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" Genre: Comedy - Stand-Up / Theatrical Release: 1940 / Universal, suitable for all / Director: Alfred Goulding / Actors: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Forrester Harvey, Wilfred Lucas, Forbes Murray ... / DVD released 2006-10-02 at Universal Pictures UK / Features of the DVD: Black & White, PAL "
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This is a Laurel & Hardy compilation DVD that gives you the feature length picture A Chump at Oxford in addition to a couple of shorts - From Soup to Nuts and Another Fine Mess. I don't know if Laurel & Hardy are starting to become slightly forgotten now as their films rarely seem to be on television but I think their work is still funny and of course always warm and likeable. Films like Sons of the Desert and The Music Box remain masterpieces of comedy I think. This isn't a vintage collection but there are some great moments if you are a fan and A Chump at Oxford is probably the last decent film they made before the move to 20th Century Fox where some terrible pictures awaited them and they were frustrated by minimal creative control. Blockheads and A Chump at Oxford are sort of like a modest last hurrah now and the last bona-fide Laurel & Hardy films. Laurel & Hardy's greatest strength was that they were very human and the audience could recognise these failings in themselves. For all his brilliance even Chaplin couldn't connect to an audience in the same way. The collection begins with A Chump at Oxford - directed by Alfred Goulding and released in 1940. This is feature length (about an hour) and the penultimate film they made with their legendary producer Hal Roach. Laurel & Hardy play street cleaners who unwittingly foil a bank robbery when Stan throws his banana peel away during their lunch break. The wealthy president of the bank offers them any reward they care to name. All they have to do is ask and he'll sort it out. Their biggest regret is their lack of schooling and habit of drifting aimlessly from job to job so they decide they would like to go to Oxford University and finally get a proper education.
Once at Oxford, they get lost in a maze, are "hazed" by the snotty students (look out for a young Peter Cushing), and the dim-witted Stan is accidentally hit on the head when he looks out of a window and it drops on him. This causes him to take on the personality of his doppelganger - a long lost Oxford luminary and scholastic and athletic genius named Lord Paddington. He's soon speaking in an upper crust accent, a high IQ genius and condescendingly referring to an exasperated Hardy (who he has now made his butler!) as "Fatty". A Chump at Oxford is not bad at all but not quite classic Laurel & Hardy. It is though a lot better than the twilight films they made at the end of their careers and certainly an interesting piece of work to look back on. This feels like a quickly assembled box of old routines and tricks but it does have its moments. The sequence in the maze with a pretend ghost is very good and Stan Laurel is excellent in a rare opportunity to get out of character and play the outrageously posh and superior Paddington. He necessarily gives a more textured performance than usual and his comments towards the increasingly furious Hardy are often very funny. "He has a jolly face you know... and helps fill up a room." This is the only time that Laurel stepped out of character in the films and it shows what a good actor he was. He's so convincing as the incredibly innocent and inept Stan that it's a slight shock at first to see him all posh and intelligent for a change. It's quite a nice twist on the usual dynamic between them and makes their scenes together very funny at times.
Hardy's exasperated looks directly into the camera, that silent plea for sympathy and understanding, are wonderful here and Stan's patronising and superior attitude gives him even more scope for them than usual. "Oh, uh, Fatty... fetch me my memorandum." The beginning to the film is actually one of the best sequences. It essentially remakes Another Fine Mess - one of the shorts you get on this DVD. A swanky dinner party scene with Laurel & Hardy serving James Finlayson (the goggle-eyed Scottish comic who was a recurring foil for our heroes) and Anita Garvin. Garvin is superb and has some of the best and funniest lines. "Thanks, Baldy - you're such a dear," she mutters to Finlayson as her husband. A Chump at Oxford is rather aimless at times with a few drab spots but this is agreeable enough on the whole. It was an important film at the time because Abbott & Costello (who were really not that funny at all and haven't stood the test of time very well) were on the brink of becoming the silver screen's most successful comedy duo and Laurel & Hardy (who were knocking on a bit by now) needed to show they were still fit and able and capable of good work as a fresh new decade dawned. Wlfred Lucas is well cast the Dean and although you never really get a sense that Laurel & Hardy are in England let alone Oxford the picture is well produced and competently directed. If I had one quibble though it would be the lack of a great classroom scene. One thinks of the wonderful classroom sequences in the classic university based Marx Brothers film Horse Feathers where the Marxes were allowed to disrupt and satirise. Luarel & Hardy are never let loose on the formal world of education in the same fashion.
From Soup to Nuts is a two-reeler and was directed in 1928 by E Livingston Kennedy. Two-reelers were short films that ran to about twenty minutes and were hugely popular in the twenties and thirties but eventually sunk by the double feature. The final nail in the coffin was of course probably the advent of television. The two-reelers are frequently where Laurel & Hardy did their funniest and most memorable work. From Soup to Nuts was the first film that Laurel & Hardy enjoyed star billing in. The pair play waiters sent by their agency to service at a posh dinner where Anita Garvin hopes to impress her friends. It probably won't come as a huge surprise to learn that all does not go according to plan. This is fairly straight ahead slapstick but not bad. Stan spills food over the guests, Ollie keeps ending up falling into an enormous cake, Stan strips to his underwear when told to serve the salad "undressed". And so on. Anita Garvin is excellent again. Desperately trying to maintain her poise and dignity as the dinner goes horrendously wrong and her tiara keeps falling over her eyes. Another Fine Mess is a two-reeler from 1930. The title of this film might be responsible for the erroneous belief that Hardy's catchphrase was "That's another fine mess you've gotten us into." In fact, he never uttered those words and would always say "nice mess" instead. In the film, Laurel & Hardy are on the run and end up hiding out at the empty mansion of big game hunter James Finlayson. As ever in the world of Laurel & Hardy, big trouble is just around the corner.
When a British aristocrat and his wife arrive to take up residence Hardy pretends to be the owner of the house while Stan masquerades as the maid! This is pretty good. Hardy all bluff and smooth savoir-faire as he pretends to be the rich owner and Stan doing endless switches from butler to maid and sometimes forgetting which costume he is in. This one moves along at a good clip with nice dialogue and is fun. This DVD is hardly the best of Laurel & Hardy but it does contain some wonderful moments and A Chump at Oxford is definitely one later Laurel & Hardy film that is worth watching. There are no extras with this although you do get the dubious option to watch these in computer coloured versions. No idea why anyone would want to watch computer coloured versions of old black and white films. At the time of writing you can buy this DVD for as little as one pound.
Laurel & Hardy Volume 1 - A Chump at Oxford
This is a single DVD containing 3 wonderful films;
A chump at oxford
From soup to nuts
Another fine mess
The films are in their original black and white format and also 'colourised' version.
The main feature is
"A Chump at oxford"
This is a superb comedy made when Laurel and Hardy where at their best.
By pure accident it seems Stan is related to one of Oxfords finest 'Fellow' and is given a place there with Ollie as his butler. When Stan gets a knock on the head he wiggles those ears and starts fighting everyone in sight, he also thinks that he is a lord until another bang brings him back to normal.
Simply brilliant, a fighting Stan is something to behold and worth the money for this movie alone.
Second Movie;
"From Soup to Nuts".
A silent movie made very early on in 1928.
Stan and Ollie are waiters who wreck the house and the guests of the house where they are hired to work.
Not much else to the plot really, an early outing and the guys have not quite got their act perfected yet. The gags are great and the slapstick wonderful.
Third Movie;
"Another fine mess".
The guys are hiding from the police in a very posh house when guests come calling. They ham it up and pretend to be the real owner which is great until the real owners turn up.
Ending involves the obligatory shot gun.
Stan in a wig looks unnervingly like a woman. He and Ollie eventually have a spectacular falling out and the house is wrecked.
All 3 films are classics and timeless, with no chance of offence from the guys as they smash, fight and wreck everything in site. The pretend violence seems to escalate to unbelievable proportions until the inevitable explosion.
Highly recommended.
Laurel & Hardy Volume 1 -
A Chump at Oxford and Related Shorts.
The greatest comedy double act EVER, no arguments please.
The magnificent Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy star in this wonderfully funny DVD.
So let me take you on a tour of these 3 great films.
Where better to start than at volume 1.
This single DVD contains the following films:
A chump at oxford (black & white)
A chump at oxford (colourised)
From soup to nuts
Another fine mess (black & white)
Another fine mess (colourised)
A small Synopsis of each movie and my humble opinions on each to follow:
A chump at oxford.
Made in 1940
OK here goes I hope you are paying attention because the plot to this movie goes all over the place, ready...
The boys are down on their luck and the only way to get jobs is for Stan to dress up as a woman and for them to pretend to be a maid and butler.
They are hired for a fancy socialite party but as you can probably guess end up wrecking the place.
Fired, they end up on the streets where fortuitously they capture a bank robber and the grateful bank manager decides to reward them by sending them to Oxford.
When they get there the students play all sorts of 'japes' on them such as telling them the deans quarters are their quarters, mayhem ensues.
Now the film gets wacky, Stan gets a whack to the head and believes himself to be a long, long distant relative who was once at Oxford and fantastic at everything. He takes Ollie on as his manservant aptly called FATTY.
Here we fist see Stans ability to 'wiggle' his ears when he gets mad and when does, watch out because he is the greatest fighter ever.
I won't spoil the ending but it is a classic film and a must see for any real Laurel and Hardy fans.
Immensely funny from start to finish, if you get the chance to see it, don't pass it up.
Oh, and the colourised version is wonderful to watch!
Run time 63 minutes
From Soup to Nuts.
Made in 1928.
Only a short and SILENT film this one,
Similar to the start of 'Chump' the boys are hired as waiters but as you can guess they are utterly hopeless. Whilst Ollie tries his best, Stan not only wrecks the house but nearly gives Ollie a break down in the process.
The dinner party they are 'looking after' ends up in food fights and chaotic madness.
This is an early outing for the boys and their timing with each other is not quite there but none the less it's still very funny.
It is directed by the wonderful Edgar Kennedy who will go on to star in many of their later movies.
Run time 18 minutes.
Another fine mess.
Made in 1930.
The boys are vagrants and by mishap the police are chasing them. They hideout in the home of Colonel Buckshot while he is away on safari. However guests come a calling and Stan must pretend to be both butler and maid with hilarious consequences. Whilst Ollie pretends to be the colonel.
You guessed it, the real Colonel Buckshot returns and all hell is let loose, including shotguns and windows and well, enough said.
At only half an hour long this shortie is still packed with all the slapstick and funnies that come with Stan and Ollie.
Again the colourised version is superb to see.
Run time 28 minutes
DVD features:
Filmed in: Black & white and colourised
Language: English
Subtitles: English
Region: 2
Number of discs: 1
Classification: U
Run time: 195 minutes
A DVD where all 3 films are very funny. You will not be disappointed.
Hope you enjoyed the review,


