text:
In an interview on MSNBC, Politico's Mike Allen, in discussing the confidence in President Obama's camp, relayed what he was told: "We still have Michael Jordan." This echoes a comment Obama himself reportedly once made: "I'm LeBron, baby. I can play on this level. I got some game."
Now, the references to Michael Jordan and LeBron James shouldn't be confused with those made during the 2008 campaign, when Obama was referred to by his aides as the "black Jesus." (Though even Jesus, it should be pointed out, didn't promise to heal the planet, repair the world, and reverse the rise of the oceans, as Obama said he would do if elected president.)
You might think that nearly three years of shooting air balls would cause Obama and his aides to stay away from comparisons to Jordan and James, as well as to FDR and Lincoln. ("I would put our legislative and foreign policy accomplishments in our first two years against any president — with the possible exceptions of Johnson, FDR, and Lincoln," Obama told "60 Minutes." The use of the word "possible" is priceless.) But you would be wrong. The Obama cult of personality, with a touch of narcissistic personality disorder, goes on.
And you can count on one thing: If Obama is defeated in 2012, his narrative will be that we the American people were not worthy of the Great and Mighty Obama. Perhaps we can take some comfort that no people on Earth possibly could be.


text:
Frugal Confessions
A guide to living thrifty with Amanda L. Grossman
Posts filtered on Category
Even the Richest among Us are Not Immune to the Five Laws of Gold
No one is immune to the Five Laws of Gold—not those with meager means, nor those who are rich. [Read More]
Woe to the Lean Purse: Cures to Fix it
"Deride not what I say because of its simplicity. Truth is always simple." – George Samuel Clason [Read More]

subset: commoncrawl


text: University Libraries About the Libraries Events and Awards Promotion and Tenure Recognition Dr. Joseph DiPiazza Dr. Joe Di Piazza Professor 4 Concertos of Rachmaninoff performed by Rachmaninoff with the Philadelphia Orchestra The reason I chose the Rachmaninoff performances of his own concertos is because throughout my tenure at UNCG I have devoted a large part of my work to the performances of his concertos. Indeed, I am the only piano faculty member in the School's history to have performed the monumental 3rd concerto with orchestra, as well as several performances of the 2nd concerto. To have the composer's own performances on CD is an invaluable treasure for our students and a rich resource regarding performance insights. This set will be a welcomed addition to the reserve list for a Graduate Seminar on Piano Concertos that I have taught numerous times.


text:
This semester we have several exciting trips planned! Students, staff, faculty, alumni and guests are usually welcome, unless otherwise noted. Please read our ticket policy below for more information on how to buy tickets. Check this page and the Current Students dashboard to see what events are coming up next.
9/6: Brownstone Park (10:30am departure - 5:00pm departure)
9/20: Big E (9:30am departure – 3:00pm departure)
10/4: Bronx Zoo (9:30am departure-5:30pm departure)
10/18: Fright Fest (5:00pm departure – 11:00pm departure)
11/8: Water Fire (2:00pm departure-9:30pm departure)
11/15: Wrentham Outlets (11am departure- 4:30pm departure)
12/6: Boston Day Trip (8:30am departure -6:00pm departure)
Tickets will go on sale 2 Monday's prior to the event date. Ticket sales begin at 9 a.m. at the Campus Rental Office in the College Center. Tickets will go on sale for the first week to full-time, undergraduate students. If there are tickets left, they will go on sale the second week to: all other students, faculty, staff, alumni and non-Elms guests. Tickets tend to sell out quickly, especially to popular destinations such as NYC and Boston. We recommend arriving early to purchase tickets to these trips. Tickets will not be held for any reason.
During the first week of ticket sales, a full-time student may purchase up to 2 tickets. 1 for themselves and 1 for another full-time undergraduate student if they want. Students are not able to purchase tickets for non-Elms guests until the 2nd week of ticket sales.
Students who do not show for a travel trip without cancellation will not be able to travel on other travel trips for the remainder of the semester.
We are a Catholic liberal arts college founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, Massachusetts.


text:
- Product Search
- Video
- Data
- Audio
- Contact
- EthernetNEW
- WirelessNEW
- AccessoriesNEW
- ValueLine
- CopperLineNEW
- ComPak
- SFP Modules
- Cables
Ethernet-over-Coax Extender with Pass-Through PoE
This Product Has Been Replaced With:
CLFE(X)EO(C,U) Ethernet-over-Copper Extender With Pass-Through PoE
The ComNet™ CopperLine CLFE(X)COAX Ethernet over COAX line consists of four models that support 100Mbps Ethernet as well as Pass-through Power over Ethernet (PoE) over standard 75Ω coaxial cable. These models support transmission distances of up to 5,000 feet (1524m) at 10 Mbps, or 1800 feet (548m) at 100 Mbps. The CLFE1COAX, the CLFE4COAX, CLFE8COAX and the CLFE16COAX transport, one, four, eight or sixteen channels respectively. The IEEE 802.3-compliant extenders also meets the requirements for IEEE 802.3af PoE power, passing power to the powered device (PD). The CLFE(X)COAX series may also be used interchangeably with other CopperLine Ethernet-over-Coax extenders. LED indicators confirm operating status of the device. Packaged in a rugged aluminum housing, these units are designed for desktop or stand-alone mounting. The CLFE8COAX and CLFE16COAX are offered in EIA 19" 1U high rack for easy installation. Environmentally hardened to the requirements of NEMA TS-1/ TS-2 for most out-of-plant applications, and true plug-and-play design ensures ease of installation and operation.
Note: The power supplies provided with ComNet products are designed for benign 0 to 50º C applications. Hardened power supplies are available, consult the factory to select the right power supply for your application.
Application Diagram


text:
Daemen College : Admissions : Upcoming Events
*View all Undergraduate Events
*View all Transfer Events
*View all Graduate Events
Daemen College sits in a beautiful, fun, and safe location! But it's not just our great location and facilities that make our campus a wonderful place to be. It's our students, faculty, staff, traditions, and campus energy that make Daemen an outstanding place to live and learn.
Student-guided tours are available Monday - Friday:
10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
Tours are also available on Saturdays during the academic school year.
Please feel free to contact the Admissions Office at 716-839-8225 or email@example.com to schedule an appointment. You will need to access your Daemen Connection webpage to register for this event.
The core comprises required courses for all students, regardless of major, and it is designed to strengthen the student's abilities to become intellectually curious, to acquire professional rewards, to become responsible citizens and to deal with change and uncertainty.
Daemen's student athletes had an average GPA of over a 3.0 while nearly 50% of them were on the Dean's List.
International Business
David was an international student from Caracas, Venezuela. He majored in International Business and had an internship at Liberty Pumps, which eventually turned into a job.
©2014 Daemen College : 4380 Main Street, Amherst, NY 14226 : 800.462.7652


text: Playfully bold, charmingly sophisticated, the Twirl bedding collection by Victor Mill Bedding balances chic contemporary style with cheerful designs. The Victor Mill Twirl bedding collection features flower petals in black on white, accented with solid black panels and coordinating patterns. The Victor Mill Twirl bedding collection has everything you need to bring this beautiful look to your bedroom decor, with bed in a bag sets available in Twin, Full, Queen, King and Daybed sizes. Victor Mill Twirl bed in a bag sets include a comforter, two pillow shams (one with Twin), two European pillow s


text:
|Homewood Suites By Hilton Milton hotels are listed below. Search for cheap and discount Homewood Suites By Hilton hotel prices in Milton, DE for your group or personal travels. We list the best Homewood Suites By Hilton Milton hotels + motels so you can review the Milton Homewood Suites By Hilton hotel list below to find the perfect place.
This website will also list discounted Milton, DE hotels & motels that are comparable to the quality of Homewood Suites By Hilton.
Need a monthly rate? Get extended stay rates for Milton DE
Next: Show All Available Comparable Hotels with Pricing >


text:
|Four Seasons Hotels Pearl River properties are listed below. Search for cheap and discount Four Seasons Hotels hotel prices in Pearl River, NY for your personal or business trip. We list the best Four Seasons Hotels Pearl River properties so you can review the Pearl River Four Seasons Hotels hotel list below to find the perfect place.
This website will list Pearl River, NY lodging that have a comparable rating of a Four Seasons Hotels.
Need a group/meeting discount? Request a group rate for Pearl River NY
All Four Seasons Hotels in or near Pearl River
Similar hotels to Four Seasons Hotels
Next: Show All Available Comparable Hotels with Pricing >


text:
Claire Simms
Claire Simms is a reporter in the First Coast News Southern Bureau. She covers St. Johns, Putnam and Flagler Counties.
More from Claire Simms
Bostwick Building historic status to go before City Council
posted on Tuesday, December 11, 2012 - 7:04pm
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Today, Jacksonville's City Council will begin the process of deciding whether the Bostwick Building, also known as the Jaguar building, should have historic landmark status....
read more...
Downtown hotels full, some rooms still available
posted on Thursday, October 25, 2012 - 10:40am
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Thousands of people will be visiting Jacksonville this weekend for the annual Georgia-Florida game and thousands of them will be staying in local hotels. VIEW: Georgia,...
read more...
RV City opens ahead of Georgia-Florida game
posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 - 9:10am
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville's "RV City" opened its doors around 8:00 Wednesday morning and hundreds of anxious fans moved in for a long weekend of tailgating ahead of the annual Georgia-...
read more...
Tuesday is final chance to register for November election
posted on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 - 6:54pm
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Tuesday is the final day to register to vote ahead of the November election. Many Supervisor of Elections offices will have extended hours to help accommodate the last...
read more...
JSO releases list of top economic crimes
posted on Monday, October 8, 2012 - 11:34am
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Today the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office released its list of the top economic crimes or scams they report continue to impact residents in Jacksonville. "A lot of people are...
read more...
First For You: Old Duval courthouse still costing taxpayers
posted on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 6:41am
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It has been three months since the new Duval County Courthouse opened its doors, but the old courthouse is still costing taxpayers. The new building opened for business...
read more...
Jacksonville to commemorate September 11th at EverBank Field
posted on Monday, September 10, 2012 - 10:26am
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Tuesday will mark the 11th commemoration of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Several organizations have come together and organized a massive memorial to be held at...
read more...
Mayor signs Downtown Investment Authority bill
posted on Monday, August 27, 2012 - 12:26pm
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- This morning Mayor Alvin Brown signed new legislation to help revitalize downtown Jacksonville. On August 15th City Council passed a bill to create the Downtown...
read more...
"Eat Up Downtown" begins today
posted on Monday, August 13, 2012 - 6:26am
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Today marks the beginning of a special time for food lovers in downtown Jacksonville. Downtown Vision, Inc.'s annual "Eat Up Downtown" event starts today and runs through...
read more...
Community Sponsors
The Best Brand Name Products
Are you interested in promoting your business to local customers?
Local Service Providers
The Best Title Turnaround Times In Town
Call us today!
Recognition Awards, Trophies, Plaques, Gifts & More!
Trusted, Experienced, And Local Investigators!
The Big Deal
Recognition Awards, Trophies, Plaques, Gifts & More!
The Best Brand Name Products


text:
Let your feet steal the style spotlight with our fantastic range of stunning sandals. Enjoy the warm weather in fabulous flats - from gorgeous gladiators, embellished sandals, strappy styles, flip flops and more. Just ensure you've booked that pedicure.
Showing items 1 - 0 of 11
Showing items 1 - 11 of 11


text:
Mixologi began with the aim to strengthen and bring to light diversity within different networks, while upholding the pillars of creativity, networking, and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, Mixologi strives to achieve dreams and support others who follow their own path of devout self-expression, fostering creative relationships and providing a sanctuary for forward thinkers.
The next big project for Mixologi is a series of videos profiling entities we feel represent the Mixologi spirit. To tell their story about diversity, following their dreams, and creativity. Our first video profiles STS9.
Loading more stuff…
Hmm…it looks like things are taking a while to load. Try again?


