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Tuesday, January 31, 2006
And they are off!
1) I was not surprised by all of "Brokeback's" nominations. However, I think it will only take screenplay, director, and best film. But, I suppose that is enough, isn't it?
2) I was surprised but also not surprised by the number of nominations for "Crash." I was not surprised because several weeks ago I started reading about the campaign that the producers were conducting and sending out DVDs to potential voters. The Harvey Weinstein-technique is guaranteed to get you some nominations, if not some awards. I was surprised by the nominations because . . . well . . . I did not like the movie. I thought that it was too over the top and moved way to fast. Some of the characters could have been cut down and a few plot twists left out. Frankly, I thought it was "showy." Of the best movie nominations, Crash was the only one I did not predict. I went with "Walk the Line" instead. But like I said, I should have known that the campaign was under way.
3) I was not surprised by Russell Crowe's no show nomination. Sometimes I think the academy does not really like him that much.
4) I was surprised by William Hurt's nomination. WTF?? I guess I have to see the movie, but in all the reviews that I read about "A History of Violence," I don't remember seeing his name. He is this year's Alan Alda.
5) I think Philip Seymour Hoffman will win best actor.
6) I don't think my secret celebrity crush, Jake Gyllenhaal, will win, but I CANNOT WAIT to watch him in tux on TV.
7) I hope Catherine Keener wins for supporting actress. She is awesome. And sexy. And over 40.
8) I wish they had nominated Steve Carrel's original screenplay for the 40 Year Old Virgin. It was my favorite movie last year and I would have loved to see him win and congratulate his wife. When will the Academy learn to laugh? Laughter is good.
9) Who will win the battle between penguins and Enron? Who cares? Grizzly Man was better and directed by a German, but the Academy said that it did not qualify. I think it is a bias against German cinema (see the title of my last post).
10) That said, I was so happy to see a German movie, "Sophie Scholl: The Final Days," nominated as best foreign language film. A lot of WW II movies have come out in recent years in Germany. Der Untergang (Downfall) which was nominated last year, is better. Bruno Ganz plays Hitler in a way that you have never seen. During the Golden Globes this year, they played a clip of Anthony Hopkins's Hitler. I was like, "You have got to be kidding me!!" Rent "Downfall." Watch it in German with English subtitles (you have to, the acting is better that way). Be amazed.
11) Glad to see that Batman Begins got at least one nomination. I think people forgot about that movie. It stars one of my other secret celebrity crushes, Christian Bale.
12) How did Star Wars not get nominated for visual effects. WTF??? War of the Worlds but not Revenge of the Sith?? No way. Even the German thought it was weird.
That is all I can think of at the moment. Trust me, I am sure that I will think of more before the big day March 5. For those of you not interested, you should probably skip those blogs.
After looking at my comments, I realized that I watch entirely too much television.
I wanted to say more about the cool things going on in my life. The career stuff I actually cannot get into because I am afraid I will ginx it, and I am not sure I am allowed to talk about it. But I can tell you that the personal stuff involves a house. The German and I are contemplating building one this summer. Next week we have to go to the bank to see about a mortgage, which makes me feel old. I will keep you up-to-date on all the details.
Monday, January 30, 2006
German Cinema is not all Angst and Expressionism
First, Maenner Wie Wir (Men Like Us) is the story about a gay soccer team. Ecki, is a 20 year old (or about), young gay man who inadvertently comes out to his soccer team. After being thrown off the team, he travels to Dortmund to put together a team of only gay men to play against his old team. It is a story of gaining respect and defining who you really are. It is also very funny.
Second, Kebab Connection Kebab Connection is about a young Turkish man (Ibo) who wants to make German Kung Fu movies (his pitch to a producer is hilarious!). When his German girlfriend turns up pregnant, he is faced with the prospect of having to "be a grown up." The movie presents many of the cultural differences between Turks and Germans, and how it can lead to tension and many laughs. The movie is a bit fluffy (it has a typical Hollywood ending) and the theme could be more fully explored, but it was entertaining nonetheless. Also, you will be singing "Everybody was kung fu fighting" for hours.
Finally, Barfuss (Barefoot) is subtitled: "How far would you go if you were in love?" I liked this movie the best. It was written, directed, and stars Germany's answer to George Clooney, Til Schweiger. He is very cute and a good actor. Til Schweiger spent many years in Hollywood but could not break into the American market. Unfortunately good actors with accented English often become "character actors." In Barfuss, Nick Keller (Til Schweiger) is kind of a loser who drifts from one job to the next and has broken contact with his family. Fate gives him a job at a mental institution. After he saves the life of a disturbed girl, Leila (Johanna Wokalek), she decideds not to leave his side. She follows him as he travels to Hamburg for the wedding of his younger brother. I thought this movie was cute, but a bit long. Some of the scenes could have been edited better. The German also like the movie, but I think that is because it also has his favorite secret celebrity crush, Alexandra Neldel. Alexandra Neldel also stars in a soap called "Verliebt in Berlin," which the German secretly watches.
My goodness, I have not even gotten to predictions, and I am already exhausted. Well, it is 10:49pm here and I have had a seriously LONG day. Some exciting things are happening career wise and personally (NO I AM NOT PREGNANT). So I tell you what, I will skip the predictions and go to bed. However, I will get up bright and early and respond to the nominations as well as fill you in on all the other happenings in the land of Sauerkraut and Mercedes.
PS I am saddened to read about the death of the amazing Wendy Wasserstein.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Just your typical Friday morning
The German began to hum a song. What is that song?
Claire: Sweetie, I think that it is a little early in the morning for Black Sabbath.
German: Yes, you are probably right.
I actually made it to the gym. I saw Russian Drill Sergeant for the first time since December. I bow down to your superior abs. You are awesome. I even made it through the class! Although I am in a bit of pain.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Germans can do a lot, but they cannot do reality television
Germany tries to be sophisticated by calling reality TV shows "docu - soaps." I suppose that "docu" might indicate some level of professionalism, but there is none to be found. Docu-soaps here are just bad, bad, bad. I think the problem is that they people who participate just don't get that into it. Perhaps Germans are more reserved than Americans or they are not exhibitionist enough. Despite this cultural obstacle, there are many docu-soaps on TV over here: The Super Nanny, Big Brother (they get a whole village here!), Frauen Tausch (wife swap), That's my Baby.
My favorite reality show in the States is The Apprentice. Yes, I have a favorite. I never claimed to be an intellectual, in fact I like my brain candy, thank you very much. I cannot explain my fascination with that show. Every time I hear that theme music (God, I love the O'Jays) I get positively giddy. I keep up with the show even here in Deutschland. Yahoo broadcasts about 10 minutes of the show and you can read summaries on Reality News Online.
They tried to bring The Apprentice here to Germany. It did not work so well. The first version was pulled after a few episodes, then it was reincarnated as Big Boss. Big Boss WAS The Apprentice: same music, same tasks, everything. No Donald though. They did have Reiner Calmund, who is well . . . big. It got through the season but has not come back. I suppose watching people get fired is not entertaining in a country where some places have over 15% unemployment. Go figure.
Anyway, I digress. As I sat down with the German (who is not 100% but is no longer in the bathroom every 20 minutes), I flipped on the TV. There is was. Germany's Next Top Model, staring Heidi Klum. Wow. Germany has some very thin women. It made my choice to go home and not to the gym look like a bad one. Did I watch it? You bet I did. While eating potato chips.
I am a super hero
So there you have it. In my warped mind, getting a needle stuck in your gum is much worse than having a drill taken to the tooth. I have to go back to the dentist at the end of February to get a bridge put in. I have a hole where a tooth is supposed to be. It is on the side, so you cannot see it. I am not sure that I want the bridge, as the gap in my teeth gives me a little bit of redneck street cred.
Yesterday, I spent two hours at the doctor with the German. On Tuesday at 4:30am the German woke me up to inform me that he had stomach / intestinal flu. I told him to take an immodium, leave me alone, and I went back to my snoring. At 7:30am I got up and realized just what bad shape he was in and also felt like a complete ass hole. I cancelled my morning English lesson and drove him to the doctor. Then I spent the rest of the day taking care of him. If I have kids, I guess I have to get used to this.
This stomach flu has attacked everyone in the family. All of my in laws have had it. On Sunday we went to my mother-in-law's birthday breakfast, and we think that the German caught it from his 4 year old nephew. I show no signs of being sick. The German thinks that I am an alien. How else can you get fillings with no novicane and not get the dreaded stomach flu? I am a super hero.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
I may get defensive, but sea cucumbers are much worse!
"Think about your own experiences as a learner. Think back to your time in school, or maybe you have been an adult learner. Please describe a successful learning experience you have had and what made it so successful."
This was hard! I also think it is a great question. I have posted my answer below. If you have a memorable learning experience, post it!
This was a very difficult question to answer, and I thought about it for an hour. I remembered many great teachers and professors, but I could not remember specific lessons. Mostly memories of great elementary school teachers flooded my mind. However, my 6th grade science teacher stands out the most. Ms. Salvo taught earth science in North Charleston, South Carolina (USA). Marine biology was the theme for the year. We spent every lesson talking about different aspects of the ocean and every week she read us books about the lives of marine
creatures. She would bring in seaweed and shells. We got to touch things and draw them. In the spring, 50 students were selected from all of the earth science classes to go on an over night camp on Seabrook Island, South Carolina. I was lucky enough to go. I will never forget the things I learned about the ocean during that week. For example, sea cucumbers spit out their stomachs when they feel threatened. Those types of things definitely leave an impression on an
11 year old! I also remember the smell of the mud flats as we walked through the swamp at low tide. It was not good. I lost a shoe in that mud. The entire year left a deep impression on me. Although marine biology could be very dull, the teacher used a variety of methods to make the ocean come to life. The trip at the end reinforced tedious facts by making science real. I often think of teaching English the same way. Grammar is boring, but I must make the language
come alive for my students.
PS: The camp was called Saint Christopher and it totally rocked! Also, the book that my teacher read was about a hermit crab that lived in a tidal pool. He is born and grows up and has a totally traumatic experience when he has to find a new shell. I cannot remember the name of it, but if anyone has any ideas, please let me know.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Me not wife. Me clean woman.
One of my English clients (wow - using the word "client" totally makes me sound like a hooker) cancelled this morning. Thinking that I should make use of the morning, I decided to get some Hausfrau stuff done. So far I have changed the sheets on the bed, done the dishes, and put in a load of laundry (have I mentioned that I do laundry all the freaking time!). I am pooped. It is time for a nap.
In the middle of changing the sheets, the telephone rang. The caller id read "anonymous." This is like an "out of area" call in the States, which means one thing - telemarketer. I normally do not answer "anonymous" calls, but earlier this week one of my English clients (once again I feel like a hooker) called to cancel, and his call came up "anonymous." So I took a chance.
There is an important German telephone etiquette rule that you must know. When you answer the phone, you must say your name. I do not like this. I am used to the American, "Hello." I still say that on occasion. Once . . .
Telephone rings at my house. I answer it.
Claire: Hello.
Angry, offended German: Who is this?
Claire: You called me. Who is this?
Anyway, today I decided to play by the German telephone rules and answered the phone with my name. The response, "Good morning. This is _____ with _____." Crap a telemarketer. Not just any telemarketer though. This was the telephone company. I knew they were calling because two month ago we switched our service in order to get a faster internet connection. I have not noticed a difference in speed, but the German has, and he is the expert in all things computer. The German has been complaining about the telephone company because they have called SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK EVERY WEEK FOR TWO MONTHS trying to get us to switch back.
I do not like to offend telemarketers. They are just people trying to do a job. Although I do not want any part of what they are selling, I do not want to give them a hard time. My mother just hangs up. One of my more morbid friends always says, "This is her mother. _______ died yesterday."
Today I figured out the perfect thing to say to a German telemarketer.
Claire: Hello. Claire ______.
Telemarketer: Is the man of the house there?
Claire: No.
Telemarketer: Is this his wife?
(I realized she had no idea who I was. I kept my name when I got married.)
Claire: No. Me no wife. Me clean woman. (in my best American accented German)
Telemarketer: I WILL CALL BACK LATER. (speaking very loudly and slowly)
It totally worked. Sometimes being a foreigner has its advantages here . . .
Oh, before I forget. My friend Carrie left a post on my last blog about how the Germans may be indeed out to get me. My husband read the comment and wanted me to respond, "Please do not feed into her paranoia, Carrie. She is difficult enough to live with as it is."
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
No, Claire, they are not out to get you.
The dentist commenced with his drilling and poking and filling. Things that I heard from the chair:
"Now, I don't like the look of that."
"Let's see how stable this tooth is." (then starts knocking on the freshly drilled tooth)
"You have sensitive gums. I need to wait 30 seconds for all the bleeding to stop." This one made my eyes almost pop out of my head. My gums are not sensitive. They just don't like crazy German dentists getting too close to them with a drill!
I have to go back next Monday. Sigh. The fillings are up next. "We have four fillings to do." Wait. I thought you said I have only one cavity. "Well, there are three smaller holes. And all big holes started as small holes." I asked him to plan to do them all at once. He eyed me skeptically. "Are you sure you can handle it?" Yes, you big jerk. I have been known to power through some pain. It would probably be easier for me if you were a bit more sympathetic. I did not say that but I sure as hell thought it . . . yup, definitely going to have to find a new dentist.
THEN, the German had a run in with customs yesterday. While we are in the States, we got martini glasses as a Christmas gift. We got 8 total, four from my mom and four from my best bud, Jess. Because we had no room in our bags or carry on luggage, I decided to pack it up and mail it to our Germany address. I wrapped those suckers in a TON of bubble wrap plus Styrofoam peanuts. We received a notice from the German customs office in a small town (I am not revealing the name in order to protect the not so innocent), requesting that we come and pick-up our package.
My beloved finally had time to do that yesterday. When he got there, he said that there was a sticker on the box from the Frankfurt customs office and it appeared that it had been opened. Nonetheless he had to assume the position. Just kidding. Maybe.
Bored German Customs Officer: What is in the box, sir?
The German: 8 martini glasses, a Christmas gift.
Bored German Customs Officer: Open the box, sir.
The customs officer then took everything out of the box to inspect it. Unfortunately one glass got broken. The customs officer then informed my husband that anything over $40 coming into the country will be charged an import tax - EVEN IF IT IS A GIFT FROM YOUR AMERICAN INLAWS. But because he thought that the glasses were not worth $40 and one of them was broken, he would let it slide. JUST THIS ONCE.
WTF?? In the 18 months I have lived here this has never happened. My husband said, "There were 6 computers and 6 empty desks, and I was the only visitor." "Yes, sweetie, they have nothing else to do." Personally, I think that the glass got broke when the box was inspected in Frankfurt. Why did we have to check twice? Then I had a thought. The dentist, the customs officer. The Germans are out to get me.
Time for bed. Oh my god! They are showing the Golden Globes again. This time they have been dubbed into German. And it is . . . bad. Watching a few minutes I am reminded of why I don't watch these with the German. He is always going, "Who is that? Why are they there? What movie were they in?" It can get a little annoying.
One last thought - were all of Drew Barrymore's bras at the cleaners yesterday? Sweetie, the twins need a little support. And you need an eyebrow wax. I know I am being critical and would not want someone to say that about me, but I DO NOT PAY A STYLIST! Seriously, someone said, "No, Drew, you like great." Drew - fire that person.
Observations from . . . My couch
In Germany they only do red carpet coverage for the Academy Awards. I think that the Golden Globes would get more play here. After all, Germany is foreign and we do have press. While watching the show, I kept thinking about how I rely on the Hollywood Foreign Press for my fix of movie / celebrity news. I did get about 10 minutes of Nancy O'Dell before the show started. I remember her when she was Nancy Humphries and she did the local news in my hometown.
After Paul Giamatti did not win, I was a little upset. However, Clooney's win did make a little sense. His films probably were not going to win anything else during the evening, and so they wanted to be like, "George, we like you and you did good this year. We cannot give you anything else, so take the Supporting Award." Also, I hear that he is pretty good in the movie. However, Giamatti gets screwed again because of the fear of screwing someone else. Also, I thought Clooney's acceptance speech was lame and insincere. I could have lived with out that.
Rachel Weisz's win was also a bit surprising. However, once again I hear that she was good in the movie. Seriously people, they need to start dubbing movies and releasing them a bit faster in Deutschland. So, congrats Rachel, but tell your make-up artist to lay off the black eye liner. It does nothing for you.
There were many inappropriate moments and some things that were just plain not funny. Queen Latifah's salute to MLK was a bit hallow. Chris Rock was funny, but I really do not think Mary-Louise Parker thought so. Did you see her face during his comment about Snoop Dog being the only one watching her show!! Geena Davis's fake story about the little girl tugging her dress was funny, her "This is so lovely," sounded very insincere and so, "I am above all this."
Some speeches were good though. Steve Carell was hilarious (or his wife's speech was anyway). The 40 Year Old Virgin was one of the best movies I saw last year, and I always watch The Office when I am at home in the states. He is very talented, and I also find him strangely attractive. Hugh Laurie's pulling names out of the hat was also hilarious. And I was very touched by S. Epatha Merkerson. "I am 53, and this was my first lead in a movie." (Applause). "I would feel like a 16 year old, but I am in the middle of a hot flash." Also, Philip Seymour Hoffman was brutally honest when he said, "I got the role of a life time." Yes you did and you did good. Enjoy it.
Other observations: Was it just me or did Joaquin Phoenix look REALLY uncomfortable? Was it just me or was Hillary Swank REALLY thin? Someone give that girl a cheeseburger! Was it just me or did Marcia Cross NOT LOOK HAPPY when Mary-Louise Parker won? All of the other Housewives stood up, but not Cross. Was it just me or did Charlie Sheen look a little rough and / or sad? Is it just me or is Scarlett Johansson a total hottie? Also - the girl can act! Dude, where was Jake Gyllenhaal??? He is my current secret celebrity crush (tied with Joaquin Phoenix) and he got no TV time. Was he not there? (It is okay to have a secret celebrity crush. The German was into Kelly Ripa for a while, but now finds her too thin. He currently likes Jennifer Garner. I think he has good taste.)