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Brazil's president said Wednesday that Iran is entitled to the same rights as any other country to use nuclear energy for peaceful ends.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Wednesday that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad assured him in meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly that his country's nuclear program was intended solely for peaceful purposes and that he had no reason to doubt him.
"As I think Brazil has the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful ends, that's the same thing I defend for Iran, that they can have the same rights as Brazil and as other countries," Silva said a press conference. "I defend for Iran the same thing I defend for Brazil with respect to nuclear energy."
Brazil's 1988 Constitution requires its nuclear program must be used exclusively for peaceful means, but the country was engaged in a stand off with the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2004 after denying inspectors access to the centrifuges used to enrich uranium before a deal was eventually reached.
Silva said that if Iran violated international norms against nuclear proliferation it would have to face sanctions just as any other country would.
Calling Iran a "great partner," Silva defended Brazil's relationship with the country despite growing international criticism over its nuclear program and allegations of fraud in the recent re-election of Ahmadinejad.
Silva said Ahmadinejad would visit Brazil in November and that he expected to visit Iran sometime at the beginning of next year.
Asked about Ahmadinejad's denial that the Holocaust had taken place, Silva said: "On the question of the Holocaust, if he thinks differently that's his problem, it's not mine. It doesn't hurt the relations with the Brazilian state."
A number of Jewish organizations and gay rights groups protested in Rio and Sao Paulo when Ahmadinejad was expected to visit Brazil earlier this year. More recently, vocal critics have attacked Brazil's stance recognizing the legitimacy of Iran's election.
Silva said it was not his place to question Iran's electoral process and defended Brazil's right to forge its own foreign policy.
"I'm not obliged not to like someone because someone else doesn't like them. In other words Brazil has it's autonomy and sovereignty to create its own foreign policy and we have certainly we'll be talking to a great partner.
Silva said Brazil was also sending a business delegation to look into the possibility of investment in Iran.

subset: commoncrawl


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All three parties i.e. Donovan McNabb, The Vikings and the Redskins have finally come to an agreement for the veteran quarterback who will be traded over to Minnesota according to a source that spoke to ESPN. According to the source the trade will be officially announced on Thursday. In addition the source says that the trade includes a 2012 sixth round draft pick as well as a conditional pick in the sixth round of the pick in 2013. The Redskins have been eyeing the fifth and seventh round picks for Minnesota. Odds
McNabb agreed to go forth and restructure the five year and $78 million deal which he signed with the Redskins since the Vikings do not have enough funds to pay him. The terms for the new deal were not immediately available. The arrival of McNabb in Minnesota has often been rumored for the past five years back in Brad Childress had left Philadelphia Eagles in order to take over the Vikings in 2006. Scores
Now even though Childress is long gone it was another Eagles assistant which is the new Vikings coach which i.e. Leslie Frazier who helped make this a reality which is just in time for McNabb to bridge the gap from being Brett Favre to the rookie Christian Ponder. McNabb now gives the Viking a veteran quarterback while they now groom Pounder who was the 12th overall draft pick from Florida State back in April in order to be the team's long term strategy for this position. The original preference for Fraizer as well as the Vikings was to get Ponder a start on Week 1 in San Diego with a veteran backup in case. Las Vegas odds
But this was prior to the NFL lockout which has prevented players from working with their coaches all this summer which has put Ponder behind his schedule in development. That has made it more important for the Vikings to add yet another accomplished and expereineced quarterback they think can win them games with the roster full of vets while Ponder gets to learn the ropes.
On his Twitter page on Wednesday Ponder wrote "Excited to have McNabb join," "Will learn a lot from a Pro Bowler. But that doesn't mean I'm not still fighting to start week 1!"


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Please show all the work for this, I cannot understand it and I need major help
Consider the function f (x) = 5x2 - 9x - 1. Does the Intermediate Value Theorem guarantee that f has a root (also called a zero) on the interval 1 ≤ x ≤ 2 ? Explain thoroughly.
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This product is no longer available.
You can try these similar gifts instead.
Aqua Chalcedony Friendship Bracelet
Where would she be without her friends? She definitely wouldn't be as happy, fulfilled, and confident as she is today. This bracelet is for a friend who inspires her, who makes her laugh, and who she loves.


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Eeast Ridge of Mt. Russell
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Ipswich Country Club
Host an Event
Let us help you plan your special event. Ask for more information or meet with one of our event planners.Find Out More
Event Questions?
Melissa Nolet
Private Events Director
Host Your Northshore Private Event With Us
A short drive from Boston, Ipswich Country Club is the perfect gathering place for your friends and family. Our Club is the ideal setting for any event, large or small. The lush green of the 18th fairway provides an elegant backdrop for a ceremony or cocktail hour, and a choice of outdoor and indoor areas make any reception memorable. Our chef designs a menu tailored to your individual tastes and needs, and your personal event coordinator is on hand at every moment to handle all the details for you. At Ipswich Country Club, we believe your special occasion deserves the best.
We can help with any type of event:
- Showers
- Anniversary Parties
- Birthday Parties
- Private Dinners
- Banquets
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- Bar or Bat Mitzvah
- Luncheons
- Reunions
Contact our Private Events Director today to find out more.
Want to book your corporate tournament or event at another ClubCorp Club?
Contact Chris Roach, Director National Sales Office Meetings & Events at 972.888.7474 or Submit RFP.


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Company Snapshot: Foyle Food Group Ltd
The Foyle Food Group, headquartered at Campsie, is one of the largest processors and wholesalers of meat products based in Northern Ireland.
Annual turnover averaged nearly £120m per year in the early part of this decade, but increased sharply each year after 2004. For a period from 2003 turnover was larger because of the inclusion of the share of business from an associated Hilton Foods company.
The group trades in its own name and is also the parent company of Omagh Meats and Donegal Meat, the latter being a subsidiary of Oaksilver, itself a holding company which is registered in the Republic of Ireland.
Foyle Food Group has developed in recent years with extensive trading links, and also links with certain common directors of the Hilton Foods Group and Hilton Meats (Cookstown).
Sales to the Hilton Food Group rose from £27m in 2003 to £81m in 2006. Since then the annual figure has risen to £97m in 2008.
Group operating profits have stayed in the 'black' and varied from year to year. Operating profits in 2008, at £2.8m, were lower than the previous year.
However, the 2007 operating profits were the best of this decade. Pre-tax profits were at their highest level in 2006 at £6.8m. Since then the contribution from associated businesses has decreased in 2007 and is not a factor in 2008.
Employment in the group in 2008 averaged 786 people. This was well above earlier years when employment was nearer to 600 people.
Because the group trades in both sterling and euro, and has some assets valued in both currencies, a period when the euro has tended to strengthen relative to sterling has created a currency translation adjustment which has, nominally, increased the value of shareholders funds in sterling in both 2007 and 2008 by £0.4m and £1.7m, respectively.
This is a large part of the £2.2m increase in the value of shareholders' funds in December 2008, along with the retention of post-tax profits.
The Foyle Food Group was re-organised in March 2007 so that it became a wholly owned subsidiary of a new company, Faughan Ltd.
In April 2009, in a further significant change in structure, Faughan Ltd entered into a contract to buy back half of its share issue: 60,000 of its own ordinary shares. This is planned in two stages. 48,000 were purchased in April 2009 and 12,000 will be purchased in April 2010. These transactions are for a consideration of £9.7m.
In other changes in April 2009, two directors from the Watson family connection resigned from the board. At that time, three directors from the Acheson family connections remained as directors.
Belfast Telegraph


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Picture information
The mid-week event was hosted by the lovely ladies of Scottsdale 16 at the new, and upscale Maya Day and Nightclub, located in the heart of the nightclub scene in downtown Scottsdale on May 8, 2013. Dance music was provided by the resident DJ, DJ Soloman. Maya served street tacos, ceviche and other Mexican food at their taco bar and frozen alcohol slushies were dispensed from in-wall slushy machines at the main outdoor bar.
Photography by Stephen Yap
Steve Yap Photography
Version 1.5 BETA 1, BUILD 20081130