text:
Texas courthouses are among the most widely recognized, used, and appreciated assets in our communities. With some courthouses dating from as far back as the mid-19th century, they were among the first permanent structures in many counties. With their brick and stone towers, ornate cupolas, and soaring domes, they represent an impressive collection of public architecture. Not surprisingly, Texas has more historic courthouses than any other state—235 are still in active government use. With decades or even centuries of use, most of these structures have significantly deteriorated due to inadequate maintenance, insensitive modifications, or weather-related damage.
The Texas Historical Commission's (THC) nationally recognized and award-winning Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program (THCPP) has turned around the trend of disrepair and begun restoring these treasured historic landmarks. To date, the program has restored 63 Texas courthouses and another 28 courthouses have received emergency or planning grants to complete small projects.
Today, restored county courthouses serve as a catalyst to economic revitalization in the business districts that surround courthouse squares throughout the state. Counties with restored historic courthouses also see an impact in the form of increased tourism, accessibility, safety, energy efficiency, and much more.
In support of the projects completed with state grant funds, the THC also created the Texas Courthouse Stewardship Program, which provides technical assistance and training to county staff in how to maintain their newly restored courthouse.
More About the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program
Income generated through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program
What's New
Courthouse Cornerstones
Check out the 2015 issue of the THC's Courthouse Cornerstones (PDF). In this issue, you'll read about the threats to historic courthouses in Texas, why courthouse preservation is important to Laura Bush, updates on the THCPP's latest work to preserve historic Texas courthouses and the economic impact it's making on local communities, and more.
Courthouses in Danger
Explore this interactive map of courthouses across Texas that are at risk and in need of restoration. Each location includes information on funding needs and photographs, which capture the challenges facing each courthouse.
Photo Gallery
Click on any image to view the photo gallery.


text:
Posted at: 11/18/2012 10:54 PM
By: Zach Hammer
Residents in parts of Duluth's Lincoln Park neighborhood may see a drop in water pressure Monday, as utility crews repair a fire hydrant near Enger Golf Course on Skyline Parkway.
The City of Duluth says that the water pressure drop would occur between 9:00 am and 6 pm.
Officials say that the upper boundary of the area affected is 15th St.
We've attached a video with map, highlighting affected areas.


text:
Discontinued Product
Upgrade your Image
- When it comes to state-of-the-art home entertainment technology, Opus gives a masterful performance. LG's stunning flat panel HDTV provides rich colors, incredibly detailed 1080p resolution, a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, and all the inputs you could possibly need-including a USB port, for uploading MP3s and photos.
Design, features and specifications subject to change without notice. Screen images simulated and/or dramatized. Some features in videos may not be available on all models. Please refer to the TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS tab for a complete list of features by model.
Design, features and specifications subject to change without notice.


text:
We have highly skilled technicians in Talbot Green who can repair your Technics equipment if you are having faults or have damaged Technics equipment.
We repair all types of Technics equipment and can arrange collection of your Technics product from Talbot Green to bring it to one of our repair centres to be fixed. We will fix the item and send it back to you.
Please fill in the short form with the type of Technics product you want repairing and a small description of the fault.When the form has been completed we will contact you back shortly.
Our technicians in Talbot Green are specialists in repairing Technics equipment.
Technics equipment is one of the best and one of the most expensive equipment brands on the market.
We have tons of replacement Technics parts in stock to help with fast repairs. We also have a courier service who can collect your Technics equipment and deliver it back to you when your Technics has been fixed.
Our technicians in Talbot Green can repair all faults with Technics equipment.
So please fill in the form above with a small description of the fault you are having with your Technics equipment. We will then contact you back shortly.


text:
Updated at: 09/20/2013 2:06 PM
By STEVE PEOPLES
(AP) BOSTON - Rep. Paul Ryan, the former Republican vice presidential nominee, is headed to New Hampshire.
The Wisconsin congressman is set to visit the state in October to help former House colleague, Frank Guinta (GIHN'-tah). Guinta was defeated last fall, but is expected to launch a new campaign in the coming weeks.
Ryan confirmed the trip on Friday. The visit marks his first to New Hampshire since he campaigned across the state for Mitt Romney's unsuccessful presidential bid last fall.
Ryan says he's looking forward to the visit and notes that the people of New Hampshire were hospitable to his family last year.
New Hampshire traditionally hosts the nation's first presidential primary, and Ryan is thought to be weighing a presidential bid of his own.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


text:
Doris Maxine (Zimmerman) Cates
Doris Maxine (Zimmerman) Cates, age 77, of Scio passed away Sunday, July 18, 2010, in her residence.
Born March 27, 1933, in Jerseyville, IL, she was a daughter of the late Maximillion Earhardt and Bertha Henrietta (Depper) Zimmerman.
On Sept. 12, 1952, she married Charles W. Cates who passed away Sept. 6, 2004. She was a member of Carrollton Baptist Temple. She and her husband were former owners of the True Value Store in Bellefontaine and owned and operated a Western Auto store in Petersburg, IL. She enjoyed family and traveling.
She is survived by two sons, Robert Cates of Carrollton and Gerald Lewis (Tina) Cates of Malvern; three daughters, Janet (John) Barrett of Canton, IL, Bernice (Donald Kevin) Kimmons of Pleasant Plains, IL, and Sandra Lea Cates of Poplar Buff, MO; nine grandchildren; six great grandchildren; three step grandchildren and five step great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Thursday, July 22 at 11 a.m. at Carrollton Baptist Temple with Pastor Nathan Snode officiating. Burial will follow in Grandview Cemetery in Scio. Calling hours will be 4-7 p.m. Wednesday at Allmon-Dugger-Cotton Funeral Home in Carrollton.
©2010 The Free Press Standard
Contact the webmaster at: email@example.com


text:
This message board is only an archive. Click here to go to the current message board.
Happy Thursday, Tet! And welcome to October
Sending lots of hugs and good vibes where needed. And blankies. Warm blankies. It's getting cold now!
One week until Toronto!
Good morning!
KRF, I hear ya! It was 31 when I took the kids to school this morning. BRRR. We did see our first snowflakes yesterday! Today is mostly sunny, but we're not supposed to get much above 40, and still have a chance to see more snow tomorrow, although it has dropped from a 60% chance to 30%. Kids were all bundled up in their winter coats, hats and gloves in the school yard this morning.
Not much going on in my world today, should be fairly quiet until the kids come home. Just going to cuddle up with my coffee and a big blankie and take 'er easy. Have a great Thursday!!
the weather has been changing so much here. I have caught myself a nasty ole cold. hope everyone has a great Thursday,whatever their weather is,
Happy and nice vacation, Marsha, love, speed and lights to all of my family here.
Cowboy..some of the pizza left?
I got some more tea.
Love ya` all.
*wanders in for a sandwich and a cup of tea*
Good morning folks. I've been in my place for a few weeks now and things just keep getting better. I get enough sleep now. What a difference that makes. I'm also starting to do creative stuff again. You all know what this means? I'm alive again!
I'll be out on the back patio in a sheltered corner having my lunch al fresco.
Mostly Cloudy
Wind SpeedVrbl 3 mph
Barometer30.16 in (1021.0 mb)
Dewpoint74°F (23°C)
Visibility10.00 mi
Heat Index98°F (37°C)
Last Update on 4 Oct 1:53 pm EDT


text:
Everything you need to easily obtain the body of your dreams from the comfort your living room:
Disc 2, Part 1: Mr. Gym's Abs Workout (20:51) - Beginning (7:52) and Advanced (12:59):
Ever wondered how to get a perfectly toned tummy or six-pack abs?
Well now you can, and it's easier than you think!
Disc 2, Part 2: Mr. Gym's Cardio Workout (22:58):
So, you wanted an aerobics workout too? Well now you're in luck...
Mr. Gym's Aerobics Workout is now available!


