman, as I lay in wait. Then as Christian Bale entered I was obliged to ambush to see through the plan. I whipped out the Dark Knight comic, another Batman comic Enfant Terrible No.2 had given me (one of his most treasured) and a good black pen. Christian was very Christian about it as I explained it was my delivering on the request of a 14 year old, apple of my eye. Phase 2 complete.
We had a good chat about how the film played better for me second time/how you sometimes need to be in a receptive state (his observation); his accent and its origins; and finally about the nature of the autograph requester: Enfant Terrible No.2 said to me as we were planning and I was walking along Old Compton St on the phone to him that if I could only get one signed, Aurel's (the first one, a birthday present for his best friend) was the important one. Now that's what's worth living for. Mission accomplished.
I told you not to put metal in the science oven, what did you do that for?
The Commonplace Book – Inspiration and Perspiration
Simple Pleasures part 4 was inspired partly by an Ian Dury song (via my first blog Simple Pleasures) and partly by an article from the pen of the poet Andrew Motion. In that line of heritage, I was reading Steven Johnson's book Where Good Ideas Come From and was much taken with his thoughts on the 'commonplace book', the practice of keeping a scrapbook of quotes and thoughts which he traces from John Locke in the late 17th century through to Erasmus Darwin (grandfather of Charles), ultimately linking it to Tim Berners-Lee's inspiration for the World Wide Web. I've kept these kinds of notebooks and notes for any years but being reminded of their value in creative thinking, the repository for the 'slow hunch' and the petri dish in which disparate but related thoughts grow together, makes me feel encouraged to write here more often and in smaller bursts. Here's one I wrote a couple of days ago after reading about the Commonplace Book and then chatting to an old friend of mine from the Universite de Savoie, year of 83…
4/8/13 Mangskog, Sweden: Sitting on the deck outside Bjorksuset (whispering of the birches), my friend Hanna's house, this afternoon overlooking Mangen lake I was thinking a bit about Swedish neutrality in the War before Hanna told me a story from a documentary she made recently for NRK, the Norwegian state broadcaster. It was about so-called 'war children' in Norway (the off-spring of Norwegian women and German soldiers) and the on-going impact of the Second World War on Norwegians. Hanna filmed a woman who recently discovered her father was in fact a German bureaucrat of the Occupation, not the Norwegian man whom she had called daddy all her life, father of what had been her two brothers up to the point of this discovery in her advancing years. When she told her mother she had acted on some bothersome doubts from her childhood and uncovered her true parentage through a specialist agency her mother went nuts with her, majorly upset by having her secret unburied. And the brothers went crazy too, especially the older one who runs a big well-known Oslo-based shopping mall (he threatened to sue). In revealing her discovery the family imploded and she lost mother, (half-)siblings and extended family at a stroke. Although she acquired some half-brothers in Germany in the process. So seventy years after the occupation of Norway the dark forces still swirl, much as in France, like molten lava beneath the crust busting out when cracks appear.
6/3/13 I'm sitting on that same deck behind Bjorksuset, listening to the wind in the canopies of the silver birches. My grandparents had silver birches which fascinated me as a child in their inappropriately named street Cyprus Avenue. Their shiny trunks punctuated the way to the red postbox twenty yards down from their house, which at the age I am recalling seemed a major journey to be let loose on alone. The sound of the rustling leaves is a constant in this beautiful place in the West of Sweden. I think 'suset' in Swedish must be related to 'susurration' in English. The whispering sea-like sound made me think of the soundtrack of Antonioni's Blow-Up – the mysterious breeze in the trees of the South London park where the 'corpse' lies worked its magic on me big time. And my train of thought then headed off down the line of the sound of wind in films and pulled in to these three stops:
Blow-Up (1966): the wind in the trees makes the park where the photographer (David Hemmings) accidentally photographs a dead body weird&wonderful – I always meant to visit that location, I'll have to rewatch the movie then make the trip this autumn
Ryan's Daughter (1970): The eponymous Irish colleen and the English captain make illicit love among the bluebells in the West of Ireland and what David Lean shows us is the strong breeze shaking the treetops above them
Black Narcissus (1947): Michael Powell set nerves on edge in this English Romantic Technicolor tale by having the Himalayan wind blow constantly through the mountain-top convent in which a nun gradually succumbs to an irreligious magic
In all three (the last one in too sparse a landscape for leaves to accompany moving air) the whispering of the wind brings the magical and mystical to the scene.
At the nadir of my teenage years, when I retired to a room with David Bowie and Jane Austen to see me through, just like Renton prepares the room for going cold turkey in Trainspotting, Wild is the Wind struck me as a uniquely Romantic song a bit apart from his others, with a touch of epic, majestic magic.
The song was actually written for a film of the same name made in 1957 and recorded by Johnny Mathis. Bowie was inspired to cover it by Nina Simone's version. It is to be found on his 1976 LP Station to Station which neatly brings this thought-train to its terminus.
Like the leaf clings to the tree
Oh, my darling, cling to me
For we're like creatures of the wind
Wild is the wind, wild is the wind


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Can Pablo Sandoval eat that entire sundae ? Where does Bruce Bochy find hats that fit? What wacky antics will ensue when Brian Wilson becomes roommates with The Machine ?
We can only hope these are among the questions that are answered in the yet-untitled new reality show about the Giants slated for Showtime. The show, which is already in production, promises to "give viewers a front row seat into the lives of the players, coaches and team personnel as they begin the arduous task of defending their World Series title through the 2011 MLB season," according to a press release.
Showtime is looking to premiere the show around the start of the regular season, with regular episodes in the second half of the season.
"I'm confident that this group of personalities will make for a provocative and groundbreaking television series that will appeal beyond the hardcore baseball fan to all viewers who appreciate great drama," said Showtime exec David Nevins.
It should be worth tuning in for the Wilson segments alone.
UPDATE: MLB jumped the gun a bit by announcing the series on Friday, according to Matt Cain, the Giants' union representative.
"Honestly, they announced it early," Cain told the San Francisco Chronicle. "They weren't supposed to do that and we aren't very happy about it. We're trying to figure out all the small details."
Cain did say he and the rest of the players are supportive of the series, which "will be great publicity for the team and the guys on the team,"
-- David Andriesen
For more baseball news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsmlb on Twitter or subscribe to the RSS feed.

subset: commoncrawl


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Kariba Things to Do
Matusadona National Park
During our time on the houseboat we anchored a few times at different spots around the Matusadona National Park which lies on the shore of the Lake.To be honest we never saw amazing game whilst in this park but we had a delightful morning walk and saw some Buffaloe.The walks we took in the national park were relaxing, at times it felt really eerie...more
Sunset Over the Lake
I loved sitting out on the deck of our houseboat with a beer in hand and watching the incredible sunset................always so calm...........always so beautiful.more
Elephants at Camp!!
Kariba is a haven for wildlife, just look at the pic of this hungry elephant that came into our camp!The thing that I love about this pic is if you have never seen an elephant in real life before. you have no idea how big they really are - this pic puts them into perspective!We were about to head down to the lake and take a launch across to our...more
Animal viewing.
There is a fair amount of game to be seen on the shores of Lake Kariba. I saw elephants, hippos, crocodiles, impala, baboons, kudu, zebra...and a few more that I might be forgetting. The best way to view them is to drive around on a power boat and just keep your eyes peeled for signs of life.more
Heeeere fishy, fishy, fishy.
