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DrupalCamp London was last week, and was a lot of fun.
I went to the business day, which was splendidly interesting. Here's the first summary of some of the highlights for me.
We've been doing a lot of work hooking things up lately. Like bringing together Digital Asset Management systems to search interfaces. Or document libraries to ebook retailer systems. Or iOS apps to websites.
(And even hooking people up with each other at one of our #digibury events!)
We did a webinar with Acquia on 'Cost-effective development with Drupal Commerce' this afternoon. The slides are below. Plus, here's a post about the kind of stuff we thought about when we were producing the webinar.
Last Wednesday, I was lucky enough to be asked to go to Canterbury High School as part of BIMA's D-Day - BIMA are the British Interactive Media Association and the 'D' stands for 'Digital'.
We're beginning to get the first few enquiries worrying about the so-called Cookie Law. To save everybody a bit of time (and stress) here's a very brief guide to 'current thinking'.
(We say 'current thinking' because nobody seems to know that much about exactly what's going to happen. And we have to stress; this is not legal advice, we are not lawyers, always read the smallprint, ask a grown-up to help you with anything involving scissors!)
Okay, here are the links.
Here's a couple of ideas we've been finding useful recently.
We've noticed a spike in people asking us about helping them build online communities.
And there's a couple of things to say about this.
We went to Playful 2011 recently. It's a conference where people talk about — you guessed it — the value of being playful in, mostly digital, experiences. This talk by Chris O'Shea is fairly representative of this year's emergent theme.
At Deeson we've been thinking about play a bit too.


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Berkeley Astronomy Dept. B-20 Hearst Field Annex. Berkeley, CA 94720.
NSF Graduate Student Research Fellow
I am a third year graduate student at UC Berkeley working with Geoff Marcy. I find and characterize exoplanets, or planets around other stars. In particular, I measure the masses of exoplanets with the radial velocity (or Doppler shift) method. For small planets, planet mass is a critical factor in determining the planet density and composition.
I also study multi-planet systems. What are some of the different architectures of exoplanetary systems, and what clues do the current configurations of planetary systems give us about how such systems form and evolve? I am looking for undiscovered planets in multi-planet systems, while also characterizing the masses and orbital elements of known planets precisely, in order to develop a rich understanding of planetary system architectures.

subset: commoncrawl


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This big, American two-door coupe seats five and is based on Chrysler's underpinnings to the Charger and 300 sedans. Competition includes the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro.
(Skip to details on the: SRT8 392)
New for 2011
The Challenger gets a 305-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 as its new base engine, and the performance-oriented SRT8 392 is powered by a new 470-hp, 6.4-liter V-8. New standard equipment for 2011 includes Keyless Go remote start, automatic air conditioning, side-impact airbags and 18-inch aluminum wheels.
Unlike the Charger sedan, which borrows primarily a name from the muscle-car era, the Challenger was designed after the 1970 model, and it is unmistakably the Challenger from any angle. It has a broad grille and rear-end treatments. Other exterior features include:
The Challenger continues its retro-themed looks on the inside with its gauge cluster and black headliner. In manual-transmission cars, the shifter features a unique pistol-grip design. Other interior features include:
Under the Hood
The base Challenger SE gets a new 305-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 engine that teams with a five-speed automatic transmission. The R/T has a 5.7-liter V-8 that features cylinder deactivation on automatic-equipped models. The technology allows the car to operate on four cylinders when less power is needed to save fuel. A six-speed manual is available for the R/T.
Safety features include:
The SRT8 392 is a high-performance version of the Challenger, and it gets a new, more powerful V-8 engine for 2011. It's also available in limited-run Inaugural Edition form. Dodge is building 1,492 Inaugural Editions that feature special exterior and interior styling cues like 392 badges, quad exhaust tips, 20-inch wheels and white-and-blue leather upholstery.
The Inaugural Edition and subsequent SRT8s are powered by a 6.4-liter (392 cubic inches) Hemi V-8 rated at an estimated 470 hp and 470 pounds-feet of torque. Dodge says the car can go from zero to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. Other features include:
Select up to three models to compare with the 2011 Dodge Challenger.
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You've got a holiday themed party to attend every night this week and the week after. You've been searching for the right accessories to compliment that marvelous body-con dress you found online last week. But you just realized that you completely forgot about your festive footwear. I've done the legwork for you and found a few kinda ah-mazing holiday inspired shoes for you! Check it out.
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ARKEN stretches into the landscape, letting its axes continue into Strandparken, blurring the boundary between architecture and surroundings. At the same time the building does not appear as a coherent form. Rather the floor plan presents a number of joined building parts. Different elements put together in an expressive manner. ARKEN is built in a Deconstructivist architecture style.
The building can be regarded as a dynamic organism stretching its long arms into the landscape. With the expressive and spectacular architecture the architect Søren Robert Lund wished to challenge the exhibited works of art.
The original museum has a grey and raw style, whereas the new extensions are built with other materials that have softened the expression, making the edifice now appear brighter and more open and welcoming.
The latest extensions have also made the museum more functional. Today a museum visit is more than merely seeing an exhibition. Rather it is a total experience of art, café visit, purchases in the shop and relaxation where the impressions are allowed to settle. With the extensions there is now room for all functions.
After two extensions ARKEN has become a bigger and more functional museum
ARKEN's architecture and identity revolve around the location by the sea
ARKEN's architecture breaks with the traditional static framework
ARKEN's architecture is made for exploring


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A collection of news and information related to Richard Montoya published by this site and its partners.
Top Richard Montoya Articles
Displaying items 12-22
Three World Premieres Highlight New Yale Rep Season
Long Wharf Theatre Gets Education Grant
Rene Millan Heads Cast in "American Nights" at Yale Rep
La Jolla Playhouse lines up four plays as part of 2011-12 seasonStory | Oct 25, 2010 | 4:32 PMFour plays, including two world premieres, will help to anchor the La Jolla Playhouse's 2011-12 season, the company announced this week. In all, the new subscription season will feature six productions, including two musicals that will be announced at a.....
Jo Bonney, directing Neil LaBute's 'Break of Noon,' gets a nod from Culture ClashStory | Jan 29, 2011 | 4:32 PMJo Bonney, the Obie Award-winning New York-based director, will demonstrate her stagecraft next week in L.A. when playwright Neil LaBute's latest, "The Break of Noon," opens at the Geffen Playhouse. The director, who previously helmed LaBute's "Fat Pig"...
Culture Clash publishes 'Oh, Wild West!' trilogyStory | Aug 2, 2011 | 4:33 PMCulture Clash's "Oh, Wild West!" publishes its trilogy of California plays, "Chavez Ravine," "Zorro in Hell!" and "Water & Power," in one volume....
Monster Mash: Hugh Jackman sets Broadway return; Banksy mural recoveredStory | Sep 14, 2011 | 4:33 PMHugh Jackman sets November opening for new Broadway show...
Theater review: Culture Clash's 'American Night' at Kirk DouglasStory | Mar 12, 2012 | 4:33 PMCharlotte Stoudt reviews Richard Montoya's fast-paced comic fantasia, "American Night: The Ballad of Juan José" at the Kirk Douglas Theatre....
New Haven's Theater Scene is Bursting
New Haven Fall Arts Preview: A Lively, Unpredictable Theater Season
Dispatch from Oregon: Angelenos in AshlandStory | Aug 17, 2010 | 4:32 PMASHLAND, Ore. -- Theater artists working in Los Angeles can expect scant rewards: nominal pay, minimal recognition, and every now and then another gig because someone liked their work onstage. Typically, though, that new job is another low-paying...


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Tag Results
47 posts tagged now reading
47 posts tagged now reading
"The problem with hoarding is you end up living off your reserves. Eventually you'll become stale. If you give away everything you have, you are left with nothing. This forces you to look, to be aware, to replenish. Somehow the more you give away the more comes back to you."
"I have counseled many young men to break up with the woman they were dating because they had made her their life. She was the sun of his universe, around which he orbited. A man needs a much bigger orbit than a woman. He needs a mission, a life purpose, and needs to know his name. Only then is he fit for a woman, for only then does he have something to invite her into."
It is so hard to look deep inside yourself. My experience has been that very few people do the long, hard work of the soul. Maybe that's why Jesus said the way is narrow.
I'm hoping that wherever you are on your journey, you are tracking with me. I beg you to get help wherever you need it. Go to a counsellor. Make an appointment. Go on a retreat. Spend a couple of days in silence. Do whatever it takes.
If you're barely holding on, come clean. Tell somebody. Tell everybody if you have to. Check yourself in somewhere. What is it ever going to mean for you to gain the whole world if you lose your soul in the process?
I say the system has to be changed. It has to be destroyed and replaced not with another system but with an entirely new way of life. I see it happening, and it gives me great hope. I see leaders getting help and refusing to stuff it anymore. I see communities embracing the brokenness of their leaders, and healing is taking place. I see honesty. I see people who want to be fully alive. I see people who want the life Jesus promises and who are willing to let go of ego and prestige and titles to get it.
I'm learning that very few people actually live from their heart. Very few live connected with their soul. And those few who do the difficult work, who stare their junk in the face, who get counsel, who let Jesus into all of the rooms in their soul that no one ever goes in, they make a difference. They are so different; they're coming from such a different place that their voices inevitably get heard above others. They are pursuing wholeness and shalom, and it's contagious. They inspire me to keep going."
"To girls with messy hair and thirsty hearts" - Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
"Never let anyone else's recipe for success intimidate you or get in your way. Know your own truth, and live by it."
For better or for worse, I've got a brand. The orange clogs, the ponytail, the attitude, my seemingly fluency in Italian. It's instantly recognizable. But what matters to me is it's not fake.
What I started figuring out after I left school and began poking around is that you've got to pay attention to the truth. It's not an intellectual thing—it's a gut thing. My truth is that I love real, passionate, intense experiences. Experiences that don't apologize for themselves or claim to be something they aren't. That's what I want to give people when they eat in my restaurants or watch my shows or read my books. Truth, passion, intense hits of joy. That's my brand. And I'm not talking about marketing or focus groups or giving a second thought about what anyone else thinks. The kind of brand I'm talking about is nothing more—and nothing less—than your own truth, expressed consistently by you."
Unearthed a book I got in the States a decade ago! Yay, chick lit! 💕 (Taken with Instagram)
"Then He shall become a sanctuary."


