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Snowboard flash mob planned at Stratton Mountain
Plans made to celebrate World Snowboard Day on Sunday
Known as the birthplace of snowboarding, Stratton Mountain resort is planning to recognize World Snowboard Day on Sunday.
Come celebrate snowboarding as a sport, a culture and a lifestyle with a day full of exclusive events and offers, including a snowboard flash mob, movie premieres, free clinic, retail specials and snowboard trivia.
And there is some snow to be had, by skiers and snowboarders alike.
The resort is covered in white and is tapped out with events through New Year's Day. From a three-day yoga program to family music and cookie making.
For more information about Stratton's events, holiday plans and lodging specials, visit www.stratton.com or call 1-800-STRATTON (787-2886).
Copyright 2012 by WMUR.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Source: Fortune
quote: It's a difficult time for them [Apple]
quote: They didn't create the market. The market was already there.
quote: Because it showed me you are using your emotions to speak rather than unbiased knowledge.
quote: They had a home run with the initial IOS in 2007 during a large change in the industry
quote: What sickens rational people is that they copy blatantly and cry foul when they are copied
quote: The difference, though, is Apple pays for what they use.


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Banner ads are a dying breed. To drive this point home, Virurl hired "protesters" to picket the Javits Center in protest of online banner ads. While Virurl's antic is guerilla, the consensus among speakers during ad:tech isn't so far off from the sentiments that protesters were expressing. There's no doubt that content-based native advertising units is the next generation of advertising.
Virurl's CEO Francisco Diaz-Mitoma saw this trend as early as February 2010 before contextual native ad units were a topic of discussion. But the soft launch of Virurl didn't come until October of this year. Luckily, the timing was perfect.
This year's ad:tech New York was completely focused on contextual native ad units that are of high quality and high value to viewers. Essentially 2013 marks the end of the ice age where slipshod banner ads created in Flash or Photoshop ran rampant. This will come as a relief for consumers.
Virurl, according to Diaz-Mitoma, helps brands and publishers reach new audiences through content-based ad units. A network of over 15,000 publishers and influencers are syndicating Virurl's contextual ads from brand clients like Sports Illustrated, Vice and Funny or Die. But if it isn't clear yet already, the syndicated content is in fact ads.
Speaking in technical terms, any publication can be part of Virurl's network of publishers that host ads. And the process of adding an ad is as easy as adding the JavaScript code for Google Analytics. Blogs or publications that want to host ads can identify the type of industry or category the blog or publication identifies with, then design and add a widget, or embeddable code, onto their site.
The simplicity of integrating ads is deliberate. Virurl targets the long tail of publishers who typically are clueless about monetizing their blogs or publications and neophytes to the world of publishing. These types of publishers also attract a niche audience. Because of this, Virurl will charge as little as 2 cents per click, which is a steal compared to Google AdWords campaigns and so there's not surprisingly an overwhelming interest from brands. In the wake of constant inquiries, Diaz-Mitoma and his 10-man team frequently have to put their quality control hats on. He tells me that Virurl is manually rejecting advertisers left and right, like insurance companies, to prevent Virurl reverting back to the ice age of flashing ads and click-baiting.
From the publisher's perspective, even though each click may cost just $0.02 and 60 percent of that goes to the publisher, Virurl found in its study that consumers are clicking on the content more often. Diaz-Mitoma offered me a more detailed insight. On average publishers are seeing 5.7 percent click-through rates verses the 0.02 percent industry standard for display ads.
But Virurl isn't a get rich quick solution. There's one rather significant catch: the quality of the content. Advertisers on Virurl are spending fewer dollars per click, but must keep in mind that "content is king." Even on Virurl, any type of content won't necessarily sell. There have been instances where advertisers funded a campaign for just $0.02 per click and the funding was depleted in just two hours. In retrospect, Diaz-Mitoma tells me, advertisers have spent as much as $24 per click, only for the campaign to fall through due its lackluster content.
He makes sure to explain that content will pay for itself, especially if it's premium content that may be expensive to shoot. "If you're creating a half-ass job to create content, it becomes very expensive. Although Virurl does want to make your content to go viral, it's only as good as the content itself," Diaz-Mitoma adds.
One campaign that's fresh in the Virurl CEO's mind was a campaign that was funded for just $20 by an artist from Israel who builds miniature sculptures. Despite the tiny investment, the artist's content was distributed to relevant publishers and eventually ended up on the front page of msnbc.com. The rate of return on investment there was in the thousands.
The next step for the company is its foray into a mobile solution that will display video-based ads for content creators. Diaz-Mitoma informed me that Virurl's mobile product will be launching shortly.
This article is part of Allvoices' series on ad:tech, the largest digital marketing and technology conferences and expositions. Check out allvoices.com/adtech for more of Allvoices' ad:tech New York event coverage. This series is supported by ad:tech.


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Technical information
|Begin of tour:
|Biel/Bienne (Tessenbergstrasse bus-stop)
|End of tour:
|La Neuveville
|Access starting point:
|Bus No. 11 from Biel/Bienne station
|Access point of arrival:
|Technical requirements:
|Physical fitness:
|Hiking time:
|4 hrs.
|12.9 km
|January to December
|villages of Twann and Ligerz
centre of La Neuveville
wine-making museum Hof in Ligerz
Biel/Bienne - Wingreis - Twann - Ligerz - La Neuveville
The steeply sloping vineyards offer many wonderful views of the lake and the chain of the Alps. On the way, you may be tempted to visit the picturesque villages of Twann and Ligerz. The walk is rounded off with a visit to French-speaking La Neuveville.
Bus No. 11 takes you in just a few minutes from Biel/Bienne station to the starting point for the walk on the Tessenbergstrasse. Then a wide, flat path leads through the vineyards by Lake Biel towards the south-west. Because the path is always slightly elevated, you keep seeing wonderful views over the lake and St. Peter's Island. You go past the villages of Twann and Ligerz and finally reach the picturesque town of La Neuveville.
Tour Overview
3D hiking map Download GPX coordinates Download KMZ (GoogleEarth)
Pictures: www.tourenguide.ch
The careful planning of a tour will ensure that you also derive the maximum pleasure and enjoyment from it. Please take the time to contact the local information centre and enquire about route and weather conditions before setting off. Your intended trail may be fully or partially closed, depending on the time of year and weather conditions.


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Originally Posted by fitiboy: i would go to a clippers game, and i have tickets for section 108, row 8, seats 13 and 14, are these goos seats??
Those seats belong to Billy Crystal and Penny Marshall.
I'm sitting on the floor and I want everybody to know.
Copyright © 1995-


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Marianas Variety
Daily Marianas Variety News and Views
Daily Marianas Variety News and Views
We offer 2211 hotels in Bangkok Thailand with low prices and discounts. Our booking system provides cheap and luxury hotels in Bangkok, hostels, motels, B&B and budget Bangkok hotels and accommodations. We have Bangkok center hotel deals. You can also book Bangkok airport hotel by cheap price. Our system is secure and absolutely free of charge.


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The second exhibition of the HUGO BOSS ASIA ART Award for Emerging Asian Artists has opened at the Rockbund Art Museum (RAM) in Shanghai.
Celebrating ermerging artists
As part of the HUGO BOSS arts sponsorship program, the biannual HUGO BOSS ASIA ART Award aims to honor emerging contemporary artists in Asia who are in the early stages of their artistic creation and exhibition practices. The project is developed as a long-term and ongoing exchange between challenging topics and contexts in Asia, supporting young talent in the region.
Larys Frogier, RAM Director and Chair of the HUGO BOSS ASIA ART jury, said: "The exhibition presents completely new productions and truly inspiring art projects. As such, it highlights the rich possibilities for cultural exchange and dialogue across the regions in Asia."
A glittering opening event in Shanghai
The opening was celebrated with a glamorous cocktail event, with the celebrities Chang Chen, Yao Chen, Wang Luodan, Jin Dong and Wang Kai in attendance.
Many other socialites and key people from the art scene also joined the event, a highlight of Shanghai's cultural calendar.
The second edition of the Award returns with a focus on Greater China but also encompassing exciting artists from Southeast Asia.
The six artists nominated by the international jury of curators, collectors and experts, in recognition of their artistic practice, are Guan Xiao (China), Huang Po-Chih (Taiwan), Moe Satt (Myanmar), Maria Taniguchi (Philippines), Vandy Rattana (Cambodia), and Yang Xinguang (China).
The winner of the 2015 HUGO BOSS ASIA ART Award was announced on 25 November in Shanghai. Maria Taniguchi is the recipient of this year's prize – many congratulations from everyone at HUGO BOSS.