I am getting a clearer picture of who I think will get nominated for what by the Academy. I will post my predictions on nominations next week. But for now, I am going to take a nap. I got four hours of sleep and then had to go teach English. Try teaching the present perfect on four hours of sleep. Good times.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Cinderella Man
This last task has proved pretty daunting since I moved to Germany. The majority of the movies in the running this year have not even been released over here yet! Before my American Christmas Extravaganza I made a list of about seven movies that I wanted to see before the awards season kicked into high gear. I got to see ONE! My lone flick was "Walk the Line," which was pretty good. Reese Witherspoon is totally going to get an Oscar nomination. The other movies I wanted to see were NOT EVEN PLAYING in Summerville, SC (they include Munich, Brokeback Mountain, Capote, Syriana, Good Night and Good Luck; hmm . . . is it really any wonder that these were not playing in my parents' southern suburbs?)
This weekend the German and I rented some DVD's and I tried to catch up on my list (the Golden Globes are tomorrow! A girl needs to do some catching up!). So, we got Cinderella Man.
It was . . . Okay. Actually, good but not great. I would give it 3 out of 4 stars. Paul Giamatti was his usual fantastic self. I loved the scene were he is trying to negotiate the fight. On the outside he is all swagger, but his eyes betray his desperation. I think he will win tomorrow and get an Oscar nomination. I agree with a lot of critics that could be considered a "do over," which so often happens with the Academy. That is, "We made such a bone head error last year by not recognizing you for Sideways (awesome movie!), please take this trophy as our apology."
Russell Crowe was also good but not award great. I think Joaquin Phoenix was better in Walk the Line. I think the best actor Oscar will come down to those two and Heath Ledger for Brokeback and Philip Seymour Hoffmann for Capote. Because of all the "buzz" (God I hate that word sometimes) for Brokeback, I think Ledger has the edge, but can the academy forgive 10 Things I Hate About You (actually not a terrible movie) or A Knight's Tale (which was terrible!). I have liked Hoffmann for years and I am dying to see Capote, and the clip and trailer I saw on Yahoo, make me REALLY like his performance. On the other hand, I left Walk the Line thinking about Phoenix for days. Maybe it is because he was so hot . . .
Anyway, there is an interesting end note to our Cinderella Man screening. When I teach American politics, the topic of political culture and culture comes up a lot. I realized that Cinderella Man is a good example of those values important in American culture. Notably, that anyone can make something of themselves if they work hard enough (and use their head as a punching bag). The concept of individualism runs heavy in this movie. It is sometimes at odds with the main characters feelings about the government. Crowe's character mentions FDR several times and thinks that it is good that a government can "help a man when he is down." So, although he seems to appreciate some sort of social programs, you had best pay it back when you can. I was not sure what cultural image trumps in this movie. Or maybe I am reading to much into it . . . Although I try to reflect on films and NOT let myself be emotionally manipulated, there were two scenes when I totally cried (when he promises not to send his son away and when the neighbor is buried) and I leaked a little at the end. I could not help myself. That is when I realized that my attachment to American culture runs deep. On the other hand, I also cried when I saw Seabiscuit. I know, I know. If you did not think that I was a loser before, you are thinking it now.
I am going to write my blog while watching the Golden Globes tomorrow! It will probably make no sense because I will be writing between the hours of 2:00am and 5:00am. Just love that time difference.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Check This Out!
I found it on Mighty Girl, who got it via Andrea. I am a little fuzzy on the etiqutte / citation rules for bloggings, so forgive me. It is not in my MLA handbook.
Anyway, check out this clip!!! I loved it!
Listen to the Wombat
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Reason 179 That I Love the German
Every night the German stops what he is doing to watch my soap with me, "Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten" (Good Times, Bad Times). This show is beyond bad, I mean American soaps should get Oscars. But I love every cheesy, terrible moment of it. I started watching it in the winter of 1997 when I was an exchange student living in Kassel, Germany. My German at the time was not good, and I had a television in my dorm room. That television and my soap improved my German by light years! See, soaps do have a reason to exist.
Anyway, the German actually knows the story lines now! Prof. Dr. Gerner (think of him as the JR Ewing of German soaps) found out that his a fiance may be pregnant with another man's child (don't you hate it when that happens?). Tonight, he hired a criminal to kidnap her and torture her a little and then set her free. Although Isabella knew who the guy was, Dr. Gerner said that she was just is in shock and thus made her look crazy.
The German turned to me and said, "If you slept with a young dude and got pregnant with his child, I promise to never hire someone to kidnap you."
Isn't he sweet!?
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
It was one of those moments when I REALLY wish the guy spoke English
Now, I don't want to brag, but I always thought I had pretty good teeth. They are straight and for the most part white. I have never had braces and only two fillings in my 28 years. Because I have two baby teeth still in my mouth (the adult teeth never formed, and it is not as weird as it sounds, my dentist says that it is not uncommon), I take care of my teeth. However, I am missing a tooth on the side when I cracked one of my baby teeth on a hard bagel. I was SO NOT GOING TO HAVE A ROOT CANAL ON A BABY TOOTH, so they pulled that sucker out.
In December the German dentist made me several appointments, but I was not clear why. He makes it sound like my mouth is going to fall out at any minute, but I think it is fine. However, the dentist did find a small cavity and I want to get a bridge for the big hole in my mouth. Today, I thought I was going in for the filling. WRONG.
My dentist is concerned with the discoloration between some of my front, upper teeth. Yes, I should floss more often, but I did not think things were that bad. Today he said, "We must do something now or your teeth will fall out tomorrow!" Ok, Ok, do your thing, dude. Then the dentist said something like "Blah, blah, blah und yadah und so on. Ok?" Once again, I don't like to brag, but my German is pretty good. I have spent a lot of time in Germany and the German and I speak German about 70% of the time, and I have even received compliments on my language skills. But, unfortunately, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE MAN SAID TO ME. So, as is my custom when I don't know what the hell someone is talking about, I shook my head and said, "Ok." MISTAKE.
The next thing I know, he brought a very large needle towards my mouth. I screamed. I am not exaggerating. I did. I think I scared the hell out of him. I looked at him and said in something resembling German, "I am afraid of needles. So can you explain to me again slowly exactly what you are about to do." "We are going to drill holes into your teeth to take out the brown stuff and then fill it all in with a white substance. It will protect your teeth and make them look better." Um, okay.
One hour later, I could not feel the right side of my face, but for the most part it was pretty painless. Nevertheless, my knuckles had turned white from gripping the arm rest in fear. The dentist was pretty pleased with himself and said, "That looks much better." He handed me a mirror and I swear to God, THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE.
As I picked up my purse to go home, he said, "I will see you Monday morning and we will do the other side!" Um, okay.
The lesson of this story, dear readers, is that if someone is coming at your face with a large needle, MAKE SURE THEY SPEAK YOUR MOTHER LANGUAGE.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Play Time (and Addressing Important Questions)
It is 11:58pm in Germany and I am wide awake. Two words - jet lag (or is that one?). So, I am playing on my blog a bit. I am trying to figure out the whole picture thing. Let's see if it works.
Wow! Look at that! That is the German and I on our wedding day, July 22, 2004. During the American Christmas Bonanza I got many comments on the blog from my family, well from those who read it anyway (which is not enough! Use some peer pressure people!). One of them kept asking, "Why do you call him the German?" Well, he is a teacher, and I do not want him to get fired for anything that I might say on this site. Plus, I think it adds a certain charm. But in case you are wondering, his name is Matthias. Isn't he cute?
Another comment I got from exactly two people. Both of my Grandfathers do not think I should use such bad language on the site. They think that such language is not becoming to a lady and that only "uneducated" people use such words. "You are better than that." Hmmm. I think part of this may be because my grandpas still see me as a six year old, which is okay. We see people the way we want to see them. But, I am not that young and while I might certainly have a lot of education, even I need to say s*** and f*** on occasion. Sometimes no other word will do. Also, I consider this blog a vent of sorts. It is a way to put out my thoughts and ideas and give the world my 2 euro cents, therefore I do not want to censor myself. I watch Survivor and the Apprentice and read People magazine. I may be "educated," but I am certainly not an intellectual. So, in the future I will put up the "Grandpa Warning" sign at the beginning of a post if there is bad language involved. If you are offended by those words, don't read it!
Anyway, time to play so more. God, I love the internet!
Home Sweet Home or Something Like That
"I am writing this from the Chicago O'Hare airport. The German and I are
finally on our way home. It is amazing. At times this has been the
trip that would never end, and other times it was the trip that I wish would
never end. Phase 3, which took place in Racine, WI, was a lot of fun. My
aunt and uncle have the coolest cats ever, Dweezel and Lulu. The German is
NOT a pet person and it a thorn in our marriage, but even he was taken with
Dweezel, a large, orange cat. As I sit in the airport and examine my fellow
travelers, I am actually pretty pleased with our trip. Remarkably there have
been no major screw-up this time around (KNOCK ON WOOD). Sure, we had to run
for our plane in Paris, but everything after that was okay. I looking
forward to my smooth re-entry into German society."
Certainly, God or Murphy or some other being who manipulates my life laughed and decided that I should regret that statement. Sure, the German and I got home in one piece, but the German's luggage did not.
The only thing good about Air France was the plane. It was a nice, fairly new Airbus. It was fairly quiet and a smooth ride (for the most part, more on that in a minute). This confirms the German's feeling about anything with a motor: if it is not German, it is crap. (He has never actually said this, but I know he thinks it.)
The flight from Chicago to Paris was okay, but it took off over an hour late. This was not due to something being wrong in Chicago. No, the plane was late getting into Chicago. In fact, all of my flights with Air France landed and took off late. I wonder if they work in a different time zone? We met a nice girl from Berlin on the plane to Paris. Because of the delay, she missed her connecting flight. She was able to get on a plane three hours later, and the people from Air France gave her a voucher for a free cup of coffee at the coffee shop. Wasn't that nice of them?
On the plane, the food was not much to speak of. I was very disappointed because I thought, hey, the French make great food. Unfortunately, they make terrible airplane food. The smooth flight turned turbulent off the coast of Iceland. It was shaky for about 30 minutes but that was enough to send so many butterflies in my stomach that I did not sleep for the rest of the flight and made me physically ill. (I will stop there because my Grandfather told me I should not talk about my bowls online. I do not want to offend anyone with stories about how stopped up I get, but I am sure anyone with a nervous bowl system, like myself, can understand.)
We landed in Paris, and once again we were confronted with tight hallways and unfriendly people. I gave the people in Charles DeGaul a break on Dec. 22 because I thought that the Christmas rush is enough to put anyone in a fowl mood. However, they were just as unfriendly on Jan. 8. Our plane took off (late) and when we landed in Bremen we were VERY happy to be back on German soil. Unfortunately the luggage did not make it.
We were not the only individuals to loose luggage. 10 people stood in line with us to report missing luggage. Is it just me, or is that a lot? All of this is enough to convince me of an important travelingg tip for all my friends: NEVER FLY THROUGH PARIS!
My "smooth" transition back into German life is going okay. Smarty was a little angry that I left her for over 2 weeks. Her breaks were a bit squeaky and her heater took awhile to get going this morning. I have already committed several social sins: laundry on Sunday and taking a really long shower.
I went to the supermarket. I over looked how annoying it is to pack my own groceries. In Germany you have to bring your own bags with you or you have to pay for them. Then you have to pack them yourself. Instead of annoying this was some how "quaint." However, what surprised me, was that for a culture that is often described as reserved, many Germans have no sense of personal space.
As the young woman was ringing up my groceries, the man and woman next in line came right up beside me. The woman was standing thiscloseto me, and her husband was right behind me. It was unnerving, especially as I was typing in the code to my check card. I really wanted to say something, but here that is considered rude. I don't get it. Why is it okay for someone to stand so close to me that she could reach into my purse, but I cannot tell her to back off?
Welcome home, Claire.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
976 Miles and Still So Far From Home
I am REALLY looking forward to going home to Germany. It is funny . . . That is the first time that I have ever considered Germany home. But I miss my bed . . . My shower . . . My friends . . . My job . . . Smarty . . . My privacy.
It has been great to see the family, but all of the travel does take a lot out of you. When we leave on Saturday, we will have put over 3000 miles on the gas guzzler, I mean rental car. The German and I never want to do this again. Visiting family is NOT a vacation. Not only is this stressful and not at all restful, but inevitably you offend someone by not spending enough time with them or failing to drive to see them. To those I have offended, I am sorry. I have spent over $2000 and traveled 6000 miles (driving and flying) in 17 days. I could not visit everyone. I need a vacation from my vacation.
Because we rotate Christmas, 2006 will be spent in Germany. I am trying to convince my mom to come over in December 2006. Not only is it Christmas, but she could spend her 50th birthday with her daughter in Germany. How cool is that? If you know my mother, send her an email telling her to visit her daughter!
Christmas 2007 will be spent in the States again. I am already thinking about it and getting nervous. As we were walking on the beach this week, the German had a fantastic idea. "Why don't we rent a house with lots of bedrooms on the beach for two weeks? We will stay there, and who ever wants to visit can come to us." That seems pretty reasonable to me . . . and very relaxing.
Before I hit the road, I have to make a post in honor of my best girlfriends, Jess and Mere. We were chatting last night about the blog and some of the culture stuff I have confronted (food, work, laundry) and others that I have yet to mention. One of the best is clothing. So here is a list of fashion, culture "give a ways," i.e. when you someone in this it is a total give away what country they are from. This list is not exhaustive. Post a comment if you have others.
U.S. Fashion Give Away
White Tennis Shoes
Khaki pants (especially with white tennis shoes)
Flip Flops
Baggy Blue Jeans
Shirt Hanging Out
German Fashion Give Away
Orange Pants (especially on men)
REALLY tight, short shorts
Sandals with Socks
Tight blue jeans
Tucked in Shirts
I also have another post for the Cheap/Expensive File:
Vitamins: U.S. = cheap Germany = REALLY expensive
Prescription medication: U.S. = expensive Germany = cheap
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Bowl Me Over, Part II
German universities have something like intramural sports, but they do not play each other in an organized fashion. It think this is a shame. College sports provide a sense of identification with a school that German universities could benefit from - especially financially.
German universities are suffering from a financial crisis. They do not charge students fees (they will start this year though), and rely on the state government for funding. Because of state budget constraints, German universities have often gotten the short end of the stick in past years. As a result, there has been less hiring and more firing. Departments are getting smaller, or just disappearing all together. As someone who is looking for a job in academia in Germany, I have personally felt this crunch.
Although students are sitting on the floor in some classes and often complain about "service" at the university, they have fought hard against the introduction of student fees. I have to admit that they are somewhat right. Students in Germany will send their checks directly to the state government, which will then redistribute the money at their discretion. How do you know where the money will go? Germany has announced that they want to establish and support "elite universities." This is really nice for "elite" students, but what about the rest? How do you know if your fees will go to your university?
This is where college football (or soccer) comes in. By introducing intercollegiate sports, German universities could establish a sense of identity among the student population. Proud students become proud, donating alumni. I donate to my university every year. I do not do this because I am wealthy, but because I want to get into the alumni football ticket lottery. German universities are trying alumni donation drives. A certain administrator at the University of Duesseldorf has admitted that their drive has not been as successful as they had hoped, mostly because Germans do not identify with their alma mater the way that Americans do.
I am not saying that intercollegiate sports are the solution to the financial problems of German universities, but it is an interesting idea. If it did not work, well, there is always next year.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
I resolve to BE HAPPY.
We all get caught up in the "Grass is greener on the other side" mentality. If I just had that car or if I could just get that job. Her life must be so easy. This is all a lot of BS. I do it all the time myself and I forget to see and appreciate the things that are right in front of me. I have a wonderful husband, great friends and family, a nice apartment, and a job that I like about 80% of the time. And yet, I always think about the things that "might have been." Once I start down that road I tend to get depressed and it can last a couple of days. I don't want to do that anymore. I want to be happy and appreciate all that I have.
In the spirit of appreciation . . . I resolve to BE NICER TO MY HUSBAND.
The German is a great guy. Although we live in Germany, he helps me find the money to visit the U.S. when I am homesick. He puts up with my moods and supports my dreams (even if they are crazy). Seriously, I should be nice to him.
I resolve to KEEP IN TOUCH WITH MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
I have a lot of emails sitting in my in-box. I will get to them this week, I SWEAR! My friends have always been important to me. I actually sent a Christmas card to most of them, although I only got two Christmas cards myself. But this is not about me, but about bringing happiness to others. Don't you get excited when you see a letter or postcard in your mailbox? I love that feeling, that someone has thought about me. I should bring that feeling to others. I think this blog is a pretty good start, but getting actual snail mail is better.
I resolve to GIVE MY ALL TO MY JOB.
Sometimes we just sleepwalk through our day. For many, this may be a result of being unhappy with their job. But, I actually enjoy my job. Teaching (whether English or politics) is fun. It is great to see someone understand. Things are going to be changing career wise for me. I will keep you all up-to-date.
2006 is going to be a big year I think. There are a lot of things the German and I want to do. But through it all, I am going to keep these resolutions in mind . . . and maybe lose a few pounds.