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10 Ways Your Business Can Use Valentine's Day on Social Media [Daily Dose] | Social Media Today
I love these! 10 Someecard Valentines to Tickle Your Funny Bone
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Follow @skullsflying on Twitter


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Photo: Short but tough © highlanderwolf
Submit a new photo of this climb.
Climbed in mistake for Baywatch (this is the line of the topo for that route in the Gary Latter book of lies). I thought it was hard! The crux is protected by a good tiny cam (well, as good as such things can ever be).victim of mathematics - Lead O/S - 14/May/10 with crossdressingrodney
Climbed instead of Baywatch.crossdressingrodney - 2nd O/S - 14/May/10 with victim of mathematics
Hidden - Lead O/S - 09/May/10
Thought this climb was Baywatch when I climbed it and only found out after what it was. Still felt like a VS 5a although maybe felt a little committing on first move for a VS.A Snow Man - Lead O/S - 09/May/10 with Owl man
A Snow Man - Lead O/S - 2010 with Owl man
First ascent. A bit fluttery, but well pleased.Tom Last - Lead O/S - 25/Apr/08 with Nick and Chester
crobinson - Apr/08 with Tom Last


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Moscow Ballet supports the troops with a military discount!
Moscow Ballet is proud to announce the Great Russian Nutcracker Military Discount for those serving in the Armed Forces, a longstanding Moscow Ballet tradition. Honored active and retired members of the U.S. military save up to $12.50 perticket by presenting their military ID at theater box office up to 24 hours prior to performance. Only one discount per ticket, discount cannot be combined with other offers or discounts; there are no discounts on VIP and PlatinumExperience tickets.
Cities with Great Russian Nutcracker performances and large military communities include but are not limited to: Baltimore, Bethesda, Cupertino, Denver, Detroit, El Paso, N. Charleston, New Orleans, Chicago/Rosemont, San Antonio, San Diego, Shreveport, St Petersburg/Tampa Bay, Tucson and Virginia Beach.
Click to find Your City's performance information
"Sergey Chumakov and Elena Petrachenko… earned seven ovations during the four-minute Arabian Divertissement… the most impressive divertissement" Jackson Free Press, Jackson MI – home of the only North American International Ballet Competition (IBC), , Briana Robinson 2012


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
I think one of the things that exacerbates this problem is that the meat of the meaningful content exists strictly within dungeons / raids and BGs / Arena currently. There's a lot of vertical progression but very little horizontal - you're always rising, but you're never stretching, moving around.
The idea of the Pet Battle system is actually a decent example of a new type of meaningful content, where the method of progression (collecting pets & pet abilities) is completely separate from gear, and so changes to any gear-related content have no effect on it. Wether or not pet battles will actually turn out to be an enjoyable thing is yet to be seen.
While the Crusader's Coliseum is mostly unremarkable, it too has potential in becoming new content. It could be a PVE arena of sorts, where you and two friends must rise through the ranks and conquer many different kinds of challenges, like a fight where healing is needed but each heal causes your max hp to drop by x%, or a fight where you have to chuck bombs into the audience to blow down corpses that you use to distract a hungry one-shotting Abomination.
There's probably more examples, but it really boils down to WoW needing to grow out instead of up all the time.


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pair of pillowcases
What materials did you use?
Cotton fabric and embroidery floss.
What are you most proud of?
The embroidery came out well
What advice would you give someone starting this project?
Very easy technique. Be careful on French seams
Need Help? Visit our Help Center.
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- Pensions@UCL
0207 679 1999
- Payroll@UCL
0203 108 3101
0207 679 1843
- Occupational Health@UCL
0207 679 2802
- Staff Development@UCL
0207 679 1921
- HR Consultancy@UCL
- HR Systems@UCL
- Equalities@UCL
0203 108 3991
- HR Process@UCL
1-19 Torrington Place
9th and 10th Floors
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Tel: +44 020 7679 1843
Purpose of Internships
Principles of an Internship
Arranging an Internship
Appendix A - Internship Voluntary Agreement
1.1 Internships are educational and career developmental opportunities providing practical experience in a field or discipline. They are structured, short-term, supervised placements often focused around particular tasks or projects with defined timescales. Interns benefit from enriched skills, achieving a contribution to a project and gaining insights and new perspectives from professionals in a discipline of work.
1.2 Internships normally refer to placements undertaken by students from further, higher or adult education courses during vacations, in between courses or when they have finished their course. They may also be undertaken by adults who wish to pursue a new career path.
1.3 Internships do not cover compulsory placements of a further or higher education course which are normally agreed between a student, university and an employer. They also do not cover short work experience placements which are normally undertaken in the last two years of compulsory schooling – please see the Work Experience Policy.
2. Principles of an Internship
2.1 Voluntary agreement
Interns are engaged on a voluntary basis and are not members of staff. There is no contractual obligation between UCL and interns and accordingly they will not receive normal employee entitlements such as a salary or annual leave.
2.2 Period of engagement and payment of expenses
Unpaid internships should last no longer than four months. Work related expenses including travel to and from the workplace must be provided to the intern by the host department. The intern should provide receipts, and the host department should arrange for it to be paid through finance.
Internships may extend beyond four months to a maximum of one year, A flat rate weekly expense allowance of £230 is provided for full time duties, either from the start of the internship, or they can receive receipted expenses for the first 4 months and then the flat rate only for the remaining duration of the internship. This flat-rate expenses payment should be made using a Form 7 via SIP and will be subject to Tax and NI. Departments are required to obtain and keep evidence of right-to-work. The worker should submit a P45 or Starter Declaration to Payroll which will determine the rate of tax to be deducted.
2.3 Work
The placement must be mutually beneficial for the intern and the department and therefore careful consideration may need to be given to the type of work to be undertaken. The work should be meaningful and provide an opportunity for interns to develop their professional skills and gain insights to the discipline of work whilst also adding value to the department. The internship Voluntary Agreement (Appendix A) should detail the work activities, timescales for completion and learning outcomes expected.
Internships must never be used to replace paid work positions or to cover regular or recurring work in a department. Where a department considers engaging someone in a paid capacity to undertake a specific role for a limited duration, this must be through a contract of employment (see Guidance on UCL contracts of employment). All such new roles must be graded using the process as outlined in the Grading Review Process Document and recruited for in the normal way.
3.1 Recruitment
Internship opportunities should be publicised to enable fair and equal access to all candidates. The opportunities may be placed on departmental websites and with the UCL Union or UCL Talent Bank and will normally outline: the internship project and duties, skills required, start date, duration, weekly hours and location. Interns should be selected on the basis of their skills to perform the project and may be interviewed if necessary. Once a candidate is selected, the internship Voluntary Agreement (Appendix A) should be completed and provided to the intern. The recruitment of interns must not be discriminatory and interns should be treated with professionalism and the same duty of care as members of UCL staff.
Non EEA students may be able to be sponsored for their internship under Tier 5 (Sponsored researchers and Visiting Academics category),if the following criteria are met:
- the work experience is supernumerary and involves taking part in a research project
- the student receives the flat rate weekly expense allowance. Unpaid internships cannot be covered through this route.
Please see the HR Immigration pages for information on how to apply for a Tier 5 certificate of sponsorship.
3.2 Supervision
The host department must nominate a supervisor for the intern who should maintain regular contact, give necessary support and provide regular feedback on performance.
3.3 Induction
The supervisor is responsible for providing an induction including relevant information about the department, an explanation of the project/tasks and timescales for completion. Inductions will also need to address practical issues including; health and safety, working with children where applicable, confidentiality and access to IS systems.
3.4 Health and Safety
Before the internship commences, a health and safety risk assessment must be undertaken; identifying measures to be taken to control or eliminate risks. A health and safety induction should be conducted by the Departmental Safety Officer or Safety Representative on the intern's first day and be recorded on the Work Experience Induction Checklist.
3.5 Working with Children or Vulnerable Adults
Interns are not normally expected to work with children/vulnerable adults. Where this is the case, they must be made aware of the need to comply with the Working with Children guidelines and the need for a possible criminal records check before the placement. Please see the DBS Policy and speak to your HR Employment Contract Administration contact if you believe a criminal record check is required.
3.6 Confidentiality
Interns must be informed of their responsibilities to maintain confidentiality of UCL data and information where such information is not already within the public domain and is indicated or understood to be confidential.
The department must meet their responsibilities for the intern's personal data under the Data Protection Policy by keeping personal details secure and destroying them no longer than 12 months after the placement ceases.
3.7 Access to IS systems
If the nature of the work requires access to IS systems, the intern may be given a temporary visitor IS account. Normally Departmental Administrators will be able to use the UCL Services System to request and revoke access to UCL services for visitors. The costs incurred in setting up and closing the account will be chargeable to the host department. The UCL Information Security Policy must be provided to interns granted IS access and their work must be closely monitored.
3.8 Visitors Card
Arrangements must be made to obtain a temporary visitors card for the intern from security systems.
3.9 Public Liability
UCL's public liability insurance policy covers those conducting voluntary work.
If the individual is registered via the UCL visitor system, they will automatically be covered by UCL's insurance. If for any reason they are not registered via the visitor system, the host department must forward the name of the intern, duration of the internship and brief description of the duties to the Insurance Manager, Finance Division.
Upon completion of the internship, the supervisor should meet with the intern to conduct a final review of performance and to obtain the interns' views on the placement. A reference letter should be provided to the intern summarising the purpose of the internship, the work completed and the skills developed.
HR Policy and Planning
Updated December 2011
Appendix A - Internship Agreement
Please download the agreement by clicking on the link below.
Download Internship Voluntary Agreement