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Invitation to the Volvo Group Investor Day – March 7, 2014
We have the pleasure to invite you to the 2014 Volvo Group Investor Day.
The Investor Day will be held at the St. Regis New York in New York City. You will have the possibility to meet and listen to Olof Persson, President and CEO and other members of the Group Executive Team.
10:30 - 11:00 Registration & Welcome
11.00 Olof Persson – President & CEO Volvo Group
Jan Gurander – CFO and Executive Vice President Corporate Finance & Control
12:15 Lunch
1:00 Dennis Slagle – EVP Group Truck Sales & Marketing Americas
Martin Weissburg – EVP Volvo Construction Equipment
3.00 End of program
Replay of webcast
Tel + 1 201-252-8844
E-post firstname.lastname@example.com
Add to calendar


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on February 9, 2013 - 11:08 PM
WHEATFIELD – A year ago, the SPCA of Niagara was in the doghouse.
Its director had been fired and the organization was receiving scathing reports of unnecessary and cruel euthanasia and poor medical treatment of animals, as well as mismanagement. In March, the board of directors was fired, and staff members rededicated themselves as a "no-kill" shelter.
These measures appear to have taken hold and were on display last week as the new and seemingly improved SPCA of Niagara dealt with the huge influx of Pomeranian dogs – many of them puppies – seized from a Lockport home Feb. 2.
"We will find a way," said Andrew M. Bell, the agency's new executive director. "We will do whatever it takes in any situation we come across to make room for the animals and make sure we find homes for the animals. That's how no-kill works, and these situations kind of define it. The staff and the volunteers have the mindset that we will work this out."
The SPCA re-entered the spotlight last week after the news that Ellouise M. Magrum, 50, who lived at the house on Royal Parkway South with her husband and two children, appeared to have been selling the Pomeranians on her website. She was charged with animal cruelty, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and several town violations for running a nonpermitted kennel out of her home. She was released on her own recognizance after being arraigned Tuesday in Lockport Town Court.
Bell said SPCA staffers spent the weekend round-the-clock getting the shelter ready for the 64 incoming Pomeranians. Shelter Director Amy Lewis said volunteers stepped forward to lend their support once they heard about what happened.
"It's been heartwarming, really. We had teams of volunteers watching the puppies, two groomers bathing the dogs, and two vets volunteered and spent the day checking their health and giving them vaccinations," Bell said. "It's just been a real community effort."
He said that in the last three months, the new SPCA of Niagara has signed up more than 200 new volunteers, an increase that he said was helping the agency look better.
New Board Member Lawrence M. Eggert, who is also the chief of the Lockport Police Department, said that more than 100 foster homes have been lined up by Lewis and board member AnnLouise Carosella.
"This gets them out of the shelter and more acclimated to humans. Any animal in a shelter too long loses their socialization," Eggert said. "Before we got these Pomeranians, the shelter was only about a quarter-full because the rest of the animals were with foster families."
Bell said that all the Pomeranians with puppies and those that are pregnant went to experienced foster homes.
One of the most telling statistics about the SPCA is this: Since the new board took office, the survival rate of animals has gone from 54 percent to 99 percent. Eggert said the changes have been positive for the SCPA of Niagara and for the animals.
"It's cheaper for us. It's better for the animals," he said. "And though it is still week to week, we are starting to re-energize our fundraising. The donor base we had was pretty much destroyed with the negative past."
Now the SPCA is dealing with a situation full of negatives and trying to turn it into a positive.
Town of Lockport Dog Control Officer Barry Kobrin said neighbors, who had long complained about the dogs at Magrum's house, stood inside their houses and clapped or gave him the thumbs-up as the dogs started coming out in crates Monday. The house was temporarily condemned pending a cleanup, after a buildup of feces and urine was found on the dogs and in the house and garage in areas where the dogs were living.
"It was the nastiest thing I've seen in my 35 years on the force," said Eggert, who was at the scene Feb. 2. He said two vanloads of puppies were taken out.
Kobrin said Magrum had been contacted in the past but licensed at least three of the dogs and moved all of the dogs out during their most recent inspection.
Former Dog Control Officer Joan Coe went to the home each time a complaint call came in, but she was never able to get inside the house to see what was happening.
"It was a cat-and-mouse kind of operation,"Kobrin said.
Kobrin said police needed a search warrant or subpoena to get inside, but he hopes to see that changed in the near future with a revised town ordinance or U.S. Department of Agriculture rules, which would allow a dog-control officer "with great suspicion" to enter the premises.
"It was terrible, and I feel bad for the children in the home, and I feel bad for the dogs living in filthy conditions. This was a puppy mill," Kobrin said. "She was selling these dogs for a lot of money."
Kobrin praised the SPCA of Niagara's work on the case. "They handled this very well," he said. "They worked with me very closely. Under the new management, the SPCA is a new place. I can't commend them enough."
The public also is responding to the recent changes at the SPCA. "When the word went out that we had this problem, we were immediately overwhelmed with offers of support," Bell said. "That wasn't always true in the past. I think that's very telling. I think the word is getting out that we are a can-do kind of place. Everyone involved now is aware that we are part of the solution."
Bell said officials had to cut off the waiting list of people wanting Pomeranians after receiving 110 calls in the first few days.
"We literally had 500 phone calls from people wanting to adopt these animals," Bell said. "We had to bring in extra volunteer help to deal with the people calling and dropping off donations."
He said the agency is using the increase in demand to remind people that they have lots of other dogs available for adoption.
"The bigger dogs need homes just as much as these little guys," Bell said.
"In the end, we should be a happy place, a place where we adopt our animals, not a place where we incarcerate them."
email: email@example.com


text:
Top Definition
Something Americans use to describe everything.
Oh wow it's just awesome
by Every Strangers Eyes June 20, 2006
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
Photos & Videos
A 'sticking plaster' word used by Americans to cover over the huge gaps in their vocabulary. It is one the three words which make up most American sentances.
The American vocabulary consists of just three words: Omygod, awesome and shit.
by Spleenvent September 11, 2006
The meaning of being awesome is you. YOU ARE THE DEFINITION OF AWESOME.
by yeeeethatsright June 09, 2011
formidable, amazing, heart-stirring, wonderful
Veronica Mars fans are awesome. They love the show so much they hired a plane to fly a message over Hollywood to show their support for renewal.
by amalia1 May 09, 2006
An overused adjective intended to denote something as "cool" or "great" but instead winds up meaning "lame." This is actually a reflection of the lameness of person using the word, the degree of which is directly proportionate to difference between the user's perspective of the so-called awesome object / person / situation and that of a reasonably sober, well-informed observer.
"Bono is awesome."
"This pizza is awesome" (when the pizza in question comes from a food court at the airport)
"This pizza is awesome" (when the pizza in question comes from a food court at the airport)
by ES Jones June 25, 2011
See 'Prussia' for Hetalia:Axis powers/ Hetalia world series
I was watching hetalia yesterday, and my computor froze from Prussia's pure awesomeness.
by OMGTEHEPICNESS December 19, 2011
Although it's now used as another word for cool, it literally means something that strucks awe. Something so amazing, one is in awe seeing it. But like I said, nowadays it's used just like cool.
I was struck with awe when I witnessed men landing on the moon. It was awesome.
by David Akers August 15, 2005


text: The way ahead transport survey - third report Publication | February 2012 Executive summary Responses were received from 1100 individuals in the aviation, rail and shipping sectors, providing an authoritative examination of views from around the world.When we conducted this survey in 2009, concern was running high across the industry in the light of the global financial crisis. In 2010, the picture was one of cautious optimism about a broad recovery. At that time, 17% of respondents thought that the effects of the economic crisis were lessening, with a further 14% saying that they expected an improvement during 2011. We undertook our latest survey at the end of 2011, and set out to test the sense of the experience of the previous three years, the current issue of raising finance and views as to future prospects. We find the general view across the industry is an increasingly polarised one. A mixed picture emerges with both very positive and very negative views being expressed and no widespread consensus on the current state of the transport industry as a whole.Key findingsThe key lesson for respondents in aviation (55%) and rail (58%) from events since 2008 is the importance of getting and remaining close to their customers and for shipping respondents (55%), the need to maintain cash reserves and secure funding lines.The main effect of the financial crisis on shipping respondents (28%) and rail respondents (20%) has been a lack of available funding/reduced flexibility, whereas in aviation, the crisis has prompted a large proportion of respondents (22%) to seek opportunities in new markets.The industry was divided between 20% of all respondents expecting an increase in business volumes during 2011 of more than 5%, and 26% expecting a reduction of more than 5%.In the context of claims and disputes over the last three years, all sectors report the main experience as having been an increase in contract renegotiation (aviation 52%; rail 44%; shipping 52%).The primary source of funding across all sectors has moved from government support in 2010 (45%) to shareholders and equity in 2011 (44%).Reducing operating costs is the key financial strategy that the industry is using in all sectors to prepare for further uncertainties ahead (aviation 70%; rail 73%; shipping 49%).Of the 45% of respondents who sought finance during 2011, pricing and liquidity were by far the two most pressing issues that respondents had to address in all three sectors.General economic uncertainty is cited by the majority in aviation (62%) and rail (71%) as the principal factor restricting the availability of funding and by a majority of all respondents (aviation 63%; rail 64%; shipping 71%) as the greatest threat to the stability of their business.In 2012, the primary focus is expected to be on joint ventures, strategic alliances and pools (aviation 43%; rail 45%; shipping 39%), with a low expectation of M&A activity.Demand for infrastructure investment from governments remains high, and was selected as the single most helpful form of state intervention in 2009, 2010 and again in 2011.The survey results suggest that during 2012, transport businesses in all regions are expecting to concentrate on building strategic alliances and sourcing their funding primarily from shareholders, bank debt and retained earnings. Respondents in Asia Pacific and the Middle East say that enlarging their global footprint is a priority. In Europe, North America and Africa, the emphasis will be on increasing product offerings and research and development, while raising equity will be a central activity for transport organisations based in Central and South America.Download The way ahead transport survey - third report Practice: Rail


text:
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Atlas 2004 home short in black.Features elstic waist with inner draw string and an inner liner.Mesh panels with embroidered team crest and logo.100% polyester.
Soccerplus first opened in 1994. We were one of the first soccer websites to hit the webView more
Address: 1640 E. Washington Blvd.
Pasadena, Ca 91104, USA
Phone: 1-800-945-7291
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text:
Retaligent leverages Windows 7 Multi-touch capabilities for their Clienteling Solution
- Posted: Jun 29, 2010 at 12:28PM
Right click "Save as…"
Retaligent Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of Clienteling and Assisted-Selling solutions has developed an application, leveraging the Windows 7 Touch, using Silverlight 4.0 on the MS-Dynamics CRM 4.0 platform. This new feature-rich retail Clienteling, Loyalty and Campaign Management solution employs multi-touch capabilities, enabling an intuitive and responsive user experience that shortens the in-store training process. Retaligent's new Silverlight user interface coupled with Windows 7 Touch allows for reusability, portability and scalability across multiple devices such as Point of Sale, Kiosk and Windows Mobile 7 devices.
Enjoy the show!
Sanjay Jain
ISV Architect Evangelist
Microsoft Corporation
Blog: http://Blogs.msdn.com/SanjayJain
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SanjayJain369
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Comments have been closed since this content was published more than 30 days ago, but if you'd like to continue the conversation, please create a new thread in our Forums, or Contact Us and let us know.


