text:
Proposed Constitutional Amendment
I think the president's recess appointment power should be revised, as indeed the entire process of nomination and confirmation to appointed posts. The recess appointment power is really a holdover of the days when Congress was absent from Washington DC for 6 to 9 months of the year. At the same time, I don't think the Framers intended for Congress to defeat appointments via filibuster, either. A president deserves an up-or-down vote on his nominees. So I would propose an amendment that does the following things:
1. Repeal the power of the president to make recess appointments.
2. The Senate must return a confirmation vote on all presidential appointees within 60 working days.
3. If no vote has been held within 45 working days, cloture on the debate will be automatically imposed, and all other Senate business must cease until a confirmation vote is held.
4. If a confirmation vote is not held within 60 working days, the nomination is automatically confirmed, and the Senate majority and minority leaders will be expelled from the Senate, and barred from reelection or reappointment to the Senate during the current term.
This would eliminate the president's ability to sneak in an unconfirmable nominee during a recess, and would force him to be more selective about his nominees, and would force the Senate to explicitly confirm or reject every nominee, or wave bye-bye to the Senate leadership.
Dale Franks
Google+ Profile
Twitter Feed
17 Responses to Proposed Constitutional Amendment
"The recess appointment power is really a holdover of the days when Congress was absent from Washington DC for 6 to 9 months of the year. "
I can't believe the framers didn't realize this. Its a gaping hole in the process they allowed. I wonder if it was intentional to dilute this part of Congress' power.
If Congress can thumbs down all your picks as President, an executive can be shutdown by congress by thumbing down any of his picks. It basically would allow Congress to make all his picks for him. What executive can function like that when his first line of lieutenants have split loyalties.
I know we're probably assuming there would be negative fallout from Congress thumbing down votes and that would be a check against such abuse. I don't believe that is necessarily true. It depends on how the media wants to frame the situation. I could see if the media likes the current congress, the situation would be described as 'the president making such poor picks Congress can't confirm them.' Instead of calling out Congress for abusing their power.
@jpm100 Gotta say you are wrong. Congress was meant to be able to check the President — and in particular, the Senate (which was appointed by state legislatures) was intended to check the ability of the federal government to impose unacceptable officials upon the nation.
However, the Framers recognized that distance meant long travel times, and citizen legislators might spend much of their time at home meeting constituents and running their own affairs. They therefore created a mechanism by which the President could temporarily fill vacancies during these long absences. If one looks at the use of the recess appointment over the last century, it is clear that it has been abused — and Obama's recent moves are merely the most egregious.
By the way, my reflections on his actions can be found here — http://rhymeswithright.mu.nu/archives/325376.php
"I don't think the Framers intended for Congress to defeat appointments via filibuster"
1. On what do you base that?
2. The Framers did not intend the Senate to be popularly elected, either.
3. What you suggest would move us away from a republic
4. You idea would invite chicanery, resulting in the expulsion of elected Senators
5. Your idea could be used to totally grid-lock all Senate business (seems to me)
@Ragspierre <>
They gave the president the power to make recess appointments.
That's silly. It merely streamlines an existing appointment process by forcing the Senate to act.
*shrug* I suppose. If a majority wanted to have the leadership expelled. And a convenient nomination was available.
*shrug* I suppose. If a convenient nominee was available. It'd be gridlocked for 15 working days. And I suppose it might even matter, if I cared that the Senate was gridlocked. Which I don't.
I think what the Framers did not consider is the prevalence of the two party system. I believe that they intended a sort of positive tension between the House, Senate, and Executive Branch, not negative tension between two parties who dance in lockstep not on the basis of the branch of government they represent but with their party.
The House was supposed to be the rabble (Commons) pushing for laws popular with the people because of their always close proximity to an election, the Senate the deliberative body and a check on the popular will (Lords) because 2/3 are always 4 to 6 years from an election by the legislatures, and the President being responsible for executing the laws Congress as a whole passed. Each a check on each other.
Here we have a situation where Congress passed a law (Dodd-Frank) and the new Congress does not have the power to repeal it, but has enough minority power in the Senate to use a technical process to try and stop the law from being implemented and trying to leverage the advise and consent process to blackmail the majority into revising the law.
I think that Framers would look upon an effort of a new Congress to prevent a law from being implemented, when they don't have the votes to repeal is essentially obstruction of justice.
@CaptinSarcastic I agree with everything you wrote except the last sentence. My reading of the Founders, especially the Federalist papers makes me think that most of them would be just fine with obstruction and gridlock. They knew that they needed a Federal government since the Articles of confederation failed, but they did not want it to get too powerful.
The filibuster itself may be unconstitutional since there is nothing in the Constitution that even comes to suggesting that bills and other votes that do not specifically require a super-majority could be made to require a super-majority.
I think it would be a crushing blow to lobbyists if they could not use the minority to obstruct the majority, but I think it would actually be a relief to members themselves. Elections should have consequences, not just elections where a party has more than 60 Senators elected.
I don't agree with many conservative policies, or for that matter many liberal policies, but I am firmly against having no policies because the minority disagrees with the will of the majority, or worse, because lobbyists are paying to thwart the will of the majority.
Second, Article I, Section 3, expressly says that the vice president as the presiding officer of the Senate should cast the deciding vote when senators are "equally divided." I say it is a stark violation of the Constitution to eliminate this Constitutional requirement with a procedural rule of the Senate. If a vote has 51 votes or 50 Senators and the VP behind it, it is all that is Constitutionally required. I think a Constitutional Amendment would be required to make the filibuster, not to make a simple majority vote legal.
@CaptinSarcastic I'd have to disagree. Given that Debate is unlimited in the Senate, every Senator has a right to speak on an issue to his/her heart's content without limitation. Remember — in the old days, speeches by the likes of Webster, Calhoun, and Clay went on for a day or two. Not only that, but the filibuster has its origins in the practices of the first couple of US Senates — therefore I would argue that the Framers themselves would accept the practice as legitimate.
@RhymesWithRight Good point, I agree with you on the filibuster in it's original form that was itself based on the rule of unlimited debate, however in it's present form, a procedural block has nothing to do with debate so I would say that this form violates the Constitution.
You can't vote until I am done talking, fine, we'll wait, or if it's that important to you, we'll reconsider. But You can't vote ever because I am going to pretend that I never stopped talking, no way.
@CaptinSarcastic Actually, I prefer describing the current approach as "I'll yield my time so the people's business on other matters can be done, but reserve the right to resume speaking when we take this matter up again.
How about the Death Penalty for voter fraud?
I prefer abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison's amendment in the form of rapid oxidation. "So perish all compromise with tyranny!"
The total disregard for an honest interpretation of the commerce clause should demonstrate to anyone it doesn't matter how cleverly you word the rules. They will break them. And power mad rulers like Pelosi will scoff at the suggestion that her grand blueprint be subject to the scrutiny of constitutionality.
We just need to do away with the practice of "dual-tracking." A piece of garbage given to us by Sen. Byrd.
If a senator wants to filibuster, then he/she can get their ass up there and bring a little Mr. Smith goes to Washington up in this bitch. Prove to the nation that bringing the senate to a grinding halt is a worthy cause – and if it is not, then sit your ass down and vote up or down.
These days, senators can filibuster in secret! Total Bullsh!t.
@PogueMahone Amen!
If we were going to expend energy and capital on a constitutional amendment, I can think of several others that are more important.
All congress has to do is pass a law saying that recess appointees will undergo a yes or no confirmation vote ten days after congress is back in session. Problem solved.
I should mention that what Obama has done is NOT a recess appointment. Republicans are still gaveling in for a few minutes each day. Democrats did this when Bush was President to prevent him from making recess appointments.


