text:
Taylor Swift Spent July 4th With Patrick Schwarzenegger + Kennedy Family
Taylor Swift celebrated America's birthday with a special brood. The country star spent Fourth of July with Patrick Schwarzenegger and members of the Kennedy family on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old was spotted with the famous family at Hyannis Port in Cape Cod, Mass., sailing and getting in some quality downtime on the holiday. The paparazzi snapped pics of Swift and Schwarzenegger laughing and having a great time, which, naturally, has sparked rumors of a romance. TMZ reports that the couple went for a stroll on the beach, but we'll have to wait and see if there are really fireworks between the two.
It's not entirely surprising to see Swift with the iconic family. She has been vocal about her interest in the clan, especially Ethel Kennedy, whom she met at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
"I had read up on Robert F. Kennedy and his wife, and I asked Rory if it would ever be possible for me to meet her mother," Swift explained. "She said, 'Here's her number.' Ethel was kind enough to have lunch and spend a few hours talking with me, and ever since then I've been so inspired by how full of life she is and the way she tells her story.''
Swift has penned a song about the Kennedy family, but there's no word on whether it will appear on her next album.
Watch the B.o.B 'Both of Us' Video Feat. Taylor Swift


text:
Planning a Visit to Martinelli Winery
This day's winery visit is at a red hop barn by the side of the road, at 3360 River Road to be exact. It's a wine country road that cuts across to the west of Highway 101 just north of Santa Rosa. This is in the Russian River Valley AVA and the place is Martinelli Winery.
Another Roadside Wine Attraction
There's not a drop of sparkling cider to be had at Martinelli, so don't ask for it. You won't need a sign to tell you when you are at Martinelli, you'll see the red hop barn a couple of hundred yards ahead on the left. The turn-of-the-century hop barn doesn't hold any hops for making beer, it's the tasting room for Martinelli's wine. And by the way I'm not referring to the Y2K century but the one before it. Pull into the parking lot and it doesn't feel like a big production, highly capitalized, sleek faux-Tuscan villa winery that you might visit in Napa Valley. No, standing in front of the down-to-earth red hop barn, you rather anticipate Eddie Albert driving up in an ancient Massey-Ferguson and stopping to chew the fat.
This is the tasting room and gift shop for Martinelli, and there's a steady stream of visitors here, attracted by its multilayered and multi-palated Zinfandels, Pinot Noirs, Syrah, and Chardonnay wines. Many come to just to get their name on the mailing list as if they have nothing better to do.
Martinelli is practically an institution in the area; there's even a road named after the family. There have been Martinellis farming in the area since 1860 when Giuseppe and Luisa arrived from Italy. They weren't always growing grapes and making wine but eventually the Martinellis did, starting in 1887. The family viticulture tradition continues on over 100 years later. The Martinelli Winery has earned its reputation for producing small lots of single vineyard, handcrafted wines that express the best of Russian River Valley, particularly its Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
What's the Big Deal About Martinelli?
If you asked any wine cognoscenti this they would all say two things: Jackass Hill and Helen Turley. Jackass Hill is the name of one of Martinelli's original vineyards. The story goes that Giuseppe's son Leno wanted to work the vineyard that was on an extremely steep, 60-degree hill, probably the steepest in Sonoma County. The vineyard got its name when the family said only a Jackass would work it.
Today the vineyard produces a big-drama Zinfandel that people can only get if they are on the mailing list. I have friends on the list and have tasted it several times. It can turn an Arthur Miller play into comedy.
And Helen Turley? She's one of the Super Wine Consultants in the California wine industry. She's put numerous wineries on the cult-wine map, including Colgin, Bryant, Landmark, and Pahlmeyer. She's also a neighbor of Martinelli and serves as its winemaker along with her assistant winemaker, Brian Kvamme. Her husband, John Weflaufer, works as their viticulurist. Turley and her husband also own Marcassin Winery and actually use Martinelli's facilities to make their wine. That's what I call being good neighbors.
Sorry, there's No Jackass at the Barn
I already know better, but as I stepped up to the tasting room bar, a patron ahead of me asked the server, "Are you pouring any Jackass?" Now, I imagine that the server probably gets this question an average of 20 times an hour between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily.