text:
Register now for free, or sign in with any of these services:
No, no, a thousand times no! Love Sabonis, nothing personal there. But we already lead all of sports in undeserved retired jerseys. Lloyd Neal. Larry Steele. Dave Twardzik. Are you kidding me, Dave Twardzik? Even Twardzik himself has had the decency to publicly say numerous times that the Blazers got carried away and that he isn't worthy of a retired jersey. Bob Gross? Nope. Sidney Wicks was better than Geoff Petrie, but Wicks was a sullen black guy back then. We have exactly two no-questions-asked retired jersey guys: Drexler and Walton. Lucas and Porter are iffy, but I can live with them. People tend to forget Lucas wasn't here all that long and left in a huff, basically quit on the Blazers and forced a trade after Mychal Thompson got big money as the No. 1 pick. BTW, Thompson is more deserving of a retired jersey than half of those who have one. Sorry for the rant, undeserved retired jerseys really bug me. A "Ring of Honor" type of thing would be much more appropriate for the fan favorites that don't reach the level of retired jerseys. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe Montana, Bobby Orr, Bill Russell -- those are retired jersey people, not Dave Twardzik and, sorry, not Ardvydas Sabonis.
Exactly. Adam Morrison, Jr. Slow white guy that was a good shooter in a small conference that can't get his shot off in the NBA. And essentially we traded our best proven shooter (Martell) for him. A really bad decision.
This will sound rude and I apologize for that, but if you thought this was a great game then you don't understand basketball much. Portland played absolutely brutal down the stretch. They missed "open looks," as Nate likes to call them, because they dribbled to within 5 seconds of the shot clock, fired up too many threes and absolutely sent no one to the offensive boards. A great training video on how to give away a game. They were in the enviable position of not really needing to make a stop until the Lakers' last possession, all they had to do was score one time in the last 4 minutes. They stopped running their regular offense, they played not to lose instead of playing to win. Deja vu from the Miami game. I don't care that we've beaten Minnesota 123 times in a row or whatever, I'm a season ticket holder fed up with mediocre basketball. Until we can finish a game against a good team, we're talking first round and out, first round and out, year after year. It's tiresome.
How many ballots have David Stern's handwriting? That's what this is really about. Stern doesn't give a rip about small market teams. Shoot, he doesn't care about mid-market teams. Seattle may move to OKC? Yawn, wake him if the Knicks threaten to move. Stern, who loves to be thought of as a great hoops ambassador, can't figure out a way for Portland to ever host the All-Star game in 40 years? First the arena was too small. OK, Paul built a new one. Now we don't have a major hotel within walking distance. This matters because what, league officials from NYC, of all places, don't know how to hail a cab? Pompous, arrogant, underhanded. That's David Stern in one word (OK, three).
Or hockey; the NHL is the most feasible of the other major leagues. I might be minutely more interested if the jerseys said "Portland" rather than being a blatant billboard for Alaska Airlines. Yes, soccerfan, I understand "that's the way it is" in your sport. I just love the fact that somehow, I'm sure some of my bailout tax money went overseas to help pay for "AIG" being on the front of Manchester United's jerseys. (And no, I refuse to call them "kits." This is America. The bonnet here is the hood, the boot here is the trunk and kits here are jerseys. And it's a field, not a pitch.)
A bad break for a good guy. He'll work hard and be back, maybe even here again. But criticizing the Blazers on this is naive. They needed the roster spot given the other injuries. He's being paid for the entire season when he can't play -- that's not exactly "unemployed" by most standards. And let's be real here, Jeff is at best a journeyman NBA player. Yes, a good team guy whose intangibles are probably as good as his tangibles. I'm not anti-Jeff and would welcome him back if it works out. But he's hardly irreplaceable. There are two or three Jeff Pendergraphs in the second round of every draft. The Blazers will be fine with or without him, and he'll be fine with or without the Blazers. Best of luck to him either way.
Others have answered your lack of understanding of the "one person, one vote" concept that is fundamental to a democracy. The answer to your question about taking so long to count is that the workers have to verify the signatures on the ballots under our vote-by-mail system. That's what takes the time, there's no way to do that other than one-by-one. Traditional polling states just run the ballots through a computer, which is exactly what we do AFTER the signatures have been verified. If you get 90,000 ballots on one day, it's just going to take time to verify all those signatures. See, there are very logical and practical explanations for your questions, no need for goofy conspiracy theories.
It varies state to state. Here, you'll find this in ORS 243. It originated from PECBA, the Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act, passed by the Oregon Legislature in 1973. PECBA covers all Oregon public employees: state, counties, cities, other forms of municipal. As an historical side note, one of its chief authors was a young state rep by the name of Ted Kulongoski. It has been amended several times over the years, most notably by Senate Republicans in 1995. There are all sorts of timelines involved. State-facilitated mediation is required before striking, and unions must give a 10-day notice of intent to strike before they can actually walk out. Certain classes of employees may not strike, generally public safety employees (police, fire, corrections officers, etc.). Because they cannot strike, if they do not resolve their contract it goes to binding arbitration and an independent arbitrator hears both sides "best offers" and must pick one or the other. That changed at some point in time; it used to be an arbitrator could pick and choose from both offers and craft his/her own "settlement," but again, now the arbitrator has to pick one or the other. Incidentally, the unions would be fine with binding arbitration for all public employees, it's the jurisdictions that don't want it. Generally speaking, it's fairly easy for the unions to "prove" that any given jurisdiction is underpaying its employees relative to a comparable-sized jurisdiction elsewhere in the state.
Washington law is silent on strikes. Doesn't say you can, doesn't say you can't. Obviously both sides interpret that to their advantage. Washington state employees conducted a limited number of one-day "rolling" strikes in 2001. There have bee several short duration teacher strikes there. Typically the jurisdiction being struck will run to court and argue that Washington statutes don't overtly allow strikes and ask for an injunction. It's sort of a "don't ask, don't tell" issue up there that's never been fully resolved by their courts. Hope this helps.
Look no further than the LA Times for the answer. Its headline: "USC, UCLA big winners in Pac-12 realignment." That tells you all you need to know. The Times' story also mentions how newcomers Utah and Colorado basically won the lottery by getting into the South Division. Oregon, and to a somewhat lesser extent Washington, are the two schools that got completely hosed. The Ducks traded LA exposure for equal revenue sharing? We don't need extra money, we have plenty of that. I don't mean to be flippant, but the reality is that with Uncle Phil and several other well-heeled boosters, we already have the best facilities in the country. Money isn't out issue. UW has its Tyee Club of deep-pocketed boosters, who will dole out again with Sarkisian getting the Puppies competitive again. It's a good deal for OSU and WSU, who need money and get few recruits from LA that are better than three stars. But it's a bad, bad deal for the Ducks who will now be competing for four- and five-star LA recruits with eight -- EIGHT -- other Pac-10 teams that always have a game in LA each year. No idea how Rob Mullens can think this is a good deal for us.
LA Times headline: USC, UCLA big winners in Pac-12 realignment. That, and the article mentions that newcomers Utah and Colorado basically won the lottery. You can tell by my screen name that I'm hardly objective, but no one got screwed worse than UO. The tradeoff here is supposedly extra revenue. That's a plus for OSU and WSU. It's irrelevant for us, we have the best facilities on the nation and plenty of $$$ thanks to Uncle Phil and other donors. Losing the annual game in LA hurts us worse than gaining more shekels.
76, not 67. 66 & 67 were the January tax measures. Very sloppy reporting.
The biggest problem with the anti-union crowd is simply their ignorance. By law, DUES MONEY cannot, and is not, used for political CANDIDATES. Like it or not, the money AFSCME gave to Kitzhaber came from VOLUNTARY political contributions made by union members. No, they did not necessarily earmark it for Kitzhaber, but they knew when they donated that the union's Political Action Committee -- made up of members -- would make that decision. But the important point, AGAIN, is that no dues money was used. At least get that part straight and UNDERSTAND THE LAW before you make dumb comments.
Associated Oregon Industries is a coalition of business interests that has every bit as much sway with the GOP as the unions do with the D's. Ditto the Farm Bureau, the Homebuilders Association and the Grocers Association. There's four off the cuff. And again, I'm not saying it's wrong -- these groups are supporting the people that support them. I don't have a problem with it -- that's politics. It's always just curious to me as an observer how visceral the anti-union comments are, when it appears "business" does the exact same thing. Is it perhaps that business simply isn't as good at the game, so is therefore less successful? If so, that's not the unions' fault. Indeed, it seems self-perpetuating. If the unions are successful in how they play politics, then union members will feel more encouraged to donate money to their union PACs. I'm convinced there is plenty of business/corporate money to be had on that side if the business lobby were in fact better at politics. And please, no one try to sidetrack what I hope to be a fruitful discussion with claims about the unions "taking" members money for politics. Again, I am neither a union member nor an anti-union person, but I do enjoy following politics and I do know the law: public employee unions can NOT use dues money for candidates. The money unions give to candidates is voluntarily contributed by their members, which to me says the unions must be doing a good job of convincing their membership they know how to play the game of politics. Business, it seems to me, isn't convincing its membership in the same way. But I'm willing to be convinced otherwise; I just need to hear facts, not rhetoric or half-truths.
Disclaimer: I am an independent and vote all over the map, I truly do. I enjoy following politics. That said, gotta ask a question here. This one will sound like I'm siding with the D's -- I'm not, it's just that in this instance, I believe objectively there's a question being begged here. Why is it OK for the business lobby to meet together, strategize together and pool their resources together to benefit Republicans, but if the unions do the same to benefit Democrats that's just the axis of all evil? Again, I'm doing my best to stay above the fray and observe. I am neither a union member nor anti-union. But I'm just saying, the unions regularly get lambasted here and elsewhere for doing exactly what the business people are doing. What's the difference?
Exactly, jwks22! That was the first thing that hit me as well.
This is a huge letdown. The proposed Pac-16 would have been cutting edge and great. Colorado and Utah? Ugh. And why is everyone so excited about adding a conference championship game? Here's what will happen. There will be a north and south division, and the reality of that is that in MOST years, if you're Oregon or OS(U), you'll now have to beat USC twice to go to the Rose Bowl. Get lucky enough to beat them the first time and guess what, there they'll be again as the south division champion. That's going to be the reality more often than not. The Pac-10 as constructed with a round robin schedule and a true conference champion is ideal. But change was going to happen, so big change with Texas, Oklahoma, et al would at least have been fun. Now we're left with egg on our collective faces and Colorado and Utah. Again, a huge letdown.
This is such a no-brainer I wasn't going to chime in, but I can't help myself. Brandon isn't going anywhere people. He's the FACE OF THE FRANCHISE, and with that, it's more than about what he does on the floor -- which he does at an All-Star level. I'm not a Nate-hater, I'm ambivalent, but B-Roy is a good enough player that he would adapt to any system, any coach. Run like the Suns? Brandon would score 27 a game. BTW, is anyone else way high on Monty Williams as a head coach as I am? I'm hoping he gets a head coach gig soon, cuz I'd love to see him get a couple of years experience and then be the Blazers next head coach when Nate leaves, which is inevitable at some point.
Re: Jim Gray. Because he is just a shill. One time in his life he asked Pete Rose a tough question -- and then in a forum where it wasn't necessarily appropriate -- and people who don't know better think he's this great, intrepid reporter. He used to do a similar gig for the Raiders, back in the heyday of Al Davis moving the team back and forth between Oakland and L.A., and he'd get on TV and point out a small preseason crowd and say things like "Mr. Davis is entirely justified in doing whatever he deems best with the team" blah-blah-blah. Jim Gray is no great journalist, just a gun for hire to anybody and everybody that will pay him, so I'm not in the least bit surprised he's hooked up with the Kings in what would otherwise seem a curious move.
The best thing about these online comment sections is that somebody like me who doesn't like soccer can get on here and stir the pot and raise the blood pressure of someone like Mr. Glenndiggity just for fun. I'll concede that NASCAR is worse, but NASCAR drivers don't represent communities. People who pull for No. 24 aren't cheering for the Portland Jeff Gordons, so you're making an apples-to-oranges comparison there. Last time I checked, I don't live in Toyota, Oregon. And yes, I'm aware that they changed primary sponsors this year on their kits, is it? How quaint. Let's all go run around on the pitch in our kits for two hours, and with any luck, the score will be nil-nil and we won't have accomplished a thing. BTW, Mr. Glenndiggity, UO athletic department doesn't get one cent of your tax dollars and it's embarrassing how little money the actual universities get in our state. FYI, my graduation GPA was 3.8, I can read just fine. I can spell, capitalize and punctuate, too!
Who cares? The jerseys won't say "Portland," they'll say "Toyota" or whatnot. How many of MY tax dollars spent on the Wall Street bail out went to keep "AIG" on the front of the Yankees of soccer, Manchester United? Soccer Fan likes to come off as sort of the earthy, love-of-the-sport fan, yet it's the biggest corporate sell-out of all sports. To quote "dialectic" above, Justsaying.