text:
Posted in bees, beetles, butterflies, caterpillar, damselfly, dragonfly, green June beetle, honey bees, Invertebrates, monarch butterfly, spiders | Tagged backyard wildlife, bees, beetles, butterflies, caterpillars, damselflies, dragonflies, Flora and Fauna, green June beetle, hidden nature, hidden wildlife, honey bees, insects, invertebrates, natural history, Nature, spiders, suburban wildlife, urban, urban wildlife, watchable wildlife, wildlife | 3 Comments »
The 2015 class of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) naval aviators started flight school this week!
I've been watching these youngsters on daily dog-walks in the park since early May. When they first showed up I noticed the their resemblance, in size and coloration, to the yellow puffball flowers of the American sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) towering above. There were about 8-10 adults living in and around the lake and two pairs successfully hatched large clutches, the second batch about 10 days after the first. The whole flock pitched in to keep the cautious but curious brood within a protective circle, long black necks and heads swiveling like periscopes scanning the horizon for imminent threats.
Every morning's stroll includes a peak into the classroom, watching as the new recruits move through basic training. First lesson: water = safety. Mandatory swimming lessons for all sailors! Initially, members of the new crew were skeptical, needing some strongly worded encouragement from a drill instructor to take the plunge.
In no time at all, though, they had their sea-legs and formed a flotilla.
Next, the unit practiced how to parade. The slow, unhurried pace set by the adults was clearly intended to convey respectability and prestige, and they pulled it off with stately ease. The trainees were another story entirely. Try as they might to imitate their elders, casual dignity is mighty difficult to achieve when your growing body hasn't quite caught up to your oversized feet—ask any 12 year old boy wearing size 11 sneakers. The slightest break in concentration and the whole company piled up like dominos.
There was so much to learn! How to keep their uniforms squared away…
…calisthenics to strengthen those important pectoral muscles…
…choosing the right mess hall…
…not to mention growing by leaps and bounds. Before long, it was time to strap on the black aviator helmet and take off!
Their first flights were brief and aquatic; buoyant new pilots seem to find over-water touch-and-go's less intimidating. What's the worse that can happen? You ditch, you get wet. A bruised ego heals a lot faster than broken bones.
Next, the flight instructors lead youngsters on low, circular cruises around the park, honking encouragement all along the way. Landing on turf requires more skill and daring..
… as well as greater maneuverability to avoid trees, lamp posts, power lines, and buildings. Practice makes perfect but there can be some embarrassing mistakes along the way. One missed turn can result in an unintended landing.
Still, they've definitely got the right stuff: determination, focus, and drive. Whether they choose to become full-time Midwesterners or set off next year for northern climes to search for adventure and a mate, wild blue yonder here they come!
© 2015 Next-Door Nature—no reprints without written permission from the author (I'd love for you to share my work but please ask). Thanks to these photographers for making their work available through a Creative Commons license (from top to bottom): Gidzy (squadron in flight); Ingrid Taylar (downy); Rachel Kramer (drill sergeant); Eric Bégin (flotilla); Tjflex2 (preening); Jeremiah John McBride (calisthenics); Ray Morris (grazing goslings); Eric Bégin (aviator helmet); John Benson (water landing, turf touchdown); essayru (missed turn); J. Michael Raby (morning flight). Thanks also to Pam Parsons (big feet) for permission to use her photo.
Posted in behavior, bird behavior, birds, breeding, Canada geese | Tagged backyard nature, backyard wildlife, Canada geese, Canada Goose, flight, flight school, geese, goose, gosling, Nature, resident geese, suburban wildlife, urban wildlife, watchable wildlife, wildlife | 1 Comment »
[you might need to boost the volume a bit on this one]
© 2015 Next-Door Nature—no reprints without written permission from the author (I'd love for you to share my work but please ask). Thanks to these photographers for making their work available through a Creative Commons license (CCL) or Project Guttenberg License (PGL) (from top to bottom): USFWSmidwest (eastern gray treefrog); Jimmy Smith (field cricket); Lisa Brown (common true katydid); Rachid H (common meadow katydid); Roger Engberg (dog-day cicada); Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren (northern cricket frog); AllieKF (American toad); Matt Reinbold (green frog); J. N. Stuart (boreal chorus frog); USFWSmidwest (eastern gray treefrog).
Posted in American toad, amphibians, boreal chorus frogs, cicadas, clues and signs, common meadow katydid, crickets, dog-day cicada, field cricket, gray treefrog, green frog, Invertebrates, katydids, Northern cricket frog, toads, treefrogs | Tagged American toad, animal behavior, backyard wildlife, Biology, boreal chorus frog, breeding behavior, cicadas, common meadow katydid, common true katydid, crickets, dog-day cicada, field crickets, frogs, gray treefrog, green frog, hidden nature, hidden wildlife, invertebrates, katydids, Nature, northern cricket frog, Reptiles and Amphibians, suburban wildlife, toads, treefrogs, urban wildlife, vertebrates, watchable wildlife | 4 Comments »
© 2015 Next-Door Nature—no reprints without written permission from the author (I'd love for you to share my work but please ask). Thanks to these photographers for making their work available through a Creative Commons license (CCL) or Project Guttenberg License (PGL) (from top to bottom): Martha de Jong-Lantink, CCL (birds on a branch); Harper & Brothers, PGL (feeding the sparrows); Eric Bégin, CCL (male HOSP); Phil McIver, CCL (female HOSP); gingiber, CCL (HOSP nest); Cactus26, CCL (HOSP distribution map); Albert F. Siepert, PGL (sparrow trap).
Posted in behavior, bird behavior, birds, breeding, dispersal, feeding, house sparrow, human-wildlife conflict, natural history, nesting, urban adaptations | Tagged avian, backyard wildlife, birds, house sparrow, human-wildlife conflict, introduced species, native species, Nature, sparrows, wildlife | 2 Comments »
This blog, like so many activities that foster support and appreciation of the natural world, is a labor of love. If you've enjoyed learning about the creatures who share our built environment, consider becoming an NDN Benefactor with a donation of any amount you're inspired to give. If you'd like to find a little Next-Door Nature surprise in your inbox just click the Subscribe! button in the upper right-hand corner of this page and receive notifications of new posts!
© 2015 Next-Door Nature—no reprints without written permission from the author (I'd love for you to share my work but please ask). Thanks to these photographers for making their work available through a Creative Commons license (from top to bottom): Helen Haden (white on black); Paul Sableman (Lafayette Square homes); John (Lafayette Park garden path); VisitCentralFL (strike a pose); Public Domain (woman wearing bird hat); and Alan Huett (fishing).
Posted in birds, Canada geese, ducks, great egret, human-wildlife conflict, mallard, mute swan, reptiles, swans, threatened/endangered, turtles | Tagged animal behavior, birds, great egret, Lafayette Park, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Nature, St. Louis, urban wildlife, watchable wildlife, wildlife | 1 Comment »
WITNESS astounding tricks of precision flying!
THRILL to the sight of daring aerial capers!
Come one, come ALL!
The FLYING CIRCUS is winging its way to a backyard near YOU!!
Critics are raving about this summer's must-see event. Word to the wise, though—in addition to a lawn chair you'll definitely want to bring some binoculars. That's because the stars of this air show have an average wingspan of about 12 inches (30 cm). We're not talking F/A-18 Hornets here, or even a Cessna 152. Think sparrow-sized, not Sparrowhawk.
Barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) epitomize the principle of "form follows function." Combine a slender fuselage with long, tapered wings and a deeply forked stabilizer (aka "tail") and you've got a bird made to spend the majority of waking life with wheels up. They even wear a uniform appropriate for fly-boys (and girls)—glossy chrome blue above and buff-to-rust below; similar to the colors of a U.S. Air Force Blue Angels jet.
Barn swallows are found far beyond U.S. borders, though. You might even go so far as to call them jet setters. Six officially recognized subspecies are found in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Generally speaking, the species breeds in the Northern Hemisphere (as far north as the Arctic Circle) and takes winter R&R in the Southern Hemisphere. Ornithologists have recorded barn swallows traveling over 7,000 miles (11,000 km) from Europe to southern Africa, and those based in the Americas cover similar distances.
Whether cruising inches above land or water or performing barrel rolls, loop-the-loops, spins, and stalls in mid-air, these agile flyers are crowd-pleasers. They aren't grandstanding, though. A barn swallow's life consists of more than playing with the physics of flight. Like the post-WWI stunt pilots of the 1920s, they're trying to make a living.
It takes fuel to fly and the barn swallow go-juice of choice is winged insects—primarily high-octane flies, but also beetles, bees and wasps, moths and butterflies, ants and termites. Eating on the fly really comes in handy during long missions, including migration. Quenching one's thirst, bathing, dating, and defending the home territory—they're all done on the wing.
Historians disagree as to the origin of the term "barnstorming," but one popular explanation is that pilots would fly through an open barn door and out the other side (they hoped) as a demonstration of their prowess and to drum up joy ride business. Barn swallows have been known to fly in and out of barns as well—hence the common name. It's a lot less risky for the birds, though.
Even daredevils like to have a place to call home, a chance to raise a family. Before permanent man-made structures became commonplace, barn swallows built nests in caves or on the face of cliffs. Long tolerated by humans for reasons both practical and aesthetic, today only one North American population holds to this tradition, in the Channel Islands off the coast of California; the rest of the fleet hangar in the rafters of open buildings or beneath porches. Bridges, especially those that span water, are particularly popular due to their proximity to crucial building materials.
Gathering mud by the bill-full, mated pairs make countless supply runs to construct a neat cup or half-cup, depending on the location, then line it with grass, feathers, hair from the livestock living under the same roof, and any other soft, insulating materials they can find.
Once there's a home base in the crosshairs, the bombardier gets the go-ahead to drop her payload of 3-7 eggs. The pair begin a series of aerial fueling attempts and in about a month's time they've got themself a squadron of next-gen aviators.
Time to put on a show!
Barn swallows in flight:
Modern day barnstormer performing aerial acrobatics:
This blog, like so many activities that foster support and appreciation of the natural world, is a labor of love. If you've enjoyed learning about the creatures who share our built environment, consider becoming an NDN Benefactor with a donation of any amount you're inspired to give. If you'd like to find a little Next-Door Nature surprise in your inbox just click the Subscribe! button in the upper right-hand corner of this page and receive notifications of new posts!
© 2012 Next-Door Nature—no reprints without written permission from the author (I'd love for you to share my work; all you have to do is ask). Thanks to these photographers for making their work available through a Creative Commons license: [from the top] Eugene Beckes (wings tucked; wings open); Julio Mulero (drinking); Dan Wilson Photography (nestlings); Eugene Beckes (swooping); Bill Lynch (muckraking); Mikael Dusenne (parenting); Pat Gaines (missile).
Posted in barn swallow, behavior, bird behavior, birds, breeding, clues and signs, feeding, Habitat, migration, natural history, swallows, urban adaptations | Tagged animal behavior, barn swallow, barnstormers, breeding, flight, hidden nature, hidden wildlife, Hirundo rustica, Nature, nesting, suburban wildlife, swallows, urban wildlife, watchable wildlife, wildlife | 1 Comment »
When Doppler radar first arrived in the area known affectionately to Texans as The Hill Country, local television station meteorologists were understandably eager to show off the weather forecasting capabilities of their newest toy. Unfortunately, they got off to a less than impressive start. Night after night that summer, evening thunderstorms were forecast but failed to appear. This created distrust within the populace and confusion among the weather men and women. Eventually, someone figured out that Doppler couldn't tell the difference between a microwave reflected by water droplets in the atmosphere and Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) emerging from nearby Bracken Cave.
How many bats does it take to confuse Doppler radar? About 20 million.
Several times in my life, I've had the privilege of watching, with barely contained glee, as Austin's famous Congress Avenue bats poured out of the expansion slots below the bridge deck. With 1.5 million bats in residence, the city is home to the world's largest urban bat colony. But the Bracken Cave colony dwarfs its city neighbor. It's the world's biggest, as well as the greatest known concentration of non-human mammals. Modern Americans will never have a chance to witness hordes of bison churning up the prairie or enormous flocks of passenger pigeons darkening the skies, but Bracken Cave—where it takes 4 hours for all the adult bats to stream out of the cave mouth and drift like smoke over Texas to feed—evokes some sense of what has been lost.
While in Austin a couple of years ago to attend the International Urban Wildlife Management Conference, I finally realized a long-time dream to witness this event with my own eyes. I was not disappointed. Bat Conservation International (BCI) owns the cave and the 697-acre buffer zone that keeps development at bay. The organization, which limits the number of visitors, graciously agreed to lead a group of conference attendees to the property, located near San Antonio.
During a brief orientation we learned that Bracken Cave bats migrate to Texas each spring from their winter home in Mexico, a distance of approximately 1,000 miles. The roof of the cave collapsed at some point in history, forming a perfect amphitheater from which to view the resulting entrance. Members of our group settled in twos and threes to watch, using small boulders as chairs and loveseats while we waited for the day to end and the main event to begin.
Bracken Cave is a maternal colony—no men allowed in this sorority—and soon after the females arrive, each gives birth to a single pup. Mexican free-tailed bat babies are not raised as only children; their mothers park them in a communal nursery set apart from where the adults hang out during the day. With as many as 500 babies per square foot of cave wall, the naked infants generate enough warmth to keep themselves cozy, freeing their mothers to leave each evening to cruise for calories. The downside of this arrangement? When it's time to feed the offspring, Mom has to find her child somewhere in the mob—a task most human parents would find daunting.
The cave is not a home people would consider sweet. Millions of bats digesting millions of insects from March through October results in an annual deposition of 85 to 100 tons of bat feces, known as guano, on the cave floor. Experts estimate the guano may be 70 feet deep at the very back of the cave (and how one becomes an expert at estimating guano depth is beyond my ability, or desire, to imagine). As part of its stewardship of the site, BCI schedules periodic off-season "mining" of the guano—a practice that goes back to the late 1800s—which is currently sold as organic fertilizer.
As you approach the cave from a staging area near the property entrance, the distinctive, acrid smell of bat waste is hard to miss. Consider, if you dare, what it's like underground. In winter, when the gals head south of the border to hook up with the guys and have the bat equivalent of a "Girls Gone Wild" experience, the cave is a comfortable 68°F; during the summer months, heat generated by all those bat bodies brings the ambient temperature inside to 108°F. Dermestid beetles are so abundant the floor writhes. The beetles feed primarily on guano, but any infant or injured bat who has the bad luck of falling is swarmed and consumed in minutes. Ammonia gas, a by-product of beetle digestion, fills the cave; levels inside are high enough to be fatal to humans so researchers must wear breathing apparatus to enter when the bats are there.
Personally, this is not the kind of place I'd choose to spend the summer. I lived in Texas for nearly 20 years and I have to say, the heat, humidity, and insect life above ground in July and August is as close to hell as I care to experience.*
Thankfully, during our field trip the air outside the cave was much more refreshing. It was a beautiful, clear, and blessedly temperate May evening, and before too long we began to see movement near the mouth of the cave. This show featured aerial acrobatics that would be the envy of any Blue Angel pilot. Bats were climbing, diving, banking, and stalling, making literally hundreds of mid-course corrections to avoiding collisions, while also attempting to evade the grasping hands of raccoons that gather near the mouth of the cave and the sharp talons of hawks circling above. It's a dizzying scene, and the bats are both predator and prey.
What began as a small shower of bats quickly turned into a storm, with thousands of leathery wings mimicking the sound of a downpour. As their numbers continued to grow, they swirled and pulsed like a tornado, spinning in seemingly endless circles within the bowl of the sinkhole. Only after I raised my eyes from the dervish before me did I see a dark, smoky trail of bats stretching off beyond the horizon. And still the deluge continued all around us… bats, and more bats, and still more bats.
If, as Doppler radar would have us believe, bats are indistinguishable from raindrops, I'd have been drenched. And singin', just singin', in the rain.
NOTE: Why are these bats called "free-tailed"? Because, unlike many species, the tail is not completely surrounded by a membrane, known at the patagium, that stretches between the animals' legs—its at least partially "free" (see illustration below). The patagium also stretches between the fingers and connects the front and rear limbs to form the wing.
*ok, I'll confess to some hyperbole for the sake of the story. I actually enjoyed living in Texas, although less so during the summer.
This blog, like so many activities that foster support and appreciation of the natural world, is a labor of love. If you've enjoyed learning about the creatures who share our built environment, consider becoming an NDN Benefactor with a donation of any amount you're inspired to give. If you'd like to find a little Next-Door Nature surprise in your inbox just click the Subscribe! button in the upper right-hand corner of this page and receive notifications of new posts!
© 2011 Next-Door Nature— no reprints without written permission from the author. Thanks to Bat Conservation International for granting permission to use their photos. The drawings used above are open-source content.
Posted in bats, behavior, breeding, feeding, Habitat, mammals, Mexican free-tailed bats, natural history | Tagged animal behavior, Bat Conservation International, bats, Bracken Cave, breeding, Congress Avenue Bridge, hidden nature, hidden wildlife, Mexican free-tailed bat, natural history, Nature, suburban wildlife, urban bat colony, urban wildlife, watchable wildlife, wildlife | 2 Comments »