There are fish to catch on the lake. Bream are pretty easy to catch, but if you want something more challenging, go for the Tiger fish. They are a game fish and are much more exciting to catch...if you can. If you get a hit, they will immediately swim away as fast as they can, and then swim right back at you before jumping out of the water and...more
Kariba Nightlife
Party with the crocs and hippos.
If you have a power boat, something fun to do at night is to search for crocodiles and hippos. Take your highpowered flashlight along and shine it along the shoreline. If you see a red dot, you found a croc.
Kariba Warnings and Dangers
Wicked water.
It isn't a good idea to swim close to the shorelines. Crocodiles do inhabit the area and there are some huge ones around that wouldn't think twice about making a meal of you. I was told that the middle of the lake was safe to swim in, but you definitely don't want to be too close to a 16 foot man-eater.more
Hungry, hungry hippos.
There are a lot of hippos in the waters of Lake Kariba. In case you didn't know, hippos are the deadliest animal in Africa (after the mosquito) and are not to be messed with. If you see a group of hippos, it is in your interest to stay away. If you happen to suddenly be in the midst of them, you will know it because they will become extremely...more
Eek-er! A Squeaker!
If you are fishing on the lake and catch a pink/orangish hued catfish that "squeaks" when it's above water, be careful of it. On it's fins there are spikes that supposedly can pierce through anything. If you get pricked by one, it will be irritated for months - almost like having an itch you can't scratch below the surface of your skin.more
Kariba Favorites
Hmmm. Don't see no skeeters.
For some reason there are not a lot of mosquitos around. A lot of people told me that, and I wasn't quite sure how true it would be, but I might have only seen 2 or 3 mosquitos the entire time I was there. Maybe it was because I was there in the winter, maybe not. Either way it made for a nice bonus in being there.more
Game watching at Lake Kariba
Lake Kariba is worth visiting. You should make a 2 or 3 days cruise on a houseboat.You see the ghostly skeletal trees etched in the water and at the background the Matusadona Hills.Further more there is a very varied wildlife.more
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Oran Mor731 Great Western Road Top Of Byres Road Glasgow G12 8 Qx
Glasgow, UK
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Security Council embarks on Sudan peace mission
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) - A U.N. Security Council delegation has arrived in the Ugandan capital, headed to Sudan this week to prevent any obstruction of a January referendum that is expected to split Africa's largest nation in two but could reignite a civil war.
The delegation of Security Council diplomats touched down in Uganda late Tuesday, accompanied by journalists on their flight.
On Wednesday, they will meet in Entebbe with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, whose nation holds the presidency of the 15-nation council this month, and tour the major air base servicing U.N. peacekeeping missions in neighboring Congo and Sudan.
The U.N. delegation will visit Sudan's western Darfur region, southern Sudan and the capital Khartoum. They plan to skip any contact with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has been charged by the International Criminal Court with war crimes and genocide.
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The indefinite grounding of Boeing's 787 jetliners is proving to be more than an inconvenience for airlines and passengers.
Analysts say the cost of keeping the planes parked could total hundreds of millions of dollars.
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(Dan Rosenstrauch/Bay Area News Group)
Five delicious noshes for that picnic basket
Ready to dine al fresco? Picnic cocktails, addictive fried chicken and tasty salads add up to a quintet of delicious treats for your outdoor feast.
(Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images)
Did Tiger Woods cheat with Amanda Dufner?
Lindsey Vonn reportedly caught golfer with his competitor's ex-wife, which is likely why they aren't dating anymore.


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Posts filtered on Category
Astros face former Astro Beltran, faltering Giants
For the second consecutive go-round, the Astros won't catch two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. [Read More]
Rockies 7, Astros 6 (10 innings): Wandy Rodriguez is staying; Aneury Rodriguez wild-pitches home winning run
Wandy Rodriguez is staying with the Astros. Aneury Rodriguez wild-pitched home the winning run in a 7-6, 10-inning defeat against the Rockies. [Read More]
Astros place Escalona on DL, recall Abreu
DENVER – The Astros placed lefthander Sergio Escalona on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday and recalled righthander Juan Abreu from Class AAA Oklahoma City. [Read More]
Rockies 8, Astros 6: Two-run homer off Fernando Rodriguez in seventh inning is the difference
Home runs by Carlos Lee and Jimmy Paredes and some creative bullpen manipulation by manager Brad Mills weren't enough for the Astros to avoid an 8-6 defeat before a crowd of 31,179. Astros reliever Wesley Wright became the first pitcher in franchise history to pitch and play another position in the same game. [Read More]
Happ set to rejoin Astros rotation
Lefthander J.A. Happ will be Jordan Lyles' replacement in the Astros starting rotation. [Read More]
Astros' direction could be revealed by dealings with Wandy
The Astros conducted routine business when they put Wandy Rodriguez — and for that matter, Brett Myers and Clint Barmes — on waivers late last week. [Read More]
Minor league notebook: Lancaster's Cisnero dominates or labors
There is perhaps no pitching prospect in the Astros organization as intriguing, through good and through bad, than Jose Cisnero. [Read More]
Astros notes: Schafer starts in center, hits leadoff
Astros manager Brad Mills said before Monday's game that he was eager to see what center fielder Jordan Schafer can do. [Read More]
Rockies 9, Astros 5: Even 15 hits weren't enough to stave off defeat
The Rockies stripped Brett Myers of his cloak of invincibility in a 9-5 victory against the Astros on Monday night at Coors Field. [Read More]
When free agents come calling, Astros should just say "wait 'til next year"
Our 2012 draft picks will be protected, I believe, so this is a good offseason for free-agent signings. — BBFanlady. I'm most worried about which free agents the Astros will go after. — Devin. • •• ••• •• • For some reason, the talk on yesterday's blog comments turned to free agents. Some like BBfanlady […] [Read More]
Coming soon to Minute Maid? How about 2016?
September 1, 2016 will have a solar eclipse and maybe the arrival of new players wearing stars. [Read More]
Talking points: Will conducting routine business turn into something well out of the routine?
The Astros conducted routine business when they put Wandy Rodriguez on waivers late last week. If what comes out that is beyond the routine, then we'll learn a lot about what life under a new ownership regime will really look like. [Read More]
Youthful Astros begin three-game series with 'disappointing' Rockies
Among the most disappointing teams in baseball, the Rockies are staring way up at the flawed Diamondbacks and Giants and have to be kicking themselves over not coming closer in an extremely winnable division. [Read More]
Giants 6, Astros 4 (11 innings): On day of missed chances, champs cash in
The Astros fought off the Giants' chances in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings before blowing a chance of their own in the bottom of the ninth and ultimately losing 6-4 in 11 on a two-run home run by Pablo Sandoval. [Read More]
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North America
North America
Recent Activity
Muzaffar Chishti, Claire Bergeron, and Faye Hipsman report on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to decide the constitutionality of Arizona's SB 1070, passage in the House of the Fairness for High Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011, DOJ lawsuits in Utah and South Carolina, and more.
More than 1 million people became legal permanent residents (LPRs) in the United States in 2010. Nearly two-thirds of new LPRs are immigrants with family ties in the United States, report MPI's Carola Balbuena and Jeanne Batalova in this updated look at the latest statistics on legal immigration.
The debate season is well underway for the Republican presidential primary races in the United States, and immigration has once again emerged as a highly contentious policy issue.
Immigration flows this year continued to respond sharply to the economic climate in major immigrant-receiving nations, as many struggled to gain a labor market foothold in the aftermath of the global economic meltdown.
