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Navigating life while following my daughter.
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Me, Then
I don't remember watching a lot of movies when I was a child. That's probably mostly because a VCR wasn't even in our household until the early 1980s, and we didn't go to the movies very often. Suffice it to say, there are plenty more options for all of us today.
I do remember going to the drive-in a few times. Going anywhere in the car while in your PJs was always a fun adventure as a child. The double feature usually played the G/PG movie first, then the R rated one after the kids were (hopefully) asleep in the back seat. Sadly, I forget what the movies were for my brother and me, but I remember seeing parts of the movies my parents were there to see: Arthur (1981) with Dudley Moore, and Tootsie (1982) with Dustin Hoffman. I think they might have also seen An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) with Richard Gere, and possibly Private Benjamin (1980) with Goldie Hawn, but I haven't verified that yet. My mom used to make a huge brown paper bag of popcorn for us all to share. That was the best part. I hope it's an experience that I can give to M someday, though it's becoming harder as drive-ins disappear.
E.T. was the only movie that I can distinctly remember seeing in a theater. Since it was released in 1982, I must have been around eight years old, and I'm pretty certain I saw it at a theater while we were visiting relatives in Ohio. I was utterly wowed and moved to tears by the story. Still am. Oh, how I loved Gertie.
We didn't see a lot of Disney movies growing up. I used to jokingly give my mom a hard time about that later on. Honestly, I think it's part of the reason I am not as fired up about Disney as some other folks might be. It just wasn't a big portion of my childhood, and certainly nothing like it is for today's children. One Disney movie I do clearly remember is Jungle Book. I remember loving it very much. We bought a copy for M a year ago. She wasn't impressed. The only other two that come to mind are 101 Dalmatians and The Rescuers, which I recall as being kind of scary.
Once my parents purchased the VCR, it was a game changer. I remember going to the movie rental store quite a bit and that sense of anticipation of what we might walk out with. It just felt so incredibly awesome to say your family had a VCR and talk about movies that you rented. Only a few movies come to mind from that time period (say ages 7-10) though. Annie (1982), Mr. Mom (1983), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), War Games (1983), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), and certainly the various Superman and Star Wars movies.
I'm not even sure if all of these were viewed on the VCR, but they certainly standout out as the seminal movies of my childhood. They are, in my mind, the classics. And between you and me, they just don't make them like they used to.
Her, Now
M has not had a very robust movie watching experience so far, though granted she will only be seven in September. But it's not for lack of movies or attempts at trying. To be honest, until Frozen came along, she just wasn't that interested in and/or too afraid of most movies, with one huge exception: Gnomeo and Juliet. That was last summer, when she was about to turn six. We bought the DVD because we had heard it was cute (though I know plenty of people who think it's lame; I really like it, actually). To say she was obsessed with that movie (as well as the soundtrack) is an understatement. She learned every single song in under a week. Elton John was in heavy rotation last year.
The same thing happened with Frozen this year, times infinity.
Speaking of infinity (and beyond), she didn't finish Toy Story. She found it creepy. Right at the same part I did: that weird doll head on spider legs/wheels. Yeesh—that thing creeps me out just thinking about it!
Her first movie theater movie was Winnie the Pooh (2011) when she was weeks shy of four years old. The only reason we even went to the movies was because we were on vacation in Rhode Island during an unusual heat wave; being in 103 degrees was not fun and we were desperate to find cool. I remember that she wasn't even heavy enough to keep the seat down by herself. Her next movie theater experience wasn't until Frozen came out.
As I mentioned above, she didn't like Jungle Book either, though now as an adult I can see why it might not be that interesting to a young child who is aware of the more flashier graphics and story lines these days. She only liked Annie, Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid. We didn't get very far into Mary Poppins or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (which I chose because she seems to like movies with a lot of singing) before calling it quits. She has no desire to see Despicable Me or Cars, so we're the last people on the planet to have not seen those. She still hasn't seen Brave, but she has recently said that she wants to, so we might make that a movie day during summer vacation. Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast? Hasn't watched, could care less.
Like me, she, at least right now, seems to likes shorter and more predictable (read: safe, formulaic) visual stories, like those that are found in television shows rather than movies, or repeat viewings (ad nauseam) of the movies she already knows. Maybe it's an attention span thing too (for both of us). That's not to say that I don't like movies, but just ask my husband how painfully long it takes for me to finally agree to watch a movie with him. Our dusty Netflix pile would also give you an idea. I also, honestly, don't find a lot of the movies today all that compelling or interesting, save for a very few. Which is why, I suppose, I turn to my "safe" movies, like Legally Blonde. I just can't seem to let it go.
What movies do you remember first seeing as a child? Have you shown them to your children? Were they totally bored out of their minds?
Next week in Me + Her, Then + Now: Telephones and communication
And, last but certainly not least, HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all those fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and father figures out there. You're doing a great job. Thank you.
Copyright (c) 2014 Kristen M. Ploetz
When it comes to forms of entertainment, I'm not a huge movie person, at least not in the sense of keeping up with new releases or following foreign or independent films. I pretty much never know what movies they're talking about at the Oscars, give or take a title or two. Don't get me wrong, if Legally Blonde or Sixteen Candles or some other mindless but beloved movie is on television, it won't matter that I've seen it 21,927 times. I will get distracted by it and watch it again. And again. My husband is amused by this habit. But then I remind him about his equal commitment to Major League and he pipes down.
But I generally don't seek out the new (or better) stuff. The fact that we just watched Moneyball and Iron Man 2 during the past quarter is groundbreaking. Netflix surely must buy another copy of whatever movie they've sent us in our queue just because they know it will be parked in our mail pile for months. Every time we actually go to a movie theater—which has generally been limited to the releases in the Lord of the Rings series—the ticket price is usually $4 more than the previous outing. I'm guessing I will need a mortgage for The Hobbit?
So we're not movie people, generally speaking.
I also did not grow up with too many Disney movies in my own childhood, except I do remember seeing Jungle Book in the movie theater in Ohio when I was little. Of course access to movies was a lot different then in the pre-VCR/DVD/Blu-Ray/Netflix/Red Box/streaming days, but I certainly missed out on some of the classics nonetheless.
This is all, in part, probably why we didn't expose M to movies until a few months before she turned 4 last summer. In fact, she saw her first DVD movie (Little Mermaid) and movie theater movie (Winnie the Pooh) last summer on vacation. Then she watched Cinderella in the fall, followed by A Bug's Life last month. And yesterday we watched Jungle Book, four months after receiving it from me for Christmas. That's it. She's seen five movies.
Correction: Five and a half movies. She got through half of The Fox and the Hound before she realized that something might go awry in the fox-dog friend dynamic. Then she asked us to turn it off. So we did.
I am fairly certain this list of movies is FAR less than most other 4.5 year olds.
But it isn't for lack of us allowing or offering them. Not that we're pushing movies on her like a drug dealer—though I fully admit to suggesting it more often on long, rainy days when we've got cabin fever and I just need a mental break—but we certainly have offered more over the past year to have "movie nights" or watch any of the several borrowed Disney titles from M's aunt. Almost without exception, she declines. Nope. She'd rather play.
And I'm not talking about rejecting mundane movies that fit into our social values or that no one would want to sit through. I'm talking about Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Movies that I am not a huge personal fan of, but I know are among K-Prep pop culture. We offered to let her watch some of those just to see if it was the type of movie she was rejecting, rather than movies as entire genre.
Not interested.
Considering her interest and intrigue in the princess culture (not to mention how little we let her watch TV to begin with), I have to admit this rejection had me very confused. Here we were offering her full access to the very movies that the wands, dress up clothes, tiaras, toothbrushes and every other marketable item are predicated on (and which she is strongly attracted to), and yet she does not want to watch them. Hmmm….
It's not that we think she needs to see movies in the sense that she will not be a complete person. I may not do as well at Trivial Pursuit or Jeopardy because I've seen a microscopic fraction of the movies ever made, but I don't feel like less of a person. I get my kicks in other ways, that's all. But as M grows closer to five and beyond, I know there are just some movies that for nostalgic or pop culture reasons—not to mention vague social currency—she's close to the right age to see some of them now and might actually enjoy them.
Admittedly, it also gives me a slight pang when I see the unintended results of her short movie resume, particularly when her friends want to reenact movies that they have seen but she has not. She wants to play with princesses or whatever with them, but takes her own view of what the characters might do. I love, love, love seeing her like this as an independent thinker. I love that she isn't confined by the movie's parameters, simply because she doesn't know them. But then I see her peers not really engaging with her when she does that because she's not clued in and following the "script", much less aware of some of the tenor of dialogue presented in these movies. My sense is that they feel like she isn't as worldly as they are and she is somewhat marginalized because of it. How much she is aware that it's happening, I'm not sure. In my mind, what you've seen on TV or in the movies shouldn't be the price of admission for play, but the sad reality is that it often is in today's media obsessed culture. I know she's young and that over time she'll find friends more like her and none of this will really matter, but when you see your kid being considered "square" on some level by her friends at such a young age all because of what she's not seen on TV or in the movies, you feel for her.
No doubt, it's got me to wondering why she doesn't seem interested in movies, even the "eye candy" type that are typical girl fare. And then yesterday while we were watching Jungle Book—I thought she might like it because it is nostalgic to me being the one movie I do remember seeing as a kid, at her current age no less—it became clear to me what the problem is.
She's afraid something "bad" is going to happen. You can see it in her body language and the way she demands that we sit next to each other with no room between us. And she asks a hundred questions throughout the entire movie, the predominate one being "Is something bad going to happen?"
She's worried about seeing or hearing someone get hurt, not just physically hurt but emotionally as well. I think I've said before that she has some highly sensitive traits. She teared up the first time she watched Cinderella when the two step-sisters were talking unkindly to Cinderella. She covered her ears when the music got loud in A Bug's Life. Her focus on the first half of Jungle Book was what happened to Mowgli's mother, as in did she drown or why did she give him up as a baby? She was truly concerned about this aspect of the story.
Yet, any story worth its salt has conflict. That's what makes it a story. In kid films, most of these conflicts are subtle and resolved, usually without gore and violence. You often get to take away a lesson from the story, or, at the very least, the idea that notwithstanding whatever conflict is at hand, people can still survive and move forward. They can pick up the pieces and make it through the tough times. Good versus evil. All metaphors about life, amped up with colorful animation and an Alan Menken or Randy Newman soundtrack that gets stuck in your head for weeks.
Which makes answering her question hard on a few levels. Of course I know the plots of and endings to these stories. Yes, something "bad" is going to happen, but being a Disney or children's movie in general, it usually will get resolved in due course. Does this mean I should I give them away just so she can watch the movie at ease? Is it fair to give a spoiler, because what, then, is the point of watching the movie in the first place? Do I set her up for disappointment or distrust if these stories, which do usually have a happy ending, do not mirror life now or later on? What if there is something bad that happens? Is that a reason not to watch a movie? Isn't this the point of books and movies to some degree, to expose us to these kinds of conflicts in a secure environment where we can process it with consideration so that we can be a little better armed "out there"? When do we start to take our fingers out of the holes in the bubble that our young children start out in? Should we lead the way or follow their lead?
I am struggling a bit with the answers to these questions.
Needless to say, going forward we'll just let her come to her own conclusions of what movies she would like to see and when, if at all. If borrowing Thomas the Train DVDs from the library is her cup of tea right now, so be it. Is "something bad going to happen" if she doesn't watch the full contingent of G movies out there before she gets to Kindergarten? My guess is no, so long as she has the bare necessities from her dad and me.
Copyright (c) 2012 by Kristen M. Ploetz.
About a month after M turned 4, we decided that she was old enough to now occasionally indulge in watching some movies, age-appropriate of course. Up until that point, she had seen a grand total of two movies: The Little Mermaid and Winnie the Pooh while on vacation earlier this summer. Wait, make that three movies — she had also seen a Shirley Temple movie this summer as I was testing out our streaming Netflix options. But that one was definitely more for me than her! I admit it – I got sucked in by those bouncy curls.
Our plan was to allow her to watch one movie every other Sunday. A family movie day if you will. It felt like the right time given her age, the selection of movies that (we feel) are appropriate for her to now watch, and, as a practical matter, because the long, cold winter months are now upon us and she has not yet fully embraced the idea of learning how to snowshoe as a family this year, so I expect there will still be a lot of indoor moments on weekends when the weather is particularly brutal.
And I'll admit it: there's certainly also a small part of peer pressure playing into this, because it has become quite clear that she is one of the last kids in her group to have not seen a lot of movies that several of the kids often talk about. I sense that she is somewhat being left out, or at least less than informed, about some of the dramatic play that her peers engage in, if only because she does not know some of the story lines yet. When we can, we've read some of the books (at least the ones I can tolerate), but sometimes the movie really IS better than the book.
I did a little research and came up with a decent list of about 20 or so titles that we could explore over time, movies that seemed (at least based on the descriptions and reviews) to be age-appropriate, had good storytelling (rather than just fodder for buying related toys) and that didn't wade too deeply into themes that we did not want to expose her to just yet. Some of the movies on the list are Disney movies, but most are not. I really just wanted to find a good balance of movies for her to come to love over time. I think it's harder to find non-Disney movies for preschoolers, but they do seem to exist.
With our list in hand, we figured there would be movies that we could borrow from the library or stream from Netflix, and occasionally buy outright if it was a particularly cherished and oft-watched flick. Oh how naive we were! Our library's offerings in movies is paltry at best, if you can even get your hands on them. Netflix does not stream that many movies geared towards M's age, and virtually none of the ones I had on my list. And just to show you how uncool M's dad and I are when it comes to this kind of thing, we did not know that you can't just go out and buy a Disney movie if the moment strikes (thanks a lot, Disney, for making me scramble last minute because we could not buy M a copy of The Little Mermaid for her mermaid themed birthday!). All of these forces together almost made me miss the video store.
But luckily, we serendipitously discovered that M's Auntie MJ has quite a large collection of children's movies. She graciously let us borrow several movies from her collection.
And, of course, despite the wide range of choices before her, the first one that M wanted to see was Disney's Cinderella. By now, she had already read at least three different versions of the Cinderella story, one of which was Disney's. She had been to Storyland in Glen, NH and met Cinderella herself–three times! All of M's friends had seen it, or at least talked about it a lot and had the clothes and gear to back up their devotion. So it was no big surprise that this was going to be the premiere for our Sunday matinee that would kick off "family movie day".
Cinderella screening, take one!
M lasted only about 10 minutes into the film before she said she didn't want to watch it anymore and came up the stairs to tell me (she had been watching it with her dad since I was just getting back from an outing with her Gramma) that she was scared because Lucifer (the cat) was chasing the mice. It upset her. This scene was absent in all versions of the book, so it undoubtedly took her by surprise.
Cinderella screening, take two!
Much to my surprise, M requested another go at Cinderella. She made it through the whole movie this time, but she was certainly visibly upset during the cat-mouse chase scene again, and even more so when the stepsisters tore away at Cinderella's dress. She also asked me why, unlike one of the non-Disney versions she had read over the summer, Cinderella did not invite the stepsisters to live with her in the castle and marry other sons of the king. That version in particular struck a chord with M because the message was that despite the way the stepsisters had treated Cinderella while growing up, she offered forgiveness and welcomed them to live with her in royalty. We can argue the merits of whether that Cinderella was acting like a doormat or not, but if nothing else I was happy that we had taken the time to read different interpretations of the same story because it at least gives M some room to choose what kinds of stories she wants to read and watch going forward, rather than be forced to adopt the version that mainstream media tells and sells.
Cinderella screening, take three!
Just like books, it seems, preschoolers have a tendency toward repetition with movies too. M definitely appeared more confident about how this story will ultimately shake out now that she knows what to expect and when. She started to ask many questions throughout the movie to confirm whether her hunches were true about the "character" of the characters. It was then that I noticed the shift from ingesting to digesting the themes of the story and this movie, all of which have now surfaced during her pretend play, whether it's alone with her dolls or when she's making her dad or me be the "mean stepsisters".
To my surprise, it wasn't the prince/Cinderella dynamic that she focused on, at least not these first few go 'rounds. That was the theme that I was actually worried about–this whole idea that a man needs to come in and save you, or that you can fall in love based on a fleeting moment and looks alone. I know, I know, it's just a story…but this message is undeniably pervasive in some of the media marketed toward girls, and so I am sensitive to how much of it I want M to see at just four years old.
Instead, it was the dynamic between Cinderella and her two not so nice siblings that was the takeaway theme for M. Victim vs. aggressor. Interesting. And what surprised me even more is how M chooses to be the more demure Cinderella when we're playing with her, yet she will quite adequately portray the harshness of the stepsisters if playing alone. It's like she doesn't want to test out that position of power in a real mano a mano scenario, even though it is with someone safe like her parents. Even more interesting. Perhaps she will change the roles and get more comfortable as time goes on, but my gut tells me that there is something about mild-mannered, well-behaved Cinderella that M identifies with more and so she will likely be choosing to play that role more than any other, even though to me it would seem like it would be more fun to play something you're not.
Considering some minor issues that have been happening recently with one of her fellow (slightly aggressive) classmates at preschool, it is also not surprising to me that she is looking toward this movie for some answers on how to manage always being the "good girl" despite the continued bad behavior that, in her eyes, seems to be tolerated by others. At least the story of Cinderella does a good job of showing that even though you may have to wait patiently a bit, eventually (and hopefully) good will trump evil somewhere down the line. Though it would be nice if Disney could throw in a scene for their next release (which I WILL be ready for!) where Cinderella kicks Drizella and Anastasia's butts. Just a little bit.
My guess is that she will keep choosing Cinderella as her bi-weekly matinee until she gets bored with it. If she starts gazing out her bedroom window looking for Prince Charming, perhaps we'll return the movie to Auntie MJ. But for right now, this movie, and the glass slipper, seem to be the right fit for M.
Copyright (c) 2011-2012 by Kristen M. Ploetz. All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 2010-2014 Kristen M. Ploetz. All rights reserved. Personal theme was created in WordPress by Obox Themes.