Kudos to her though, she smiled apologetically and told him, "I'm sorry, Jackass Hill is only available to mailing list customers. You can sign up at the gift shop in front," she added. Dejected, he followed up, "How long does it usually take to move up?" "Two to three years," she said, and that ended any short term hope the young Jackass Hill Zinfandel suitor may have had. But that's not really the end of the world, Martinelli has other wines to taste and we, including my neighboring sampler and his girlfriend, proceeded to do that.
There were about a dozen people lined up at the bar and our server, Denise, was doing wind sprints up and down the bar juggling bottles, pouring tastes, and answering questions. I looked at Martinelli's tasting list. There were four whites and five reds being poured and these were also available for sale, unlike any of the Jackass Zins. The following are some brief notes on the ones I sampled.
- Tessa Lee Sauvignon Blanc, 2005.
I usually like to start with a Sauvignon Blanc to get my palate in motion. The Tessa Lee was restrained and not overwrought with Sauvignon Blanc characteristics. There was a gentle and appealing herbaceous nose that shifts to a vibrant lemon citrus that tingles at the finish. Priced at $26.
Although Martinelli's Chardonnays are excellent, I was in the mood for red and it was time to move on.
- Bondi Home Ranch Pinot Noir, 2004.
Martinelli Pinots generally lean to the big side. The Bondi Home Ranch vineyard is in the Green Valley appellation and the wine shows Burgundian traits. This 2004 was complex with subtlety. It is medium-bodied with berries and spice and then out of the blue, a bold, meaty manifestation whimsically rises to the top. Tasty, although not quite as endearing as other Martinelli Pinots. Priced at $50.
- Guiseppe and Luisa Zinfandel, 2004.
This Zinfandel is named after the original Martinelli couple, Guiseppe and Luisa. Their grandson, Lee Sr., planted a small vineyard on Jackass Hill where this wine comes from. It is huge, with earthy aromas and a palate of flavors loaded with plums, raisins, roasted meats, and licorice layers. Well-balanced, with a syrupy tongue. It's not quite as exotic as a Jackass Hill, but if you like big Zins, this will do just fine. Priced at $42.
- Vigneto di Evo Zinfandel, 2005.
This wine is made from a small vineyard owned by Evo Martinelli near the original family homestead on Martinelli Road. Evo is a cousin to Lee Sr. and lets him manage the 100-year old vines. The wine is in a lighter style than other Martinelli Zins and may appeal to people who shy away from those big, jammy Zin bombs. Still, lighter does not mean without flavor. Look for blackberry, brambles, and a mustiness of leather and tobacco. Priced at $30.
- Terra Felice Syrah, 2004.
This wine comes from vineyard that has cycled through grapes, hops, walnuts, apples, and finally back to grapes. The vineyard was planted according to John Wetlaufer's and Helen Turley's specifications. This is a big-bodied wine that is fruit forward with ripe plums and raspberries, violets, and rustic notes. Supple and balanced structure. Priced at $45.
- Muscat Alexandria, 2005.
I couldn't leave without trying a taste of the Martinelli's Muscat from their Jackass Hill vineyard. This was a luxuriating treat of honeysuckle and floral must that leads to a sticky palate of honeysuckle, spices, apples, and honey to hold it together. A nice way to finish. Priced at $28 for 375 ml.
It was time to go, although I never felt rushed to taste and then buy wine. Martinelli Winery is a homey and welcoming place that feels like you are there to visit your aunt and uncle who happen to make great wine. On the way out there is the gift shop that is loaded with gourmet food items and enough things to put together a picnic to take with you. From here, the River Road continues west toward Guerneville and eventually to the Pacific. But if there is no hurry to get anywhere, the area is stocked with scores of other wineries to try and places to explore.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sixt offers top quality passenger van rental services in Phoenix. Whatever the reason for your group travel a passenger van rental in Phoenix will make it more comfortable and convenient. Our large selection of passenger rental vans means plenty of room to pile in your friends, family or whoever you plan to travel with. No matter where you are off to in Phoenix a spacious passenger van rental can get you all there.
The Sixt fleet of up to date and well maintained van rentals include premium vehicles from Ford, Nissan and Chevrolet. You can be sure to have enough leg and luggage room in one of our 15 passenger van rental or 12 passenger van rental models. Whether you are planning on renting a van for the day, weekend or a longer period we are happy to help accommodate your Phoenix travels.