Migration to and through Mexico has been a critical policy issue for the Mexican government since the 1980s, as large numbers of Central Americans have flowed in through the country's porous southern border, first in flight during times of civil war and humanitarian crises and later in pursuit of greater economic opportunity in the United States.
Recent Activity
In this webinar, experts discuss barriers immigrant and LEP individuals face in accessing the WIA system, how a revitalized WIA could address these barriers, and the extent to which the current Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee's WIA reauthorization proposal addresses these barriers.
The impact of climate change as a driver of human migration is expected by many to dwarf all others. Still, certain frequently repeated forecasts of the number of people who stand to be displaced by climate change are not informed by a complete understanding of migration dynamics, as this report explains.
This edited volume rigorously assesses the 1996 U.S. welfare reform law, questions whether its immigrant provisions were ever really necessary, and examines its impact on legal immigrants' ability to integrate into American society.
With the ten year anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks approaching, the Migration Policy Institute held a conference call to discuss the most significant changes that have occurred in the immigration arena in the decade since the attacks.
In this video, Michael Fix and Margie McHugh examine key indicators of ELL students' performance on standardized tests, among other topics.
In this video, Michael Fix and Margie McHugh discuss the distribution of English Language Learners across the country, their growth in enrollment, and more.
This interactive language access webinar, one in a series offered by the Migration Policy Institute's National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, examines how New York and Illinois have broken down some of these barriers to proactively engage LEP communities to obtain workforce services.
This fact sheet details the policy, programmatic, budget, and manpower changes that have happened in the immigration arena as an outgrowth of the 9/11 attacks.


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Seagate Technology Plc , the world's largest maker of computer disk drives, reported second-quarter profit that missed analysts' estimates as customers shunned machines based on its kind of memory, favoring rival technology.
Seagate Technology, the world's largest maker of hard disk drives, is based in Scotts Valley, California. Yet the documents it files with the Securities and Exchange Commission list its address on South Church Street in George Town, the capital of the Cayman Islands, David Evans of Bloomberg News reports.
With many investors nervous as March hares, this is a good time to look at stocks with high profits and low debt.
Seagate Technology Plc Chief Executive Officer Steve Luczo said offers from potential acquirers of his company were shy some of the at least $3.5 billion in equity needed to make a deal worthwhile.
Seagate Technology Plc, the world's largest maker of computer disk drives, gained in late trading after saying it would pay a quarterly dividend of 18 cents and reporting quarterly sales that topped analysts' predictions.
Since 2009, Anita Reyes' wages have been as frozen as Lake Minnetonka in January.
KKR & Co. may drop out of a group of investors in talks to buy Seagate Technology Plc , the world's largest maker of disk drives, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. Seagate shares dropped 8.4 percent.
PG&E Corp., Cisco Systems Inc. and General Electric Co. are all betting that energy-monitoring devices will catch on in homes. Convincing consumers that they're a good thing is turning out to be a tough sell.


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Local Arts Agencies
Local Arts Agencies work to foster and support the arts in their communities. Some have formalized this status with a Designated Local Arts Agency Agreement with their municipality. See a list of local arts agencies in Utah.
Change Leader Program
Change Leaders make up an active network of graduates from a three-day intensive professional development course. Participants receive instruction on assessing environments as well as the communication and facilitation skills necessary to implement change. Change Leaders share a commitment to creative community-building and lead quick turnaround projects called Random Acts of Art.
Utah Arts & Museums offers several grants for nonprofits, artists, schools, local arts agencies, and educators with funding from the Utah State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. Grant funding is competitive and panel reviewed.
Arts & Humanities Month
Celebrate Arts & Humanities Month this October!
Special $500 quick grants are available to organizations who wish to incorporate a humanities aspect with their arts event during the month of October 2015. These grants are administered by Utah Humanities, in partnership with the Division of Arts & Museums. For more information on this grant, visit Utah Humanities.


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Stores »
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We are a community of shoppers sharing our best finds from across the web.
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1968 Pontiac Firebird1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Ram Air III yellow with black vinyl top & interior original vinyl top & interior in excellent condition... More
1968 Pontiac GTO, Numbers Matching 4 Speed ~ 1968 Motor Trend Car of the Year - the Pontiac "GTO". The inertial force that started the supercar... More
Award Winner 1992 Pontiac Nationals 2nd place 2014 Murrieta Car Show top 40. This car is immaculate. The milege is 55,680 with past history of... More
1964 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE CONVERTIBLE, NOCTURNE BLUE WITH WHITE BUCKET INTERIOR Rare 389 4 speed and 8 lug wheels are just some of the options Bumpers have... More
GTO Pontiac, 1967 Convertible, Marina Turquoise, Black interior, Black top, Complete body-off restoration, 2nd in class La Jolla Concours 2015, Numbers Matching, very quick... More
Mostly original 1961 Pontiac Bonneville, Convertible with original tri-power motor, 4 speed transmission and rear end. Power Steering and Power Breaks. Radio and Heater. Dealer installed... More
1969 PONTIAC GTO: • Complete restoration • True 24237 Car • Baltimore built • Built 9/19/1968 • PHS Verified • 20 miles on restoration CURRENT SPECS: • 1968... More
Pontiac, 1969 GTO Convertible, numbers matching, 400 4sp, factory A/C, Blue top, hideaways, factory tach and gauges, wood wheel, console, cornering lights, PDB, Chrome... More
Beautiful, Fresh Rotisserie Restored GTO Judge with Rare Factory Air-Conditioning! 100% Original Sheet Metal, and Full Numbers Matching example. 400ci 366hp Ram Air III... More
Real, Stunning 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge. PHS documented. Original, numbers matching ram air III with matching numbers 4 speed and rear. Complete nut and... More
It's a great life, Catlina-Style. The Catalina 2 + 2 from Pontiac for 1966 "The wonderful Wide-Track way to go form place to place." Now in its... More
The legend that started it all, the first muscle car. This 1964 Pontiac GTO has the 389 matching numbers engine, the real deal. PHS documented this... More
Born with Factory 389ci Tri-Power engine Factory Hurst M-20 4speed transmission Beautiful Ember Red paint, white power top, white interior & white boot New Power Top and... More
This an original HO motor vehicle restored to an all original condition. Original HO motor, carb, distributor etc., his/hers shifter TH400, rear-end. Only alteration is... More
1969 Pontiac Acadian SS, (same body style as a Nova), extremely rare, matching #s L48 350//300 HP. M38 3 speed automatic transmission. Acadians were built in Willow... More


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VIEWS: 52 PAGES: 34 CATEGORY: Science POSTED ON: 5/1/2010 Public Domain
bus-pretrip-test pdf
MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL BUS DRIVER SAFETY COMPETITION SCHOOL BUS DRIVER SAFETY COMPETITION To Qualify for the National School Transportation Association's School Bus Driver International Safety Competition CALL 1-800-368-0440 FOR ENTRY FORMS AND ADDITIONAL INFO. SPONSORED BY THE SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION OF MASSACHUSETTS REGULATIONS Contestants are to report to the designated area by 9:00 a.m. for the written evaluation. A judge will be at the entrance to the written exam room and will evaluate each contestants appearance according to the guidelines written in this manual. Those deemed inappropriate will not be allowed to compete. Late arrival could disqualified a contestant. Contestants are to report by 10:00 a.m. to the cafeteria for instructions. Contestants should please note that as was the case for the past two years, there will be no "walk through," or explanatory tour of the course by event officials. Contestants should become aware of the details and procedures of each event by studying this manual. Due to the need to wrap up the event and remove the equipment, we are unable to allow observers the opportunity to drive the course after the event. 2. Contestants will be divided into two groups by numbers. Those who will perform the pre-trip inspection first will report to the lead judge in the cafeteria and will be required to remain in the fenced pre-trip area thereafter. Upon completion of the pre-trip, those contestants may return to the cafeteria to a designated area and wait for the remainder of their group to complete the event. Those contestants who will drive first, will report to the designated waiting area outside the building and remain there until their number is called for driving. When both groups have completed their portion of the events, the two will swap places. More detail is provided in the actual description of the events. 3. Any driver who knowingly accepts signals from spectators may be automatically disqualified. All spectators will be required to stay a minimum of 20 feet from any of the contest areas. 4. In all events, the bus doors must be kept closed unless rules and regulations of the competition event require they be opened. It shall be assumed that the driver has pupil passengers on board from the start of the contest, and he or she must conduct him or herself accordingly. Five demerits will be charged for any bus door being opened during the operation of the vehicle. 5. Each competition contestant will be required to maintain proper driving position at all times except when the competition Rules and Regulations require the contestant to leave the seat of the vehicle. Proper driving position is being firmly in the seat with feet firmly planted on the floor or on the controls. The contestant will not be permitted to put his head out the bus window. Seat belts must be worn and snugly fastened (except, if the shoulder strap does not fit properly it may be placed behind the contestant, but the lap belt must be used) during the competition. There will be a complete disqualification in the event any infraction concerning the above occurs. 6. The requirements for PERSONAL APPEARANCE are as follows: Contestants will be judged "only" on personal appearance. THERE WILL NO LONGER BE AN INTERVIEW! Contestants appearance will be based on neatness, cleanliness and appropriate dress. A driver may be disqualified for dress that is not acceptable (i.e. torn jeans, dirty or ripped clothing, in need of a shave, too-short shorts, T-shirts with inappropriate statements on them). Remember, on May 16, 1999, you will not only -2- REGULATIONS (Continued) represent yourself{ but also your company, and the school bus industry. 7. An extra bus identical to those being used for Pre-Trip Inspection will be available prior the start of the competition for contestants to become familiar with controls, lights, etc. In addition, once the events begin, while six contestants are performing the pre-trip event, the next six will be accompanied by a Judge to the extra bus and allowed to ask questions about controls and again become familiar with that style of bus. Once at the actual pre- trip buses, no time will be provided for familiarization, the actual event will begin immediately. 8. The time limit for completion of the bus inspection test is SIX (6) MINUTES. Do not start the engine for air or vacuum test, as contestants may inform the Judge verbally as to these inspection procedures. Contestants will, however be required to activate all lights or other electrical accessories. Under the hood is off-limits 9. A bus identical to those used for the driving events will be stationed near the start line. At any time, contestants may board the bus and become familiar with controls, switches, etc. When called to drive, the contestant will be allowed to have mirrors and seat adjusted and be ready to drive. Mirrors can only be adjusted to provide the driver vision that would be normally required for safely operating the vehicle and getting maximum field of vision. No mirror adjustments will be made to see the ground only. 10. To assist the Judges, at any event that requires definite use of the mirrors as part of the event, i.e., the STUDENT LOADING, the contestant MUST use his right hand and physically point to each mirror as he completes the "mirror check". Failure to do so will be deemed by the judges as a failure to perform a mirror check. 11. If a driver may feel the need to bring a pillow or back support to aid in the seat adjustment, they may do so. 12. The score sheets and event set ups are enclosed to aid all drivers in preparation for the competition. 13. Lunch Program: The lunch program this year will be the same as past years. Due to the projected time constraints, the Competition Committee has decided to continue the Competition through the lunch hours. Lunch will be available from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. During this time lunches will be distributed to the judges. If the judges choose to take a half hour for lunch, they may do so. They may also decide to just "eat on the job." The contestants MUST check with the judges before they go off for lunch. The contestants for Vehicle Inspection will check with the Pre-Trip Lead Judge and the contestants for the Driving Portion will check with the starters. It is the CONTESTANTS responsibility to ensure that they are in the designated area at all times. Contestants could jeopardize their turn if they are unavailable when called. PLEASE WATCH FOR YOUR TURN!! -3- AWARDS Each contestant Will receive a certificate of participation suitable for framing. First, Second, Third-Place, and Rookie of the Year Trophies will be awarded. Cash awards of $200, $100, and $50 will also be presented to the top three winners. First- place winner receives an expense paid trip to the NSTA's School Bus Driver International Safety Competition . COMPETITION EVENTS Each of the following sections includes the title of the event, the purpose of the event, a description of the course, special instructions, and the scoring and judging procedures. The better the contestants understand this information, the more successful they will be. The events will not necessarily occur in the same sequence as they appear here. Written Examination: Total Possible Score: 100 Points PURPOSE OF TEST: There are many laws, rules, and regulations with which a school bus driver must become thoroughly familiar. These have been established as a result of years of study and experience. Contestants are encouraged to study these regulations. Any questions referring to traffic laws will comply with the National Uniform Vehicle Code or DOT Standard 17. The purpose of this test is to determine the extent of the contestant's familiarity with these important guidelines of safe driving. INSTRUCTIONS: The test will include 50 questions. The questions will be true or false and multiple choice. The questions will be based upon the publications mentioned above and upon common driver knowledge. Please read the questions carefully. If True or False, mark the question as per the sample below: Mark "T" for True Mark "F" for False 1. When changing lanes, it is necessary to check the lane being entered for approaching traffic. ____T____ 2. Children on the bus are permitted to hang out the windows to keep from getting car sick ____F____ On multiple choice questions, answer in the following manner: 1. A stop sign means: a. Slow down to at least 10 m.p.h. b. Slow down to at least 5 m.p.m. c. Proceed cautiously if there is no traffic within 100 yards. d. Come to a complete stop. _____d_____ -4- Pre-Trip Inspection Test Maximum Score: 75 points PURPOSE OF TEST: A school bus driver is required by law to make a daily inspection of his bus before transporting pupils. A school bus found unsafe shall not be used for the transportation of pupils until such defects are corrected. Such inspection should be planned and conducted in a systematic and logical manner to insure that all defects are noted. The purpose of this test is to evaluate the contestant's efficiency in conducting this inspection. A time limit of six minutes will be enforced for each contestant. Contestants failing to complete this test within the time limit will receive 60 demerits. If any reasonable assistance is needed in checking the bus, the judge will assist in a way that does not violate the spirit of the test (e.g.; checking the operation of the stop lights). INSTRUCTIONS: The Judge will have the six defects listed on his score sheet and will give points for each one the contestant discovers and clearly tells the judge about. There may be additional defects discovered, but only those pre- determined by the judges will be awarded points. Under no circumstances will a contestant start the engine of the bus during this event. -5- PRE-TRIP INSPECTION SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME ___________________________NUMBER.