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Gabrielle Union talks Planned Parenthood via Womanist Musings
Childfree or Die Hard: Snappy Comebacks to Inappropriate Questions by Pile of Monkeys
Sarah Palin Sexism Watch, Part 29 by Melissa McEwan
D.W.B. (Marc's 'Skippy' Gates moment) by The Field Negro
Gender 'Jim Crow' by Ta-Nehisi Coates
How Chris Brown is Effing Up My Sex Life: A B-Side to Dating While Feminist on Crunk Feminist Collective
The Battle Hymn of a Dangerous Black Woman by SharkFu
What were some of the best posts, articles and videos your encountered this week? Leave your links in the comments. (Self-promotion encouraged.)


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Movie News
Bruce, Jai, And Guns!! An Image From A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD!!
EW has an official photo of Bruce Willis and Jai Courtney as John and John McClane, Jr (aka 'Jake') from A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD, the upcoming fifth installment in the DIE HARD franchise. This one's from director John Moore (MAX PAYNE, BEHIND ENEMY LINES).
The film finds the McClane boys in Russia and, of course, getting into trouble. Not surprisingly, guns are involved.
Anyone craving an admittedly all-too-brief dose of good, old-fashioned, primal Willis whoop-ass should go see LOOPER. There's a moment towards the end of the film which'll strongly evoke the badassity immortalized by Willis in the early DIE HARD films...and it'll leave you craving more. Will this film give us more? We'll see when it releases Valentine's Day next year.
Glen Oliver
Readers Talkbackcomments powered by Disqus
+ Expand All
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:15 a.m. CST
by JediRob
That is all.
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:16 a.m. CST
Teal and Orange Much?
by Twisk
Good lord that makes me wanna puke.
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:17 a.m. CST
Ironic that the "Die Hard" franchise won't die.
by dr sauch
Bruce is still a great actor and super relevant, he doesn't need to be flogging this franchise anymore.
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:18 a.m. CST
I'll probably get slaughtered for this...
by Mikey Wood
...but I thought LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD was the best DIE HARD movie since the original DIE HARD. So, yeah, I'm curious to see where this one goes. I'd like to see some more from Bonnie Bedelia's Holly Genero McClane. Too bad Junior inherited his dad's hairline.
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:19 a.m. CST
Willis gotta eat!
by Judge Briggs
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:19 a.m. CST
by KyleG
I wish someone would teach actors how to how firearms properly. At least they're practicing proper trigger control! I have hopes that this won't suck, but I'm pretty sure it will.
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:20 a.m. CST
I'm in but the villains...
by Andrew Coleman
Need to have an edge to them. In Die Hard you never feel like Bruce has the upper hand. In Die Hard 2 the bad guys literally beat the shit out of him at every turn. Die Hard 3 he's constantly playing a game and can never really grab control. In Die Hard 4 he basically is always with the bad guys step by step. The villains never come off as very dangerous. The concept of geeks who hire French mercenaries isn't exactly very threatening. If this movie just has bad guys who are at least somewhat of a threat I'm sure I'll enjoy this.
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:22 a.m. CST
Looper, Looper everywhere! But...
by Valaquen
... nary a mention of Dredd.
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:25 a.m. CST
Die Hard 4 villains was easily summed up by Bruce Willis
by shutupfanboy
"Timmy O. is playing him like a pussy." And thats all you need to know about Die Hard 4 and to some degree Justified.
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:27 a.m. CST
The trailer will be on Taken 2 this weekend
by ShiftyEyedDog
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:29 a.m. CST
This better not Motherfu(GUNSHOT) Suck!!!
by GravyAkira
I have a VERY bad feeling about this one.
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:30 a.m. CST
Because DREDD stunk.
by Mikey Wood
I'm a big fan of Judge Dredd. Have been since I read a friend's first three collected editions when I was twelve years old (I'm 39 now). I didn't enjoy DREDD. It got many things "right" but it was a brainless, wit-less two hour gun-fight. I hate to say this: I think I enjoyed the Stallone one more. There. I said it.
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:35 a.m. CST
I agree with Nope.
by j
Are there film industry plants permanently assigned, 24-7, to AICN? Shilling orifice sucking BS opinions on the worst examples of retail films as near to the top of threads as possible? Control the first 10 posts and you control the discussion? Are they paid on commission? Anyway... Junior looks like a Euro-villain and bears not even a passing resemblance to his dad. Would have been cool if they had Joseph Gordon-Levitt in his Looper makeup play the part. Sorry. This cant support a serious discussion for me.
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:36 a.m. CST
valquen, indeed, Dredd needs more support
by FreeBeer
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:36 a.m. CST
After the first three Die Hards, Bruce gets a lifetime pass to keep pumping these out
by I_Snake_Plissken
In truth, he had me at "Moonlighting."
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:51 a.m. CST
Yippie Kai-Yay, Mr. Falcon
by Nasty In The Pasty
Any word on an R rating? And will MEW be back?
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:51 a.m. CST
Get Bruce in here for a Stallone type lovefest chat...
by DidntPullOutInTimeCop
...oh wait...
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:55 a.m. CST
Junior will probably be a total douchebag.
by Mr. Pricklepants
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:58 a.m. CST
Regarding Dredd.......
by ChiefRoberts
....You fuckin Yanks bitch n moan that there's not enough 'Hard R' rated action films. Then one comes along that's decent and you all fuckin ignore it! More Twilight and Hunger Games it is then Hollywood! Fuckety Bye!
Oct. 3, 2012, 10:02 a.m. CST
A Good Day For This Franchise To Die Hard...
by Darkness
It ended with "A Vengeance" and will remain that way. Now they are just finding more ludicrous situations for the vested one. John Maclane must lead one fucked up life. Now he's roped his kids into it. From the director of "Max Payne" and "The Omen (2006)"...say no more.
Oct. 3, 2012, 10:02 a.m. CST
chiefroberts...it's sad. nobody has the right to say "Hard R or Get The Fuck Out" anymore. If y'all supported Hard R, they'd make Hard R
by FreeBeer
Oct. 3, 2012, 10:11 a.m. CST
Wait, the other guy's name is "Hi Courtney" pronounced phonetically?
by John Doe
Oct. 3, 2012, 10:13 a.m. CST
I missed out on $300...
by Loosejerk
our local hard rock station does this "Under Pressure" game in the mornings where you have to be caller number X and then answer a three answer question in 5 seconds or less. I got through recently and it was "Name 3 of the actors who portrayed main villians in the Die Hard movies". I got Rickman and Irons. I couldn't pull Olyphant out of my rear for the third. Funny thing is that I've probably watched Die Hard 2 most out of the movies and that was the actor (Sadler) I had no clue on. I know the other character parts he has had, but not his name. I wonder if I'd won if I said John Amos?
Oct. 3, 2012, 10:24 a.m. CST
Jake McClane - John's 'Bad Ass Son' FUCK OFF TOM ROTHMAN YOU TALENTLESS PRICK!
by 5secondfuse
The last Die Hard to Live Free or whatever weak bullshit it was called was an abomination. A lame PG13 pussy whipped no balls no blood pile of Len Wiseman shite. The plot was shit, the action scenes might have looked shiny but there was zero excitement or tension. It didn't even look like any of the previous movies which I still class as a trilogy. As for the villain..........devoid of anything that makes even an average villain. Shockingly piss poor. Now were supposed to swallow a Valentines Day Die Hard?.................. Are you fucking kidding me? Tom Rothman........Go FUCK YOURSELF you no talent suit brown nosing useless gimp.
Oct. 3, 2012, 10:27 a.m. CST
That assault rifle will magically turn into a beretta every time McClane fires
by Christian Sylvain
It's a secret cop trick.
Oct. 3, 2012, 10:35 a.m. CST
Willis don't need no help!
by moonlightdrive
Hopefully he will have to shoot his son dead in the first act or in any case, his son dies somehow leaving John OG to go it alone.
Oct. 3, 2012, 10:38 a.m. CST
There's absolutely nothing that doesn't just scream mediocrity about this
by TheSeeker7
And that's really tough to reconcile, given John McClane might very well be my favorite film character of all time. It seems like they took the fact that DH4 just happened to have the biggest box office take of the franchise as a sign that they should strive to basically just repeat it. They give McClane a young sidekick (AGAIN), an actor I've never even heard of, and the very definition of a bland, studio for-hire director. ugh.
Oct. 3, 2012, 11 a.m. CST
Jake McClane > Jake Lloyd > Mutt Williams
by kindofabigdeal
Oct. 3, 2012, 11:24 a.m. CST
This need that Hollywood has to put a young guy with a established aged action star formula doesn't work. Indy 4 Die hard 4 proved that. Whether its to pass the baton or re introduce a character to a new generation feels forced and unnecessary. Just rebo
by Cedric Ford
Oct. 3, 2012, 11:28 a.m. CST
Loved the original Die Hard; will always look forward to sequels. But Valentine's Day?
by DadTimesTwo
Oct. 3, 2012, 11:29 a.m. CST
Valentine's Day is NOT a good day to Die Hard
by DadTimesTwo
Oct. 3, 2012, 11:36 a.m. CST
John Moore is a fucking charlatan!
by Suolas
Who in their right mind allowed this fecking garbage spewing "director" behind a camera again?! This arsehole's from my country and even I can't stand his work. He's in the same lower class league as that turd Jonathan Mostow and is #2 only to Uwe Boll.
Oct. 3, 2012, 11:38 a.m. CST
"Looper" was a dvd rental at best.
by Shaun1138
I went and watched "Looper" it was not very good at all. It felt like a sci fy flick crossed with a wanna be Terence Mallick film. It "Tried Hard", but was boring. The pacing was just off. The acting was solid all around and the fx make-up on JGL was awesome.....but it failed. I mean come on....who would drive a 2009 Ford F-150 in the year 2044? They didn't have the budget to do an all out sci-fi so they just settled with a farm house. Bad. I love all the "Die Hards" in their own respected way. I am sure I will like this one, but after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of shit father/so movie.......not sure I want to see this one. The only way this film will work for me is if John dies......yes I said it. Kill off Bruce and put character to rest. Give me more Bruce in more original content.
Oct. 3, 2012, 11:53 a.m. CST
shutupfanboy - I could think of a few adjectives to call Olyphant's character on Justified, but pussy's not one of them.
by openthepodbaydoorshal
A bit pussy whipped, yes.
Oct. 3, 2012, 11:58 a.m. CST
Enough already
by D o o d
no more Die Hards please, you can't get it right!
Oct. 3, 2012, 12:02 p.m. CST
i_snake_plissken - Willis had me at Seagraaam's Wine Cooler
by openthepodbaydoorshal
.."it's wet and it's dry..my, my ,my ,my.." And one of the sneakiest product placements I've seen recently was in RED. When Willis visits Mirren, the vodka on her stand is Sobieski Vodka, the brand that Willis has a small share in.
Oct. 3, 2012, 12:21 p.m. CST
I got the biggest smile when Bruce Willis got a machine gun in looper, some of his best work involves machine guns
by JackSlater4
Oct. 3, 2012, 12:40 p.m. CST
This is only a Die Hard movie in name only
by seasider
McClane is no longer the foul mouthed cigarette smoking blue collar NYPD cop thrown into an extraordinary situation. For me this franchise died with the 3rd film.