text:
I Am Alive
I Am Alive follows an everyman's journey to find his wife and daughter, who were lost during the "Event." A year later, he finds Haventon, his hometown, in shambles. Buildings are destroyed, toxic ash fills the streets, and society has been torn, causing inhabitants to take all necessary actions to survive.
Game News
Game List Statistics
Now Playing
3 Users
Wish List
82 Users
Hot List
6 Users


text:
on April 13, 2013 - 11:00 PM
, updated April 14, 2013 at 7:23 AM
Terry Pegula took a break from the disappointing season his Buffalo Sabres are having to bring the city a bit of good news.
Pegula – who is seldom seen or heard around Buffalo – was in town on Saturday to take part in a ceremonial groundbreaking for the organization's $172.2 million hotel and ice rink complex that will rise across from First Niagara Center.
Pegula told the 100 or more people in attendance that the Sabres organization would be aggressive in attracting hockey players, coaches and personnel to Buffalo, where his new HarborCenter will serve as a first-class venue in which to play, train and learn about the game.
"In February 2011, when Kim and I bought the Sabres, we talked to each other about what NHL ownership means to a community where your team is located," said Pegula, who was accompanied by his wife Saturday.
"We also discussed, how can our ownership affect and help the people in the region in which we live?" Pegula said. "Since our core business is hockey, we thought, 'Why couldn't we start and build a facility that would attract hockey players, coaches and professionals and create a teaching facility that would be aligned with the Sabres organization?' "
HarborCenter will include two ice rinks, a 200-room hotel and an 845-space parking garage. It also will have a 12,000-square-foot sports bar and 8,000 square feet of retail space.
Work is under way at the site, which is bounded by Washington, Perry, Main and Scott streets.
The opening of the rinks is scheduled for September 2014. The hotel is expected to debut in the spring of 2015.
"This facility will improve Buffalo's visual image. It will bring business to Buffalo," Pegula said. "It will create a venue families can recreate at, and it will create a world-class teaching and training facility."
"This is not a small task," he added. "Many will be involved, but it will succeed."
Cliff Benson, chief development officer for the Sabres, thanked local officials for moving quickly on the project and talked about how the idea was conceived one day while he and the Sabres owner stood on the balcony of Pegula's office.
"Do you want to do something to change the waterfront?" Benson asked him.
"Yes," Pegula told him.
"He didn't say 'Yes, but.' He didn't say, 'Yes, what will it cost?' – although he did ask me that later," Benson said.
"He didn't say, 'Yes, will it make money?' " Benson said. "He simply said, 'Yes,' and what happened from there has been a great experience for the Sabres organization."
The groundbreaking ceremony was held prior to Saturday's Sabres game, under the cover of a large tent on the 1.7-acre construction site.
The Pegulas, Sabres President Ted Black, Mayor Byron W. Brown and Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz used shovels fashioned from hockey sticks to dig into a pile of dirt.
Afterward, members of the media surrounded Pegula, anxious to ask questions about a losing Sabres season that saw the firing of the head coach, the trading of the team's captain and ongoing questions about the direction of the franchise.
But the Sabres kept the focus on the groundbreaking for HarborCenter, which also brought out former Sabres, including Pat Lafontaine, Danny Gare and Michael Peca, as well as Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo.
"We knew this could be a great project for this community," said the mayor, who selected the Sabres proposal for the Webster Block in August following a competitive bidding process.
"But the magnitude of this project even has exceeded my wildest expectations of what we were going to be able to bring to the community," Brown said. "This is tremendous progress, not just for downtown Buffalo and the waterfront, but for all of Buffalo and all of Western New York."
As a youth hockey coach, Poloncarz said he is looking forward to playing tournaments in downtown Buffalo rather than in Cleveland or Toronto.
"This is emblematic of exactly what's going on in this community," Poloncarz said. "We are seeing hundreds of millions of dollars of redevelopment going on from the private sector, because people are putting their faith in the City of Buffalo and Western New York and it starts right here in front of First Niagara."
But like his team's season, Pegula's event wasn't entirely without drama.
Firefighters picketing outside the arena with a bullhorn could be overheard during the ceremony, while Pegula's remarks about two people onstage with him – Brown and Ted Black – led to an uncomfortable moment.
"I'm a little confused, I'm sitting on the stage between Mayor Brown and Ted Black, yet I look over there, and I'm wondering, is something backwards here?" he said.
There was a silence and then bewildered laughter before Pegula started again.
"Ted said they're going to start a law firm, Brown and Black," he continued.
Afterward, Sabres spokesman Michael Gilbert said it was an inside joke among the three men and the remark had no racial overtones.
email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
NASHVILLE, TN, February 16, 2012 – Cheekwood has selected seven designs to be constructed for its 2012 summer outdoor exhibition, Treehouses. Opening May 26 and running through September 3, the exhibition will feature large-scale outdoor treehouse structures inspired by great works of literature.
This year's crop of submissions was reviewed by a panel of 6 judges, including Bob Oglesby, Gary Gaston, Clay Bright, Carol Nelson, Jennifer Smith, and Jane Offenbach. The judges reviewed 27 designs from Nashville architectural firms, choosing the seven winners based on creativity, imagination, interactivity, visual appeal/aesthetics, family appeal, in addition to many other criteria.
"Cheekwood is once again pleased to offer the Nashville community an entertaining and educational outdoor exhibition that the entire family can enjoy this summer," said Hillary Steinwinder, Director of Education and Public Programs.
This year's installation will be part of a season-long literary focus, in celebration of Cheekwood's new Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden, opening May 19. The exhibition will also celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the first summer exhibition at Cheekwood, Terrific Treehouses.
In conjunction with the Treehouses exhibition, Cheekwood's spring and summer programming will include a photography exhibit organized by the Cultural Landscape Foundation titled Every Tree Tells a Story (May 26 – September 3), which will focus on trees associated with historically important people and events that have shaped communities and cultures. The Temporary Contemporary gallery will also host Anthology, (March 24 – September 3) a collection of modern paintings by Hans Schmitt-Matzen, inspired by the spatial experience of being in a library.
The winning Treehouses designers and their stories are:
The Rainbow Fish
Firm: Tuck-Hinton Architects
Designers: Dale Brackeen, Josh Hughes, Curtis Lesh, Rich McCoy, Adam Nicholson, Blake Rutland, Scott Wenz, Janie Wright and Oren Yarbrough; Salem Forsythe, Contractor
"The Rainbow Fish shared his scales left and right, and the more he gave away, the more delighted he became. When the water around him filled with glimmering scales, he at last felt at home among the other fish." – Marcus Pfister, The Rainbow Fish, 1992
Inspired by a simple, beloved children's story about sharing, this treehouse will create a friendly space for children and adults to play. Guests will enter the mouth of the Rainbow Fish via an ADA-compliant ramp; once inside, they will peer down to the water's edge to see their own reflections. Inside the fish, children will find shiny, detachable scales to "share" with other, smaller fish placed within the surrounding landscape. Just as the Rainbow Fish in the story shares his scales with others, children will role-play the story's message of sharing and friendship around the grounds at Cheekwood.
The Jolly Roger
Firm: ESa
Designers: Lee Davis, David Joffe, Jessi Menish and Jeremy Thompson
Inspired by J.M. Barrie's Peter and Wendy, 1911.
Cheekwood visitors of all ages will be invited on a high seas adventure through Neverland on board the infamous ship of Captain Hook. Reflecting the novel's themes of youth and young at heart, this treehouse will invite hours of imaginative play. Turning the ship's wheel will change the direction of the compass, and a look through the cannon sights will reveal painted images depicting scenes from the book. As children assume the roles of Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook and Tinkerbell, the century-old story of Peter Pan and Wendy will come to life every day at Cheekwood.
Ocean of Notions
Firms: Hawkins Partners, Manuel Zeitlin Architecture, Nashville Civic Design Center
Designers: Brian Phelps (HP); Leslie Beeman, Mark Bixler, Michael Goorevich and Manuel Zeitlin (MZA); and Betsy Mason (NCDC)
"He looked into the water and saw that it was made up of a thousand thousand thousand and one different currents, each one a different colour, weaving in and out of one another like a liquid tapestry of breathtaking complexity; and Iff explained that these were the Streams of Story, that each coloured strand represented and contained a single tale." --Salman Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, 1991
The inspiration for this treehouse is the magical "Sea of Stories" encountered by Haroun and his storytelling father, Rashid, in Salman Rushdie's only published children's book. As visitors explore this structure, they will find a giant, twisted ball of vibrantly colored ropes, representing stories flowing together in different streams. Children will climb in and play the role of Mali, the Floating Gardener, untangling the stories and watching them unfold.
Up and Down Again, A Hobbit's Tale
Firm: PLAD Studio, PLLC
Designers: Takuma Johnson and Max Plummer
Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, 1937
A true feast for the senses, this treehouse structure will feature an underground retreat, slide, living wall, wooden fort, tunnel, ramp, climbing space and a garden landscape, all designed for hands-on exploration. The inviting sculptural form will emerge seamlessly from the ground, wrap between two trees and reach toward an adjacent pond, creating two worlds: one above and one below. Cheekwood's guests will delight in climbing, sliding, and discovering a secret passage as they experience both the underground world of the Hobbit's hole and the beautiful view from the top of the treehouse.
Walden Treehouse
Firm: Pfeffer Torode Architecture
Designer: Jamie Pfeffer
"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them." – Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854
Inspired by this quote from Thoreau's famously introspective work, this back-to-nature treehouse will take its visitors high up into the tree canopy to a fairytale retreat, designed in a romantic architectural style. When visitors climb up to the floating house, they will find the perfect setting for daydreaming and coming back to earth inspired.
Conch House
Firm: Anne Daigh Landscape Architect, LLC and Pfeffer Torode Architecture
Designers: Anne Daigh and Jamie Pfeffer
"His ordinary voice sounded like a whisper after the harsh note of the conch. He laid the conch against his lips, took a deep breath and blew once more. The note boomed again: and then at his firmer pressure, the note, fluking up an octave, became a strident blare more penetrating than before." -- William Golding, Lord of the Flies, 1954
Cheekwood's curious visitors will be drawn to this giant, stark white canvas shell, representing the symbol of democracy, leadership and purity among the self-governing group of deserted boys in the famous William Golding novel. This structure will encourage children to assemble before entering to create rules for their own "tribe". Once inside, the first child to reach the top platform will blow the horn and become "chief." The structure itself will lure visitors from across the grounds, with its large, solid surface creating a striking contrast against the soft garden landscape.
The Giver
Firm: Chasm Architecture LLC; Bell Construction, Building partner
Designer: Travis Parker
Inspired by Lois Lowry's The Giver, 1993
The layout of this treehouse will be based on the experiences of Jonas, Lowry's main character, who navigates a world of Sameness and wrestles with the knowledge of a fuller and more vibrant life. The entrance of the structure will be plain and unadorned, painted in grays and whites to represent the Sameness. As the visitor journeys further through the house, the space will fill with color and life, ending with a joyful slide through a colorful wall.