text:
4 March 2015
The voice of UK optics
The Optical Confederation speaks and acts in a powerful and co-ordinated way for UK optical professionals, manufacturers, retailers, distributors and importers.
What we do
Optometrists and opticians need to be able to deliver a service which ensures that patients have access to eye care, through the provider of their choice, whether in the community, in their own home (for the housebound) or in eye clinics.
Working with partner organisations, the Confederation achieves these objectives by sharing information, aligning views, co-ordinating action wherever possible, based on a set of core values.
Members stand for the delivery of high-quality services and products for all, on the basis of choice, delivered by open, fair and competitive markets. The Confederation will challenge anti-competitive behaviours wherever they occur.
News & Press Releases
Optical, pharmacy and hearing organisations attend landmark meeting to improve local health outcomes
3 March 2015
Eye health and sight loss organisations launch UK Vision Strategy 2015 General Election Manifesto
4 February 2015
Optical sector granted new use of the NHS logo
12 December 2014


text:
Studies consistently report that 75% of serious domestic violence related injuries and deaths occur after the victim has decided to end the relationship and the batterer believes he no longer has the power to get the victim back into the relationship and under his control. The vast majority of all homicides committed in Macomb County each year are domestic violence related and most of these murders are committed after the victim has attempted to end the relationship.
Although no one can accurately predict when or if a batterer will kill or escalate violence to a life threatening level, the following indicators can serve as warning signs that a batterer may be reaching that level. It is important to note that while these indicators are a valuable assessment tool, the presence or absence of one or more indicators cannot definitively predict the behavior of a batterer.
The most important indication of life-threatening violence is the victim's perception of her danger. If the woman is very afraid and says she will be killed or may be killed, then the possibility of life-threatening violence is present. National experts on domestic violence note, "Battered women are usually the best evaluators of the potential for lethal violence because they generally have more information about the batterer than anyone other than the batterer himself" (Hart, 1988). At the present time it appears that the best approach to screening for life-threatening violence is a combination of the women's perspective and the advocate's assessment (Davies, 1998).
- Perceived loss of control over the victim through separation, divorce or victim fleeing
- Extreme jealousy
- Escalation of abuse
- Acts of abuse in public
- Suicide or homicide threats and plan to carry out either
- Use or access to a weapon, especially a gun
- Stalking
- History of mental health problems
- Substance abuse
- Violation of protective orders


text:
Rocky Mountain Research Station Publications
RMRS Online Publication - Journal
Articles, External Publications, and Special Reports
Let it be: A hands-off approach to preserving wildness in protected areas [chapter 6]
Landres, Peter. 2010. Let it be: A hands-off approach to preserving wildness in protected areas [chapter 6]. In: Cole, David N.; Yung, Laurie, eds. Beyond naturalness: Rethinking park and wilderness stewardship in an era of rapid change. Washington D.C.: Island Press. p. 88-105.
In an era of rapid global climate change and other pervasive anthropogenic ecological insults, many scientists and managers have few qualms about taking action to mitigate the effects of these insults, including in areas that are protected by law as wilderness, wildlife refuges, or national parks. For example, habitat is manipulated to sustain populations of selected threatened and endangered species, nonindigenous invasive species are removed, and extirpated species are reintroduced. Even with important technical advances in the ecological sciences over the last several decades, ecologists still question the feasibility of managing biodiversity in the face of continued environmental change. For example, Western (2004: 496) wryly notes in an essay on the paradox of managing wildlands that "like the Red Queen running in place, we are destined to manage ever harder to save any semblance of the natural until . . . the unmanaged will be more managed than the managed to preserve the illusion of the natural."
Keywords: wildness, protected areas, environmental change
About PDFs: For best results, do not open the PDF in your Web browser. Right-click on the PDF link to download the PDF file directly to your computer. Click here for more PDF help.
Download Article
PDF File Size: 160 K
Title: RMRS Other
Publications: Let it be: A hands-off approach to preserving wildness
in protected areas [chapter 6]
Electronic Publish Date: December 10, 2010
Last Update: December 10, 2010
RMRS Publications | Order a publication | Contact Us