Sixt offers great deals on passenger vans and great extras so you can get the most out your Phoenix rental. Drive around as safe and secure as possible by including some of our additional services. Add a GPS to your passenger van rental and navigate the Phoenix area more easily and efficiently. Or opt for more peace of mind on the road with more insurance coverage like additional driver and LWD protection. Let us know how we can meet your needs to make your Phoenix trip a complete success.
Phoenix Airport - Phone # 602-425-5736
Address - 1805 E Sky Harbor Circle South 85034 Phoenix


text:
Call Now:
(313) 736-5059
Maintaining a car is a costly expense, especially in Detroit. Insurance, parking, sporadic car malfunctions and dings earned at the local grocery parking-lot can add to expenses creating stress on both you and your wallet. Have you been thinking about getting rid of that unnecessary stress or trading a car in for cash? Well, we here at Junk My Car Detroit, we have a solution to your problem. Sell your used car or junk car to us!
Junk My Car Detroit will take that car liability off your wallet, quickly turning any junk car into an asset. Even if you have an old junk car that has been sitting on the lawn collecting weed grass, Junk My Car Detroit will take it off your hands!
We here at Junk My Car Detroit understand the ups and downs of maintaining a car, along with the economic fluxes, and seek to serve Detroit by providing a service of convenience. We seek to make the process easy for our customers, unlike the cars they seek to sell. Why worry about repairing your car when you can sell it for cash? The used car maintenance or junk car salvaging becomes our burden when you walk through our doors or give us a call!
Are you ready to get rid of that used or junk car? If you so, give us a call at (313) 736-5059 to speak with one of our friendly junk car representatives! Please ensure to have all necessary car information on hand to expedite the process such as, car registration make and model.
When maintaining that old car becomes a liability, turn that used or junk car into cash today! Call Junk My Car Detroit!
Call Now: (313) 736-5059
Junk My Car Detroit Services


text:
caged bird, death, life, Maya Angelou, passion, phenomenal woman, poems, poetry, poets, Robert Frost, the lesson, William Shakespeare, write, Writers
Maya Angelou is the number two poet out of the top 500 on PoemHunter.com, and she only has 28 poems listed. She's listed behind Robert Frost and beats William Shakespeare at number three.
Though it should really come as no surprise with poems such as "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" and "Phenomenal Woman."
The death of such a beautiful writer has got me thinking. There will come a day when I can no longer write. That day will come for you too, and what will they read?
Tweets are pouring in as Maya Angelou trends on Twitter, most of which quote pieces of her work like, "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive," and the eloquence of it all is inspiring.
She left us a long list of beautiful words invoking passion, something that every writer can only hope to do in their passing.
Miss Angelou leaves a soft and lovely elegance that begs for purity and love. As the world takes the day to reflect on her work, I'd like to remind you to learn "The Lesson."
The Lesson
By Maya Angelou
I keep on dying again.
Veins collapse, opening like the
Small fists of sleeping
Memory of old tombs,
Rotting flesh and worms do
Not convince me against
The challenge. The years
And cold defeat live deep in
Lines along my face.
They dull my eyes, yet
I keep on dying,
Because I love to live.
Let us not forget the love we must carry for life, and the truth we all live. Let the pouring rain remind you that you live. Let the drenching days remind you to love. Always keep on. Live your life's passion.
With all the love within me,
Brandy D.


text:
No products
These General Terms and Conditions of Sale (hereinafter Terms and Conditions) govern the purchase of products offered by JAIME DE LA PUENTE, DNI: 53392483-F, of Ronda Sacedilla 17, 28221, Majadahonda, Madrid, as listed on their website www.imborrable.com. The rights and obligations of these Terms and Conditions between JAIME DE LA PUENTE (hereinafter IMBORRABLE) and the buyer (Customer) are effective from the moment of completion and acceptance of an order through the above website. These Terms and Conditions are for the information of and legally binding upon the parties and must be accepted prior to completing the order. As such, the Customer is advised to read these Terms and Conditions carefully. The headings of the various clauses are for information only and do not affect, qualify or extend the interpretation of the Terms and Conditions. These Terms and Conditions are governed by the provisions of current legislation.
