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BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- Whirlpool Corporation announced fourth-quarter net earnings of $171 million, or $2.19 per diluted share, compared with $95 million, or $1.24 per diluted share reported during the same period last year. Fourth-quarter adjusted diluted earnings per share totaled $2.11 compared with $1.67 in the prior year. Sales of $5 billion increased 4% from the fourth quarter of 2009.
Fourth-quarter operating profit totaled $202 million compared with $199 million in the prior year.
Full-year 2010 net earnings were $7.97 per diluted share compared with $4.34 per diluted share reported for 2009. Full-year 2010 adjusted diluted earnings per share totaled $9.65, compared to $5.01 in the prior year. The company reported annual net sales of $18.4 billion, an increase of 7% from the prior year. Excluding the impact of foreign currency translation, sales increased approximately 5% from the prior year.
"Delivering consumer-relevant innovations, managing costs and executing in the marketplace drove our improved performance in 2010," said Jeff M. Fettig, chairman and chief executive officer of Whirlpool Corporation. "We improved our operating margins and strengthened our financial position for the year – all indicators that our brand-value creation strategy is working.
"As we enter 2011, we remain focused on delivering higher margin innovations, realizing significant cost productivity, and achieving profitable growth driven by some recovery in demand in the developed economies and by continued strong growth in many emerging markets. In 2011, we expect to expand our operating margins despite significant global inflation and generate good levels of free cash flow and further strengthen our financial position."


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|Square Miles
|303 square miles
|Population Density
|26,953 people per square mile
|Total Population
|8.18m people
|Per-capita Income
|Median Household Income
|Median Age
|35 years old
|Percent Renters
New York, New York is an energetic powerhouse with over nine million occupants, and over 20 million in the metro area. Halfway between Boston and Washington D.C., NYC is uniquely situated on three islands: Manhattan, Long Island and Staten Island, while New Jersey can be seen from just across the Hudson River. Winters can be cold, damp and snowy, while summers are humid and hot. The sun shines a lot in the Big Apple, making its remarkable skyline sparkle.
Home to the United Nations, NYC is the Melting Pot of America where over 800 languages are spoken. Every walk of life is here: Teens relocate fresh out of high school looking for the City that Never Sleeps, as do retirees in search of adventure. You'll find lifelong New Yorkers as well as students just passing through one of its 24 major institutions and career-minded folks working anywhere from Wall Street to the Fashion District.
Also known as the Big Apple, NYC contains five distinct boroughs: Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan. Manhattan is the heartbeat of New York City, with its own distinct areas like the artsy, bohemian and NYU student-filled Greenwich Village, the financial district of Downtown (hello, Wall Street), the well-to-do area of the Upper East Side, the gay-friendly Chelsea, the young, hip, professional Lower East Side vicinity and the park-adjacent, intellectual hub of the Upper West Side. Cars aren't a necessity thanks to the city's round-the-clock abundance of transport, like the subway, ferries, 7,000 buses and a whopping 12,000 taxis.
Wander through some of the world's best museums—like the Metropolitan Museum of Art—catch a free Staten Island ferry around the Statue of Liberty, throw a frisbee in Central Park, catch a Broadway show, grab some goods in Chinatown, bask in the Midtown madness of Times Square, see the Mets play in Queens or the Yankees in the Bronx—and so much more: it's all at your fingertips in NYC.

subset: commoncrawl


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Export news boosted corn futures Thursday morning. The corn market built upon overnight gains after the weekly Export Sales report stated the latest result over 1.8 million tonnes. That was well above forecasts. That was followed by news of a sizeable (127,000 tonnes) sale to an unknown destination. March corn surged 6.5 cents to $4.34/bushel around midsession Thursday, while May climbed 6.5 to $4.405.
Soybean futures bounced from chart support. Persistent talk of surging South American supplies again depressed soybeans and meal last night. The weekly Export Sales report wasn't helpful either (with the result falling within the forecast range). And yet beans led the complex higher this morning. That can probably be credited to the March contract's strong rebound from its test of the $12.60 level. March soybeans ran up 12.0 cents to $12.8125/bushel just before lunchtime Thursday, while March soyoil edged up 0.05 cents to 37.15 cents/pound, and March soymeal gained $3.9 to $427.2/ton.
The wheat markets also benefited from good export news. The wheat markets bounced slightly last night after tumbling Wednesday. Bulls sustained those gains in the wake of the weekly USDA Export Sales report, since it stated last week's result above the forecast range. Having the International Grain Council lower its global production estimate by 1% may also have encouraged traders. March CBOT wheat futures rallied 4.0 cents to $5.555/bushel in late Thursday morning trading, while March KCBT wheat futures gained 3.75 cents to $6.125, but March MWE futures slipped 1.25 to $5.9675.
Futures discounts may be supporting CME cattle prices. Diving beef prices are undercutting cattle futures at this point, since those suggest beef packers will cut their bids for country cattle today and/or tomorrow. However, the nearby contracts are already trading at sizeable discounts, which is probably limiting the bearish reaction. February cattle futures skidded 0.02 cents to 142.050 cents/pound in late Thursday morning action, while the April contract slipped 0.22 cents to 140.30. Meanwhile, March feeder cattle sagged 0.25 cents to 168.97 cents/pound, and May dropped 0.27 to 169.57.
Dipping cash and wholesale values are probably undercutting hog futures. Renewed hopes for robust seasonal gains seemingly boosted nearby CME hog values Wednesday, but subsequent reports indicated mixed cash prices and a dip in pork quotes. That news and likely talk of similar action today are apparently weighing upon hog futures today. February hogs fell 0.57 cents to 85.95 cents/pound late Thursday morning, while June stalled lost 0.07 to 103.25.


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As part of the countdown to the 2012-13 college basketball season, Sporting News takes an analytical look at the Colonial Athletic Association:
1. Drexel
2. Delaware
3. George Mason
4. Old Dominion
5. Northeastern
6. James Madison
7. Georgia State
8. William & Mary
9. UNC Wilmington
10. Hofstra
11. Towson
Another Final Four contender? Coach James "Bruiser" Flint leads a Drexel team coming off back-to-back 20-win seasons. Last year's group won the regular-season CAA title, going 16-2 and 29-7 overall, but lost to VCU in the league tournament championship game and was then snubbed by the NCAA Selection Committee. With a dynamic backcourt in junior playmaker Frantz Massenat and sophomore shooting guard Damion Lee, the Dragons should reach the NCAA Tournament this time—and don't be stunned if they become the third CAA team since 2006 to crash the Final Four. They're that good.
Blue Hens rising. Delaware quietly has emerged as Drexel's biggest threat. Coach Monte Ross enters the season with the league's most prolific "Big Three" in 6-2 guards Devon Saddler and Jarvis Threatt and 6-9, 240-pound rebounding machine Jamelle Hagins. Hagins, a senior, posted 15 double-doubles last season and was the NCAA's fifth-leading rebounder with 11.1 per game.
V-C-who? For the first time since 1994, Virginia Commonwealth won't play a role in the CAA race. The Rams have moved to the Atlantic 10. They'll be missed, especially by in-state rivals Old Dominion, George Mason, James Madison and William & Mary. But their absence should make for a wide-open title chase.
Old Dominion's last hurrah. Coach Blaine Taylor always has the Monarchs in the hunt, but the departure of his top three scorers makes this season—ODU's last before moving to Conference USA—particularly challenging. That's why the immediate eligibility of 6-9 N.C. State transfer DeShawn Painter could prove to be pivotal.
Tigers, Seahawks hit the books. Towson and UNC Wilmington are ineligible for the conference tourney and any postseason play in 2012-13 because of poor scores on the most recent NCAA Academic Progress Rates. The two schools also each lost two scholarships and four hours of weekly practice time as result of the APR edict.
Frantz Massenat, Drexel. The multifaceted point guard broke out in a big way last season, leading the CAA in assists and 3-point shooting (.450) while averaging 13.7 points per game. At 6-4, he's a difficult matchup for opposing playmakers in this league. Massenat, who has started all 67 games of his Drexel career, had 18 points and a career-high 14 assists in a win over Central Florida that sent the Dragons to the NIT quarterfinals last March.
G - Frantz Massenat, Jr., Drexel
G - Devon Saddler, Jr., Delaware
G - Damion Lee, Soph., Drexel
F - Keith Rendleman, Sr., UNC Wilmington
F - Jamelle Hagins, Sr., Delaware
Shooter: Frantz Massenat, Drexel
Passer: Frantz Massenat, Drexel
Shot blocker: Jamelle Hagins, Delaware
Leader: Jonathan Lee, Northeastern
Defender: Jamelle Hagins, Delaware
NBA prospects: Damion Lee, Drexel; Jamelle Hagins, Delaware
Freshman: Jerome Hairston, Towson
Rebounder: Jamelle Hagins, Delaware
Transfer: DeShawn Painter, Old Dominion (from N.C. State)
Coach: Blaine Taylor, Old Dominion
Recruiter: Bruiser Flint, Drexel
Home-court advantage: Ted Constant Convocation Center, Old Dominion
Jan. 19 - Northeastern at Delaware
Jan. 28 - Delaware at Drexel
Jan. 31 - Drexel at George Mason
Feb. 4 - George Mason at Old Dominion
Feb. 21 - Drexel at Delaware


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The NT-100 T-joint is a part of Mitsubishi's attractive, durable line set cover system, Line-Hide. T-joints allow you to split a single Line Hide system in two different directions. Size 100 Line-Hide systems feature 4" tubes for concealing refrigerant lines, drain tubes, and cables.
Product Features
Environmental Protection
Line-Hide components are constructed from weather-resistant PVC that has been treated with UV inhibitors, offering you protection in nearly any condition.
Application Flexibility
Line-Hide isn't just for the exterior of your home—it may also be installed indoors and is UL classified for such applications. Regardless of where it is installed, Line-Hide can be safely painted, making it easy to protect your lines without disrupting your home's color scheme.
Product Compatible With
- Mini Split Line Sets
- Drain Tubing
- Cables
Product Note
Recommended Line-Hide sizes for different applications are provided in the eComfort.com Line-Hide Buying Guide, found in our resources section.