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Mannheim Steamroller Halloween Ii Cd
"Deranged" by Chip Davis, the original master of New Age holiday classics, this distinctive band has taken on a haunting air... such dramatic classics as Hall of the Mountain King, Flying Dutchman, Sorcerer's Apprentice, Enchanted Forest, Full Moon, and Night on Bald Mountain will summon your spirits. 16 exhilarating tracks. Includes 2 CD's: A music disc, and a Halloween sound effects disc!
Also available: Halloween II (all new songs) and Halloween Monster Mix (featuring a mix of songs from the original and all new music and effects).


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Top Definition
A cup used to spit chewing tobacco in.
I found a spit cup in the garage
de Seth Kaatz/ Candie Wood (haha) 21 Noiembrie 2007
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
A cup that was once a drinking cup, But then someone spit into it making it a spit cup.
Mandy spit in Scott's drinking cup making it in a spit cup.
de Kevin Klever 05 Mai 2007


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By GreatSchools Staff
A Hole Is to Dig by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Maurice Sendak (HarperTrophy, 1989). $6.95.
Amazon / IndieBound / Powell's.
Imagine "Kids say the darndest things" bound into a picture book. And imagine that the illustrations were done in the most charming fashion by Maurice Sendak. And voila! You have the wonderful, whimsical and purse-sized A Hole Is to Dig. Your child will giggle with delight when you read these wacky definitions together. 48 pages.
— Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at Powells.com
The Maggie B., by Irene Haas
Margaret K. McElderry Books (1975), $18.95
Amazon / IndieBound / Powell's
One of the sweetest, homiest, and most quietly comforting picture books ever published. Those who know The Maggie B. count it as one of their all-time favorites. If you are just about to discover it, get ready to buy multiple copies to give to every child of picture-book age. 32 pages.
— Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at Powells.com
Danielle Marshall is a former longtime bookseller, most notably for Powell's Books in Portland, Ore.
Marshmallow by Clare Newberry (HarperCollins Children's Books, 2008). $6.99.
Amazon / IndieBound / Powell's.
A cuddly but longer read-aloud that is perfect for bedtime. Parents need to know that this award-winner from 1943 deserves its classic status. There's a reason that this book has lasted so long in print. From the stellar illustrations to the somewhat long-winded but sweet story, it's a picture book that resonates with kids. Miss Tilly brings fluffy bunny Marshmallow home to live with her tabby cat Oliver. The book charts the small family's adjustment to one another with lots of homey details and enough subtle insight to weather repeated readings. 32 pages.
— Common Sense Media
No Roses for Harry! by Gene Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham, (HarperTrophy, 1976). $6.99.
Amazon / IndieBound / Powell's.
Harry, the loveable little dog featured in this sequel to Harry the Dirty Dog, once again mimics a child's behavior when he receives a sweater from grandma that he doesn't like. From "losing" it in a store, to hiding it in the house, Harry does everything he can to keep from wearing the rose-covered sweater. I recommend this to anyone who has a soft spot for a dirty dog or who has ever received a present that ended up in the back of the closet. 32 pages.
— Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at Powells.com
The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark by Ken Geist, illustrated by Julia Gorton (Cartwheel Books, 2007). $7.99.
Amazon / IndieBound / Powell's.
In this take on "The Three Little Pigs," Jim builds a house of seaweed, Tim makes a sand house, and Kim constructs a wooden ship house that saves them all. Easy, patterned language makes this book very accessible to early readers. 32 pages.
— Children's Choices
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (Harper Collins, 25th Anniversary edition, reprinted 1988). $8.95.
Amazon / IndieBound / Powell's.
Originally published in 1963, this is the story of Max, who puts on a wolf suit, causes mischief, gets sassy with his mother and is sent to bed without any dinner. The story is one of escaping into a child's imagination when he's on the outs with Mom. Max's room becomes a forest, he finds he has his own boat and then sails off "in and out of weeks...to the place where the wild things are." There, he is not impressed with the posturing of the wild things, and without much ado, he becomes their king. The color illustrations are some of Sendak's best (he won the 1964 Caldecott Medal for them), and the wild things are very huggable-looking. This is a bedtime classic that transcends time. 48 pages.
— Pauline Harris


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|Larger Image
First printing. The fifth Neil Hamel mystery, set in Albuquerque, New Mexico. SIGNED on the title page. 259 pp. Fine in fine dust jacket. .ISBN # 0-06-0177055
Bookfever.com - Selling books on the internet, by mail order, at book fairs, and at Antiques Upstairs in historic downtown Jackson, California, since 1992. Over 50,000 books and magazines in stock (over 4,000 signed or inscribed by the author) - many more than are listed on our website, so please do not hesitate to contact us if you cannot find what you are looking for.FIND US ON FACEBOOK
updated 9/20/2015 8:58:15 PM
|TOLL FREE (877)-BOOKFEVer or (209)-274-6960


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Preparing Graduates for Success
The Binghamton University School of Management takes pride in preparing graduates for successful careers.
Our graduates have the personal and professional skills employers expect to find in their future leaders.
In talking with corporate recruiters, several common themes emerge about Binghamton graduates. Most importantly is their enthusiasm about teamwork in their organizations. They tell us our graduates are top performers and exhibit the leadership and corporate savvy to get down to business. Our graduates are known for having a strong work ethic, and they realize success comes through hard work, teamwork and raw determination.
From the start, we encourage our students to think creatively when solving problems, to take a step further and suggest novel ideas, pitching solutions to keep companies on the cutting-edge ahead of the competition. Binghamton graduates can be counted on to tackle all types of challenging projects.
At the Binghamton University School of Management, we have devoted ourselves to developing new and exciting programs, and we have redesigned various aspects of the curriculum to make an immediate impact on the skills and abilities of our graduates. They have always been praised for their analytical business skills and, by placing a greater emphasis on intangibles such as team-building, creative problem solving, and leadership characteristics, we believe Binghamton graduates will continue to be one of the best investments you can make in your organization.
We thank those employers currently recruiting Binghamton graduates. We appreciate the positive feedback you have provided regarding the program and our graduates. For new companies interested in learning more about the School of Management, our programs, and students, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We look forward to working with you to ensure your recruiting efforts are productive.
Carolyn Schapiro
Director of SOM Career Services
Telephone: (607) 777-6176


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The Emergency Purchase Justification form is required to process a Requisition to Purchase in an expedited manner due to unforeseen circumstances that are affecting the University. An example of an emergency purchase includes repairs or purchases needed after a hurricane.
The form provides space to explain how the emergency purchase will avoid undue additional cost to the state, financial loss or operational damage to the University. The form also requires an explanation of why the need was not anticipated and how a vendor was selected.
The following must be attached to the Requisition to Purchase in PeopleSoft to process an emergency purchase:
For more information, see the Resources section or call the Purchasing Office at 956-882-8219.
Emergency Purchase Justification Form
HOP 10.3.4 – Detailed Purchasing Procedure
Purchasing Office
The University of Texas at Brownsville website uses Javascript.
To access this page as it is meant to function please use a Javascript
enabled browser.