1. THE PARTIES: JAIME DE LA PUENTE, holder of the IMBORRABLE trademark, is the owner of the website www.imborrable.com, its subdomains and any pages affiliated with that domain. Any user of the www.imborrable.com website is considered a Customer upon the completion and acceptance of an order. To place an order, the Customer shall provide the following: name or company name, billing address, delivery address, contact telephone number and email address.
2. PURPOSE OF THE CONTRACT: These Terms and Conditions govern the sale to the Customer of products made available by IMBORRABLE via their website.
3. OFFER: The goods offered by IMBORRABLE are limited to the products listed on their website www.imborrable.com. Each product description indicates the retail price, including VAT. This price does not include delivery costs. The total cost of the order (retail price of the product or products ordered plus any corresponding additional costs) will be communicated to the Customer when the order is completed and prior to acceptance of the order. The price of the products will be that displayed on the webpage when the order is placed.
4. ACCEPTANCE: The transaction is considered accepted when the Customer gives express consent to the order, accepts the Terms and Conditions and completes the purchase.
5. ORDER PAYMENT: The Customer may use one of the two following payment methods to complete the transaction:
The www.imborrable.com website will automatically calculate shipping costs and the total price will be communicated to the Customer prior to their acceptance of the order.
6. DELIVERY: Delivery time is subject to the availability of the ordered product or products. The availability may alter in the event that simultaneous orders of the same product or products result in a reduction of available stock, or the product going out of stock (stockout). The Customer will be notified of the new delivery estimate at the earliest opportunity. Delivery will be to the shipping address specified in the order. Subsequent changes to this address may generate further costs to be borne by the Customer. Orders will be delivered by a transport company to the recipient and delivery address specified by the Customer. This information will on the delivery note. If, at the time of delivery, without having opened the shipping or product packaging, there are clearly visible defects to the product caused by damage in transit, or it can be seen that incorrect goods have been received, the Customer must indicate this in writing on the delivery note and inform IMBORRABLE via the corresponding contact form within 48 hours of receipt to initiate the return of the affected product or products for a replacement or refund. The customer may request an invoice via the same contact form.
7. RIGHT TO CANCEL: The Customer reserves the right to cancel the order within seven days of receipt, as stated in Article 44 of Act 7/1996, dated January the 15th, of the Retail Trade Regulation (Ordenación del Comercio Minorista). After this time, order cancellations will not be accepted. Should the Customer choose to cancel the order, they may be required to pay the direct cost of returning the product to IMBORRABLE. Should the Customer exercise their right to cancellation or termination, IMBORRABLE shall refund the amount paid by the Customer, minus delivery costs. The refund of this sum shall be carried out as soon as possible and within a maximum of 30 days from the cancellation or termination. The Customer should inform IMBORRABLE of the cancellation via the corresponding contact form within the established time period. IMBORRABLE will then advise the Customer of the returns process (returns number, shipping form and returns address).
8. CUSTOMER'S OBLIGATIONS: The Customer shall read these Terms and Conditions prior to confirming the order and respect these Terms and Conditions once the order has been confirmed. The customer shall pay the agreed price upon order completion.
9. IMBORRABLE'S OBLIGACIONES: IMBORRABLE shall deliver the product in good condition to the specified delivery address and respect the agreed price of the order as it stands at order completion.
10. CUSTOMER'S RIGHTS: The Customer should receive the products ordered in perfect condition. The Customer may cancel the order before dispatch through the contact form.
11. IMBORRABLE'S RIGHTS: IMBORRABLE shall receive payment for the order. IMBORRABLE may adjust the price of products listed on their website. IMBORRABLE may adjust the delivery time of a product according to availability. IMBORRABLE may adjust the Terms and Conditions. IMBORRABLE may cancel orders for non-payment. IMBORRABLE may take down their webpage without prior notice.
12. NOTICES: Any notices, requests or other communications to IMBORRABLE regarding this agreement should be sent to the address indicated in these Terms and Conditions.
13. SEVERABILITY: Should one of the clauses or part of a clause herein be held invalid or otherwise unenforceable, this shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining clauses or parts of the clause.