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I'm so behind on my to-do list these days that I'm starting to get out-of-season — I have potentially great blog posts that have remained entirely in my head and soon will be putridly out of date, like a Shamrock Shake you find in your fridge mid-June, unspeakably furzed. All these cute seasonal things have been happening — an attempt at candy cane playdough in little babyfood jars as presents to Harper's classmates (it looked really cute but ours was a weird gelatinous mush the next day and I fear everyone else's was too — I bet that never happens to The Artful Parent lady!), a day devoted to making salt dough ornaments, which were a big hit with Harper and infected our apartment with a plague of glitter.
And, also, I took Harper to see The Nutcracker, an outing I've been looking forward to since Harper was the gestational age of approximately 20 weeks. We went with a local, kid-friendly version — Lincoln Center is for the reliably potty-trained, I think — at Brooklyn College. The good people at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts have put together a sweet, family-friendly version, including a voice over explaining the trippy things occurring on the stage. That said, the thing is still 2 hours long and, as I'd forgotten in the 25-odd years since I last saw The Nutcracker, kind of creepy.
Also, taking a two-year-old to the ballet is akin to walking a bull with a time bomb strapped to it through a crystal palace. The best part was just before the curtain went up, when Harper was perched on the edge of her chair, her hands clasped, saying, "Oh, I'm just so essited for the ballerinas!" I almost floated our of my $7 seat, I was so charmed by her essitement. As soon as they dimmed the lights, however, she started saying she wanted to go home. I spent the next half-hour or so whispering answers to her many questions as quietly as possible and bribing her with M&Ms.
At one point she announced she was going home and took off, so I slunk after her, inwardly pouting about missing the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. In the lobby, Harper stopped to stare at a ballerina on a television screen before saying, "I want to see that!" "That's what's going on inside the theater," I said in a very nice and not at all annoyed voice. "Let's go!" she said brightly, bounding back towards our seats.
By the last third or so of the ballet, though, I did one of those Parenty Things you think you'll never do and truly don't understand until it happens to you — that is, I realized it would be easier to get out of the parking lot if we left before the show ended. Away we went. In the car Harper sighed dreamily. "Did you like it?" I asked her. "I did," she said, "I really liked those M&Ms."
All in all, a cultural triumph.
Now there are presents to be wrapped, and tomorrow, cookies to be made. (Harper was very concerned that Santa would eat her Hanukkah cookies, so we decided to make some just for him.) There will be a walk in the park, since global warming's fucking with our sledding tradition, and then a delicious Christmas meal (delivered by Fresh Direct, of course), and then I am staying up to catch Santa. Dear blog people, happy holiday of choice, and to all, a good night.
(PS Check out my post on creating holiday memories over at the Redbook Motherboard blog!)