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- People
- Mission
- About
- Library
- Jobs
- Blog
NNSA has approved a special tooling system designed to improve the processing time of the B83. The tools were created by NNSA's Pantex Plant and announced last fall. See press release here.
The tooling system for the B83 program is now part of NNSA's Seamless Safety for the 21st Century (SS-21) process. The SS-21 process fully integrates the weapon system with the facility, tooling, operating procedures and personnel involved in the dismantlement program to form a safe, efficient and effective operating environment. The SS-21 process has been incorporated into all current Pantex weapon programs.
Approval for the special tooling system took a few months longer than originally expected because of the rigorous approval process. Final tools were delivered and the Hazard Analysis Report was published and approved by Pantex Site Office. In addition, the Nuclear Explosive Safety Study was conducted with no pre-start findings.
The goal of the project was to streamline the B83 disassembly and inspection and dismantlement processes. The new tooling process is designed to have multi–purpose functions, which includes the ability to support future B83 assembly operations.
The tooling system supports a safe, secure and effective strategic deterrent and is being used to support stockpile surveillance and dismantlement work. The new tooling system will be used to support the upcoming concurrent retrofit of the Gas Transfer System and Neutron Generators (ALT 353/753 respectively), scheduled for first production to occur in July 2014.
The B83 program team includes members from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Pantex Plant and Sandia National Laboratories.
About the photo:
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu last year got an overview of the B83 tooling system from Steve Erhart, NNSA Production Office Manager.


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A Community For People Who Buy, Sell or Collect Antiques, Collectibles and Art
If you have an invitation, click the link in the email to join. Or, why not create your own group?
The Vintage Linen group has been restructed into separate categories.
Please join these NEW groups
FINE LINENS AND LACE http://iantiqueonline.ning.com/group/fine-linens-and-lace
KITCHEN TOWELS http://iantiqueonline.ning.com/group/kitchen-towels
HANKIES http://iantiqueonline.ning.com/group/handkerchiefs-vintage
You may want to also join
APRONS http://iantiqueonline.ning.com/group/vintage-apron-collectors
TABLECLOTHS http://iantiqueonline.ning.com/group/vintagetablecloths
Please note QUILTS has moved to http://iantiqueonline.ning.com/group/quilts-antiqueandvintage
Members: 165
Latest Activity: Mar 23, 2013
© 2016 Created by C. Dianne Zweig Powered by


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Birders across Ohio have been thrilled by an invasion of southern herons that are rarely seen this far north. The source of their excitement? The little blue heron, a denizen of southern swamps.
In a normal year, only a few of these waders make it north to Buckeye country. This year, several dozen birds have been sighted, in nearly all corners of the state. Little blue herons occasionally engage in large-scale late summer and fall northward movements. Such flights are termed post-breeding dispersals.
The reasons for these migrations are not clear, but a likely factor is a diminishment of good habitat in core areas of the breeding range.
Droughts can dry marshes and other wetland habitats, forcing herons to disperse far and wide in an effort to find food. If summer droughts combine with good nesting success in the heronries, the young birds are forced to go nomad en masse.
The little blue heron's main breeding range in the U.S. is in the southeastern Atlantic and Gulf coastal states. These lanky-legged waders occupy a much larger region than that, though. Little blues are primarily tropical, nesting from Mexico and the Caribbean south to Brazil and Peru.
Birds that make it to Ohio - about as far north as the species routinely occurs - are 5,000 miles north of the southernmost populations of little blue herons in coastal Brazil.
Massive irruptions of little blue herons into the upper Midwest are rare, especially in recent decades. The 1920s-30s saw large influxes of herons into Ohio, and 1930 was the biggest invasion year ever.
That year, observers tallied nearly 1,200 little blue herons.
The 2012 little blue heron flight has totaled about 50-60 birds - excellent numbers for modern times, but a shadow of the invasions of 80 years ago.
Most of the little blue herons appearing in Ohio are not really blue - they are juvenile birds, which are white. It would be easy to dismiss one as an egret, and indeed little blues are related closely to the snowy egret.
It takes a little blue heron two years to acquire full adult plumage, at which point they are clad in feathers of rich slatey-blue offset by deep maroon head and neck feathering.
Nearly any marshy wetland where herons congregate might be playing host to little blue herons now.
They'll probably be in association with two of our most common heron species, the great blue heron and great egret. The latter is all white, as are juvenile little blue herons, but that's the extent of the resemblance.
Little blues are far smaller and have dull grayish bills, while the comparatively giant egrets have large dagger-like yellow bills.
A more likely source of confusion is another southern heron, the snowy egret. There have been above-normal numbers of these southerners in Ohio, too, and little blues and snowy egrets often forage together.
Snowy egrets are about the same size as little blue herons, but are easily recognized by the yellow skin between the bill and eye, and black legs with golden-yellow "slippers" (feet).
Little blue herons are fun to watch as they hunt the shallows. A foraging bird moves slowly and methodically, keeping a sharp watch on the nearby waters. Occasionally, it'll stir a foot in the muck to spook aquatic animals to the surface.
Anything small enough to swallow that enters the heron's sphere is fair game: fish, tadpoles, frogs, crayfish, dragonflies, etc.
Our little blue heron invasion began in early July and should continue into September. Keep your eyes peeled for these southern visitors.
Jim McCormac is a wildlife specialist with Ohio Division of Wildlife.


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"I'm engaged !!!!!" model and designer Hanna Beth, 25, wrote on Twitter Saturday. On Sunday she added: "My life feels like a dream right now. Everything is way too perfect. So happy."
It seems Zylka, who plays Flash Thompson in the superhero film, gave his bride-to-be more than a ring. Beth also posted an Instagram of a puppy on Saturday, writing, "OMG!!! I have the best boyfriend in the entire universe. Say hello to our little baby. Best surprise ever picking her up next week."
Zylka, 28, is known for his small screen roles on Twisted and The Secret Circle. He's set to star the upcoming show The Leftovers with Justin Theroux.
Beth was linked to Sum 41 singer Deryck Whibley in 2009, and Zylka previously dated Pretty Little Liars actress Lucy Hale.
I'm engaged !!!!!— Hanna Beth (@TheHannaBeth) April 27, 2014
My life feels like a dream right now. Everything is way too perfect. So happy.— Hanna Beth (@TheHannaBeth) April 27, 2014
Though his social media sites have been silent on the engagement, Zylka did post an Instagram showing the lovey-dovey couple last week.
"Me and my angel," he captioned the sweet picture.


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It's usually easy to predict winners in West Virginia elections because of a solid Democrat majority among voters. But many Democrats have quit voting a straight ticket recently. Despite a solid 2-1 Democratic edge, Republican nominee John McCain received 397,466 votes to only 303,857 for President Barack Obama four years ago.
President Obama also got only 106,770 votes from this state's 640,608 registered Democrats in this year's May primary while Keith Judd, an inmate of a Texas prison, got 73,138 votes, which were clearly ABOs (Anybody But Obama). So it's likely GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney will carry this state just like McCain did.
Democrats expect to win all the other statewide races. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, a middle-of-the-road Democrat courting both business and labor, should defeat Republican nominee Bill Maloney for a full, four-year term just like he did in the 2011 special election to fill the unexpired term of former Gov. Joe Manchin.
Manchin resigned after winning the vacant U.S. Senate seat caused by the death of Sen. Robert C. Byrd. He should win a full, six-year term in this election over GOP nominee John Raese of Morgantown. The state's three incumbents in the House of Representatives should also win new terms.
Rep. Nick Joe Rahall, D-W.Va., a 36-year Washington veteran, is heavily favored over GOP nominee Rick Snuffer of Beckley. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., also is heavily favored over Democrat challenger Howard Swint of Charleston in the 2nd District. Rep. David McKinley, R-WV, should beat Democrat Sue Thorn of Wheeling in the 1st Congressional District, but this should be the closest of the three.
Darrell V. McGraw, a Democrat and this state's attorney general for the past 20 years, should win his sixth term in that office over Republican challenger Patrick Morrisey despite the efforts of a conservative, anti-regulation group, the Center for Individual Freedom based in Washington, D.C. Started as a tobacco lobby, it has spent $1.6 million trying to defeat McGraw.
McGraw has national support as well. The Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) is backing the Committee for American Fairness that has spent $231,000 on anti-Morrisey advertising and an affiliated group - Mountaineer Committee for Justice & Fairness - reported spending $346,000 in anti-Morrisey advertisements.
A photo of Republican candidate Kent Leonhardt with retiring Commissioner of Agriculture Gus Douglass, a Democrat, has caused some people to hint Douglass is backing Leonhardt. Douglass did endorse one of his assistants, Steve Miller, in last spring's Democratic primary but longtime state senator Walt Helmick, D-Pocahontas, is his party's nominee. So Douglass has not made a general election endorsement.
Incumbent Justice Robin Davis and the other Democrat nominee, Tish Chafin, should win the two 12-year terms on the State Supreme Court of Appeals. Secretary of State Natalie Tennant and State Auditor Glen B. Gainer III, both Democrats, are virtual shoo-ins for new four-year terms. The final Democrat incumbent in the state executive department, State Treasurer John Perdue, also is a heavy favorite to capture his fifth straight four-year term over Republican challenger Mike Hall of Hurricane, currently the minority leader in the State Senate.
West Virginia's reputation as a strong labor union state is supported by a recent national study of American teacher unions that concluded the Mountain State has the 13th strongest union presence in the nation. And the same study concludes that this state's policies are better aligned with traditional union interests than any other state, in the opinion of The Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now study.
Released last week, the report is a comprehensive analysis of American teacher unions based on such factors as involvement in politics, scope of bargaining and perceived influence. West Virginia "does not support performance pay and does not require student achievement data to factor into either teacher evaluations or tenure," the report concluded. "Seniority is the sole factor in layoff decisions, while teacher performance is not considered at all."
It's to be expected that leaders of the state organizations disagree with these findings. Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association, questions the accuracy of this conclusion as does Judy Hale, president of the American Federation of Teachers chapter here.
"That's not accurate at all," Lee told a Charleston newspaper reporter. "A lot of things like certification and evaluation come into play. Seniority is a very small part of that." The report also ranks this state's teacher unions as the fourth-most-involved in politics and concluded these unions have the six-highest perceived influence in the country.
A recent incident involving a correctional officer at the Southern Regional Jail, who was arrested for sexually abusing female inmates, exposed the present practice that allows these individuals to collect severance pay while they are in jail. The same day a 39-year-old employee at the jail was arrested on charges of trading cigarettes for sex with three women, William Roy Wilson, of Beckley, was issued a $3,143.53 termination check.
Former legislator Joe DeLong, now the director of the state jails system, said he hopes to work with members of the Legislature in 2013 to make some changes in the law to change how the agency deals with suspended and terminated employees. DeLong said Wilson was terminated, arrested and jailed and "was sitting in one of our cells" but was able to receive a paycheck because "state statute requires him to be paid for 15 days after his termination."


