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In the latest weekly Billboard music charts released April 4 for the week ending April 12, The Beatles' "1" album is at #17 on the list of Catalog Albums, down from #9 last week, and at #143 on the Billboard 200, down from #120.
It was 50 years ago: Billboard recalled the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' Top 5 sweep of the weekly Hot 100 on April 5, 1964 with a retrospective story online today. The story noted that the magazine in 1964 ran a story called "Chart Crawls With Beatles," but said ironically, that disc jockeys were tired of playing their records and writers were tired of writing about them. "Everyone's tired of the Beatles – except the listening and buying public." (Read our indepth look of what the Billboard and rival Cashbox charts were like this week 50 years ago.)
Letterman's Beatles memories: David Letterman's "The Late Show With David Letterman" has always had a Beatles aura because of the fact it's been taped in the former Ed Sullivan Theater, a fact that CBS promoted during the Beatles' 50th anniversary of the Sullivan show when it put a new marquee on the theater to honor the event. But there have been several others, with appearances by Ringo Starr (including one in 1989 on the day he announced the first All-Starr Band tour), and Paul McCartney, including the memorable show in 2009 when McCartney performed atop the Ed Sullivan Theater. (See our three special reports with pictures here, here and here.) That particular show got huge ratings for Letterman. That also doesn't include Paul and Ringo's appearance with Letterman in February. Billboard today picked Letterman's top 5 musical moments and one was Beatles-related, but it was none of the above. It was a 1994 show celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Sullivan show. Letterman's Top Ten that night? "Top 10 Signs the Beatles May Be Here Tonight." (See the video spot.)
July 4 at the Rose Bowl: In a phone call to Beatles Examiner April 2, Louise Harrison, George Harrison's sister, told us she and Liverpool Legends, the Beatles tribute group she appears with, will be playing the Rose Bowl in Pasadena this July 4. "I'll be just getting back from Australia at that point," she said. I'm going to be doing a tour of colleges from the 10th to the 20th of June. They're celebrating the 50th anniversary of when the Beatles came to Australia. I'm going to be there at the 50th anniversary like I was at the original one." She said the Liverpool Legends "have had quite a few shows that have sold out." Her autobiography, "My Kid Brother's Band a.k.a. The Beatles," will be out at the beginning of June. She said a book tour is in the works. A CD of Beatle fan stories she was on, "Fab Fan Memories," was nominated for a Grammy for Best Spoken World album in 2011.
Klaatu solo: Terry Draper of Klaatu has just released a solo album, "When The World Was Young." It includes musical help from co-writer Elizabeth Racz, guitarist Vinnie Zummo (Joe Jackson, Paul Carrack, Shawn Colvin, Art Garfunkel), Jamie Hoover (Spongetones, Van DeLecki's) and Ray Paul (Charles Beat, Permanent Press Records). Two songs, "Tea Horse Road" and "In the Sun" are on YouTube. You can get the album through his site.
Auction news: What is labeled as a George Harrison acetate for "All Things Must Pass" is now on eBay until 4:20 p.m. ET April 6. And online bidding has opened at Heritage Auctions' "Entertainment & Music Memorabilia Auction, which closes April 26-27. Items include the wall pieces from the Ed Sullivan Theater signed by the Beatles during the period of their Feb. 9 visit and a script believed to have been John Lennon's for "How I Won the War."
"Things We Said Today": On our next show, Ken Michaels and I welcome Chuck Gunderson, author of the very impressive "Some Fun Tonight!," for a lively discussion of the Beatles' U.S. tours. You can hear it for the first time at noon ET on Fab4Radio.com. It'll also be on our Podbean.com website Sunday.
Contest: Ken Michaels is giving away an autographed copy of Robert Rodriguez's "Solo in the '70s". Details at his website.
Don't miss our special roundup of stories: Beatles 101: Read all about it: Our fab stories on the Beatles' 50th anniversary and Beatles 101: Paul McCartney Out There! tour news complete coverage.
We love to write about the Beatles and have been doing it since our time at a major metropolitan newspaper. If you aren't subscribed to us, you're missing all our unique and original (or is that uniquely original) Beatles news stories you won't get elsewhere. Subscribe to the leading source of original Beatles news on the internet in all our Beatles column pages at Beatles Examiner, Paul McCartney Examiner, George Harrison Examiner and Ringo Starr Examiner and please spread the word about us. And be sure to check out our Amazon.com "That's What I Want" Beatles store.
Copyright Steve Marinucci. Please feel free to spread our links on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Reddit, StumbleUpon and other social media sites. Connect with us on Facebook and Pinterest. And don't miss our weekly Beatles news podcast "Things We Said Today" available first on Fab4Radio.com on the weekends, then on iTunes and Podbean.com. We are also the author of the ebook "Meet a Monkee: Davy Jones," the stories of our two interviews with Davy.
Suggested Links
- Two Beatles help celebrate Doris Day's 90th birthday
- Star-studded McCartney tribute LP to feature Dylan, Brian Wilson, Daltrey, more
- Interview: Dr. Candy Leonard on how Beatlemania changed everyone's lives
- Peter Asher to induct Brian Epstein into Rock and Rock Hall of Fame
- New Beatles 'Star Club' CD is best sounding ever, label says


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A woman says she had sex with Jimmy Savile at his flat as Twitter users name another BBC presenter as an alleged abuser.
19:01, UK, Thursday 18 October 2012
Another woman has come forward and claimed she regularly had sex with Jimmy Savile at his flat in Salford when she was just 15 years old.
The alleged victim said she met the BBC DJ at a disco in Manchester in 1966 and he invited her to his flat in Higher Broughton.
The woman, now aged 62 and from Wythenshawe, south Manchester, said on one occasion she recalled Savile being disappointed because she had changed out of her school uniform.
She said: "To hear him still described as Sir Jimmy Savile and still celebrated for his charity work is a slap in the face to those of us he used.
"I was 15 when we started, but 15 in 1966 was probably like nine today. I had a flat chest and was only starting puberty.
"By the time I turned 18 and was more like a woman, he lost interest and denied even knowing me."
Police believe the veteran DJ, TV presenter and charity campaigner may have abused up to 60 victims over six decades.
It came after Twitter users led speculation over the identity of another BBC presenter who has been accused of sexual misconduct.
The person was alluded to as "Uncle Dick" in an autobiography published in 1999 by the BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson.
Mr Simpson said he discovered the claims when he was writing an obituary of the presenter, who died in 1967. He did not name the man.
The veteran journalist says he informed his then boss about the allegations and claimed he was told to keep quiet about it.
He wrote in Strange Places, Questionable People: "Week after week, children from all over the country would win competitions to visit the BBC and meet Uncle Dick.
"He would welcome them, show them around, give them lunch, then take them to the gents and interfere with them.
"If parents complained, the Director-General's office would write saying the nation wouldn't understand such an accusation against a much-loved figure."
The family of radio presenter Derek McCulloch - known as Uncle Mac and the voice of Larry the Lamb in Toytown - said claims circulating that he was the individual being referred to were "complete rubbish".
McCulloch's Wikipedia page has been blocked for editing and the episode of Desert Island Discs in which he spoke to Roy Plomley about which music he would choose to have with him if stranded on a desert island is not currently available on the internet.
- Related Stories
- Savile's Aide 'Lost For Words'
- Judge Chosen To Lead BBC Probe

subset: commoncrawl


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Keith tosses snails onto the roof. This snail is crawling back down the wall, from a height of about 22 feet. Brave snail! Do you think it will make it all the way down to safety?
I suppose this photo is a bit hard to read, so at the top of the photo there is blue, that is the sky. I am standing 18ft. below the snail looking up at a solid concrete wall with a snail crawling down from the metal cap flashing on the roof parapet, with it's slime showing the trail down. Does that make more sense now?
You can also bookmark this on del.icio.us or check the cosmos
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2 Responses
keith Says:
July 30th, 2011 at 4:21 pm
-i'll try to get up on the roof and get a picture of all the carnage…
keith Says:
August 6th, 2011 at 3:59 pm
URGENT UPDATE: the snail has now moved another 2 feet. Two feet in two weeks…


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"Great product"
Mrs Westerback
19 January 2015
I've had this caddy over a year now and have seen some of the negative comments, so I thought I'd write a review. I think it is neat and unobtrusive, I use it to store a foaming soap bottle, washing up brush, bottle brush, sponge and cloth. Now some have said that the cloth holder is too small, I use a normal cloth, and yes I have to fold it, but that isn't too problematic. And yes the main holder doesn't drain, but it is very easy to wash, so I don't see the problem. I think the biggest test is whether I would buy one again, and I can say without hesitation, that yes I would!