text:
Render the smoke into purified nothing
I had never hoped to convince you
of my place as a giant in this world.
I appear as a dumpy man, a man of spent substance,
and I hide in plain sight amongst Tokyo's Sunday multitudes.
There is a kangaroo on my head, and I've never even fucking been to Australia.
I pass as so many gods do, looking down at the pavements of man.
Humans have built a crust encasing the earth
and they think I can't punch through it
and swim like an effortless dolphin through the mantle
down to the planet's core where I was incubated and born.
And that's okay, really, it's fine.
You took Jesus, Buddha, and Muhammad for granted,
and they actually told you all who they were.
I am, at the very least, a god of all Tokyo's streets
but I won't make the mistake of revealing myself.
You wouldn't believe me anyway.
There are more of us in the Tokyo city limits than you might think.
Men seemingly of little actuality and no style
wearing Western baseball caps and Velcro Nike shoes,
sparring with their wives over pension money
and how much shōchū they can drink before izakaya curfew at midnight.
Anyway, that's enough about me, but you asked.
I'm standing here smoking because I like it.
It won't kill me.
In fact, the smoke I suck in, process, and exhale
is more pure and sweet than the delivery room air you first breathed
inside whatever hospital in which you were born.
(Picture taken near Sensō-ji in Asakusa, Tokyo in October, 2013. Also published on Scholars and Rogues.)
Asakusa contrasts
The younger man, calm and still, in the more traditional garb of a rickshaw puller. And the older man, speeding along, dressed in more-or-less modern street fashion…
(Picture taken in Asakusa, Tokyo in October, 2013)
Life at the kōban
All the wide happy and the scattering crowds,
these are which I watch over.
For I am police, I am law.
It is good I do this,
for there is no better humble god of justice
than me when I am on duty.
In Tokyo we have guns,
for we are police and
they are subtle extensions of sword
and I see them as
metals from repurposed katana
beaten into tiny rocket-spitting machines.
Musashi used guns.
I read this once in torn manga-page literature.
To me this brings honor to the idea,
and grinds nothingness into fine subtlety.
For if you can kill disbelief,
you can kill injustice.
When this is done
my work will be over,
I will no longer need to be police.
I would like to put myself out of a job,
I would like to always go fishing
in the Sumida River
and hook all the gold rings the yakuza ever dropped into it.
It would be a good thing to be with my son every day,
to know I will never need a gun to protect him.
To never need updated training
on the best American ways to shoot people in the head.
But these times are not here yet.
So I will guard you,
and you will love me for it,
and I will love you back because you give me purpose and honor.
And money.
(Picture taken in Asakusa, Tokyo in October, 2013. Published concurrently on Scholars and Rogues.)
Balance and control
Asakusa near Sensō-ji on a warm and dry Sunday afternoon in October is one of the best places to be in the world. On this day, after a long and often furious rainy season, so many relaxed and smiling people were in Asakusa's streets they seemed as uncountable as the stars.
And there were plenty of street performers, like this fellow, who kept the passing crowds continuously entertained while earning a bit of cash on the cuff. This guy's shtick was plastic road cones, a fairly ubiquitous symbol of construction, progress, and inconvenience in Tokyo. As he chatted up the crowd, he prepared the cones…
And he kept talking as he positioned the cones above his face and established his balance…
Then it was done. It was, as most of the folks in the crowd probably knew, a foregone conclusion that he'd succeed. There's no point in trying to make money this way if you aren't quite good at it.
Still, it was a hell of a lot of fun to watch…
(Pictures taken in Asakusa, Tokyo on October 6th, 2013)
You May Find Typos—A small book of short stories
So I have compiled a book of the short stories I have written in the last four years. It is available as Kindle book from Amazon. Here's is how I have described it:
These eight very short stories, written between January, 2010 and October, 2013, run the gamut from a simple tale of friendship in a Tokyo bar ("Kamiya Bar") to the horrors in the mind of a warped Japanese family man ("The Water and Plum Dream"). In between are tales of detective work, teleportation, alcoholism, Wyatt Earp, and a sequel to the movie classic "Blade Runner". Short but bittersweet, "Kamiya Bar and other stories" won't take long to read, but will have you thinking for some time afterward.
Interested? Okay, then click on the image of the cover below, and get yourself a quick but thought-provoking read….
Outside Kamiya Bar—A small people watching
It's no great revelation to state that one doesn't even need to enter Kamiya Bar to see interesting people…
The intrepid barkeep manning his post and watching passersby in Kamiya Bar's outdoor liquor sales counter. I photographed him previously in 2012.
Just some ordinary guy captured in an interesting pose after he crossed the street. I can't remember why he was gesturing in this manner.
Another ordinary guy, but obviously on his way back from a visiting Tokyo Sky Tree. The Sorakara-chan hat was the dead giveaway.
An old fellow who was wandering around in front of Kamiya Bar. He seemed as if he was waiting for someone, but he also acted confused and disoriented. He may have been intoxicated, and might also have been homeless. I am not entirely sure. But I felt sympathy for him, and I hope he either found his people or had a safe place to stay.
(Pictures taken in Asakusa, Tokyo in October, 2013)
Chūhai 'N' Corn Interlude—A small street snack
In between what he had been doing and what he had planned for the rest of the day, a lone fellow on an empty side street spent some moments of a crowded Asakusa Sunday afternoon chewing roasted corn and sipping canned chūhai. His clothes were neat enough, but his exposed feet were rough and battered and his bulging backpack indicated he had a more of his life within it than the typical snacks and happy snap supplies carried by regular day trippers.
A lone man enjoying a quiet moment, and it looked to me like he had probably well earned it.
(Picture taken in Asakusa, Tokyo on October 6th, 2013)
Asakusa Dogs—A small companionship
There seem to be a hell of a lot more dogs in Tokyo now than when I lived there in the late '80s. A friend of mine explained the recent surge in dog ownership occurred because it was the Year of the Dog in Japan and the rest of east Asia in 2006. This made sense to me, as it was easy to absorb without being intellectually complex. But whatever the reason, it was obvious that these dogs I saw in Asakusa one October Sunday were taking pretty good care of their humans.
A fellow shouting to some nearby friends in front of Kamiya Bar. His dog ignored basically everything.
The lady was having a meal. The man had a cocktail. The dog had pretty obvious desires.
Man and dog at peace. The beer from the empty mug may have helped the man with that some. The dog got treats from the man's plate.
The same gent and pooch from Kamiya Bar, strolling through Asakusa's Sunday crowds.
(Pictures taken in Asakusa, Tokyo on October 6th, 2013)
Kamiya Bar is still Kamiya Bar, but…
Kamiya Bar in Asakusa is one of my favorite places in Tokyo, and has been since the late '80s. I have written about it and photographed it numerous times in the last five and a half years. During my most recent trip to Tokyo, I was delighted to have a last-minute chance to visit the place one more time to have a quick drink with a friend.
But something had changed.
Oh, the strangers you meet and sit with are still very colorful and very friendly. That has not changed and probably never will.
But the first floor, which is always where I meet people for drinks and snacks, is now partially obstructed by a white-walled structure.
Kamiya Bar management must be remodeling the place. To be honest, I was surprised by the walls right in the middle of the first floor drinking areas.
It was a bit like having a white version of the "2001: A Space Odyssey" monolith in the middle of the room.
But even though the white walls have diminished available space for customer seating, the loud and happy ebb and flow of Kamiya Bar seems the same as ever.
This white tunnel near the front and the lavatories seemed particularly odd. I have no idea when the changes behind these walls will be completed.
Thankfully, Kamiya Bar is still Kamiya Bar, and the connection it provides between me and some of my happiest days in Tokyo is still as strong as ever.
(Pictures taken in Kamiya Bar, Asakusa, Tokyo on October 6th, 2013)
Asakusa Conflict—A small dichotomy
There was joy in Asakusa today, but someone wasn't feeling it completely…
(Picture taken Asakusa, Tokyo (near the Sensō-ji) on October 6th, 2013)
Electric Brandy—A small Kamiya Bar scene
It's a simple thing and a piece of genius, watching people at Kamiya Bar. And I've had the most wonderful conversations in English there, with people who only spoke Japanese.
I didn't speak to these gents, sad to say; I was mostly too busy swimming in a hootenanny nocturne with my American friends. But if these guys were watching me watching them, they didn't mention it nor act as if they minded.
Kamiya Bar is good like that, as good as the people, who will love you like a lost family member for an hour, and then forget you after one of you leaves. I didn't know if these men were brothers, or co-workers, or on a first date of some kind. I'll never know.
But it didn't matter. The beer was cold and the "denki bran" (electric brandy) was dangerous. Everyone at the table we shared was having a good time, not a hint of regret showing on anyone's face. Well, maybe a little bit of regret. Denki bran has a bite. Beer helps with that.
The important thing is to enjoy the moment, enjoy the place. And if you're at Kamiya Bar with professionals, they'll know how to help you get far enough into the night to hate yourself a little the next morning.
(Pictures taken in Kamiya Bar, Tokyo, on May 3rd, 2012. A good time was had by all.)
Snappy To-fu Beatniks—A small diptych
There are so many
different planets on Earth.
I've seen a few and liked them.
Mostly now,
I just read about them in the paper.
Because there is no reason
to travel.
You can't get good ramen
on every planet on Earth.
I am looking away from you
and I am looking right at you.
That is the Japanese way.
There is no reason to stare.
I see what you do and are.
You can keep staring at me
after sundown.
My wife will be out shopping
with her friends,
and I may again
be wandering these streets,
like I often do,
dressed as a floating-world geisha.
(Pictures taken in Asakusa, Tokyo in April, 2012)
I'm Afraid Of Americans—A small thanks
It is a cliché of great truth: In Tokyo, one of the most crowded and kinetically frenzied cities on Earth, it is easy to be alone. I spent a lot of time alone in Tokyo in 2012—in my apartment, in restaurants, and in seedier parts of the city—during the five weeks in April and May when I was there working on a forthcoming book of photographs and prose. Fortunately, on a handful of occasions I accepted invitations to eat and drink with "gaijin", mostly Americans, who knew me through Twitter and my heavy involvement with the 2011 Quakebook project.
I don't make friends easily. I never have. I'm a natural, almost pathological, loner. But I was lucky enough to meet the good people in these pictures and click with each of them in some way. And I have stayed in touch with all these folks through social networks since I got back from Tokyo. I hope that continues for a long, long time. And to the people in my pictures I say: Thanks for making my 2012 trip to Tokyo such a splendid thing.
@Durf, at this amazing restaurant in Shinjuku owned by his lovely in-laws. Go for the squid.
@tokyotimes, moving smoothly through Asakusa. Read more about him here.
@billyj41, a man's man and a great drinking companion, at Kamiya Bar in Asakusa.
@loveartblues, an elegant guy wisely taking a break from the ocean of beer at Kamiya Bar.
@kuripyon, the smartest punk-rock-and-roll-engineering chick I've ever met. Kamiya Bar.
@warpedgaijin, a young man, but worldly-wise. At the Roppongi Hobgoblin.
@jakeadelstein at the Roppongi Hobgoblin. He wrote a book called Tokyo Vice. Heard of it?
I met five other people in Tokyo, including this dear friend, but didn't take their individual pictures. I'm sorry for that, and I hope to correct that mistake the next time we meet in Japan.
Tokyo Shoes—A small "shoefiti"
What the hell, shoes are boring. Looking at shoes is boring. But they can suggest to you who the person wearing them is, or wants to be. And sometimes pictures of shoes make for interesting photographs. Perhaps not great photographs, as my examples below show, but interesting. Because, basically, taking pictures of shoes is boring.
A girl and a guy, who looked to be on a date. It wasn't going to work out, because I think he was too hip and urban cool for her, who seemed too much the Loli-girl type.
I have written about these golden beauties before. I wish I had a pair. All that's missing are little wings flaring out from the upper sides of each shoe. A cloud dancer, this guy…
I figure she upon the left could have at least painted her toenails. She upon the right was some goth high school girl. High school or perhaps college…
The shoes and stockings of a very reserved but not entirely wealthy woman….
The owner of this foot was drunk and passed out, so the cockeyed angle of this is rather perfect…
And that's pretty much the best of Tokyo shoes from my last trip.
(Pictures taken on various days on the Ginza Line and the Tōzai Line in April and May, 2012)
Money For Horses And Boats—A small gamble
You find me charming?
I am charming.
Since there's no more money in my pockets
all I have is this smile to share with the world.
I figure there's no point in fucking around
I may as well make it a good one.
I bet the boats today,
but tomorrow maybe the ponies.
In Japan, race horses can be considered fast food.
Heh, heh, do you get that joke?
Good, good for you.
For a foreigner you're not as dumb as you look.
I have to go home now, sorry.
I have to go home and tell my wife
that my pension is still safe,
but I need more of her household cash to gamble.
She won't mind.
It keeps me out of the house.
(Picture taken in Asakusa, Tokyo in April, 2012)
Give Me Money For Tempura Batter—A small liquor sales
Tonight I stepped out of the Kamiya Bar
Into rain a thousand feet deep.
The Sumida River was, oddly, a cinder
Dry and glowing like a beacon to our colony on Mars.
I saved a month's pension to come here,
To drink with normal people,
To love the smell of them hating the smell of me.
It's the price I pay fishing for loan sharks.
It's the love I have for my fellow man.
It's the way, I'm told, of the Western Christ,
Creeping up my spine and telling me life is good.
The grasp of genius ever eludes me;
The depth of hatred always deludes me.
I drank, once more, electric laser-sharp brandy
And thanked the deep rain for at least trying to wash me clean.
It never worked when I was alive.
Maybe it will work when I'm dead.
I'll let you know.
So, shall we meet here again next month?
(Pictures taken at Kamiya Bar, Asakusa, Tokyo in May, 2012)
The Subway Olympics Man
The overall comfort found on the seats of the many subway lines in Tokyo is pretty consistent.
Most people, even if they nod off, prefer to sit upright. However, that doesn't work for everyone.
In the end, comfort is a matter of what seems to work best. Fortunately, being left alone in Tokyo often works best.
(Pictures taken on the Ginza Line near Asakusa, Tokyo in April, 2012)
Ladies Of Reserve—A small romance
Trying to love you in Tokyo
is like three ladies crossing the street,
or waiting for a cab.
It's beautiful.
It's reserved.
It's cautious.
It's patient.
And yet with the timing of the lights and the passing of the cars…
it is still a possibly hazardous adventure.
(Pictures taken across from Kamiya Bar in Asakusa, Tokyo in April, 2012)
One Moves Happily Or Stands Curious—A small juxtapose
Days in Asakusa, Tokyo are marvelousness, the people watching is genius. The surroundings are frequently sensory feasts of color, glory, and majesty. And sometimes the people you watch are the ones watching you (make sure you click on the photo to get a close look).
But that's okay when you understand the irony sometimes in Japan is it's the foreigners moving with blurry speed while the Japanese relax waiting on line and looking on. Well, at least I think it's ironic, considering all the unusable pictures I've taken of frenetic, kinetic, fast-moving Tokyo folks during my two trips there in the last four years.
(Picture, featuring @tokyotimes, taken in Asakusa, Tokyo in April 2012)
Order Your Drinks—A small impatience
In Kamiya Bar, things move fast…
And that's just the way it is.
Drink up.
Denki bran?
(Kamiya Bar, Asakusa, Tokyo, May 03 2012. Post updated on March 24, 2013)
Izakaya Bubble Boy And Nakano Bicycle Defender—A small 2-D adventure
In Asakusa two days ago, I just paused long enough to take the picture. The boy behind the plastic filled my head with memories of that horrible TV movie from the '70s starring John Travolta. I didn't realize until I'd seen the image on my computer that the women, like the boy, were watching me too, like I was an odd sight to them.
And I am, of course, totally cool with the idea that they are on the protected inside, looking out at me, the zoo creature.
This superhero is just the four- or five-year-old neighbor boy who likes to play in the street next to our apartment building in the afternoons. I took his picture just a few minutes ago. Since it was raining, he was quieter than usual. I was thankful for that, since I had quite a bit of thinking to do.
Some of the deepest thoughts I have ever had have been in Japan.
One of those thoughts today was that I wished I had a cool Japanese superhero mask instead of plastic Superman when I was five years old. Okay, not a deep thought. But I take what I can get.
Men In Chairs—A small Asakusa time
At Kamiya Bar you just never know…
…who will share a table with you from one moment to the next.
The 1988 Tokyo Super Bowl—A small memoir of a life in sport
Updated on January 28th, 2014
I fondly remember, mostly, the 1988 Super Bowl. I called in sick to my office in Shibuya, and secured a 750ml bottle of white tequila and a two-liter jug of Diet Coke. I don't remember what teams played that day, but I had the game on my TV with the SAP decoder giving me the American color commentary. So, for hours that morning my little apartment in Yushima was a haven of boozed up football stupidness.
(▲I lived at AD. Homes, #402, 3-28-18 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113. Note the H.R. Giger poster on the wall. I still have it.)
(As of September, 2013, my old building ▲ was still there, right next to Yushima Tenjin.)
I was an American, damn it, watching an American thing, getting pissed on imported booze and American soda pop. It almost made me homesick. I had one of those TV magnifiers back then. I remember zooming in on the instant replays until the TV screen looked like housefly vision. I mixed the whole 2 liters of Diet Coke with almost all of the tequila that morning. I was a chemical disgrace. When the game was over, I watched a Japanese tape of R.E.M. videos for awhile (I still own the tape). And then the booze was gone, and that's when I decided to go out. I planned to only go to the beer machines nearby to buy some Asahi Super Dry. Maybe a jug of Kirin with the plastic dragon head spout. I loved those things.