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Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview
|*Odalis Perez
|Ryan Dempster
|#Emilio Bonificio
|Alfonso Soriano
|*Willie Harris
|Ryan Theriot
|Ryan Zimmerman
|Derrek Lee
|Lastings Milledge
|Aramis Ramirez
|Ronnie Belliard
|Reed Johnson
|Jesus Flores
|Mark DeRosa
|Austin Kearns
|Geovany Soto
|#Anderson Hernandez
|*Kosuke Fukudome
|*Odalis Perez
|Ryan Dempster
Let us never speak of yesterday's game ever again. And damn, this game is early. And what's with all that pounding going outside my window? And why is everyone screaming? Anyone have any aspirin?
(buries head under his pillow)
A rough but fun night for yours truly and the Angelfan wife
drowning out yesterday's losses celebrating her birthday. It's gonna be another rough night if we lose again today.
Re: Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
Well, if we get into any trouble today, we can just put Gallagher...wait, what? Any pesky red-head sightings?
Re: Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
EIGHT stranded on bases,3 innings.Ramirez wants to win,3run hr.4th inning!Wheres Edmonds? We need more!
Re: Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
Where's Edmonds?
Where he always is when the Cubs face a lefty: On the bench.
DeRosa for #3 Slot
I suggested it the other day. Something's gotta give.
Lee is just not right. His swings have been increasingly awkward. Now he's
hurt himself after double-twisting himself up with a particularly bad one.
Unfortunately, Daryl Wide is Lee's replacement at first base, not Micah Hoffpauir.
Cubs underperformers since the All-Star break
Lee .242 .310 .359 .669
Fukudome .217 .298 .311 .609
Wide .136 .231 .409 .640
Re: DeRosa for #3 Slot
Well, I don't know who the fuck 'Wide' is but slugging .409 isn't that awful.
Anyway, I endorse DeRosa in the 3 spot - DeRosa for MVP!
Re: DeRosa for #3 Slot
Pretty impressive when you consider the fact the Cubs are 22-12 since the break despite 2 of their keyus going into the year in extended slumps.
Goes to show what great pitching and a deep lineup can do for you.
Re: Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
Dude! Your wife's birthday was yesterday? It was my birthday yesterday!
My wife and I also went out and are sick and hungover today.
Re: Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
Sick and hung over after a forgettable Cubs loss? par for the century, i think.
Re: Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
soriano has 9 of his 28 walks this month...with a week left.
Re: Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
Ryan Dempster shows again the accuracy of that New York Times piece that kept calling him the ace of the staff. Way to go, Ryan.
Re: Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
Lou's postgame comments suggested Fuku's due for a benching tomorrow - probably a little past due for that action. Lou also mentioned that he's not hitting either curves or fastballs and that "in this league, you have to at least be able to do one of those." Amen.
Re: Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
play him vs. the lefty, sit him vs. the righty.
his swing is similar from both sides, but his power isn't.
dirk hayhurst, 27 year old 8th round pick from 2003...writer of baseball america's "non-prospect blog" thing last year...he's getting his callup to SD after a nice AAA season.
Re: randomness...
4ip 5h 2bb 2k 3er ...and the loss
welcome to the bigs. side note...zito gets win #8.
Re: randomness...
FYI he didn't get the loss. tied 3-3 well after he left.
Re: randomness...
oops and thx.
Re: Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
Random stat:
Since the All-star break
Cubs 22-12
Brewers 22-12
Cardinals 19-15
All 3 teams beating the teams they should be beating on a regular basis.
Re: Since the all-star break
Cubs 6-1 vs. the Brewers and the Cardinals
yup, definitely beating the teams they should be beating.
FLEITA seriously out of touch
Carrie Muskat quotes Oneri Fleita regarding Felix Pie's progress in her column today:
Fleita said he also was encouraged by outfielder Felix Pie, who was batting .284 at Iowa with nine homers and 47 RBIs.
"It looks like he's more patient," Fleita said. "The numbers are more consistent."
I dunno, this doesn't look consistent to me. May was truly abysmal. June was mediocre. And after a red-hot July, he's really fallen off. And patient? There's no indication of that at all.
May .169 .239 .338 .577
June .282 .316 .451 .767
July .373 .413 .588 1.001
August .255 .286 .340 .626
Felix's LH vs RH splits are still extreme.
But before you start thinking he could fit into
the CF platoon against right handed pitching
look at his AAA batting splits, starters vs. relievers.
Pie vs starting pitching .213 .269 .348 .617
Pie vs relief pitching .402 .429 .636 1.065
He's feasting on the mop up men. Again not really
what anyone would call consistent hitting, and more
what you might expect from someone plateauing below
expectations. AAAA.
Re: FLEITA seriously out of touch
His problems go far far far beyond patience. Against big-league pitchers he can't afford to be patient because he has to start his swing before he can recognize the pitch. A more compact swing would net him less power but give him better pitch reaction. Any word on if he's shortened up his absurd swing?
He'll be a minor leaguer until he figures out he's not a home run hitter and not being a home run hitter isn't really all that terrible. Everyone knows he has speed, he should use it in his offensive game.
Re: FLEITA seriously out of touch
Despite all the protests and assurances against, that sounds a lot like one Donald Corey Patterson.
Re: FLEITA seriously out of touch
woops, double post.
Listening to mlb audio/video feeds
I mentioned in chat that you can get the mlb.com audio and video feeds to play in any player you like. This is the latest thread, so I'll post it here.
I use this at work where I have a laptop with Linux installed, a Firefox browser, and I use the VLC audio player that comes with the installation. I don't use the video feed with this player, because I'm at work, and because VLC doesn't seem to be able to handle the video quality. I'll demonstrate using these items, but you should be able to use other tools that can do the same things. You might be using a Mac with a different player, for example.
The key thing to remember is that the mlb audio/video uses a URL to get your stream, and it contains the location of the stream plus your encrypted authentication info. As long as you can get this URL, you can then swipe it in your chosen audio/video player. The URL is only good for a short time, about a minute I think, so you have to be fast once you get the URL for the stream.
Here's how to do it:
Open a Firefox browser, and install the Firebug plugin. You can get it here. Firebug prints out all of your browser activity, including what URLs you go to. Install the plugin and restart Firefox.
Enable Firebug by choosing Tools -> Firebug and making sure the "Disable Firebug" item is unchecked.
Navigate to the mlb site and select the audio/video item you want to listen to (e.g., "WGN" under the radio selections).
A new window opens with a login form for you to log into your account to listen to the stream.
Right click the frame that contains the login form and select "Inspect Element". You'll get the Firebug window in the lower half of the browser window. Select the "Console" tab.
Log into your account.
In the console, you'll get a line like: mURL:http://web.servicebureau.net/conf/meta?averylongst...
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Re: Magic Numbers are...
I thought we all agreed no mentioning of magic numbers until it's down to... zero?
Re: Magic Numbers are...
discussing the magic number is not a jinx. It's merely a count of the games the cubs need to win to go to the playoffs. by no means does is imply that they have won anything. in fact it's quite the opposite.
Re: Magic Numbers are...
but it's MAGIC, chad. MAGIC! There's gotta be something to that.
Re: Magic Numbers are...
What's the Cubs' gay witchcraft number?
Re: Magic Numbers are...
Re: Game 129 Thread / Nationals @ Cubs (2 of 3)
Pie needs to work on his strikeout to BB ratio, which has never been good his entire career. Without dramatic improvements in those area's he will be a career minor leaguer or "gasp" a career track like Corey Patterson.
And the main reason he has those poor ratio's is he still can't hit breaking pitches.
Recent comments
fwiw, all the games are free on mlb.tv
Short rest for MadBum would be 2 days. WC game is Wed., Games 1 & 2 are Friday/Saturday.
A left-handed one...
lester going for #20...cubs haven't had a 20 game winner since d.ellsworth in 1963.
J-Hey not finishing with an offensive onslaught.
If Geoff Blum could be a Playoff hero, there is hope still...
Giants scare me. I think you're wrong about Bumgarner, he would pitch on short rest for Game 2 and then full rest for Game 5. Cueto would go Game 1, then short rest in game 4. Add in some really tough outs in that lineup and I want nothing to do with them. With that rotation they can easily steal a series.
Cards are a tough matchup. The rivalry evens out their comparable lack of talent. And like someone said, they love HRs, which is how to beat the Cubs. The upside is that I would feel really good about Lester twice against STL.
j.buchanan with a nice start...5ip 2h 1bb 3k, 0r/er
zobrist with 2HR and a double through 8
heyward 0-4 :(
Mark Gonzales @MDGonzales
Soler likely to return Sunday, Maddon says
Right now, I'd like to see the Mets first, Giants 2nd.
I believe that since most of the team from last years' NLCS is on the squad this year, they will really amp their game up even more to kick their ass in payback for 2015.
The Giants just do not have the depth in years past, and I think all things equal - and at Wrigley - they could handle them.
I do not want to see the Cards, period. Or their fans, media, or Joe Buck.
I don't want to play Braves in the first round. Any friggin team in the league can win 3 of 5..I hate the first round. Furthermore, I wanted to play the Marlins in 2003 and the Mets over Dodgers last year.
With that said in reverse order:
3. Cardinals: It will be devastating to lose in the first round, but even worse to their main rival. It is increased incentive for the Cardinals, especially after last year. Cards would have nothing to lose, Cubs have everything to lose.
2. Giants: Rotation in the playoffs scare me a bit, but what a lousy team.
1. Mets--because of the losses in the rotation
2. Giants--because they're not the team they were BUT they maybe have bullshit even-year magic?
3. Cardinals--because rivalry and not making the playoffs hurts them more than losing in the NLDS plus getting eliminated by them in the playoffs would make for horrible sports commentary next throughout next season.
Who's asking?
CLE/DET rained out last night already, possible rain-outs in New York (vs. Baltimore), Boston(vs. Toronto) and Philly(vs. Mets) this weekend too.
Not only games involving playoff spots that would need to be played, but any that involve home field advantage.
I got the first one! Second one I'm not even sure what even/odd betting is.
any opponent preference for NLDS?
Mets are down to 1 great pitcher instead of 4. Syndegaard may pitch Sunday which means if Mets win the WC game, he'd be set up for Game 1. There's a chance they clinch a spot by Sunday so he'd pitch the WC and then we'd probably get Colon for Game 1. They've certainly had the hottest bats over the last week and month out of the WC options.
A couple of Cub related puzzles.