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Posted on Thursday, December 11, 2008 by Brenda Tucker
Dr. Mark Breitenberg has been appointed provost of California College of the Arts, it was announced today by CCA President Stephen Beal. Currently dean of Humanities and Design Sciences at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Breitenberg will assume his position on February 1, 2009. As provost Breitenberg will be CCA's chief academic officer with broad responsibilities for the strategic planning, development, and administration of the college's academic programs. Major program areas that fall under his supervision are the divisions of Architecture, Design, Fine Arts, and Humanities and Sciences; the libraries; and Special Programs, which includes year-round Extended Education and all summer programming. He succeeds Beal, who served as CCA's provost from 1997 to 2008 before becoming CCA's president.
"I am delighted that Mark will be joining CCA as provost," commented Beal. "He is a passionate and committed advocate of arts education, and he possesses an outstanding record of academic leadership. Through his work at Art Center, he has made significant contributions to the understanding of contemporary art and design and has been a proponent of strong humanities and sciences programs in arts education. He will play a pivotal role in the coming year as we develop a new five-year strategic plan and complete our WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) accreditation process."
Breitenberg commented, "I'm truly excited and honored to be joining CCA's creative community. I've always admired the college's unique blend of traditional and innovative practices in art and design education as well as its commitment to the importance of diversity, visual literacy, and community outreach. It's already one of the top art and design schools in the United States, and it has the potential and promise of even greater success in the future."
About Mark Breitenberg
Mark Breitenberg has been dean of Humanities and Design Sciences at Art Center College of Design since 2007. His areas of responsibility include academic curriculum, business curriculum, design research, international partnerships, and transdisciplinary study. In this position, he created a new and innovative liberal arts and sciences curriculum to complement the school's studio-based programs. From 2004 to 2007 he was dean of undergraduate education at Art Center, leading 12 academic departments and playing a significant role in student recruitment, fundraising, and corporate sponsorship. His previous positions at Art Center included chair of Liberal Arts and Sciences and instructor in both the Fine Art Graduate Program and Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Prior to joining Art Center he held teaching positions at Otis College of Art and Design (1998–2000) and Swarthmore College (1988–1994). He also worked in the film industry as an independent writer, producer, and story analyst for Bedford Falls, Castle Rock Productions, Columbia Pictures, Disney, Parkwood Pictures, and other companies.
Breitenberg is president-elect of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid), an organization with more than 160,000 members worldwide. His other affiliations include Tecnológico de Monterrey Graduate School of Design in Mexico, where he serves on the advisory board and is an adjunct faculty member; and the Design High School, a charter school in Pasadena, where he is a board member. His published works include a book on Shakespeare and his contemporaries titled Anxious Masculinity in Early Modern England (Cambridge University Press, 1996). He is the author of many published articles on innovation and design education; his scholarly work on Shakespeare, literary history, and gender has also been widely published.
Breitenberg holds a PhD in literature and critical theory from the University of California, San Diego. He completed his undergraduate studies at William and Mary, earning a BA in government.
About California College of the Arts
Founded in 1907, California College of the Arts (CCA) is noted for the interdisciplinarity and breadth of its programs. It offers studies in 20 undergraduate and seven graduate majors in the areas of fine arts, architecture, design, and writing. The college offers bachelor of architecture, bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine arts, master of architecture, master of arts, master of fine arts, and master of business administration degrees. With campuses in San Francisco and Oakland, CCA currently enrolls 1,740 full-time students. Noted alumni include the painters Nathan Oliveira and Raymond Saunders; the ceramicists Robert Arneson, Viola Frey, and Peter Voulkos; the filmmaker Wayne Wang; the conceptual artists David Ireland and Dennis Oppenheim; and the designers Lucille Tenazas and Michael Vanderbyl. For more information about CCA, visit www.cca.edu.


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"This is our best chance," I told the guys before the season began. And I still believe that today. All of the pieces are in place, and now we just need to go out and do what we have to do to bring the Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Budweiser colors to the banquet in New York as Winston Cup Champions.
You begin every season with the intention of being the best. This year, for some reason, it felt different. Before I took my first lap in testing, I could see something new in the eyes of my crew. They could see the opportunity, just like I could. We hadn't turned a lap, but we all felt like momentum was out there raging like a storm in the distant sky.
Some of the motorsports media seem shocked at how consistent and competitive the No. 8 team has been. We are the real deal. There has always been a huge media spotlight on me, and on my team. That's been true for a lot of reasons, and not always because we had a driver and a team that could compete for a championship. I have been accused of not having the desire to go out and win a title, but I can assure you that the desire has always been there. Tony Eury Sr. has been my crew chief and Tony Eury Jr. has been my car chief since we won Busch Series titles in 1998 and 1999, and I can tell you that neither of them would accept anything less than a total effort to win every week and doing all we can to win champion-ships. But, no matter how much we believed in each other, our on-track results have not been consistent in the last three years. So, I suppose if you looked only at the numbers, it would be hard to understand that we have always believed we were capable of being the best team out there.
None of us have changed our desire to win a championship, but we have learned a lot that makes it possible for us to be there week after week--not just a few weeks up, then a few weeks down, like we have been in the past.
The Big Picture
Every business and every sport is about people. In Winston Cup, all of the top teams can afford to build or buy the best parts. Even though I think DEI has the best engine program and the best aerodynamics program and all of the other technical pieces, it still comes down to the best people working together to make it all happen. Those cars or engines don't assemble or design themselves. It's not that we're working any harder, but we're working a lot smarter.
It's been a learning process, and we're now in a position to take advantage of what we have gained since we entered five Winston Cup races in 1999. Remem-ber, my team moved up with me into Winston Cup, so we've all been growing and learning together. This is our fourth full season in this series, and I feel like our time is now to get a championship. DEI didn't win a Busch Series title until the fourth season of running a full schedule, so the challenge now is to match that timeline in Winston Cup.
People say I am more mature, more focused this year than before. That's true, but it's not because my will to win is different, or my desire has changed. Each year, you become wiser and more aware of the pitfalls in life. You learn how to dodge the potholes without breaking stride or losing focus. What was fun as a 21-year-old or 24-year-old just doesn't have the same impact now. What means the most to me now is being the best driver in the toughest series in racing. Each year, your priorities shift, little by little.
Things changed a lot last season after I recovered from my injuries from the crash at Fontana. I keep a videotape of that crash and pictures of the crashed car. They're like a testament to a turning point in my career. While I was hurt, I didn't understand how my concussion could impact everyone around me. It wasn't that I suddenly became a better driver after I healed, but I began to understand how I needed to be more of a leader for the team, and even Dale Earnhardt Inc. as a whole. I looked to Tony Eury Sr. as the guy who was our leader, but I finally began to understand the role I had as the driver. Believe me, Tony is still the boss, but I understand that I have a role there, too.
I have to lead by example. My mood or my attitude can have a huge impact on the team. If I am mad or upset about something, that bad attitude infects all of the people around me. So, now I am making a conscious effort to stay positive and keep all of us looking at the big picture: winning a championship.
We really began to make gains last year, probably from early August until the end of the season. We scored more points in the last three months of last season than any other team except Tony Stewart and his boys, who won the title. If you combine the last three months of 2002 with the first four months of this season, we're the team that has scored more points than any other.


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Commentator: Democrats Softening on Abortion Rights
In the second of two commentaries on abortion, Democratic activist Julia King worries that her party may be softening its support for abortion rights at a time when, she says, conservatives are working harder than ever to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Related NPR Stories
Commentator: Democrats Should Keep Open Mind on Abortion Jan. 24, 2005
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I Do! Wedding Gifts Under $100
Friends announce they are getting married. Yay! You are so happy for them! You really think its a great match. You will absolutely be there to celebrate with them. And now you need to cough up some dough for a shower gift, a wedding gift, a new outfit for the swanky reception, a hotel room, a bar tab and who knows what else. You start sweating. You love them, this happy couple who have decided to make it official. You also love paying your rent and your 401K. You want to give them something special to commemorate the bigness of the decision, of the occasion, of their love- and you can totally do that. Better yet, you can absolutely do that without going broke. Breath easy and check out this collection of cool, useful and just plain lovely gifts that come in under $100. None will leave your wallet wheezing but all will certainly impress the newlyweds to-be.
|1-10 of 10
Personalized Typographical Coordinate Print
An artful way to commemorate the location of their wedding or where they met, this digital print is as sentimental as it is stylish. Customize one as a gift the happy couple will hang in the home forever.
$45 at Bear Graphics | Buy
Fire Bird Oil Lamp
Give your favorite couple the gift of decor, in the form of a nice home accessory. Think beyond votive holders and present them with a modern and lovely ceramic oil lamp in the shape of a sleek bird. Help the newlyweds remember who lights their fire and give them a matching pair. In one stylish present you're under budget and they're impressed.
$46 at Studio Kahn | Buy
Sushi & Cheese Board
Simply but beautifully handmade, this board can serve up cheeses and spreads or spring rolls and maki. The clean lines are made of Birds Eye Maple, ensuring this serving piece is a heirloom in the making.
$90 at Uncommon Goods | Buy
Monogrammed Linen Hemstitch Napkins
How fancy is it to have linen napkins, especially monogrammed ones? This beautiful set of six napkins are impressive enough for full-on dinner parties but practical enough for weekend takeout. The monogrammed initial is a sweet reminder of the happy union as well.
$54 at Pottery Barn | Buy
($7 extra for monogramming)
Antipasti Platter
Designed by chef Jamie Oliver, this rustic wooden platter is a great way to add another level of presentation at a table. Oliver created this oak platter specifically for serving antipasti but its uses are limitless. No matter how small your table is this piece will create more room without being fussy or in the way.
$51 at Jamie Oliver | Buy
(Price is in Euros)
Fringed Throw Blanket
After all of the celebrating these newlyweds will be doing, they are certainly going to need a nap. Lucky for them your gift is the most snuggle-y comfortable throw blanket just begging to be curled up under. Those Thank You notes can wait, but the couch is calling.
Weave Square Platter
That unmistakable blue box is sure to draw some attention. The elegant platter inside will draw even more. Tiffany has managed to create a piece that can be used everyday but will always look regal- and leave you with a little cash left for the open bar. The basket-weave pattern is a subtle and classic finish to a platter sure to be treasured.
$100 at Tiffany & Co. | Buy
Verve Flute
There will be a lot of champagne for this new couple to drink- the big day, new home, new baby, new job- always an occasion worth celebrating. The Verve flute is just as bubbly as the champagne, and a sleek addition to any bar set. Give as a set of 2, 4 or 6 and come in under budget. Cheers!
$13 at Crate and Barrel | Buy
(Price is per flute)
Double Walled Champagne Bucket
Give the gift that they would never buy for themselves, but will be so happy to receive. The double walled glass will keep bottles icy cold and look good while doing it. This bucket could even serve as a vase in a pinch. Definitely worth drinking to!
$99 at Pure Modern | Buy
Scalloped Cake Stand
There is just something so elegant about the wavy scalloped edge of this cake stand. And the possibilities for this white earthenware piece are endless- stack several sizes for increased drama, or use them separately to present appetizers or desserts. Give this as a usefully beautiful wedding gift or to a hostess- either way it will stand the test of time as a well-used, well-loved piece.
$52 at Williams-Sonoma | Buy