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Attorneys in the divorce trial of Jamie and Frank McCourt will now focus on negotiating a possible settlement starting Friday after nine days of sometimes contentious testimony that could determine future ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Lawyers on both sides are scheduled to meet in a Los Angeles downtown courtroom with a different judge presiding over the discussions, according to court spokesman Allan Parachini. The talks could spill into the weekend if a deal hasn't been reached.
Jamie McCourt wants Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon to toss out a postnuptial marital agreement, signed by the couple in March 2004, so she can have a slice of the Dodgers under California's community property law. Frank McCourt believes he is the sole owner and the pact should be upheld.
Legal observers believe attorneys want to revisit mediation, which occurred over the summer, because there is a lot at stake for the McCourts - namely the Dodgers - and they may not want to leave it up to Gordon, who could order the sale of the team.
"Uncertainty is very difficult for the parties involved," said Los Angeles-based family law attorney Steve Mindel. "The sad part of this is their stubborness led to the goodwill of the Dodgers being decimated."
On Thursday, attorney Larry Silverstein capped three days of testimony in which he said he switched a key portion of the marital agreement that went from excluding the Dodgers from Frank McCourt's separate property to including the team. He didn't tell either McCourt about the "mistake," saying he regretted doing so.
"I admit it was not the best practice," Silverstein said.
The revelation may be enough for Gordon to set aside the agreement and deem the Dodgers, the stadium and the surrounding land, worth millions of dollars, as community property, Mindel said.
Silverstein maintains Jamie McCourt wanted her husband's businesses separate from her assets - a group of luxurious homes - to protect them from his creditors. He also said she didn't want to be a team owner and was more comfortable with management roles. Jamie McCourt was the Dodgers former CEO before her estranged husband fired her late last year.
"She never indicated she wanted an ownership interest in the Dodgers," Silverstein said.
He also said that when the couple thought about making all of their assets community property a couple of years ago, Jamie McCourt balked at his request to sign documents in order for Major League Baseball to consider her as an owner of the Dodgers.
"She said she wasn't going to sign any bleeping MLB forms," he said.
Jamie McCourt's legal team claimed her husband and Silverstein engaged in fraud by making the correction without telling their client. Both Silverstein and Frank McCourt denied the allegation during their testimony.
Silverstein said Wednesday he wrote the word "exclusive" in a draft of the agreement to reflect that the team and the businesses were Frank McCourt's alone. It turns out that Silverstein gave the couple six copies to sign at their Massachusetts home in March 2004, three of which had the Dodgers as Frank McCourt's separate property, and three others that didn't.
Asked two weeks ago which side was winning the trial, Frank McCourt's attorney Steve Susman said the score was 8-2 in favor of his client. On Thursday, Susman said the score was now 12-2. He added he hopes resolution will happen over the next two days.
"I hope that we will not be back next week," he said.


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SD Card
i deleted songs off my sd card from the phone but when i mount it to the computer they are still there. i tried deleting them from the computer but they wont and it says can not be preform because of a I/O device error. it says the samething when i try to add songs too. what does this mean and how do i fix this? thanks in advance.


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Last Chance to Vote For Robert, Reese, Sandra, or Ryan in the PopSugar 100 Final Four!
The Final Four round of the PopSugar 100 ends today at midnight PDT, which means you only have a few hours left to vote for your favorites. Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Sandra Bullock, and Ryan Reynolds are all worthy, and we've broken down our 10 best reasons they each deserve to go on — but it's up to you to decide the ultimate two! Make your picks to be entered to win a Chanel bag, and remember each round you complete is another entry in the giveaway. Vote here and check out our slideshows below!
- Reese has sweet men, a big heart, and cute style!
- Ryan is devoted to Scarlett, looks great without a shirt, and can weather anything!
- Sandra is beloved by all, has her sweet new baby, and an Oscar!
- Robert has amazing hair, lovely costars, and musical talent!
Image Source: Getty


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I was introduced to bread pudding at an embarrassingly late age. The concept of bread pudding isn't known in Russia and save for Victorian English novels, I was unaware that this comfort food staple of England was such a delicious treat. Now, the first time I ever had anything that bore the name "pudding" was at my high-school boyfriend's house, whose mother carried the old English tradition of making fig pudding for Christmas dinner.
Never one to why from trying a new dish, I requested, ignoring my boyfriend's father's warning, a bowlful of fig pudding with some extra clotted cream.
The cream I consumed in a matter of seconds – give me fattening dairy products and I'm a happy girl. But with the actual fig pudding, erm, well, there I had a bit of trouble. I tried, afraid to offend the matron of the house, to shove spoonfuls of it in my mouth, but that caused a bit of a gag reflex. My next strategy was to try to eat little bits and swallow them whole without so much as letting the thick fig concoction hit my tastebuds. That made the procession move about as quickly as a turtle race. And then, oh Lord, then, I was informed, perhaps in an attempt to induce vomit, that fig pudding, according to the tradition, uses suett. At that point, my 17 year-old heart and palate, could take no more (though now the concept of suett isn't nearly as frightening). I apologized profusely, offered to do dishes and various clean up, but firmly and politely declared that fig pudding was just not for me. As it turns out, even though the pudding was made every year, it was never actually consumed by anyone. Except for the unsuspecting dolts like me.
So you can understand why I would try to avoid pudding at all costs from that point on. My only point of reference regarding pudding was less than enthusiastic.
That is until one afternoon, while wandering around Nolita I stopped at Cafe Gitane, tempted to try what they called a brioche chocolate pudding. Since I liked both, the brioche AND the chocolate, it seeemed like an awfully swell thought. The order was placed. And I was all trepidation. What, by some strange thought, if the whole process of pudding-making made the brioche and the chocolate both vile on the palate?
But when the dish arrived and I put a tentative spoonful of it in my mouth, I melted into a blissful smile, eyes closed. This was pudding I could not only live with, but crave.
And so a few years later, when I came upon a recipe for Pumpkin Souffle Bread Pudding, concoted by none other than Charlie Phan of the famed Slanted Door in San Francisco (only one of my favorite restaurants), I had to give it a try.
Last Thanksgiving, I made a small batch to test on guests – and it was gone in minutes. This year, I tripled the proportions only to see the same result, and several requests for recipes.
And yesterday, while at Whole Foods, picking up a turkey for our Thankgiving Redux meal (because we like turkey leftovers and there were none from 2 weeks ago), the boyfriend requested the bread pudding as well. And so, when a dish is this popular and is so good, how can you not make it over and over and over? Especially when it's so easy? And especially when you get pudding, souffle AND pumpkin into the same dish!


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A pair of daredevils from Maine, US have powered a small car fueled by soda and candy, creating a world record.
According to UK's Daily Mail, Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz have created a single-seat rocket car powered by 54 bottles of Coke Zero and 324 Mentos.
The entertainers-turned-mad-scientists say the Mark II traveled 239 feet, improving upon last year's 220 feet with only half the fuel.
They also posted video of a 209-foot attempt online.
On their website EepyBird.com, the pair explain that the vehicle uses a simple piston mechanism.
"The Coke Zero and Mentos Rocket Car uses a piston mechanism: a six-foot long rod sits inside a six-foot long tube attached to each bottle of Coke Zero. When the Mentos drop into the soda, the pressure tries to push the rod out of the tube. With 54 rods all pushing at once, that gives us a lot of power," the website says.
However they have warned people against trying this at home. "There is a huge amount of power involved, and we don't want you to get hurt," they said.


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Code of Conduct
Visitors to Karoo National Park should abide by the rules and regulations set out by the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, as amended, and all relevant legislation relating to national parks.
Rules and regulations are intended for visitors' protection and enjoyment. Visitors are encouraged to cultivate a minimum interference ethic to avoid disturbing nature in our national parks.
Travel in the Park
Visitors should remain in their vehicles, unless in a designated area (e.g. picnic spot, lookout point).
Vehicles must remain on designated tourist roads at all times.
The speed limit in the Park is 40 to 50 km/hour.
Visitors may not drive around the Park before sunrise or after sunset. The Park offers guided night drives for those visitors who would like to explore nocturnal Karoo.
Karoo National Park is home to wild animals in their natural habitat.
When walking on hiking trails and around the camp area, please always be aware of your surroundings so that you can recognize any animals approaching you or in your immediate vicinity.
All visitors should stay within the demarcated area at picnic sites and not walk into the surrounding bush.
Please be aware that animals such as snakes, lizards, geckoes, bats, spiders and insects do occur in the Park as it is a natural area and sanctuary to wildlife. Please do not attempt to capture or kill any animal, but seek assistance from park staff if any animal is causing a disturbance.
Please do not feed any animals in the Park. Animals such as monkeys that are fed can become reliant on humans, losing their natural instinct to find food and even becoming aggressive. Ensure that your vehicle and accommodation unit are kept closed when you are not there and that food is out of reach.
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Sunny but cold< br>Min: 8°C / Max: 20°C


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[photogallerylink id=10900 align=left]Have you ever been at the top of a ski mountain in February. More pleasant than opening day at Wrigley Field. I've made it to 25 of the last 26 opening days on the North Side. Icy cold and damp is pretty standard. What's a fan to do?
I have some suggestions. If you look cool, you'll be too cold. Save that thin commemorative Cubs jacket for the June swoon. Think Shackleton expedition.
[photogallerylink id=70033 align=left]Long underwear top and bottom. Ski gloves. Cub hat with expandable headband so you can fit a knit cap underneath it. Heavy fleece top. Ski jacket. Double socks because my feet are always the second thing to go numb. The first? My brain. If the wind is off the lake, the bleachers are worth every penny because you are screened from the hawk. One year I checked the wind direction and wore ski goggles over my glasses. Looked really stupid, but I felt like a genius. Otherwise bring a blanket to throw over your head. Sounds like fun doesn't it? I can't wait. See you at 6am at Yakzies for the start of our live broadcast.
Rocking In A New Baseball Year
Audio: Lin Brehmer Sings "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"
Audio: Lin Brehmer Talks With Cubs TV Play By Play Man, Len Kasper
Big Hits From Dave Matthews Band At Chicago's Wrigley Field


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Hey guys,
Ive recently dived into the deep waters, and began to fast-track my learning of ROR and have achieved some pretty cool results...For example, I was able to create a basic version of Twitter.
My question to the Coding Forum elite is, how do I go about hosting my ROR app online? It may sound like a simple question but the thing that confuses most is....If I am running the ROR framework from my localhost server (on my pc), how do I instead transfer it and run it on paid hosting server? And which hosting services would you recommend to host Ruby On Rails web applications?
I look forward to reading your responses.