subset: commoncrawl


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January 31, 2013
Leafs claim Frazer McLaren off waivers
By TERRY KOSHAN, QMI Agency
TORONTO - The Maple Leafs have added another big body.
Forward Frazer McLaren is expected to join the Leafs at practice on Friday, the team said in a release.
The Leafs on Thursday afternoon claimed McLaren off waivers from the San Jose Sharks. He's 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds and has played in one game for the Sharks this season, recording zero points and no penalty minutes.
His addition would help fill the hole left by Mike Brown, who has been placed on injured reserve and will be out at least a week with a strained shoulder.
In 26 games for Worcester of the American Hockey League, McLaren had one assist and 87 penalty minutes.
McLaren, a 25-year-old native of Winnipeg, has played in 40 games for the Sharks since the club picked him 203rd overall in 2007. In those games with San Jose, McLaren has one goal, five assists and 85 penalty minutes.
Carlyle has been clear on his emphasis on having more muscle, and McLaren will bring that.


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Shadows Fall Release Drum Cam Footage Of Jason Bittner [VIDEO]
Jason Bittner of Shadows Fall is a beast on the drums enough said. Check out this killer video of Bittner throwing down on the skins on Shadows Fall's track "King Of Nothing" right here.
"Fire From The Sky" is the latest album from Shadows Fall which was released in May of last year.
We got the chance to see Shadows Fall live this past year and I cannot wait to get the chance to see them again.
Check out the video of Jason Bittner throwing down on the skins and be prepared to be amazed.
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Office 2010 SP1 has been released. See a description at Description of Office 2010 SP1. The KB article also has download links.
If you have other Office products such as Visio, SharePoint Designer, or others go to the Microsoft Download Center and click on the Microsoft Office button in the center of the page. Then in the left column click "Show more" under "Download type", then click on "Service Pack". You may also want to change the drop down from "Relevancy" to "Newest to Oldest" at "Sort by" on the right.


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New Reality Show "Born In The Wild" Depicts Moms Giving Birth In The Forest
Childbirth is a miracle. It's a miracle that I intend to experience (hypothetically, in the distant future, maybe) with an epidural and as many pain-numbing drugs as they'll give me.
Some moms-to-be go the other extreme: giving birth outdoors, literally on the floor of the fuckin' woods, sans a doctor. And because this is America, there's a new Lifetime reality show about them called "Born In The Wild."
According to Lifetime, "Born In The Wild" will "document the journeys of young, expectant parents who have chosen to give birth 'in the wild.'" All moms will be healthy and have delivered a baby previously before. Also, they are not really without a medical professional or in the "wild": the couples get to choose an outdoors location, but it has to be within a certain radius of a hospital, and there will be an EMT on hand. So basically this is just a reality show about home births that happen to take place out-of-doors.
All reasonable aspects of childbirth should be the mom's decision. If you want to give birth at home, outdoors, on a boat, in a bathtub? Go for it. I don't care where it is as long as there reasonable precautions taken. And while Lifetime will undoubtedly portray these moms as hippie dippies, I can actually understand wanting to commune with nature during childbirth. (I'll confess to having had similar desires myself … although granted I had been smoking pot all weekend). But what I do object to is how a reality show like this creates dramatic tension over what could possibly go horribly wrong, glamorizing the riskiness of what could be the life-or-death of an infant. Maybe I just think that childbirth is too much of a sacred cow, but it feels icky to me that people could be entertained by perceived danger to a newborn.
However, I'll reserve my judgment until I actually see the show and how it handles the births. Who knows? Maybe in a few years "wild" births will be so hot that we'll all be giving birth in a cold stream.
Email me at [email protected] Follow me on Twitter.


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The four sons of the preceptor of the Surapati were like oceans, the ornament of the earth
and the abode of all wealth and fame. The eldest of them was Aparaditya and from him was
Dharmaditya, a great misfortune to the desires of his foes.
15. His (son) was called Someshvaradeva, who well followed the path
of religion and was untouched by sins. His younger brother was called Bhaskara, whose
beauty humbled the pride of Kamadeva.
16. The Lords of Shri Kashi, the King of Malavadesha, Shri
Siddharaja and other kings worshipped him with faith, believing him to be the champion of
religion on earth. Shri Bhava Brihaspati, who was on this altar like earth as bright and
beautiful as fire, became with his four Veda-like sons a fit object of venerations as