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June 25, 2012
Congratulate the Wildcats
Omaha, Neb. Attendance: 23,872
South Carolina
Refsnyder was named the
Most Outstanding Player
|W - Troupe (6-1)
|ND - Farris
|L - Price (5-5)
|Batting Leaders
|Ariz - Gilbert
|Ariz - Refsnyder
|Ariz - Dixon
|USC - Walker
OMAHA -- Arizona won its fourth College World Series and NCAA baseball title with a gutty 4-1 victory over two-time defending champion South Carolina Monday night at TD Ameritrade Park.
A couple of unexpected heroes in freshmen reliever Mathew Troupe and second baseman Trent Gilbert, and sophomore first baseman Brandon Dixon helped propel the junior-loaded Wildcats to the school's 18th team NCAA Championship. The Cats helped the Pac-12 earn its first baseball title since Oregon State's back-to-back rings in 2006 and 2007.
A crowd of 23,872 settled in to watch a pitching duel between Arizona sophomore James Farris and South Carolina's CWS-veteran senior Michael Roth that ended with neither factoring in the decision, but both setting the tone for the game. Farris lasted until into the eighth inning and Roth into the seventh after each held the other's squad off balance.
Troupe (6-1) won in relief for the second time in Omaha and the third time in the postseason, pitching one and one-third innings to close the game and weathering a huge test of his own making in the bottom of the ninth.
Dixon drove in what proved to be the winning run in the top of the ninth and Gilbert gave UA is first lead and later some breathing room with a two-run base hit -- insurance it appeared to desperately need as the Gamecocks mounted a challenge in the bottom of the frame.
Arizona completed its season with a 48-17 record and swept the Gamecocks 2-0 in the Championship Series of the CWS to end seventh-ranked South Carolina's record at 49-19. The Cats were a perfect 10-0 in NCAA action while USC, which fought back from an earlier loss in Omaha, was 9-3 in the postseason and had a 4-3 mark in Omaha.
The Cats put a run on the board first, with three freshmen helping out. First baseman Joseph Maggi's double to open the UA third snapped Roth's streak of retiring 28 consecutive batters in the CWS. He moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by catcher Riley Moore and scored on Gilbert's ground ball to second, his 40th RBI of the season.
South Carolina got its first hit off Farris with a single up the middle by LB Dantzler with two out in the fourth. Farris only had walked Christian Walker with two outs in the first inning before the Gamecock safety.
Alex Mejia singled to open the UA seventh, snapping a string of eight consecutive batters erased by Roth, and was sacrificed to second by Robert Refsnyder. Roth intentionally walked Seth Mejias-Brean to set up a force situation and put two runners on base for the first time in the game. Bobby Brown hit into a force play but beat the throw to first to avoid the double play.
USC went to its bullpen, ending Roth's stint at six and two-thirds innings, three hits, three strikeouts, one walk (intentional) and one run, earned. The Gamecocks brought in ace reliever Matt Price, who got Brandon Dixon to foul out to first to strand two UA runners.
Farris had faced two over the minimum until the Gamecocks got some spark to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. Farris, who had retired seven in a row, walked Walker to give USC its first lead-off baserunner in the game.
UA Coach Andy Lopez visited the mound while UA's bullpen started some activity by Tyler Crawford and Troupe. After an infield popout, Adam Matthews singled through the right side to move Walker to third and give USC runners on the corners. Kyle Martin grounded to second and drove in Walker, and then Dantzler flied to center to end the rally.
The Wildcats threatened in the eighth. Gilbert hit a one-out single to left. After Price struck out Joey Rickard. Johnny Field hit a ground ball to third baseman Danztler, who threw in the dirt at first to let Gilbert reach third and put Field on first. But Mejia lined to third to strand UA's fourth and fifth baserunners.
Farris hit Grayson Greiner to open the USC eighth and give it another lead-off runner. Chase Vergason tried a sac bunt, but Mejias-Brean made an outstanding off-balance throw to force Greiner at second. Evan Marzilli struck out swinging, but Vergason stole second and reached third when UA catcher Moore's errant throw went into center field.
Lopez went to the bullpen, bringing in Troupe for his second CWS appearance. He struck out Joey Pankake, looking, to strand a fourth Gamecock. Farris ended his outing with seven and two-thirds innings, two hits, four strikeouts, two walks and one run, earned.
Refsnyder, later named the CWS Most Outstanding Player, singled to open the Cats' ninth. After a sacrifice bunt by Mejias-Brean, Price issued an intentional walk to Brown. Brandon Dixon, who was 12-for-58 with runners in scoring position in 2012 entering the game, doubled down the line in left to bring home Refsnyder and chase Price (5-5). It was Dixon's 14th RBI of the year. Reliever Tyler Webb struck out Moore, but Gilbert smacked a two-run single to right field to give UA the eventual winning score, 4-1.
Walker singled to left off Troupe to open the Gamecocks' ninth, putting the tying run on deck. Walker moved to second on defensive indifference as Dantzler swung through a pitch. Dantzler drew a walk to put the tying run at the plate.
Troupe struck out Matthews for the first out, but walked Kyle Martin to load the bases. Tanner English hit a hard liner over Troupe but second baseman Gilbert snagged the drive and almost doubled Dantzler at the bag. Greiner hit a pop fly to Refsnyder in right field. The Gamecocks stranded three and seven total in the game.
Voted by the media to the CWS All-Tournament team from Arizona were catcher Riley Moore, shorstop Alex Mejia, center fielder Joey Rickard, right fielder Robert Refsnyder, designated hitter Bobby Brown and pitcher Konner Wade. Refsnyder was chosen the Most Outstanding Player.
--Robert Refsnyder had 10 hits in 21 at-bats in the College World Series, plus scored six runs including the winning score in the title tilt tonight, plus had five RBI in the five CWS games.
--The Wildcats outhit the Gamecocks 7-3 in the game, UA's lowest hit output of the CWS, but also its opponent's lowest hit total in five CWS games.
--Trent Gilbert's three RBI tied his career high, accomplished March 3 of this year against Harvard. He ended the year with 42 RBI.
--The Cats helped the Pac-12 earn its first baseball title since Oregon State's back-to-back rings in 2006 and 2007.
--Arizona's third-inning double by Joseph Maggi and ninth-inning line-hugger by Brandon Dixon gave the Wildcats an extra-base hit in 64 of its 65 games in 2012. The Cats knocked out 132 doubles, 35 triples and 23 home runs, an average of three extra-base hits per game.
--Neither starting pitcher, James Farris (7-3) or Michael Roth (9-1) earned a decision after solid outings. Farris and UA ace Kurt Heyer, who pitched 15 innings, also had a start without a decision for UA in the Series.
--Arizona was the first team to score in each of its five CWS games.
--Robert Refsnyder's fourth-inning single extended his streak of reaching base to 39 games.
--Seth Mejias-Brean's and Bobby Brown's intentional bases on balls were the fifth and sixth of the CWS issued to Arizona hitters.
--Arizona's 11-game winning streak to end the year was its longest since UA went 12-0 in early March during the 2008 season.
--Arizona's starting pitcher went at least seven and one-third innings for the 10th time -- each game -- in NCAA action this year.
--Arizona's four NCAA Baseball Championships join its eight national titles in softball, two in women's golf, one in men's golf, one in men's basketball and one each in men's and women's swimming. Arizona also has three AIAW national championships in synchronized swimming.