(▲The TV magnifier was a Fresnel lens. I loved mine. It made "Blade Runner" look very interesting.)
Somehow, though, I ended up in Shinjuku, in a bar near Golden Gai. Or maybe it was in Kabukichō. I think it was a retired salaryman bar, actually. A tout led me there. It might have been a gay bar as well, because all the men in the place were definitely looking me over. I was the only gaijin there. Anyway, after awhile I grew tired being there, even though I was at a table with old salarymen who were buying me beers. To this day I remember how they gave me the creeps. So, I politely said thanks and goodbye to these men and left. But of course I was more pissed off my ass then ever. And so I did the next logical thing: I went shopping for a CD player at Marui. I didn't need a CD player, but I went shopping anyway. By this time it was two in the afternoon.
This was all happening on a Monday. I was so drunk I knew I wouldn't be able to show up for work the next day. Anyway, with my drunken, broken Japanese I ended up buying a $600 Nakamichi CD changer from a nice salesgirl. Hope her commission was good. I vaguely recall it was to be delivered from new stock on Tuesday of the following week. I put the CD player on my American credit card.
Somehow, I don't know how, I ended up back in Yushima by about 5 that evening. I think I made a side trip to Kamiya Bar in Asakusa. I think. But if I did I have no clear memories of it.
(▲Kamiya Bar in Asakusa in October, 2013. My 1988 memories of the bar's exterior are a lot more fuzzy than the clear image you see here.)
I stocked up on cold two-liter jugs of Asahi and Sapporo from the beer machines near my Yushima Station exit before I finally went home. When I got there, I had maybe three small glasses of beer before passing out around eight. I didn't wake up until ten the next morning. As expected, I had a massive hangover. I also had no idea who won the Super Bowl. But I had lots of yummy beer and was too much of a mess to go to work. So I called my American boss to tell him I was still sick, then I packed the beer into a cloth bag and wandered over to Ueno Park around lunch time. I had cold beers in the winter sun that afternoon.
I remember loving that Tuesday. I was free and a single man and starting the second year of my great Japanese adventure. I was pure joy. That was one of my best afternoons in Tokyo.
The next day, Wednesday, I went back to work in pretty good shape. And I realized I didn't need the Nakamichi CD player, that I had bought it in a stupid drunken fugue state. The exchange rate on the purchase with my American credit card would be insane!! So, I asked one of the Japanese secretaries to call Marui and cancel the purchase. She did it, and there was no problem.
From what I remember now, that Super Bowl Monday and the Tuesday that followed had been pretty good days. And although I still think the Shinjuku bar I ended up in was a gay bar, I was, for whatever ulterior reasons may have existed, treated with kindness and free beer.
And really, when you're drunk off your ass in Tokyo there really isn't anything better for which to ask.
Tokyo in the Underbrush—A small, old poet-O-graphical portfolio
Author's Note: I published this old work of mine as an Amazon Kindle eBook in May, 2012. If you like the photos and poems you are about to see and read, well now you can own a copy. Just click here. –Dan Ryan, Brisbane, California, February 2014
If I had read the instructions more clearly, these photographs would have gotten me into the photography program at the Yale University School of Art. But, like an idiot, I submitted this portfolio in print form rather than on 35mm slides as was required. Anyway, long story short: I didn't get into Yale, though I did come close. Damned instructions.
Anyway, what you are about to read and view are poems and photographs I created while living in Tokyo in 1987 and 1988. The words were not specifically written for the images, but I paired each piece of text with each photo as a kind of experiment which I thought ended up working. You will note that all the photos are of Japanese drunks and homeless people. I was not on a social crusade, as I might be today. I was merely out to document an aspect of Japanese society which I could not believe existed. And it still exists, as my wife and I discovered during our trip to Tokyo in 2008. There are still tons of dispossessed in Ueno Park, for example.
The words and images are presented pretty much the same as they were 22 years ago. I have formatted the poems to flow more like straight prose, as they seem to read pretty well that way and it saves me some space here on the internet. And please keep in mind that while I make no apologies for the quality of the poetry (I am actually still quite pleased with some of it), these words were written by a man less than half the age of his current 47 years.
So there it is. Please take your time and enjoy. (And please note that each photo is paired with the text beneath it, and the location and date for each photo is directly beneath the image.)
—Dan Ryan, Brisbane, CA, January, 2011
Bagman-san—Except from a diary….
Last evening, I saw the first "crazy-dude-shouting-at-the–top-of-his-voice-to-no-one" that I've seen in Japan. It was while I was walking through Roppongi. I have only been here for a week and some days. If it had been New York, this guy probably would have been my average cabbie. Or a Druze militiaman. The Japanese businessman I was walking near laughed at the guy, who was indeed shouting like Renfield with a razor. I smiled, wishing I new enough Japanese to grin and say "Yeah, we have crazy people in America too." The moment was funny.
I saw my first Japanese bagman the next day. He had chest-length hair uniformly around his head. I could not see his eyes. He sported a dirty coat and some trendily-labeled shopping bags full of trash, or what I thought was trash. His long, glistening hair was eminently noticeable in the early work-day commuting crowd.
The sight of these two men shattered my view of Japan as the ultimate socially-restrained society, one which keeps all members within prescribed societal behavior parameters. I never thought I'd see a bagperson in, Japan. Even the most finely woven silk has a frayed edge somewhere.
Maybe being a bagman is a form of rebellion. Or an honorable profession.
Akihabara—May, 1988▲
Humor of the 'surd
When you stare straight ahead, people love you. They use that stare as a guide rope to the smooth underside of a city. Then they talk to the loops of themselves, whipping about their hair to combine, crashing, at the bus stop.
And they can fill their cold capsules with beer. Large beer capsules, to claim they are no longer the child who loved Star Wars.
People who seem to breathe when they should not. They exhale and breathe more, and soon the mixture is not air. One can see through it, yet it blocks the pores like a bad handshake.
Some say there are valleys because mountains trip and fall. Or, proportionately, there are potholes.
Ueno Station—May, 1988▲
A bruised and side-tracked equinox
My body is hot, though my brain won't feel it. Hot nerve flashes scale like firemen up my neck gathering to swim where my jellied thoughts collect.
I trip the crust of the curb. A fine Goodyear necklace forms the halo for the ghosts of my hands, I dream. In the way my toes wriggle, there is the hint of the prehensile, of the old way of walking.
I think of all those grimy seasons, the sun singing "I am the Queen of Anonymity" to me. Hard luck pressed to bad. The cowboys are weeping tonight between some snowflakes and the blue Ueno fog.
These manholes are the holes in the lute of Earth. My heat, xenophobes killing xenomorphs. There is a tangible future; I know others will be born.
And for them, heaven should be renamed.
Ueno Station—May, 1988▲
Varmint Burgundy
Cool metal. Bent metal aluminum siding. Shiny, warped, and reflecting the street beacon in the shape of a 6. Metal warped with head impressions; perhaps the heads were Cambodian. The Cambodians of Rio, where I have lived for many years. They learned from Pol Pot to take small bites, as people do on T.V.
So come those crushed in my crackers, denting my house, those green in the salad of the Earth. I pray to some monochrome muddy that I do not go to the moon and marry.
Akihabara Station—June, 1988▲
When one feels low, go where the low go
At times, I must lean against the refrigerator and think. That is all, and whether boiling bleach makes chlorine gas, I wonder. I have too many bugs, too much video tape. And a mass in my mean body that takes a protectorate form. For once, this grunt of a wicked rainbow makes you laugh.
What else; the clock and what it represents do not impress me. Just as time is rubber, so are intentions. The way today's rain falls sounds as if the earth was frying.
And it makes some think the lives we make are fit sculpture for some men's lavatory. Weeks of wood can not build this, or centuries of fire burn it. So I disagree, but not so hot, or feeble, to faze a sternly casual method. I should leave them, perhaps you, to "When something wants to eat something, What does it do?"
An eye drifting from the TV to the wallpaper told me about this. And more, of your earth-son domus and shamed elastic, and changing the channel with a brick.
Mikimoto Rat (Keiseiueno)—June, 1988▲
Venison Love
You call me dear. Is this because you love me? Or, have I misspelled it? Do you view me just really as meat? A 6-point prize to be hunted?
Shot? Skinned? Bonnet-slung?
Dressed up and….eaten?
Ueno Park—June, 1988▲
"Organic lifelessness refracts light" to an old man coughing lovely luminous vapor trails in the park. He tells this to a pretty woman, who, in the process of describing trousers as "pyants," does not listen to him.
He coughs up the nervous laugh of the aged, dumps his head upon his duffle and sleeps. Distantly, there ring slide guitar chords made using a finger inserted in a hip-flask bottle.
They sing.
Ueno Park—August, 1988▲
Terrible Clichés
If there were cocaine in the Bisquick, do you think we'd live better lives? Really? Let us be intelligent about this; let's pretend we've read Newton's Principia. Sometimes, you, well, maybe not, however, you know, I feel like crying.
I'll run my fingers through my hair and wish it was yours. Yet you wonder if the sun will be brilliant tonight. You wonder if your gun is loaded. And you wonder if the cat's water dish is full.
I haven't read much since college. Yet, I've read enough prostitute cards in smog-coffin Tokyo phone booths to know: love's harbinger, lust, is alive and welcome if you've an 80-minute coffee break. But, there are certain things you care nothing about. There are certain things I object to. Why are they the same things?
Tomorrow, if my love hits you between the eyes, don't say "Love hit me between the eyes." It's a terrible cliché.
Okachimachi—August 1988▲
Quietly sinking with the Japanese sun (written in Kamiya Bar, Asakusa)
Some electrolytic brandy, and the brain's synapses change and lose voltage, like a battery, sparking of its own chemical volition. We change this way, and we squeak.
Remember, John Wayne proclaimed some liquids unfit for the young. Here, an older crowd; here, a louder loud. Boot tips, and teeth grinding the edge of some brandy glass.
When poured, brandy has its own inertia. This is a fact. This is a physical law. Yet, why need the real be basis for delusions? Or impressions? Like ball-point lines. Or bad Polaroids, fading in the street, matching road shade, road texture. Yet, sitting in this pit any room you climb up into seems infinite, no matter its size.
Here, cigarettes burn down, strand by strand, their flames scorching lengths of RNA. I could be other places, to be warm and alone; perhaps the street.
I am cold, reading utopian literature, in a long, cylindrical chamber A cold chamber, heating slowly. I think it is the barrel of a gun. Once more, I sip brandy.
Sanya—July, 1988▲
The grade-Z cast of thousands
Pride, diplomacy; they are not wasted in empty wheat fields. Out there. It's where the bearded winds sing the slalom music, the careening scherzo of life. Upon such music: a spirit.
The Melancholy Marabou Stork. He airlifts sadness so sweet, it leaves sugar burns with the tongue. From the tongue it takes words, leaving them scattered at the toes to dry with other empty wheat husks.
With each monolog a husk pyre forms, until the night. Then, a match applied warms the cool, hard soul 'til next morning.
Sanya—August, 1988▲
On an Alabama road in the dead of 10 a.m.
The sun bakes the wetness in my eyes into a sugary dome that I saw Julia Child put upon a dessert once. It is a natural contact lens I peel off with a paring knife when I am not dodging meteors.
I look at the backs of my hands; they contain charred fleshy nexuses, like I was Christ-vampire-incarnate crucified with spikes of sunlight. At the tip of my tongue, some velcro, which I use to strip the petals from a bluebonnet.
It is the free slope of the morning; the point from which the day's time curves down Einstein's extended index. The point from which discreet time quanta will add up to the point of the next morning on a hill several miles from here.
Far. In a county named after a dog, where each blade of grass is registered in the county seat, as the officials have precious little else to do.
Sanya Market—July, 1988▲
The Unpublished Poets of Tokyo
The unpublished poets bend in the breeze; reeds in a pond. Ducks eat them. Bigger things eat the ducks. The poets mildew in the canyons of Tokyo, where crows bleached in soot whitewash dying brambles.
Is brambles the correct word? The unpublished poets take the dictionaries from beneath their oily heads, street pillows, and page … xenophobia, autodidact, ah, here … yes. The poets eat the bones of their procrustean kin.
Others, too, have stopped by. Poets toothpick their pens, flicking bones, and write sloppy words to Japan's shoeleather orchestra. It is no symphony; it's a water ballet.
The unpublished poets tread water all day.
Drunk in Sanya—August, 1988▲
Alleys are homes to our greatest unknowns
My flesh is parched and broken from the cigarette I put out in my palm. It was curious to've done such a thing, I know; but for agony, alleys are best. To scream in, to sit in, and chew the bubble-gum bits before gangrene sets in.
This, then, is concrete, polished with dust. A banquet of oil and rubber beneath my shoes. Fitting food for my king of the feast, who can afford to die slowly as cancer's camp ground yet cannot afford an ashtray.
A creamy socket of lymph stares at me like an eyeball in the bishop's stigmata. Twenty meters from the curb. There, walk-and-pass women walk and pass, themselves nude in the eyes of the men with the rabbit-skull cuff links
There, sun. Rising, spreading Sunday's hungover glow. From school, I remember the plane preposition test as a jet passes above. flying from that cloud to another. Planes jot the sky's water vapor island.
Day #8576. Wakeup. I wonder if I can step on every crack when I walk downtown home.
Shinjuku—September, 1988▲
A strange, provocative solution (excerpt from a diary)
If more people lived in the street, there would be fewer street people; because an increased number of persons inhabiting the street would create a climate in which street residence would be more acceptable, by virtue of its prevalence.
Therefore, there would be less of a stigma attached to being a street person. Gradually, it would become acceptable; gradually, there would be fewer 'street people' in the negative, social commentary sense because living in the street would be no more objectionable than living in the suburbs.
People will always be a mélange of jerks, geniuses and slick pederasts; but if more of us live in the street, we can, by virtue of making an unacceptable situation acceptable, solve a great social malaise.
Shinjuku Sidewalk—September, 1988▲
The discreet rainbow lady
Teeth, and beige silk, molded into fine oriental dentures. Such things are worn by women who snore. She's one; my Bencliffia. A saltpeter heiress. Controller, mixer of disconcerted realities, she'll say "The beginning and end product're cheap; it's their transition that's expensive."
Silver eyed; onyx irised. She moves the way liquid in a shaking bottle sounds. "They are a noise, they are one life," She says, as she moves. She says and she moves a lot.
Almost never in unison, though.
Sanya—October, 1988▲
Edgar Allen Poe is dead and I don't have the energy to danse like the bones of Christ along the power lines at dawn. Not like I used to.
No one could plant a bullet, as I have, only to see roots of red attack squirrels as the plant matured. Seems Mars is for rent. I'm going. I'd like a room with a view for once. All that …. red soil.
No need to cover the wounds of the dead. So, there are no cheaper imitations of plastic, are there? Let it speak for itself. I can't; I have splinters on my tongue from talking to trees too long.
This breeze is good. So good. It penetrates every molecule, for there is no blood to block it.
Ueno Park—October, 1988▲
Wino Christmas
We can chew on the bread of a Yakuza wife and become parodies of our own physiognomy. Like prisoners at Corsica we may spend our leisure converting rural tools for urban wilderness.
Perhaps you've found waters of coveted rivers refreshing. Such liquids make us ill. We prefer whiskey, for a spinal block. We are the phantoms of language who spurn the dance of the affected poseurs in subway clothing ads.
To wit, we are greasy freedom in tune with the beagle years. We spew walrus, and we use you and that makes us feel ok.
Sanya—October, 1988▲
Blade Runner Tuesday
The sweet fibers of the beer that ails me. The mask of the face that kills me. At war with god, the tequila oak leaves kiss me. Biting a macaroon, the tight fangs who know I goad next week's hounds smile in the weeds with the intelligence of those who don't comprehend stupidity. I grip the hands of the Sanskrit poets who wrote me.
To ask god for greatness is to blame another for failure. The woof of the flame, it taunts me. I smile there, through the library of the dead. Mozart's skull, I…. a brouhaha and a homily.
The cold cotton pits that jail me. I attend the three-fold mass for the gods of the rainy bus-stop. I wear those cellophane clothes; they never fit me. On these frequent days, I sip bombast cocktails and elude great ideas.
Asakusa (near Kamiya Bar)—September, 1988▲
Greta Garbo
There is a ring on my hand. It is made of Strontium 90 because I am anti-social.
Most people do not interest me, most contacts do not arouse me. But, for you, the ring is tragic; it dissolves my hands, the ones I once did, and still long to, touch you with.
It is a price, the glow, that is too high for me to stop paying now.
King Subway (Tokyo Station)—October, 1988▲
Walk. Walk amongst the people. Make no sound as you walk.
Walk light, step bright and ghostly kiss the passers-by. Here. Hear the sounds of their step. Pound their hearts with the aura of your love. Watch the waves of ochre sound.
They love you and they need you and they don't know you exist.
You walk through them. Your blood cells and theirs shake hands. You kiss every forehead. You own ever fiber of their suits and their jewelry. You own every crowd. You are a harvester of chaste souls, of buttery blood vessels.
You are what you need them to think you to be. You are something I see without you seeing me.
Ueno Park Son—October, 1988▲
Urban poem
Rudy went to the gas station
bought three gallons
went home
lit a match
and burned.
These poems and photographs were originally exhibited at Lehigh University in the Spring of 1989. More recently, the photographs were published in 2008 in issue 57 of Giant Robot magazine and on Scholars and Rogues in August, 2011.