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Our mattress was very old and misshappen. It was replaced after one night..however, this should not have happened in the first place..
Walking along the beach. The continental breakfast, 4pm snacks and 8pm snacks.
The room was comfortable and the hotel location is within easy walking distance from the beach, wharf, and downtown restaurants.
A clean, comfortable motel with a good level of onsite car parking. Great afternoon complimentary wine & cheese and reasonable light breakfast.The staff were great and easy to deal with. A little "out on the fringe" with a 15 minute walk to Stearns Wharf/town centre shopping.
big and beautiful room with kitchen, outside swimming pool and jacuzzi, close to the West Beach, free Cheese, Wine, Milk and Cookies in the evening simple breakfast in a very little room, not enoug tables for everyone, little bit far from statestreet (downtown) for dinner
The rooms were clean and comfy. The wine evening service and the breakfast were lovely. I thought the beds a bit too soft but the linens and amenities were nice.
It is a great comfortable place to stay. Bathroom could have been cleaner vents are very dirty need dusting and cleaning. Had a great time pool and spa are very nice and clean. Breakfast was good very relaxing and great location can walk pretty much everywhere. Bikes were nice too.
We wanted a to stay somewhere special for the last night of our holiday and we got exactly tht with this hotel. We booked a standard queen room but were fortunate to be upgraded to the Fireside Suite. This has a sitting room, king sized bedroom and two bathrooms, all beautifully decorated and with solid oak furniture. The hotel provides a luxury breakfast, complimentary bottle of champagne in the room, cheese & wine in reception early evening and milk and cookies at bedtime. A beautiful hotel and we'd happily stay there again - even without an upgrade. Nothing at all
The ambiance of the entire facility Shower plumbing was not working properly slow drain. Was reported.
Beautiful place near the harbour. The hotel is located near the 101 road so too much traffic (continuous flow of cars and trucks going through).The place is definately too expensive for the location.
Very cute little resort motel in very nice area of Santa Barbara.
Super friendly staff, newly remodeled bathroom, wine & cheese hour, clean room, late check-out, free parking & Internet, spacious room - they gave us the largest room! Couldn't sleep well because of the street noise - cars, motorcycles, delivery trucks, garbage pick-up
They could not write the company name in invoice.
I loved the free bikes for rent, great touch
Staff was very friendly, rooms were clean, beds were comfortable. Great value. Free movies, free bicycles, and free parking. I wish we could've stayed longer.
My newlywed husband and I got upgraded to a King Suite, it was perfect and in a great location!
This hotel was majorly over priced for what effectively is a motel.Thay did try hard to add bits to make it a hotel but failed miserabley.its also close to a park thats full of homeless The room smelled funny
Large room, comfortable beds Location near park with large amount of homeless people but close to the pier where we had dinner. We decided to drive, however, eventhough we could have walked due to the neighborhood. Continental breakfast was O.K.
Great place to stay. Nice rooms and lovely atmosphere Nothing at all
So much to love about this inn... Offers an old Santa Barbara charm-early 20th century design that has been well mainted. Staff was exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable of the area (dining, wining, and local history). Continental breakfast in the morning and wine and cheese in the afternoon. Free beach cruiser bikes for use while staying and a vast selection of DVDs for viewing (also free). Complete with pool and hot tub (importantly hidden from street view. Just off the beach within easy waking distance to art, music, wine, food, Santa Barbara train station and fun (aka "the Funk Zone"). Loved our stay! Only suggestion is to include an updated cutting board for the kitchen. Original equipment is usually great but not in this particular case.
The hotel staff was very friendly and helpful. The hotel itself is very well kept and the remodel was nicely done. Very good location, close to dining and shopping. You cant beat a 1 min walk to the beach! My wife and I enjoyed our stay and will be returning soon. Maybe next time we will borrow a couple of the beach cruisers and ride along the beach. Nothing
It was a super clean and very modern. Having a microwave and a frig in the room was extremely useful! The shower was spacious and the bathroom was tighty! Would stay here again! I did not like the fact that for both check-in and check-out I was waiting five plus minutes for someone to help me. They have a button that you press for service and I pressed it several times for service. No one came till I had pushed it four times.
spacious room dirty towel left from last guest
The room was really nice
Reception wasn't friendly Very poor shower, almost no running water
good location worn and used building, quite noisy inside, breakfast not really good
The location is amazing. We took the train into Santa Barbara and the hotel was only about a 5 min walk away. It's one block from the beach, close to the breakwater and a short walk to the peir or downtown. Rooms are clean, comfortable and modern.
Nice location, close to the beach, but has a baseball field across from the hotel which I was not too crazy about. Quiet area. Free breakfast The place could use some updating. Nasty old carpets in the hallways. The room was somewhat dusty. The whole place can use a facelift. Was not overall impressed with the place, thought it could be cleaner and better kept in shape.
Location is good . Front desk staff are rude and unhelpful. I stayed once before but I'd forgotten how rude she was. If I would have remembered I would have never returned .
There was free parking, the hotel was near the places and restaurants we wanted to go to, it was also close to a gas station and a 7 Eleven. There was a free breakfast included in the price saving us time and money. The building has an elevator. The beds were very high and there were no bars in the restroom to help people with disabilities or Senior Citizens who have difficulty moving. There were no Senior Citizen or AARP discount rates.
Clean rooms, friendly staff, nice sized room with a balcony. TV not much good, although there were probably 50 channels listed on the guide next to the TV only about a dozen came in. Seems like they cancelled cable and put up an over the air antenna.
free parking and free internet Very late breakfaste. 7.30 AM, I am on the road at this time
Great location/service and friendly staff.
Staff, room, pool, location good breakfast. Liked it so much going back in December for long week-end.
Location Breakfast room much too crowded!
Clean, walking distance from the beach, close to downtown Santa Barbara, good price, free breakfast Motel style with exterior doors, could hear neighbors coming and going (this was not actually very disruptive), slow wifi
Staff friendly and competent. Chargers for electric cars. Close to park and beach.
Very friendly and dedicated staff; breakfast included hot and cold items and was well-stocked with friendly service; pool area was nice and water was kept very warm; beds were comfortable, room felt spacious for a family; sliding glass doors to patio did an amazing jobof blocking street noise. We would definitely stay here again.
It's all about the beds. They are very comfortable It's all about the beds. There are no other real amenities.
Location Pool didn't open until 9:00!!
Location, new carpet and paint, quiet. Very expensive for what was a very basic hotel, even for Santa Barbara. Old design, with parking spots right out in front of rooms. Seems like a good candidate for a complete tear down and rebuild.
Facilities dated, staff slow, air conditioners not effective and not worth the price. Spend the extra money and go a few doors down. Facilities dated, staff slow, air conditioners not effective and not worth the price. Spend the extra money and go a few doors down. Not rushing back.


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While many on the Web speculated that actor James Franco was blazed during his Oscar hosting duties, one beloved actress has admitted to accepting her Oscar under the spell of cannabis.
TMZ unearthed an old video of Whoopi Goldberg admitting to partaking in marijuana before winning the Academy Award in 1991 for her role in Ghost. During a voice-over recording session for the movie The Pagemaster in 1992, The View host explained how she indulged before the ceremony. "I smoked this wonderful joint that was the last of my homegrown," she said. "And honey, when he said my name and I popped up, I thought, 'Oh, f--k! Oh, f--k! OK, up the stairs, one-two-three-four-five.'"
And what did she learn from the experience? "Never smoke pot before there's the possibility of having to talk to 100 million people."
Although the extra twinkle in her eye went undetected by viewers and the media, Goldberg's said her mother let her know she knew—via a phone call after the show—because of those "glistening eyes."
(Photo: SAGA /Landov)


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%@ Page Language="C#" AutoEventWireup="true" Inherits="System.Web.UI.Page" %>
We are very excited to welcome you to your new home for next four years. The staff of Student Affairs is committed to assisting you to begin your successful journey at Soka University of America (SUA). The first step to your success is your participation in our Orientation Program! Our Student Orientation Leaders (SOLs) are eager to assist you. Please read their welcome messages here.
This site is a one-stop center for information.
Further information on Orientation will become available in the following months. As this information becomes available, we will post them here, so please come back often!
As you get ready to come to SUA, if you have any questions, please contact Hyon Moon, Director of Student Services, for any questions at (949) 480-4139 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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A paperweight that my mother gave me; it is made of dark blue glass and is in the shape of a heart.
All of the work that comes with being an escort, and all of its attendant horrors, for this… paperweight?
The corner of the letter was still peeping from under the paperweight, but he didn't even move to cover it.
Then going to the desk, he took a paper from under the paperweight.
Derry's hand lay on it, a "paperweight" that did not move itself off at Blair's motion.
You shrank it down and put it in a glass globe, in a paperweight.
A paperweight representing a ragged little dog and an entomological photograph of the common ant.
He put on his fez and tucked the paperweight inside his tunic.
"I will bring the medicine," replied the messenger, clutching at the paperweight which bulged under his tunic.
It is well that Mokorongo had the paperweight to support his courage.


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Informed Alaskans - making state, regional, and community health data accessible to individuals, health organizations, health providers, and policy makers
The Division of Public Health's Center for Health Data and Statistics monitors the health status of Alaska residents through a number of surveys including the state's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance system (BRFSS).
The Alaska BRFSS assesses the prevalence of diseases and risk factors (indicators) in adults (18 years of age and older) statewide through an on-going telephone survey. It has been in place since 1991, and up to 2010 just under 56,000 adult Alaskans have been interviewed. The Alaska BRFSS is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's BRFSS to track health conditions and risk behaviors in the United States, District of Columbia, and territories. The BRFSS includes demographics, chronic diseases, health indicators, access to care, health screenings, and perceptions about health status.
Informed Alaskans is a data visualization initiative to make this state, regional, and community health data readily accessible to individuals, health organizations, health providers, and policy makers.
Getting started
Charles J. Utermohle, is a data analyst in the Division of Public Health at the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and responsible for developing the initiative. With 20 years of data, 132 indicators, and four types of regional breakdowns for a total of 226,000 data points the decision to present the data in a visual format was not taken lightly.
"I attended a BRFSS conference just as the department was being informed of budget cuts. My original intention was to use a CDC supported package but instead I started looking for an off-the shelf data visualization solution," he says. Having seen InstantAtlas used by other states to present BRFSS data, Charles began to explore whether it could meet all his needs and discovered its flexibility and ease of use.
"Previously these data were only available on request and I would have to prepare an ad hoc report. If I then got another request I would have to go back and re-analyse the data from a different perspective so it could be very time consuming," he says.
One of the challenges he faced was that Alaska has the lowest population density in the US which makes presenting the data for rural areas at the lowest geographic level less useful for policy makers.
"In the end we settled for four geographic analyses – one based on public health regions, the second by metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas, third by boroughs or census areas fourth by tribal health regions. This gave us 46 unique units," says Charles.
The next step was to create 29 health themes to help organise the 139 risk factors in the BRFSS survey. "That meant taking the 226,000 data points and ensuring they could be easily displayed for each geographic region also taking advantage of the flexibility of the display formats in InstantAtlas."
Meeting the need
Health Map users can now view Alaska public health data subdivided into six public health regions, seven metropolitan/micropolitan statistical areas, 27 boroughs and census areas, or 12 tribal health regions.
The current versions of the health profile maps may contain up to 153 variables with the number of available indicators dependent upon the geographic system depicted and the number of respondents within each area for the time period. Charles explains that although the single map feature was used predominantly, users can look at multiple risk factors for a single area. "For any geographic area – an individual user has access to four different data templates both spatially and temporally," he says. Informed Alaskans has a wide range of users. The department has convened local community groups to guide health promotion and they have found the initiative very useful. In addition not-for-profit hospitals are required by law to have a service profile of the areas they serve and having the data in once accessible place has helped them.
"All of our users are grateful because they finally have access to these data," says Charles. It also helps them understand the breadth of the BRFSS and is helping the department meet one of its objectives which is to provide health data to inform decision and policy makers.
Future developments
Charles is very interested in the way that the UK health observatories have started to combine data from other areas such as housing and hopes that the community organisations in Alaska could become more closely involved. He is also planning to use more area profile spine charts to present data. "I really like the way you can see what the maximum and minimum data are for each chart. It also means you can see quickly how each region compares either to other regions or at a state level."
Key benefits
Learn more about InstantAtlas
InstantAtlas for public health reporting
InstantAtlas desktop video tutorials
Other InstantAtlas examples of Diabetes reporting
Diabetes UK - Diabetes UK deploys InstantAtlas to help it inform, promote and campaign
UK NHS - 2011 Atlas of Variation: Diabetes
Alaska Department of Health& Social Services | Division of Public Health - 2010 Diabetes Report
Government of Alberta (Canada) Incidence of Diabetes Atlas for Alberta (Crude Diabetes Rates)
InstantAtlas public health case studies & reports
National Cancer Intelligence Network (UK) - Presenting cancer information in an easy to understand format for all to access
CDC - "How the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has used data reporting and visualization to develop its Disability and Health Data System (DHDS)"
Arizona Department of Health Services - Making data presentation meaningful when dealing with low rates of population density
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation - Helping people interested in global health view, understand and evaluate high-quality health data
Global Health Observatory (GHO)