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Every year, new stars are born with rim-rattling slams, three-point splashes and dizzying crossovers.
Up-and-coming passers, slashers, post players and any type of player you can think of. They've all been cultivating their craft, developing into potential threats that could scare the opposition for years to come.
Last year was no exception, and if there is a season next year, it won't be one either.
There are several young players oozing with potential, waiting for the right moment to pounce on an opportunity and make their mark on the league.
Stars pop out of nowhere every year, just look at Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. They all found a respective niche within their team and made a profound name for themselves last season.
While the candidates are in abundance this year, I'm leaving out all rookies and focusing on players who have ridden the pine before or who are just coming into fruition.
These seven players have a legitimate chance to burst onto the scene as stars or highly valuable role players. Here, they are sorted in alphabetical order by last name.


text:
Calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K are essentail nutrients for healthy bones. Registered Dietitian Katherine Brooking shows you good food sources.
Key Nutrient: Vitamin D
Vitamin D also plays a critical role in building and protecting your bones. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption, and studies show that people with low levels of vitamin D have lower bone density or bone mass. They are also more likely to break bones as they age. Vitamin D is naturally present in very few foods, but you can get it from sunshine, and more foods are being fortified with this very important nutrient. While cod liver oil is perhaps the best natural food source of Vitamin D, there are other, better-tasting options.


text:
Marvel Studios is readying an adaptation of its comic book series The Runaways, to be helmed by Brian K. Vaughan, a co-producer and writer on Lost and creator of the acclaimed comic series Y: The Last Man.
Launched in 2002, the critically acclaimed comic follows a group of teenagers "who find that some family secrets are bigger than others when they discover their parents are actually super-villains. Running away from their homes, the teens band together and begin a journey of discovery, both of their parents' origins and of their own inherited powers, while trying to make up for the evil done by their folks."
Vaughan co-created the series with artist Adrian Alphona. Marvel's Kevin Feige will produce but a release date is not yet set.
Oh, and above is a clip of '70s teen hard rock group The Runaways, which featured Joan Jett and Lita Ford. There is no major film about them in the works...though there should be...
Darkhorizons.com: Marvel Adapts "Runaways" Comic


text:
I respond to the Reuters article "Congress stalls plan to arm opposition" in Tuesday's Dispatch, regarding the civil war in Syria. I say "good."
Reflections on foreign civil wars are always tinged with romantic and idealistic opinions. Americans feel they must join the side rising up against any current government. So, let us just look back at one such civil war, which included Americans who actually soldiered against the current government.
It happened before most of us were born. It was in Spain. Yes, the rebels won. Shortly after, however, came World War II. Just guess what new government was now not on the American side.
Therefore, "congressional committees (fear) such deliveries will not be decisive and the arms might end up in the hands of Islamist militants."
So reservations exist about the administration's efforts to "support the insurgents by sending them military hardware."
Good. Prior experience might have been a wakeup call.


text:
For this project I purchased a 1/2 x 6 x 36 inch craft board from Lowes. It's a nice clear pine and it will make one basket for only five bucks.
I cut the board into 6 inch blanks. The pattern was cut and is ready to be applied to the boards.
I prepped all the blanks with blue painters tape. The tape makes the pattern easy to remove and also helps lubricate the blade. The small amount of lubrication helps prevent burning and also increases the life of the blade. I applied the patterns with spray adhesive over the blue tape.
Over at the drill press I drill all the entry holes. I use a 1/8" drill bit.
I cut the top and bottom parts first. I'm using a Flying Dutchman #3 scroll reverse blade.
Then all four rings were cut out. I like doing similar pieces one after the other because I can get a solid technique and stay consistent.
Now all the parts have been cut and sanded. I like to ease the edges of the top and bottom. You need to be careful with the rings while sanding. They are delicate.
It's time to start gluing and stacking the rings. Apply glue to the first ring and center it on the bottom.
Give the glue a few minutes to dry so the ring does not slide around while applying the next ring.
To achieve a basket weave pattern you need to alternate the rings as shown in the photo above.
Continue to glue and stack the rings. Only apply glue to the contact points of the rings. You don't want the exposed parts to be covered with glue.
The pattern has four rings. You can obviously make the basket taller by cutting more rings.
Apply glue to the top of the last ring and center the top. Take your time to make sure everything is centered and lines up well.
I apply a heavy weight to the basket and allow the glue to dry. I finish the basket with a bath in lemon oil. Once it dries I use spray acrylic to protect the wood and add a little sheen.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Five dollar board into a keepsake basket.. Step by step.
Posted by Steve Good at 4:28:00 AM
Free Pattern Catalog. 1000's of free patterns.
Thousands of FREE scroll saw patterns. No registration or signup required.The projects form these patterns can be sold without restrictions. The patterns cannot be sold.
Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw Book $12 Each
Watch the following video to see how easy these beautiful scroll saw vases
are to make.
CATALOG DVD $20+ Shipping
This DVD contains all the patterns from the Scrollsaw Workshop blog from May 12, 2007 to December 2, 2012. There are 1113 pattern books many with multiple patterns. These are the patterns that are available in the free online catalog. This DVD is for those who wish to have all the patterns and don't wish to try and download hundreds of patterns. Use the DVD for club meetings, sharing with friends and customers, Archiving etc.
No returns are accepted. No refunds. Defective DVDs will be replaced. Please watch the instruction videos to understand what you will receive.
PC Instructions Video:
Create a Family Heirloom. Download The Jigsaw Puzzle Template Book. Only $7.00
You will be directed to the download page after your purchase for instant download.This pattern book contains the following size patterns
5x5 25 piece
4x6 24 piece
5x7 35 piece
8x10 80 piece
4x6 96 piece
5x7 140 piece
8x10 320 piece
Order the $3 pdf Catalog
Scroll Saw Keychain Pattern Maker
Download the Oval Keychain Pattern Maker.
Philip Lowndes Noah's Arc Pattern Available. Watch the video below.
Think Safety
The Scrollsaw Workshop Blog is in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Scroll Saw Woodworking and Crafts Magazine formerly (Scroll Saw Workshop Magazine) or it's publisher Fox Chapel Publishing.
Scroll Saw Woodworking and Crafts