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Duke Ellington with Ella Fitzgerald: Imagine My Frustration
Imagine My Frustration
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, featuring Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald Duke Ellington: The Stockholm Concert, 1966
Duke Ellington (piano), Ella Fitzgerald (vocals), Cootie Williams (trumpet), Herbie Jones (trumpet), Cat Anderson (trumpet), Mercer Ellington (trumpet), Lawrence Brown (trombone), Buster Cooper (trombone), Chuck Connors (trombone), Johnny Hodges (alto sax), Russell Procope (clarinet), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinet), Paul Gonsalves (tenor sax), Harry Carney (baritone sax), Sam Woodyard (drums),
John Lamb (bass).
Composed by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.
Rating: 100/100 (learn more)
The appearances together in 1966-67 of Ella with the Duke Ellington Orchestra quickly assumed almost legendary proportions. What was remarkable about her performances with Ellington's band is the way she commanded the complete respect of Ellington's often laid-back sidemen. Even on CD, you can sense the electricity in the air as Ella comes onstage, and they respond with a superb performance. "Imagine My Frustration" was the opening song of this Stockholm concert, and from the start Ella truly wails in this passionate and powerful performance. It's another example of how she responded to the live situation: with Duke's driving ostinato in the background and the band taking flight, Ella's adrenaline level soars, and with it the listener's. Singing at a volume to compete with the band – something like that would never happen in the controlled environment of the studios – this is a shouting, roaring performance as she takes on, and becomes part of, the Ellington instrument. As Norman Granz somewhat understatedly points out in the liner notes, "I especially call your attention to how hard Ella could swing when she puts her mind to it."
Reviewer: Stuart Nicholson
If you liked this track, also check out
- Ella Fitzgerald: But Not for Me
- Ella Fitzgerald: St. Louis Blues
- Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald: A Foggy Day
Related Links
The Legacy of Ella Fitzgerald by Ted Gioia
The Dozens: Twelve Essential Ella Fitzgerald Performances by Stuart Nicholson
"Ella Fitzgerald" by Stuart Nicholson (from The Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians)
Todd S. Jenkins
// Jul 30, 2008 at 06:18 PM
This is a marvelous performance indeed. I had the privilege of talking with Gerald Wilson about "Imagine My Frustration" last week. Gerald said that Duke had approached him in 1965 for some new material for a tour he would be doing with Ella. All Gerald had on hand at the time was a little rock-and-roll tune he had been experimenting with. Duke said he liked it, but asked if he could have Billy Strayhorn write some new lyrics for it. Gerald gave his blessing and forgot about it. Several months later Gerald was listening to the radio and recognized his tune, which Strayhorn had transmogrified into the wallflower tale "Imagine My Frustration". At least Gerald finally got co-writer credit for the song, unlike several other things he had contributed to the Ellington songbook over the years.
Paul P. Pinklebottom
// Feb 24, 2009 at 11:27 PM
I had the privlege of actually attending this concert when I was touring Europe one year. I believe the description above is quite accurate in saying that Ms. Fitzgerald wailed. I mean, it was like a competition between Fitzgerald, Ellington, and the band to see who could go the highest. It was a truly amazing experience that I will never forget. If you ask anyone else who attended that night, I'll bet that you'll get answers similar to that.


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List Enhancement
The VPC introduced measurable list-based approaches to voter registration, vote by mail and voter turnout based upon modern commercial direct marketing techniques. At the outset, the VPC learned that ensuring the quality and enhancing the value of lists were essential to lift voter participation and increase cost efficiency and programmatic effectiveness. Since then, VPC has made enormous progress in converting low quality commercial data into high quality lists of unregistered Americans. That progress has been hard won, detail by detail, over the last decade.
One of the fundamental advances the VPC has made is to take a list–based, universal approach to registration that focuses on demographics and much less on particularly dense geographic locations. To do this, the VPC had to improve the reliability and accuracy of lists to understand who was truly registered. That was achieved by testing conventional wisdom and using new tools:
- Multi-Sourcing: The VPC has consistently tested conventional wisdom about list generation and use. Through this testing, it became clear that any name and address that appears on only one commercial list and does not have one or more confirming matches on another commercial list is far more likely to be an incorrect name and address and far more likely to fail to respond to any mailing. Essentially, VPC discovered that records of individuals which are compiled from multiple sources are more likely to be records of real people and more likely to respond to voter registration mail. Later, VPC confirmed this same principle with registered voters on the voter file, with single source registered voters 25 percent more costly than multi-sourced registered voters at producing a net additional vote. This finding, in conjunction with past findings that helped the VPC evaluate address quality, have been a great step forward both in improving the accuracy of VPC lists, modeling response and in lifting response rates. Multi-sourcing is now a protocol in every VPC program from voter registration to turnout.
- Historical databases: The VPC also used new tools — databases of historical information — to determine if an individual was already registered, either at the same or at a different address. By using these databases, VPC discovered that a quarter or more of the individuals that some lists identify as unregistered are actually already registered. These databases containing years of address history proved to be much more accurate in matching voter registration lists against commercial data.
Though no process is 100% foolproof, VPC is as thorough as possible in filtering out inaccurate information. Individual records are analyzed with a statistical modeling algorithm to identify records that are unlikely to represent a real person. These records are then removed from the mailing list. Individuals are also removed from the mailing list if an address is determined undeliverable or if they have been reported as deceased in the Social Security Administration's Death Master File.
The investments in list enhancement allow the VPC to achieve dramatically higher ROI by excluding people who should not be mailed and experiencing better response rates from those who are mailed. These enhanced lists have also been used as a source of important research about target audiences; for example, better data provides more insight into the impact of mobility on the drop-off rates and voting practices of the RAE. The VPC discovered that someone who moves during an election cycle is 12 times more likely to be a drop-off voter than the average consistent voter.


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At the California Closets corporate office, Clif Windecker, our director of marketing technology, was frustrated with his closet.
The main problem? Disorganization.
Watch how Clif's closet transforms from a disorganized, noisy eyesore to an elegant, practical and custom California Closets system! Check out the before and after photos and time lapse video and let us know what you think of the makeover.


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E-Learning Companion Students Guide to Online Success
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Returning books is as easy as possible. As your rental due date approaches, we will email you several courtesy reminders. When you are ready to return, you can print a free UPS shipping label from our website at any time. Then, just return the book to your UPS driver or any staffed UPS location. You can even use the same box we shipped it in!
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E-LEARNING COMPANION serves as a resource and quick-reference guide for any course that demands technology skills. In addition to helping students adapt previously mastered skills--such as time management, note-taking, and critical thinking--to the online environment, this text shows students how social networking, cloud file storage, wikis, and blogs can be utilized appropriately and effectively in a college course. Technical terminology and how-to tutorials help students become more capable and flexible online learners, and build skills that will support them throughout college and their future careers. The Fourth Edition is fully updated to be current and relevant for today's online learning environments, and also includes new Workplace Applications, and coverage of professional behavior and professional emails.


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Summer Hours for Nectar Spokane
Beginning July 5, Nectar Tasting Room in Spokane will have new summer wine tasting hours. We have experienced a huge increase in demand for using our space for various events this summer. That coupled with the fact that many of YOU are out of town or out enjoying life in the Northwest, we are changing our hours for July and August.
Introducing the New Kid on the Block
Well, you may have heard that the original wine slinger, Ben Hilzinger, is moving on to rainier pastures in Seattle. Benny (as we affectionately call him) has been the face of Nectar for nearly 2 and 1/2 years. Check out my touching tribute to him here. After an exhaustive search, I am excited to announce that we have found our next Tasting Room Manager for Nectar.
Farewell my Friend, Best Wishes Ben Hilzinger
Every once in a while you meet someone who becomes incredibly special to you and your life. In January 2011, shortly after Nectar opened, a tall skinny, good looking kid came in and asked how he could help with Spokane Wine Magazine. He worked at Arbor Crest, Lindaman's, and was very passionate about wine. I immediately got a good vibe about him and the fact that two very respected businesses hired him, said everything to me. After a brief conversation, I said, "how would you like a job at Nectar?" The rest is history!
Spring Release Weekend in Spokane
In celebration of Spring and in honor of mothers everywhere, Spokane area wineries will host a special weekend of wine tasting as part of the Spokane Winery Association's annual Mother's Day Spring Release Weekend.
Nectar Spokane Wine Events May 2013
It seems as if May is the kick off of Summer around these parts. Local wine events heat up along with the weather. In the world of Nectar and our five Washington Wineries, it is a time for big sales, new releases and lots of activity in the tasting room. In May we introduce a new beauty focused event, host Spring Release Weekend, watch a parade, and say goodbye to everyone's favorite wine slinger.