text:
Irregular and premature tire wear can be caused by the front thrust link bushings cracking and causing excessive movement in the suspension. The thrust link bushings are fluid-filled (to help reduce vibration), so if they crack, they will leak oil.
Problem Description and Possible Solution
Problem Data
RepairPal Verified
Average mileage: 135,333 (100,000–196,000)
7 people reported this problem


text:
Quick & Chewy Chocolate Cookies Recipe
- 1-1/4 cups butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup baking cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are set and centers are puffed and cracked. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks (cookies will flatten as they cool). Yield: About 5 dozen.
Reviews forQuick & Chewy Chocolate Cookies
My Review
Average Rating
"The taste is good and I enjoy the chewy crunch. The only downside is the flat presentation. It helps a little if I keep them small."
"I actually cut the recipe in half and added mint chocolate chips to them! Turned out very yummy"
"I followed the recipe to the "T" and they came out thin as a piece of paper. They tasted okay and chewy ."
"These cookies are great! They spread out thin but keep their circular shape. The best thing about them is they stay soft and chewy, even 2 days later. Still soft. They do have a brownie taste. I will definitely recommend these."
"These cookies are not much to look at, but they taste great! Because the dough is so soft they spread out when baking and become very thin, but I wanted a chewy chocolate cookie, and that's definitely what I got! 2 cups of sugar seemed like a lot to me, so I did 1 cup of white sugar and 3/4 cup of brown, and they still taste great. Next time I make them I think I'll experiment with ways to keep the chewy-ness, but get them to stand up a bit more."
"Are you looking for a cookie recipe that has ingredients you probably have in your cupboard? Are you looking for a tasty and easy to mix cookie recipe that makes plenty of cookies? Well then, you have found it! This cookie recipe is yummy, easy to mix and doesn't require special ingredients. I am making them right now to flesh out my cookie trays for Christmas. I will make this recipe again and not just for the holiday. I do have one suggestion though, drop the cookies by level tablespoon. Rounded tablespoons produce cookies that are larger than I like them to be. Try it both ways and decide for yourself."
"These are great. With a Husband and 5 boys, they don't stay around for long. I always double the batch because they are so good. You could also add chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or chopped pecans to these."


text:
Note: This item is more than eight years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
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News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030
July 10, 2009
NOAA Grant to Restore Galveston Bay Marsh a 'Happy Surprise' for State
AUSTIN, Texas — When the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publicly announced the last week of June that it was providing $5,148,369 to help restore critical wetlands in West Galveston Bay, the news took Texas Parks and Wildlife Department staffers who wrote the grant request by surprise.
"It's a very happy surprise that we got this money. The project will return long-term benefits both to Galveston Bay and to the people of Galveston Island," said Mike Ray, interim Coastal Fisheries Division director for TPWD.
The project, officially called "Recovery Act: Restoring Estuarine Habitats in West Galveston Bay," is one of 50 nationwide funded through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009. NOAA received more than 800 proposals, with the Texas project among the 10 largest.
With another $647,597 from the Texas General Land Office, a $250,000 in-kind donation from NRG Texas Power LLC and $10,000 in staff time from TPWD, the more than $6 million project will restore 328 acres of intertidal marsh complex at two locations: Galveston Island State Park and Jumbile Cove.
"Coastal wetlands perform both chemical and physical functions, including temporarily retaining pollutants such as excess nutrients, toxic chemicals and disease-causing microorganisms," said Cherie O'Brien, TPWD coastal ecologist and project leader. "They also provide critical habitat for juvenile finfish and shellfish and reduce damage from storms by acting as a buffer between shoreline and inland areas."
The Galveston Island State Park shoreline component will reduce erosion at the state park, which is visited by approximately 500,000 people a year. It also will protect infrastructure within the City of Jamaica Beach by protecting its eastern shoreline from erosion.
The Jumbile Cove component of the project will protect private property directly behind it from erosion. O'Brien said property owners in the area have been supportive of previous restoration projects.
The concept for the project was developed in coordination with the Natural Resource Uses Subcommittee of the Galveston Bay Council.
"This is really a team effort between the state and federal governments, private partners such as NRG Texas Power and the Galveston Bay Council, which is charged with implementing the living resources elements of The Galveston Bay Plan," said O'Brien.
The project will employ approximately 50 people at the Galveston Island State Park site and 52 people at the Jumbile Cove site. It is scheduled to be complete in October 2010.
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(5.4.16 i)


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The Seattle Sounders on Monday finally confirmed the season-long loan of forward Fredy Montero to Colombian club Millonarios, but also announced that he had signed a new multiyear deal with the MLS club.
Montero, 25, is Seattle's all-time leading scorer and has tallied 60 goals and 43 assists in all competitions over the past four years. His 47 goals in MLS regular season play are the third-most in the league over the same span.
But Montero's inability to finish in the playoffs—he has no goals in 10 career postseason games—and his second-half removal from Seattle's Western Conference finals decider vs. the L.A. Galaxy led many to assume a change in scenery was needed.
"Fredy has been a fantastic player and pro," Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer said. "We wish Fredy the best of success with Millonarios as he continues to develop as a player. We hope this move helps Fredy's chances of being called up to the Colombian national team, as he has certainly earned it."
Montero last played for his country in 2009.
By re-signing Montero and holding on to his rights, Seattle will be in position to either welcome him back for the '14 campaign or profit through a deal with Millonarios.
The Bogotá club won its 14th Colombian league title last month—its first in 24 years—and will play in the Copa Libertadores this spring. Its first-round group includes Club World Cup champion Corinthians and Mexican titlist Club Tijuana, home to American players Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo and Greg Garza.
Montero made $756,000 last season and was a designated player. Terms of his new deal weren't disclosed. Seattle's attack now will be led by U.S. national team forward Eddie Johnson, who had 24 goals in 2012, and former reserves David Estrada and Sammy Ochoa.


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Theres an article in the Indy Star regarding the press conference that Bird held this afternoon:
By Mike WellsQuote:
Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird held a press conference on Monday to discuss the team's plans in Thursday's NBA Draft.
"You have to see what happens in front of you, usually there's some guys that slide, and there's some holes we have to fill," Bird said. "We need bigs and we need a point guard and we need a wing player. We'll probably take the best player available."
Bird hinted that he would prefer to select a player that has played a few seasons in college, which could rule out Brandon Jennings or Jrue Holiday. He also said there are four players that he is looking at, and figures that three will be available at thirteen.
He added that the team would love to trade up and get the No. 5 pick, but that they aren't in position to do so financially. However, adding another second round selection is a possibility.
"We have some options to do some things," Bird said. "You never really know until it gets up to the draft. We'll have some opportunities to do some things. If you can do some things and get two players that can help you, you'll have to look at it. There's a lot of things we're mulling over."
Indy Star


text: Women's Sperry® for J.Crew Shearwater buckle boots in colorblock Item E2598 Size: All sizes are US sizes. Size Charts Quantity: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Prices do not include taxes. Add to Bag Wishlist Add to Bag Add To Wishlist share: size & fit Half sizes order up. Product Details Sperry has been making classic slip-free shoe styles since 1935, when founder Paul Sperry was inspired by how effortlessly his dog's paws gripped the ice. Cozy and winter-weather-ready, these buckle boots feature a waterproof rubber sole and shearling-lined uppers that are perfect for mucking through slush and snow. Leather upper. Shearling lining. Rubber sole. Import. Online only. Item E2598.


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2007 Legacy Book
Fairfax County Office of
Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
July 14, 2006
Make Your Mark on History: Submit an Entry for the 2007 Legacy Book Sept. 1 Deadline for Entries
Do you have a great story, photograph or anecdote about Fairfax County's history? The Fairfax County 2007 Community Citizen Planning Committee is accepting entries for its legacy book celebrating 400 years of Fairfax County history. The deadline is Sept. 1.
The historical anthology is part of the larger Virginia 2007 Community Program to commemorate 400 years of Virginia history. The book will feature vignettes, anecdotal articles, photographs and essays that highlight the history of Fairfax County through the last 400 years, since the founding of Jamestown in 1607.
The committee is soliciting original, non-published, history-related items for publication in the book. Each contribution — written, photographic or other — must be the sole property of the person submitting it, or it must be shown that the owner has given permission for its use. This is a volunteer project with no compensation for any submission. The authors will have the satisfaction of being a part of this great project and having their work reflect the pride Fairfax Countyfeels about its rich and diverse history.
The publication will contain a minimum of four vignettes, anecdotal articles or essays from each of the last four centuries, from 1607 to 2007, for a total of at least 16 selections. Writers may submit articles or photographs about events, personalities, geographical features, localities or any subject that has historical significance within the geographical boundaries of Fairfax County today.
A committee of historians from the county, area educational facilities and the Fairfax County Public Library will evaluate the submissions. The selected articles will be published in a softbound volume to be distributed to county libraries, historical sites and schools. The publication also will be available for sale at sites throughout the county. Articles or photographs not included in the volume will be filed in the unpublished manuscript file at the Virginia Room of the Fairfax City Regional Library.
Procedure for submitting material for the history book
Written submissions should contain no more than 2,500 words, not including footnotes, be double-spaced in 12-point type with one-inch margins on white 8.5-inches-by-11-inches bond paper.
When submitting photographs, place a label on the back of the photograph with a description of the photograph, your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address. Do not write on the back of the photograph. Do not submit original photographs since they will not be returned.
All entries must be accompanied by a completed submission form. The form is available to download at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/opa/va2007. To request a form by mail or fax, please call the Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs at 703-324-3187, TTY 711. Entries must be submitted by Sept. 1. Material can be submitted via e-mail to email@example.com or by mail on a disk along with the hard copy to the following address:
Virginia 2007 History Book Project
Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22036-0065
Fairfax County's 2007 Commemoration
Fairfax County's Virginia 2007 Community Citizen Planning Committee promotes and publicizes events taking place in the county that commemorate Jamestown's 400th anniversary. Appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the committee represents the diversity of communities and resources in the county, including the African-American, Hispanic and American Indian communities and representatives from Fort Belvoir, Wolf Trap, George Washington's Mount Vernon and the Fairfax County Convention and Visitors Corporation.
As an official Virginia 2007 Community, Fairfax County is participating in next year's statewide celebrations commemorating the founding of Jamestown. Settled in 1607, Jamestown was America's first permanent English settlement and is, in essence, our nation's birthplace.
To celebrate the county's role in the birth of our nation, the committee will publish an anthology of county history during the past 400 years. To learn more about this project or submit an entry, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/opa/va2007.
For more information about the committee, contact the Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs at 703-324-3187, TTY 711, or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/opa/va2007. For more information about Jamestown 2007 and the Virginia 2007 program, visit www.americas400thanniversary.org or www.jamestown2007.org