text:
Available formats: epub mobi pdf rtf lrf pdb txt html
I live in Virginia, where I am a writer and an editor. I also have a master's degree in deaf education. In my free time, I hike and savor frappuccinos.
Fact One: I like corny jokes. If you have any good ones, send them my way!
Fact Two: My favorite color is purple, but my writing is gray. Life is not black and white. I often write about issues and characters where there is no "right" answer.
Fact Three: I'm weird. I like being weird.
Email me at email@example.com. I'd love to hear from you.
Check out my blogs at qkelly.wordpress.com and qkelly.blogspot.com.
Review by:
Li Ern
on Nov. 12, 2011 :
Leigh Britt has put into words perfectly what I thought about the story as it unfolded before my eyes.
I'm just going to add that it was indeed a delightful read and I can't wait to explore Q. Kelly's other books! :D
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Leigh Britt
on Oct. 10, 2011 :
"Waiting" is the third wonderful novel by Q. Kelly after "The Odd Couple" and the increasingly popular "Strange Bedfellows". "Waiting" is yet another example of
Q. Kelly's amazing talent.
Waiting is a story of two women brought together through tragedy to ultimately find happiness against the odds that are stacked against them. True to Q. Kelly style, the plot for "Waiting" is engaging and very well thought out, the characters are warm and very lifelike.
The storyline for "Waiting" has been well researched and laid out which makes the plot flow very smoothly and the supporting characters are well maintained and add wonderfully to the story.
(reviewed within a week of purchase)


text:
'Harry Potter' Dictionary: All The Terms You Need To Know Going Into 'Deathly Hallows'
If you've never seen a "Harry Potter" movie or read the books in your life, going to see "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" -- the penultimate film in the "Harry Potter" saga -- is probably not the best place to start. There's a whole lot of a stuff that's happened in the first six films, and they franchise has definitely moved past the point of stopping to explain the rules of Harry's wizarding world to new audiences.
But even if you are a diehard fan of the series, there's a lot of terminology and history to know that sometimes slips through the cracks. To save you from hours of poring over the novels and rewatching the films, we've decided to compile a list of terms that will magically alleviate any confusion you may have going into "Part 1."
Horcrux: Magically speaking, a Horcrux is an item that is used to hold a piece of a wizard's soul to protect them from ever being completely killed. A Horcrux requires a serious amount of dark magic because it calls upon the wizard to murder someone in order to split off a piece of their soul. In terms of the story, Voldemort split his soul into seven Horcruxes in order to become seemingly immortal, but also lost all of his humanity in the process. Harry and his friends are on a quest to destroy all seven Horcruxes in "Part 1" and, once they are destroyed, plan on finally defeating Voldemort.
Death Eater: Voldemort surrounded himself with many followers during his first rise to power, and they named themselves the Death Eaters. After Voldemort disappeared, many of them returned to normal lives, like Lucius Malfoy and Professor Snape, but others continued trying to further Voldemort's goals. Now that he has returned, all of the Death Eaters have either returned to Voldemort's side or, if they tried to stay away from him, were killed.
Dark Mark: The symbol of Voldemort's rebellion was the Dark Mark, which looks like a skull with a snake for the tongue. If the Dark Mark appears in the sky, it means Death Eaters are nearby and is used to instill fear in wizards. It is also tattooed on the arms of all of the Death Eaters to mark them.
Muggle: A muggle is any non-magical person.
Mudblood: A mudblood is a wizard who was born by two muggles but has magical powers. Mudblood is a derogatory term and was first introduced as an insult directed towards Hermione Granger.
Pureblood: By contrast, a pureblood is someone whose ancestors have all been wizards and whose heritage is not "polluted" by muggles. Voldemort is actually only a half blood (son of a witch mother and muggle father), but despite that one of his main goals is to make mudbloods and muggles secondary citizens who must be destroyed in order to preserve the race of wizards. By the time "Part 1" opens, Voldemort is in full-on genocide mode.
Apparation: The easiest way for adult wizards to travel is to apparate, or basically teleport themselves from one place to another. There are a number of hazards to this form of travel, though, the most severe of which is splinching, where the wizard leaves some part of their body behind at their previous location.
Auror: Most of the adult wizards in the Order of the Phoenix, including Mad-Eye Moody and Harry's father James, were aurors, a wizarding profession that involves catching dark wizards. It is the job that Harry decides he wants to pursue during his years at Hogwarts.
Ministry of Magic: The wizarding government is run by the Ministry of Magic, which is seen as becoming more and more corrupt over the course of the films. By the time "Part 1" comes around, Voldemort has taken over much of the Ministry of Magic and has turned it against Harry and his friends.
Patronus: A Patronus is a silvery-white creature that takes the form of an animal that most represents a wizard's personality. The Patronus spell was originally taught to Harry and his friends as protection against Dementors, but over the course of the films it was shown that Patronuses can also be used to pass messages between wizards.
The Trace: The Trace is a charm that detects the use of magic by all wizards under the age of 17, when wizards are not allowed to use magic outside of their school grounds. It is lifted from wizards on their 17th birthday, when they seemingly are able to make the correct decisions about using magic in public.
The Daily Prophet: The Daily Prophet is the most popular and best-respected wizarding newspaper.
The Quibbler: The Quibbler is a magazine produced by Xenophillius Lovegood, father of Luna Lovegood, which is basically the wizarding equivalent of The National Enquirer. Though both The Quibbler and Xenophillius are undeniably bizarre and quirky, they serve a very important purpose in "Part 1."
If you'd also like to refresh your knowledge of what the most popular spells are in the "Harry Potter" films, you can check out our list here.