Oct. 3, 2012, 12:44 p.m. CST
Twentieth Century Fox forget ancient chinese proverb
by kwisatzhaderach
Only John McTiernan make good Die Hard movies.
Oct. 3, 2012, 12:45 p.m. CST
watched the first 10 minutes of LForDH
by James
and refuse to watch the rest on account of the fact that it's FUCKING SHAMEFUL and I like Walter and prefer to see him in things that aren't garbage.
Oct. 3, 2012, 12:45 p.m. CST
Looks like John and Holly had a "special" baby boy.
by Pat
Perhaps there will be a scene where John and his "special" son play with water jugs in a big fountain.
Oct. 3, 2012, 1:02 p.m. CST
What a stupid idea, with the son and all that. That son of his wasn't even a small part of any of the previous movies. Makes no sense.
by MariusXe
Oct. 3, 2012, 1:07 p.m. CST
A 2009 Ford truck in 2044...
by faisal_m_ali
would be 35 years old. I see vehicles from the late 70's on the road from time to time.
Oct. 3, 2012, 1:12 p.m. CST
Valentines Day is a Good Day to Fuck Hard!
by ChakaMudd
Oct. 3, 2012, 1:52 p.m. CST
I enjoyed Looper, but...
by smackfu
I agree it couldn't decide what it wanted to be. It started out as an interesting, Blade Runner-ish mix of sci-fi and gangster noir, setup lofty expectations of time-loop mindfuckery, but didn't deliver on it, introduced a Twilight-Zone 'don't make me mad or I'll make you go away' kid but relied on some fleeting mentions of some phantom future crime boss to make him scary, which simply didn't work. I'm not scared of the Rainmaker, especially based on a single line telling me to be scared of the Rainmaker. And I guess I'm just spoiled by Primer, but when someone tells me a time travel movie is going to fuck my mind, I expect it to FUCK...MY....MIND. So it doesn't walk right the next day. The movie was overall fairly enjoyable, but ran a bit too long and lacked focus.
Oct. 3, 2012, 2:08 p.m. CST
Go back to the original formula.
by kolchak
Just because the buddy/tag-along concept worked in #3 doesn't mean that John needs a sidekick in every installment.
Oct. 3, 2012, 3:04 p.m. CST
In the next sequel, McClane will team up with the nephew of his stepbrother
by Jack Black
and in the next after that, he will team up with his girl crush in High School.
Oct. 3, 2012, 3:19 p.m. CST
At least the actor's name isn't Jai Kah Rahti. Kicks ass
by openthepodbaydoorshal
and smells great. Well, not so great.
Oct. 3, 2012, 3:22 p.m. CST
Agree on Dredd.
by Kelly Grimes
Please go check it out. There's no way it should be doing this poorly in theaters. Those of you yearning for a good old fashioned hard R movie, this is the ticket. Forget Expendables, Dredd delivered on nearly all levels.
Oct. 3, 2012, 3:34 p.m. CST
Dredd and Looper were both meh..Die hard was "kilted" with the last piece of crap
by SlyWalker
Oct. 3, 2012, 4:07 p.m. CST
I can't help but get a Crystal Skull vibe from this
by lv_426
In the sense that they will probably hand the Die Hard franchise off to the son character as the new McClane. I'm betting the next one has Mary Elizabeth Winstead as McClane's daughter, getting married to the Apple Guy and some vengeful Russians from this film team up with another Gruber to kill John McClane and son at the daughter's wedding. Die Hard at a wedding.
Oct. 3, 2012, 4:27 p.m. CST
Dredd sucked
by christpunchers2007
It's boring as hell. Sure, it's R rated but the story was too simple and the action wasn't very imaginative. I know Dredd is never supposed to take off his helmet but man, it's hard to care for the most character when he's just a walking one dimensional cardboard. Too cheesy. If you saw the trailer, that's pretty much the entire movie.
Oct. 3, 2012, 4:45 p.m. CST
In my time, this movie is already available in the Best Buy bargain bin
by jp
I have seen.
Oct. 3, 2012, 4:45 p.m. CST
Jai Courtney looks like a Ray Stevenson impersonator in that picture.
by Bill C.
That said...I still don't know about this one. Mainly for the screenwriter, Skip Woods ('Swordfish,' among others); maybe it'll surprise me, though...
Oct. 3, 2012, 6:24 p.m. CST
These days, Bruce Willis is always making the constipated face. Always, always, always.
by ajit maholtra
Oct. 3, 2012, 7:30 p.m. CST
Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ajit!
by Darth_Kong
Oct. 3, 2012, 8 p.m. CST
Helloooooooooooooooooooo darth_kong!!!
by ajit maholtra
Always great to see you my friend.
Oct. 3, 2012, 8:19 p.m. CST
Did Bruce Willis fuck a caveman? His son has a huge head!
by Fries Against
Oct. 3, 2012, 9:23 p.m. CST
no thanks
by Greg
Oct. 3, 2012, 10:23 p.m. CST
From the fucker who brought us shitty fucking Max Payne and shitty fucking Behind Enemy Lines comes another shitty fucking Die Hard Sequel!!!
by notcher
This movie just has bad written all over it. God I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt I am.
Oct. 3, 2012, 10:23 p.m. CST
I adore the first 3 films...have a grudging tolerance for no. 4. Because its Die Hard, because its McClane...this is hard to resist BUT i do not have high hopes at all. They just don't seem to get his character anymore.
by Sean
Well...some of us do.
Oct. 4, 2012, midnight CST
Bruce was great in Moonrise Kingdom.
by DarthBlart
He was funny during the end on the top of the tower. He's more Mcclane in that and Striking Distance, Last Boyscout and Pulp Fiction than in LFODH.
Oct. 4, 2012, 2:14 a.m. CST
by ChiefRoberts
Did you even see Dredd? The character development is purely about Anderson in the film. Dredd makes a statement at the start of the film then changes his mind at the end. That's his character development and if you know Dredd. Thats perfect! As for the action, I thought it blew most of the so-called 'blockbusters' we've had this summer out the water! The slo-mo sequences were beautifully conceived and shot. The trailer isn't the entire movie either. There's lots more happening and would of happened in sequels and I'm sure other 2000AD fans will be proud of this film, all acheived on a budget of $50M. Quite a feat by todays megabucks standards. The sad thing is I doubt we'll see another Judge Dredd film now ever after it's performance. i really wanted to see Chopper in a sequel and the Dark Judges would have been amazing!
Oct. 4, 2012, 6:53 a.m. CST
They Never Gave Dirty Harry A Son.
by Buzz Maverik
We didn't have Rambo Jr. running around, and where were the Terminator Nanos?
Oct. 4, 2012, 6:59 a.m. CST
Will it be a PG-13 crapfest YET AGAIN???
by Motoko Kusanagi
Or old school balls-to-the-wall R-Rated McClane happiness? Well, I guess the former, so count me out.
Oct. 4, 2012, 7:33 a.m. CST
Yeah, well, they did give Dirty Harry a chinaman sidekick.
by Aaron
Oct. 4, 2012, 8:20 a.m. CST
John McClaine & Son...A bit like Godzilla & Godzuki or Scooby & Scrappy Doo
by cameron
Utter Shite
Oct. 4, 2012, 11 a.m. CST
Why not give him a son? Superman had a kid too! Look how that worked out!
by Darth Macchio
The consensus is 100% correct: John MacLane never made it past the third film. To me, John died at the end. He used to be a modern day reluctant Indiana Jones (capable "everyman" guy getting in way over his head but managing to get through the batshit chaos surrounding him by the mere skin of his teeth) and now he's basically a superpowered ninja. He's also a belligerent dickhead to basically everybody who comes within hearing distance. That doesn't even bring up the giant clearly purposeful shit LFoDH took on geek culture (surprised more of you don't rail against it for that if nothing else). Fuck Kevin Smith for participating in his own mocking. Asshole. And WalterB came on this site...a GEEK movie website...to tell us it would "blow us through the back of the theater" blah blah blah. Willis didn't write the thing but still...I wonder if he could have stopped the complete tonal shift for his character? I wonder if he even noticed? Outside of the MacLane's history, in what way was he likeable in LFoDH? They went out of their way to make him come off like an arrogant douchebag and it worked perfectly. Congratulations asshats. You got me to hate the protagonist. Brilliant job. Just brilliant.
Oct. 4, 2012, 11:21 a.m. CST
chiefroberts...you're right
by Ultron ver 2.0
most of these assclowns crying about pg-13 and lack of hard R completely skip out on Dredd, which is a great fucking movie. Sad. And what's up with the poster saying the Stallone one was better??? Holy shit.
Oct. 4, 2012, 1:45 p.m. CST
by christpunchers2007
I don't know why you'd assume I didn't see the movie. I saw it, 3D and all. I just found it underwhelming. Some parts were just so cheesy. The movie felt confined and restricted. The only really good part was the corrupt Judges vs Dredd fights. Dredd is just too one dimensional to carry the film. So instead they gave us a very cliche rookie character - a girl who finds the beat to be too violent and gruesome, and in the end comes to terms with her true self. Not exactly creative. The action wasn't fresh at all. It played like one of the dozen videogames we get every year. Too much CGI all over the place. The only mildly cool sequences were with the slow-mo, but they overused it too much just to be "artsy". If you're going balls-deep with CGI then at least make sure the blood looks right. Mama was cool but she only had looked menacing. She didn't really wow me as some sort of grand villain. The black dude was sort of unique but it felt like we were forced to care about some very mediocre characters. Everyone else was forgettable. In Robocop even the henchmen all personalities. All of Mama's crew, minus the nerd and the black dude were extremely generic. It's hard to care when cardboards are getting blown up. I'm not saying Dredd was a bad movie. It was mildly entertaining but overall a bit of a borefest for me. It's not memorable and I don't have the urge to rewatch it. I don't think the issue with movies today is really about whether or not it's PG 13 or R. Some of the most universally praised action films didn't only get up there because of gore and blood. Giving free reign to a bad director won't fix a lousy story. Most of what worked in the past (i.e. T2, Alien/Aliens) had a good script with characters who we can identify. The director is responsible for the other half; he essentially builds on top of such a solid backbone. Dredd is missing quite a bit of both.
Oct. 4, 2012, 4:48 p.m. CST
Dredd's USA Cinematic performance...
by nobbythehappyelf
Dredd3D has been my favourite film of 2012... It was confined, and terse. It captured the source character perfectly (anyone who complains about the helmet staying on is frankly a cunt who should die horribly.) Brutal - yet artfully shot. Not a pompous waste of budget AND actually used 3D in an interesting manner. Sadly I realised that most US film geeks fall in three categories 1.) Hipster douche girly man. Who claims to be enlightened but cannot see beyond the confines o his film studies class. 2.) Retard mouth breather COD Boy. Who cannot understand the fascist pisstake faceless character of Joe Dredd and yet pisses themselves with excitement whenever Act Of valour is mentioned. 3.) Blinkered Mindset, cheeto dust covered, medically obese fan boys who only like comics where the Heros wear spandex and smite oddly helmeted foes from the funny books of their American youth. So you can bemoan PG13 remakes of 1980's classics all you want. You lot bring this on yourselves. You'll be getting bloodless, weightless crap like Total Recall and Robocop 2013 for the foreseeable now... Btw my views are not indicative of all US film-goers I know a few I you guys who do have a decent grasp of irony and the world outside of marvel/DC/über budget snorefests ! Peace and Love motherfuckers
Oct. 4, 2012, 4:50 p.m. CST
Sorry about the typos
by nobbythehappyelf
Beer, iPhone and a late night train home do not mix...
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text:
PCI Express x16, PCI Express x4 (x16 connector)?
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text:
Cubs 101 - Pt. 39 - 0 and 14