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what i LOVE about jazzercise....
Sunday, August 22, 2010
a friend asked what it was i loved about jazzercise.
there's just a few things.....
you asked for it. lol.
the scheduled start time gets me there. if i miss it, i'm probably not going to be exercising ... or, if i am, i won't be enjoying it.
once i get there, i stay. i've never regretted going once i get there. i have had some "blah" workouts, but i always finish and i'm always thankful i showed up.
i find i REALLY concentrate on the muscle behind the movement. if they say to focus on abs, i'm squeezing the heck out of my abs. same with glutes or quads or biceps or anything else. heck, even if they don't say to do it, i'm trying to do it.
every part of my body is thinner. i have ab muscles. i can see muscles in my arms when i put gel in my hair. when i shave my legs, there's less leg to shave; i can tell my thighs are slimmer. sometimes i flex my muscles in the bathroom mirror because i'm so impressed with the strength training results jazzercise has given me. maybe a bit vain, but it still stuns me that those are MY arms! welcome to my GUN SHOW! lol.
when i hear a jazzercise song on the radio, to the best of my ability, i will tighten and wiggle the moves to the routine in the car. ab routines work best for this.
i do standing abs before/after showers. also inner/outer thigh/glute ab/adductors and hamstring curls while drying my hair. i imagine counts/music when i'm doing this. i'll also find myself doing random strength training movements at random opportunities throughout the day. or dancing. (sitting or standing). or punching.(not people. lol. usually at the bathroom mirror to watch the muscles work.) (see below.)
i feel more fit. feeling more fit makes me want to feel fitter. this is why i do all the extra muscle movements throughout the day. feeling fit = feeling good. i can see the results which makes me want more results.
i hate running. walking is boring. i don't have access to an elliptical. i don't push myself with home dvd's/youtube zumba videos. the class environment of jazzercise makes me push myself. the energy of the group makes me go for it. every time.
there are no mirrors. because i don't know if i look like an idiot, i'm not self-conscious about looking like an idiot. so, i go for it.
i like the music. my ipod is full of jazzercise music.
i feel like i can dance even though i'm a pretty crappy dancer. it's not so dance-y choreographed that i feel clumsy and uncoordinated.
i have friends there. over the years, i've gotten to know/recognize many people, including instructors. there's a bit of accountability with this too.
i miss it if i don't go for an extended period of time. it's the only exercise i've EVER found that i enjoy thoroughly. i have never gotten bored with it and i will always go back to it. i'm a jazzercise junkie.
if i were brave enough, i would try to teach. i love it that much. but, i'm a giant wiener with a TERRIBLE fear of public appearances/speaking. the thought gives me palpitations/panic..... but, if i were brave, i would totally do it. and, i think i could be relatively successful at it too.
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This was so encouraging for me! I am taking my first class tonight. I am both excited and nervous about looking like a fool and being the least fit one there. I can't wait until I'm at the stage that you're at!
1992 days ago
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You inspired me to go for it too! I have enjoyed the few classes that I have gone to. (Yep even the one I went to by myself...Well, Suzi was there but we hadn't met yet so I didn't technically know her :))
I hope to one day get to where you are and love it. I think you should totally be brave and get up there and teach. That would be even more motivating.
I also have found myself doing the moves in the car, I keep thinking if I just practice I will get those moves down.
Thanks so much for being you!
2133 days ago
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I find that classes motivate me the same way too. Good for you!
2134 days ago
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With your enthusiasm for jazzercise you would make a wonderful instructor!
with adding exercises to your daily routines!
2134 days ago
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....and your Gun Show is awesome, woman!!!
You have inspired me so much, Staci! I'm well on my way to becoming an jazzercise junkie, myself. Every single class I go to, I feel a little bit stronger. I look around the class room and hope that I can be as fit and strong as the woman who surround me.
Suz : )
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finding the running joy....
- 3/30/2011
very nearly famous..... (a smokeout story)
- 11/16/2010
how could i forget the ABSOLUTE BEST thing about jazzercise?!?! =O
- 8/24/2010
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The Cryptos Conundrum
"It turns out, every shocking conspiracy theory you've ever heard was correct. Chase Brandon, an undercover CIA veteran, has written the conspiracy thriller of the century…a spellbinding novel that ends with an apocalyptic bang!"
—Douglas Preston, New York Times bestselling author of Impact
"War, the occult, violence, science, mathematics, cryptology, spies, soldiers, geniuses, and for seasoning, a dash of good old science fiction—Chase Brandon has served up a terrific intellectual stew about the eternal battle between good and evil. Bravo!"
—Stephen Coonts, New York Times bestselling author of Assassin
"The Cryptos Conundrum immediately pulled me into an amazing, constantly surprising story about time and space. It's an entertaining and thoughtful read."
—Larry Niven, New York Times bestselling author of Betrayer of Worlds
"It takes a CIA agent with decades of black ops to write the greatest agency thriller of all time."
—David Hagberg, New York Times bestselling author of Abyss
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Patriots reminding fans about new NFL bag policy again for Thursday vs. Giants
|08.26.13 at 12:53 pm ET
FOXBORO ' Gillette Stadium officials were generally very pleased with the cooperation they received from Patriots fans on Aug. 16 when the new NFL bag policy came to Foxboro.
The team is reminding fans again this week to make sure they follow all of the guidelines that will be enforced by the NFL and Gillette Stadium security this Thursday night when the Patriots conclude their preseason against the Giants. Stadium officials indicated Monday that there were only a few cases of fans getting off the commuter rail at Gillette Stadium with backpacks that were not allowed inside.
All bags must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and no larger than 12'x 6' x 12'.
During the offseason, the NFL Committee on Stadium Security unanimously recommended the implementation of an NFL Stadium Bag Policy that limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into all stadiums for NFL games.
The Patriots have communicated directly with season ticket holders on the implementation process and have distributed complimentary bags to each account holder. In addition, clear plastic freezer bags will be distributed to all vehicles that arrive at Gillette Stadium for the first couple of games. In the parking lots, there will be eight different locations where fans can purchase NFL compliant clear plastic bags as well.
Fans arriving for Patriots games at Gillette Stadium gates, plaza areas, or other areas where fans queue for entry into the stadium must have bags that are in compliance with the new policy. Bags that are not in compliance will not be stored and must be returned to the patron's vehicle. A description of the style and size of the bags that will be allowed is described below:
The policy was announced by the NFL in June and implemented for the first time at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio on Aug. 4.
Latest from Bleacher Report
- Updates on Patriots Star Danny Amendola's Injuries
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- Position Battles to Watch in Patriots Training Camp
- Does Brissett Have a Chance to Be Patriots Week 1 Starter?
- Brady Is Under Too Much Pressure, and It Could Crush Pats Dynasty


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Viewing All 17 Photos
Certified photos by travelers like you. What's this?
April 2011
The road along the way
A very relaxing ride with beautiful scenery.
June 2016
Chateau Monconseil Gazin
One of the chateau I visited in the Blaye area
November 2015
Vineyards at the Chateau Paloumey
Some vineyards at the Chateau Paloumey at the end of harvest.
November 2011
Chateau Reynier - Marc Lurton Winery
Marc and his wife who together do everything, Wonderful and welcoming people. There is a true cave where they age the wine.
April 2011
At Chateau Gravas
Very charming spot (the first one). Would love to come back here
April 2011
Second Stop
A much larger Chateau, very different from the first
April 2011
The first stop in Graves
Chateau Gravas, as we pulled in. Very warm and hospitable! We really liked this place for its warm family feel and nice Sauternes.
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Our team is ready to help you:
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|Event Description
|MTB summer camp for ages 12-18, June 8-16. All ability levels from Beginner to Expert are eat one camp; rides will split as needed. The Expert rides are set up more as a training camp where riders will do a lot of riding and training during the week, this is also open to Sport level riders who should be racing Ex. Attendees prefer this format rather than our previous format of classroom heavy learning. The fitness gains from this week of training will carry you to new levels. If you are racing the Beginner (Base) class then you likely will not have the fitness/endurance/speed that theExpert racers have, so will enjoy the targeted rides. Expert (cat 1) rides are typically 2-3 hours per day with the 7-day total being around 14-16 hours. This is a training camp, so expect a little suffering and sore legs. Participants should be highly motivated and ready to go each day. This will be more boot-camp than previous camps. The Beginner/Sport Camp is open to anyone with the ability and motivation to ride 6 consecutive days at 1.5-2 hours per, with a long ride extending past 3 hours possibly. These are camps put on by CycleYouth staff, but are open to any racer or mtb'er on any team able to ride with the group. Most Sport/Ex campers are very fast Sport level racers. over age 16. Rides will range from 2 to 3 hours long, and some days will have two-a-dayers where we ride in the morning and also the afternoon. On the long days we will offer shorter options for any not feeling up to the task, and may opt for a longer ride depending on the group, or may join the shorter rides. A few rides will be combined. The area's Forest are a beautiful riding location nestled in the Blue ridge mountains. The area is hilly and mountainous, so we will be riding rolling terrain one day and mountainous the next. Early morning activities include strength and conditioning training and other off-bike training related interest. The Beginner/Sport camp includes racers of this ability level, and some non-racers who have the fitness and endurance to complete the rides with the group. This is not a camp for those interested in beginning mountain bike, however. The fitness needed to complete the rides can only come from riding a bike (not running, swimming, or other sports). Generally those who do well are riders who currently ride 3-4 days per week for 1-2 hours on each ride. One-day-a-week riders will not be able to keep up with the group. General fitness, proficiencies in other sports, motivation and determination are of no help for a non-cyclist or a cyclist that rarely rides. The camps intent is to help cyclist jump to the next level both in fitness and in skills. Many other areas of discussion will be covered to help create a well-rounded cyclist. Skills are hands on at the cabin or on the trails while instruction is a laid-back conversation style. For those interested we will offer a more structured discussion on training. We will skip the science and go directly to what matters in training. We will cover skills as in the past but more emphasis will be on training. We will discuss proper bike care and go over basic bike maintain and repair during optional instruction time. Riders will learn the basics of the training method and begin to understand the intricacies of race preparation, execution, nutrition and how training works. Campers will enjoy the good life with excellent trails and rides led by local residents and other camp staff. This camp was formerly part of the USA Cycling camp system. This camp will be the same successful format developed for that camp, just with more appropriate goals. This camp can still serve as a qualifier for the USAC camp. Food and lodging included. Campers only need gear and possibly some bedding. Early arrival, and transportation from Atlanta can be arranged. Airport pickup can also be arranged from Greenville/Spartanberg or Asheville Int.
|Course Description
|Rolling and mountainous. rugged terrain. Lots of climbing with repetitive climbs of 5 - 10 minutes, and a few days including 40+ minute climbs.
|You may register through usacycling, or pay via PayPal (contact us through www.cycleyouth.com), or mail a check. The camp will fill up fast this year as we have fewer spots available. Cost is $650 for the week.
|The camp is located in Cedar Mountain, NC which is just over the State line North of SC and North of Greenville, SC. We are 20 minutes from Brevard, NC, and 20 from Hendersonville, NC.
|For More Information:
Andrew Johnston
Cedar Mountain, NC
(404) 314-9940 www.cycleyouth.com
Online registration