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Reporting from Indianapolis — Someone forgot to tell Andrew Bynum that the coaches already submitted their ballots.
The 22-year-old center, hoping to be selected today as an All-Star reserve, put up eye-catching numbers in the Lakers' 118-96 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
He scored a season-high 27 points and took 12 rebounds as the Lakers improved to 3-2 on their eight-game trip, this one coming against a team that's, uh, defensively challenged, to put it kindly.
Whether Bynum's body of work this season is good enough to be put in play Feb. 14 at Cowboys Stadium will be determined by NBA coaches, who submitted their votes for reserves earlier this week.


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OverviewThe standard route to Twin Peaks from east of Waterman Mountain is along the trail starting from the Buckhorn trailhead. The route described here begins at Cloudburst Summit and adds some cross-country before getting to maintained trail. The beginning of this route cuts across the Mt. Waterman ski lift area and connects with the Mt. Waterman Trail.
Getting ThereFrom the 210 Freeway, exit at Angeles Crest Hwy (SR 2) and go north. At 9.5 miles, you will come to the Clear Creek Information Station and junction with Angeles Forest Highway. Continue straight and in 4.5 more miles you will come to the junction with the Mt. Wilson Road at the Red Box Ranger Station and trailhead. From here, continue straight on SR2 for 19 miles more to the signed Cloudburst Summit (7,018'). It is near mile marker 57.10. There is a parking area on the left side (north) of the road.
Route DescriptionFrom the parking area, walk directly across the highway and go right about 25 yards. You will encounter the beginning of a steep use trail. You will be going west as you begin the ascent on this use trail. After about 1/10th of a mile the ridge turns in a southerly direction (and slightly east). Continue hiking on this ridge in a southerly and slightly east direction until you get to flat sections of the terrain where you will encounter ski lift equipment, lift cables and at least one structure. You will cross a service road and, at the end of the ski lift area, you will run into the Mt. Waterman Trail. Go east on the trail and it will take you to the junction with the marked trail to Twin Peaks Saddle. From the saddle, follow the use trail up the steep north slope of Twin to the east summit (7,761'). The use trail may get faint towards the summit ridge. If in doubt, bear left and the trail will get you to the east summit.
One way mileage for this route is about 4 miles with 1,600 feet of gain.
Red TapeYou will need an Adventure Pass or a Golden Eagle Pass to park your vehicle anywhere within the Angeles National Forest, including this trailhead. Adventure Passes are currently sold at the Clear Creek Information Station and the Red Box Ranger Station ($5 per day or $30 for a yearly pass), which stations you pass on the way to the trailhead. Otherwise, Adventure Passes are also sold at most sporting good stores in Southern California.
In general, no permits are required for hiking this route. However, because the beginning of the route crosses part of the Mt. Waterman ski lift area, I frankly do not know how the ski lift operators would react to someone hiking across the area on those rare occasions when there is enough snow for that resort to be open for skiing.
Essential GearNone, during most of the year. The route can be done in trail runners if you prefer. However, in winter, snowshoes and/or crampons may be necessary.
Other InformationUSGS Topo Maps Mt. Waterman 7.5
There are no reliable water sources along this route, so bring what you need.


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Brad's Mountaineering HOME!
13,006 feet
The forecast had been calling for a chance of morning snow showers, and we half-expected the area to be shrouded with thick clouds and fog, as is often the case in the Mosquitos. We were also expecting high winds, another trademark of these mountains. Amazingly, we had neither. The sun was shining and the air was completely calm as we exited the car where CR 696 became completely covered in snow. At 0915, we began walking downhill along the lower road (the upper road was marked "private property") and before long came to a dead-end.
Continuing back through this gulch, along the South Mosquito Creek, we passed by a number of mines and found ourselves in some nasty willows and pines. Everything in this gulch was smothered in deep, powdery snow. My snowshoes were essentially useless, and his skis were only slightly better for handling this mess. We bushwhacked our way along until Colonelpyat decided it would be best to cut uphill toward the power lines on the creek's north side. This was somewhat easier, but we had to be careful as we crossed ravines full of lopsided boulders covered with deep snow.
The snow was indeed perfect avalanche material, had it been on steeper slopes. A number of times we heard it shifting underneath us, and saw tremendous cracks form on these plates as we walked across them. Nothing we traversed exceeded 23 degrees, but we were amazed at how much shifting was happening underneath our feet, even while walking on flat snow.
Eventually, as we neared timberline, the terrain began to flatten out, and we turned back toward the south to cross what remained of the gulch. Once again I was post-holing with my snowshoes, the entire way across the wide dip in the terrain. This definitely wasn't turning out to be a walk in the park.
However, when we started up the south side of the gulch, finally gaining elevation toward the Pennsylvania/Evans saddle, the worst part of our ascent was behind us. Here, the shallow snow was hardened considerably into wind-blown waves, and we walked directly over them, steadily gaining altitude. As we approached the saddle, the snow abruptly disappeared. We had had impressive views of Pennsylvania's steep north slopes the entire time, and it was easy to see there was very little snow on the actual mountain. We had at last made it to that "no-snow" line, where the ridge had been swept clean by the high winds prevalent in the Mosquitos. Those high winds were nowhere nearby on this hike!
Here we detached our snowshoes and skis, ate a snack, and finished the short clip up to the crest of Pennsylvania's west ridge. From here the route was straight-forward: up the ridge to the summit. Most of this was easy walking along snow-free talus. There was one more moderate section of steepness that helped gain some quick altitude, and then we had another six-tenths of a mile of relatively level walking to get to the broad, flat summit: 13,006 feet above sea level. We arrived at 1239.
I rather enjoyed standing atop "Colorado's Pennsylvania." I envisioned the broad grassy summit area being used for picnics and football games, while having such a magnificent backdrop: Several fourteeners and many more thirteeners were visible in every direction from this place. Walking over to the southern edge, we were able to peer down tremendous cliffs to the bottom where the car was parked. And we were able to enjoy this all without any wind!
After staying at the summit about twenty minutes, however, a slight breeze began and clouds started moving in, chilling us quickly. For mid-December, we certainly couldn't complain!
The few snow-fields we had crossed on our way up consisted of densely packed glacier-like snow, and Colonelpyat had some fun with his skis on the way down. A couple times we stopped to listen to a pack of coyotes, howling up a storm down in the gulch. Neither of us had ever heard such loud howling in the middle of the day. We later came across fresh coyote tracks, but never saw the animals.
Trying to stay out of the mess in the gulch, we contoured with a sort of bench that started at the saddle and followed the huge power lines for a while. However, we ended up in some deep drifts amongst willows as we headed toward American Flats, and it took some time to get through them. I stubbornly left my snowshoes off, as I figured we would get through the willows quickly, but each new horizon provided another dip and more snow-covered willows to wade through.
Eventually we came to some wind-swept tundra, and easily walked that all the way to a designated snowmobile route, which we followed downhill to get back to the car. We arrived at 1520, after a six-hour journey that could probably be done in less than three without snow. It had been about six miles round-trip, and less than two thousand feet of elevation gain, but the off-trail snow and willows made it seem like more than that. However, I really did enjoy hiking this mountain and the views it provided. Anyway, it was another chance to get out into the mountains and meet someone else who loves the outdoors, and for those chances I am always grateful.
(Click image to view)


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Jason Mraz – I Won't Give Up [MUSIC VIDEO]
I had not yet noticed Jason Mraz grew his hair long both on his head and his face! I'm glad to report the extra hair didn't change his voice one bit. I don't know why it would but I just know it didn't! This video is probably everything you would expect for the slow ballad of 'I Won't Give Up' and I think I could watch/listen to it all day.
Subscribe to My 103.5 FM on


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Intriguing. Gingerbread is my thing after pumpkin spice, I like them at least equally but as soon as the Starbucks Gingerbread latte gets in I get that instead of pumpkin spice for the rest of the season. Also, Bath and Body Works gets a candle in that is gingerbread scent and it's amazing. So this stuff, the ingredients are "cinnamon, ginger, roasted chicory, roasted barley, natural flavors (contains soy lecithin) and luo han guo." Luo han guo, as best I can decipher, is a sweetener sort of like stevia. It's not very strong but I think with two bags it could be if that's what you want (which is what I want and what I'm going to do next time). It's sweet and cinnamon-y and ginger-y. I bet if I made it in hot milk (with a little sugar and vanilla? hm!) it would be delicious. I don't like tea generally but I swing this pretty well, well enough that I will try the Apple Cinnamon one I almost got with it. It's a nice way to feel festive without any calories which I can totally get on board with. Steeping it for a looong time in hoooot water seems necessary to coerce the flavors out.
175 °F / 79 °C 5 min, 0 sec


text: Hey guys, I'm working on installing speakers in the 84 I just got done putting together. I love my tunes! Well I had to order a new harness for my CD Player, since the wires were about half an inch long when I pulled it from the last car. I was checking to see if I should order a new harness for the car itself. Now here's my problem. I don't see any wires(harness) where there normally is wires(harness). I took a picture of the only connectors and loose wires that are left. Scares the out of me when I see open wires. I cut them and so they are no longer open. I do have a book to look at the schematics, but if anyone knows off the top of their head that would be great. Thanks, Garrick A.R.