After the thrilling, unexpected run at the playoffs in 1995 and the return of Ryno in 1996, hopes were high for success that year. But the big free-agent signing, Jaime Navarro, backslid somewhat, as well as several of the performers that had, for them, career years in 1995. Hindsight being what it is, it is pretty sad that it took career years from Dunston, Grace, Navarro as well as a 30-30 year from Sosa just to win two more games than they lost. Time has also shown that the Andy MacPhail/Ed Lynch era was notable for their lip service to winning, and creating an on-field product that was competitive enough to sell tickets, yet not potent enough to actually WIN anything, thus opening them up to the risks of having to actually reward a winning team.
Nevertheless, placing ourselves in the offseason between 1996 and 1997, it was easy to believe that the spark of 1995 could return and lead to success the following year.
Moves included letting Navarro sign a free agent contract with the Sox, thus removing a clubhouse prima donna. In "return", the Cubs signed former Sox hurler Kevin Tapani. Young pitchers Steve Trachsel, Frank Castillo, Kevin Foster and Jeremy Gonzalez (aka Geremi) were given starting roles. Sosa was returning from a season-ending knee injury. The offense, which had 8 double-digit home run hitters (not counting Grace, who had 9), was expected to have punch.
The biggest off-season hole, that of closer, was addressed by the free-agent signing of Montreal's 36-save All-Star, Melaquadies "Mel" Rojas. (cue anguished screaming)
What could POSSIBLY go wrong?
The Cubs started the 1997 season with home-and-away series against Atlanta and Florida. The Braves, of course, only boasted the finest pitching staff this side of the 1970 Orioles - Smoltz, Maddux and Glavine in their ultimate prime. The fifth-year Marlins had what was called the best "young" staff in the league, with Kevin Brown, Al Leiter, Alex Fernandez and Livan Hernandez. The Fish, of course, won the whole magilla that year.
As for us, we lost all ten games in the home-and-away, only coming close twice against the Braves. We were overmatched in every game. Maddux was particularly ruthless in his start against us, dispatching us 4-0 on 91 pitches in an hour-forty-seven. We had three hits and four errors that day. We then lost two to the Rockies and two more in Shea before Kevin Foster broke through for our first win of the year. That's oh-and-fourteen to start out, and while it is true that pennants are not won in April, they sure as hell can be LOST, and by April 20th, the patient was declared dead, already 10 1/2 games out of first.
Our big expensive free-agent closer, sMel Rojas? By the time he entered a game in a "save situation", it was April 24th. At that point, Rojas owned a 7.20 ERA, which WAS down from the 27 ERA he started the season with. Of course, sMel blew his first save, giving up three hits, two runs in an inning and a third. If yer really sharp, you will note that his ERA went DOWN that day, to 7.11.
Since the season essentially ended in Mid-April, many Cubs decided they no longer had to "play nice", which led to an ugly, dysfunctional clubhouse. Brian McRae took a page out of his (more talented) daddy's playbook and threw manager Jim Riggleman under the bus for his lineup decisions. Shawon Dunston had hurt his back a few years before (allegedly by picking his child up out of a car seat) and was having serious problems moving around at short, as well as staying in the lineup. His bat was one of the few potent ones, though, and Riggleman asked him to go play center for McRae. Perhaps it was teammate loyalty, but Dunston would have no part of the outfield for most of the season, before finally submitting, playing out there for 7 games, and then getting dealt to Pittsburgh. Of course, the next year, he went to San Francisco, and had a successful run in THEIR outfield.
Trachsel turned out to be one of the first "modern" pitchers, in that he would give up 5 runs and lose a game, only to come out in the papers as saying that he "made good pitches, and only make a few mistakes." He was probably the slowest workers in the game, and as a result teammates actually performed more poorly behind him (he did have more than his share of unearned runs). Wendell always fashioned himself as a "poor man's" Bird Fidrych, brushing his teeth between innings, along with his many other ideosyncracies, which would have been cute if he was the least bit successful on the mound. And, of course, this was all topped off with Sammy Sosa Boombox of Death, with he himself seething because he wasn't as well paid or famous as he thought he should be. His contract negotiations became a major distraction that year, yet he was rewarded with a four-year deal which was one of the top two in the game.
By the time the sMel Rojas Era was over in Chicago on August 7th, he had saved 13 games, blown 8 other saves, and only once (on July 14th) did his ERA dip below 4. The crosstown Sox made headlines that year for what was called their "White Flag" trade at the July 31st deadline. They dealt the heart of their staff to the Giants for six prospects, all while they were only down 3 1/2 in their division. We, on the other hand, made our big deadline move, claiming someone named Dave Stevens off the waiver wire. We were in last place, 17 games out, and we'd be sellers, if we had anything worth selling.
Our big move came on the 7th of August, and keep in mind that all participants in this trade had to clear waivers, so it was junk-for-junk, and indeed it was: Rojas, McRae and Turk Wendell to the Mets for Lance "One Dog" Johnson and Mark Clark. And you wonder why some longtime fans of the Cubs are cynical. Our one big move of the year came after the trade deadline, when teams exchange one headache for another.
And, just to spread an extra layer of misery on an already putrid sandwich, it was obviously the end of the road for legend Sandberg. Although 1997 was Ryno's worst full year, statistically, as well as on a team record basis, he actually seemed to have better timing at the plate than his first year back. In 1996, he crushed pitchers' mistakes, but was overmatched often. By this point, however, when he caught up to a mistake pitch, he hit it for doubles.
At the end of this gawd-awful season, the only reason to watch was to follow the great man in the final leg of his run, to see if he was going out with enough dignity that Hall of Fame voters would not hold his comeback against him. A few of those suckholes did in fact cite the last two years of his career as a strike against him. Of course, time has shown that Hall of Fame voters will grab ahold of any reason to avoid voting for particular players.
When he did officially retire again, and the smoke had cleared on this abortion of a season, only three Cubs had double-digit homers, and one had just retired. Tapani pitched well when healthy, which was a rare thing in 1997. Castillo was given away, Foster suffered another of the unfortunate injuries that plagued his career (and his life, as it turned out). Crowd favorite Dunston was essentially let go, and the spark of hope for 1995 was squashed, and uncertainity and gloom yet again hovered over this franchise.
Yet on the farms, seeds were planted that would bear fruit. A young Venezuelan named Carlos Zambrano was signed in 1997. A young fireballer from Texas by the name of Kerry Lee Wood had been drafted in the first round a few years earlier and was already pitching in Triple A Iowa as a scant 19-year-old. A change in direction was slowly taking shape, and a traditionally pitching-poor franchise was about to become the strikeout capital of baseball.
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text:
Gambel oak trees mingle with
ponderosa pines, forming a canopy
over West Side Mormon Lake Road.
© Robert McDonald
>> Click on image to view
it larger in a separate window.
Editor's Note click to expand
For more scenic
drives, pick up a copy
of our book, The Back
Roads. Now in its fifth
edition, the book
($19.95) features 40
of the state's most
scenic drives.
To order a copy, call
or click here.
West Side Mormon Lake RoadSpindles of aspens intersperse with ponderosa pines along this 15-mile dirt road, which winds from Mormon Lake to Munds Park.
By Leah Duran
"Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world." So wrote the prolific adventurer and naturalist John Muir. If you're headed south from Flagstaff and want to prolong your stay in the pines, try West Side Mormon Lake Road (Forest Road 90). The ponderosas framing this 15-mile graded dirt road to Munds Park may not unlock fantasy worlds such as Narnia, but they will open myriad doorways to the mountains, where the magic of scent, shade and scenery prevail.
As a bonus, begin your journey just south of Flagstaff at Lake Mary Road (Exit 339 off Interstate 17). The next 26 miles are scenic in their own right, with panoramic views of Lower and Upper Lake Mary — azure pools topped with lime-green patches and surrounded by indigo peaks. The lakes, created by twin dams in 1907, are named for the daughter of Flagstaff pioneer Timothy Riordan. Watch for bald eagles and ospreys that hunt near the water.
Follow the sign toward Dairy Springs Campground, and turn right onto West Side Mormon Lake Road. Drive slowly on the paved portion of the road as it meanders for 2 miles toward the small town of Mormon Lake Village. Be mindful of pedestrians, horseback-riders and campers.
Look for Dairy Springs Campground, where Mormon settlers started a dairy farm in the late 1870s. The asphalt surrenders to dirt 3 miles later at Forest Road 240. Turn right a few seconds before you get to the sign for Mile Marker 5. The bumpy road immediately angles uphill and crosses stands of Gambel oaks. After a mile, glance left for a clear view of ponderosas stretching to the horizon. Keep your eyes open for ATV users, who frequent the windy roads and surrounding forest. If you're lucky, you might also spot elk.
Pass a cattle guard and follow the road as it levels to the intersection of Forest Road 132A toward Mormon Mountain. Keep left to stay on FR 240. Another mile ahead, spindles of aspens intersperse with pines and create white gates to lower elevations. As sharp curves wend downhill, drive only as fast as your eyes can feast on fallen trees and the shrub-like New Mexico locust.
After 9 miles, continue right on FR 240 as it passes a farmhouse and spills onto spacious meadows. Crooked wooden fence posts guard wildflowers in the summer and the feathery-tipped grass known as foxtail barley. The next 6 miles make up a flat, easy drive through prairie lowlands frequented by pronghorns. The mahogany-colored road passes around the backside of the farmhouse and meets with Forest Road 700. Follow FR 240 to the secluded Casner Park, named in honor of horse rancher Mose Casner, who lived near these quiet meadows in the 1880s. Here, mountain bluebirds flit between the pines, rustling the needles along with the breeze.
Steer over several humble hills and a dry wash to an iron gate, which marks FR 240's transition to a paved road called Pinewood Boulevard. The entrance to I-17 is about 2 miles down the road. The well-manicured suburbs of Munds Park offer gas, food and a farewell glance at the pine-studded portals into the mountains.
Tour Guideclick to expand
Note: Mileages are approximate.
Length: 15 miles one way
Directions: From Flagstaff, go southeast on Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3) for approximately 26 miles past Lower and Upper Lake Mary. About 3 miles after the intersection leading to Pine Grove Campground (Forest Road 651), turn right onto West Side Mormon Lake Road (FR 90). After passing Dairy Springs Campground, bear right onto FR 240 and continue to Munds Park and Interstate 17.
Vehicle requirements: Accessible to all vehicles.
Warning:Back-road travel can be hazardous, so beware of weather and road conditions. Carry plenty of water. Don't travel alone, and let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return.
Information: Mormon Lake District, 928-774-1147 or www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino
Travelers in Arizona can visit www.az511.gov or dial 511 to get information on road closures, construction, delays, weather and more.
>> Back to Scenic Drives Archive