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Thursday, February 07, 2013
This morning I woke up at 11:30 for an 11:30 class. Afterwards, since I hadn't eaten all day I took the bus over to Jack and the Box, and ate a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit and hashbrowns (yum! increadible amounts of oil and fat!) then went to Braums to buy a few things I needed....
I picked up a couple of items that had a "save $1 now" sticker. The cashier charged me for the full price, when I complained, he had to call someone else over because he didn't know what to do. This guy told me that he was refunding the money to me, but the way he did it was kind of weird...I suspected he didn't do it right, so when I got home I checked, and lo and behold he had just charged me the same amount again + $2 more...which means I only have $22 left in my checking account now...
My appartment was unbearably hot when I got home and smelled like spoiled food (I had thrown out a bunch of rotting mushrooms in the garbage the night before)...
So I had to take the garbage out. Took my dog with me, on the way back, the little idiot started barking his head off at a dog big enough to swallow him whole (who started dragging the girl walking him as he ran towards us)....so embarrassing!
I'm still REALLY tired. The last few days, my eye lid has been twitching, like it does when I'm really stressed out. And I really need to clean up my apartment, because mainenence is supposed to be coming tommorow to replace the filters and what not.
Also need to get other stuff done, art assets for that stupid game I'm working on with my game lab team, and I'm also supposed to be half way to Alpha on the game I'm doing for my honors project by Monday when I meet with with my project advisor (I also need to write a focus to show her by then). And I need to finish reading the Dragons & Dungeons handbook so I can generate a D&D character by Monday for my history & design of RPGs class...which, if you've never played D&D, that is one really f*ing complex game...
[Fun trivia: What do students of game design do to goof off? You know, since at some point, when you're spending all your time studying/analyzing/making video games, you really don't feel like playing them "for fun" anymore? Well, this one has been reading the unabridged, 5 volume version of Les Miserables.]
So yeah, I'm a little stressed, I guess that would be the point of this post, if there is one ;P
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Hope this week is better! It seems like everything comes at us at once sometimes.
1228 days ago
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Thanks for the answer to a question that I hadn't thought of. Sounds like a day deserving of that Ugghh... and then some. Hope your D&D character came out slamming and that your focus "wrote itself." My eye twitches like that too when I get stressed out. No matter how busy I am, I put a cold rice bag over my eyes and just close them for about 5 minutes and remember to breath! Best of luck!
1230 days ago
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Howard Anthony Spiva
Position: LB
Height: 6-2 Weight: 220 lbs.
Born: February 6, 1955 in Chattanooga, TN
Died: April 3, 1979 in Atlanta, GA
High School: Chamblee
College: Tennessee (school history)
Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 5th round (135th overall) of the 1977 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 5 (9377th overall since 1950)


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Besides Notch's hat, we all can consider stealing some elements that Minecraft is using:
#1 – the art style
Just think about how genius it is. Just blocks! How difficult it is to model bunch of blocks, yet animate them. Super easy. And even if you don't know how to animate, you can go to a site like FPS creator site, spend a few bucks to a model pack AND (this is important) export only model BONES and ANIMATIONS. Then in your own programming SDK, you can create cubes and attach the cubes to the animated bones.
And voila, you've just got animated box man to appear on your screen.
Don't necessarily steal the idea of "world is made of blocks", since you can have other shapes too, such as a terrain. Just ensure using blocky style in all the art, and it'll be consistent.
It doesn't matter whether you are doing an RPG, FPS, RTS or whatnot – the main idea is that you can steal this simple style and save humongous amount of gold in art assets.
#2 – Actually, that's it
I see quite zero sense in trying to clone Minecraft. Terraria isn't Minecraft clone, Terraria just happens to have digging and blocks, but it's hugely different gaming experience. Cloning Minecraft would mean spending some years building a game where you have blocks that you can use to build anything. But who would buy it? Everybody and their mom already has Minecraft so it's pretty pointless (unless you target different platforms, then it might have some sense) as there would be zero reason to buy your clone.
I feel that stealing the art style would make tons of sense for lots of indie developers. By using block style to build whatever game they are building, they would make a huge leap in terms of getting game ready faster.
You already doing this?


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College Hockey:2005-06 Niagara Season Preview
Barret Ehgoetz and Ryan Gale have moved on and left Niagara with gaping holes up front. But coach Dave Burkholder isn't one to panic, and in fact has high optimism as his Purple Eagles start their 10th season of college hockey.
Ehgoetz, NU's all-time leading scorer, was Mr. Everything for Niagara a year ago, including being team captain. Gale posted career numbers with 24 goals and earned himself an ECHL contract with the Toledo Storm. But up and down Niagara's roster, the defense looks solid and the forwards have the potential, by committee, to replace Ehgoetz and Gale's numbers.
"You can never replace what a guy like Barret Ehgoetz did for this program," said Burkholder, who enters his 10th year behind the bench at Niagara and fifth as head coach. "But I think this year with our overall depth, we'll be able to go out and make some things happen."
Along with Ehgoetz and Gale, defensemen Shayne Baylis and Ryan Carrigan and forward Kris Wiebe also graduated.
Back in net for his senior year will be Jeff Van Nynatten, who led NU to the CHA championship in 2004 before a hand injury last year shelved him for two months. Junior Allen Barton and sophomore Scott Mollison are also back to vie for playing time, but most signs point to freshman Juliano Pagliaro pushing Van Nynatten for time between the pipes.
"The times I've seen Pagliaro during practice, he's a very intense goaltender," NU senior captain Jason Williamson said. "He looks like he's ready to push 'Dutchy' [Van Nynatten]. In practice, he challenges the shooters and I really like what I see out of him."
Pagliaro was named the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's goalie of the year and the Estevan Bruins' MVP after going 37-15-5 with a Bruins-record 2.45 goals-against average, three shutouts and a save percentage of .917.
"Jeff knows this year he has a lot to play for," said Burkholder. "As a sophomore he took us to the tournament, but last year was pretty much a wash. He knows he's a senior and this is his last chance to get this team back to the [NCAA] tournament."
Defensively, the Purple Eagles return their nucleus that includes senior Andrew Lackner, junior Pat Oliveto and sophomores Trevor Mallon, Travis Anderson and Mike Novosad. Freshmen Armando Scarlato and Dan Sullivan should also contribute as first-year collegians along with sophomore Scott Langdon.
"We are very comfortable back there with our defensive corps," said Burkholder. "We're led by Andrew Lackner who has played in all situations since his freshman year. Oliveto has made the most of his past two years, but what I'm most excited about is seeing our sophomores. Last year, they gained valuable experience and I'm anxious to see what that translates into this year."
Lackner added that Sullivan, a true freshman, has raised eyebrows already.
"In practice, I've been paired up with Sullivan and I'm very impressed," Lackner said. "He's smart with the puck and very calm out there. He's got a great head on his shoulders and is definitely ready to step in."
Forward Randy Harris is also back for his final season after sitting out the past three years with medical issues stemming from respiratory problems. Harris was a freshman on Niagara's 2000 championship team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament after a first-round upset of New Hampshire. Interestingly, Harris scored in that game to give Niagara an early 1-0 lead and the Purple Eagles went on to a 4-1 victory.
"Randy Harris petitioned the NCAA for medical hardship to get his one year of eligibility back," Burkholder explained. "He is returning to Niagara to go to grad school and get his year back. We are going to give him the opportunity to play, as, without question, he will be one of our most skilled guys. Where he fits in is kind of a question mark at this time, but he could be one of our top offensive producers."
Senior Justin Cross is another veteran forward NU is counting on to produce. Known throughout his career as a streaky player, Cross hopes to keep a consistent streak going this season and should be helped when surrounded by players like Williamson, junior Sean Bentivoglio, sophomore Matt Caruana and freshman Les Reaney, who led the British Columbia Hockey League in scoring last year with 38 goals and 100 points. Incoming forward Joe Coiro will redshirt while rehabbing a reconstructed shoulder.
"Cross has been in the shadows of some pretty good players the past couple years in Barret, Gale and even Joe Tallari," said Burkholder said. "This is his year to step it up and be one of our go-to guys.
"If Williamson can stay healthy, he's a very dynamic player for us. He was a unanimous choice for captain and always puts his best effort out there. Bentivoglio is also a player who has been progressing and I'm anxious to see what he can do this year. Basically, we'll have four complete lines every night."
Niagara's nonconference should prove its mettle outside of the CHA. The Purple Eagles host Vermont (Oct. 28-29), play a home-and-home with Cornell (Nov. 25-26) and also travel to New Hampshire (Dec. 30) and to Minnesota (Jan. 6-7). NU plays seven of its first eight games at Dwyer Arena, and Burkholder feels that favors his squad.
"This is definitely our most attractive home schedule," said Burkholder. "The reason being is that these are reciprocating games from a two-year contract with schools like Clarkson, Vermont and Western Michigan. When you add the Cornell home-and-home weekend, our home game being at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, this is one of our most aggressive schedules that we have ever encountered.
"Last year we were on the road for eight straight games, which was very grueling. This year, we start with a very long home stand that I think is going to help since we are a very young team. So, the first month at home isn't a bad thing, that's for sure. What also stands out is how we are balanced to finish out the year, home and away. I think that should prepare us a lot, and we should have no excuses going into the CHA playoffs."
That will be in Detroit, where NU is hoping to replicate some of its postseason magic from 2004.
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I'm wondering, when a handicapped person who is a ward of the state of Iowa and living in a group home, receiving Medicaid, dies:
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According to the Canadian Press on Thursday, former Calgary Flame enforcer Rocky Thompson has been named the assistant coach of the Edmonton Oilers. Thompson played from 1997-1999 with the Flames.
A third round draft pick by the Calgary Flames in the 1995 National Hockey Draft, Thompson was drafted the same year the Dallas Stars selected Flames' superstar Jarome Iginla. In 15 career games with the Flames, Thompson had zero points and 86 penalty minutes.
Thompson was then traded by the Flames to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Filip Kuba on March 16, 2000. In 10 games with the Panthers, Thompson registered 31 penalty minutes. Kuba meanwhile never played for the Flames because he was claimed by the Minnesota Wild in the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft according to www.hockey-reference.com.
Thompson will join former Buffalo Sabres veteran Craig Ramsay as the two new assistant coaches in Edmonton. Ramsay and Thompson are replacing Steve Smith and Kelly Buchberger on head coach Dallas Eakins' staff. (Eakins is also a former Calgary Flame). Ramsay has National Hockey League head coaching experience with the Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers and Atlanta Thrashers. Thompson, who is also a native of Calgary, has spent the last four years as an assistant coach with Oklahoma City.
With the Barons of the American Hockey League (the top Edmonton Oilers' minor league affiliate), Oklahoma City has had a winning record each season. It was interesting that Thompson was named an assistant coach however over the Barons' head coach Todd Nelson. In what capacity Thompson will be used with the Oilers main club remains to be seen.
The Oilers have been one of the National Hockey League's most struggling franchises in recent years. They have missed the Stanley Cup playoffs the last eight years since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2006.