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James Troi Photographer
Tal EvansModel Male Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
My MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/yeah_tal
Mayhem # 1727153
About MeI am a full time personal trainer and professional soccer player. I have experience in fitness and fashion photography. I will be travelling in the US and Europe for the second half of 2010. I'm looking to work with with professional photographers who can expand my portfolio.
Have you worked with Tal Evans? Add Credits for Tal Evans! >>
Credit NotesI would not be who I am without the help of Jimmy Walsh. He is a lens god
James Troi Photographer
Lauren Byrne Model
Marcos Escalante Photographer
Burlesque Candy Photographer
Katie Kempf Model
YPS Photographer
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subset: commoncrawl


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'Lost & Found EP' is the debut from Sydney artist Mookhi, a talented 22 year-old who presents a self-produced and engineered flex, that gently draws you in. The 'Lost & Found EP' throws vibe around like Seekae and Disclosure do, while remaining tastefully in its own space.
Mookhi's debut leads with the seducing single 'Foul Play' (featuring Billy Fox) is such an intriguing sound which sums up Mookhi's thought process quite well. There's moments where Billy Fox's enigmatic vocals sit excellently on top of Mookhi's samples. Then there's moments where everything in the whole track has a bold amount of delay, cascading against each other at just the right frequency.
The balancing act of these two, and countless other vibes seems to be Mookhi's biggest strength throughout 'Lost & Found EP'.
Other cuts, such as 'Lacunae' present the more atmospheric touches that are reminiscent of older sounds, but truly feel new. 'Call It What It Is', rounds out a fierce release with some soaring belts that work extremely well.
In the end, if you like'd 'Foul Play', you'll get something out of this EP without a doubt. Mookhi is the best when she's at her bravest, and I along with many others, are going to be eagerly awaiting any moves she makes in the near future.
Rating: ★★★☆
author: Hobey Bennett