______ MAX. SCORE 75 DEMERITS _______ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCORE EARNED _______ DEMERITS 1. _____________________________________________ +10 ______ 2. ________________________________________________ +10 _______ 3. ________________________________________________ +10 _______ 4. _______________________________________________ +10 ______ 5. _______________________________________________ +10 _______ 6. ______________________________________________ +10 ______ BONUS FOR ALL SIX +15 ______ TOTAL SCORE __________ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER.__________________________________________ -6- Height Judgment Maximum Score: 25 points PURPOSE OF TEST: To test the perception of the contestant relating to the clearance height needed for his vehicle to safely pass under a stationary object. INSTRUCTIONS: Contestant will board secured bus in a designated area. The Judges will lower the bar on the uprights until the contestant blows the horn to stop. Pole vault standards to be lowered until the exact height to clear the bus under the cross bar is reached. SCORING: (+) or (-) 1 point per inch. -7- HEIGHT JUDGMENT SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME__________________________________________________NUMBER._____________ MAXSCORE 25 DEMERITS _________ SCORE EARNED__________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DEMERITS *Note.. Pole Vault Crossbars Will be lowered until the driver signals by blowing the horn. This is expected to be the exact height for the bus to clear crossbar. 1" under or over -1 ___________ 2" under or over -2 ___________ 3" under or over -3 ___________ 4" under or over -4 ___________ 5", under or over -5 ___________ 6" under or over -6 ___________ 7" under or over -7 ___________ 8" under or over -8 ___________ 9" under or over -9 ___________ 10" under or over -10 ___________ 11" under or over -11 ___________ 12" under or over -12 ___________ Other 1 demerit for each inch __________ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER:__________________________________________ -8- Preparation to Drive Each contestant may board the extra bus, which is identical to the driving buses, and familiarize himself with the controls, switches, etc. Once called to drive, he should only need to have the seat and mirrors adjusted and be ready to drive. Time An elapsed time will be kept for each contestant for the purpose of deciding any tie score. Time starts when the contestant begins the first event and ends when he completes the last event at the stop line. This does not include the vehicle inspection test. ~ ~ ~ BUS SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS SAFETY COMPETITION Conventional Bus Body: Thomas Built Bus - 77 passenger. Chassis: 1994 or newer, Ford or equal. Transmission: AT Allison Automatic Wheelbase: 276" Approximately. Steering: Power Mirrors: 6" X 30" interior Left & right west coast with approximately 3' spotters 2 - 8" cat's eye crossover mirrors. -9- Riding Judge Maximum Score: 25 points INSTRUCTIONS: There will be a Judge riding on board throughout the driving events with each contestant The Judge WILL NOT TALK with the contestant, answer questions about events , or provide any directions or comments. The contestant is to ignore the Judge and drive as though only elementary students are on board. SCORING: The riding Judge will evaluate the following and provide demerits for failure to perform. The proper driving position as described in the 'REGULATIONS". Failure to place the transmission in neutral and set the parking brake at events where an outside Judge must approach the vehicle to measure or mark. Contestant turning head around to look when the event requires proper mirror usage. Using the LEFT foot on the service brake The Judge will use a stop watch to time the contestant from leaving the starting line and will stop timing when the contestant blows the horn at the STOP LINE event. Time to complete the course will be used as a " tie " breaker should a tie occur. FAILURE TO WEAR SEAT BELT OR DRIVING WITH HEAD OUT OF THE WINDOW WILL RESULT IN TOTAL DISOUALIFICATION FROM THE COMPETITION. - 10 - RIDING JUDGE SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME ____________________________________NUMBER _______ OFFICIAL TIME _____________ MAX SCORE 25 DEMERIT S ________ SCORE EANNED ________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DEMERITS Left foot on brake -5 _______ Not securing the bus: Student Load -5 _______ back-up Test -5 _______ Curbline -5 _______ Stop Line -5 _______ Not covering service brake at student loading. -5 _______ Abrupt stop and start on Student Loading. -5 _______ NOT WEARING SEATBELT - TOTAL DISQUALIFICATION FROM COMPETITION. DRIVING WITH HEAD OUT OF WINDOW - TOTAL DISQUALIFICATION FROM COMPETITION. IS BUS DRIVER DISQUALIFIED FROM COMPETITION? YES_____ NO_____ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER :_____________________________________________________ - 11 - Back Up Test Maximum Score: 50 points INSTRUCTIONS AND SCORING: Bach parking stall is identified by parallel white lines on the pavement 10 feet apart. Each front corner Will be marked by upright standards that will not interfere with the backing of the bus. In order to limit the driver to established maneuvering room, a front wheel limitation line will be placed on the pavement perpendicular to the parallel stall marker lines. The approach to the back-up stall will be made from the right hand side only. The distance from the front stall standards to the wheel limitation line will be 40 feet. Each contestant will be permitted two back-ups before demerits will be charged for excessive backing. If the bus touches a front stall standard twenty-five demerits will be given. If the bus touches a side marker line ten demerits will be given. Five demerits will be given for each instance of backing more than twice. Upon completion of the test, the bus should be parked as nearly in the center of the 10 foot stall as possible (both ends of the bus). Two demerits will be given for each inch or fraction thereof , the bus is off the two inch center line. Centering will be determined by the relationship of the center of the front and rear bumpers to the center of the stall, but with only the single greatest distance off center (front or rear) being used to compute demerits. Two demerits will also be given for each I inch or fraction thereof that the bus is parked in excess of I 8" from the rear barrier. Contestant will sound horn upon completion of parking maneuver. - 12 - - 13 - BACK UP TEST SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME: NUMBER______ MAX SCORE 50 DEMERITS ____________ SCORE EARNED__________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DEMERITS Bus touches cone. -25 _______ Bus touches side marker line. -10 _______ Bus extends over rear barrier line. -50 ________ Bus is parked more than 1" off the 2" centerline front or rear. (Greater only.) -2 for each instance of 1" (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) max of 14 demerits _______ Bus parked more than 18" from rear barrier. -2 for each instance of 1" over. (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) max of 14 demerits _______ Each contestant will be permitted two back-ups before demerits will be charged for excessive backing. Five demerits will be given for each instance of backing more than twice. (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) max of 50 demerits Failure to complete event. -50 ______ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER:_________________________________________ - 14 - Curb Line Maximum Score: 25 points PURPOSE OF TEST: To determine a driver's skill in pulling close to the curb within a limited distance in a forward movement. Backing into the space is not allowed. INSTRUCTIONS: The course simulates a limited curb length between parked cars. Drivers will use the turn signal and pull close to the curb with both front and rear tires without hitting the simulated curb. Drivers should allow enough distance ahead of the bus to pull away from the curb without having to back up. Drivers must use the left turn signal and left-hand mirror before pulling back into traffic. SCORING: Five demerits are given for failure to use right turn signal and five demerits are given for failure to use left signal. Drivers receive 25 demerits for backing up or hitting the curb. For each six inches or portion thereof that the rear dual wheels are away from the curb, five demerits are given. The total demerits given for this event will not exceed 25. CURB LINE EVENT -15 - CURB LINE SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME ______________________________________________NUMBER._________ MAX SCORE 25 DEMERITS ________ SCORE EARNED_________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DEMERITS Failure to use right turn signal. -5 _________ Failure to perform mirror check. (Hand signal only.) -5 ________ Tire touches curb. -25 ________ For each 6" increment from curb (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) ________ Backing during the event. -25 ________ Failure to use left turn signal. -5 ________ Failure to perform mirror check. (Hand signal only.) -5 ________ Failure to complete event. -25 _________ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER _________________________________________ - 16 - Stop Line Test Maximum Score. 