14. APPLICABLE LAW: These Terms and Conditions are governed by Spanish law as currently in effect, in particular by: Civil Code, Act 26/84, dated June the 19th, Consumer and User Protection (General para la Defensa de Consumidores y Usuarios); Act 7/98, dated April the 13th, General Terms and Conditions of Business (Condiciones Generales de la Contratación); Act 7/96, dated January the 15th, Retail Trade Regulation (Ordenación del Comercio Minorista); Regulation 2000/31 EC of the European Parliament and Council, dated July the 8th; Act 34/2002, dated July the 11th, Information Society Services and Electronic Commerce (Servicios de la Sociedad de la Información y de Comercio Electrónico); Act 23/2003, dated July the 10th, Sale of Consumer Goods and Associated Guarantees (Garantías en la Venta de Bienes de Consumo), and the legislation which implements these Acts. The parties agree the law of Spain as the governing law of this agreement, expressly waiving their own jurisdiction. Any disputes arising in relation to this agreement will be heard in the courts of Madrid.


text:
We got the Gemtech GM9 in this week to play around with and ended up putting it on the Windham Project. Somehow this project seems to be never ending. I know there are some big things coming out of Windham this year and I am really contemplating getting a .224 Valkyrie barrel made just for this project. Hmmm, maybe I should just bite the bullet and get this gun SBR'd and take it on new adventures.
Follow Me Here For all our Updates!
Gears of Guns Blog: http://Gearsofguns.com
Gearsofguns YouTube Channel : https://YouTube.com/TheGearsofGunsblog
Gears of Guns Reviews: http://gearsofguns.com/product-reviews/
Find us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Gearsofguns
Find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/gearsofguns
Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gearsofguns/
We are also on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/gearsofguns/


text:
Born in Bristol, UK, in 1965. Beezer is a documentary photographic artist of the street. Beezer left school early in the early '80s and studied photography at a technical college in Bristol. He made his first documentary series of photos in Bristol at a very rough boy's school in Southmead in Bristol.
In the early 1980's, the Bristol music scene was burgeoning, both for live music and DJ-ing. It was also at this time that the conservative Thatcher government's policies created social unrest and protest. Apartheid was at its peak in South Africa and graffiti art, reggae sound systems and protests & riots spread.
During this time, which Beezer calls the Wild Dayz, he documented this influential and fertile period of musical, artistic and social history – the result was a record of the emerging underground youth culture that helped shape later mainstream lifestyles in the UK and the music generated in those years gave birth to artists such as Massive Attack, Roni Size, Smith & Mighty, Tricky, Mark Stewart, Nellee Hooper (produced Bjork, Madonna, U2, Soul ll Soul, Sinead O'Connor), all whose music and creative culture still influences the world today. This era was the focus of his acclaimed photo documentary book "The Wild Dayz".
After the Wild Dayz time Beezer moved to London, traveled to Barcelona, Morocco & Cairo. Since then has worked in New York, all over Asia and the South Pacific. Beezer has photographed for Venue magazine, the New Musical Express (NME) and has exhibited in the UK at the Bristol City Museum And Gallery, Arnofini, Manchester URBIS Gallery amongst others. Much of his work outside of his widely known Wild Dayz series is virtually unknown.
Beezer moved to Tokyo where he based himself till 2009. He now shares his time between Bristol and Tokyo.


text:
Here are the latest in our new student photo submissions. If you are an incoming student please see this entry for details on how to submit your own photos.
The first set of photos were submitted by Mai Shintani, an incoming MIA student who grew up in Kauai, Hawaii.
The baobab tree never fails to amaze me. While in the Gambia with the Peace Corps, my assignment was serving as an environment volunteer, in a dry barren landscape, these trees were my only hope of sending the important message of tree planting to the Gambian youth.
I have been a dancer since age 4, mostly sharing the aloha spirit through dance . . . and during my time in the Peace Corps.
These tortoises were HUGE!!! Seeing these guys, reminded me how amazing and precious mother nature is.
The second set of photos were submitted by Diana Carolina Pereira from Colombia, an incoming MIA student who will be studying International Security Policy.
This first picture was taken in one of our military forts during and activity of the Ministry of National Defense where I work called Soldier for One Day. This is me standing by one of the helicopters used to rescue 15 members of our military, one former presidential candidate and 3 american citizens kidnapped by FARC guerrillas and held for 10 years in the jungle.