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City still owed at least $45,500 for ice venture
February 6, 2013
While the final figures have yet to be determined, it looks like the city is owed at least $45,500 by the defunct Williamsport Outlaws and the Syracuse Junior Hockey Club for their use of Bowman......
I can only imagine that money spent on suing the Outlaws owner is good money spent for nothing..We'll win judgment, but there's nothing ($$$) there to get, correct?..
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Of course it's a hockey team and not a boat. But that's the purpose of an a-na-lo-gy. Simple concept, really.
But I find it comical that a person who cannot correctly spell "hole" would call something else retarded. "Whole" refers to entirety. "Hole" is an empty space in a solid unit. If you have trouble with this, repeat to yourself "I like to shove my WHOLE head in my a HOLE." Say it repeatedly. For entertainment purposes, say it out loud and preferably with others present.
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If the hockey team's property is held due to legal action, and, if there is still legal action regarding the rink itself, is there the possibility that this ongoing legal action may prohibit the removal of the team's property and the rink by anyone until the legal actions are satisfied? If that is so, then the city may not be able to prep the field for baseball until that legal action is completed.
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Hey pinecr, now that's no way to talk about "BOOMTOWN".
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wwhickok the $36000 is the utility bill that is currently owed. The $32000 was already spent by the city prepping the field and facility for hockey
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I would like to know why we are not able to comment on all articles posted in the newspaper, like the one for the opening of the new hotel this week. In the article they said it was for people coming for Little League, etc., however, we all know it is for the gasholes moving into the area. You would not have put kitchens in the rooms if you didn't want the gasholes to rent the rooms. How about all those local jobs the gas industry is creating - yeh right!
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Last week it was $36,000 wasn't it?
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Smid the city spent over $32000 to ready bowman field and upgrade services to cater to hockey. I'm pretty sure taxpayer money was used for this. As far as the attendance aspect I believe it was reported that 2000 people were needed to sustain a hockey team. I've never heard of the Cutters needing a certain attendance to sustain baseball.
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So - is it possible to impeach the mayor? How much more of this idiocy must we endure? On top of the tenant/landlord thingy Gabo the Clown is trying to push through, we've got to deal with a lawsuit that will only up how much Wmspt will throw into the deep, dark hole that the Outlaws have left in Bowman Field (I'm old school, here.)
Seriously, can we impeach him?
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more events, more things for kids to do so maybe they get off the streets. You want less crime but your only resolution is to hire more cops. Give the kids something to do other than standing on a street corner and crime will go down
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I was one of those people that said no taxes as well. Up to this point has any tax money been paid? No! Will this come down to taxpayers footing the bill? Most likely. But it's ok for us taxpayers to foot a bill for 3 city pools that are costing much more money a year then the non-profit organization left us with. Let me say this, I went to 14 games (would have had season tickets if not for working 2 jobs) and I enjoyed every single one of them. I hear all the cries about attendance but I say this, without pack-the-park nights how many people go to crosscutters games. I've been to many of those games as well and saw just as few people to them as I saw out in the cold to watch the Outlaws. I agree this was researched poorly. I agree we have been stiffed with a bill. But I also say that the bill owed will be about a dollar per taxpayer. I'm for an ice arena (not hockey team), I think it could add to the city and bring in more events,
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Where has magic1 been hiding. Numerous times he posted on here that he went to all the outlaw meetings and no TAX DOLLARS would be used. No wonder he has been so quiet lately.
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except that instead of a boat with a whole in it, we are talking about a professional hockey team. and the city never bought a hockey team (or a boat?)
your analogy, for a lack of a better word, is retarded.
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The story of the emperor's new clothes continues......
Chalk it up to a bad decision; time to more on before the lawyers fill their pockets too.
The End
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Here's a question for the law experts out there. If I go and buy a boat with a gaping hole in the bottom, a hole that I cannot only see clearly for myself but also has been documented and such documentation is easy to find, and I go out in such boat and it sinks...
...am I really able to sue the guy who sold it to me or should *I* be sued for utter stupidity?
Now, say I didn't use MY money to buy the boat that clearly had no chance of floating but instead I used taxpayer money...could I then be sued not only for utter stupidity but for criminal negligence? No matter how I vainly whine "I've been duped?"
Mr. Mayor: You got EXACTLY what was predictable. Sue yourself. At the very least, resign.
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Find out the top 10 baby boys names and top 10 baby girls names of 2012, provided by the Social Security Administration.
See the most popular baby names
List released by the Social Security AdministrationUPDATED 3:47 PM CDT Aug 27, 2013
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text: Minnesota winters are infamous, the kind of climate events that insiders bond over and outsiders can't even begin to imagine. The extreme cold of the American Midwest explains why Minneapolis HVAC technicians do a brisk business keeping homes toasty warm in the winter, but as the staff at the Minneapolis City Pages rush to assure readers, winters aren't all blizzards and frostbite. See full article.


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I recently featured questions on whether an establishment has to offer discounts to seniors and whether stores and restaurants have the right to change the values of their senior citizen discounts at will. This topic heated up my inbox:
Q: I recently found a list of stores that offer senior discounts online. A well-known department store chain was listed as giving 50 percent off purchases to those ages 50 and older. I went to this store and asked for the discount, as I am older than 50. They said they don't have a senior discount. They said another person also asked for it.
A: I'd be wary of any unofficial claims you might find online saying that a store is offering half-price discounts, that's a significant savings to potentially offer to half the population. How would the store stay in business? The best way to find out if a store offers a senior discount is to inquire at the store itself. Don't rely on unsubstantiated, unverified lists.
Q: My wife and I were eating breakfast at a small mom-and-pop restaurant in Hannibal, Mo. We finished our meal and headed to pay our bill. I asked the lady if they offered a senior citizen discount. She pointed to a sign behind the cash register: "Senior citizen discount: Must be at least 80 years old and accompanied by both parents."
A: These readers weren't the only ones who sent in humorous stories about senior discounts. Here's another one:
Q: In the mid-'80s, I was in the Coast Guard stationed in Miami, home of senior early bird restaurant specials and discounts. At the time, a group of senior citizens was fighting an apartment complex in court. The seniors complained that the complex was giving "yuppie" discounts to people 20-40 years of age. The seniors argued that it was discrimination and unfair to them. The news showed a courtroom of seniors holding signs and chanting.
While the judge agreed, before he made a ruling, he also stated that if the county couldn't have yuppie discounts, then seniors couldn't have discounts either, as that was discriminating against yuppies.
The senior citizens' action group dropped the complaint. I laughed out loud! I try to take advantage of military discounts when I can, but don't complain if I can't.
Smart Living Tip: Establishments are not required to give senior discounts or any other kind of group-related discount for that matter. Promotions like these can come and go.
Visit www.jillcataldo.com.