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Palestinian, Israeli negotiators are pressured to disband peace talks
RAMALLAH, West Bank — The peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians are progressing painfully slowly, with few details emerging, and the atmosphere surrounding the negotiations is one of rising tension and frustration.
The Palestinians have threatened to pull out of the talks several times over Israel's continued settlement building in the West Bank and the killing of six Palestinians by Israeli security forces. Right-leaning members of the Israeli parliament have called for canceling the talks over the recent killing of three Israelis by Palestinians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas face enormous pressure from some members of their respective governments and significant portions of their public to withdraw from the negotiations.
Israelis and Palestinians voice little but pessimism.
After the killing of two Israeli soldiers and a settler by Palestinians in the West Bank, Housing Minister Uri Ariel, from the Jewish Home party, called on Netanyahu to halt a planned release of Palestinian prisoners that Israel committed to before the peace talks resumed. The release is scheduled for next week.
Hanna Amireh, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee, warned last week that pulling out of peace negotiations was one of the scenarios discussed during a recent meeting of the committee.


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Flames NewsFlames Home > Lacrosse Home > News
Building of a Program: Regan Denham
|Regan Denham discussed the building of the women's lacrosse program.
Liberty Athletics Director Jeff Barber announced the hiring of Denham on May 14 to usher in the women's lacrosse program, as the first head coach in school history. This will mark the second time in her young coaching career Denham has started a program, after previously doing so in 2007 at NAIA member Missouri Baptist.


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|From: Neil Van Dyke (neil at neilvandyke.org)
Date: Wed Apr 11 16:14:33 EDT 2012
Two opinions: 1. Going to StackOverflow.com to talk about Racket is like moving to Topeka to break into Hollywood acting. 2. One of the StackOverflow comments mentioned searchability of forums. One of my pet peeves is all these sites that archive email lists and/or bug lists (often only so that they can sell ads), so that a Google search on a question gives you numerous hits for the same content, just in different fonts, and you have to wade through many such duplicates. This happens with lots of GNU/Linux topics, and nowadays it happens for Racket, too. Neil V. -- http://www.neilvandyke.org/
|Posted on the users mailing list.


text: Benedict Cumberbatch – Why I'm not on Twitter "Just listen to how much I talk," says the Sherlock star, "tweeting is about being pithy..." Comments Written By Paul Jones 6:41 PM, 09 October 2012 Sorry, but Benedict Cumberbatch is definitely not on Twitter. "No matter who pretends to be me at the moment, I do not tweet, I don't Twitter, I don't," insisted the actor. "Do you want me to tweet, you lot?" Cumberbatch asked an audience of Sherlock fans on Saturday night. Of course they do, Benedict. "Why?" asked a baffled Cumberbatch, before answering his own question: "I think the reason why is because I don't tweet. I think if I did you'd very soon be disappointed because it really is a skill - it's a skill I genuinely don't have." "Just listen to how much I talk," continued the Sherlock star. "I've already talked over our time [at the Cheltenham Literature Festival] and tweeting is about being pithy. "I think tweeting would take so many hours of editing I'd be lost for doing my job." At least Cumberbatch will never be one of those celebrities who tweets by committee or via a bank of PR advisors. "That - that's not tweeting," said Cumberbatch when host and Sherlock co-star Louise Brealey joked "You just need to put a PA on it." Not that that's exactly Brealey's style either – the actress who plays Molly Hooper in Sherlock is well known for her personality- and opinion-driven tweeting. "I really just do think people like Louise and [Sherlock co-creators] Mark [Gatiss] and Steven [Moffat]... are really, really actually brilliant [at it]," said Cumberbatch. And with friends like those, who needs Twitter followers? Like this? Share it. Facebook Twitter Google Tumblr Pinterest Blogger Reddit VKontakt Print Email


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Another twist surfaced as Mike Wallace's holdout nears a third day: the Steelers wide receiver is reportedly the one calling the shots.
Sources told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that it was Wallace's idea to hold out of training camp and not his agent, Bus Cook. According to the paper, this has led the Steelers to take a different approach with their No. 1 wide receiver.
Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert confirmed that the team has stopped negotiations with Wallace on a long-term deal and its last offer is now off the table.
I still think a deal can get done between Wallace and the Steelers before the start of the regular season, but this recent downward spiral in negotiations has certainly created some doubt that this will be resolved quickly. This has become a high-priced game of chicken, in which one side is going to have to back down. Right now, it doesn't look like the Steelers are going to give an inch until Wallace signs his $2.7 million tender.
"Him not being here, really we have to focus on what we can control because we can't control that," Colbert said. "Again, every negotiation is unique, you put your best foot forward. If it's not suitable for both parties, you have to adjust, and we're really in adjust-move-forward-mode right now."
Both sides made their best power plays this week. Because no team showed any interest in him in restricted free agency, Wallace's only move to gain any sort of leverage was holding out. Because the Steelers can't discipline or fine Wallace (he isn't under contract until he signs his tender), the team's only move to force him to report was to suspend talks.
According to Colbert, the Steelers will answer the phone from his agent, but they won't be making any calls to him. It looks like the only way this stalemate will end is if Wallace shows up at St. Vincent College.
"Yeah, we have to move on," Colbert said. "We have to prepare with the 89 guys who are here. You have to, you can't focus on who isn't here because you lose track of what you're supposed to be doing."


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Editor's Note: ESPN Insider has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook to provide a comprehensive look at all 326 Division I teams. To order the complete 2006-07 edition of Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, visit www.blueribbonyearbook.com or call 1-866-805-BALL (2255).
(Information in this team report is as of October 1.)
Last season was Binghamton's best in its five seasons as a Division I program.
The Bearcats set a school record for wins in the Division I era and victories in America East play while finishing second in the regular season and advancing to the conference semifinals for the second straight year.
As it has under Al Walker, Binghamton did it with defense and placed three players on the America East All-Defensive Team while allowing just 56.6 points per game.
Many are wondering if the Bearcats can take the next step and win the conference championship. It's possible, but Binghamton will have to do it without graduated seniors
Andre Heard (17.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Sebastien Hermanier (11.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg), who finished 1-2 in scoring and rebounding last season. Both Heard, a first-team all-conference selection, and Hermanier, the defensive player of the year, made the all-defensive team.
"The obvious question is 'can we replace those guys?' " Walker said. "I think we can because we had some good players who played behind them and are hoping to grow into their talent."
The Bearcats have point guard Mike Gordon (8.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.7 spg) back. Gordon, a 6-0 junior, has been a catalyst for success since being inserted into the starting lineup midway through his freshman year.
Binghamton needs him to be a steadying force as it defines its roles early in the season.
"He's everything that you want in your point guard, we love him," Walker said. "He's going to get the keys to a bigger car, so to speak, this season."


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Cracked Pinblock/Loose Tuning Pins
The pinblock is a laminated piece of wood several inches thick that is secured behind the plate. The finely threaded tuning pins are pounded through holes in the plate into holes in the pinblock. There are two common reasons why tuning pins become loose.
"Worn out" pinblock
Most commonly, the pins have become loose from decades of having them turned back and forth in the holes during tuning, much like a wood screw that is stripped.
In this case, the pins can often be pounded a little further into the pinblock, which will give the piano many more years of life before anything more needs to be done. In grand pianos, before pounding the pins in, the action must be removed and a special pinblock jack must be set up to support the pinblock to prevent the laminations in the pinblock from splitting.
If the pins are already in as far as they should go, the piano can be restrung with over-sized pins and the piano will usually have another 40 or so years of life. An old treatment that was popular at one time was to apply a glycerin solution to the pinblock which would swell the wood up and sometimes get the pins to hold for a while. However, this makes the wood mushy and might make it impossible to use over-sized pins in the future. More recently, technicians have experimented with applying various types of glues to the pinblock with good results, however I do not have experience with this technique. Only in the case of a piano that is completely untunable and is going to be either thrown out or completely rebuilt at a later date would I risk "doping" the pinblock.
Cracked pinblock
A more serious problem is when there is a crack in the pinblock between two or more tuning pins. The crack causes the holes to open up and the pins to become so loose they will not stay in place when tension is placed on them. Cracks in the pinblock can be caused by a poor quality pinblock, excessively dry environment causing the wood to dry out, and - in a grand piano - by an inexperienced technician pounding the pins in without supporting the pinblock from underneath with a jack, causing the laminations to split apart.
If a vertical piano has a cracked pinblock, it is often not worth the cost of fixing it. In a grand, the usual solution is to replace the pinblock, although this is quite expensive and would only be considered in a quality piano.
Some technicians have had success with removing all the strings and tuning pins, filling the holes with epoxy, and then drilling them out again.