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This free release chronicles Michael Moore's 62-city tour in 2004. It is his best effort, his slickest, most exciting, most inspirational film to date. It is not bent on educating us about dark truths. Instead, it's a rousing musical-speech-video tour aimed at Getting Out The Vote (GOTV). The film seeks to reach the nation's youth with its strong anti-war message. It calls for a nonstop movement for universal health care, quality education, marital and reproductive freedom, racial equality, and fair labor standards. Slacker Uprising is the best GOTV message on the market.
Moore applauds the 21 million youth who voted in 2004 and blames their parents for reelecting Bush. He slams mainstream media for lying to the public about the war in Iraq, but is pathologically silent on electoral cyber theft and Democrat wimplicity. The film flays Republicans, our evil warlords, but never mentions that Democrats refuse to impeach BushCo, that they continually vote to fund the war, to shred the US Constitution, and, most recently, to squelch dissent with terrorizing brutality. His lack of honest criticism of the Democratic Party dulls the brilliance of this motivational film. The genius of Slacker Uprising serves the plutocracy as effectively as Moore's past films condemned it.
An instrumental When Johnny Comes Marching Home by Instant Death and Andrew Weiss opens the film, immediately commanding our attention. This song choice is subtle and effective in an antiwar film that salutes our troops. Other musical appearances include REM, Eddie Vedder, Steve Earl, Joan Baez, and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. Takin' My Country Back by Honky Tonkers for Truth provides background as Moore arrives in Nashville. Robert Ellis then performs Al Gore, a humorous foot tapper with a familiar tune.
Michael Moore during his 2004 Slacker Uprising Tour
Joan Baez sings Finlandia a cappella, which she introduced as Finland's national anthem:
This is my song O gods of all the nations A song of peace for lands so far away This is my home, a country where my heart is Here grew my hopes and dreams for all mankind But other hearts in other lands are beating With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine My country's skies are bluer than the ocean And sunlight shines on clover leaf and pine But other lands have sunlight too and clover And skies are ev'rywhere as blue as mine O hear my prayer, o gods of all the nations A song of peace for their lands and for mine
Most of the tour stops host large crowds in filled arenas, with hundreds and often thousands of loud, cheering youth. But Moore is somber when visiting Kent State University. He pays tribute to the four students who opposed the Viet Nam war and were murdered by the Ohio National Guard, on orders of then-Governor Jim Rhodes.
Kent State U, May 4, 1970: Ohio National Guard kill unarmed war protesters
Back in 2004, Moore was promoting his film Fahrenheit 911 a topic many are still trying to suppress. He shows how San Diego successfully prevented him from speaking on campus in a 1,500 seat auditorium. That speech-suppression effort became a boon for Michael, when the students moved his appearance to a sold-out 15,000 seat venue at the nearby Del Mar Fairgrounds.
Sep.2 2008 RNC St Paul (by Matt Rourke, AP)
Not much has changed since May 4, 1970. Free speech is still brutally, illegally, and unconstitutionally suppressed with force.
Roseanne Barr satirizes the neocon ideology and actor Vigo Morgenson gives a deadly serious speech, along with soldiers and parents of fallen soldiers. A few military heavyweights also take the podium, including Colonel Ann Wright.
Organized Republicans invade his speeches, chanting "Four more years!" Moore quips, "You say four more years, but I hear four more wars." His fans laugh the Bushites into submission. A creepy segment shows organized youths standing, holding hands, and loudly intoning Christian prayers, while Moore tries to speak. He effectively responds, "Hey, let me ask you a question. What would Jesus bomb?"
Parodying a line from A League of Their Own at the end of the film, he laughs and says to a crowd, "There's no crying in politics!" Nor should we scapegoat voters for Bush remaining in the White House. Bush was never elected, Michael; not by Floridians in 2000 nor by Ohioans in 2004.
In six weeks, 95% of the nation's voters will vote on computers that can be hacked without detection. Software, by its nature, is undetectably mutable. If Michael Moore can condemn mainstream media for failing to do its job, for parroting White House lies that led us into war, he should also demand that media not report as fact what cannot be proven, or has not been independently verified. I mean election results. Dave Berman of Humboldt, California makes this point with clarity in a recent speech.
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A local history group has been given a financial boost by a Hollywood star- and her German fan.
Swinton Heritage Group was given several items by musical star Julie Andrews to help with its fundraising after the group helped her trace some of her Yorkshire family roots.
Those items- a signed album and a children's book written by Julie, have just been sold on eBay- raising £126 from a Julie Andrews fan in Germany.
Now that money will be used to help pay for the group's new website which will allow people to share their old pictures.
Julie Andrews is supporting the group after members were able to help her trace some Yorkshire family roots, in particular her maternal grandfather Arthur Morris.
Arthur, from Swinton, was feted in music halls for his monologues and poems about the lives of miners in the 1920s.
The pit deputy with a strong social conscience became known as the 'Pitman's Poet'
During the 1920s' great strike he started writing poems which he sold for a few pence to financially help the families of striking miners.
His poignant poetry was praised by King George V, the Prince of Wales and senior political figures before he achieved celebrity status performing monologues on stage while his daughter Barbara played the piano.
Barbara went on to have a very famous daughter- Hollywood musical superstar Julie Andrews.
The link between South Yorkshire and Hollywood has led to regular correspondence between Andrews and Swinton Heritage, the community history group.
She provided local accountant and history enthusiast Giles Brearley with information about her granddad when he decided to write a book about him and helped with fundraising for a plaque in his memory close to Arthur's former home in Temperance Street.
Swinton Heritage has just published 'A Swinton Pictorial' by Ken Wyatt and Giles, which features more than 200 photos, many previously unpublished, which with detailed captions capture local life, work, transportation, the street scene, sport and leisure from the district in years gone by.
Ken Wyatt said: "We are very grateful to our friend over the ocean, Hollywood mega-star, Julie Andrews. We are hoping to have a revamped web site this year with the facility for people to share their old pictures.
"We hope to create a huge archive and place on line our own collection of heritage photographs which have featured in our books. "