25 points PURPOSE OF TEST. This test is designed to determine the contestant's depth perception, ability to use cross-view mirror, ability to bring his bus to a smooth stop. INSTRUCTIONS: A stop line 8 feet long will be established. The contestant will be expected to bring his bus to a complete stop as close to the stop line as possible. Only one stop will be made. Demerits will be given for more than one stop. The contestant can approach the stop line at any desired speed. Contestant will sound horn upon completion of stopping maneuver. SCORING: Five demerits will be given for each instance of bringing the bus to a stop more than once. If the bus passes over the stop line, 25 demerits will be given. Measurement will be taken from the front surface of the front bumper. The bus is expected to stop within 2 inches of the stop line. Three demerits will be charged for each 2 inches or fraction thereof, that the bus exceeds this tolerance after being brought to the final stop. -17- STOP LINE SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME ____________________________________________NUMBER:___________ MAX SCORE 25 DEMERITS _________ SCORE EARNED_________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DEMERITS 0" to 2" over 2" to 4" -3 ________ over 4" to 6" -6 _______ over 6" to 8" -9 ________ over 8" to 10" -12 _______ over 10" to 121 -15 ________ over 12" to 14" -18 _______ over 14" to 16" -21 _______ over 16" to 18" -24 _______ Stop beyond the stop line. -25 ________ For each instance of stopping bus more than once. (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) max. of 25 _______ Failure to complete event. -25 _______ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER _________________________________________ -18- Diminishing Clearance Test Maximum Score: 50 points PURPOSE OF TEST: In this test, the contestant is required to drive his bus in a straight line within diminishing clearances, and to drive in a smooth and continuous manner INSTRUCTIONS: For the purpose of conducting this test, five pairs of parallel standards will be set up, each pair of standards parallel to the next. The distance between each pair of standards is 25 feet and the width of each pair will vary as follows: 1st Pair Standards Width of bus plus 10" 2nd Pair Standards - Width of bus plus 8" 3rd Pair Standards - Width of bus plus 6" 4th Pair Standards - Width of bus plus 4" 5th Pair Standards - Width of bus plus 2" The contestant will be expected to proceed through this lane in a smooth and continuous manner without making contact with any of the markers. SCORING: Two demerits will be given for each instance of uneven movement (with a maximum of 10 demerits). Four demerits will be charged for each instance of stopping the forward motion of the bus (with a maximum of 20 demerits). Ten demerits will be given for each instance of contact with a marker DIMINISHING CLEARANCE (1) width of bus plus 10" Measurement between markers is 25 ft. (2)Width of bus plus 8" (3) Width of bus plus 6" Equipment: (4) Width of bus plus 4" 10 vertical stanchions (5) Width of bus plus 2" (36" in height , minimum) - 19 - DIMINISHING CLEARANCE SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME:_____________________________________NUMBER:_________ MAX. SCORE 50 DEMERITS ______ SCORE EARNED______ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DEMERITS For each instance of jerky or uneven movement of the bus. (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) max. of 10 demerits _______ For each instance of stopping the bus. (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) max. of 20 demerits _______ For each instance of bus touching a marker. (10) (10) (10) (10) (10) max. of 50 demerits _______ Failure to complete event. -50 _______ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER:____________________________________________________ - 20 - Student Loading Maximum Score: 25 points PURPOSE OF TEST: This test is designed to evaluate a driver's alertness while loading and unloading elementary pupils. Such items include the proper use of mirrors and the special school bus lighting systems. INSTRUCTIONS: Contestant will stop the bus to load students using the proper procedure. Contestant will be judged on correct "mirror check" approaching, at the stop, and leaving. Contestant MUST use his right hand to indicate clearly to the judges which mirrors are being checked. Also judged will be proper use of the eight way warning lights, turn signals, smooth stopping, placing the transmission in neutral, setting of the parking brake once stopped, foot covering the service brake, proper timing of opening and closing the door, and signaling the students when it is safe to approach and board the bus. SCORING: Five demerits will be given for each of the following: no mirror check before stop, failure to activate flashers, sudden stop, failure to use signals, door open before stop, parking brake not applied, foot not covering service brake while stopped, moving before closing door, no mirror check before starting up again. The total demerits will not exceed 25. - 21 – STUDENT LOAD SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME:______________________________________NUMBER:________ MAX. SCORE 25 DEMERITS ______ SCORE EARNED______ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DEMERITS Failure to activate amber flashing lights. -5 _______ Failure to use right turn signal. -5 _______ Failure to check mirrors. (Hand signal only.) -5 _______ Bus front bumper stopped closer than 10 feet from the student sign.-5 _______ Failure to keep door closed while in motion. -5 _______ Failure to check ALL mirrors. (Hand signal only.) -5 _______ Failure to use left turn signal. -5 _______ Failure to complete event. -25 _______ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER:____________________________________________________ - 22 - Right Turn Maximum Score: 50 points PURPOSE OF TEST: To determine the driver's ability to negotiate a tight 90 degree turn. INSTRUCTIONS: The corner is marked with cones and the driver must drive the bus to pass within six (6) inches of the pivot cone on the corner. SCORING: Ten (10) demerits will be given for each cone that is touched. Five (5) demerits will be given for each 6" segment beyond the first 6" of the pivot cone. Ten (10) demerits will be given for each time the bus is backed. Twenty-five (25) demerits will be given if the bus touches the pivot cone. -23- -24- RIGHT TURN EVENT SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME:_____________________________________NUMBER:_________ MAX. SCORE 50 DEMERITS ______ SCORE EARNED______ Note : Put check mark by each cone touched / check off rear tire marker. PENALTIES 1. 10 points off for each cone touched. 2. 5 points off for each 6" segment beyond the first 6" of the pivot cone. 3. 10 points off for backing during the event. 4. 25 points off for touching the pivot cone. SCORE 1. Cones touched. ______ X 10 = _______ 2. Excessive rear tire clearance. ______ X 5 = _______ 3. Backing during the event. ______ X 10 = _______ 4. Pivot cone touched. ______ X 25 = _______ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER:___________________________________________________ - 25 - Straight Line Maximum Score: 50 points PURPOSE OF TEST: To determine the driver's ability to maneuver the right wheels of a school bus over a straight path of a given width. INSTRUCTIONS: The right wheels of the bus must travel the indicated path without striking or moving markers with any wheel. The bus must be operated in a continuous forward motion. The distance between the markers is the width of the dual wheels plus three (3) inches. SCORING: Fifty (50) demerits will be given for failure to complete event, or failure to keep the door closed during the event. Two (2) demerits will be given for jerky or uneven movement of the bus, with a maximum of ten (10) demerits. Four (4) demerits will be given for each instance of stopping the forward motion, with a maximum of twenty (20) demerits. Five (5) demerits will be given for each instance the bus touches or knocks a marker off. Ten (10) demerits will be given for each marker, where the driver drives on either side of the markers. STRAIGHT LINE Each pair of tennis balls is separated by the distance of " width of bus dual tires plus 3 " Equipment : Ten tennis balls on holders - 26 - STRAIGHT LINE TEST SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME:_____________________________________NUMBER:_________ MAX. SCORE 50 DEMERITS ______ SCORE EARNED______ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DEMERITS Each instance of jerky or uneven movement of the bus. (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) max. of 10 demerits _______ Each instance of stopping the forward motion. (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) max. of 20 demerits _______ Each instance of where bus touches or knocks marker off. (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) max. of 50 demerits _______ Drives to either side of pair of markers. (10) (10) (10) (10) (10) max. of 50 demerits _______ Failure to complete event. -50 _______ Failure to keep door closed during event. -50 _______ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER:____________________________________________________ - 27 - Offset Alley Test Maximum Score: 50 points PURPOSE OF TEST: This test is designed to evaluate the driver's ability to handle the bus under actual or simulated driving conditions. The contestant must drive the bus through two off-set lanes with a minimum of hesitation and without touching the barriers or flag tips. INSTRUCTIONS: Two sets of parallel barriers, ten feet long are set up with tips ten feet apart. The right- hand barrier of the first set is placed in a direct line with the left-hand barrier of the second set (the offset barriers). The distance between the two sets of barriers (from the end of the first set to the beginning of the second set) is the length of the bus plus three (3) feet. The direction of the off-set (left or right) will be determined on the day of the event. SCORING: Fifty (50) demerits will be given for any backing during the event, touching the barriers, not flag tips, for not completing the event, or opening the door during the event. Eight (8) demerits will be given for each instance of stopping the bus, maximum of 16 demerits. The following demerits will be given for each instance of touching any flag tips: 1st instance = 7 demerits, 2nd instance = 21 demerits, 3rd instance = 42 demerits, and 4th instance = 50 demerits. OFFSET ALLEY (Distance between barriers is length of bus plus 3 feet ) Width of barrier alley is 10 feet . - 28 - OFFSET ALLEY TEST SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME:_____________________________________NUMBER:_________ MAX SCORE 50 DEMERITS ______ SCORE EARNED______ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DEMERITS Each instance of stopping forward motion of the bus. (8) (8) max. of 16 demerits _______ For each flag tip that is touched. (7) (21) (42) (50) max. of 50 demerits _______ Contestant opens bus door during event. -5 _______ Backing of bus during the event. -50 _______ Touching a barrier. -50 _______ Failure to complete the event. -50 _______ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER:____________________________________________________ - 29 - Railroad Crossing Test Maximum Score: 25 points PURPOSE OF TEST: This test evaluates the driver's knowledge of laws and regulations required to operate a school bus across railroad tracks. INSTRUCTIONS: A simulated railroad crossing will be established. The layout will be as follows: 1. A 60 foot roadway that crosses one set of tracks. 2. A railroad crossing sign will be placed in the proper position at the right side of the roadway. SCORING: All items will be judged from the time the contestant approaches the crossing until he reaches the other side of the crossing. He will be checked on his use of directional signals, mirrors, stopping the bus, opening the door, checking track, driving across the railroad tracks, etc. While most violations in this and other tests are violations of fixed laws and regulations, some are based on generally accepted safe driving procedures. WHEN APPROACHING AND LEAVING THE RAILROAD CROSSING, THE CONTESTANT MUST USE HIS RIGHT HAND TO INDICATE CLEARLY TO THE JUDGES THAT THE PROPER "MIRROR CHECK" WAS ACCOMPLISHED. The following procedures for school bus drivers at railroad grade crossing are taken from the CDL Regulations. 1. The driver of any school bus, whether carrying passengers or not, must, before crossing any track, bring his bus to a full and complete stop not less than 15 feet or more than 50 feet from the rail nearest the front of the bus. 2. When drivers make stops for railroad crossings, they shall carefully observe traffic and reduce speed, far enough in advance of the stop to avoid trapping other motorists in panic stops or rear-end collisions with the bus. On multiple lane roadways, no such stop shall be made in the center or left hand lane. 3. No special signs, signals, or flashers designated only for use on school buses shall be activated while stopping or stopped for this purpose. 4. The driver when stopped shall fully open the entrance door, and after the stop and while so stopped, listen and look in both directions along the track for approaching trains. Prior to resumption of motion, the entrance door must be closed. 5. If the view of the track for a distance of 1000 feet in either direction is not clear or is obstructed in any way, no portion of the bus may be propelled onto the tracks until, by personal visual inspection, the driver has made certain that no train is approaching. In no instance may a signal indicating safety be considered as conclusive or serve to abrogate this precaution. 6. Drivers shall, in every instance, cross the tracks in a gear that will not necessitate changing gears while traversing the crossing. - 30 - 7. In the event that a train has passed over the crossing, no bus driver shall drive his bus onto said track until such train has sufficiently cleared the crossing so that the driver is certain that no train, hidden by the first train, is approaching on adjacent track. 8. For improved vision and hearing, a window at the driver's left should be opened and all noisy equipment (fans, etc.) should be shut off until the bus has cleared the crossing. RAILROAD CROSSING EVENT Equipment : Wood tracks (1" thick) (tape or painted tracks can be used) Railroad sign - 31 - RAILROAD CROSSING TEST SCORE SHEET CONTESTANT NAME:_______________________________________NUMBER:_______ MAX. SCORE 25 DEMERITS _______ SCORE SHEETS_______ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DEMERITS Failure to activate 4-way flashers. -5 _______ Stops closer than 15' from tracks. -10 _______ Stops further than 50' from tracks. -5 _______ Failure to open door at crossing. -10 _______ Failure to open window at crossing. -10 _______ Failure to check up and down tracks. -10 _______ Improper use of school bus flashers. -10 _______ Failure to close door before crossing tracks. -10 _______ Failure to cancel signals -5 _______ Failure to complete event. -25 _______ OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER:____________________________________________________ - 32 - SUMMARY SHEET CONTESTANT NAME:__________________________________NUMBER:____________ MAX. SCORE 575 DEMERITS ______ SCORE EARNED______ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EVENT MAX. SCORE DEMERITS SCORE Written Examination 100 points _______ _______ Pre-Trip Inspection 75 points _______ _______ Height Judgment 25 points _______ _______ Riding Judge 25 points _______ _______ Back Up Test 50 points _______ _______ Curb Line 25 points _______ _______ Stop Line 25 points _______ _______ Diminishing Clearance 50 points _______ _______ Student Loading 25 points _______ _______ Right Turn 50 points _______ _______ Straight Line 50 points _______ _______ Offset Alley 50 points _______ _______ Railroad Crossing Test 25 points _______ _______ ________ _______ _______ TOTAL POSSIBLE SCORE 575 points _______ _______ - 33 -
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Cory Alexander, Gregg Popovich's first draft pick for the San Antonio Spurs, congratulates his former coach on reaching his 1,000th win.
The Atlanta Hawks are running away with the East, and instead of focusing too much on catching them the Wizards have to figure out how to solve their style of spreading the floor with five scorers
Most of the NBA season is complete and the playoff landscape looks favorable some but not others.
Kobe Bryant, Kemba Walker and Brandon Jennings. Three team leaders that had surgery this week and will miss months due to injury.
After losing another lead in the second half, in a 103-96 loss at the Portland Trail Blazers, the Wizards fall to 14-9 in games when they lead or trail by five points in the last five minutes of g


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Alan Carter was born in Sunderland, UK. He immigrated to Australia in 1991 and lives in Fremantle with his wife Kath and son Liam…
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Sarah Drummond has had stories and essays published in Best Australian Essays, Shadow Plays: an anthology of speculative fiction, Overland Journal and others. She lives on the south coast of Western Australia.
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Annie Boyd spent her childhood in Perth and returned to Western Australia in her thirties where her interest in marine life turned to shipwrecks and maritime history. …
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Film and television rights sold
Whoa Flamingo has optioned the film and television rights to Fremantle Press children's titles Mystery at Riddle Gully and Riddle Gully Runaway, both by Jen Banyard.


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Michael Anderson, Bismarck, letter: Taxpayers can help make housing happen
Published 11/27/2012
The North Dakota Housing Incentive Fund already is making a difference in getting more housing built in the state. But additional help is needed to keep all of the worthy projects on track.Word count: 339
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Product Information
Black Dog by Led Zeppelin - Digital Bass Tab
At a Glance
Black Dog digital sheet music. Contains printable sheet music plus an interactive, downloadable digital sheet music file.