text:
Users Online Now:
Who's On?
Visitors Today:
Pageviews Today:
Threads Today:
Posts Today:
Join Our:
GLP Poker Rooms
Donate To GLP
Adv. Search
Back to Forum
Back to Thread
User Name
Font color:
Dark Red
Dark Blue
Ms Sans Serif
In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss and no more than 50% of the source material, provide a link back to the original article and provide your original comments / criticism in your post with the article.
[quote:Rota:MV81ODA0OTlfODg0OTk4OF9CMzNEODE3QQ==] [quote:Onesmartrat] the Mossad and their Zionist proxies within the US who perpetrated 911 to advance their Imperialist wet dreams of a Greater Israel (along with their secret/not-so-secret alliance to China [/quote] I've said this many times. If people want to know why we imported all our U.S. manufacturing jobs over to China just look at the traitor zionists in our country. Israel is not an ally. They hate the Christian religion more than anything. They invented communism and ran the Soviet Union, a government that killed more Christians in Russia that Hitler ever thought about killing. When the time is right these zionists will crash the economy of the U.S. They will take their loot back to Israel and China will become the next nation they feed off of. . [/quote]
Original Message
Gore vs. Bush was Our Collective American Waterloo.
This first link below this commentary is to Vincent Bugliosi's brilliant evaluation and moral and legal condemnation of Gore vs. Bush is a long one but well worth the read. In it is the best synopsis written so far in my opinion on why the five Supreme Court Justices who against Al Gore in 2001 should be brought up for impeachment by the Legislative Branch of government. THIS is the impeachment process that should be demanded as all of the problem we are now facing came as a result of this single "decision" (swindle) of these five proxy-you-know-whats of the Rebuplican Neocon Zionist Armageddonist pedophiles, traitors and sell-outs ...and pirates and sons of pirates who are directly descended from pirates and slave traders (not to mention Nazi-supporters and backers of Adolf Hitler and fascist-sympathizers).
Bugliosi brilliantly explains in very clear terms why this decision was completely erroneous and outside any legal precendent and way beyond their powers under limited constitutional perameters ....it was and is simply a criminal act and an ethical breach of conduct by these five Republican-appointed judges and plainly impeachable under the law.
The second article is a good example of the evil fruits that have been wrought under the cascade of events brought about by this single most important case to ever be brought before the court. It clearly didn't just impact us ...U.S., but changed the world irrevocably. 911, the illegal Iraq War and illegal occupation; millions dead; millions displaced; poltical dissent to the war suppressed at home through accusations and innuendo of 'colusion' with the enemies and "unpatritotic speech" hollared at us 24/7 from the government(fascist)friendly media hacks on CNN, FoxNews, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC aka General Electtric,McDowell Douglas, Haliburton,Exxon, et al; the Enron Scandal; Plame-gate; Prosecutor-gate; record profits with gasolene price-gouging by Big Oil,Hurricane Katrina Debacle; millions displaced, thousands dead; the politization and supression of science, the supression about global-warming and environmental degradation at a species-threatening rate all in support and in tandem with the will of the Corporate puppet-masters; the militarization of civilian police agencies with virtual license to kill and oppress The People with brave new weapons; no-fly lists with names like Cat Stevens and Nelson Mandela listed as international potential terrorists and 'threats' to this country (threats because of their spiritual, and in the case of Stevens, artistic messages of interacial/intereligious peace and friendship instead of hatred and war); one million 'terrorist' watchlist; the building inside in the US of detention centers; the war against Mexican immigrants including false imprisonment and kidnapping of their children and felonization of immigrant labor; the aggressive increase in the prosecution and incarceration of minorities in this county; particularily Mexican and Blacks; the military (death squads) assassinations of journalists and academics and activists overseas ....especially in Iraq, Afghanistan and in Palestine; the illegal invasion and occupation of Afghanistan; the illegal spying and infiltration of legally assembled peace groups and environmental activists at home; the Abramoff scandal and the Franklin Spy Case that breached the higest levels on national security in the Pentagon; the appointment of crony-hack Porter Goss and the purging of the 'patriots' wihtin the Intelligence apparatus; the Mossad and their Zionist proxies within the US who perpetrated 911 to advance their Imperialist wet dreams of a Greater Israel (along with their secret/not-so-secret alliance to China and our degradation of our currency on the world markets and economic strangle-hold by China ...Prime Minister soon to be ex Ehud Omert's parents were born in China, btw) and their "free" market capialistic weapon of mass destruction to scavange and pirate the resources and wealth of other countries less able to defend themselves and to give them free reign to continue their opression, persecution and outright genocide and individual murder of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank; the rise of power and influence in our political, social and economic strata of fundamentalist zealots of the religious right-wing aligned Armageddonists/Zionists taking over every facet of our government and Intelligence and Military; illegal-wiretapping on the American Public, the stripping away of the Fourth Amendment, not to mention the severe suppression of the First and Fifth. Rendition, kidnapping, incarceration, torture, murder on mostly all of them Islamic people (who also happen to to be Arab and Afghani and brown-skinned) and many more assassinated including Benazir Bhutto. Murder, torture. Murder, torture, murder, torture. ...all in the name of "national security" which by any other name is a tyranny of lies.
These Justices are accomplices to all of these catastrophic and far reaching events that would have never been for it were that they acted morally and justly instead of like the stollies they were ...and still are ... as it was they who illegally and immorally empowered these criminals running our country into ruin on a history changing scale .....and they did so under the color of their constitutional authority and by way of a colaberative conspiracy ....and that, my frineds, is a civil rights violation against the American People and prosecutable under the law.
They should not only be impeached but also tried for High Crimes and Misdemeanors ...including O'Connor,now retired from 'The Bench.'
They sold our country to liars and pirates for their own political advancement and gain and for their own poltical preferences.
And that is treason.
And that, among every thing else mentioned herein and in Bugliosi's astute article, is grounds for impeachment of the Supreme Court justices who illegally appointed Bush president from The Bench and in violation of The Constitution of The United States of America; the 'formerly' highest law of The Land.
Now, if only we had the collective will to force those in Washignton supossedly 'acting on our behalf' to enforce it.
Why do we waste our time supporting the symbolic impeachment of the puppet-dictator Bush; a Fool and a scapegpoated pawn, when we could impeach and remove the scoundrals hiding under the color of authority of those long dark robes and rid our future generations of the karmic baggage of the ongoing degradations of their catastrophic betrayal of the Constitution and their oaths of office while their loyalties were, and are, still empowering the Enemies of The People.
Read here for your intiation:
link to www.thenation.com
link to www.huffingtonpost.com
Questions and answers on impeaching The Bench;
link to answers.yahoo.com
link to encarta.msn.com
Pictures (click to insert)
Potentially Offensive
Big Round Smilies
Aliens and Space
Friendship & Love
Misc Small Smilies
View All Categories
Next Page >>
Washington Post Just Blew The Lid On #PizzaGate Big League
Militia Members Are Preparing for Potential Chaos As Election Nears
Pope Francis: Alt-Media Investigative Reporters Are "Shit Eaters"
Lady Gaga: Prince Charles 'Is Not Human'
Senate Democrats Activists Are Shaming Leadership of Senate Democrats For Having TOO MANY WHITE PEOPLE
USDA putting millions of Americans' health at risk by allowing unapproved meat imported from China
Police Busted Giving Fake News Reports to Media Who Then Reported It As FACT
Proof That The Elite Really Do Want A Global Society With No Possessions, No Privacy And No Freedom
WiFi-Capable Brain Implants: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Polar Plunge to invade majority of US this week
Microchip in hand allows you to pay for goods in UAE
Honda's latest electric car detects 'human emotions'
65 Million Americans Suggested To Not Pay Taxes
Residents In Texas Hear Loud Boom, Cause Unkown
These 2 toys are spying on your kids
Growing new bone from corals raised in the Israeli desert
Satanists Target Kindergarteners With Lies From the Pit of Hell
California's Long Drought Has Killed 100 Million Trees
How Facebook and Google help camouflage fake news
Google will soon ban fake news sites from using its ad network
80s 90s NOW CARTOONS ILLUMINATI
Jill Stein drops Pennsylvania recount because her campaign cannot pay $1m bond...despite raising nearly $7million
All modern color printers print a secret, nearly invisible code onto every page to allow governments to track the serial number and timestamps
NOAA forecasts major December cold blast for nearly all the USA
WORD: 5 Stories The Mainstream Media Reported as Real, But They Were Fake
Disclaimer / Copyright Info
Privacy Policy
Terms Of Use
with questions or comments about this site.
"Godlike Productions" & "GLP" are registered trademarks of Zero Point Ltd. Godlike™
Website Design Copyright © 1999 - 2016 Godlikeproductions.com
Page generated in 0.012s (5 queries)


text:
PNT Staff Report
A Portales man was killed Saturday in a one-vehicle accident east of Portales, according to Roosevelt County Sheriff's Office officials.
Isabel Ornelas, 51 lost control of his vehicle around 1:15 p.m. on N.M. 467 (Airbase Highway) between Milepost 2 and 3. The vehicle overturned, pinning the man underneath, according to Chief Deputy Malin Parker.
Parker said the man was transported to Roosevelt General Hospital by ambulance where he died a short time later. Parker said investigation into the accident is continuing.


text: Build your appraisal business... TODAY'S TIP IS SPONSORED BY W.R. COBB COMPANY NEWS HEADLINES: Stay informed with the day's top 5 jewelry stories Home | Register Subscribe to print edition ºManage bulletins ºTwitter | Facebook Subscribe to print edition º Register ºHome page Blogs | Community ºIndustry Classifieds YOUR TIP FOR SEPTEMBER 2, 2010 [h3]Things a bit slow? This is the perfect time to build up your appraisal business.[/h3] WHY? Appraising offers an affordable way to pump up revenues, introduce yourself to new customers, build your image, get to know customers' tastes and generate repair work. HOW? If you're not confident in your expertise, now is the time to learn through courses at the various gemological schools. (Many courses are scheduled around the times and locations of major trade shows.) And if a customer presents you with an unfamiliar piece, you can always get outside assistance. SOURCE: David Atlas COMMENT ON THIS TIP!| PRINT VERSION 45 West 45th Street Suite 808, New York, New York 10036 | Phone: (212) 981-9625 | Toll Free Fax: 877- 471-1312


text:
- Worldwide Rank #1,443,115
- Follower/Following Ratio 1.5
- Daily New Followers 0
Trilogy Spa Twitter Stats
@trilogyspa - Tracking Trilogy Spa Twitter profile since March 22, 2010
Award-Winning Massage + Skin + Body +Events + Social DO-Gooders + Party Venue & Boutique in Manhattan Beach. Check us out, we our guests. Let's Collaborate!
Manhattan Beach
Trilogy Spa Tweets
@trilogyspa has posted 0 tweets in the last 30 days, which translates to an average of 0.0 tweets per day.
Trilogy Spa Twitter Followers
@trilogyspa has 4,250 followers on Twitter.
This account is #1,443,115 in the worldwide rank of the most popular Twitter users.
Trilogy Spa Following on Twitter
@trilogyspa is following 2,836 Twitter accounts.
Last month this account stopped following 2 users.
Trilogy Spa Predictions & Milestones
@trilogyspa will hit 4,225 followers in the next 3 months, and 4,149 in one year.
You are on Trilogy Spa's Twitter stats page
We track these Twitter stats since March 22, 2010 . You can see how many followers Trilogy Spa lost or gained and what the prediction is for tomorrow or the next 15 days, together with all kinds of other stats like rank compared to all Twitter users, tweets etc.
Why don't you give it a try and compare Trilogy Spa to yourself ? Or if you are Trilogy Spa get even more feature rich & up-to-date stats with our premium Twitter Stats.
Twitter Counter is the #1 Twitter stats site powered by Twitter. It all started in June 12, 2008 and we grew rather rapidly because of our Twitter Counter badge. The button is a nice small image that shows your visitors how many followers you have on Twitter. Within a year the button was on many many blogs around the world and we displayed more than 100 million buttons in one month. We track follower stats for over 180 million users now.


text:
December 2007
Spinning the Circle
One look at David Witham's recording credits and you can tell the guy's from L.A. The pianist and keyboard player has recorded with everyone from Chaka Khan to Jose Feliciano to k.d. lang. But the music he makes as a leader belies his background as an anonymous hired gun. On Spinning the Circle, Witham's latest recording, the 50-something musician honors the impulses of early fusion without coming across as a sentimentalist. The first sound on the record, for instance, is that of a skittery breakbeat, not the sort of thing you'd expect from someone stuck in the '70s. Witham follows the progressive funk of the opening track ("The Neon") with an Evans-esque piano ballad ("Who Knows"), a country-tinged pop number ("N.O. Rising"), and an accordion-driven freakout ("Momentuum").
If these songs suggest that Witham's strength lies in his eclecticism, the latter half of the record brings his talents as an instrumentalist into clearer focus. On "Light and Life," an elegant display of moody pianism, Witham proves that he can hold his own with little in the way of accompaniment. His touch is light and his ideas are pleasing but never cloying. He has the chops to make a solo-piano record, yet he is too much of a conceptualist to devote himself to such a single-minded pursuit. He is, in other words, a complete artist, someone who does things because he can—such as L.A. session work—not because he must.