text:
BP Comment Quick Links
|Strength of Schedule Report
November 20, 2013
Transaction Analysis
Giant LOOGY
Signed 1B-L Brandon Allen to a minor-league contract [11/19]
There are blockquotes for the lazy writer, blockquotes for the reformed plagiarist writer, blockquotes for the short-of-time writer. And then there are the Quad-A blockquotes. A Quad-A player is, after all, a very special type of player, living under a cursed compulsion to repeat the same season, and same offseason, over and over. His minor-league numbers are always good (indeed, often improve with age) and his major-league journeys are always short and disappointing. The only thing that changes is the uniform, like a page-a-day calendar, and thus the blockquote serves to chronicle his monotony:
The chic comparison to make in cases like these is to Carlos Peña. A former A's first baseman himself, Peña has mastered the art of surviving as a three-true-outcomes hitter. The difference is this: as often as Peña strikes out (and he has finished top-five in his league in five seasons), Allen strikes out even more often. Allen has fanned in almost 36 percent of his major-league plate appearances, compared to Pena's 26 percent.
The Mets are an interesting match for a Quad-A first baseman. While Allen is a minor leaguer who occasionally gets promoted, Ike Davis is a major leaguer who occasionally gets demoted. Allen is unlikely to slug his way back to the majors—even coming off a four-year-low strikeout rate—but he's understudying the first baseman most likely to slump his way to the minors.
Signed INF-L Reid Brignac to a minor-league contract [11/19]
Brignac is a reminder that baseball is unpredictable but never, ever unprecedented.
The Phillies already have Freddy Galvis for the role he'd fill, but with Kevin Frandsen eligible for arbitration and Maikel Franco likely a year away, Brignac provides a bit of depth in case third baseman Cody Asche's second trip through the league goes sour. He's not fast, he doesn't hit righties enough to offer a platoon or pinch-hitter's value, and his defense got sloppy when Colorado Springs used him as a true utility man.
Traded LHP Kris Johnson to Minnesota Twins in exchange for RHP Duke Welker [11/19]
Seller's remorse, perhaps? Months after trading Duke Welker to the Twins for Justin Morneau, the Pirates got him back—this time sending 28-year-old minor-league vet Kris Johnson to Minnesota.
Johnson is more the Twins' style, and I don't need to finish this sentence for you to know with about 97 percent certainty what his minor-league stats look like. He's a lanky lefty coming off two sterling ERA seasons, both driven more by BABIP and strand rates (and a solid, if not special, groundball rate) than any great leap forward. "I've been pitching to contact and letting my defense do all the work," Johnson said, seductively.
Welker never appeared in a game after the trade. He's a 6-foot-7 righty with a 97-mph fastball and, yet, almost no swing-and-miss in his arsenal. When in doubt with suspects, bet on height.
Agreed on base years and salary with LHP Javier Lopez [11/19]
In 2013, Javier Lopez had the lowest ERA of his career. He had the best strikeout rate of his career, by far, and the lowest walk rate, by far. But for one homerless 2011 season, he would have had the lowest home run rate of his career. His FIP was nearly a run lower than his previous career-best, which was set the year before.
But a LOOGY is often only as good as the rest of his bullpen. As Lopez ages, his approval ratings in the City rival those of SFBatKid. A fair portion of credit goes to Brian Sabean, not just for finding and keeping Lopez, but for supplying a steady supply of co-stars who keep the pressure off Lopez.
In 2010 and 2011, 53 percent of the batters Lopez faced were right-handed. But since then, Sabean's knack for finding bargain bullpens—not just 28th-rounder Sergio Romo in the ninth inning, but waiver claim Santiago Casilla and minor-league free agent Jean Machi—has kept Lopez on the bench against righties. And the Giants' many commitments to Jeremy Affeldt as a strong second lefty option have lessened the pressure to make Lopez tread right-handed bridges to the next lefty in the lineup. Over the past two seasons, then, he has faced just 38 percent righties.
Which is notable, because Lopez hasn't technically improved. Against lefties:
2010/11: .162/.248/.215
And against righties:
2010/11: .292/.377/.388
This isn't to suggest anything unwelcome about Lopez. He's one of the best lefty specialists of our lifetime, trailing only Aroldis Chapman and Eric O'Flaherty in lefty-on-lefty violence over the past four seasons. His ambush drop-down pitch is one of the deadliest pitches in baseball, and his ability to suppress lefty power—one lefty home run in the past three seasons—is particularly impressive considering the disproportionate number of middle-of-the-order hitters assigned to him. No, it's more to suggest something quite flattering to the Giants, who increasingly put him in a position to succeed. They're as prone to year-to-year reliever fluctuation as any club, but they have shown quite the skill for building and using a bullpen. Lopez, for another year, is more of the same.
Sam Miller is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @SamMillerBB
5 comments have been left for this article.
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I remain curious about Mr. Miller's hypothetical in his article a few days back about the Hall of Fame prospects of current players, that suggested Power Ball players had a lower than average IQ. I asked on the comment section of that article if such a thing really needed to be said. Mr. Miller did not reply though I've paid my money for BP for years now and have regularly bought BP books. If Mr. Miller needs to call others stupid to make his points and is unable to respond to paying customers, maybe he needs to be benched.
Nov 20, 2013 08:28 AM
Kris Johnson is not the world's most exciting pitcher, but a lefty swingman would be more useful to the Twins than a righty reliever, no? Neither he nor 27-year-old Duke Welker have a lot of upside at this point, so role and context seem to matter more than they might in a swap involving younger players.
Nov 20, 2013 08:43 AM
Other readers have rated this comment below the viewing threshold. Click here to view anyway.
It is interesting that BP allows readers to vote up or down on comments so that comments that are not liked are banished. It makes for a form of conventional wisdom that is the exact opposite of the purpose BP was created. I wonder what would happen to BP if old school baseball folks could vote up or down the ideas put forth by the writers who stick to baseball, and not the imagined genetic defectiveness of groups they feel they can make fun of and get away with it.
Nov 20, 2013 09:28 AM
I sympathize with your complaint. Sam may not have realized that 80 is the legal threshold for a mental handicap.
Nov 20, 2013 10:02 AM
Thanks for your reply. The comment was public because I felt what Mr. Miller said merited a public response. I don't at all think Mr. Miller should be cut. Even Babe Ruth was benched by Miller Huggins a few times. Benched for a moment and asked to reflect about calling a lot of people dumb. Maybe just a conversation between innings. I know not all comments get a reply & that is fine. But this was so mean & not needed. Thanks again.
Nov 20, 2013 10:22 AM
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The evolutionism theory is predominant in the curriculum of many states, despite being unproven, while the idea that an intelligent being designed the universe isn't even mentioned. Teaching only one set of beliefs is dangerous to science, because the truth could be potentially excluded all together.
Some opponents to the teaching argue that creationism does not follow the scientific method and therefore cannot be taught as science. On the contrary, I feel the idea can be classified as a scientific theory with the hypothesis simply being that there is a creator.
There are, indeed, observations that provide support for the topic, such as evidence of the biblical flood and the fact that the "irreducibly complex" organs in many living creatures could have in no way evolved from nothing. The Bible is used in archeology as a reliable source to locate lost cities based on biblical accounts.
Many other ancient and historical documents back up what is written in the Bible. If it is trusted in archeology, why not for scientific matters?
An argument on Debatepedia stated that "mutations result from degradation of already existing info, not the development of new info, which hasn't been observed." Doesn't the fact that all parts of evolution have yet to be observed and proved, therefore requiring a certain amount of pure belief, make it a matter based on faith, just like creationism?
"Science is only science until it requires or imposes belief. Then it is philosophy." — Charles Darwin. This mindset might eliminate creationism from the realm of science, but if we wanted to go in that direction, then the indefinite ideas of evolutionism would be debunked as well.
So even Darwin was unsure if his studies were true. Other scientists have admitted that evolution cannot explain everything, and many people would argue that creationism could help fill in a lot of the holes.
Science should not be closed-minded, and evolutionists who are focused on that one select theory could be potentially limiting the scope of discovery.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1987 that teaching creationism violates the separation of church and state. The theory is, however, acceptable in Britain, where some schools even present creationism as fact and evolution as faith.
Also, some people argue that the lack of creationism in education violates freedom of religion by saying that Genesis is wrong.
According to a recent Gallup poll, 46 percent of Americans believe in creationism. That means that almost half of the nation's citizens are being told they are wrong.
Giving all theories credit in the classroom promotes critical thought, allowing students to carry out the process of developing their own opinion and finding the support to back it up.
"Teach both," Sarah Palin once said. "You know, don't be afraid of education. Healthy debate is so important, and it's so valuable in our schools."
One online debate said that "not teaching competing theories is comparable to telling students that there is no alien life." Either all possible beliefs need to be addressed, or the subject of "the beginning" not mentioned at all.
In a country whose foundations are based on the fact that "all men are created equal," whose motto is "In God We Trust" and whose own pledge states it to be a "nation under God," couldn't one declare that the separation of church and state has never been very clearly defined or enforced?
Why should religious rights be any different for students? To be forbidden to learn about a scientific theory for the basic fact that it is related to religion doesn't seem like freedom to me.
I am in no way arguing that schools should press creationism to be the truth. That would be hypocritical, for that seems to be the method applied to evolutionism as of now.
What I do firmly believe is that it's degrading to the potential of education to outlaw any form of knowledge, whether it is entirely proven or not.
The theory of creationism being entwined with religion does not at all lessen its scientific value, and it should therefore be available for the enhancement of students' ability to make their own informed, logical choices.