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Shop By Brand
The ultimate ladies dive gear package from Aqualung is now available for an amazing package price -and it's travel friendly too!
The stylish Aqualung Pearl BCD is by far the best selling ladies BCD in the UK for the past five years - which speaks for itself really.
Aqualung Mikron Regulator set is rapidly becoming the best selling travel regulator in the shop due to it's lightweight high performance statistics and reliability provided by one of the worlds leading dive manufacturers.
The regulator comes with Aqualung double gauge with a narrow gauge hose.
If you change your mind, it doesn't fit, or you become inflicted with buyer's regret - that's OK!
Mike's Dive Store offer an extended returns policy of 30 days - so you can be rest assured if the suit, piece of diving equipment or gift doesn't suit then just send it back and we will either exchange it or offer a full refund less any postage costs. Too easy!
For step-by-step instructions click here


text: Torqueo may refer to: Torqueo I Torqueo II Torqueo III Torqueo IV Torqueo V Torqueo VI Torqueo VII Torqueo VIII Torqueo IX Torqueo X This page is used to distinguish between articles with similar names.If an internal link led you to this disambiguation page, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from "http://runescape.wikia.com/wiki/Torqueo?oldid=14349203" Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you've made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Categories: Disambiguation Add category Cancel Save


text: Show Hide image Politics 22 February 2011 Lord Patten to take BBC role unchallenged Rumours suggested Eurosceptic Conservatives were opposed to the BBC Trust appointment. Sign up for our weekly email * Lord Patten is free to become the new chairman of the BBC Trust, after rumours of an attempt by the Conservative right to stop the move were put to rest. Right-wing Conservative backbenchers were alleged to have been opposed to Lord Patten's appointment due to his pro-Europe stance. However, the party's Eurosceptic lobby has dismissed the rumours of a challenge to the appointment as an attempt to increase speculation that Lord Patten was not a certainty for the position. David Cameron is expected to announce Lord Patten as the trust's new chairman within days, following a recommendation by culture secretary Jeremy Hunt. Lord Patten will then go before the House of Commons culture, media and sport select committee on 10 March for a "pre-appointment hearing," where he is expected to be approved for the position. Subscribe from just £1 per issue More


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Cultural arrogance is not acceptable
I refer to the letter by Nicholas Shearman (South China Morning Post, June 17) regarding the 'poor' language standards of police stationed on Lamma.
Since moving to Hong Kong seven months ago, I have noticed that many native English speakers seem to assume everyone in Hong Kong must speak English.
Among the reasons given are that:
We are supposed to be a world-class city attracting tourists.
We need English for business purposes.
Students must have a good command of English if they want to get into universities.
These are good reasons, however, other factors must be considered in the language debate:
Hong Kong is a city in China.
Its population is mainly Chinese and the mother tongue of the majority of people is Cantonese.
Most Hong Kong people have little contact with foreigners, so they do not need English.
Instead of expecting most Hong Kong Chinese to learn English, the expectation should be for foreigners to learn Cantonese.
New migrants in the US, Canada and all European countries including the UK, are expected to learn the language of their new home and adjust to their cultural environment.
Why is it then, that many 'gweilos' expect the Hong Kong Chinese population to adjust to the way of life adopted by English-speaking countries? I accept that Hong Kong has been shaped by the British and it is unique. However, the cultural arrogance displayed by some Westerners makes me very angry.
I am German and am the only member of my family who speaks English. I admit that some may feel that after less than a year of living here, I am not qualified to discuss Hong Kong ways. However, I would be interested to hear what other readers have to say about this subject.
Kwun Tong
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On the Fourth of July, Claire Keyes, Amy Dengler, Diane Kendig and others will be the opening act of Writers World 2008, the literary portion of the Marblehead Arts Festival.
The reading will take place at 10:00 a.m. in the historic Marblehead Unitarian Church (home of the Me and Thee Coffeehouse), at 28 Mugford Street in Marblehead, MA. Readers will read from the new anthology Letters to the World, the first anthology of its kind—a feminist collaboration born from The Discussion of Women's Poetry Listserv (Wom-po), a vibrant, inclusive electronic community founded in 1997 by Annie Finch.