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Seth Rogen is known for his comedy flicks and his tendency to crack jokes, so it should come as no surprise that when Rogen headed to Capitol Hill to testify at a Senate hearing on Alzheimer's research he brought his sense of humor with him.
But Rogen wasn't laughing at the lack of senators in the room during his speech. The actor took to Twitter to call out the 16 senators who left before his testimony or did not attend, according to The Independent.
Rogen specifically called out Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), who tweeted a picture with the comedy star and thanked him for his testimony.
To further prove his point, the actor tweeted a photo of the empty chairs at the hearing.
Still, Rogen delivered a heartfelt speech—with a few jokes thrown in.
"Thank you for the opportunity to testify today and for the opportunity for me to be called an expert at something because that's cool," Rogen said as he began his testimony. "Yes, I am aware that this has nothing to do with the legalization of marijuana. In fact, if you can believe it, this concerns something I find even more important."
He also made fun of Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) for not seeing his film "Knocked Up."
He then launched into an emotional story about his mother-in-law, who began showing signs on early-onset Alzheimer's disease at 55 years old. He shared that his wife's mother was unable to "speak, feed herself, dress herself, all by age of 60."
"The situation is so dire, that it caused me, a lazy, self-involved, generally self-medicated man-child, to start an entire charity organization," he said, explaining that he launched Hilarity for Charity to raise money for research and for families struggling with the illness.
Rogen said he hopes in the future increased funding for Alzheimer's research will make charities like his unnecessary.
"I came here today for few reasons. One I'm a huge "House of Cards" fan. ... Two, people need more help. I've personally witnessed the massive amount of financial strain this disease causes...
"The third reason I'm here, simply, is to show people that they're not alone. So few people share their personal stories. So few people have something to relate to. I know that if me and my wife saw somebody like me talking about this, we would feel less alone."
Fellow actor Ben Affleck was also in Washington DC Wednesday, speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the Congo.
Affleck, who has made nine trips to Congo, expressed cautious optimism about the outlook for the African nation while imploring lawmakers to remain diligent.
"The accomplishments over the last year were hard fought, but they are fragile and they are reversible," Affleck told a packed hearing room.
The Washington Post reported that Rogen was surprised when reporters informed him that Affleck was also on Capitol Hill and speaking about the Congo. When asked who the better advocate was Rogen quipped, "I don't know, does he live there?"
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
SOURCE: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2014/02/27/seth-rogen-talks-about-alzheimers-disease-at-senate-hearing-calls-out-senators/
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Advancing Equality for All Israelis
Israel's Declaration of Independence establishes a state that ensures "complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex." NIF works to transform that ideal into reality.
Jewish and Arab Fans Join Together to Kick Racism Out of Soccer
Dozens of Arab and Jewish fans met before the opening match of Israel's new soccer season to prepare anti-racism banners. The fans of Hapoel Tel Aviv and from the Arab city of Sakhnin also discussed the need for shared society and tolerance. The fans' banners were prevalent in the stands as the players came onto the field wearing "Football for All" shirts in Arabic, Hebrew, and English. The players then kicked "Respect" balls, donated by the Union of European Football Associations, into the crowd.
Landmark Ruling on Refugees in Israel
Asaf Weitzen, 34, is a lawyer with Hotline for Migrant Workers, one of the petitioners in the historic Supreme Court case challenging the Anti-Infiltration Law, which incarcerated more than 2000 African refugees without due process or recourse to the possibility of asylum. Following the verdict, NIF spoke to him to get his reaction to the landmark victory.
Breakthrough for Movement for Freedom of Information
In a victory for transparent government, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni has announced that government dealings with private groups will now be made public.
Activist Celebrates Legal Victory Against Extremist Group
Following Im Tirtzu's outrageous and personal smear campaign against the New Israel Fund and progressive organizations in Israel in 2010, a group of eight activists began a facebook page called 'Im Tirtzu is a Fascist movement.' Alleging that the term "fascist" constituted libel, and in an undisguised attempt to shut down criticism of their goals and activities, Im Tirtzu took the activists to court. And lost. Following the Jerusalem District Court's ruling last week, which rejected almost all charges against the activists and which characterized Im Tirtzu as having "fascist attributes" NIF spoke to defendant Edan Ring about his reactions to the victory.
"It's accessibility to life"
A course for Israelis with disabilities has given Bosmat Nakash a new start on life.
Read More...
Breakthrough for Movement for Freedom of Information
In a victory for democracy, government dealings with private groups will now be made public. Read More...
Increased Transparency for Knesset Hearings
A request from NIF grantee the Social Guard will, for the first time, obligate roll calls for Knesset committees. Read More...