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This is on the blog but since may people aren't on that i thought it was appropriate for here. I don't give opinions much on here cuz they're not outstanding or different. But this is my view on the team.
I don't think i've ever formally given my views on the team. Here they are.
Center Position
Jeff Foster, David Harrison, Scot Pollard, Edwards
Foster - He is in my opinion a perfectly servicable Center in the east. Especially with the back ups we have and the rest of the lineup. We don't need him to score and he brings a lot of energy in what he does do well. I won't comment on his defense because i'm not studious enough to know exactly how to explain it. I think it is at least adequate if not better.
Harrison - I think he is really our center of the future and next year he will really step into his own. He's big, he plays d, he rebounds, he can score. he is really good.
Polly - much better than last year but still mr. stone hands and doesn't score much more than foster. basically bigger slower foster.
Edwards - this years version of peanut butter only with no upside
Power Forward
Jermaine O'neal, Austin Croshere, Jonathan Bender
Jermaine - I don't think anything i say will be any different so i'll just say we're set at PF for a long time
Austin - I like his game but i don't think we can give him the minutes he needs to be effective. i'd like to trade him to houston for mo taylor or something. more muscle. with this team we don't need what he brings but i still like him while he's here.
Bender - injured a lot. good while he's here. i'll take what i get from bender but i won't expect much.
Small Forward
Stephen Jackson, James Jones, Michael Curry, Ron Artest
SJax - i think that when tinsley gets back he will break out and i like what he has brought so far and i think he should be the starting sg next year and we will be set in the starting lineups
JJ - I like JJ but basically as just a few minutes a game. He can do a bit more than shoot threes and i'd like to see him work on his post game.
Curry - blegh, cough, old, useless except for some leadership
Artest - I think that he won't be moved. I think we're set at sf for next year. I don't thing he's the be all end all like some people. and i don't think he's as much of a cancer as some people. I think hes a great player that can catapult us but i don't think that he's the only way to win a championship. Other teams have won without ron artest. so can we.
Shooting Guard
Reggie Miller, Fred Jones
Reggie - is reggie is reggie. he was a great player. he's a shell but he's still a fun shell to watch. i'm going to enjoy his last season. i'm not going to criticize him.
Freddie - I think he is better than most backup shooting guards in the league and thats where i'd like him to stay. Good energy guy. I would like to see him get the sixth man award in the near future.
Point Guard
Jamaal Tinsley, Anthony Johnson, Eddie Gill
Tins - I think he's about the third best pg in the league behind Nash and Kidd when he's healthy. He can score and pass and steal and do about everything i want out of a pg. he's the second most important player on this team with or without artest.
AJ - i think he's a servicable backup pg. no more no less.
Eddie Gill - did fine when he was here, not quite as good as AJ but still servicable.
Next Years line up i think we can really take it all. who wouldn't want this lineup we're set at all the positions and we are deep.
I am looking forward to next season. and just gonna take what they give me after the all star break.


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I feel compassion, and a sort of zealousness when I see callousness to all beings, especially lower ones. I then thought of the distracting questions including why are animals one realm? If hell exists what could we do for those in such pain? (Tibetan Buddhism allows prayers and offerings to help those in the lower realms, I am not sure about Theravada.) If being reborn as a human is extremely rare, then what is the percentile split up of all beings in each place? Why do so many Buddhists see the world objectively, rather than believe in relative view? Why do Mahayana monks live in self sufficient temples, while theravada monks go out and gather food and necessities as offerings? These are all little questions concerning inconsistency,wandering of my mind, my misunderstandings, and modern values coming from the western mindset through the years. I don't want anyone to suffer, but my lack of indifference is a hindrance, ironically I am also in a way indifferent to the suffering everywhere especially in starving countries.
What I thought of next is why? If Nibbana to escape rebirth, then to be in the universe is some sort of lotus chamber or Matrix, to be is a great misfortune.
The seems nihilistic, not in the way the universe exists but how to approach being. The world is pretty real but should it be?
The universe has no supreme divine lord, that means our views and beliefs originate entirely with ourselves? I then think how everyone has their own view, using amazon.com reviews of books as an example, should I join in with those who think a particular book is terrible or those who liked it? How can I trust anyone elses information?
I then thought perhaps to see for myself, I want to see the entire way things work, what is the way and what is just a metaphor, so I can know for sure what the universe looks like and what is the truth of its nature. I want to know whether Buddhism is to accept or reject being and the fact I am and existence, there is.
I see too many paradoxes here and there, I just want to have a clear view of the absolute truth, which itself can't really exist but it could.
I am confused.


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O.K. here are some facts:
The economy is weakening. Home sales have fallen to the lowest point in 12 years; foreclosures have hit a record high; crude oil prices have topped $100 a barrel; energy prices rose 18.4% in 2007; health care costs are up; consumer confidence is at a five-year low.
As the economy weakens, unemployment is growing. Currently the unemployment rate is 6.1% – up from 4.7 percent in November.
As unemployment rises, so does the number of uninsured. Approximately two-thirds of people who become uninsured have lost employer-sponsored health insurance. Analysts estimate that when the unemployment rate rises by one percentage point, the number of uninsured increases by 1.2 million to 1.5 million people.
We need a president whose experience demonstrate that he or she is 'ready on day one' right? If that is your criteria for electing a president, one small point:
In the past 50 years, we've only had three presidents whose experience suggested that they were 'ready on day one': Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush.
If one of them were running today, which one would you vote for? Really. Let me hear from you.


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LUCERNE -- Paramedics in northern Lake County can now rely on two modern heart monitors thanks to a contribution from a pair of longtime public servants.
"To me, it's not when will it save somebody's life; it's how many times this week it will save lives," Northshore Fire Protection District (NFPD) deputy chief Pat Brown said Monday.
The two new Zoll X Series heart monitors replaced a pair of the department's five-year-old units: one based at the main station in Lucerne and one at the Clearlake Oaks station.
The costs for the new equipment, estimated at more than $57,000, were covered by Lucerne residents Tony and Joy Velasquez, who donated the money through the nonprofit organization PSI World in February.
The couple, both of whom worked as postmasters in various northeastern Lake County towns, said they wanted to give back to the fire district that serves the area in which they live. "The community needs the support of our first responders," Tony added.
The Zoll devices have a number of added features, including CPR feedback and a carbon monoxide monitor, which the department will use for patients and firefighters.
The new units are also lighter than the previous ones and can relay patient information directly to hospitals without needing a cellphone signal.
The replacement equipment was vital, according to Brown, who said 82 percent of the calls to which NFPD personnel respond are medically related. Brown said he anticipated the department would use the new units on a vast majority of its medical calls.
The NFPD ordered the replacement monitors in February and received them two weeks ago. The devices were put into use last Tuesday, almost immediately after department personnel completed the necessary training.
Chrissy Pittman, NFPD emergency medical services liaison, estimated the new units were used on two dozen patients during the past week.
Tony and Joy made a contribution earlier this year to help bring similar equipment to the Lake County Fire Protection District, where Tony's son works as an emergency medical technician.
Jeremy Walsh is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. Reach him at 263-5636, ext. 37 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter, @JeremyDWalsh.


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In their first postelection crack at immigration policy, House Republicans seemed to have forgotten the message they got so recently from their overwhelming rejection by minority voters. They passed a bill Friday that would actually limit legal immigration.
The bill has no chance in the Democratic Senate, nor should it. It would do one good thing: increase the number of visas for immigrants with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math. But it would do this by eliminating a lottery that provides 55,000 green cards a year to people from countries, including many in Africa, with low immigration rates.
It's not necessary to eliminate one form of legal immigration to increase another. That's why it's so puzzling that the GOP, after appearing eager to shed its mean-spirited image on this issue, would push this bill through. Yes, the United States has to increase the number of visas for highly educated immigrants and make them easier to get. But that should be part of comprehensive immigration reform, and it should not lower the overall level of immigration, as the bill passed Friday would do.
San Jose Rep. Zoe Lofgren, one of the Democrats' leading voices on immigration, told us she is "cautiously optimistic" Congress can pass a comprehensive bill, one that both helps businesses compete and includes multiple ways for people from all walks of life to make this country their permanent home.
A central provision must be a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants already here. Voters rejected Mitt Romney's idea of "self-deportation" — making life so difficult for immigrants that they leave. Mass roundups of 11 million people would simply be impossible. Creating the opportunity for immigrants to earn legal status is the only realistic strategy.
Legislation should also offer a green card to all master's and doctoral students graduating from nonprofit U.S. universities with a science, technology, engineering or math degree, and to many entrepreneurs, as Lofgren has proposed. These talented, driven individuals should be welcomed to start their businesses and careers here, creating jobs in America.
And the country still needs a Dream Act. An executive order from President Barack Obama now allows many young people brought here as children to stay without fear of deportation, but the law must change to provide certainty. Kids in school or the military need a fast track to citizenship.
True reform also has to include a guest worker program and increase the number of H-1B visas while fixing abuses in that system.
There's only one way a comprehensive bill can pass, however. A majority of lawmakers finally has to accept the fact that immigrants don't hurt America. They strengthen it.


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Last week I attended a meeting in Baltimore, and stayed in a very well respected hotel chain with one of the larger self-service breakfast buffets. The only fresh item on the buffet was a banana! Pre-packaged foods and reconstitued scrambled eggs and sausage just cannot compete with the breakfasts served at our Hot Spring B&B.
I love to play with food, and creating fresh breakfast dishes using local products as much as possible is especially fun! As a member of the Eight Broads in the Kitchen, I continually gain new ideas from my colleagues par excellance. Among the Eight Broads, the discussion recently turned to breakfast salads.
When the temperature was nearing 100 degrees outside, I decided it was time to experiment and served a Breakfast Salad last week to great reviews. Poached eggs served over an arugula/spring mix topped with a homemade orange vinaigrette was light and tasty! Most guests said they've never had salad at breakfast, but really like it. In addition, we served fresh peaches with cream, and a cinnamon crunch coffee cake.
Here's some photos of recent dishes served at Lookout Point. Way better than a chain hotel breakfast!!