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You have the exclusive opportunity to purchase Minnesota Timberwolves single game tickets before the general public! Get tickets to the best games at the best prices. Don't miss out on exciting marquee match-ups against the Miami Heat (12/30), Los Angeles Lakers (1/29 & 3/9) and Boston Celtics (3/30).
Your presale begins Friday, December 9th at 11AM and ends on Sunday, December 11th at 11PM.
Password: JACK


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Can you please just make a center clock mod for cloudyfa g2.2 rom? Thanks
@rastigo is it possible you can make the lollipop mod for xdabbeb's G3 Rom for the G2? I tried to flash the lollipop mod but it got rid of both status and nav bars. Thank you
Share your lgsystemui apk and odex and your framework folder from the rom you are on. I can try making it for you.
Hope you had backed up. All the very best. ☺


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I went overboard tonight and here are some I bothered to take pictures of:
King Oscar extra small sardines in purest virgin olive oil 3.75 oz from Norway!! It's good for sardines and the olive oil can be used for salad dressing. My hiking friend told me it's the best so I had to try it. He eats it by itself or with crackers. Nice hiking lunch. $2.69 for 6 oz! yikes.
Trader Joe's Tuna in Red Panang curry sauce-hot. Product of Thailand. It's good and can be heated in the microwave or in hot water. Good camping food. $1.39
Honey Roasted Peanuts-just very delicious. Can't stop eating them once opened. $1.99
Gerolsteiner natural mineral water-new favorite--sparkling water from Germany. $1.29 before tax and CRV.
Trader Joe's organic reduced sugar strawberry preserves-haven't tried but I think Ruth L. said that brand is good. $2.99
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena-cute bottle and I needed balsamic vinegar. haven't tried. $3.99
Fiji water-think Chowfun_Derek said it was good. $1.69 before tax and crv.
what do you like?


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Feel like having fun and experiencing the Casino differently? Go to the Valet de carreau bar and take part in surprisingly themed evenings.
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Details of Dame de coeur and Roi de Pique
Good drinks, good food, and a good game: that's a winning combination.
Details of Bar Poker


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McKeon Statement: Hearing on "Increasing Student Aid through Loan Reform"
WASHINGTON, D.C. | May 21, 2009
Education – especially a college education – is an engine that drives the American Dream. I would like to see this committee do what it can to help those American Dreams come true.
And student loans are one tool that allows students and families to pursue that dream.
Today, we are going to hear about different student loan plans. We will discuss whether it's better to have loans come directly from the government, or through other sources such as private lenders and non-profits.
I believe the American people have already made that choice.
In the Federal Family Education Loan program, which features a public-private partnership, there are more than 4,000 participating institutions. Students attending these institutions have received approximately $66 billion this year.
In the Direct Loan program, where the loans come directly from the government, there are roughly 1,700 institutions. Students attending these institutions have received approximately $22 billion this year.
This is clearly a case of schools "voting with their feet." Much like the Secretary told us families would do when it comes to picking an affordable college, institutions have selected their loan program of choice. They have moved to a program that provides the choice, flexibility, and options to make college affordable, thanks to that public-private partnership.
The Administration has argued that the FFEL program is "on life support," and does not provide a stable source of capital. With all due respect, this is like arguing that the federal government should directly manufacture and sell cars because the Administration is now assisting Chrysler and GM.
Some in the Administration may want to fully take over the automotive industry, but I don't think the American people would agree.
Let's just consider the facts. Our nation is in the midst of a global economic meltdown. Our credit markets became paralyzed, and no one – not mortgage lenders, not small business lenders, not consumer lenders, and not student lenders – was able to secure credit to keep capital flowing.
The federal government stepped in with a temporary measure to restore liquidity. Just like it did for the entire banking and financial system.
But you don't hear calls for the federal government to make all mortgages, or all small business loans, or all car loans. No, it's only in the student loan market where political forces are taking advantage of economic peril to create a federal monopoly.
So to those who claim the FFEL program does not work, I would only ask you to look back on the last 40+ years before the credit crisis that crippled our entire financial system. The private sector
a stable source of capital – it's one that has served millions of students and families for decades.
Instead of trying to keep private capital and innovation out of student lending permanently, perhaps we should be looking for ways to bring it back.
We've also heard a lot about lender subsidies and so-called waste in this program. So let me take just a moment to set the record straight.
This year, the federal government is expected to make a
on the FFEL program. The only subsidies being paid are interest benefits so that low-income students do not accrue interest costs while they're in school.
But on the whole, the FFEL program is actually returning money to the U.S. Treasury this year. In a way, that means lenders are subsidizing the federal government. And the Administration's own budget clearly expects the programs included in the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act to continue to return money to the government. It seems to me that we should consider those programs as a viable alternative to a complete conversion to the Direct Loan program.
Finally, what about the 4,000 plus institutions across the country who have decided that the FFEL program works well for their students? Don't they get a say in all of this? In 1993, when the Direct Loan program was created, it came about mainly because some institutions were not happy with the FFEL program and wanted another option.
If the more than 4,000 institutions currently in the FFEL program are happy with the program and wish to keep it, I think we should listen to their wishes just like we did in 1993 to the institutions who wished for change. In that vein, I have several letters from financial aid officers from all around the country who want to keep the options available to them today through the FFEL program.
I would like these to be submitted into the record today.
Mr. Chairman, what's best for schools, and the students they serve, seems to be lost in this debate. And I'm not the only one who thinks so.
This morning,
Inside Higher Ed
published an op-ed written by the director of financial aid at Tallahassee Community College. The article is called "Why I'm Sticking With FFELP," and he begins by saying – quote – "But for all the talk about budget numbers and politics, the views of college financial aid administrators have been largely lost in the shuffle."
I would also like to insert this article into the hearing record. I hope we'll think about people like this financial aid director as the debate unfolds.
With that, I would like to thank our witnesses for appearing today, and I look forward to learning from them.
# # #


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Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012 | 9:05 p.m.
John Wilhelm plans to step down as national president of UNITE HERE effective Nov. 29, he announced in an email message.
Wilhelm, who's 67, came to New Haven to attend Yale, then stayed to work for its unions. He continued working for the organization for 43 years.


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I flew off a swing when i was 6.. broke my right arm .. and fractured my ribs.. that's the last time they saw me on a swing o.O
There and Back Again
I shattered my eye socket, cheek bone, and cracked my skull if that counts as breaking a bone :D
No brain damage whatsoever! So lucky to even be alive!
^-^ high on life.
P.S Maybe i am brain damaged. Forgot to put how! haha
Was in a car accident, pretty unlucky. The tray of a ute came through the passenger door (where i was) and hit me square in the face on left side just next to my eye.
P.S.S I didn't lose my eye
four times. first was my pinkie finger lol i was jumping on the bed when i was a toddler and feel and broke it, then i broke my wrist playing duck duck goose with my friends when i was 7 or 6 (i remember this cause as my mother drove me to the hospital all pissed off she was yelling "who the hell breaks their wrist playing duck duck goose?!') then at 12 or 13 i broke my ankle when i happened to step off the school bus right into a ditch and last but not least my wrist again playing bloody knuckles when i was 17 or 18. i was either very accident prone or very stupid im not sure which :p
At least when you hit bottom there is no where else to go but up again
surprisingly zero. I've been in many dangerous situations where i should break a bone or two, but I'm the only one in my family who has never ever broken a bone. my nose has been broken though.
I'm pretty active, but I've never broke a bone ^^ I've hurt myself TONS of times tho...
Been really into Mayo Chiki! recently... WHERE DA SEASON 2?


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AIRTEL is at it again, recently they launched the New AIRTEL Data plan that works with 2G Network where the Data Volume is 2GB for N200 and 6GB for N500,
Airtel is giving out free 1GB of Data for weekend browsing.
How to Subscribe for Airtel 1GB Weekend Data Plan For Free (0 Naira)
Simply dial *475# two times, I mean dial it twice,
You will receive a message from Airtel saying
"the data given to you is usable only at 12am on Saturdays till
Sunday 11:59 am"
The Airtel 1GB Weekend Data Plan starts working from 12AM (Midnight) on Saturday to 11:59PM (Night) on Sunday.
You can try this on multiple Airtel Sim to accumulate more data to browse free.
You can use it on your PC, Android smartphone, Blackberry and others
Another Wonderful Article AddedNew @ AddedNew.com, Always come for more


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Cardiff City's Neil Warnock asks for 'minute's booing' at opposing clubs
Having assumed and held the role of English football's most prominent pantomime villain for many a year, Neil Warnock is making plans to bow out in appropriate fashion as and when the time comes.
Appearing on Sky Sports' Goals on Sunday programme, the Cardiff City manager jokingly requested that, when he does eventually shuffle off this mortal coil, fans of all opposing clubs pay tribute in a manner befitting his hard-earned reputation.
Rather than the standard minute's silence, Warnock said he...