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107.7 FM Music For Life
Trinidad & Tobago's #1 Soul Radio Station
107.7 FM Music For Life
Recommended Stations
Daily Schedule
TuneIn does not have lineup information for this date. Try visiting the station's website for more information.
- Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
- Soul and R&B
- English
- 153 Tragarete Road, Woodbrook, Port-Of-Spain, Trinidad And Tobago
- Visit the station website
More informationOfficial Page for Trinidad & Tobago's Soul Station 107.7 Music for Life
A member of Trinidad and Tobago's Radio Network (TTRN)


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Kate's St. Patrick's Day Plans, Her First Speaking Engagement & An Inside Look At Preps for Thursday
We have news of more appearances added to Kate's calendar, they come after Thursday's Diamond Jubilee tour kickoff, when the Duchess joins the Queen and Prince Philip in Leicester.
The most immediate addition to the calendar is on St. Patrick's Day when Kate will make her first military appearance alone, taking part in ceremonies with the Irish Guards. Richard Palmer's story in the Daily Express has more:
The Duchess will present shamrocks to the Irish Guards and their mascot, Conmael, an Irish Wolfhound, at a St Patrick's Day parade at Mons Barracks.
St James's Palace said it would be the start of a long relationship between the Duchess and the Irish Guards.
Some may recall William was appointed Colonel of the Irish Guards last February, Kate and William visited the regiment last June, on Armed Forces Day.
There are at least two frocks we know about already in Kate's closet that she could elect to wear St. Patrick's Day, both are green, both have been previously worn. On the left we see Diane von Furstenberg's green silk Maja dress, worn on the North American tour and to Zara Phillip's wedding, on the right, the Mulberry Shirt Dress in 'cabbage' worn in November at a Buckingham Palace media reception.
The event generating the most discussion is on the 19th of this month, that is when Kate undertakes her first public speaking engagement. Kate's speech is part of ceremonies marking the formal opening of 'The Treehouse,' a new hospice facility under the EACH (East Anglia's Children's Hospices) umbrella, this one is located in Ipswich. More from EACH:
The Duchess will tour the facilities including the sensory room and music room, and meet children and their families who receive care and support from the hospice service, as well as staff and supporters.
The group has been fundraising and building the new facility for some time, below we share The Treehouse page from the EACH website.
As for why Kate has selected this particular event to start her public speaking career, here is more from The Telegraph:
A spokesman for the Duchess said: "She wanted her first speech to be on a topic she herself is affiliated to and which she is passionate about.
"It is also the first of her solo engagements which has lent itself to a speech because it will include a more formal element than some of her other visits."
There are wonderful photos of the Treehouse unit on the site, showing the building progress as well as interior shots.
But once the celebrations have ended, EACH will continue to need funds to operate the The Treehouse. You can learn more about those needs, or see ways you can help the organization by clicking here. Or, you can shop and donate at the same time via the EACH e-commerce site, offering goodies like this Coloring book.
More now on this Thursday's events and the kickoff of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee tour. HM, Prince Philip and Kate will travel by train to Leicester, they will visit De Montfort University in the morning.
Preparations for Thursday's historic visit are well underway, banners are going up on buildings.
The BBC reports more than 10,000 Union Jacks and 1000 metres of bunting will be used for the event. Of course, if you are interested in having your own bunting, you may purchase it from the official Diamond Jubilee site. (There are plenty of other items for sale at the site.)
Here is a loose rundown for other events via the BBC.
The tour will begin at De Montfort University with a performance by students and community groups celebrating the city's diversity in Magazine Square.
The Queen and duchess will then watch a fashion show by students, while the duke meets representatives of the university's Square Mile initiative, which helps local community projects.
Kate, HM and the Duke will then head to Leicester Cathedral, the programs are printed and ready for "a service of Christian worship…at which people of different faiths will take part". (Read more about the service from the Diocese of Leicester here.)
Practices and rehearsals have been underway for days.
This is Leicester report reports there will be plenty of music.
Singers aged from eight years will be performing some of the monarch's favourite music from the past 10 years when she visits the cathedral on Thursday.
The service sounds like it will be magnificent: trumpet players will welcome people to the service, 40 children will sing "Jubilate," and there will also be a prayer sung in Urdu while dancers perform.
Following the church service the action moves to St. Martins House for lunch. Young waiters and waitresses have been busy rehearsing service techniques.
The Leicester Mercury spoke with a young lady named Felicity, she will be serving Kate's table.
"I've never served anyone famous before. When they asked for five people to serve the main table, I put my hand straight up.
"I've got to serve food, wine and water to her. The hardest thing will not be getting in anyone else's way and not spilling any food on her lap."
That would be daunting for even the most seasoned waiters and waitresses, let alone students learning their craft. Below, a tweet from St. Martins House:
After lunch the group will watch a performance marking the Holi Festival, a Hindu celebration of spring's impending arrival and unveil a plaque commemorating the visit.
To see more photos of preparations at the Cathedral and St. Martins House, click here for the Diocese of Leicester's Flickr feed, or follow their Twitter feed here, click here for the Diamond Jubilee page. You can follow De Montfort University's Twitter feed here, their Art & Design feed here, the Leicester Mercury newspaper site is here, and its Twitter feed here.
This is not the first Royal visit to the University, below we see The Queen Mother in 1966.
No will Thursday's fashion show be the first watched by members of the Royal Family, another photo shows models from the 1966 fashion show.
Queen Elizabeth was also on campus for a visit, this one was in December of 1993.
To read more about previous Royal visits to DMU, click here.
A reminder, don't forget to vote for your favorite in the student shoe design competition, things have tightened up and two designs seem to be breaking away from the other four.
We'll be closing the poll at midnight Wednesday, well before Kate picks the design she likes best while in Leicester on Thursday. It will be fun to see which she chooses and then see it again when it has been manufactured and she wears the shoes.
A few more quick updates, Kate has been keeping busy since her visit to Fortnum & Mason last week with the Duchess of Cornwall and the Queen, she is said to have visited a new exhibit at the Royal Academy, according to Richard Kay in the Daily Mail:
Kate paid a private visit to David Hockney's show across the road at the Royal Academy.
Says my source: 'She arrived around 7pm, after the gallery closed. She was very friendly to the staff telling them how much she enjoyed it.'
Below, a short video about the show.
You can learn more about the Academy and the Hockney show by clicking here.
The next day Kate is said to have visited the V&A Museum of Childhood, among the exhibits she visited was The Value of the Paw,
More from the Daily Mail:
'She wanted to have a look at the museum and the services it offers,' confirms an aide. 'It's an interest of hers although there's no suggestion she plans to take it on as another patronage.'
We leave you with the cover of this week's Hello! magazine, the wonderful photo of the Queen, Camilla and Kate wrapping up their tour at Fortnum's last Thursday is by photographer Niraj Tanna.
We'll see you Thursday.
UPDATED: The BBC has posted Thursday's schedule:
- 11:30 GMT (6:30 ET): Arrive at Leicester Station
- 11:45 GMT (6:45 ET): De Montfort University visit at Magazine Square
- 12:45 GMT (7:45 ET): Arrive at Leicester Cathedral
- 13:00 GMT (8:00 ET): Private lunch at St Martin's House
- 15:00 GMT (10:00 ET): Arrive at Gallowtree Gate
The Leicester Mercury has published a map showing routes and times, click here to see it in a larger format.
15 Responses to "Kate's St. Patrick's Day Plans, Her First Speaking Engagement & An Inside Look At Preps for Thursday"
Personally I think Kate looks better and more confident in her new role every day from these pictures and news. That's how much I can tell. Good for her. And I truly believe she's a very intelligent woman.
Hi WKW, found this on cbsnews.com http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-207_162-10011585.html?tag=cbsnewsTwoColLowerPromoArea;fd.gallery
Kate looks gorgeous today her demeanor with children is so alike to Diana and Her Majesty looks lovely.
Wonderful and packed with all the usual great stuff!! Did you give up your day job? The details and the accompanying pictures are astounding and delightful. I think I voted for the Tartan shoes — I wonder which she'll choose.
Kate picked the blue ones by Becka Hunt!
A lot of useful information, as always ! Many many thanks for that.
I do deeply hope that she will NOT wear the Mulbery dress, really ! The yin & yang things drive me everything but calm.
Please Kate do wear something according to your age. But not too short, not to dark, not too dowdy … I know I am perhaps too challenging.
I really do not like the logo for the Queen's diamond jubilee. I know it was designed by a child, but I think the 60th calls for something more formal. It's odd that they chose this design, as the Queen isn't exactly the warm and fuzzy type.
I also agree that I don't think Kate will wear either green dress. I think she'll go for something a bit darker, like navy, and maybe add an appropriate brooch.
Hmm. I thnk the logo is rather charming. And presumably the Queen approved it.
I really didn't like the Mulberry dress and the DVF dress is probably too casual for a presentation ceremony. I did like the military style coatdress she wore previously but I suspect she'll have something new.
Kathryn, you're right: we're overdue for a good hat. As a hat person living in tragic deprivation in the US, I rely on the British and Continental royals to feed my chapeau addiction, visually speaking. The Duchess needs to help me out; I'm in withdrawal.
I LOVE that photo of the 60′s clothing. I was too young to be interested in clothes back then, but that fashion era fascinates me.
I don't see those green dresses being trotted out again either. It's still chilly, so perhaps she'll wear a green coat of some kind. I've very much liked most of her coat choices so far, and she does like to make specific nods to the occasion in her choice of clothing.
David Hockney's recent landscapes are positively whimsical — with his Southern California experience melding magically with the Yorkshire countryside. An interesting and rather unexpected synthesis. Good for the Duchess that she's taking the time to arrange for private exhibition visits. As an art historian, I'd be anxious to continue my involvement with the art world but in her position might have trouble finding the time and would worry about the obvious problems of visiting museums for a close study of an exhibition during normal hours.
This is really quite an informative and entertaining site. I appreciate the fact that it goes beyond mere discussions of what the Duchess wore to this and that.
Great blog post! Lost of interesting information. Many thanks
Have really enjoyed looking inside a copy of the Hello! magazine shown — has helped me see the style of Kate's coat worn to Fortnum's and now it makes much more sense. Close-ups of fabric and seams help counter sometimes more muzzy effect in early photos.
Excellent post!
Packed with info.
I can't see her re-wearing either of those green dresses as neither seemed suited to the weather. I know the Mulberry was worn in the winter (December?) but that was inside at the Palace whereas she's trended towards sweater dresses for her recent public appearances, particularly the ones that entailed being outside for walkabouts. Do we know if the presenting will take place inside or out? I'd expect a new coat or coat dress. Someone on the facebook page suggested she may wear St. Patricks blue which I think would be more suited to a coat over a kelly green.
Please, Please, PLEASE wear a cute HAT!!!