* This arrangement contains complete lyrics
* This product is available worldwide
Arrangement Details
The Arrangement Details Tab gives you detailed information about this particular arrangement of Black Dog - not necessarily the song.
Song Details
The Song Details Tab gives you detailed information about this song, Black Dog.
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What is the LG Sound Plate?
It's a unique alternative to a soundbar and could appeal movie and music lovers who like to keep all of their home cinema kit neatly stacked up in one place. Priced at 399 Euros (£336), it's around £40 more expensive than the LG NB4530A 2.1 channel soundbar.
LG Sound Plate – Design
It measures 35mm high and is able to take the weight of a 32-inch all the way up to a 52-inch sized TV.
Connect it to your TV is relatively straightforward. There's just a single optical cable required and if you already own a LG compatible TV it can hook up wirelessly via Sound Sync.
LG Sound Plate – Features
The Sound Plate comes with a small, chrome silver remote giving you control over volume, mute, Bluetooth and Opitcal outputs, turning the speaker system on and off and controlling some of the TV functions. You can also enable LG's 3D Sound to activate the surround sound.
On compatible LG TVs you can also use TV remote to control some of the Sound Plate functions.
First impressions
The 55-inch LG TV on its metal stand looked secure on the system and didn't show any noticeable signs of strain from the weight of the television.
It's a great speaker solution if you don't have space to mount a soundbar on the wall or room for a separate subwoofer. Most importantly, it has the sound performance to match the chic, minimalist, space-saving design home cinema enthusiasts will surely love.
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LG Sound Plate LAP250H 2.1ch Speaker Home Theater System Built in Dual Subwoofer$169.00


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Cheers Cast List
Cheers cast list, including photos of the actors when available. This list includes all of the Cheers main actors and actresses, so if they are an integral part of the show you'll find them below. You can various bits of trivia about these Cheers stars, such as where the actor was born and what their year of birth is. This cast list of actors from Cheers focuses primarily on the main characters, but there may be a few actors who played smaller roles on Cheers that are on here as well.
This poll contains actors like Dana Delany and Markie Post
If you are wondering, "Who are the actors from Cheers?" or "Who starred on Cheers?" then this list will help you answer those questions.
In most cases you can click on the names of these popular
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Bebe Neuwirth Mercer County, Princeton, Contiguous United States
- 2
George Wendt Illinois, Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago
- 3
Allyce Beasley New York City, New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division, ...
- 4
John Ratzenberger Eastern United States, Fairfield County, New England
- 5
Kelsey Grammer Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, United States, with ...
- 6
Kirstie Alley Kansas, Area code 316, Contiguous United States
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Nicholas Colasanto Eastern United States, New England, Rhode Island
- 8
Brent Spiner Texas, Contiguous United States, Area code 713
- 9
Rhea Perlman New York City, New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division, ...
- 10
Dana Delany New York City, Area code 917, Contiguous United States
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Shelley Long Fort Wayne, Allen County, United States of America
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Ted Danson California, San Diego, Contiguous United States
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Woody Harrelson Texas, Midland County, Contiguous United States
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Alexandra Jiménez Aragon, Europe, Zaragoza
- 15
Fred Dryer Hawthorne, California, Contiguous United States
- 16
Antonio Resines Torrelavega, Spain
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Pepón Nieto Marbella, Europe, Andalusia
- 18
Harry Anderson Eastern United States, Newport, New England
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Jay Thomas Texas, Kermit, Kermit Independent School District
- 20
Jennifer Tilly California, Contiguous United States, Greater Los Angeles Area
- 21
John Cleese Eurasia, Weston-super-Mare, South West England
- 22
John Fiedler Grant County, Platteville, Wisconsin
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Julia Duffy Area code 218, Minneapolis, Area code 612
- 24
Kate Mulgrew Dubuque County, United States of America, Dubuque
- 25
Leah Remini New York City, New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division, ...
- 26
Marcia Cross Middlesex County, Marlborough, United States of America
- 27
Markie Post San Francisco Peninsula, Santa Clara County, Northern California
- 28
Michael Richards Los Angeles, California, Contiguous United States
- 29
Nancy Marchand Area code 716, Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, Contiguous United ...
- 30
Paul Lee Willson United States of America, United States, with Territories, Minnesota
- 31
Peri Gilpin Texas, Waco, McLennan County
- 32
Roger Rees Wales, Aberystwyth, Eurasia
- 33
Tom Skerritt Area code 313, Metro Detroit, Wayne County
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on practice
5 comments
The Dust Beyond the CushionIf you sit long enough, your cushion will become an island amid a sea of dust. Thistles will overtake the yard. Things will begin to fall apart. At some point, you've got to clean house. The idea of ritual chores is intriguing to some, but for many of us, housekeeping has become work as rut. The thought of picking up a mop or a scrub brush is met with apprehension. This is where work-practice comes in: with the right approach, these daily chores can be done ably, even artfully. As with sitting, the important thing is to begin. More »
20 comments
Sitting StillONCE YOU SIT, do not change the position again until the end of the time you determined at the beginning. Suppose you change your original position because it is uncomfortable, and assume another position. What happens after a while is that the new position becomes uncomfortable. Then you want another and after a while it, too, becomes uncomfortable. So you may go on shifting, moving, changing one position to another the whole time you are on your meditation cushion and you may not gain a deep and meaningful level of concentration. Therefore, do not change your original position, no matter how painful it is. More »
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Breath and the BodyThings have changed since the mid-1970s, when I began to study and practice both hatha yoga and Zen Buddhism. Back then, it was common to be told by Zen teachers that all one needed to do was to sit. Zazen was the be-all and end-all of practice, and if one practiced assiduously enough, nothing else was needed—not therapy, not text study, and most certainly not yoga! Despite the ruin of many a good knee, most teachers were pretty firm in this blanket condemnation. To many at the zendo where I practiced, yogis were bliss-heads, caught in denial of dukkha—the existence of suffering—and they looked askance at my dedication to my twice-weekly hatha yoga classes. More »
21 comments
EqualityDuring a lecture while I was interpreting for the Dalai Lama, he said in what seemed to me to be broken English, "Kindness is society." I wasn't smart enough to think he was saying kindness is society. I thought he meant kindness is important to society; kindness is vital to society; but he was saying that kindness is so important that we cannot have society without it. Society is impossible without it. Thus, kindness IS society; society IS kindness. Without concern for other people it's impossible to have society. More »
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MudraDhyani mudra. Mudra of meditation. The back of the right hand rests on the upturned palm of the other with the tips of the thumbs lightly touching. The top hand symbolizes enlightenment; the bottom hand, the world of appearances. Thus the mudra as a whole suggests the supremacy of the enlightened mind. More »
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Mantra: Tool for ThinkingThe Sanskrit word mantra combines the root man ("to think") with the suffix tra ("instrument" or "tool"). Therefore, mantra means literally "tool for thinking." Since earliest Buddhist times, the repetition of sacred phrases has been used as an aid for meditation—to purify and focus the mind, to offer devotion or thanks, and to protect and nurture the spiritual activity of a particular person or place. Some authors differentiate between bijas, or "seed syllables" (pure sounds, such as om); "mixed" mantras, which combine bijas with words having translatable meanings; and dharanis (phrases that are similar in function to mantras but can be translated word for word). More »