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flow modeling Applications
Open Channel flow monitoring for wastewater treatment plant
By Greyline Instruments Inc. based in Long Sault, ONTARIO (CANADA).
Data analysis and visualization tools for groundwater modeling
Groundwater and Solute Transport modeling is a sub discipline of environmental sciences with unique needs. Modeling has long utilized 3D simulations, but the ability to visualize the results has lagged far behind the simulation technology. EVS-PRO and MVS have long offered professional level presentation tools worthy of the current state-of-the-art in modeling, and EnterVol now opens that door to GIS professionals around the world. Visualization of groundwater and solute transport modeling results can be performed from third party modeling systems such as USGS MODFLOW, MT3D, GMS©, Groundwater Vistas and Visual MODFLOW© using C Tech's tools to convert these modeling outputs into EFF format. In conjunction with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and IT Group, C Tech performed the visualization and animation of the output from a Groundwater Vistas MODFLOW and MT3D99 simulation of a large industrial complex in the central valley area of California. This site exhibits highly channelized flow which is evidenced by the flow paths. Note that flow in the lower aquifer crosses underneath the upper channels at about 30 degrees!
By C Tech Development Corporation based in Las Vegas, NEVADA (USA).
Biogas monitoring
meet governmental regulations, it is important to accurately monitor methane gas production, removal, venting, and burning. Knowledge of both methane flow and temperature at the flare stack can define when CH4 is being emitted to the atmosphere. The DX99 FlexPower™ Nodes can be installed in EX area with a Zone 0 ATEX certification. Use the analogue input to determine methane production levels and flow and use the thermocouple model to measure the temperature of a vent to verify the continuous combustion of methane.
By Banner Engineering Corp. based in Minneapolis, MINNESOTA (USA).
OneRainware™ - Radar rainfall for real-time and analytical applications.
By OneRain Incorporated based in Longmont, COLORADO (USA).
Need help finding the right suppliers? Try XPRT Sourcing. Let the XPRTs do the work for you


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As big data, self-service analytics, data lakes, cloud, and other leading edge practices become mainstream, understanding the most effective storage techniques and architectures to support these changes are key to your big data success.
Rest easy—online registrations for this conference are secure. Our secured server environment keeps your information private.
Register Now


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Halloween 2017 Love Quotes, Wishes and Greetings for Him Her
Halloween is set to celebrate on 31st October 2017 (Tuesday) and it may be last chance to enjoy outdoor party and have some fun. From now nights becomes more longer, darker and colder. It is a historical culture of America when all people celebrate and wish Happy Halloween to each other. We create some special Halloween love quotes for him and her. These wishes and greetings can also be written on gift cards and wishing cards to wish your love partner. I am sure these quotes will be appreciated by your boyfriend or girlfriend. Have a look on these:
Also Read: Halloween Love Poems
Cute Halloween Quotes and Sayings
Scary Halloween Love Quotes and Phrases with Images
There are many parts where you can enjoy this festival like to add some horror themed decoration pieces, scary and awkward styled costumes, prepare special food for the day and play horror music or watch some movies that really make you scary. There are many shops set specially for this day and you can buy some corps for Halloween day.
Funny Halloween Quotes for friends and Love-partner
Some Funny Quotes to wish Halloween in 2017
Beautiful Halloween Night Quotes
Happy Halloween Wishes and Quotes 2017
Horror Quotes for Halloween 2017
You can also send Halloween sayings and quotes to your life partner, who is expecting something from you on this festival. Send her / him via text message or share on your favorite social media site like Facebook, Instagram, Whats-app or twitter, Pinterest etc. We have lots of romantic event based quotes, poems and verses for you, please explore wishes category for more. Thank you.


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| This 1983: Doomsday page is obsolete.
Events in this article are no longer part of the 1983: Doomsday timeline, but the page has been saved for reference purposes. You can comment on this page's talkpage.
(and largest city)
|Kuala Lumpur
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated ASEAN is a geo-political and economic organization of 7 countries located in Southeast Asia, which was reformed on 8 September 2001 by Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Taiwan, Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Aceh, Philippines, Indonesia, Cocos Island, Timor-Leste Laos, and Vietnam. Its aims include the acceleration of economic growth, social progress, cultural development among its members, the protection of the peace and stability of the region, and to provide opportunities for member countries to discuss differences peacefully


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Kamoka Pearl picture.
Posted: Aug 01 2011
Last weekend I joined friends in the pearl community for good times and pearl-related activities in LA. The party was hosted by a good friend and retail pearl genius Jeremy Shepherd of Pearl Paradise. I flew to the Bay Area then met up with another great friend Sarah Canizzaro of Kojima Pearl. Sarah did a brilliant job of blogging about the weekend which can be found here on her website.
After the party, I had the opportunity to get in the water just north of Malibu and was pleasantly surprised to find some excellent spearfishing. On the flight from LAX to Oakland I packed some fish into my carry-on and I couldn't believe it when the TSA agents didn't notice them in the x-rays. I spent the rest of the week visiting with family and friends in Marin County. Highlights were seeing old friends and getting some good surfing in with my soon-to-be brother-in-law.
The photo above is of the solar panels that provide our farm with the energy we need for our operation. On the horizon you can just make out the far side of the atoll so it's easy to see how such "big sky country" is ideal for solar energy.
Posted by Johnelle on October 01, 2011
To think, I was confused a mitune ago.
Posted by Josh Humbert on August 17, 2011
Haha, sorry to leave you out mom. :p :)
Posted by diana hammer on August 09, 2011
Does your mother still live in the Bay Area?
Posted by Josh Humbert on August 05, 2011
Hi Pattye,
I lucked onto a Sheepshead, a Calico Bass and three big Opal Eyes. I left the first two with my friend and stuffed the three Opal Eyes in my pack after chilling them in the icebox. I made ceviche out of two of them and BBQ'd the third. One really tasty discovery of a fish. :)
Posted by Pattye on August 04, 2011
Josh, good to know the spear fishing was excellent! What sort of fish?


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I have a group of friends, ( 6 of us) who get together on each summer "holiday" 3 of the six are homeowners with nice yards and they each take a turn hosting the holiday bbq. (We get together many other times too, not just summer)
Well, here it is, tuesday before Labor Day weekend, and I have not heard a word about a cookout.
Five of the girls got together earlier in the month to go to an "American Idol" concert. (I was unable to attend) I have a feeling plans may have been set when they were together. I don't recall getting an email (I try not to blindly delete them anymore ). I know there was no phone call or text about it. Maybe there is no party this weekend.
I feel a little funny calling the would-be hostess and asking and If I ask one of the other girls, they will be on the phone to J in a heartbeat and I think that would also be embarrassing for both of us.
Not sure at this point if I even WANT to go and spend another day listening to everyone's "tale of woe".
What would you do?
Just call the hostess...tell her you haven't heard anything yet and are they still having a Labor Day bbq? If she says yes, ask what to bring and at least stop by for a little while, since it's been a tradition for you and your friends.
This is probably a case of everyone thinking someone else has invited you, and if you didn't turn up, they'd feel terrible for having accidentally excluded you.


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"Broken ankle on holiday"
About: Colchester General Hospital Colchester General Hospital Colchester CO4 5JL
Posted by Allan Heighway
Whilst on holiday in Portugal I broke my ankle, in the airport on arrival. I was taken to The local hospital where I received excellent care. After a few days I was transferred by my insurance company to Colchester hospital. I have to say the care and consideration every single member of staff gave me was welcome and in my view exceptional. Nothing was too much trouble. Sometimes its the little things that people do that make the difference and my stay in Colchester Hospital was as good as it gets. I could not fault any aspect of my stay.Thank you.
Response from Colchester General Hospital 13 months ago
Thank you for your wonderful feedback, I will ensure it is shared with the teams involved.
Should you wish to discuss further then please do not hesitate to contact us on 01206 742881.
Kind regards
Tammy Diles
Head of Patient Experience
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Packer, Australia's richest man whose Publishing&Broadcasting (PBL) holdings include the Nine television network and 60 magazines, said the Kerry Packer Foundation would help retired Australian international players who had fallen on hard times.
It would also help young cricketers in Australia who needed financial assistance, he said on Tuesday.
Packer, 39, inherited majority position in the media empire after his father, Kerry, died of kidney failure aged 68 on Boxing Day last year.
Packer told a lunch on the opening day of the fourth Ashes cricket Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground that the guidelines of the foundation would not be too strict, with veteran first-class players also eligible.
"My father loved cricket and he actually loved the people associated with the game, particularly the players," Packer said.
"I am satisfied that this, in a small way, is something in which his love for the game can linger and provide some useful support for its participants and administrators."
Packer said Boxing Day was a momentous occasion for his family, who were grateful for how the game paid tribute to Kerry Packer a year ago.
"Today is an emotional day for me," he said.
"A year ago today, my father died and our families were greatly honoured by the manner with which this ground and cricket in general honoured him by way of a minute's silence.
"It was a moving ceremony for all of us at home and this is the best opportunity I have to publicly express my family's gratitude.
"For some time, we have given some thought and been seeking some advice on how best to commemorate his name throughout cricket.
"My family and I have decided to create the Kerry Packer Foundation with a 10 million dollar fund."
Packer said he along with Cricket Australia chairman Creagh O'Connor and former CA chairman Denis Rogers would be directors of the foundation, with Rogers acting as the chairman.
"The intention of the fund is provide assistance for former Australian Test and one-day international players who have fallen on hard terms and may need some help," Packer said.
"I am not precluding long-standing first-class players in Australia who have served their states faithfully.
"It is also our intention for this fund to be used to assist promising young men and women who may be precluded from pursuing a career in cricket because of financial constraints."
Packer said he also wanted to help ensure young cricketers could pursue their studies while trying to develop their sporting careers.
He said he did not intend to make the recipients public and said the foundation would be self-funding.