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Letters and commentary policy
The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy.
- E-mail firstname.lastname@example.com
- Mail: Andrew Kleske, Reader Outreach Editor
San Diego Union-Tribune
P.O. Box 120191
San Diego, CA 92112-0191.
Healthy interest in health care debate
Re: "Lost in the shouting" (Editorials, Aug. 17):
You say that businesses that provide health insurance would switch to a cheaper public option if it were available, resulting in people not being able to keep the insurance they like, as President Barack Obama has promised.
If the employer passed on those savings to his employees as an increase in wages, people would be happy to accept the change. Also, the change people fear most is losing their doctor. It is likely that their current doctor will be available under the new plan.
Cost is the most important issue in this debate. An increase in costs of $1 trillion over a 10-year period is a lot of money. But compared to the current cost of $2.4 trillion per year, it is a relatively small investment to add almost 50 million people to the rolls of the insured. Furthermore, hospital emergency room costs will be less once everyone is insured. Along with the other reforms Obama is proposing, our health care will be become less expensive.
Re: Health care heats up town hall meetings (A-1, Aug. 8):
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's pronouncements notwithstanding, most town hall attendees are not "un-American," not "Astroturf mobs," nor do they espouse swastikas. Many are senior citizens upset by proposed Medicare cuts and/or end-of-life issues. But all attendees are mad-as-hell Americans exercising their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, freedom to assemble and freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
The right-wing has lifted a few pages from the left-wing playbook and Ms. Pelosi is a mad-as-hell limo-liberal, outraged because lefties are getting a dose of their own medicine. (No health care pun intended.)
The Union-Tribune (courtesy of The New York Times) called the town hall meetings "raucous." True, but for decades the media played the three-monkeys game (see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil) while groups like ACORN, anti-war protesters, gay activists, etc., raucoused their heads off. Now the kettle is painted blacker than the pot.
There are lies being spread about proposed health care reform by people tied to special interests, insurance companies and partisan attack organizations.
There are no death panels. The final bill will be deficit-neutral. Your health insurance will be portable and insurance companies will not be able to drop your coverage or exclude you for pre-existing conditions.
If we do not reform health care, our premiums in the near future will sky rocket. Every Western country has affordable health insurance for all of their population and have longer life expectancy than the U.S.
Don't be fooled. Congress must pass health insurance reform this year.
San Diego
Americans are exposed to hypocrisy at its best in the reaction to the challenges posed in the town hall meetings. In responding to the unruly questioning by the attendees, Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi and liberals totally ignore the fact that it was President Barack Obama himself who initiated the response by declaring that he wanted something approved by Congress before it recessed, thus allowing no time for the democratic process of discussion and debate to take place. Unprecedented boisterous turnouts with questions were the only response available.
Rancho Santa Fe
Although in my opinion all aspects of President Barack Obama's plans for health care are not easy to understand for most people, it seems to me that about 80 percent of American citizens would benefit from it.
Of course some people would not benefit from it. As it is now, there are many misconceptions about it. I think it would be very helpful to the people if some expert on the matter could write an article in simple terms so that most people could understand it so they could at least discuss it in a civilized manner. Most of the articles concerning it are not easy to understand and can lead to many misconceptions.
San Diego
Happy that outrageous fee no longer will be charged
Re: "City will stop charging disputed fee" (B1, Aug. 20)
As the owner of a single, one-bedroom condominium in the city of San Diego, I read with great interest your recent article on the city "processing fee" imposed to collect the "business tax" the city imposes on those of us who rent out properties in the city. I, unlike large property owners, try to hold expenses down and charge minimal amounts of rent. I find having long-term tenants lessens the time spent when existing tenants move out and the condo needs to be cleaned, shown and rented.
When the city imposed this "business tax," it was disproportionate from the start. The tax was a flat fee for the first unit, then only $5 each per additional rental units. This means owners of large buildings pay proportionally less per unit than I do. I smell the influence of the San Diego County Apartment Association at work in designing this tax, which unfairly imposed a tax on those of us who only have one room or condo to rent out. We have no organization or clout to influence these types of unfair taxes before they are passed.
The city of San Diego sends me a bill every year. I begrudgingly send it a check by return mail. But the thought that it charges me an additional $25 to tax me has always been a source of irritation. City officials continue to think of new ways to extract money from middle-income taxpayers such as myself. How much does it cost the city to send me a bill and then deposit my check? This processing fee is outrageous, and I'm happy that it has been stopped. The San Diego Union-Tribune needs to look a little further into the structure of this rental tax fee and determine the influence the Apartment Association had on this entire matter.
El Cajon
No fan of library design
Looking at the open lattice dome of the proposed design for the new central library, I found myself wondering why it looked familiar and where I had seen it before? Then it came to me: the Hiroshima Commercial Museum, better known since 1945 as the Atomic Bomb Dome. So if built to current proposed design, we are to have a main library that resembles the bombed-out remains of a 1916 building designed by an obscure Czech architect who would have been forgotten if his structure hadn't somehow partially survived the blast of a nuclear attack. Surely we can do better than this.
El Cajon


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Here is the first teaser trailer for Ridley Scott's The Counselor. Although you'll probably be lost in the dialogue, the imagery from the clip is unmistakably Scott. Based on author Cormac McCarthy's original screenplay, the film stars Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz in the story of a lawyer who gets mixed up in drug trafficking with "tragic results." The Counselor is set for release on October 25.
- Source: JoBlo


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As any driver knows, surface scratches plague the visual aesthetics of a car's paint job. They make a paint finish look dull and neglected, and in some cases can cause the need for repainting. What most everyday drivers don't know is that there is a science behind scratches, and removing them isn't as easy as a simple wax or machine buff makes it Read More
Surface Science: Car Scratches
on 04.28.11
1987 Rolls Royce Silver Spur II: Post Detail
on 04.08.11
This one of a kind Rolls is a sight for sore eyes. What was once layered in a fine film of dust, covered in scratches and swirls, and by all means neglected, has turned out absolutely spectacular. You wouldn't think it, but a monster like this is a joy to detail; flat panels, intricate components, and all-in-all a beauty to stare at once you're Read More


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Behind the Seal
Announcements, updates, and real-life stories about the Fair Trade vision unfolding as a way of life.
Fair Trade Difference launches with video and pledge drive
We at Fair Trade talk about giving farmers and workers a voice in their community and around the world. The Fair Trade Difference is about passing the microphone.


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Fashion Week recap: prints and patterns and ombre, oh my!
Rodarte's bold prints and bright colors carry on into their Spring 2012 collection with Van Gogh's iconic sunflowers featured in a show-stopping, prairie-meets-sci-fi dress.
See what we think of crowd-pleaser Tory Burch's collection of 20s-inspired frocks.
Go backstage at Juma, Toni Francesc and Herve Leger.
Is the front row at Preen the most stylish of the show-watching set?
Death to dreaded french manicure: long live the new ombre nail!
A little behind on Fashion Week? See the best-of Day 5 with J.Crew, Vera Wang, Rodarte and front-row fashion fangirl Beyonce.


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Nationals' manager Davey Johnson believes Ian Desmond in the leadoff spot is a work in progress as they continue to search for the answer to the biggest question mark in the batting order for 2011.
Recently, Desmond has hit leadoff the last two games against the Reds and again Friday versus the Phillies. He is 0-for-6 in those two games, the first time he has hit leadoff since a stretch from March 31 to April 14.
On Thursday, Desmond induced a walk and laid down a nice 3-4 sacrifice to advance Laynce Nix into scoring position, but he also struck out and popped out to shortstop.
It has been a struggle for Desmond leading off in 13 games this season, batting .161 with on on-base percentage of just .203 in 60 plate appearances.
"He is still a young player," Johnson said. "He expands the zone a little bit. He tries to do too much. We are looking for guys to get on base. That is something we are going to be looking at the rest of this year and also into the off season."
Johnson said Desmond likes to be at the top of the lineup and believes he can make something happen, but they want him to pick his spots to be aggressive.
"Talking to him I know he feels he belongs there," Johnson said. "That is where he wants to be. He feels free to bunt and he can run more. He had a pretty good first year. His on-base percentage wasn't that great because he was very aggressive with the bat."
"He has the capability to be a pretty good on base guy. I told him personally that I thought he could hit one, two or three in the lineup when he gets it all together."


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I've been interested in lighting effects and visualization of sensory input for quite some time. LEDs are spectacular devices because they are so incredibly versatile. I've specifically become interested in RGB LEDs, which have 3 dies in one package, one for each color. Furthermore, I find the high power LEDs to be particularly amazing. I've done a lot of work with these LEDs, which can do 350mA per channel. They're extraordinarily bright.
A year ago, I came up with the concept of ACRIS (Audio-Controlled Room Illumination System). The first design would use an FPGA for sound processing and wasn't going to modular at all. However, I never had the time to work out the long development cycles associated with using FPGAs for large-scale projects.
Now, using what I learned from my design of the electronics for the Next House Party Lighting System, I've designed generic, modular LED controllers that are very easy to interface with. They can be controlled by a computer, an FPGA, a microcontroller, etc.
ACRIS has been reborn as "Automatically-Controlled Room Illumination System". It will have sensory input from a variety of factors. I'm still trying to come up with creative ideas for styles of illumination, but I have the majority of the electronics ready.
Namely, I've designed the LED driver board and the communications board, which contain all of the electronics necessary to run the system.
These boards are extremely generic. I'm trying to make them such that people can use them for their own DIY projects — I want to take all of the tough technical problems out of the process so that people will have more time to explore their creativity and design interesting lights.


text: If you are not familiar with College Humor please go and Google it immediately. If you are an astute BlackBerry fan you will have noticed that Streeter and Amir of College Humor have been involved in some web series of ads that dispel misconceptions about the BlackBerry platform. The Q&A is worth a read and can be found over at Inside BlackBerry. If you simply want to check out the videos you can check the out after the break.


text: Wesley Sneijder hints at joining Man Utd as club prepare £35million bid Crunch Sports Staff in Soccer 13 Jun 2011 0 share Share Tweet Email Share RedditWesley Sneijder (credit: Wikipedia) With Manchester United reportedly lining up a £35million bid, Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder has admitted that he cannot guarantee he will still be at the San Siro next seasonThe 27-year-old last week told reporters in Italy that he was "very happy" at Inter, adding that he didn't see why he should leave the club.But with reports that the Premier League champions are preparing a £35m bid for the Netherlands international, Sneijder has again given comments suggesting that he is open to a move."I love Inter with all my heart," he was quoted by Tuttomercatoweb as saying. "But God will decide where my future will be. Only he knows it."I want to thank the fans as they have always been great with me, and I want to assure them that if I stay at Inter then I will do everything to win more."The People on Sunday reported that United are lining up the new bid amid growing speculation that the Red Devils are on the brink of a fresh takeover attempt from Qatar.Sneijder, who has also been linked with a move to Chelsea, could reportedly be part of a £125m spending spree at Old Trafford as speculation builds that Qatar Holdings, the business arm of the country's ruling royal family, are behind United's summer spending spree.Qatar Holdings, a division of the Qatar Investment Authority, had a £1.5billion offer to buy the club turned down last year.But it has been claimed that the Qataris may have funded a loan repayment by the American-based Glazer family late last year to the tune of £250m.United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is currently on holiday in the south of France, but is close to completing deals for Aston Villa winger Ashley Young and Blackburn defender Phil Jones worth a combined £40m.Ferguson is also looking to sign Udinese winger Alexis Sanchez (see below) and Atletico Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea, while Arsenal winger Samir Nasri is also on the Scot's shopping list.