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NEW YORK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is so committed to becoming America's biggest beer retailer that it has been selling Budweiser, Coors and other brews almost at cost in at least some stores.
The markup on a 36-pack of Coors Light cans at a Los Angeles-area store was 0.6 percent, compared with 16.2 percent for a package of Flaming Hot Cheetos, according to internal documents reviewed by Bloomberg. Companies typically don't release information about markups so the March data provide a rare glimpse of Wal-Mart's alcohol pricing strategy.
Wal-Mart's push into beer is part of a plan to double alcohol sales by 2016 and seize a larger slice of a U.S. beer market worth about $45 billion. While founder Sam Walton frowned on drinking to excess, selling cheap suds is a way to lure shoppers who typically buy other products at the same time. Repeat visits are crucial for the world's largest retailer, which last month cut its profit forecast and reported second- quarter profit and sales that missed analysts' estimates.
"We continue to look for opportunities to invest in price," Wal-Mart U.S. chief Bill Simon said at a Goldman Sachs conference last week. "A great example for us is adult beverages. We have been continuing to move prices lower on that and seeing returns in the form of market-share gains in that category."
While the markup on beer at the Los Angeles-area store was less than 1 percent, Wal-Mart sold Coca-Cola 20-ounce bottles for 29.9 percent above cost, according to the data. Cereals such as Quaker Quick Oats and Honey Nut Cheerios were marked up 32.5 percent and 16.6 percent, respectively.
Deisha Barnett, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said pricing is determined market by market and declined to say whether the markups were nationally representative.
"This is nothing new that we're investing in price in adult beverage," she said in a telephone interview. "Grocers have long invested in this to drive traffic."
Wal-Mart's gross margin, the percentage of sales left after the cost of goods sold, was 24.7 percent for the quarter ending July 31. Target's gross margin in the quarter ended Aug. 3 was 31.4 percent.
A year ago, Chief Merchandising Officer Duncan MacNaughton told 500 alcohol industry representatives attending an "adult beverage summit" at Wal-Mart's Bentonville, Ark., headquarters that the company would discount alcohol as part of its strategy to gain share in the category. Wal-Mart has since discounted a range of mainstream and craft beers, doubled the number of alcohol buyers to 12 and cleared more shelf space to promote alcoholic beverages.


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Getting your home and family life organized doesn't happen overnight—but you can definitely work on it in small doses. Need a little help getting started? Take a step toward a more organized life with these easy but essential project ideas for you and your family to work on together.
Tips for a Tidy Home
- These simple tools and tips can help you put your home in order.
Create a Family Life Organizer
- A complete reference binder of family information and documents can be your home's command central.
Track Your Expenses with a Home Budget Binder
- Take control of your household budget by keeping track of financial habits.
Here's to Your Health
- Put your family's health records and important documents at your fingertips.
Record Keeping to Protect Your Valuables
- A little investment of time can go a long way to protecting your valuables in the future.


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NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Here are 10 things you should know for Tuesday, Oct. 1: 1. -- U.S. stock futures pointed to a recovery on Wall Street Tuesday despite a U.S. government funding impasse. European stocks traded mixed early Tuesday. Asian shares ended mixed. Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 0.2% after the latest quarterly "tankan" business survey of the country's manufacturers showed a sharp improvement in confidence.
2. -- The economic calendar in the U.S. Tuesday includes the ISM Index for September at 10 a.m. EDT, and construction spending for August at 10 a.m.
3. -- U.S. stocks on Monday finished lower ahead of the government shutdown at a time when the Federal Reserve appears divided on the future of its stimulus program and the pace of the U.S. economic recovery remains sluggish. The S&P 500 declined 0.6% to close at 1,681.55 while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.9% to finish at 15,129.67. The Nasdaq dropped 0.3% to 3,771.48. The S&P, Dow Jones and Nasdaq gained for the 2013 third quarter by 4.7%, 1.5% and 10.8%, respectively.
4. -- Congress plunged the nation into a partial government shutdown Tuesday as a long-running dispute over President Obama's health care law stalled a temporary funding bill, forcing about 800,000 federal workers off the job and suspending most non-essential federal programs and services. The shutdown is the first since the winter of 1995-96. The health care law was unaffected as enrollment opened Tuesday for millions of people shopping for medical insurance.
5. -- Amazon.com ( AMZN) said Tuesday it is hiring 70,000 full-time seasonal workers across its U.S. fulfillment centers over the holiday season to meet increased demand. The retailer said the hires are an increase of 40% from last year. Amazon said it plans to convert "thousands" of the temporary jobs into full-time roles after the holiday season. "So far this year, we have converted more than 7,000 temporary employees in the U.S. into full-time, regular roles and we're looking forward to converting thousands more after this holiday season," said Dave Clark, Amazon's vice president of worldwide operations and customer service.
6. -- Google ( GOOG) has offered concessions that would allow it to avoid a showdown with European regulators. Joaquin Almunia , the European Commission's top antitrust official, said Google would allow competitors to display their own logos on its search display results page. He said Google's concessions will be tested to see how they would work in the market. Only then will the commission decide whether to accept them. Google is looking to settle a nearly three-year antitrust probe and avert a possible multibillion-dollar fine, The Wall Street Journal reported.
7. -- Wells Fargo ( WFC) agreed to a settlement of $869 million with Freddie Mac over claims on home loans the bank sold to the government-controlled mortgage finance company. The agreement involves mortgages sold to Freddie Mac before January 2009.
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After five years, star loses his enthusiasm
Robert Pattinson admits he found Twilight silly a lot of the time and struggled to retain his enthusiasm.
While some may feel the Twilight movies have lived up to their ''Saga'' moniker, it has only been five years since the first film. For Robert Pattinson (pictured), now immortalised as glittery vampire Edward Cullen, the time may not have exactly flown, but it has certainly moved at a superhuman speed from tree to tree.
''It feels like it's gone on for a really short time,'' he says.
''When I look at clips and things from the first movie, I'm like 'oh, wow, I was a lot younger then'. I think you kind of, ironically, get stuck. You stop ageing - I think I've stopped mentally ageing since I did the first one. My life hasn't changed.''
Pattinson reflects that Edward's ageless quality made his job as an actor easier.
''The wonderful thing about it is just doing five movies playing the same character, who doesn't change, doesn't age,'' he says.
Yet those consistencies ultimately proved to be hurdles for developing his character's journey. "He's achieved everything he wants to achieve in the first movie; he just wants to be with Bella. It's difficult to think of where to go with it."
The teen heart-throb, whose career has skyrocketed off the back of the franchise, admits he has lost enthusiasm for the role. "It was good that there was different directors every single time," he says. "That's where probably the last one was hard, because up until then each movie had a different director. Doing two in a row you start to run out of ideas a little bit. Yeah it is difficult to stay invested."
As a 26 year old male, Pattinson isn't exactly a member of the Twilight target audience, and he admits that he does find the story silly at times. "A lot of the time, but you kind of get that with every movie. The core story of Twilight is very strange and this book is extremely strange."
He recalls a particular day of shooting where his laughter rendered him somewhat less than constructive cast member. In the admittedly surreal scene, Edward sits with his now vampire wife Bella, watching Jacob, his former rival for her attentions, covet their infant daughter.
"It's the first Christmas as a family and Jacob's sitting holding Renesmee's hand," he recalls. "I actually remember it was one of the first things we shot. I don't even have a line. I wasn't even on camera. I was supposed to be Taylor [Lautner]'s eye line ... and I was just sitting there, tears coming out of my eyes the whole time. I'm the worst, absolutely no help to anyone else in the room. But it is funny in a whole lot of ways."
Pattinson admits to envying Jacob's romance with an infant though - as it would have given him something different to do – before hypothesising on the potential plot twist. "I would love to have had that as part of my character. If say Jacob was with someone and he had a baby and I imprinted on the baby and I had to explain that to Bella.
"How do you get people to empathise with you at that point?" If it meant another Twilight film was made, that empathy would likely be easily found in the franchise's many fans.
Giles Hardie is a film critic and entertainment reporter for Fairfax.
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Take a Behind-the-Scenes Look
Blog Cabin's talented crew of home improvement experts takes pride in their work. And they also know how let loose and have a little (a lot of) fun on the set. Photographer Frank Murray captured some classic moments from the filming of this year's episodes. Take a peek at the adorable pictures and post your thoughts below. Got a fave? Tell us why.


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Alumna Nominated for National Book Award
AU alumna Wendy Lower, author of the critically acclaimed new book Hitler's Furies: German Women in the Nazi Killing Fields (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013), has been named a nonfiction finalist for the National Book Award.
"This is beyond my wildest dreams and nothing that I could have imagined when I started the history graduate program at American University in autumn 1991," says Lower, the John K. Roth Professor of History at Claremont McKenna College and a consultant for the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.
The awards, given annually by the National Book Foundation, celebrate the best of American literature. Past winners include William Faulkner, Philip Roth, Alice Walker, and Ralph Ellison.
The 2013 winners will be announced in mid-November at a benefit dinner in New York City.
A Career Inspired by AU Professor
Lower received her master's and doctorate in history at American University under the guidance of her faculty advisor, history professor Richard Breitman, whose scholarship inspired Lower.
"I decided to focus my research in Holocaust history after reading Professor Richard Breitman's excellent study of Heinrich Himmler," she says. "Professor Breitman is a model scholar and mentor, and an outstanding example of the first-rate history faculty at AU."
"At AU, she advanced steadily from graduate student to fellow researcher on Nazi Germany and a sounding board for me for my own work," says Breitman, a renowned historian whose most recent book is FDR and the Jews, which he coauthored with fellow AU history professor Allan Lichtman.
"Her outstanding dissertation became the basis for her first book, which launched her scholarly career," Breitman adds. "I was gratified when she gained a chair at Claremont McKenna, and now I am equally pleased to see her latest book receive such wide recognition."
Women–Including Nurses–Participated in Genocide of Holocaust
Hitler's Furies is the first book to examine the role of German women on the eastern front in World War II. Long-held beliefs frame them as supporters of the war at home, but Lower's research exposes the history of 500,000 German women who directly participated in the genocide of the Holocaust.
"The consensus in Holocaust and genocide studies is that the systems that make mass murder possible would not function without the broad participation of society," she says. "And yet, nearly all histories of the Holocaust leave out half of those who populated that society, as if women's history happens somewhere else."
Previous scholarship identified women serving as prison guards at concentration camps, but Lower found that other women had a hand in the Jewish genocide, including office workers as well as—disturbingly—women who held professions in which they were charged with caring for or helping others: nurses, social workers, and teachers.
"Wendy Lower's book is a powerful study of a sample of some half a million German women who inhabited the Nazi empire in Eastern Europe," says Breitman. "Her research shows how these women exploited opportunities to share in the spoils of Nazi rule. They witnessed widespread Nazi atrocities and mass murder, and more than occasionally, they participated as enablers or as direct perpetrators, too. The Nazi beliefs in racial superiority and racial enemies corrupted German women as well as men."