text:
Barbiegurl777 wrote:
If bird mania does get a sequel for the 3ds will it have online leaderboards? & Online play?
I'd get the IOS version but don't have an iphone more prefer gaming on 3ds. Sorry...
Happy Gaming! (^_^)
Most of our forthcoming 3DS games have online leaderboards (it's now a regular feature of our engine) so if we release a sequel you can count on this. The team that created Bird Mania is now focused on mobile editions of the game but a sequel is still a possibility.
Edited on by Teyon
Teyon - Software & Entertainment
Follow us:


text:
Hank Aaron: Obama's Foes Act Like KKK
James Wright | 4/9/2014, 3:46 p.m.
Hank Aaron, who celebrated the 40th anniversary of his breaking Babe Ruth's career home run record on Tuesday, delved into politics when he said that Republicans who oppose the Affordable Care Act are acting like the Ku Klux Klan.
"Sure this country has a black president, but when you look at a black president, President Obama is left with his foot stuck in the mud from all of the Republicans with the way he's treated," The 80-year-old Hall of Famer said. "The bigger difference is that back then they had hoods. Now they have neckties and starched shirts."
Aaron said that America needs to work on healing its racial wounds.
"To remind myself that we are not that far removed from when I was chasing the record," he said. "If you think that, you are fooling yourself. A lot of things have happened in this country, but we have so far to go."
Aaron received hordes of racist letters during his chase of Ruth's record in 1974. Barry Bonds has since broken Aaron's record.


text:
E.J. Dionne: Romney's Economic Plans Are Radical Because They Don't Include Goverment
In Liberal World, the only entity that can truly make the economy grow is The Government
Romney's principled, radical view for America
It turns out that there is at least one question on which Mitt Romney is not a flip-flopper: He has a utopian view of what an unfettered, lightly taxed market economy can achieve.
He would never put it this way, of course, but his approach looks forward by looking backward to the late 19th century, when government let market forces rip and a conservative Supreme Court swept aside as unconstitutional almost every effort to write rules for the economic game. This magical capitalism is the centerpiece of Romney's campaign, and it may prove to be his undoing.
The 1900's weren't a perfect century economy wise: there were 4 big panics. But, the period from 1865 to 1900 are referred to as the "Gilded Age" in which "Many Americans came to idealize these businessmen who amassed vast financial empires." And "The Gilded Age saw the greatest period of economic growth in American history." And "From 1869 to 1879, the US economy grew at a rate of 6.8% for real GDP and 4.5% for real GDP per capita, despite the panic of 1873." Sounds like a pretty good age, eh? People
Here's Romney's problem. His best strategy is to cast President Obama as a failure because the economy has not come all the way back from the implosion of 2008. The most effective passages in his well-reviewed speech after his primary victories Tuesday were about the shortcomings of the status quo.
"Is it easier to make ends meet?" Romney asked. "Is it easier to sell your home or buy a new one? Have you saved what you needed for retirement? Are you making more at your job? Do you have a better chance to get a better job? Are you paying less at the pump?"
And E.J. blows right by those two paragraphs, not offering any sort of defense of Obama/Democrat policies, especially in light of saying that Romney's problem is to cast (NMP) Obama as an economic failure. Not quite sure how that is a problem, Obama is a miserable failure. And he eats dogs.
But Romney, unlike Clinton, is not offering a program through which government would take specific steps to solve the problems he catalogues. Instead, he is calling on voters to share his faith that our difficulties would go away if the state simply got out of the way, allowed the market do its thing and counted on the success of the successful to lift up everyone else.
And there you go: Romney is radical for not pushing a government driven economy. Perhaps Romney has simply witnessed the malfeasance, recklessness, and incompetence of Central Government planning within the economy. The waste of trillions of dollars on failed projects which, furthermore, added enormous amounts of borrowed money to the debt and deficit. Oh, and saddled the US with huge unfunded mandates.
Romney is right in saying he has "a very different vision" from Obama's, and this is where the magic comes in. He envisions "an America driven by freedom, where free people, pursuing happiness in their own unique ways, create free enterprises that employ more and more Americans. And because there are so many enterprises that are succeeding, the competition for hardworking, educated, skilled employees is intense, so wages and salaries rise."
Damn him, damn him to Hell! What the heck does Romney think he's pushing with this silly freedom crap? Doesn't he know that Los Federales know best? I just can't vote for anyone who lives so far in the past and believes in freedom. Chump.
Just like that, all would be well – as if we never needed the trust-busting of the Progressive Era, the social legislation of the New Deal, the health programs of the Great Society and the coordinated action of the world's governments in 2008 and 2009 to keep the Great Recession from becoming something far worse.
And all those mentioned led to the modern mega-Central Government, in which too much government interference leads to the issue never being fixed. Things have to bottom out. Right now, most of the world is simply puttering along. Perhaps sputtering would be better. Perhaps E.J. could opine on Obama's plan, which seems to revolve around raising taxes, spending more taxpayer money on projects that are bound to fail, and…..well, that's it.
Crossed at Pirate's Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.
Also see...
Even though my father, brother, uncles and grandfather were in the military, I seldom handled guns growing up. That's because unlike many of the other people in my family, I've...Read More
William Teach
Related Articles
Is Obama's Commie 'Green Czar' A Quitter… Just Like Palin?
Obama made a huge mistake thinking that everyone in America hates their own country just like Reverend Wright, the killer
The Truth About the Balanced Budget
Truth In Accounting had an incredibly important 50 state study that needs to be broadcast far and wide. It shows
Teamsters Chief Says 'Public Option' Not Vital to Healthcare Reform
James P. Hoffa is now saying that if Obama pulls the "public option" out of his healthcare bill, it is


text:
- Law Office of Irina N. Goldberg
- The Law Office of Irina N. Goldberg is a Boutique tax law practice focusing on IRS and California civil tax and criminal tax controversy disputes. Our mission is to provide taxpayers with affordable and personalized assistance in dealing with aggressive federal and state taxing agencies. Call (760) 815-6220 or email firstname.lastname@example.com to schedule your free consultation
Monday, May 27, 2013
IRS to Pursue "Quiet" Disclosure of Foreign Income
US taxpayers have different reasons for not disclosing their foreign bank accounts (by filing FBARs). While some taxpayers are intentionally hiding foreign income to avoid paying US taxes, many just don't know that they are required to disclose their account and pay taxes on the interest income. Some of these individuals are foreign born US citizens maintaining a bank account in their country of origin. Others are US citizen living overseas. Uninformed or not, during the last few years the US government has made it a priority to crack down on offshore tax evasion.
As part of this effort, the US enacted the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act which requires foreign financial institutes to report to the IRS information about financial accounts held by U.S. taxpayers. As a result of this enactment, the risk of an audit for individuals with foreign bank accounts increased substantially.
In 2009, the IRS introduced its first Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP) to encourage individuals to voluntarily disclose their foreign bank accounts. As part of the deal offered by the program, the IRS agreed not to audit or criminally prosecute these individuals in exchange for the payment of taxes, penalties and interest on any undisclosed income and a one time 20% penalty on the highest balance in the foreign bank account (lower penalties are available if special circumstances are met). Due to the success of the first OVDP, the IRS reintroduced the OVDP in 2010 with a 25% highest balance penalty and in 2011 with a 27.5% penalty.
As the penalties under the OVDP increase each year, more taxpayers are opting to instead come clean through a "quiet" disclosure. A "quiet" disclosure" means that taxpayers amend their past tax returns and FBARS without actually coming forward under the OVDP and paying the penalty on the highest balance. As a result, the government misses out on billions of dollars in revenue.
This month, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the "congressional watchdog," issued a report urging the IRS to pursue those taxpayers making "quiet" disclosures. The report, titled Offshore Tax Evasion. IRS Has Collected Billions of Dollars, but May be Missing Continued Evasion, found that as of December 2012, the OVDP programs have resulted in over 39,000 disclosure and over $5.5 billion in revenue. Furthermore,while the IRS has also detected some taxpayers trying to avoid paying taxes, interest and penalties, many attempts have been missed. The GAO found many more potential "quiet" disclosures than the IRS detected by analyzing amended returns from 2003-2008 and matching them to available information about taxpayer offshore activities. The GAO concluded that the act of "amending past returns or reporting on current returns previously unreported offshore accounts, results in lost revenue and undermines the programs' effectiveness."
The GAO recommended that in addition to identifying and educating taxpayers about their reporting requirements, the IRS should "explore options for employing a methodology to more effectively detect and pursue 'quiet' disclosures." The IRS has agreed to adopt these recommendations.
Currently, in the OVDP question and answer section, the IRS urges taxpayers who have already made a "quiet" disclosure to take advantage of the penalty framework provided by the OVDP. The IRS warns that those taxpayers making a "quiet" disclosure should be aware of the risk of being examined and potentially criminally prosecuted for all applicable years (question #15).
Although it is uncertain what methodology the IRS will adopt to ferret out "quiet" disclosures, it is likely that the risks may no longer be worth taking.
This content is not intended as legal advice, and cannot be relied upon for any purpose without the services of a qualified professional.
2 comments:
Need more people like you to speak out Irina!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 7, 2013 at 5:03 AM
My son was born in Japan, US citizen by default, thanks to Japanese law at the time, but has never lived in the US and is now a Japanese municipal civil servant. Yet he is supposed to report to the IRS for the rest of his life or be penalized. It's a national disgrace.ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
January/February 2006
Bunny Berigan: Elusive Legend of Jazz
There's a moment on Tommy Dorsey's RCA Victor recording of "Marie" when time seems to stand still. It's when trumpeter Bunny Berigan steps forward to the solo microphone after Jack Leonard's vocal and creates one of the memorable moments of the swing era. It's a solo of such symmetry, lyricism and logic that Dorsey later had it arranged for the whole trumpet section, making it stand out in almost luminous brilliance. Yet until Robert Dupuis' biography little was known of this apparently charming man who treated his huge gift so lightly that he was dead through drink by the age of 33.
Dupuis charts the ups and downs of this life engaged to disaster with engaging clarity and affection: the early years as a first-call New York session musician, his famous stints in the bands of Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey, where he created classic solos seemingly at will, his affair with singer Lee Wiley and his own doomed big band, which produced just one hit, "I Can't Get Started." Dupuis' biography shines light into a forgotten corner of jazz history to reveal a portrait of a genuine talent that provides a valuable counterpoint to the music of this now-forgotten trumpet master.