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I've teamed up with Liz over at a belle, a bean, and a chicago dog and Kristin at Taming Insanity, because yes, we are geeks, and we love words. Hence, our self proclaimed title: The Nerd Mafia.
I know – it's cute, right?! So what is Word Up, YO! exactly? Well, it's a word game…we give you a word of the week (WOW!), and you work it into one (or more if you're adventurous!) of your posts during the week. But these aren't ordinary words you'd use in everyday conversation, so you'll have to get creative! Once you use the word, you slap the badge on your post, and come over and link up on one of our blogs!
• Use the Word of the Week (WOW!) in a post as many times as you legitimately can
• Use the WOW! correctly in your post, we've included a definition to guide you on this journey
• Include the Word Up, Yo! button somewhere in your post
• Write a post with the WOW! and link it up anytime during the week the linky is open (Sunday-Friday)
• Link up below to your relevant post, not your blog home page please
That's it! No mandatory follows, no mandatory comments. Visit as many other linked blogs as you can.
At the end of the week, the Nerd Mafia will decide on a "winning" post. We'll feature the winning posts with the new word. A new Word of the Week and featured post will be published every Sunday.
So what's the first WOW! word that we're using? Here it is…along with a definition from dictionary.com:
1. the esophagus.
2. the throat or pharynx.
3. a channel for water.
4. a gully or ravine.
5. a preparatory cut in an excavation.
6. a concavity between two sawteeth, joining them at their bases.
–verb (used with object)
7. to form a concavity at the base of (a sawtooth).
And so it goes…


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The New York native looks back at 23 years of running her family-owned pizza business in Asheville.
Tag: Asheville Independent Restaurants
Showing 1-14 of 14 results
Taste & Tunes: Taste of Asheville takes a musical direction
For this year's Taste of Asheville, Asheville Independent Restaurants will partner with the local busking collective to highlight the city's street performers.
Posana owners will open two restaurants in downtown's Arras building
Asheville restaurateurs Peter and Martha Pollay anticipate a 2018 launch for the two independent eateries they will operate within the planned Arras mixed-use project.
Living soul: Goombay Festival partners with GO Kitchen Ready culinary training program
Asheville's annual Goombay Festival offers learning and networking opportunities for culinary trainees.
Small bites: Fifth Season Gardening cultivates DIY lifestyles
Fifth Season's new East Asheville location caters to homebrewers; Full Circle Farm Sanctuary hosts a vegan cookie swap; AIR Passports are now for sale; local restaurants collect items for youths in need; and Strada Italiano hosts its annual traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes.
Small bites: Taste of Sylva supports town's development
Foodie festivals continue in WNC with Taste of Sylva's downtown restaurant crawl. Meanwhile, Organic Growers School is poised to train a new crop of farmers; Ambrozia will host a wine dinner with Metro Wines' Andy Hale; and Taste of Asheville tickets are now on sale.
Behind the Apron: Asheville Independent Restaurants launches a new online industry resource
In Asheville, many restaurateurs realize that cooperation trumps competition. The local culinary scene is well-known for its collaborative spirit, and behindtheapron.com, a new business-to-business website recently unveiled by Asheville Independent Restaurants, aims to enhance and expand that synergy. Unlike AIR's current website, which is mostly consumer-based, Behind the Apron was created to be a resource for the organization's 120-plus member restaurants. […]
In photos: Taste of Asheville 2014
Everything from beef tartare to torched marshmallow s'mores was on the menu last night as Asheville Independent Restaurants celebrated the local food scene with its annual Taste of Asheville event.
Small Bites: Taste of Asheville 2014
Asheville Independent Restaurants readies for Taste of Asheville, WNC Health Advocates hosts a fundraising dinner, King Daddy's adds breakfast, Loretta's goes late-night and Black Mountain Ciderworks throws a Rabelaisian Feast.
Asheville's food pioneers: An interview with three of the founders of Asheville Independent Restaurants
One of the most notable aspects of Asheville's culinary community is its focus on camaraderie rather than competition. Tangible proof of this phenomenon is the success of Asheville Independent Restaurants, an organization formed in 2002 by a group of local chefs and restaurant owners who joined forces to create a united front for the betterment of Asheville's […]
Small Bites: The return of CiderFest NC
A bigger and better CiderFest; expanded hours at Dough; A-B Tech's Harvest Moon fundraiser and the date for Taste of Asheville 2014.
The Quick Dish: Chef Peter Pollay
Xpress recently talked to Pollay about the challenges of creating a palate-pleasing gluten-free menu, his work with Asheville's restaurant community and his excitement about bidding farewell to winter.
Crawl for your food
Next week Asheville Independent Restaurant Association's Small Plate Crawl will offer an affordable and fun way to get a broad sampling of the area's culinary offerings. Tuesday-Thursday, Feb. 25-27, more than 20 AIR-member restaurants will feature special, low-priced small-plate menus with a price range of $3-$8, providing the perfect opportunity for a midweek night out on the town.
Posana Cafe gets even greener with new solar hot-water system
On Dec. 28, Posana Cafe welcomed the winter sunshine: Sundance Power Systems installed a sun-powered hot-water system. Here's photographer Bill Rhodes' account of the rooftop adventure.


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* Follow Section 1 boys lax on Twitter @MSGV_Icass *
IRVINGTON, N.Y. — Trailing Dobbs Ferry by three goals with a little under four minutes to play, an Irvington comeback looked pretty improbable.
But Sam Winton and the Bulldogs made the improbable possible.
Winton netted the final three goals of the game and capped off the Irvington (8-5) comeback by scoring with just three seconds left on a feed from Jon Cofre to boost the Bulldogs to a huge 11-10 victory over the visiting Eagles on Wednesday.
"My guys were relentless," Irvington coach Drew Werney said. "They just kept grinding away and kept pushing. We were able to chip away and score one goal at a time. I told my guys that we can't score three goals on one shot. We were able to score one goal, got the face-off and went from there."
Prior to that, Winton tied up the game on an assist from Corey Devlin (four assists) with 2:16 remaining. Winton finished with four goals.
"I was preaching ground balls the entire game," said Werney, a Somers alum who played collegiately at Stony Brook. "The first half we were getting beat on the ground ball battle. In the fourth quarter, we really started getting the ground balls. We made a few adjustments offensively. I've just got to give credit to the players because they wouldn't accept losing."
Dobbs Ferry (13-2) had just one loss coming into the game. In their first meeting, Dobbs Ferry defeated Irvington 14-10 on April 27.
"It was an emotional win just because it was senior day and it's a crosstown rival," Werney said. "Whenever we play them it's always a good game. They have a great coach (Greg Lewis) and they have a good team. We enjoy playing a team like that. It's competitive and back-and-forth. Anyone can win on any given day and luckily we came out on top today."
The game was tied at 5-5 at halftime and the Eagles held a 7-6 edge after three quarters.
Irvington's Kevin Degnan also had a big game with four goals. Cofre had two goals and two assists. Ronan Devlin added one goal and one assist. Phil Joy made six saves.
Dobbs Ferry was paced by Spencer Avalos, who tallied four goals and one assist. Matt Latainer (2G, 2A), John Yozzo-Scaperrotta (2G, 1A), Ken Marshall (1G, 1A) and Ryan Moynihan (1G) also contributed. Muhammed Hashimi stopped 10 shots.
Since the beginning of the season, Werney has seen his Bulldogs take plenty of positive strides.
"We're playing more team defense and communicating a lot more," Werney said. "Offensively, we're moving the ball around and not playing selfish. Everyone is contributing on the offensive end. One game we can have one person break out for four goals and then another game we can have seven different players score goals. We're starting to play more players which gives us more depth on the offensive end and our goalie has been helping out a lot with stopping shots. Our face-off guy, Nate Long, gives us so many extra possessions and that is a huge advantage for us."
The win over Dobbs should give Irvington quite the momentum boost heading into the Section 1 Class C playoffs.
"It definitely builds confidence," Werney said. "Dobbs Ferry is a good team. It gives us confidence, but at the same time we don't want to get overconfident because we still made a lot of mistakes and have a lot of work to do. It gives us confidence in the sense that we can compete with some of the better teams, but we can't be too overconfident and say, 'That's the high point of our season, we're happy with that.' We want to still get out there and compete with the top teams in our class."
Follow Rob DiAntonio on Twitter @MSGV_RJD