text: Meachem Questionable, Royal Doubtful vs. Chiefs. From @caplannfl Oct 31, 2012 Share Tweet Next ARTICLE » Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Harry How/Getty Images 12 Reads 0 Comments WRs Robert Meachem questionable and Eddie Royal listed as doubtful vs. Chiefs. Continue Reading on @caplannfl »


text:
Fox dies, Ethan meets his new son, Alistair continues his manipulation of Fancy and Sheridan demands answers from Spike.
Kay and Tabitha open the locked door with their powers to try and find Miguel and Endora. Tabitha and Kay go to the basement, even though it's against the rules for Kay to be there. "Screw the rules!" Kay says. Sadly the little witch and hunky Latino are nowhere to be found. Kay and Tabitha go back upstairs to figure out how to find their loved ones and Tabitha summons up a martini so she can think. Tabitha suggests using Voogle, the dark side of Google, to search the earth, other galaxies and universes for Endora. Worried the dark forces will throw up firewalls, Kay suggests they hack through it. Searching Voogle, Tabitha comes up empty handed. Kay suggests locating Endora by using a mother's love for her daughter. Tabitha calls out to Endora hoping her daughter will pick up on it and respond back. After that' s a bust, Kay tries to do the same to locate Miguel. Another dead end! Tabitha and Kay curse the dark side boys and Tabitha goes back to Voogle to track Endora down. Sadly the witch-tracking device turns up no hits on Endora's whereabouts. The two witches prepare themselves for the worst, thinking they've lost Miguel and Endora forever.
Fox and Esme are cozy in bed not realizing a gun is pointing at them. Fox tells Esme, "What we have feels right. I thought Kay was the one, but I was wrong. It's you." Fox gets up to prepare a toast when the gun goes off. Fox has been hit! Esme screams for help while Fox lies bleeding on the floor. As Esme pleads for Fox not to die, Julian enters the room and Esme explains what happened. Julian realizes that Fox isn't dead, but his pulse if very faint. Esme calls 911 while Julian tells his son he can't lose him. "Please don't die. You're my heir. My son. I love you," Julian tells Fox. As Esme tells 911 to hurry, Julian tells her there's no rush, "Fox is dead." Julian and Esme sit by Fox's lifeless body and discuss the man they loved. Julian says, "It's not right for a parent to lose a child like this," remarking how proud he was to be Fox's father. Esme tells him she was happier than she'd ever been with Fox. Julian questions her about the gun, but all Esme recalls is the actual shot and doesn't know where it came from. "Thank god Viki was asleep. She loved Fox too," Esme tells Julian. Julian questions her about who Viki is and she gives him the backstory. Julian tells her they can stay at the mansion, as it was what Fox wanted. Viki comes to Esme's side at Fox's body and blows him a kiss and waves goodbye to his body. Julian and Esme say their goodbyes to Fox, as Julian wonders how and why this happened. He asks Viki if she loved Fox too and Viki sadly nods her head.
Meanwhile, Spike shows Sheridan the calendar on the wall in the video proving Marty is alive. "For once you tell the truth," Sheridan remarks. Sheridan looks at the live feed of her son, "You're really alive," she cries. "I'm gonna go find your daddy and he's gonna help me find you and the three of us are going to be a family. No more Fancy," Sheridan tells the image of her son. Spike tries to make a hasty retreat, but Sheridan pulls a gun on him. "I told you, I do not know where Alistair has your kid," Spike says. Sheridan doesn't believe him and demands he tell her the truth or else she'll kill him. Spike continues to deny he knows where Marty is. "The only person that knows is Alistair," Spike tells her. As Spike turns to leave, Sheridan fires the gun, but misses. "I am not a lousy shot. I just want you to know I mean business," she tells him. Spike thinks to himself, "I think I just wet myself." After awhile, Sheridan finally believes that Spike doesn't know anything and tells him she will go straight to Alistair for answers. Spike tells her it'll be suicide if she does, but she says she'll kill her father first. "I am going to find Marty. My father will not live to see sunrise," Sheridan tells Spike. Spike tries to talk her down, and Sheridan questions why he cares. He tells her she's really hot and maybe there's a chance for them if Luis rejects her enough. "I'd rather make love to a chain saw," she replies. They go back and forth on the issue of her going to Alistair and Sheridan finally sees Spike's logic. Sheridan thinks Luis will be able to get the info out of Alistair himself. Spike isn't so sure and reminds her that Luis is with Fancy now and might not want to leave his new love to help Sheridan. Sheridan thinks she has the power to sway him back to her. "I will get back everything Father and Fancy cost me," she exclaims. Sheridan believes that Luis will drop everything to help find their son, which will lead to them getting back together. Citing their past lives, she thinks their history and passion will win out. Spike just thinks she's crazy.
As for Fancy, Pretty accuses Alistair of killing her sister as Fancy doubles over in pain. While Fancy's nose bleeds uncontrollably, Luis calls 911, but Fancy passes out first. Alistair worries if Luis gets Fancy help, it'll reveal the implant. He tells Pretty to stop Luis from calling 911 and gives her a two-way transmitter so they can communicate. Luis goes to call for help when Pretty walks in. He hands the phone to her to make the call. "Thank god I got here in time," she remarks. "I'll say," Alistair concurs, watching from the monitor. Pretty fakes being put on hold with 911 and Fancy wakes up. Pretty hangs up and Luis questions why she would do that. "She says she feels fine," Pretty replies. Luis still wants to take Fancy to the hospital, but Alistair talks to Pretty through the device and tells her to make sure that doesn't happen. If she can't stop him, then Alistair thinks out loud to himself, "I will kill Fancy and Luis himself." Luis still wants to take Fancy to the hospital, but Pretty talks him out of it and Fancy agrees. As Fancy lies in bed, Pretty tells her sister she's worried about her. Fancy tells Pretty she's happy things are finally getting back to normal between the two of them, as Alistair manipulates the transmitter in Fancy's head. Pretty goes back to Alistair and tells him to stop messing with Fancy. Alistair says he wants to secure Fancy's place in the family or see her in the mausoleum. Luis asks Fancy if she's sure she doesn't want to go to the hospital. Fancy says she's fine and covers up the fact that her nose is still bleeding.
At the hospital, Theresa tells Ethan he has a son. As Pilar goes to get Little Ethan, Theresa and Ethan discuss how happily they'll finally be able to live. Before Pilar can get to the room, Gwen comes in with her and Ethan's son! Ethan holds the baby in disbelief, as Theresa looks mortified. Theresa is stunned considering Gwen is supposed to be barren. Pilar walks in without Little E and Ethan mistakeningly thanks her for being so magnanimous in helping with the surprise. Ethan questions Gwen's ability to have kids and Gwen explains she thought she was just missing her period from stress, but in actuality she was in her second trimester. "This beautiful little boy is our flesh and blood," Gwen tells him. "It's a miracle. I couldn't' be happier right now," Ethan exclaims, as Theresa looks on distraught. Ethan asks a million questions and Gwen tells him she had her reasons for not telling him he had a son. When Pilar asks how she could keep Ethan from his child, Gwen replies," Theresa understands, don't you?" Gwen finally admits she didn't tell Ethan because she didn't want him to think it was a last ditch effort to get him back. Theresa continues to look on in disbelief while Gwen lays it on thick with Ethan. "Having a son changes everything," Ethan says. "I feel the same way," Gwen replies. Ethan reassures Gwen that he understands why she kept his son a secret from him, as the parents marvel over the little guy. Pilar urges Theresa to tell Ethan about their own son together, "Or you will live to regret it." Theresa says she can't do that because it's been too long since she's found out and worries that Ethan won't forgive her.
Next on Passions:
Julian tells Ivy Fox is dead.
Theresa says she will tell Ethan they have a son.
A stunned Esme asks Sam if he thinks she killed Fox.