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Top quarterback prospect Geno Smith of West Virginia is getting plenty of attention with a little more than three weeks left before the 2013 NFL Draft. While the teams with high picks are looking more into his talents, scouting analysts are questioning whether he even merits an early first-round selection.
The Philadelphia Eagles, who hold the No. 4 overall pick, set up a visit with Smith on Wednesday, according to the NFL Network. Tuesday, he dropped by the Kansas City Chiefs, led by former Eagles coach Andy Reid. The Eagles and their new offensive-minded head coach, Chip Kelly, already got a chance to check Smith out privately on his college turf in Morgantown three weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Jaguars, strong suitors for Smith's services at No. 2 overall, are kicking the tires on other highly rated quarterbacks in the class. New Jaguars coach Gus Bradley told the Florida Times-Union that his team also has had private meetings with Southern California's Matt Barkley, North Carolina State's Mike Glennon and Florida State's E.J. Manuel, and that Syracuse's Ryan Nassib is on the docket for Friday.
The Chiefs likely are trying to create some trade talk with their interest in Geno Smith, after they already traded for 2005 No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith to be their starter. Likewise, recent veteran acquisitions make the Raiders at No. 3 (Matt Flynn) and the Cardinals at No. 7 (Carson Palmer) less likely to take Geno Smith.
After the Jaguars and Eagles, the Cleveland Browns at No. 6 overall are next in the mix. They also set up a private meeting with Smith and it's no secret Browns new general manager Michael Lombardi isn't crazy about 2012 first-rounder Brandon Weeden.
As for the publication Pro Football Weekly, they are not nearly as sold on Smith. Two years after a scathing scouting report on now-Panthers starter Cam Newton, analyst Nolan Nawrocki delivered a similar perspective on Smith. Nawrocki summed up Smith as "a gimmick, overhyped product of the system lacking the football savvy, work habits and focus to cement a starting job" and PFW ranked him as the sixth-best quarterback available in the 2013 draft.
The PFW report, however, got some support from NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock. Per NFL.com, Mayock, as guest of ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike in the Morning," made it clear he's not crazy about all of the above prospects, including Smith.
"I couldn't take Geno Smith in the top 10, probably the top 20," Mayock said. "I can't stand this whole quarterback class."
So how they are responding to all of this in the Smith camp?
Smith told USA Today that the concerns about his smarts and work ethic raised by PFW were "untrue in all things." His former quarterbacks coach at West Virginia, current Texas A&M staffer Jake Spavital, backed up Smith, saying he was "one of the hardest-working quarterbacks" with whom he's worked and is "a dream come true for a coach."
No matter what has been said about good or bad about Smith, expect him to be a top-10 pick. He isn't in the can't-miss category of Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III, but he's the best option in a class much weaker overall than we've seen the past two years.


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Fairfax County Jeans Day 2012 – Putting the ZIP on Homelessness
Jeans Day is Dec. 14, 2012.
Thank you to this year's sponsors:
Register your business or donate online to help the Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness in Putting the ZIP on Homelessness. Jeans Day 2012 is Dec. 14. Read about the results of this event!
The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership to End Homelessness, Connection Newspapers and Apple Federal Credit Union to sponsor Jeans Day 2012. Area businesses, Fairfax County agencies, civic organizations, nonprofit organizations and other chambers of commerce will join groups throughout the Northern Virginia area in this important event to help end homelessness in our area. More than 21 workplaces, accounting for over 1,850 employees have already registered to participate in Jeans Day 2012. The Chamber requests your community spirit and support by sponsoring a Jeans Day in your workplace or business.
View the news release (PDF) from the Chamber.
On Dec. 14, allow your employees to wear jeans to support the 10-Year Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness and the Partnership to Prevent and End homelessness.
- The cost to an employee to participate is $5. Each participating business will collect the funds raised and, if they choose, can match the funds.
- Donations will benefit the Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness.
- Businesses who wish to participate may register and donate here. Participating businesses will be listed on that site.
- Last year's Jeans Day event was a huge success. We encourage all those participated to sign up again, and bring a friend!
Participating as an Individual
You do not need to be affiliated with a business or organization to participate in Jeans Day. Individuals who wish to take part in this initiative may donate online via Apple Federal Credit Union. You may also drop off your donation at any Apple Federal Credit Union branch.
3 Easy Ways to Donate
Donate online through our financial partner, Apple Federal Credit Union.
Cash donations will be accepted at any of Apple Federal Credit Union's 21 branch locations. Please mention "Ending Homelessness in Fairfax County" to the teller at the time of deposit.
Checks will be accepted at any of Apple Federal Credit Union's 21 branch locations. Please make your checks made payable to PEH/CFNCR and mention "Ending Homelessness in Fairfax County" to the teller at the time of deposit.
You may also mail checks or money orders to:
The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region
1201 15th Street NW, Suite 420
Washington, DC 20005
For all checks, please reference "Homelessness" in the memo section.
Where are the Donations Going?
All funds raised go directly to the Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness. There are many ways you, your business or your community organization can impact homelessness today. No matter what your skills, age or resources, there are ways you can make a difference for people who are homeless. This fund not only supports rapid re-housing activities, but also provides valuable resources that tackle multiple prevention issues.
Help Us Make a Difference
Nearly 3,000 children, women and men face homelessness and the threat of severe temperatures and hunger today in the Fairfax County-Falls Church community. The majority of people without homes in our community are children and working families. Homelessness affects everyone, with social and economic costs to the community, including increased public costs for medical care and education.
Make your Jeans Day a huge success. It's fun and simple to organize.
- Ask people to come to work in their jeans and make a donation of $5. It's a great way to bring a team, a floor or the whole company together.
- Download Jeans Day flyer and distribute.
- It can help raise the profile of your organization. You can highlight your fundraising in your annual report, on your Web site and in your local paper or trade magazine.
- Staff will think it's great and for a good cause. The boss will look good for letting you all wear your jeans.
- Create a bit of role reversal and give the boss a 'day off', sponsor him or her to make the coffee or do the photocopying.
- Wearing jeans and having some fun in the office starts the weekend a bit earlier.
- The fun and fundraising don't have to stop at 5 p.m. Make a night of it and hold a happy hour or karaoke night!
- Raising money on Jeans Day helps your company to meet its corporate civic responsibility targets and Put the ZIP on Homelessness.
Donate online to help Prevent and End Homelessness in our area.
Register your business to take part in the Jeans Day event.
For more information on the event, contact Glynda Mayo
Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness, at email@example.com .