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Kirsten Kuehne has a dream. But she needs to receive a whole lot more votes to achieve it.The Truckee resident was selected as the Week 3 winner of the Ultimate Sunday Night Football Fan Contest on Facebook, with a chance now to win two tickets to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis."It wouldn't just be a dream come true, this IS my dream. I live and breathe NFL football," said Kuehne, a preschool teacher at Discovery Preschool in Truckee. "I watch as much football as humanly possible while still having a life."Kuehne discovered the Super Bowl contest on the Sunday Night Football Facebook page earlier this season. Those who "liked" the page could send in a written story explaining why he or she was the best Sunday Night Football fan of all — which Kuehne believed wholeheartedly she was.A different fan from across the nation was selected each week based on his or her story, for a total of 14 winners. Kuehne learned of her Week 3 win when she received a video message from Sunday Night Football announcers Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth.Now, all 14 of their stories are posted on the Sunday Night Football Facebook page, and anyone who "likes" the page may vote an unlimited number of times (after refreshing the page after each vote). Whoever receives the most votes by Jan. 6 wins two tickets to the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.It won't be a simple task for Kuehne, especially considering one of the weekly winners, a cop named Michelle Wilgus, has received 34 percent of the votes so far. Kuehne is currently hovering around last place, as she's one of six finalists with 2 percent or less of the votes.But that can change quickly, Kuehne said. She just needs to spread the word and get people to vote (votes must be cast from a computer, not a smart phone). Her concern, however, is that her submitted story got hacked so badly in the editing process that it's hardly coherent in its condensed form."They edited out so much of my story that it doesn't even make sense. I barely sound literate," she said. "That's why I need Tahoe's help so badly. It's going to be hard to compete with the policewoman (Wilgus), after all."Kuehne's story included her experience at a Sunday Night Football game last year in San Francisco, where she snuck in two signs to Candlestick Park, one of which read, "No one Beats Chris andamp; Al," with a big red heart drawn behind "Al," her hero. The "NBC" aligned vertically. After the game, Kuehne — a Raiders fan who also follows the 49ers — and her husband stuck around and got a chance to meet Collinsworth, who told her her sign was "cute."If Kuehne does win the trip to the Super Bowl, she said she'll bring her husband along for the once-in-a-lifetime experience."My only hope is to get Truckee and Tahoe together. Our community is good at coming together for one of our own. I need the town to rally around me," she said.
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December 23, 2011
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Twenty years have passed since the mysterious Near-Earth Object nicknamed Keanu appeared in the night sky and transported humans from all over Earth into its interior. There they discovered that Keanu was a long-range spaceship—and they were not alone. They joined forces with the aliens called the Architects, who had come from a distant galaxy to seek help in fighting the vicious Reivers. And they defeated them.
Or so they thought.
For when Keanu reestablished contact with Earth, they learned that the Reivers have taken over the planet, placing most of the population under their dominion. But mankind's last hope may yet be hidden inside the NEO. And if the men and women still in Keanu cannot find it, humanity will be finished. And the galaxy will be next.
"[O]ne of the bestter sci-fi trilogies of recent years…hard sci-fi with heart, a combination that results in an impactful tale powerfully told."—The Maine Edge
Praise for the previous novel in the series, Heaven's War:
"Fans of hard SF delighted in Heaven's Shadow, a solid and engrossing novel in the tradition of Arthur C. Clarke and Robert A. Heinlein…Now Heaven's War takes the story to the next level."—George R. R. Martin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels
The Heaven's trilogy was born in the fall of 2006. David Goyer, screenwriter (Blade, Dark City, and Batman Begins) asked Michael Cassutt (author of the space thrillers Missing Man, Red Moon) to work with him on a treatment for a big Sci-Fi movie.
David had the initial cool idea; Michael had the near-future spaceflight chops. It seemed like a clean, simple division of labor.
Except that both of us had broader experience than the shorthand suggests. David had also written comic books and television; Michael had published non-fiction works while also working on a dozen different TV series.
What both had in common was a fairly extensive knowledge of, and love for, science fiction, notably the works of Arthur C. Clarke, Gene Wolfe, Jack Vance, Robert A. Heinlein as well as every Sci-Fi movie and TV project ever made.
With that background, we quickly jumped beyond the simple goal of a feature film treatment to a plan for a trilogy of not just movies but novels, too.
There was a danger here: most SF or fantasy trilogies take many years to journey from concept to completion—and that includes those that grew beyond their original single-volume origins, like Arthur C. Clarke's Rama books and Larry Niven's Ringworld series. Our friend George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, originally planned as three novels, is now at five and headed for seven—and has been twenty years in the writing.
We didn't want that kind of commitment. Our model had to be John Varley's Titan series, or Samuel R. Delany's Fall of the Towers—trilogies that were conceived as three stories . . . and stayed that way.
And, by and large, we were able to accomplish that, as we plunged into the challenges of developing a background and creating characters, structuring a story and finding a narrative voice.
We knew we were creating an Sci-Fi thriller, a story in which the idea was paramount . . . but both of us were also bored with Big Ideas that left no room for people. So, no matter how much fun we had with aliens and scalar sentience and morphogenetic fields and cool spacecraft, we put as much effort into Zack Stewart and his wife, Megan, and their daughter, Rachel—and their friends, enemies, and associates, from NASA and Bangalore and places beyond.
In some cases, far beyond.
The first story, Heaven's Shadow, dealt with the arrival of a Near-Earth Object named Keanu and a "race" between U.S. and the Coalition spacecraft to make the first landing. Both crews then discovered that Keanu was not just a big ball of ice and rock making its lonely way across the galaxy, but a giant space vehicle thousands of years old, inhabited by representatives of several different alien races—and not just them.
Heaven's Shadow was also the story of astronaut Zack Stewart's struggle to move past a family tragedy that, strangely, returns to haunt him—quite literally—on his mission of exploration.
The second book, Heaven's War, followed directly on the shocking events of Shadow, revealing more of Keanu's secrets as a new and expanded cast of characters adjusted to life on the Near-Earth Object . . . while trying to survive.
Then, no doubt violating all the rules of trilogy-writing, the story took a turn . . . the third book, Heaven's Fall, leaps twenty years into the future and focuses on characters who didn't necessarily play leading roles in the first two books. Instead of taking Keanu further into deep space, the Neo turns back toward Earth for a final confrontation . . .
And we say farewell to people and non-human entities and challenges we first encountered almost seven years ago, all the while hoping you enjoy the voyage, too.
Well, maybe not a final farewell. Warner acquired the rights to all three books; David has written a screenplay and the studio has assigned Charles Roven as producer. Next step . . . a director, then who knows?
Until then, here is the concluding chapter of the Heaven's trilogy, Heaven's Fall.


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Artist Statement
My art is a reaction to social media platforms, pop culture, and globalization. Today, massive commutation and interaction occurs between individuals, communities, and countries through digital media and wide-spread use of continuously changing social platforms. The ease of "virtual" travel blurs traditional references relating to identity and culture, creating a dual existence between the physical and virtual realms. This hybrid phenomenon emerges from every culture, leading to uncertainty.
In my painting practice I combine technology-based pop-icons – from sources such as Facebook, video games, cartoons and advertisements – with historical icons such as classic Asian and European paintings, traditional photography and ancient calligraphy, as a way of processing our hybrid culture under the impact of technology and globalization.
The twelve different bodies work I have developed to date each have their own unique aesthetics, though some series maintain multiple aesthetics. In each I strive to depict a landscape of uncertain living environment: west versus east, old versus new, local versus globe, physical versus virtual, low art versus high art. Beyond my often psychedelic coding is a path that challenges the viewer to consider each element separately, deconstructing them until they no longer carry their original tags.
About the Artist
Born in 1984 in Kaifeng, China, Xi Zhang has been immersed in the practice of art throughout his entire life. Upon completion of his studies in painting at China's Beijing Institute of Art and Design, he moved to the United States to further his artistic training at Denver, Colorado's Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from RMCAD in 2008, and that same year was recognized by then Denver Post art critic Kyle MacMillan as the "Emerging Artist of the Year" for his "well developed, surprisingly mature vision." Zhang continued from there with his masters studies in painting at the University of Colorado, Boulder, receiving his MFA from the institution in 2011. That same year he was named one of the "12 Best Colorado Artists Under 35" as well as one of seven "Pathfinders" in the arts also by MacMillan in the Denver Post.
Zhang has presented his work in a number of notable solo exhibitions including "12921" at Rule Gallery, Denver, "Shows Promise" at the Jeppessen Terminal of Denver International Airport, and "11 Ceremonies" at Plus Gallery, Denver. In 2011 he was commissioned by CNN for their "Ripple" online international art project in commemoration of the ten year anniversary of 9/11, with his painting receiving more
than four million hits from the news channels website. Later that year Zhang delivered a Logan Lecture at the Denver Art Museum as part of the prestigious series' fall focus on International Contemporary Chinese Artists. In 2012 Zhang received his United States citizenship as an "Artist of extraordinary ability," paving his way forward towards a career as a US-based artist. His work has been acquired by some of the most prominent contemporary collectors and curators in the state of Colorado.


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His daughter, Jennifer Bain, confirmed his death to PEOPLE, and said her father died of natural causes.
"He'd been unconscious for a couple of days, but he was comfortable and it was very peaceful," she said of her dad, who also played the argumentative neighbor on the 1972-78 hit show Maude.
"I was able to be with him very close to the end [and] able to put my ear to his heart and sing him songs."
A highly professional actor who gained early experience at Ontario's Stratford Shakespeare Festival in his native Canada and studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, Bain nonetheless was often overshadowed by his costars.
"My father really was a lot like his character in Diff'rent Strokes," said his daughter. "He had that warmth and stability. He also was a very intellectual person."
She added, "Dad was proud of his work on that show. And the problems the kids had in their lives later affected him. He felt terrible about it." (Bridges struggled with substance-abuse problems, while Coleman, who had personal and financial problems, died in 2010, at the age of 42.)
"Dad had a kind heart," said Jennifer Bain. "He was an open-hearted man."
Besides his daughter, Bain is survived by a twin brother, Bonar Bain, and three sons. Their mother, Bain's wife Monica, died in 2009.


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on October 21, 2012 - 9:23 PM
SANBORN – A Niagara Falls man was charged with failure to yield the right of way Saturday night after a two-vehicle crash that also injured a Cheektowaga man and her daughter, state police said.
Jahaan I. Hairston, 21, was cited for allegedly turning out of Smokin' Joe's gas station on Saunders Settlement Road into the path of an oncoming car driven by Michael G. Pietras, 61, of Cheektowaga. He and his daughter Marissa Pietras, 20, were treated in Mount St. Mary's Hospital, Lewiston, for neck pain.
Hairston also was released after treatment in that hospital for minor internal injuries caused by his seat belt, troopers said.


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This is nonsense, no way all of these players are healthy and ready to play at the start of next season.
I'd like to see Tatar and Andersson on the roster over Eaves and probably over Helm who may or may not be healthy.
Other than that sit back, relax, and watch the fireworks fly on LGW.
EDIT: This is assuming Helm won't be ready to go, not saying replace Helm in the lineup completely with Tatar or Andersson.. before the lashing starts let me clarify that.
if they are healthy they will be our off season acquisition