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David Edwin "Bal" Ballinger, 67, Angola, Ind., died Monday, January 26, 2015 at his residence.
Diane Mary Fortman, 61, Kendallville, Ind., died Saturday, January 24, 2015 at her residence.
Elsie L. Miller, 89, Pensacola, Fla., formerly of Mishawaka, Ind., died Friday, January 23, 2015.
Patricia J. Rectanus, 84, Ft. Wayne, Ind., formerly of LaGrange, died Tuesday, January 17, 2015 at Englewood Nursing and Rehab Center in Ft. Wayne.
Prairie Heights Middle School has released its second quarter honor roll for the 2014-2015 school year. A * denotes all A's.
8th Grade
One person was injured in a two-vehicle accident on January 28.
An argument between two men led to a drug arrest on January 27.
On January 19, the LaGrange County Sheriff's Department was contacted by Joe Stutzman of CR 1150W in Middlebury to report a hit and run crash.
by Maureen Hayden, CNHI Statehouse Bureau Chief
Lakeland fell to both NECC foe Hamilton and non-conference opponent Goshen in varsity boys basketball over the weekend.
A blistering, 26-6 burst from the opening tip propelled Westview to a 59-44 NECC girls basketball victory over arch-rival Fairfield last Friday night in Emma.
Prairie Heights completed its domination of the 2014-15 NECC wrestling season Saturday afternoon in Albion by easily winning the league's annual tournament title.
Shuffle on down to downtown LaGrange this Saturday to try out a variety of tasty chili.
The annual Chili Shuffle takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31.
Since the first of the year, the LaGrange County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has been searching for a new president/CEO as Keith Gillenwater left at the end of the year.
The main subject of discussion at the Prairie Heights School Board meeting on January 19 was the possible configuration of the calendar for the upcoming school year.
Emergency personnel were dispatched shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday to a residence in the Millersburg area for a subject who had been pinned under his vehicle.
The LaGrange County Sheriff's Department was contacted on January 23 by Cassandra Noble, who reported that she had received a fraudulent check from a business opportunity.


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Justice William Horkins found Jian Ghomeshi not guilty of all charges on Thursday in the first of the former CBC broadcaster's two sexual-assault trials. Mr. Ghomeshi, the complainants and their lawyers appeared in a Toronto courtroom to hear the verdict, which the judge read aloud for almost 90 minutes.
Below, you'll find a complete day-by-day recap of our coverage of the trial. Here's a roundup of key testimony from the three complainants, and Simon Houpt's analysis of the defence team's overall strategy.
Mr. Ghomeshi will face trial in June on an additional charge of sexual assault stemming from an alleged workplace incident in January, 2008, when he was host of Q on CBC Radio One.
THE VERDICT: FULL TEXT(Return to top)
Day 1: Witness's memory put to the test
Feb. 1: The trial began with one of the complainants testifying that, after her relationship with Mr. Ghomeshi began, he made a "sudden switch" from charm to brutality, and he punched her in the head and pulled her hair. Defence lawyer Marie Henein sharply questioned the reliability of the complainant's memory and, at times, her honesty. "When you went on national TV to tell your story, I'm going to suggest that you lied," Ms. Henein said. "I did not lie," replied the woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban. "That's how I am with memories – that's how most people are. The longer you sit with the memory, the more clear."
Day 2: 'I didn't go to police because I didn't want – this'
Feb. 2: In cross-examination, Ms. Henein accused one of the complainants of having lied under oath, confronting her with e-mails showing that she had reached out to Mr. Ghomeshi, despite having said she wanted no contact with him because she was so traumatized by his actions. One e-mail included a photo of the complainant in a red bikini. The complainant said the e-mails were "bait" to get Mr. Ghomeshi to contact her, so she could ask him about the assault.
Day 3: 'It's outrageous that I stayed'
Feb. 4: Lucy-Anne DeCoutere, the only complainant in the case whose identity was not protected by a publication ban, testified Thursday about a date with Mr. Ghomeshi in July, 2003. She alleged that, when the two went back to Mr. Ghomeshi's house, he slapped her without warning and choked her until she couldn't breathe.
Day 4: Following the e-mail trail
Feb. 5: Continuing her cross-examination of Ms. DeCoutere, Ms. Henein presented court with an affectionate six-page letter from Ms. DeCoutere to Mr. Ghomeshi, sent days after the alleged assault. But Ms. DeCoutere said the letter – as well as other e-mails with Mr. Ghomeshi over a period of more than two years – don't change the fact that she was assaulted. The e-mails, which Mr. Ghomeshi kept in his personal archive, also renewed discussion in legal circles of how "digital debris" – electronic records of one's personal past – can play an increasing role in criminal and civil trials.
Day 5: 'It didn't feel safe or sexy'
Feb. 8: The third complainant testified that, at the end of a dinner date in July, 2003, she and Mr. Ghomeshi were kissing in a Toronto park when he grabbed her throat and covered her mouth without warning. In cross-examination, Ms. Henein accused the woman of having lied to authorities. The third complainant had initially said she was friends with another complainant, but hadn't discussed specifics of the allegations. But Ms. Henein noted that the woman and Ms. DeCoutere had exchanged about 5,000 messages between October, 2014, and September, 2015, sometimes discussing strategy in pursuing charges against Mr. Ghomeshi.
Day 6: A new witness
Feb. 9: The Crown pressed Justice William Horkins to allow a final witness to be deemed admissible, saying she would corroborate Ms. DeCoutere's version of events. Mr. Ghomeshi's defence team opposed this, saying Ms. DeCoutere's cross-examination showed she had been dishonest. The judge decided to hear the evidence.
Day 7: The final witness is heard
Feb. 10: The Crown concluded its case by presenting the judge with a transcript of a police statement from actress Sarah Dunsworth – who was identified as the final Crown witness – and Facebook messages between Ms. Dunsworth and Ms. DeCoutere, her co-worker from Trailer Park Boys.
Day 8: The trial ends
Feb. 11: Justice Horkins heard the Crown and defence's closing arguments before saying he would deliver his verdict on March 24. Crown prosecutor Michael Callaghan said the credibility of Ghomeshi's three accusers has nothing to do with the way they behaved after the alleged incidents, since the law is clear that everyone responds differently to sexual assault. Defence lawyers Marie Henein and Danielle Robitaille said that the three women were unreliable witnesses who withheld information from police and lied to the court.
The accused: Jian Ghomeshi, former member of the band Moxy Fruvous and host of the CBC arts and culture show Q, was let go by the broadcaster in 2014 after it saw what it called "graphic evidence" that he had physically injured a woman. Mr. Ghomeshi said in an Oct. 26, 2014, Facebook post that he engaged in "rough" but consensual sex with women. Media reports of the allegations against him led to multiple women coming forward with allegations of abusive behaviour, and Toronto police began investigating some of them. In November, 2014, Mr. Ghomeshi turned himself in to police.
The prosecution: Colleagues described Crown counsel Michael Callaghan, 43, to The Globe as a firm but fair prosecutor respected by the courts. He is known for successfully prosecuting Zhou Fang, a Toronto man who fatally shot his abusive father with a crossbow in 2010 – a case the presiding judge deemed "exceptionally difficult," according to media reports at the time. Read Simon Houpt's profile of Mr. Callaghan.
The defence: Mr. Ghomeshi's lawyer, Marie Henein, has defended in some of the country's highest-profile criminal cases, including former Nova Scotia premier Gerald Regan's acquittal on sexual assault charges. Former Ontario attorney-general Michael Bryant, whom she successfully defended against charges criminal negligence and dangerous driving in 2009, recalled in his memoir that she seemed to "channel Hannibal Lecter" for her ability to "find a person's deepest frailties and exploit them." Read Patrick White's profile of Ms. Henein.
The judge: Ontario judge William Horkins is no stranger to hot-button issues. Three years ago, he ruled that police street checks – also known as carding – were unconstitutional, a debate that carries on among many police forces to this day. He nonetheless allowed the gun found during a carding stop to be entered as evidence and found the accused guilty of unauthorized possession of an unauthorized firearm.
What about the CBC? Separately, the broadcaster ordered its own third-party investigation into workplace harassment and abuse in connection with the Ghomeshi scandal, and severed ties with two executives as a result. Read Simon Houpt and James Bradshaw's behind-the-scenes account of the decisions leading up to the CBC firing Mr. Ghomeshi.(Return to top)
- Number of charges: Four counts of sexual assault, one count of choking.
- Number of complainants: Three.
- The details: The incidents were alleged to have taken place between December, 2002, and July, 2003, when Mr. Ghomeshi was the host of the arts show play on CBC-TV's Newsworld channel.
With reports from Simon Houpt, Patrick White and The Canadian Press