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Undergraduate Programs
The Department of Landscape Architecture offers an undergraduate program in Landscape Design and Planning and a Landscape Design and Planning Minor.
Landscape Design and Planning majors can also apply to the LDP + MLA degree program and earn a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture with two additional years of study. This program is accredited and graduates are eligible for licensure as landscape architects.
Graduate Programs
- The Department of Landscape Architecture offers three graduate programs in landscape architecture. The MLA I is an accredited three-year first professional degree for students with a baccalaureate degree.
- MLA II is for students with a bacclaureate degree in Landscape Architecture or Architecture. Students are accepted into the program with advanced standing. Please contact the Director of Graduate Studies with any questions.
- The MSLA is a non-professional graduate degree for students interested in landscape architecture as a scholarly discipline. The degree is open to students who hold a a BLA or MLA, or baccalaureate degree in a related field.
- Restoration Ecology minor is for students enrolled in a Master's Degree program at the University of Minnesota.
Each academic program has specific admissions requirements and procedures. Please follow the links below to each program's admissions page for more detailed information about the admissions process:


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Monumentum Ancyranum (Res Gestae)
C. Iulius Caesar Octavianus
Dona ex manibiis in Capitolio et in aede divi Iuli et in aede Apollinis et in aede Vestae et in templo Martis Ultoris consacravi, quae mihi constiterunt HS circiter milliens.
From the spoils of war I consecrated offerings on the Capitol, and in the temple of the divine Julius, and in the temple of Apollo, and in the temple of Vesta, and in the temple of Mars Ultor, which cost me about one hundred million sesterces.
Reprinted by permission of the publishers and the Trustees of the Loeb Classical Library from C. Iulius Caesar Octavianus: Compendium of Roman History. Res Gestae Divi Augusti, Loeb Classical Library Vol. 152, translated by F.W. Shipley, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, © 1924, by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. The Loeb Classical Library ® is a registered trademark of the President and Fellows of Harvard College.


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No Limit Fighting's Brawl 4 It All event was cancelled Saturday afternoon after CSAC officials had found that the official cage they were going to use for the event was not yet built. Since then, madness has apparently ensued.
Ken Pavia told Sherdog that Phil Flathers, the show's promoter, promised 20% of their purses to the fighters even though the show was cancelled and to date, no one has received anything:
"The promoter called a meeting of a number of the fighters that had gathered at the event and during the course of negotiations an altercation ensued in the back of the room," said Pavia, who declined to expound on the altercation. "During the altercation the promoter took advantage of the distraction to grab his briefcase and run out the side exit and sprint to his car. People chased him, he jumped in his car and took off. At this time, despite the fact that my fighters signed bout agreements, made weight, and complied with all their medical obligations, they have not been paid a dollar."
The altercation in the back of the room may have involved Don Frye and the bodyguard of Leland Chapman (son of Dog the Bounty Hunter) according to Dave Meltzer:
There were problems between Phil Flathers, the MMA promoter whose show was canceled by the athletic commission because the cage wasn't properly put together. Flathers said since there was no show, he wasn't going to pay the fighters. Don Frye got into it with the bodyguard of Leland Chapman (the son of Dog the Bounty Hunter) and ended up sucker punched and came up bloody. The two had a second altercation later with Frye sucker punched again.
F4W Online has another take on what happened:
Frye apparently got into an altercation with a bodyguard while it was being explained by one of the MMA promoters to the other fighters that because the show was canceled, they weren't being paid. According to a source, Frye, who had been trying to mediate the meeting, challenged the bodyguard to take it outside after the bodyguard had screamed at him and poked him repeatedly in the chest. When Frye turned around he was sucker-punched twice. They got into a brawl, the police were called, and then later Frye and the bodyguard happened to run into each other again and had another fight. There are reports that Don was knocked out, but he was in the hotel shortly afterwards signing autographs for people so that story is likely inaccurate. He did have a huge shiner.
Sounds to me like Frye may have gotten jumped by Dog's crew. We'll definitely have more on this later.
Next entry: UFC 77 Post-Fight Notes
Previous entry: Shooto: Shooting Disco 3 Results


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Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics (SICG) consists of four facilities spread throughout the museum. Each facility has a unique group of PI's whose research interest takes them deeper into the realms of Genomics, Phylogenetics, Cladistics, Systematics and Molecular aspects of research. Please visit each of the following sections to learn more about these facilities;
Copyright © 2014 American Museum of Natural History


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On Monday night of last week, Denis Napthine picked up his mobile phone and made two calls.
The first was to Geoff Shaw. The other was to Ken Smith. Neither bothered to answer.
It's a sign of just how far on the outer both men are with the political party of which they are members.
Whatever the result of Tuesday's showdown at Spring Street, the feud that has simmered between former Speaker Smith and Shaw will finally, at least, come to a head.
Napthine has spent much of the past week railing against Shaw, whom he calls "the rogue MP for Frankston".
The fact is, Napthine has two rogue MPs to deal with, and his relationship with both is equally toxic.
"I have spoken to Ken Smith a couple of times recently and made my views clear on what he has said," Napthine said at last week's late-night press conference. "I was full and frank in my comments to Mr Smith."
Despite his 25 years as a Liberal, many in the party are now referring to Smith as the "rogue MP for Bass". Others call the pair "the two roosters".
Such is the fallout from Smith's decision to publicly support any move by Labor to expel Shaw from Parliament, the only senior Liberal who will now deal with him is Louise Asher, and only because she has been given the task of doing so.
It has been an interesting year for Asher – she is also the Liberal Party's designated go-to person dealing with Shaw.
For Napthine and his government, it will be the decisions made by Smith, rather than Shaw, that will decide their future.
For Labor, they are betting Smith's hatred of Shaw surpasses his hatred of them. "This is a bloke who calls us 'pinkos' and 'commos' on the floor of Parliament," said one ALP tactician on Monday. "We know he hates us, but we suspect he hates Geoff Shaw even more."
To get to the bottom of the feud, it's important to remember it was Smith who first referred Shaw and his misuse of his car to Parliament and the Ombudsman.
For Smith, there was never any question he was doing the right thing. Reporting such wrongdoing is mandatory.
"He's stubborn," said one Liberal colleague on Monday night. "And he just won't let go of his hatred for Shaw."
Shaw, on the other hand, feels he was dobbed in by Smith.
"Shaw was furious about it [being reported by Smith] and thought it was totally disproportionate," said one observer on Monday night.
Another senior Liberal, who lunched privately with Shaw last year, concurred. "His focus was very much on the Speaker and getting back at him," The Age was told. "Geoff thinks they [the government] should have done a deal to make it all go away, instead of reporting him."
From that moment on, Shaw swore to get revenge.
Smith had lobbied for the speakership as his swansong, but questions about his competency arose from the early days of the Baillieu government.
With Smith's performance under siege from Labor, Shaw seized the chance. In the media, he criticised Smith's performance. In Parliament, he shouted: "Step down. Step down now. You're a disgrace."
By February, Shaw had his man. Smith quit, but was not going down without a fight. The former Speaker went on the ABC and declared Shaw was "not fit to be an MP".
When Shaw famously became embroiled in a fight with taxi protesters on the steps of Parliament, security footage was leaked to 3AW that showed Shaw choosing to encounter the protesters.
At the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee last month, it was revealed Smith had leaked the video.
Now, the fight between the two roosters comes to a head.
In one corner, a plumber from Wonthaggi who has been kicked out of State Parliament more times than any other sitting MP.
In the other, a bouncer from Frankston who stands to be kicked out for good.
The Liberal Party can only hope for a swift end.