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FROM MY COLLECTION, YOU ARE LOOKING AT A 1959 TOPPS ROGER MARIS CARD # 202. SOME MINOR CORNER WEAR . NO OTHER MAJOR DEFECTS . Front and Back of card is in EX condition, No Major defects.. This card will only increase in value over the years. A geat investment!SOME FACTS ABOUT ROGER... 1) Roger spent four years in the minor leagues playing for Fargo-Moorhead, Keokuk, Tulsa, Reading, and Indianapolis before making it to the major leagues. 2) In 1961, Roger and teammate Mickey Mantle received national attention as they chased the single season home run record of 60 set by Babe Ruth in 1927. 3) Roger tied Ruth on September 26th, hitting his 60th home run of the year. Then, on October 1, 1961, the final day of the season, Roger hit his 61st home run, against the Boston Red Sox, to set the new home run record. The Yankees won the game 1 to 0 on Roger's home run, and went on to win the World Series that year. Roger was named the Most Valuable Player in the American League for the second straight year, as he led the league in home runs and RBI's. Roger and Mickey also set the home run record for teammates hitting 115 home runs between them. 4)- Set Baseball's Single Season Home Run Record (61 in 1961) - 275 Career Home Runs - Two-time Most Valuable Player in American League (1960 & 1961) ... read more


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A story about Bali and the Bali Cowboys – selling Sex and more to Foreign Women
By Denise Dowling
The combination of heat and anonymity is a powerful aphrodisiac in this resort town in Bali. Sex whispers in the tree leaves at night, it vibrates in the bass of techno that drugs the discos. But it's not really sex, more of a humid hedonism, the electricity of heat lightning. Sensual, but not sexual, two different states too often confused.
There's the fumbling drunk guarantee of a good time in clubs where Australian surfers and surfie chicks go, because Kuta is their Fort Lauderdale. But that's fast-food sex from a drive-thru, it's Kuta but not Bali. Bali is the brown navel of a Brazilian girl swaying, hips straddling midnight and sunrise. A solipsist who knows figments of her imagination are watching in the mirror.
Bali Cowboys
I traveled to Indonesia to write about sex, specifically, the sex between older Australian women and Kuta Cowboys, young Indonesian gigolos. Shhh…the guys don't like it when you use that word. They are boyfriends, they insist, they're not just paid for sex. The story might have a happier ending if sex was the only thing the women wanted.
But, you know women…some of us think sex should be wrapped in love. That's the package these women buy, and the cowboys have learned to sell it that way. It may be a shoddy parcel in the cold light of reality, but Indonesia is a Third World country with poor electricity, so it's hard to see what you're getting. Bali is seductively dim; even when the power's on, it's the flattering flicker of candlelight.
The cowboys "hunt" at Kuta Beach sprawled on the sand near dusk, when it's early enough to "make a promise" to meet a woman later that night. The women have just started to apply sunscreen when a cowboy trots over. April is a low season for tourists and competition is fierce. Many of the boys are with minnows, but they hope to fry fatter fish.
"I like the older women because they have more money", says a 21-year-old gigolo who calls himself Montana.
"We say,'No money, no honey.'"
The young ones just want to party. The old ones are nice, they take care of me and give me massages. I not care if her body's old. We say, 'A face like Italy, a body like Toyota.' I tell the woman she's the only one, because otherwise it sounds cheap." Montana pulls out a wallet thick with snapshots of the only one from Sweden, the only one from Australia and the only one from France.
The cowboys say falling in love is a hazard of the profession, but through on-the-job training, they've learned to avoid that trap. "I don't give love anymore because I was hurt by one girl who said she was coming back and never did," explains 24-year-old Made. " If the woman says 'I love you,' I say 'Me, too.' I lie because I care."
Made is courting four women scattered around Europe in hopes that he'll win a trip there. After they return home, many women wire money that the cowboys use for rent and clothes, and some pay for a flight so he can visit. If a boy is really good, Santa gives him a marriage license, a one-way ticket off the island. That's what the boys really want – our paradise is their purgatory. Newspapers in Bali are cluttered with ads placed by university graduates seeking jobs, and former economics majors can be found hawking necklaces on the street.
Most of the Indonesians won't consider a local girlfriend. The cowboys claim they aren't attracted to Balinese women because "they're too naive and just want a rich boyfriend."
"Besides, I like the blonde hair, the blue eyes," Made adds, before chasing after a Japanese woman in a tiger-print bikini. The cowboys are blind to every color but green and any tourist resembles an ATM machine.
Not every woman goes to Bali to shop for a souvenir boyfriend, but one usually winds up in her suitcase. Sally is a married 36-year-old nurse from Queensland who brought her teenage daughter to Bali as a graduation present. She and the daughter were at a local disco one night when the singer came over and sat with them after a set. She thought the 26-year-old musician was after her daughter until he invited her to his room that night.
"When I met Matt, it was the best sex I'd ever had," Sally says. "That part of my marriage had just died and I thought, maybe this is all I need – an overdose of sex! My husband and I had had problems and I guess at the time I didn't feel very good about myself. I wanted to feel better by doing something for someone else. And I guess there was the thrill of being with a younger guy, she continues. "If someone offers you a new car or a secondhand one, which would you choose? Especially if the secondhand one is falling apart?"
She really wants to know what I think, so I ask what kind of mileage the used one gets. I don't tell her this, but I'd probably take the secondhand car because I'm not into that shiny, prancing kind of new vehicle. Which is exactly what her boyfriend is, and it only takes one flick of his mane to see.
When Sally returned to Australia after meeting Matt, she assumed it was a resort romance with an expiration date attached. But when she called Matt from overseas, she was "charmed by his smooth talk." She sent him money for airfare to visit, not sure if the funds would be used for a ticket. As he stepped off the plane, Matt didn't recognize Sally because he was so strung out on heroin.
She had no idea Matt was a junkie. So Sally did what any nurse in love would; she straightened her Florence Nightingale cap and weaned him off the drug.
Sally estimates she's spent nearly $7,000 on the relationship since meeting Matt six months ago. She paid for the ticket to Australia, an apartment, food, bought him an expensive guitar and clothes, and paid for them to fly back to Bali and go to Java to visit his family. Now she's flat-broke and returning to Australia in a week. But Matt really, really needs a motorbike and does Sally think she can put it on her credit card before she goes? Pretty please?
"When Sally leaves, it will be hard not to see other women because I'm a man", Matt says. "I want to marry Sally. I think this is forever, because I get everything I want now."
"Right now I'm thinking, 'What have I done?' " Sally says, lighting a Marlboro.
"I've lost my marriage, my kids and my house because of Matt. My oldest daughter says, 'I don't know what you see in him, he's just a parasite.' I try to talk to Matt about it, but he doesn't want to listen, he doesn't understand." There's definitely something there," she's quick to add. "I mean, I'm in love. It's been exciting and adventurous. But my life in Australia is so different and spending all this money is totally out of character for me. It would have been more economical to have met an Australian guy!"
Sally sighs and drags on her cigarette when asked what she gets from the relationship. "Well, I hold the purse strings, and maybe I'm a person who likes control. Sometimes I feel like I'm his mother. Matt says to me, 'You're my guardian angel, you saved me.' That makes me feel good. You know, in retrospect, I would have been quite happy to be by myself", she adds. "But then I met Matt… and it just sort of happened…" She trails off, like she wishes it wasn't too late to return Matt and get her money back.
Jean is a 49-year-old ex-farmer's wife from Western Australia who's been living with her 25-year-old boyfriend Heri for four months. She and Heri are like teenagers, giggling and arm-wrestling with each other. While we talk, she flips through photos of herself and Heri partying, and shots of Heri grinning impishly after Jean dressed him as a girl.
Heri proposed to Jean three weeks into the relationship, but Jean said no. "I want to marry Jean and live in Australia because I can work there", Heri explains in stilted English. "If I stay here and marry an Indonesian girl, I think I have less of a future."
Jean doesn't want to rush into anything, nor does she want Heri to feel he has to make a commitment, because she can't give him children.
"From Heri, I get a lot of happiness, love and affection", Jean says. "I was married very young, at 17, and my ex-husband wasn't a demonstrative person. He was very busy with work and I felt like something was missing. With Heri, I'm finding I can express myself more freely. For the first time in my life, I'm independent. Heri has taught me to like myself for who I am and not what I look like. Sometimes I feel a bit insecure, like, 'Why should a young, handsome man be interested in me when there are so many nice-looking young girls around?' Heri says it's because he loves me. He knows I haven't got a lot of money", she adds. "I know about the Kuta Cowboys, but Heri has proven he's not like that. But can you ever really know how they feel? They think that because they say they love you, that's enough. Heri is so quiet and his English is limited. Heri said, 'I've got nothing to give you.' I told him that I may buy his cigarettes and food and put a roof over his head, but he doesn't realize how much he's given me. Before, I felt unattractive…I felt fat", she says, pinching the skin melting from her arms. "With Heri, I feel young. He makes me feel alive."
A lot of people in Bali and the States asked what I think of these relationships, and I'm still sorting through that rubble. Before I started interviewing, I thought it was about time for some role-reversal. Why shouldn't older women have sexy young boy-toys?
But with these relationships, there was a dump of emotions involved. The women heard what they wanted to hear….and the gigolos can say "I love you" in seven languages. When a man goes to a prostitute, it's a quick exchange of cash and bodily fluids. Why do women think they have to play Mother Earth? Why do they feel compelled to justify the relationship with that noble notion of love? Who cares if he loves you if the attention makes you feel attractive? Who cares if he loves you if the sex rocks? I still believe the women have nothing to be ashamed of, as long as they recognize the situation for the walking, quacking duck that it is!


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The Loar Guitars
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If you're looking for a professional jazz guitar sound, take a look at the LH-309 Archtop. A tribute to the archtop guitars of the 20's and 30's, this instrument has a vintage feel, but with modern details. The Loar P-90 pickup is positioned to capture the optimal tone of both rhythm and lead playing.
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Many artists looking to capture an old-timey look and sound such as Christian Letts of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, or a classy vibe like Sara Bareilles look to The Loar Guitars for their string instruments. As you shop around to choose the best acoustic guitar for you, make sure you see for yourself why so many people are talking about The Loar