text:
About Me
- katrina
- My work can be found in REAL: Regarding Arts and Letters, The Jabberwock Review, The Emerson Review, Storyglossia, The MacGuffin, Confrontation, Passages North, SmokeLong Quarterly, elimae, wigleaf, Pank, New Delta Review, and Gargoyle #57, among others. One of my stories has been translated into Farsi by Asadollah Amraee, and many others by Jalil Jafari, two of which have been published in the Iranian journal, Golestaneh Magazine. Currently, I'm an Associate editor for Narrative Magazine. In 2011, I was awarded the Carol Houck Smith Contributor Scholarship for the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.
Friday, April 08, 2005
While driving the other day I heard the tail end of an interview with Jonathan Safran Foer. He talked about his new book, his thoughts on the mixed reviews and criticism in general. He mentioned his wife, Nicole Krauss is also coming out with a new book.
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text:
A weekly round-up of the latest DVD releases.
By Damon Smith
New to rent on DVD/Blu-Ray
Wrath Of The Titans (Cert 12, 99 mins, Warner Home Video, Action/Romance, also available to buy DVD £19.99/2 Film Collection DVD Box Set £22.99/3D Blu-ray £24.99/2 Film Collection 3D Blu-ray Box Set £29.99)
Starring: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Danny Huston, Edgar Ramirez, Rosamund Pike, Toby Kebbell, Bill Nighy, John Bell, Sinead Cusack.
Demi-god Perseus (Sam Worthington) returns to his fishing village with 10-year-old son Helius (John Bell), hoping to put his monster-slaying days behind him. Alas, war looms because the humans have neglected the gods, weakening brothers Zeus (Liam Neeson), Hades (Ralph Fiennes) and Poseidon (Danny Huston). Consequently, the imprisoned Titans, led by the gods' banished father Kronos, are gaining in strength and will soon escape the cavernous dungeon prison of Tartarus. Zeus is betrayed by Hades and his godly son Ares (Edgar Ramirez), so Perseus races to the rescue, hacking and slashing a menagerie of terrifying beasts with the help of feisty Queen Andromeda (Rosamund Pike) and Poseidon's wise-cracking demi-god offspring, Agenor (Toby Kebbell). Wrath Of The Titans is certainly an improvement on the 2010 remake of the cult swords and sandals adventure Clash Of The Titans, but the bar was set spectacularly low. Alas, Jonathan Liebesman's special effects-driven sequel doesn't learn from previous mistakes, once again putting spectacle ahead of emotion in every frame. Action sequences such as Perseus's skirmish with a Chimera are still too frenetic, shot on handheld cameras in perpetual disorienting motion. Battle sequences are reduced to a dizzying blur likely to strain eyes, especially in the 3D version available exclusively on Blu-ray. Worthington flexes his muscles convincingly and Kebbell offers welcome comic relief but there's no emotional depth to characters and the heartbreak of closing scenes fails to wring a single tear. A two-disc set comprising Clash Of The Titans and the sequel is also available.
Rating: **
Dark Shadows (Cert 12, 113 mins, Warner Home Video, Comedy/Horror/Romance/Action, also available to buy DVD £19.99/Blu-ray £24.99)
Starring: Johnny Depp, Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, Bella Heathcote, Jonny Lee Miller, Chloe Grace Moretz, Gulliver McGrath, Jackie Earle Haley, Helena Bonham Carter.
In the mid-18th century, Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) spurns the advances of servant Angelique (Eva Green), who is a witch, and falls in love instead with Josette DuPres (Bella Heathcote). In revenge, Angelique kills Josette then transforms the object of her dangerous obsession into a hideous vampire and buries him alive. Almost 200 years later, construction workers unearth Barnabas's cast-iron coffin and the fanged fiend is unleashed in swinging 1972 Maine. While Barnabas acclimatises to the groovy customs of the era, he seeks sanctuary at his ancestral home, Collinwood Manor, with the latest branch of the family tree headed by Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer). Other members of the kooky clan include Elizabeth's sassy teenage daughter Carolyn (Chloe Grace Moretz), wastrel brother Roger (Jonny Lee Miller) and his 10-year-old son David (Gulliver McGrath). Dark Shadows is a misfiring fish-out-of-water comedy based on a cult TV series awash with vampires, ghosts and witches. While the supernatural subject matter and gothic gloom sound perfect for quixotic director Tim Burton, the script by Seth Grahame-Smith is an unholy mess, stumbling between comedy, action, horror and romance, without a clue how to navigate the shifts in tone. Depp sinks his pearly whites into his role and Green vamps it up to the hilt but many of the supporting cast are superfluous, not least Miller who serves no dramatic purpose. The director's imaginative style is strangely muted - even Danny Elfman's usually infectious score is off-key, continually giving way to a soundtrack of toe-tapping favourites from Donovan, Elton John and Moody Blues. When The Carpenters trill Top Of The World, we know with a heavy heart that we're closer to rock bottom.
Rating: **
Top Cat: The Movie (Cert U, 90 mins, Entertainment One UK, Family/Animation/Comedy, also available to buy DVD £15.99/Blu-ray & DVD Combi-pack £19.99)
Featuring the voices of: Jason Harris, Chris Edgerly, Matthew Piazzi, Bill Lobley, Ben Diskin, Melissa Disney, Eduardo Garza.
Top Cat (voiced by Jason Harris) and his buddies Benny (Chris Edgerly), Choo Choo (Harris), Fancy Fancy (Matthew Piazzi), Spook (Ben Diskin) and Brain (Harris) enjoy the run of Manhattan's alleys despite the best efforts of Officer Dibble (Bill Lobley) to thwart their scams. Their latest ruse involves getting close to the visiting Maharaja of Pikachu, who is well known for giving away rubies as tips. The felines' antics are quickly curtailed by new chief of police, Lou Strickland (Harris again), who installs CCTV cameras on every corner and mans the streets with automaton cops. Consequently, TC and the gang have to adapt their cons, while the main cat pursues a date with Strickland's sexy secretary, Trixie (Melissa Disney). Top Cat: The Movie is a risible Spanish-language animated feature, based on the cult Hanna-Barbera series, which has been dubbed into English for release on these shores. Alberto Mar's film couldn't be more lifeless or soulless, relying on our enduring love for the characters to blind us to gaping inadequacies on the small screen. "What more does an alley cat need than good food and good friends?" chirps TC at one point. A good script and good direction might be an idea because Mar is ill-equipped to juxtapose action, comedy and romance or to entertain viewers of any age. Characters remain largely faithful to the Hanna-Barbera designs but vocal performances are weak. Alas, this is anything but the cat's whiskers.
Rating: *
Also released
Apartment 143 (Cert 15, 77 mins, Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment, Horror/Thriller, also available to buy DVD £12.99 - see below)
Blood Alley (Cert 15, 87 mins, Studio Canal, Action/Thriller, also available to buy DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99 - see below)
Inbred (Cert 18, 94 mins, Anchor Bay Entertainment, Horror/Thriller, also available to buy DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99 - see below)
LOL (Cert 12, 92 mins, Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK Ltd, Drama/Romance, also available to buy DVD £17.99 - see below)
Saints And Soldiers: Airborne Creed (Cert 12, 93 mins, Metrodome Distribution, War/Action/Drama, also available to buy DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99 - see below)
Some Guy Who Kills People (Cert 15, 93 mins, Koch Media GmbH, Comedy/Horror, also available to buy DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99 - see below)
Think Like A Man (Cert 12, 117 mins, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Comedy/Romance, also available to buy DVD £19.99 - see below)
New to buy on DVD/Blu-Ray
Think Like A Man (Cert 12, 117 mins, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, DVD £19.99, Comedy/Romance)
The battle of the sexes rages on in Tim Story's ensemble romantic comedy inspired by Steve Harvey's best-selling self help book, Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man. Good friends Dominic (Michael Ealy), Jeremy (Jerry Ferrara), Michael (Terrence J) and Zeke (Romany Malco) play basketball together throughout the week, where banter on and off the court reveals problems in each man's relationship. Dominic is struggling to meet the demands of successful businesswoman Lauren (Taraji P Henson), who wants a man with potential, while Jeremy's aversion to commitment is grating on his girlfriend Kristen (Gabrielle Union). Michael is trying to cut apron strings to his domineering mother so he can woo single parent Candace (Regina Hall), while womaniser Zeke discovers that he cannot charm Mya (Meagan Good) between the sheets on a first date and he will have to work harder if he is to earn her trust. The four buddies attempt to resolve their difficulties but the path to true love is littered with obstacles.
American Horror Story - Season 1 (Cert 15, 520 mins, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, DVD £34.99/Blu-ray £39.99, Horror/Drama)
All 12 episodes of the Emmy award-winning drama set in a haunted house. Psychiatrist Dr Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott) has an affair with one of his students, Hayden (Kate Mara), and his wife Vivien (Connie Britton) gives birth to a stillborn baby. With their marriage in crisis, the Harmons decide to start afresh by moving from Boston to Los Angeles with their teenage daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga). Unaware that their new home is haunted, the Harmons settle in looking forward to a brighter future. Then Hayden re-appears, determined to reignite her affair with Ben, while Vivien is drawn to Ben's patient, Tate Langdon (Evan Peters), who lives next door with his mother, Constance (Jessica Lange). Spirits, which reside in the house, play out a deadly and murderous game with the Harmons, driving the family to the brink of destruction.
LOL (Cert 12, 92 mins, Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK Ltd, DVD £17.99, Comedy/Drama/Romance)
A mother and daughter struggle to communicate effectively in this comedy drama directed by Lisa Azuelos. High school student Lola (Miley Cyrus) breaks up with her boyfriend Chad (George Finn) and pours out her heart in her diary. She also finds comfort with best friend Kyle (Douglas Booth), ignoring the obvious sexual chemistry between them. Lola's best friend, Emily (Ashley Hinshaw), also has relationship woes. She is madly in lust with her mathematics teacher Mr Ross (Austin Nichols) and would gladly break the law for some one-on-one tuition with the hunky tutor. Meanwhile, Lola's mother, Anne (Demi Moore), is struggling with divorce from her husband (Thomas Jane). A handsome cop called James (Jay Hernandez) might provide a glimmer of hope but Anne is concerned by her alienation from Lola and resolves to get to know her daughter better... by reading the plucky teenager's most intimate and secret thoughts.
Alcatraz - The Complete First Season (Cert 15, 546 mins, Warner Home Video, DVD £29.99/Blu-ray £39.99, Thriller/Drama)
JJ Abrams (Lost) is executive producer of this drama cased around the infamous prison. In March 1963, the prisoners and guards of Alcatraz vanished without trace and the US government closed the facility, hiding the truth from the public. In 2011, former inmate Jack Sylvane (Jeffrey Pierce) re-appears out of the ether, looking exactly as he did back in 1963, and he continues to commit heinous crimes. FBI Agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill), Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Dr Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) join forces to recapture a man who shouldn't exist. As the team edges closer to its prey, other prisoners of Alcatraz reappear and run amok. The three-disc set includes all 13 episodes.
Made In Chelsea - Series 3 (Cert 15, 470 mins, 4DVD, DVD £19.99/Series 1-3 DVD Box Set £29.99, Drama/Documentary)
Another 10 incident-packed episodes of the E4 reality series, which chronicles the trials and tribulations of privileged twenty-somethings from the wealthy London borough. This series, Hugo's relationship with Natalie leaves Spencer feeling disenfranchised and Millie makes her mark at Glamour Magazine. Meanwhile, Jamie moves in with Spencer but their friendship is tested by shared affections for Kimberley. An eight-disc box set comprising all three series is also available.
Some Guy Who Kills People (Cert 15, 93 mins, Koch Media GmbH, DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99, Comedy/Horror)