text:
Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan (original 2009; edition 2010)
by Jake Adelstein
Work details
Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein (2009)
No current Talk conversations about this book.
This was an interesting, yet disjointed memoir. I will warn readers that it is very graphic. This is not a cozy topic and it is not written as a cozy memoir. Adelstein describes everything clearly, even if he is not painting himself in a good light. I appreciated the honesty of the book and that's what kept me going when things got confusing. The story for the most part is chronological, but sometimes large chunks of time were chopped out without a clear transition to the next episode. Overall, though, it was an interesting memoir.
Hard boiled, almost detective like. Japan is weird and being a crime reporter there is even weirder.
This is a bit of an odd one. Non-fiction, written by an American newspaper reporter called Jake Adelstein.
No, me neither.
When I say 'American newspaper reporter', I mean, he's American and he was a newspaper reporter, but in Japan. To be honest, it isn't at all clear just how he came to be in Japan, or why he was previously there long enough to have learned enough of the language, to want to consider trying to get a job on one of Tokyo's leading newspapers. He does rather just jump into the 'story' and almost seems to assume you already know why he was in Japan and what his background is. What does come over well is his love of all things Japanese and inner workings of their society. But I could have done with a bit more background there, to try and explain his motivation, I felt.
Anyway, the 'story', what it is, is basically a collection of linked, roughly chronological recollections of his life as a reporter on the 'Yomiuri Shinbun' Newspaper in Tokyo. They lead to (and are book-ended by), the story of his exposure of human trafficking, money laundering, corruption in general and the downfall of Japan's leading organised crime bosses. But note, he had to leave his job as a reported on this newspaper (Japan's leading paper as far as I could grasp), to complete and publish his exposé. The paper and Japanese publishers in general wouldn't touch it. Fearing the 'Yakuza' crime syndicates too much.
The un-written rules on how you greet someone, how you find your place in what is a very animal-kingdom-like pecking order system, and even down to how you present someone with your business card, are fine and interesting and probably something we could learn from. But when they basically don't want to prosecute people for crimes which we take for granted are crimes which demand prosecution - and successful prosecution...I kind of lose interest.
For instance, in the acknowledgements at the end, he thanks an FBI agent friend (not a Japanese law enforcement official, note) "...for his hard work in getting Japan to partially ban child pornography." Note also 'partially.' And the book is published in 2009. Way to go, Japan!
The interesting part(s) are the insights into Japanese culture and morals. The frenetic working methods of Japanese newspapers, the lengths they are expected to go to, the sacrifices to their health, their lives and their bank balances they are expected to make, are quite extraordinary. Whilst I've no real experience of how Western newspaper journalists work (apart from the recent phone-tapping scandals and a general cynicism), I can appreciate that Japanese journalists are expected to work in a way that is very, very different. The interesting thought proces for me, was to wonder how their society is, if this is considered unremarkably normal. Just the way it is. But that was me thinking, not the book telling me anything. These 'behind the scenes' sections do work really well. Unfortunately, and it could just be me, but what seems to have been his motivation for writing this book, the human trafficking angle and exposing the dirty secrets of Japanese organised crime bosses, while of course perfectly reasonable, isn't really that interesting. It's fine that that was reason for writing the book of course, but without any idea of who the people are or any kind if pre-knowledge of the crime-traditions and culture they represent, it's hard to build up enough righteous indignation to care all that much. I remained too detached and not as involved as I'm sure he would have hoped his reader would be.
The book is all very fine. Perfectly readable, with many interesting insights that will hold your attention. But if you're looking at it from the angle of questioning if it delivers on the premis he presumably had for writing it, then I would have to say, it fails.
(In case you're wondering how I got hold of the book and why I read it, when it's clearly nothing I'm particularly interested in: I got it as an e-book file from a friend's visit earlier on this year and looking at the cover, I clearly expected it to be more of an Elmore Leonard crime noir exposé than it turned out to be).
Very interesting book which is partly a memoir of the author's time as a journalist covering the police beat, and partly an account of his attempts to expose one of the Yakuza chiefs. It is funny in parts, but also very dark in parts.
There's something to be said for firsts, even if the only thing to be said there is that you can probably get a book out of that first if it's notable enough. Fortunately, that's not all that Jake Adelstein has going for him in Tokyo Vice - the story itself is also quite good. Adelstein was the first white reporter for the Japanese edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun, the biggest and most prestigious newspaper in Japan. Adelstein takes us from his first moment of deciding to try to join the newspaper and the employment process, through learning to be a police reporter in Saitama, before moving into Tokyo and taking on life in the big city. There's a good amount in here in the early parts of people reacting to this white Jewish guy from Missouri showing up as a reporter, but as Adelstein gets more accustomed to his job, the stories of being a reporter and the more lurid side of Japan come forward more. And in the end, Adelstein ends up pursuing a story regarding the #1 yakuza in Japan at the time, and his work leads him to receive death threats. (Note: this is the prologue of the book, and thus not a spoiler.)
A lot of this sounds fairly typical of these sorts of guy-makes-the-beat-and-then-gets-in-over-his-head stories, I suppose, but it's really done well here, and there are a lot of details that make the story quite fascinating, at least if you're interested in Japan stuff. The workplace scenes at the newspaper at the beginning, as he learns about his coworkers and how things are done, how to build up contacts and what goes into keeping them are well-observed, and then later on, when we hear about life in the Tokyo red-light district, it's sobering and harsh, but presented clearly and with the viewpoint of the police contact telling Adelstein about it. I have to say, I really did quite like the writing. It had a lot of impact - funny when it was supposed to be, disturbing and horrifying on call, and then always clear. As I suppose befits a journalist.
It sounds odd to say, but I liked a lot of the characters (or real people) in the book, and particularly Adelstein's mentor, and the Alien Cop. But I really did like the way Adelstein himself slowly and subtly changed over the course of the book, from someone who was doing this because it seemed interesting and he wanted a job in Japan, but whose Japanese wasn't really that great and was clearly an outsider, to someone who knew lots of the connections in organized crime and became so part of Japan that he couldn't really go undercover as a foreigner anymore. And it helps, then, this dual inside/outside status, when he gets involved in investigations of human trafficking in the last parts of the book - the real, horrible record of it in Japan, and his connection to and feelings towards the women involved leading to breaking him down, and roughening his methods. It's all well done, and informative.
On the whole, Tokyo Vice was a fairly fast, engaging read, with a good amount of informative kick, and an interesting, ground-breaking lead to follow. It's definitely worth a read if you're into Japan stuff, or if you like newspaper or crime stories. There's a lot here to offer, and while it's not always enjoyable, I don't think you'd regret trying it.
References to this work on external resources.
Wikipedia in English (3)
Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0307378799, Hardcover)A Q&A with Jake Adelstein
Question: What drew you to Japan in the first place, and how did you wind up going to university there?
Jake Adelstein: In high school I had many problems with anger and self-control. I had been studying Zen Buddhism and karate, and I thought Japan would be the perfect place to reinvent myself. It could be that my pointy right ear draws me toward neo-Vulcan pursuits--I don't know.
When I got to Japan, I managed to find lodgings in a Soto Zen Buddhist temple where I lived for three years, attending zazen meditation at least once a week. I didn't become enlightened, but I did get a better hold on myself.
Question: How did you become a journalist for the most popular Japanese-language newspaper?
Jake Adelstein: The Yomiuri Shinbun runs a standardized test, open to all college students. Many Japanese firms hire young grads this way. My friends thought that the idea of a white guy trying to pass a Japanese journalist's exam was so impossibly quixotic that I wanted to prove them wrong. I spent an entire year eating instant ramen and studying. I managed to find the time to do it by quitting my job as an English teacher and working as a Swedish-massage therapist for three overworked Japanese women two days a week. It turned out to be a slightly sleazy gig, but it paid the bills.
There was a point when I was ready to give up studying and the application process. Then, when I was in Kabukicho on June 22, 1992, I asked a tarot fortune-telling machine for advice on my career path, and it said that with my overpowering morbid curiosity I was destined to become a journalist, a job at which I would flourish, and that fate would be on my side. I took that as a good sign. I still have the printout.
I did well enough on the initial exam to get to the interviews, and managed to stumble my way through that process and get hired. I think I was an experimental case that turned out reasonably well.
Question: How did you succeed in uncovering the underworld in a country that is famously "closed" or restricted to foreigners? Do you think people talked more openly to you because you were American?
Jake Adelstein: I think Japan is actually more open than people give it credit for. However, to get the door open, you really need to become fluent in the spoken and written language. The written language was a nightmare for me.
You're right, though; it was mostly an advantage to be a foreigner--it made me memorable. The yakuza are outsiders in Japanese society, and perhaps being a fellow outsider gave us a weird kind of bond. The cops investigating the yakuza also tend to be oddballs. I was mentored into an early understanding and appreciation of the code of both the yakuza and the cops. Reciprocity and honor are essential components for both.
I also think the fact that I'm too stupid to be afraid when I should be, and annoyingly persistent as well--these things didn't help me in long-term romance, but they helped me as a crime reporter.
Question: Do you feel that investigative journalism is being threatened or aided by the expansion of the Internet and news blogs, and the closing down of many printed newspapers?
Jake Adelstein: In one sense it is being threatened because investigative journalism is rarely a solo project. It requires huge amounts of resources, capital, and time to really do one story correctly. Legal costs and FOIA documents are expensive things. The bigger the target, the greater the risk and the more money is required. The second-biggest threat to investigative journalism is crooked lawyers and corporate shills who sue as a harassment tactic. In general, it's rather hard and time-consuming to be an army of one. It took me almost three years to break the story about yakuza receiving liver transplants at UCLA on my own. The costs in financial terms were immense, and so were the losses along the way. A team of reporters could have done the work much faster, probably.
However, these things said, blogging is also a great source of news that might go unreported, or be overlooked, by the mainstream media. Twitter, too, has had an interesting impact, actually helping a journalist get out of jail in the case of James Karl Buck. We're beginning to see kind of a public option in investigative journalism, too--such as things like ProPublica. They do an awesome job at investigative journalism, partly through donations, and they have a great web site. So the Internet is not all bad for investigative journalism, as long as we proceed with caution and forethought. At the same time, real intelligence-gathering work actually requires you to put down your cell phone and your computer and get off your ass and meet people in the real world. As odious as it may be, we have to sift through garbage, pound the pavement, and visit the scene of the crime. Not all answers can be found in front of a keyboard, or on Google, and the "it's all in the database" mentality is the bane of reporting and often generates shoddy reporting.
The individual journalist can do great investigative work--it's just a lot harder, and usually financially difficult to do unless you're independently wealthy, like Bruce Wayne. Most of us don't have the time or the resources or the luxury of holding down a day job and doing investigative journalism on the side, as a hobby.
Question: What do you hope your American audience can learn from your book?
Jake Adelstein: I think everyone will take away something different from the book. I suppose you can learn a lot about how journalism works in Japan, how the police work, and how the yakuza work. I would also hope that people take away from the book an understanding of some of the things I really like about Japan and the Japanese, things like reciprocity, honor, loyalty, and stoic suffering. I think in Japan, I learned how important it is to keep your word, to never forget your debts--and not just the financial ones--and to make repayment in due course. Perhaps that's what honor is all about.
There's a word in Japanese, hanmen kyoshi, which means, more or less, "the teacher who teaches by his bad example." At times, I'm an excellent hanmen kyoshi in the book.
Everything I've learned that's important to me is in the book somewhere. I hope there's something universal in the contents beyond just making people aware of cultural differences between the United States and Japan, or reiterating the importance and value of investigative journalism. Like a book I would choose to read to my children, I hope there's some kind of moral to it all. Maybe the real lesson is to be kind and helpful to the people you care about whenever you can, because it's good for them, and good for you, and your time with them may be much shorter than you imagined.
(Photo © Michael Lionstar)
(retrieved from Amazon Thu, 12 Mar 2015 18:21:22 -0400)
From the only American journalist ever to have been admitted to the insular Tokyo Metropolitan Police press club: a unique, firsthand, revelatory look at Japanese culture from the underbelly up. For twelve years of eighty-hour workweeks, he covered the seedy side of Japan--extortion, murder, human trafficking, and corruption. Here, he tells the riveting, often humorous tale of his journey from an inexperienced cub reporter to a daring investigative journalist with a yakuza price on his head. With its visceral descriptions of crime in Japan and an exploration of the world of modern-day yakuza that even few Japanese ever see, this is a fascination, and an education.--From publisher description.… (more)
(summary from another edition)
Amazon Kindle (3 editions)
Audible (2 editions)
CD Audiobook (0 editions)
Project Gutenberg (0 editions)
Google Books — Loading...
Popular covers
2 editions of this book were published by Audible.com.
Penguin Australia
An edition of this book was published by Penguin Australia.
Is this you?
Become a LibraryThing Author.