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1966 Chrysler New Yorker TWO DOOR HARDTOP COUPE, This is an excellent project or parts car because the body is perfectly straight, and dent and... More
1949 Chrysler Windsor for sale. Its equipped with a spitfire v-6 and a three speed transmission. Started as a rat rod restoration but quickly... More


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Preventative care is a huge part of primary care — talking about how your diet factors into your health, how your exercise habits, how your stress management, how even your sleep can factor into your health.
I think a lot of my patients just need for their health to be explained in a very straightforward, simple fashion so that they can process and understand the test results, the diagnoses. And sometimes it's really helpful for me to just sit down with a patient, and talk about what the specialist said, what the specialist did, what test results came from the specialist. And it really puts a patient at ease to have a better understanding of what all those numbers mean. A lot of it is just helping them process the information.


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Narrow your search
Seagate has hit an industry milestone today with the announcement that it has begun shipping the world's fastest 6TB 3.5-inch hard disk drive in Australia.
The new thin, low-power hard drive is designed specifically for mobile devices.
The new drive offers a low-cost alternative to SSDs and is targeted for use in its OEM partners' ultrathin notebooks and tablets.
Seagate announces the availability of its 4TB Desktop HDD internal hard drive that offers capacity and performance at a lower cost.
Looking for a standard 2.5-inch hard drive that offers 500GB but is just 5mm thick? Seagate's $89 Laptop Ultrathin HDD is the answer.
The updated Satellite C, L, and P notebooks from Toshiba are set to make their debut in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines.
Think, McFly, think! What's a crazy-fun way to cover the theme from the 1980s classic sci-fi comedy flick "Back to the Future"? With disk drives, of course.
We've taken a look through the catalogues and we've selected the best retail deals for the week.
At launch, the new Intel SSD 730 Series makes a very good internal drive choice for your computer, but it'll become a better value when its street price drops below the current suggested retail price.
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Apple's latest desktop has been taken apart, and the bad news is it's not easy to put back together.


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Way too many jewelry and fur stores at all ports except Icy Strait Point. Don't waste your money on a tour of Juneau (there are three things pointed out) - The Mendenhall Glacier was very interesting. Skagway - the train ride up to the pass was a very pleasant excursion (no food provided, only bottled water)
Icy Strait Point was the highlight of the cruise. The Tlingit tribe controls this port - they only allow one ship a day here, so now overcrowded. NO JEWELRY STORES OR MAJOR SHOPPING> Lots of nice excursions - We did a whale watching excursion leaving at 10 AMish and saw thirty humpback whales. Also a great spot for lunch is the Crab Shack on the pier - a huge Dungess crab - steamed - for $26. Can get a beer and enjoy right on the dock - easy to pick!
Then rode the zip-line - what a rush! Over a mile long and comes down the mountain side from 1800 feet up. Really fun but over too soon.
Hubbard Glacier was amazing - the ice was so blue and we saw several instances of calving.
Seward to Anchorage - spend the money for the train - a very nice trip mainly through the back country. It goes directly from the ship dock in Seward to the Anchorage Airport (talk about great planning)
Onboard ship the best place to eat is the specialty restaurant (I called it the Italian restaurant) - well worth the $20 (including tip) fee - the Chop House rather ordinary by comparison.


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Posts tagged:TAILORING
I believe a man should have color in his imagination, character and his clothes.Considering my proudly conservative wardrobe, I find bright and loud colored items very desperate and gaudy, yet occasionally I find it very refreshing
Pink and green. Outside my stubborn fixation on conservative colors, pairing these two have got to be favorite color combo. I love this combo so much there is not week that I don't pair these two; either via my shirt and tie or shirt and pocket square or in my extreme state shirt and socks.
In the 1920's themed TV show Boardwalk Empire, celebrated actor John Buscemi plays the role of one the most immaculately dressed gangsters to ever grace TV. Before all hours killed on the couch held captivate by the well put together costume of the show, I'll admit had a shallow appreciation for detail and accessorizing. Knucky Thompson, the shows leading character played John Buscemi, has single handedly defined the meaning of a well dressed man. My infatuation with his character's wardrobe has suddenly sparked an acute eye for lapel pins, waist coats and collar tab shirts paired with flamboyant paisley printed silk ties. I use to hold the view that men in the 50's represented the peak of menswear but the men of the 20's blow them out of the water without breaking a sweat. John Buscemi's character has a knack of channeling bold colors in a way that has got reaching out for my pink shirts and purple printed ties, which is rather surprising for a gentleman whose idea of dancing on the edge of style is employing just two patterns in an ensemble. Thank you Mr. Knucky Thomson Allen x
About a month ago I picked up this beautiful TM Lewin three button navy suit during one of my thrifting rendezvous.Initially i wrote it off as a bad impulse buy until a liitle inspiration fairy flew my way. The three button cut on this little beauty gave a little room in the shoulder ,but I figured once it was my size it would probably work out if my tailor and the laundry guys had a go at it, I was so dead wrong.
Notch Lapel seersucker jacket by Hackett, Shirt by TM Lewin, Gray pants by Jack Reid, Vintage Suspenders and Tassel loafers by Johnston & Murphy