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Stabbings force gates shut
PRIME Minister Junichiro Koizumi and his Cabinet have agreed on the need for tighter security at the nation's schools following the fatal stabbing of eight children last week.
The attack last Friday at an elementary school in the suburbs of Osaka, Japan's second-largest city, was the country's worst mass-killing in years and has generated widespread anger and shock. Thirteen children and two teachers were also wounded in the attack.
The accused killer, Mamoru Takuma, is a 37-year-old former janitor with a history of mental illness.
Police have quoted him as saying that he deliberately chose to kill children because he wanted to be put to death for the crime. Takuma is expected to be charged with murder and attempted murder during the next few weeks.
According to police, Takuma had a history of violence, including the attempted poisoning of four teachers at another school. Mr Koizumi now wants a review of Japan's laws regarding the treatment of suspects deemed mentally ill.
The massacre follows the stabbing to death of a teacher by a pupil in 1998 and the slashing of a seven-year-old's throat by an intruder in a school in 199. But generally Japan's schools, like its streets, are a great dealer safer than their western counterparts.
In a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Mr Koizumi reiterated his desire for increased security at schools. The education ministry, meanwhile, has instructed all elementary, middle and high schools to re-evaluate campus security. Many have begun closing their gates during the day.
But this contradicts the ministry's attempts to encourage schools to be open to the community, which means allowing visitors in unchecked and admitting locals to use facilities such as gymnasiums. The principal of the Osaka massacre school, Yoshio Yamane, said that from now on his school would employ a security guard. But vice-principal Katsumi Yano has expressed doubts that guards could have prevented Friday's stabbing.
"I don't know if the guards could have prevented this or if the lack of a security system was the reason for the incident," Yano told the Japan Times. No matter how tight security is, he added, there is always a danger of intruders.
In 1999, a Tokyo judge ruled that schools were responsible for preventing violent acts on their premises.


text: There are over 100 books, translated into over 42 languages, telling about the life and work of Milton Erickson, who is undoubtedly one of the brightest and most intriguing names in the world of Human Development. But very few people got to know personally Milton Erickson. And one of them was Jeffrey Zeig, who for several years lived with not only him, but also learn all you can about the amazing and unique approaches he used. And now it's your chance to have direct contact with everything that was passed by Milton Erickson, and bring what is most amazing in the world so that their customers can achieve ever greater results and become increasingly more satisfied.


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Claude Thornhill
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10 August 1909, Terra Haute, Indiana, USA, d. 1 July 1965, New York City, New York, USA. Thornhill studied piano formally, playing jazz with a friend, Danny Polo. In the early 30s he was resident in New York City, playing with Hal Kemp, Don Voorhees, Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman and many other leaders. In the mid-30s he worked with Ray Noble and André Kostelanetz. Later in the decade he was busily writing arrangements for several bands and singers, and one song recorded by Maxine Sullivan (Loch Lomond) was a huge hit. His successes for others led him to form his own band, hiring emerging talents such as Lee Konitz, Red Rodney and Gerry Mulligan, while his arranging staff included Gil Evans, who would later frequently assert how much his time with Thornhill had influenced his writing.
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We strive to provide you with freedom with your photos and no secret fees (this isn't the 90's!). With every package you will receive an online gallery with all of your edited photos in high quality. You are never required to purchase prints through us but we have the option available. Our couples invest an average of $3900 on a wedding package with us. We also offer Elopement packages!
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In times of complete turmoil and chaos, the dollar will still shine as the ultimate place to stash cash, while many investors sell gold for cash. But potential stability mixed with fear, like the Eurozone is mired in currently, is a perfect mix for gold. The popular gold exchange traded fund SPDR Gold Shares ( GLD) added 10 tons Monday. James Moore, research analyst at FastMarkets.com says that this proves investors are interested in gold as a safe haven to preserve wealth. "The yellow metal could extend above $1,800 in the coming sessions." George Gero, senior vice president at RBC Capital Markets, says that recent headlines out of Europe have all added to the open interest in gold -- longer held positions. "Gold is still the haven." The European Central Bank also bought 9.5 billion euros worth of government bonds last week and still Italy's cost of borrowing soared to more than 6.6%. "This gives reason to fear that the ECB will have to expand its bond buying considerably in the coming months," says Commerzbank especially as disagreements remain about how to boost the firepower of the European Financial Stability Fund. Although inflation in the Eurozone is at 3% and ECB President Mario Draghi says prices should fall below the 2% mandated level during 2012, more money in the system leaves investors skeptical of paper money, which leaves gold as a popular hedge. Anthony Neglia, president of Tower Trading, is convinced that "the only way to resolve this
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Hornets.com postgame: Hornets 111, Hawks 100
By: Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com, @Jim_Eichenhofer
Hornets (17-33), Hawks (27-22)
It was over when… Greivis Vasquez delivered a pass to Robin Lopez ahead of the Atlanta defense for a fast-break dunk, giving New Orleans a nine-point lead with 1:25 remaining. After one of their best second halves of the season, the Hornets wrapped up a win in the first stop of a three-game road trip against Eastern Conference foes. New Orleans dug a double-digit hole in the first half, but pulled within 55-50 by intermission, then outscored Atlanta by a 61-45 margin. The Hornets will visit Toronto on Sunday, followed by a game at Detroit on Monday.
Hornets MVP: Vasquez's memorable performance was highlighted by his first NBA triple-double, with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. Vasquez, one of the friendliest players on the roster and usually in no shortage of words, described the victory as "Priceless. I thought we played extremely well. My teammates were hitting shots for me. We just have to keep building and keep getting better." For one stretch of the second half, it appeared as though the native of Venezuela might again come up tantalizingly shy of a triple-double. On Dec. 28 vs. Toronto and Jan. 1 vs. Atlanta, Vasquez needed just one more rebound to accomplish the feat. Even better for the point guard Friday, the Hornets won, which was not the case in either of the aforementioned near-misses.
Hornets Sixth Man of the Game: It's becoming a broken record lately, but one that the Hornets will gladly see repeated. Ryan Anderson had a quiet first half offensively, then came through with several immense shots to help preserve a victory. After five points in the first 24 minutes, the sixth man extraordinaire buried three three-pointers among his 14 points after the break. Overall, Anderson had 19 points (4-for-7 from beyond the arc) and eight rebounds. Jason Smith also made valuable contributions, including a pair of fourth-quarter jumpers among his eight points.
The buzz on… exactly how good are the 2012-13 Hornets? You can measure an NBA team in a number of ways, but the bottom line on every club is what appears in black and white in the standings. New Orleans is 17-33 and entered Friday with the worst record in the West. However, when you factor in that the Hornets are now 10-7 in games Eric Gordon (season-high 27 points at Atlanta) has played, you begin to understand why Vasquez has frequently said lately that "our (overall) record doesn't really identify who we are as a team." There was a lot of discussion early in the season about how difficult the Hornets' schedule was, but realistically, that statistic evens out over the course of an 82-game schedule – at least in comparison to teams in your conference. However, this isn't exactly breaking news to anyone who closely follows the NBA, but there's a major advantage of playing in the East compared to the West. New Orleans is one of the most telling illustrations of that fact, having gone 8-10 against the East, but just 9-23 vs. their own conference. The Hornets are also 6-4 on the road vs. the East, highlighted by wins over projected playoff clubs including Chicago, Atlanta and Boston. They're 3-14 on the road vs. the West, including a pair of separate 0-4 trips.


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Looking For This Cutter!! Please Help!!
Decorating By custard79 Updated 15 Jun 2016 , 5:59am by 810whitechoc
[postimage id="4216" thumb="900"]
Im trying to find this cutter! Does anyone know who makes it? Or where I can buy it? I need it ASAP!
Could you use circle cutters to cut away the bits on the bottom? Perhaps get one just right and create a paper template to use as a guide so they are uniform?
Could it be this...
It's called a Fish Scale Pattern cutter you can find it on Ebay/Etsy etc. The other way to do it manually is to use an oval cutter, round cutters don't quite give you the right shape.