text:
21c Museum Hotels company buys downtown tower
The Kentucky-based company that has plans to redevelop the downtown SunTrust tower into a boutique hotel has now bought the building, located at 111 N. Corcoran St.
A company majority owned and controlled by Louisville, Ky.-based 21c Museum Hotels bought the building for $5.25 million on Friday.
It was sold by a company owned by Durham-based Greenfire Development, which at one time had its own plans to turn the building into a boutique hotel as part of a redevelopment vision for downtown Durham.
Greenfire had purchased the building in 2006 from SunTrust for almost $4.09 million, according to property records, and was approved for both city and county incentives to help with the hotel development project.
Paul Smith, Greenfire's managing partner, said in an email that all proceeds of Friday's sale of the building were used to pay off building debts, and to give 21c Durham a clean title to the building. Greenfire is also a minority partner in the company that bought the building, 21c Durham, he said.
"Friday was a significant and exciting day for downtown, and the future of the Hill Building," Smith said of the sale of the tower, which is also known as the Hill Building.
Bill Kalkhof, president of the downtown Durham-focused economic development group Downtown Durham Inc., said he gives Greenfire and its leadership credit for changing their tactics by selling off their downtown property or looking to partner with other developers that can execute the vision they had.
"They got caught up in the hard times of the economy, almost a depression on the commercial development side, and they made, I think, a very wise decision to go out and seek partners who could actually develop what their original vision was back a number of years ago …," he said of Greenfire.
Kalkhof said he believes there will be a "buzz in the community" when the building goes under construction, and as it nears completion. He said it's planned to be more than a hotel – he said it will also be a gathering place and art gallery.
"It's going to be an absolutely great addition to downtown," he said.
Stephanie Greene, a spokeswoman for 21c Museum Hotels, said in an email that the timing of the building's redevelopment will be dictated by the terms of incentive agreements with the city and county. Construction must begin no later than this July, and finish no later than July 2015.
The City Council voted unanimously in August, according to previous reports in The Herald-Sun, to pledge $5.7 million in incentives. The Durham County Board of County Commissioners voted 4-0 to add $2 million to the project.
Those incentives are tied to certain stipulations including the project's timing. Marqueta Welton, deputy county manager, also said the company also must meet occupancy requirements in order to receive its pledged county incentive payments.
The county wanted to make sure the hotel maintains a minimum occupancy to make sure they are generating enough revenue to warrant the county incentive, she said.
"We're happy that Durham is going to be home for the next projects of theirs," Welton also said of 21c Museum Hotels.
The first 21c Museum Hotel opened in Louisville in 2006. It combined a hotel with a contemporary art museum, restaurant and civic center, according to information from the company. The company opened a second hotel in Cincinnati in November, and a third in Bentonville, Ark., on Monday, Greene said in an email.


text:
Driving through Missouri
Me and some friends will be driving through Missouri on a road trip on the I-70. Does anyone know a good or great BBQ place along the way. I am a Californian and I guess we pretend to have good BBQ here, but I want to try some real BBQ.An and all suggestions welcome.
Talk is closed, but that doesn't mean the conversations have to stop!
Check out this post for a more thorough explanation, and jump onto our Facebook page or our Twitter feed to keep the conversations going!


text:
2008 UK Spring Football GuideBelow are the pages to the 2008 Football Spring Media Guide. They are in PDF format so you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or download them. Click HERE to download the latest version.
The media guide is also available for sale through the Media Relations office. The price is $10 if you pick one up at the Media Relations office in the Joe Craft Center or $15 to have it shipped. You can call with your credit card order (859-257-8000) or send a check (made out to UK Athletics), money order or your credit card information to:
Joe Craft Center
338 Lexington Ave.
Lexington, KY 40506


text:
In an on-going effort to make the world of Chalga more accessable to western audiences, we are initiating a series about it's heavy hitters. Up first is Payner Music headed by Bulgarian mega-mogul Mitko 'Paynera' Dimitrov. This record label is the ultimate Chalga Machine, successfully co-opting and monetizing the massively popular roma, Gipsy style of music that was all but stamped out or relegated to 'wedding bands' during the socialist 80s'. It's production of vast numbers of hit records and it's constantly growing harem of buxom singer-starlettes including Gloriya, Malina, Preslava, Maria, Anelia and of course Andrea, keep Payner on top.
Anelia – So I Like It
Unlike in America, where music videos have largely lost their central role in the promotion of records, Chalga Music videos are crucial to the success of an artist and their public image. The singers videos are often co-funded by Payner and the singer's own rich boyfriend and have a glossy, high production-value that allows them hold their own on a global stage (even if the content, styling or over-top performances clearly set them apart.)
Galena & Preslava – Come On, Prove Me
In addition, the annual Payner Summer Hits record assembles a collection of it's latest pop-gems, there's an annual festival, and it has it's own television station, retail outlets and nightclubs in Sofia.
Malina – Passion, live at Planeta Derby Festival
Payner also recently enlisted Romanian hitmaker Costi Ionita to develop the sound of it's newest batch of superstars: Andrea Teodora, Cvetelina Qneva, and also refresh the careers of already prolific artists Maria and Preslava.
Maria – Give You
Payner is not without it's controversies. But more on that later…
This entry was written by Heavy Hitters, Music Videos, Payner and tagged Andrea, Anelia, Costi, Galena, Malina, Maria, Mitko Dimitrov, Night Clubs, Payer, Planeta, Preslava. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post., posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:18 am, filed under


text:
Mologogo is a mobile phone Google Maps friend finder - From the website: Mologogo is a free service that will track a friends GPS enabled cell phone from another phone or on the web. Mologogo also serves as a dirt-cheap tracking system. It currently works on pretty much any Nextel phone with Java and GPS. A Blackberry client download is also available.
MeHere is a GPS tracker for Google Maps - Here is a new Google Maps GPS tracker that also serves up the GPS coordinates of its user for use by script developers, so people making maps apps would be able to incorporate their visitor's location into the maps.
..While we're on the subject here is a "How-To" for Converting Google Maps search results to GPS waypoints
Technorati Tags: [GPS], [googlemaps], [googlemapsmania]