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Stan Bowman's Summer of Standing Pat and Readers' Mailbag
Al Cimaglia | Jul 30, 2012 | Comments 0
CHICAGO (FOX Chicago News) -
So far it has been a summer of inactivity for Blackhawk GM Stan Bowman. Many fans are left bewildered by the failed attempts to acquire big name free agents and a reluctance, or inability, to pull off a significant trade. It would be best for those fretting about next season to just enjoy the remainder of the summer.
Bowman did make a nice value pick up with the signing of free agent defender Sheldon Brookbank, formerly of the Anaheim Ducks. Brookbank brings some size and physicality to the Hawks blue line and has shown the ability to play significant minutes. The good news is Brookbank can play 15 minutes or more a night. The bad news is that won't mean much if Joel Quenneville sticks to his habit of seldom playing third pairing defensemen.
The point was made here many times last season the Hawks were a disjointed group which often couldn't play consistent, effective hockey. We will find out in the fall if the supposed rift between Bowman and Quenneville is over and if newly signed assistant coach Jamie Kompon will make a difference.
As for the rest of the summer, let me share a saying that was printed on a sign in front of a business in my neighborhood. To those who wait, keep in mind all that will be left is what those who hustled didn't want. There really aren't any UFA's left that would excite most fans. To make a big impact, Bowman would have to make a trade.
For now, the Blackhawks are aware fans are concerned but Bowman's actions thus far indicate he is comfortable to begin his season with the current group.
This will be my last article until training camp begins and hopefully CBA problems won't delay the start of the season. I would like to thank everyone that has followed me on MyFoxChicago.com and to all who have read my articles faithfully for years. Below are some questions submitted by some very sharp Blackhawk fans that I not only enjoy interacting with but who always keep me on my toes.
The questions selected came from the Chicago area, from other parts of the U.S. and as far away as Poland.
"Is it more that the 'hotness' of Chicago has worn down since their re-emergence and other teams have taken over the 'hotness' factor? Or has Chicago somehow gained a reputation as a place to actually avoid under the current command?" – Tom (shruew)
The picture painted on a Hockey Night in Canada telecast during the playoffs about a dysfunctional front office wasn't flattering. It was confirmed in a way by Bowman with his remarks about the coaching staff and surely that hasn't helped.
In the last few years, there has been a lot of player turnover and people have left management positions to join other franchises, so stories will get out. To be frank, there was unflattering chatter going around the NHL ever since Dale Tallon was dismissed/reassigned, but winning quiets controversy.
We all believe Chicago is a great city but there is more involved in a free agent decision as to where to sign than great restaurants. The Blackhawks made a splash with Brian Campbell's mega-contract which included a bad team premium; same way with Cristobal Huet. There was a time free agents would avoid coming here, not making the playoffs and playing in front of sparse crowds matter. For many years, the Hawks couldn't attract big name free agents. Maybe we feel the choice for some is more obvious now than is actually the case.
Possibly, after winning a Cup, Rocky Wirtz feels the Hawks should be a destination of choice. Fans probably agree with Wirtz and feel if the money offered is similar the Hawks should be the place. In reality, there are many choices for sought after free agents these days and the Hawks have a highly paid core already in place.
I wouldn't say the Blackhawks have become a franchise to avoid but there has been some bad press which won't help in a very competitive environment.
"Do you think entering 2012/13 season with slightly tweaked roster is a sign of indolence from GM or is there a method in his madness? Is there any hope this group of people can keep Toews and Kane onboard two years from now when they hit free agency?" – Jacek Kasprzyk
It would be unfair to criticize Bowman as being asleep but in my view, he has chosen to do very little. If the Hawks don't make a long playoff run in 2013, this will be the second consecutive wasted season. I can't fault Bowman for the campaign following the Stanley Cup.
To make a meaningful trade, Bowman would have to most likely part with prospects from the 2011 Draft Class. So far he has held onto every draft pick he has ever made. I thought the Hawks would make a big trade this summer but evidently Bowman must have high expectations of the current group.
Maybe Brandon Saad will have to be a Calder Trophy Finalist in addition to a lot of good luck for the current group to be a strong Cup contender. For now it would be best to characterize Bowman as content. Time will tell if his current strategy is correct. If things don't go according to plan I would suspect the Hawks will make changes sooner than later.
I don't see Jonathan Toews leaving Chicago unless someday he wants out. As for Patrick Kane, his long-term future here is much more uncertain.
"What do you think of inviting Dominik Hasek for a tryout like we did for Emery?" – Milton Passon
To answer your question directly about Dominik Hasek, I would say no way.
I don't think Bowman has had any real intention in upgrading his goal tending tandem this summer. My thinking is the interest in acquiring Marty Brodeur was more for show than anything else. If goaltending was high up on Bowman's list of fixes, Ray Emery would not have been resigned so soon and other options would have been explored.
Corey Crawford was the chosen one of the Hawks front office when Antti Niemi wasn't resigned. Yes, the Hawks were in a tight cap bind in 2010 but there were other choices which could have been made. Niemi could have been resigned for the same $2 million the San Jose Sharks gave him because the offer was more than 10 percent below the arbitration award amount.
The point in bringing up ancient history again is because Hawk management was all in on Crawford, who they drafted and developed for a number of years. They won't stay with him forever but he will be given every opportunity to succeed, at least during the first few months of this season.
"Is poor coaching to blame for having a poor power play and penalty killing unit and do you agree with the Jamie Kompon hiring?" – Mark Salerno
Sub-par coaching is a significant factor in having poor special teams. It is not only using the correct scheme but also choosing the right personnel. Coach Q didn't have a great season last year and his hand dealt by Bowman wasn't as good as it could have been. So Q stuck with things which didn't work and also stayed with many of the same players despite their poor performances. From Quenneville's remarks earlier in the summer, he may not be as tole rent of poor efforts and ice time could be reduced for some of the bigger names.
The head coach's biggest influence over a player is by dictating playing time. The GM must supply the correct personnel so the head coach can succeed. Duncan Keith should not be on the first team power play if his shooting percentage in no better than the 2.5 percent of last season.
I won't criticize the Kompon hiring yet. Sticking to what I have heard, nothing he accomplished in the past leads me to believe the special teams will significantly improve upon his arrival. Kompon's qualifications do check every box for the person who hired him, Quenneville.
Kompon has a past connection with Quenneville and is someone he can trust. In my view, Quenneville wasn't going to hire a big name who could eventually replace him. In the beginning, Kompon will have to negotiate some rough waters because Mike Haviland was very well thought of by the players who have been here the longest.
To continue reading click here.
To follow me on Twitter @AlCimaglia
Comments can be posted on My Fox Chicago.com
Filed Under: Chicago Blackhawks • Featured • Featured Rumors • NHL • Senior Correspondents
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You Should Consider Buying One of These Restaurants
Phillip is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
With food costs set to soar by 3%-5% this year, restaurants that are able to lower expenses or drive up prices without losing customer will come out on top. The relatively low barriers to entry in the industry put pressure on these companies to price their menu items attractively, something that can be hard to do with the current food-cost woes.
Texas Roundhouse faces pressure from rising beef prices
Texas Roadhouse (NASDAQ: TXRH) is in the mid-tier of prices for a meal, and increasing food costs could have the restaurant driving up its prices. Any increase could deter people from buying the company's steaks and have them going to a butcher instead.
The steakhouse is more vulnerable to increased operating expenses than many other restaurants because of rising feed costs for livestock. This increases the price that the restaurant pays for its steaks. Feed cost inflation is pegged at 6.5% this year, which is in addition to a 6.4% increase in 2012 and a 3.5% increase in 2011.
Analysts don't agree that the company will struggle. They believe that the firm will increase its revenue by 12.7% this year and 11% next year. This could be due to the company's ability to expand to the western United States, an area where it currently doesn't have much of a footprint. The company had doubled its operations between 2003 and 2008, and now that the economy is back on track it could continue with its expansion plans. I wouldn't bank on it, however, and I am very wary of rising food prices, particularly the price of beef.
Brinker looks to lower operating expenses to battle rising prices
Brinker International (NYSE: EAT) is making a move to streamline its operations by improving the efficiency of its restaurants. This includes efforts to install new kitchen equipment. With this rollout, the company anticipates it will be able to reduce labor costs and food waste.
With those additions scheduled to be finished at the end of this year, the company's cost savings will likely make a significant impact on its books next year. Investors may be able to see lowered expenses before 2014, however. The decrease in operating expenses could help the company manage increases in food prices without raising the cost for items on the menu and potentially losing customers. That could put it at a strategic advantage against its competitors, including Texas Roadhouse.
Analysts also have high hopes for the firm. They anticipate a 19% increase in earnings per share this year and another 18% next year. Revenue is expected to grow by only 1.1% and 2.9% in 2013 and 2014, respectively. This indicates that they also anticipate lower operating expenses due to the equipment makeover.
Cheesecake Factory is confident
The Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ: CAKE) is showing signs of confidence, and this should spark the interest of investors. The company recently raised its quarterly dividend from $0.12 to $0.14 per share. It also announced plans to repurchase $125 million in stock in the second half of this year. The company's cash flow of $195 million last year shows it is in a strong financial position for growth and to build value for shareholders.
The firm is set to profit from a recent agreement that allows a company in Kuwait to develop 22 Cheesecake Factory locations in the Middle East. This represents more revenue that the company can garner from franchise industries. Best of all, the firm has little risk in this international expansion path, and it could provide a taste of doing business abroad with minimal capital investment.
Analysts anticipate that the company will experience moderate growth. This year, revenue is set to increase by 4.8%, and next year it is expected to reach 7.3%. Earnings per share are pegged to increase by 13% this year and 14.5% next year.
Where to put your money
With Brinker International doing whatever it can to lower operating expenses, I don't see increasing food prices significantly impact the firm. I would wait until the renovations to the kitchens are over before buying the stock, however, since expenses are high right now. Texas Roadhouse will have to lower its operating expenses or face what could be a loss of customers if the company raises menu prices. The price of feed is just too high, and that is raising the cost for steak. Out of the three companies featured here, the Cheesecake Factory looks to be the best investment. It is on solid ground because of its upscale experience where customers might not mind paying increased prices.
The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for this year. Find out which stock it is in the special free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.
Phillip Woolgar has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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I have been a big fan of Monty Python since I saw "the holy grail" when I was 12, and "the holy grail" is still one of my all time favorite movies.
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