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Acer, which has long been publicly critical of Microsoft's Windows 8 strategy, now says that Microsoft has started to listen to its hardware partners. And the company's chairman has offered a strange, backhand compliment, saying that Microsoft has finally learned "how people living on earth think." With compliments like that, who needs to hear criticisms?
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal Acer President Jim Wong said that Microsoft had begun to listen to the complaints and recommendations of its hardware partners, something he said the company hasn't done in the past. He told the Journal that Microsoft has become more "considerate" of its partners, and that it has begun adopting their recommendations "at a high percentage."
The Journal also quotes Acer Chairman J.T. Wang as saying:
"In the past we consider they (Microsoft) live in heaven. But now they go down to earth and they start to learn how people living on earth think."
That's a backhanded compliment if ever there was one. It very clearly says that Acer believes that in the past Microsoft has ignored the needs of its users and business partners, but that now the company is amending its ways.
Acer has been critical of Microsoft and Windows 8 before the operating system even launched. The company was upset that Microsoft was going to sell its own brand of Surface Windows and Windows RT tablets. Wang told the Financial Times: back in August:
"We have said [to Microsoft] think it over. Think twice. It will create a huge negative impact for the ecosystem and other brands may take a negative reaction...It is not something you are good at so please think twice."
In January, Acer President Wong told Bloomberg that Windows 8 had been a bust:
"Windows 8 itself is still not successful. The whole market didn't come back to growth after the Windows 8 launch, that's a simple way to judge if it is successful or not."
Acer's comments come after Tami Reller, Microsoft's Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Financial Office, went on a publicity blitz saying that Microsoft will make changes to Windows 8 based on customer feedback. In a Microsoft blog, she said that Windows Blue will address customer complaints:
"The Windows Blue update is also an opportunity for us to respond to the customer feedback that we've been closely listening to since the launch of Windows 8 and Windows RT."
All this isn't to say that Acer is convinced that Windows 8 will quickly become a rousing success, or that it agrees with part of Microsoft's core strategy for Windows 8. Acer President Jim Wong clearly doesn't agree with Microsoft's belief that all computers will become touch-enabled, and the way it designed Windows 8 primarily for touch. He told the Journal:
"When we were talking to Microsoft, our input to them is balance. The world in the next five years is not going 100 percent to touch. Although touch makes a lot of possibilities for PCs, you need to take care of the rest of the world that doesn't need touch."
Still, given Microsoft's rocky relationship with Acer, Asus and other partners, Microsoft must be pleased to hear Acer's compliments, as odd as some might be. Now comes the hard part, though. Listening to feedback is one thing. Making significant changes based on them is another. Windows Blue's arrival will provide a first look at how serious Microsoft is about listening to customers and partners.


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We wish to attract staff who are keen to join and who, once here, will feel proud to be contributing to our success. In return we aim to ensure that the career and personal potential of staff is rewarded, recognised and developed in a properly resourced and supportive environment.
Job Title: Accountant
- Must be a chartered accountant with minimum of 5 years experience in a related role.
Location: Ibadan, Oyo
Closing Date
6th December, 2016.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their complete CV's with Cover Letters to: email@example.com
- Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
- Please ensure you make the position you are applying as the title of your email as applications that are not specific will not be dealt with.
- Only spirit-filled Christians who are ministry inclined need apply.
- You should also note that The Empowerment Centre is affiliated to a church ministry.
- The position above may require successful applicant to be comfortable with the ethos of the ministry as well as be a part of the ministry.
- Anyone who is not able to meet this condition need not apply


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23-year-old Tinley Park woman charged with aggravated battery after being accused of running over her live-in boyfriend with her car will remain in jail on $100,000 bond after a Cook County judge denied a bond reduction Friday, Dec. 21.
Prosecutors allege Christine Meyers drove over her boyfriend on Sunday, Dec. 16, causing the man to be hospitalized to get surgery on his chest and back and to repair skin torn off the man's scrotum.
However, Meyers' boyfriend told police a very different story, saying that an unknown vehicle hit him and he didn't want the suspect charged if they were caught.
Bond Reduction Denied for Woman Accused of Driving Over Boyfriend - Tinley Park, IL Patch
Current Status: Published (4)
Seeded on Sun Dec 23, 2012 1:31 PM
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Matthews: Where have all the "big, beefy" "every-way big guy" Democrats gone?
While discussing the Democratic presidential candidates on the August 8 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, host Chris Matthews asserted: "I don't see a big, beefy alternative to [Sen.] Hillary Clinton [D-NY] -- a big guy. You know what I mean? An ... every-way big guy. I don't see one out there. I see a lot of slight, skinny, second- and third-rate candidates." Matthews prefaced his comment by saying, "I guess I'm thinking of an Eddie Rendell were in the race -- the governor of Pennsylvania -- or if [former Vice President] Al Gore were in the race or someone else who's a good heavyweight to be running."
As Media Matters for America noted [1], during MSNBC's August 7 coverage of the AFL-CIO Democratic presidential forum, Matthews asked Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson about former Sen. John Edwards' (NC) performance: "Why did they seem to be glancing blows that didn't grab the audience? Is the fact that he's a small man -- I mean, literally, physically?" Robinson responded: "He's not physically that small."
Matthews' characterization of Gore as "a good heavyweight" marks a change from his previous characterizations of Gore. As Media Matters noted [2], on the December 21, 2006, edition of Hardball, Matthews asked Washington Times editorial page editor Tony Blankley if Gore was "in fighting weight" and then said: "He's the Hindenburg [3]."
Matthews has also previously suggested that Obama's being "skinny" is an asset, rather than a liability. On the January 17 edition of Hardball, he asserted:
MATTHEWS: He looks like the young American hero -- OK, the ears stick out. I think [New York Times columnist] Maureen Dowd made that point. He's got the skinny, lanky look of a young, healthy guy. He looks like the young Lindbergh before the politics got in the way, the young Jack Kennedy. If he sits around and waits 'til he's middle-aged, and he's got a fat neck, he ain't going anywhere. So, the smartest thing that kid is doing -- and he is a kid compared to us -- is go for it and make Hillary try to catch him.
As Media Matters has documented, Matthews has previously touted the purportedly presidential attributes of each of the leading Republicans running for president:
- On the May 2, 2006, edition [4] of Hardball, Matthews said of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, "He looks like [a] president to me."
- On the November 19, 2006, edition [5] of the NBC-syndicated The Chris Matthews Show, Matthews and his panel gushed over Sen. John McCain (AZ), calling him "passionate," "a smart hawk," and "kind of like Martin Luther." On the March 29 Hardball, Matthews stated: "John McCain certainly deserves to be president, based on his contribution to this country over the years."
- On January 19, Matthews said [6] of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: "He has the perfect chin, the perfect hair, he looks right." On February 13, Matthews said [7] Romney has "got a great chin, I've noticed."
Media Matters also noted [8] that, during the July 18, 2006, edition of NBC's The Tonight Show, Matthews predicted a Giuliani victory in 2008, but also asserted: "I hope the American people take the next election very seriously and don't just vote partisan ... or personality or who has the happiest smile ... but picks the person that makes us feel the safest."
On the August 8 show, which featured Townhall.com columnist Amanda Carpenter, The New Republic senior editor Michael Crowley, and Newsweek White House correspondent Holly Bailey, Carpenter said regarding Edwards: "I think he's trying desperately, you know, almost like a little kid, 'Hey, remember me?' "
From the 5 p.m. ET hour of the August 8 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:
MATTHEWS: The guy who's caught off guard here and almost irrelevant is Edwards. He just keeps slipping through the cracks.
CARPENTER: Yeah, he's quite desperate.
MATTHEWS: He's not the avant-garde candidate. He's not the Bobby Kennedy, like Obama. He's not the establishment candidate like Hillary. He's just there.
CARPENTER: Yeah, I think he's trying desperately, you know, almost like a little kid, "Hey, remember me?" and "What about the lobbyist money?" He brought that up at YearlyKos and again at the debate last night. I mean, he really is kind of stealing Obama's territory on the lobbyist money and trying to own that and make it his and bringing it up every chance he can.
MATTHEWS: Here's a tough question, Holly. Is Barack Obama the dog in the manger, meaning the person who stands there and prevents somebody who can really take on Hillary from getting into second place? Is he her best friend really, 'cause he can't catch her?
BAILEY: Well, you know, I think on one hand, sure. But at the same time, you know, if we look at the field, I mean, you know, it's hard to see who would be getting his support, you know, if he weren't in the race. I mean, I think a lot of people who are supporting Obama would probably still be -- would probably shift to Hillary, but that's just a guess.
MATTHEWS: Yeah, I think you're right. I guess I'm thinking of an Eddie Rendell were in the race -- the governor of Pennsylvania -- or if Al Gore were in the race or someone else who's a good heavyweight to be running. But, you know, I do see a lot of really good second-tier candidates here, but I don't see a big, beefy alternative to Hillary Clinton -- a big guy. You know what I mean? An all -- an every-way big guy. I don't see one out there. I see a lot of slight, skinny, second- and third-rate candidates.
CROWLEY: [New Mexico Gov. Bill] Richardson's kind of beefy. Richardson's a little beefy.
MATTHEWS: Yeah, right. I know. We'll talk about Richardson later. Thank you Michael Crowley, Amanda Carpenter -- Richardson's a fine public servant, but I don't see it connecting yet. And Holly Barry [sic], thank you, from Newsweek.
- Network/Outlet
- Person
- Chris Matthews [10]
- Show/Publication
- Hardball [11]
- Stories/Interests
- 2008 Elections [12]


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First of all, thank you so much to everybody who entered my Reindeer Kit draw. I can hardly believe the number of comments - and all your wonderful - and so creative - suggestions for his name. I am sorry to say that I have been so busy reading and chuckling over(!) your ideas, that I haven't yet … [Read more...]
Today is a bit of a SewFlapdoodle Day!
My friend Jacqui of SewFlapdoodle is fired up and full of enthusiasm for creating embroidery designs. She's never sewn herself, but simply adores the way that her drawings can be interpreted with needle and thread. I am hopeful that one day I might even persuade her to develop her own needlework … [Read more...]