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It began so long ago, and now it's The Last Dance.'
The good news is, 'SVU' has done it again. The scary news is, 'SVU' has done it again.
The return of William Lewis (Pablo Schreiber), whose goal is to inflict pain on anyone in his path, the path that will lead him to his intended target, Sergeant Benson (Mariska Hargitay), is truly everything it's been hyped up to be.
In "Beast's Obsession," Lewis escapes from prison, takes a young girl hostage, using her as bait to lure Benson into a confrontation.
This latest chapter in the Lewis/Benson saga, the fourth, follows "Her Negotiation," "Surrender Benson," and "Psycho/Therapist."
"Beast's Obsession," didn't come together without some careful calculations both in and out of the writers' room, according to Executive Producer Warren Leight. "Of course we consciously ended "Psycho/Therapist" with that opened tease to leave the door ajar for Lewis' return, but we didn't know what exactly we'd do or where we'd go if we brought him back."
Aside from plot issues, there was the matter of the availability of Pablo Schreiber, an understandably much in demand actor. "Because we didn't know if and when we could get him back, we didn't even start thinking about anything right away," explained Leight, "But, then we found out that we had a little window to grab him so we knew we needed to take advantage of that. That's when I started considering how we could move the story to another level."
Leight went on to say that Schreiber wasn't keen to reprising the role just for the sake of on-camera time. "What I like about Pablo and what really makes what he does work as an actor is that he wouldn't just come back if it was just to string the character along. There had to be an extremely good reason, because he's motivated by a good story and the challenge to inhabit the character again."
Schreiber's commitment to the role led the writers to push themselves to really craft the next steps of Lewis' character meticulously not only to meet the actor's standards but also so as to appease the ever demanding audience. "No one wants to see the character diluted so that puts the pressure on the writers. With a recurring bad guy like this you can go to the well too many times because there really is a point of diminishing returns and we certainly didn't want that to happen," says Leight.
When Leight finally sorted out how to proceed with the Lewis/Benson narrative he pitched it to Schreiber who gladly came onboard. "He liked the progression of the 'relationship' between Lewis and Benson, and that's a strange word to use here but it's pretty accurate to say that these two do have a relationship right now; they have a past, they're still in each other's lives and they'll always be connected, so it is a relationship."
Leight revealed that his inspiration for this episode stems from the finale of the '70s television drama, "The Fugitive," in which Dr. Richard Kimble, wrongly accused of murdering his wife, spends several years chasing the real killer, a one-armed man. "Something like 70 million people tuned in to see what would happen between Kimble and the one-armed man. In that show, that final confrontation took place in an abandoned amusement park and I wanted this confrontation between Lewis and Benson in that kind of setting. I wanted a location where no one will hear you can hear you scream, or rather William Lewis wanted a location where no one will hear you scream."
To achieve that, Leight and his crew found an abandoned granary on the outskirts of New York City. Leight described it, saying, "It's 12 stories tall with 90 grain silos inside of a brick building. It's not exactly a hidden location as it's huge. It was horrible just to shoot there. The wind was whipping up and there was 50 years of dust and debris swirling around all the time."
The original production plan called for less time at the site, but Leight felt shooting amid the decrepit, bleak property was a necessity. "When we originally scouted it, there was talk that we'd just shoot the exteriors there and then build the interiors on a stage to match, but I took one look around and said, 'We're doing this here.' It's just too disturbing a place to not take advantage of that. We had to shoot this in that location because we could never truly recreate that. The degree of scariness of that place informs he scenes that take place there. It's a horrifying place for final showdown."
The grimness of the location was essential given the events that transpire between the Sergeant and the escaped convict. Leight elaborates, saying, "Benson has to walk into that and it's upsetting to watch her as she knows going into this empty shell of a building how this really has to go down. She knows that it's up to her to take Lewis down. It can't continue with him. She knows better than anyone what he's capable of. She was his hostage for four days and she knows too well the kind of harm he can inflict. To me, what she does this time out is very heroic. The first time out it wasn't intentional to be heroic, she was kidnapped and she was made his victim and she had to struggle to survive, but this time it's her choice to take him on."
Just to scare fans a bit more, Leight adds, "I think what we see for the first time is that she knows that going back in with him could mean her death. She understands the risks and she's accepting of them."
Even Leight, the man in charge, was a bit anxious about this latest installment, revealing, "I'm mostly nervous about how can we match the level of the first batch of episodes. Every time we strep up to the plate, we measure it by the proceeding episodes in this arc. It's really challenging to maintain the drama to the level that's now expected of us by everyone who's invested in this. In light of that, we really do work hard to keep upping the intensity as best we can."
He goes on to give credit to the actors, saying, "This is really one of those things where in the beginning we hoped it would work between Pablo and Mariska and then it worked so well that we wanted to keep it going for as long as we could. They both know that they've created something that's hard to define given their roles in this, but it's never-the-less thrilling to watch. This dance takes on something that while you can't really put your finger on what it is you know that every time these two actors get together they add layers to their work. It's interesting to watch them pick up where they left off. They know each others moves and quirks to the point where what they give gets deeper and more disturbing each time out."
Disturbing is definitely an accurate description of what transpires between the characters. Given this material, it would have been easy for both principles to over dramatize this showdown, but Schreiber and Hargitay show their true knowledge of the craft by giving just the right amount; Schreiber portraying Lewis as a true all-or-nothing villain while still making all of his actions incredibly believable, Hargitay showing Benson trying diligently to maintain her steely facade in the face of extreme danger while at the same time conveying the underlying fact that Olivia is still a fragile human being who could easily crumble under the weight of this impossible situation at any moment. In the hands of lesser accomplished actors, these scenes would not carry near the amount of significance they do here.
While Lewis and Benson fight it out, it seems like the discord in the squad room has been set aside in favor of a more cohesive front, something that's certainly nice to see given everything that's transpired lately in the 16th precinct.
This season nearly every episode has been a game-changer in that at the conclusion of each installment nothing is the same as it was before. We've seen Amaro stumble and Rollins fall while Benson's struggles have been well documented since her first encounter with Lewis. This episode is no different. In fact, so much happens that while in the past it might have seemed that things could possibly revert back to some sort of normalcy, they is no such hope at the conclusion of "Beast's Obsession."
"There's no way around it, Benson will be forever changed," reveals Leight. "This could very well get the best of her."
He goes on to divulge that this really is 'The Last Dance.' "This had to come to a conclusion and we knew how it had to end but even to us it's still I think by far the most shocking ending we've ever done," says Leight empathically. "It's visually amazing and the last act is incredibly tense. I don't know how else to say it, it really is shocking. It just had to end this way."
And end it does, with an image that no matter what happens moments, days, months or years afterward, will remain forever haunting.
Two hashtags this week: #LastDance and #RenewSVU
Quick reminder: "Psycho/Therapist" airs just prior to "Beast's Obsession" beginning at 8/7c. For more about "Psycho/Therapist" please click here.
"Law & Order: SVU" airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC.


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Personal trainers know their stuff, at least qualified ones do. Many people who hire a personal trainer do so because they aren't getting what they need from their work out, while others should hire one because they need to stay safe while they work out.
Hiring a personal trainer isn't a complex process and doesn't need to be a hassle. There are many great personal physical trainers in the Denver area who are qualified to work with adults of all ages, as well as ones who specialize in trainer those over the age of 55.
For you as a senior, it might be in your best interest to hire a personal trainer for both of these reasons. You want to be able to build and maintain muscle to support your joints and keep them strong, gently challenge your heart and lungs to keep them strong, and stimulate blood flow to all part of your body, including one of the most important parts of all – your brain.
You need a workout that will do this for you as much as possible, with the least amount of strain and impact that can do more harm than good, especially for seniors. You don't want to start a workout out that will cause you pain or injury.
You also don't need to work with a personal trainer every time you work out. You might choose to work with them for a few sessions, and go on your own with what the trainer has taught you. You also might just work with them once a week, or every 2 weeks, and go solo the rest of the time. As long as your doctor find this appropriate for your safety and well-being, you can go about this however you like.
Word of mouth is often the best way of finding a good personal trainer. As with all services, you don't want to pay for something that isn't going to to give you the help you need. You might have had a great plumber referred to you by a friend. The same goes for personal trainers. Your doctor might be the first person you ask. He or she might be able to point you in the right direction.
If you go to a gym, you should also be able to find a personal trainer who works there, or get referred to one from people who work at the gym. The Denver YMCA [http://www.denverymca.org/personal-training] on East Yale Avenue is great for people of all ages and should be able to help you find the personal trainer who can best meet your needs.
If you've asked around and you're still not sure, you can go to Denver's page on IdeaFit.com [http://www.ideafit.com/find-personal-trainer/co/denver], Denver's page on YourTrainer.com [https://yourtrainer.com/find/personal-training/colorado/denver], or Denver A List [http://denveralist.cityvoter.com/best/personal-trainers/fitness/denver] and do more research from there. Take your time, compare prices and go with a trainer who has plenty of years of experience, especially with older adults.