Ken Boyd (Kevin Corrigan) emerges from a psychiatric ward after he was sectioned for depression and suicidal tendencies. Thanks to his good friend Irv (Leo Fitzpatrick), Ken lands a menial job flipping burgers. Soon after, the people who were responsible for his incarceration at the psychiatric ward begin to perish in grisly fashions. Sheriff Walt Fuller (Barry Bostwick), who is dating Ken's domineering mother, Ruth (Karen Allen), points the finger of suspicion firmly at Ken and resolves to put his prime suspect behind bars. However, Ken claims he is innocent of the heinous crimes. As the body count steadily rises, the evidence also mounts and Ken must clear his name while forging links with a daughter (Ariel Gade) he never knew about.
Apartment 143 (Cert 15, 77 mins, Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment, DVD £12.99, Horror/Thriller)
A family endures a torrid time in a new apartment in Carles Torrens's spooky horror. Alan White (Kai Lennox) has recently lost his wife and he struggles to come to terms with his grief, compounded by the behaviour of his daughter, Caitlin (Gia Mantegna), who blames Alan for her mother's death. Her brother Benny (Damian Roman) is more understanding and he dutifully moves into a new apartment with the rest of the family to heal deep emotional wounds. A series of strange occurrences suggests the flat might be haunted so Alan invites a team of parapsychologists into his new home to get to the bottom of the goings-on. The scientists set up state-of-the-art camera equipment to capture any paranormal activity and their findings make chilling viewing.
Chuck - The Complete Fifth And Final Season (Cert 15, 533 mins, Warner Home Video, DVD £39.99/Complete DVD Box Set £69.99, Comedy/Action)
Five-disc set comprising the final 13 episodes of the fast-paced action comedy, which follows the exploits of electronics store worker Chuck (Zachary Levi), who leads a double life as a CIA secret agent. This series, Chuck and Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) set up freelance spy organisation Carmichael Industries, and secure the services of National Security Agency operative Major John Casey (Adam Baldwin) and Morgan Grimes (Joshua Gomez). The team's first assignment goes awry but Chuck and Sarah are a formidable pairing. Even they are stretched to the limit by former CIA agent Nicholas Quinn (Angus Macfadyen), who captures Chuck and sets a deadly trap for his friends. A 25-disc box set comprising all five series is also available.
Blood Alley (Cert 15, 87 mins, Studio Canal, DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99, Action/Thriller)
Steven Seagal reprises his role as renegade cop Elijah Kane in two episodes of the fast-paced US TV series True Justice, which are repackaged as a single feature-length investigation for British viewers. In this instalment, the CIA approaches Kane to help them break up a human trafficking ring. Flanked by his trusted team - Johnny Garcia (Jesse Hutch), Mark Simms (Lochlyn Munro) and rookie Sarah Montgomery (Sarah Lind) - Kane follows a trail of evidence and he eventually discovers that the criminals are not trading in human lives - they are trafficking vital organs for vast sums of money.
Here Do We Go Now? (Cert 12, 97 mins, Revolver Entertainment, DVD £15.99, Comedy/Drama/Romance)
The women of an isolated Lebanese village cleverly plot to unite warring Christian and Muslim factions in Nadine Labaki's uplifting comedy. Following more bloodshed and enmity, mayor's wife Yvonne (Yvonne Maalouf) and the other women hatch a series of hare-brained schemes to bring about peace between the men. They sabotage TVs to ensure news coverage cannot inflame tensions and recruit a troupe of sexy Ukrainian showgirls to distract the men from their feud. Doting mother Takla (Claude Baz Moussawbaa) conceals the death of her beloved son Nassim (Kevin Abboud) to avoid reprisals, while devout Christian Amale (Labaki) fans the flames of romance with Muslim Rabih (Julien Farhat).
Blue Bloods - The Second Season (Cert 15, 902 mins, Paramount Home Entertainment, DVD £39.99, Drama)
Police Commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) and his Irish-American family of cops come under intense scrutiny in the second series of the acclaimed drama filmed on location in New York City. Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) faces internal affairs after he accidentally shoots an undercover cop, while youngest child Jamie (Will Estes) continues to work deep undercover to infiltrate the mob. Erin (Bridget Moynahan) is devastated when one of her informants is murdered and she joins forces with Danny to bring the culprit to justice. The six-disc box set includes all 22 episodes.
Saints And Soldiers: Airborne Creed (Cert 12, 93 mins, Metrodome Distribution, DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99, War/Action/Drama)
In this prequel to Ryan Little's 2003 war film Saints And Sinners, three soldiers risk their lives to help members of the French resistance repel an enemy attack. Rossi (Corbin Allred), Jones (David Nibley) and Curtis (Jason Wade) are members of the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat team (PRCT), who jump behind enemy lines on August 15, 1944, to support the Allied troops marching to Berlin. They land in enemy territory in the south of France, separated from the rest of the unit, and head carefully to the rendez-vous point. En route, the men encounter French resistance fighter Emilie (Virginie Fourtina Anderson), whose comrades are being held hostage by the Germans. Rossi, Jones and Curtis join forces to liberate the prisoners, despite the terrible risks. Meanwhile, German officer Captain Erich Neumann (Lincoln Hoppe) begins to question his actions during the conflict.
Victorious - The Complete First Season (Cert PG, 225 mins, Paramount Home Entertainment, DVD £19.99, Comedy/Musical/Drama)
Aspiring singer Tori Vega (Victoria Justice) chases fame and fortune at the prestigious Hollywood Arts High School in 19 episodes of the teen-oriented Nickelodeon comedy, under the aegis of teachers including Mr Sikowitz (Eric Lange). Fellow students Cat Valentine (Ariana Grande), Robbie Shapiro (Matt Bennett) and Andre Harris (Leon Thomas III) help Tori to settle in and inspire her to chase her dreams.
Inbred (Cert 18, 94 mins, Anchor Bay Entertainment, DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99, Horror/Thriller)
The Yorkshire countryside is smothered in blood in this gory horror, written and directed by Alex Chandon. Community service workers Kate (Jo Hartley) and Jeff (James Doherty) take four young offenders - Dwight (Chris Waller), Sam (Nadine Rose Mulkerrin), Tim (James Burrows) and Zeb (Terry Haywood) - to the remote village of Mortlake to restore a dilapidated manor as part of their rehabilitation. A bad accident inflames tensions between the southern interlopers and the locals, led by Gris (Neil Leiper), the psychotic son of local pub owner Jim (Seamus O'Neill). Gris and his buddies decide that Kate, Jeff and their wards deserve to die in the most gruesome ways possible, and the battle lines are drawn between the two camps.
Charlie Casanova (Cert 18, 92 mins, Studio Canal, DVD £15.99, Drama/Thriller)
Terry McMahon's incendiary drama, which has been deservedly classified as an 18 certificate, will sharply divide viewers with its unflinching depiction of a sociopath's rampage. Charlie (Emmett J Scanlan) and his wife Saoirse (Ruth McIntyre) are attending a weekend conference with two fellow couples, Kevin (Damien Hannaway) and Una (Leigh Arnold) and Donald (Tony Murphy) and Linda (Valeria Bandino). The delegates know one another well and Charlie is the self-appointed leader of the gang, effusively spouting his theories on the world, the most contentious of which is a decision to absolve himself of all responsibility by allowing a pack of playing cards to dictate his actions. When Charlie is involved in a hit and run, and the cards tell him to drive away, the rush of adrenaline propels him on to a dangerous path of suffering and betrayal, including a sexual overture to Una. As Charlie's devotion to the cards escalates out of control, other members of the sextet are caught in the crossfire, culminating in cold-blooded murder.
Electrick Children (Cert 15, 99 mins, Revolver Entertainment, DVD £15.99, Drama)
Rachel (Julia Garner) is part of a fundamentalist Mormon family in Utah, run with a firm hand by pastor Paul (Billy Zane). Cocooned from the harsh realities of the modern world, Rachel hasn't been exposed to 24-hour media or social networking, so when she discovers a cassette in the basement, she is eager to hear the recording. Her older brother Will (Liam Aiken) catches her listening to the tape and attempts to wrestle away the cassette just as their mother Gay Lynn (Cynthia Watros) walks in and misconstrues the scene as a sexual advance from the lad. Three months later, Rachel announces she is pregnant as a result of an immaculate conception from listening to the forbidden music. Paul and Gay Lynn fear the real reason is Will and they exile him from the community. Rachel flees in horror and Will tags along, determined to prove his innocence.
Woody Allen: A Documentary (Cert 15, 109 mins, Soda Pictures, DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99, Documentary)
For more than 45 years, Woody Allen has been playing out the battle of the sexes on the big screen, laced with his distinctive, nervous wit. He has collected four Oscars for Annie Hall, Hannah And Her Sisters and Midnight In Paris and continues to churn out one feature per year. Documentary film-maker Robert B Weide offers an affectionate portrait of the man by witnessing him at work on set and interviewing the people who have worked with him behind and in front of the cameras.
Sarah Palin: You Betcha! (Cert E, 91 mins, Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd, DVD £12.99, Documentary)
Former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, the first woman nominated by the party for the illustrious position, gained more publicity than John McCain during the 2008 race for the White House. Documentary film-maker Nick Broomfield travels to Alaska to meet and interview the former state governor but is frustrated when his subject becomes rather elusive. So he changes tack and decides to interview friends, political colleagues, neighbours and her relatives, building up a vivid portrait of the wife and mother who made an indelible mark on the American political process.
The Thompsons (Cert 18, 77 mins, Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK Ltd, DVD £19.99, Horror/Thriller)
Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores, aka The Butcher Brothers, direct this sequel to heir 2006 vampire horror The Hamiltons. Francis (Cory Knauf) and his brood go on the run and change their name, heading for the leafy refuge of England where they track down a vampire clan called the Stuarts in the town of Ludlow. The family elders (Daniel O'Meara, Selina Giles) extend a warm welcome to Francis and his clan but the newcomers soon discover that the Stuarts have macabre plans for them.
Cube (Cert 15, 87 mins, Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK Ltd, DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99, Horror/Thriller)
A re-issue of Vincenzo Natali's cult 1998 horror set within a cube-shaped labyrinth laden with pitfalls. Five strangers wake and discover they are trapped inside a maze of booby-trapped chambers. Police office Quentin (Maurice Dean Wint) takes the lead with expert jailbreaker Rennes (Wayne Robson) and brilliant mathematics student Leaven (Nicole De Boer) soon realises that each room is numbered, and these digits reveal if a room is safe. Kazan (Andrew Miller), who is autistic, joins the prisoners and they continue their journey through the cube, determined to outwit its diabolical designers.
DVD and Blu-Ray retail top 10
1 (-) Snow White And The Huntsman
2 (-) Shrek's Thrilling Tales
3 (1) Avengers Assemble
4 (3) The Dictator
5 (-) Bones - Season 7
6 (5) The Hunger Games
7 (-) Spartacus: Vengeance
8 (2) The Raid
9 (-) Taken
10 (-) The Pact
Chart supplied by hmv.com
DVD rental top 10
1 (4) Salmon Fishing In The Yemen
2 (-) Snow White And The Huntsman
3 (8) The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
4 (-) How I Spent My Summer Vacation
5 (3) American Pie: Reunion
6 (-) Moonrise Kingdom
7 (5) Lockout
8 (2) Safe
9 (1) 21 Jump Street
10 (6) Battleship
Chart supplied by www.blockbuster.co.uk


text:
[Page 235]
|Monument of Dr. Janus Basanowiczois
(first row, right to left): Henye Yfoh (Yaffe), Ysur Kopelovits;
(behind in middle row, right to left) Yehudit (Judith) Shvartsberg,
Gite Levin, Nehmyh Yakobson; (back row) Itzhak Shvarts.
[Monument is in the main business district of Rokiskis.
Dr. Basanowiczois was a leader of Lithuanian culture who
protested passage of a law outlawing Yiddish in 1924]
|Farband (association), 8 April 1926
[Group and individuals not identified]
[Page 237]
|Maccabi members practicing sport
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