text:
Classy and elegant wedding at Musée des Beaux Arts
I met Julia and her mother at the beginning of the summer at a café downtown. The wedding was July 17th 2010 and the reception was at the Musée des Beaux Arts, but best of all the planner was our friend Azar at Principal Planner.
The indications were quite simple: classy and elegant, white and green, and using callas and limes. Adding curly willow branches and white hydrangeas to the mix really softened things up. We used two different types of centerpieces to create movement in the room, one tall and one low, both looked amazing and the existing trees gave a very whimsical effect to this great party!
Wishing all the best to Julia and Alex!
Photos credits : Davina + Daniel


text:
Shop the Look
full size
Product Details
Proof that denim is appropriate for every occasion. This slim sheath dress features a classic dark denim wash that goes with everything. We like it on its own or layered over fitted turtlenecks for cooler weather.
Size & Fit Details
Denim sheath dress
Denim sheath dress is rated out of 5 by 26.
Rated 5 out of 5 by LuvJcrew from Super cute dress This dress is really cute! It's stretchy enough to be forgiving, but it has a nicely defined waist. Fabric is thick enough that it skims rather than being clingy, but it's light and flexible enough that you can move around easily. It gives me an hourglass shape and looks great! It's slightly above the knee on me at 5'5" and 130 pounds, and I got a size 4.
Date published: 2016-10-24
Rated 5 out of 5 by bluebellegem from I wish I could give this more than five stars I am baffled that there are any negative reviews about this item. I have to say this has to be the most perfect dress JCrew has designed in years. In fact, I walked into work today and one of my co-workers exclaimed "WOW" and immediately asked where I had purchased this stunner. The compliments didn't stop there. Not only is the fit PERFECT!!!!!!! But that fabric and comfort are spectacular. JCrew, you outdid yourself with this. THANK YOU. For reference, I'm 5'7" 115lbs and the 00 was a perfect fit. I'm certain nothing going forward will impress me the way this does and I'm a frequent JCrew shopper, but I'm hopeful.
Date published: 2016-10-09
Rated 5 out of 5 by Bookworm416 from Fabulous addition to your closet This denim sheath dress is a great basic to add to your closet. The fit is perfect, not too tight and the fabric has some stretch. It is a three-season item. You could wear with a cotton blouse or sweater with tights and boots or wear as is with flats or sandals. It is a great travel piece, the stretch makes it very comfortable. Highly recommend.
Date published: 2016-10-06
Rated 5 out of 5 by Michelle from Perfect Dress This dress fits perfectly! I've been looking for a tailored denim dress, and this is it. I would love if the cut would be used for a different fabric as well. Lovely dress!
Date published: 2016-10-02
Rated 5 out of 5 by Shoeluver from Great Dress I disagree with the previous review. I am 5"8 and the length is just below the knee as pictured. Great dress. Stretchy denim. Great staple to wear year round.
Date published: 2016-09-22


text:
Sculptor's clay : typescript, by Dorothy Grafly, [undated] /
Grafly, Dorothy, b. 1896 d. 1980
Art critic, Author
Active in Philadelphia, Pa.
Collection size: 329 p. (on partial microfilm reel)
Collection Summary: A manuscript by Dorothy Grafly concerning her father, Charles Grafly.
Biographical/Historical Note: Art critic, author; Philadelphia, Penn. Died 1980. Dorothy Grafly's father, Charles Grafly, was an art instructor and sculptor, trained in Philadelphia. He taught at the Pennsylvania Academy, Drexel Institute, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Lent for microfilming 1985 by the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
How to Use this Collection
- Microfilm reel 3658 available at Archives of American Art offices, through interlibrary loan and at the Free Library of Philadelphia.
- The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
- For more information on using the Archives' resources, see the FAQ or Ask Us.


text:
Although McLaren were dominant, 1984 was a close season – the closest ever, in fact, with Niki Lauda sneaking the title from team-mate Alain Prost by just half a point.
The video review provides a good dose of retro turbo action (though there were some unexciting races) and some very interesting historical events.
The legendary wet Monaco race when the race was stopped as a then-unknown Ayrton Senna hauled in Prost while Stefan Bellof reeled them both in.
The one-off race in Dallas saw the circuit disintegrate in the awesome heat, and Nigel Mansell melodramatically collapsed while pushing his Lotus across the line.
Clive James lends his usual dry sarcasm and informed commentary, which is a relief given that these earlier videos are very hit-and-miss in terms of commentary quality.
A few notable points are not given adequate mention though – Martin Brundle's leg-breaking accident at Dallas being an important one, as many say this spoiled the momentum of his early career.
Though we learn of Tyrrell's disqualification from the championship, we do not get an explanation why.
1984 wasn't a vintage season, but there's some good action and a down-to-the-wire title chase. Keep an eye out for it.
Best bit: "He looked for a nice, quiet place to park where the sporting spectators wouldn't throw stones at him, but he couldn't find one, and they did." James on McLaren driver Prost's retirement at Ferrari-mad Monza.
F1 Fanatic verdict
- "What Doesn't Kill You…": Herbert's F1 memoir reviewed
- Motorsport Manager: The F1 Fanatic review
- "Total Competition" by Brawn and Parr reviewed
- "F1 How It Was" video reviewed
- Stirling Moss: The Definitive Biography volume one reviewed
- Watching the Wheels by Damon Hill reviewed
- F1 2016: The F1 Fanatic review
- Ferrari 312T Haynes Manual review
- Williams FW14B and Lotus 98T Haynes manuals reviewed
- 27: Patrick Tambay – The Ferrari Years review


text:
News from the San Francisco Zen Center (first appeared in the Sangha News section of their website). Thanks to Wendy Lewis and David Zimmerman for permission to republish this tidbit of news to everyone. After nine years of abbacy at Zen Center, Ryushin Paul Haller stepped down as City Center Abbot in a formal Stepping Down Ceremony in the Buddha ...Read More »
Home » Tag Archives: Do-An Robert Thomas
Thomas, Do-An Robert
Do-An Robert Thomas has been practicing Zen Buddhism since 1993, was ordained as a Soto Zen priest in 2000, and received Dharma transmission from Zoketsu Norman Fischer in 2009. He has been the president of the San Francisco Zen Center since 2005, overseeing the three temples: Tassajara, Green Gulch Farm, and the City Center in San Francisco. He has taught ...Read More »