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UNG's Kida Kudz who recently released a record titled "Weray" was a guest on the latest episode of Soundcity's My Music & I. On this episode, he previewed his album and also talked about his best and worst performances.
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The iPhone 6s is finally out and available in stores. With no shortage of new features, one can make a strong case that this is the most exciting iPhone upgrade in years. While millions of new iPhone users are undoubtedly busy exploring their new devices tonight, some lucky reviewers were granted early access to Apple's next-gen smartphone.
Over the weekend, 13 million people purchased new iPhones. If you haven't yet upgraded and are on the fence about whether or not the new iPhone 6s is for you, there is no shortage of exhaustive iPhone reviews worth checking out. Though just an 'S' upgrade in name, there are so many new hardware and software features in the iPhone 6s to get excited about. From 3D Touch to crazy new camera functionality, the iPhone 6s looks like an all-around amazing device.
But again, don't take my word for it. Check out some of these reviews from folks who have already been using the device for two-plus weeks.
John Paczkowski of Buzzfeed was particularly enamored with 3D Touch:
But 3D Touch, the most significant of the iPhone 6s's tentpole features, is. Easily. Built on a system of sensors that detect touch pressure across the face of the iPhone 6s's display, 3D Touch triggers pop-up menus and previews based on how firmly you press down. Currently, it supports two interactions "peek" and "pop," with peek calling up a preview of an app or message, or a brief contextual menu, and pop launching the app itself. Each interaction is accompanied by a different tiny vibration that helps you distinguish between them. It is surprisingly useful — particularly for power users who do a lot of work from their iPhones. I'm already using it constantly, and I am impressed with how good it is at interpreting the force of my touch. It's very much an Apple innovation — a seemingly subtle change so thoughtfully executed that it proves transformative.
Does that also sound like Jobsian hyperbole? Probably. But I think 3D Touch is likely the biggest innovation to the iPhone UI since the iPhone UI. And it's largely why the answer to the question I posed earlier is "yes."
Apple as ever may not lead the market on individual points - its screen isn't QHD, its battery is behind Sony's Xperia Z5 and its camera is paralleled by Samsung's Galaxy S6 - yet the iPhone 6S is a great phone. As ever, it's not in specifics but in the overall package where the firm remains without rival, creating a comprehensive mobile powerhouse with the most comprehensive App Store and no major shortcomings.
Nilay Patel of The Verge writes:
So I'm just going to put this out there, and then we can all handle the emotional consequences together: if you are thinking of buying a new phone, and you have anything older than an iPhone 6, you should buy an iPhone 6S Plus. It is the best iPhone ever made, and it is right now the best phone on the market. If you're upgrading from an iPhone 5S or anything older, it will blow your mind. There just aren't other companies that can roll out a feature like 3D Touch and make it work in a way that suggests the creation of entirely new interface paradigms, and every other phone maker needs to figure out exactly why Apple's cameras are so consistent before they can really compete.
David Pogue of Yahoo was a fan of the iPhone 6s, but notes that it may not be worth the upgrade if you have an iPhone 6:
The iPhone 6 was already a spectacularly great phone. If you'd have to pay an early-termination fee to get the iPhone 6s, it's probably not worth upgrading to the 6s.
But if you have any older iPhone model, or if you're paying monthly for one of those "switch phones whenever without penalty" programs, or if you've been poised waiting for the right moment to jump into the iPhone parade, then the iPhone 6s might be singing your name. The speed and the 3D Touch features are the meat of the upgrade. The rest is just "s" gravy, but really delicious gravy.
It's a fair point, but having been using 3D Touch myself over the past few days, I personally think that it's a killer feature that is well worth the upgrade. Indeed, it represents the first useful advancement in UI interaction on mobile in years.
Lance Ulanoff of Mashable touches on the new Hey Siri feature which lets users activate Siri with a voice command even when your device isn't plugged in.
With iOS 9, Apple's iPhone now achieves parity with Android's "OK Google," responding to "Hey Siri" even when locked and too far away for me to touch. I did have to train Siri on my voice, which is an easy three- or four-step process. Once that was done, I could call "Hey Siri" from across the room and Siri would wake up the phone, ready to listen.
I could ask about the weather, news and my schedule. I could also ask her to manage system settings like turning off Bluetooth. She can't access every setting. I tried asking Siri to change my phone's screen brightness, but she couldn't and instead offered me a direct link to the phone's display settings. Siri is trained on my voice so others cannot wake her up...
And lastly, we have Brian X. Chen of The New York Times. Echoing Pogue, Chen thinks current iPhone 6 owners would be well-advised to wait until the iPhone 7.
For those with an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, the new 3D Touch and Live Photos perks aren't substantive enough to make it worth upgrading to a 6s. While Apple improved the camera resolution and designed the 6s and 6s Plus with stronger metal and glass than the last iPhones, a major component — battery life — was not improved. It would be wiser to hold off until the next version, which will most likely include more significant improvements.
Of course, with the new iPhone models now out and available in stores, if you're at all curious about what Apple has managed to pack into its next-gen iPhone, definitely make a trek down to your local Apple retail store and give 3D Touch a try. It's a transformative UI paradigm that will really explode in functionality once developers start implementing it across their apps.


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Veteran Nigerian musician William Onyeabor retains his mystery
William Onyeabor released eight albums in Nigeria yet gathered fans in the West, writes Mike Rubin
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On a recent Saturday night, a boisterous crowd jammed into Buka, a Nigerian restaurant in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn, spilling out onto Fulton Street. This wasn't the restaurant's usual weekend clientele, primarily expat Nigerians already familiar with specialities such as goat-head stew and giant land snails. Instead, the throng had gathered for a record-release party, listening to African-flavoured DJ sets by Steve Shelley, formerly of Sonic Youth, and Lizzi Bougatsos of Gang Gang Dance. Just past the bar, revellers took turns posing for selfies standing next to a two-metre cardboard cut-out of an imposing man in a disco-era cream-coloured tuxedo.
The life-size image was borrowed from the cover of the 1980 record Body & Soul by William Onyeabor, a Nigerian Igbo singer-songwriter who self-released eight nearly impossible-to-find albums of analogue synthesiser-driven electronic funk between 1977 and 1985. Highlights from those albums are collected on Who is William Onyeabor?, the recently released fifth volume of Luaka Bop's World Psychedelic Classics series, and the first album of Onyeabor's music commercially available in North America and Europe.
Despite posters heralding the arrival of Onyeabor "for the first time in the United States", however, the guest of honour was nowhere to be found at Buka. His cardboard stand-in was probably the closest anyone would come to meeting Onyeabor, as he remained ensconced in his sprawling palace outside Enugu, Nigeria, ambivalent about the world finally discovering his music.
Closer in sound to Parliament/Funkadelic than to his compatriot Fela Kuti, Onyeabor is a cipher with a tantalisingly mysterious back story. Over the phone from Nigeria, responding to prepared questions, he stresses that all he wants people to know about him is that "I was a sinner who repented and gave himself 100 per cent to Christ". Describing himself as a born-again Christian, Onyeabor refuses to discuss his education (he reportedly studied film production in the Soviet Union and has a law degree) or his musical career.
"I am only proud of my music because of the creative aspect of it," he says. "I didn't use it strictly to praise God. That is why I have decided now that henceforth all my revealings will be to praise God and preach the word of God."
Nonetheless, Onyeabor is worshipped by a fervent cult, with his out-of-print records trading for as much as US$1,000 online. Even Luaka Bop's limited-edition vinyl reissue of his 1983 album, Good Name, sold out instantly this autumn and has since fetched US$150 on eBay. Onyeabor's work has also found enthusiastic fans among electronic artists such as Four Tet, Optimo and Hot Chip, as well as rock performers Damon Albarn, Devendra Banhart and Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards. And Luaka Bop is co-producing a documentary about Onyeabor.
Until now, most information about Onyeabor came from liner notes in the 2001 compilation Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story of 1970s Funky Lagos. They said he studied cinematography in Russia and was a businessman prospering from government contracts. Enthusiasts were left to divine clues from Onyeabor's album covers, which often showed him in dapper Western suits and oversized hats, surrounded by synthesisers.
Uchenna Ikonne, a Nigerian-born, Boston-based writer who runs the African music blog "Comb and Razor", says he tracked down Onyeabor by phone in 2009 and reached a verbal agreement to reissue some of his work, with details to be settled during a trip Ikonne was planning to Nigeria. Needing additional financial backing, he contacted Yale Evelev, president of Luaka Bop, which had included Onyeabor's 1978 track Better Change Your Mind on a 2005 compilation, World Psychedelic Classics 3: Love's a Real Thing - The Funky Fuzzy Sounds of West Africa. Ikonne offered to arrange licensing for a collection by Onyeabor, if Luaka Bop would finance a contract.
"I was ecstatic," Evelev recalls, "that he was going to come back in three months with a record."
Although warned that Onyeabor was a tough negotiator Ikonne anticipated a brief journey to Nigeria. Instead, he spent nearly a year there trying to cajole Onyeabor into signing an agreement. Ikonne returned without the signature or the advance money, which he had paid to Onyeabor in what is, Ikonne says, the customary Nigerian practice.
Onyeabor finally relented - but only after a friend of Ikonne's refused to leave the singer's home without a signed contract.
"That was the toughest ordeal I had ever endured in my life, just dealing with him. [I couldn't] listen to his music for maybe two years after that," Ikonne says.
Luaka Bop now had Onyeabor's signature, but not his participation; any attempt to ask him for information was met by awkward silences and abrupt hang-ups. The collection remained delayed for three more years, until Eric Welles-Nystrom, the new Luaka Bop label manager, became obsessed with finishing the project.
In August this year Welles-Nystrom travelled to Enugu, a hilly, verdant city of more than 700,000 people in southeastern Nigeria.
In addition to his music career, Onyeabor was apparently successful enough in business - a semolina flour mill, an internet cafe, a petrol station and a record-pressing plant - to earn the honorific high chief.
Welles-Nystrom says he found Onyeabor's downtown office in an empty storefront, complete with a clock on the wall that had stopped and a woman sitting alone in the darkened room. "Are you here to see the chief?" she asked him. "Are you from Russia?"
Soon he was driven 30 minutes outside town to Onyeabor's home, the Ezechukwu Palace, which "looks like a 1970s resort hotel", Welles-Nystrom says, with a giant, dry fountain out front and an indoor pool.
Now around 70, Onyeabor greeted his visitor warmly, if warily, allowing no photographs, no recordings and no questions about his past. Welles-Nystrom spent most of his week-long visit in the palace's VIP room, watching the Nigerian evangelist T.B. Joshua's Emmanuel TV network with Onyeabor. He left with more questions than answers but something of a relationship with the artist.
All of which leaves Luaka Bop effectively without an artist to promote.
In addition to the documentary, it hopes to hold concerts at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Barbican in London next spring with artists performing Onyeabor's music, as well as a tribute to him in Lagos.
"When you don't have your artist there to do shows and interviews, it's so much harder, but we also want people to create something that lives, that people can experience in different ways," Welles-Nystrom says. "I don't want anyone to miss this music."
The New York Times
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Vacri Vacation Packages
Vacri is near many of Abruzzo's attractions. Two destinations that should top every visitor's list is the fabulous Hot Lake Cable Park and the iconic Provincial Nature Reserve Pineta Dannunziana. Two other worthy points of interest that are located close by Vacri are the Cathedral of Saint Cetteus and the Gabriele D'Annunzio House.
Visitors to Vacri, keen to deepen their appreciation of this area, should head to the nearby cultural attractions. Visit some of the remarkable artistic and historic collections including the Genti D'Abruzzo Museum in Pescara. Acclaimed galleries, include the Museum of Modern Art Vittoria Colonna in Pescara.
For those without kids, there are some great places to spend time, such as the Cantina Frentana Winery in Rocca San Giovanni.
After a day taking in the sights around Vacri, relax for the night at one of the area's bed-and-breakfasts, hotels or short-stay apartments. Make reservations for the Best Western Hotel Duca D'Aosta, Pescara, the Best Western Hotel Plaza, Pescara, or the Best Western Hotel Parco Paglia, Chieti.


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The Two Best Ab Machines Of All Time
Getting washboard abs that look clear, crisp and ripe isn't such an easy task. In fact, getting six-pack abs is one of the most difficult parts of any fitness regime. In order to achieve them, you need to get a perfect healthy nutritional balance between your bodily fats and muscle. Typically, you will need to have less than 10% body fat in order to be able to see ripped abs.