As part of the activities of Soldier for One Day, we receive training in areas such as parachuting. This is me with the equipment ready to make a jump from a 14 meter tower. I was the first to go and it was great.
To change the subject, this is a picture taken from a boat in Cartagena, Colombia on our way to Islas del Rosario. These are two men that catch shrimp, preparing it right there as "ceviche" to be sold to passing tourist boats. Doesn't get any fresher than that.


text:
I am in total trance during writing a piece of music. That is always so. When I find myself "thinking" something while composing, I just stop writing. Usually, I take very long time to understand what I wrote. That is the sign that I did write music from my soul.
A few days ago, I finished the time line and all the sound tracks of the short 3D animation movie which we have been working on since June. I am still not yet understanding what the sound tracks are. Gradually, it is sinking in my brain. I don't think it's yet the time to have Icchi listen to the sound tracks and the time line.
TOWANOKUNI, Groundbreaker, High Blue, Thurs, those are the recent pieces of mine came out from my soul. Unfortunately, being a freelance composer means that most of my new pices have to wait for the time to be released. I cannot usually decide the time by myself.
I used to learn something so called "structure" in an american school. This left the biggest mistery of composition in my head even still now. Whatever I "think" of technical structures or time or anything, tranced myself always write down something which easily overwhelms all of those. Why did this section had to be located here? Why this note had to be this specific point of the whole piece? I really take long long time to understand what I wrote. When I finished analyzing, I always understand tranced myself was always right.
For me, reasons catch up the music afterward. The flow of music is always beyond my own thoughts. It is kind of similar to the situation that I get drunk too much and cannot remember how I got home. I remember that I did drink, but some "how" part is totally lost.
As a composer, I believe those old composers in the history were mostly the same as me. I can easily tell which piece was written in trance. When I play those pieces, I feel that theories and techniques lose their meanings in front of "music." Music can easily overwhelm anything we "think."
Today, I found some special things in the sound tracks I made. I don't know how it happened, but it is obviously there. Hopefully, we can upload the finished movie by the end of this year. Icchi will be crazy busy until then.
by Alfred_61 | 2014-09-03 01:24 | 音の考察


text:
Healthy Living, Peter Howard's Atlantic Salmon Steak Niçoise
A healthy living recipe today for you to enjoy!
The recipe provided here is from my dear friend Celebrity Chef Aussie Icon Peter Howard and is from his book "Delicious Entertaining"
Peter's Atlantic Salmon Steak Niçoise
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
4 x 150g Atlantic salmon steaks
Spray olive oil
150g green beans, whole, trimmed and blanched
80g desireé potato slices (skin on), 2cm thick
3 Roma tomatoes, trimmed and cut into wedges
2 x 67g hard-boiled, free-range eggs, peeled and quartered lengthwise
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 anchovy fillets
8 Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1 Spray salmon with oil and cook in a non-stick frying pan or under the grill – cool to room
temperature. Salmon is best undercooked on the barbeque. Overcooking makes it dry.
2 Cut the beans into sizes to suit; boil the potato slices until done, but not breaking up into pieces.
Rinse under cold water and cool to room temperature.
3 Layer the cooked vegetables, tomatoes and eggs onto individual plates and spoon over oil and
vinegar mixed together. Top with the salmon and anchovy fillets. Scatter the olive pieces around
the base of the stack and sprinkle on ground black pepper to taste.
4 Serve with good wholegrain bread rolls or sourdough sliced bread.
This recipe can be adapted to any fish that can be served as a steak. Tuna is traditionally done this way.
Another good fish is blue-eye trevalla. Enjoy!
Thanks Pete!
4 Comments
Sounds and looks yummy. The only thing I would add to that is a bit of tarragon to the dressing.
I've found that Salads Niçoises are very kind to my BGL. The potatoes, being cooled, have resistant starch, and everything else is 'legal'!
Wow, this sounds so delicious! Definitely making for dinner next week.


text:
More hot dogs! This time from a food truck. And its not a DC food truck but a Loudoun County food truck. The only Loudoun County food truck. Its called Windy City Red Hots. They have an actual brick-and-mortar restaurant in Leesburg but the food truck came first and usually parks at the Bluemont Nursery located on Rt.7W just before you reach Ashburn Village Blvd.
We've passed it a million times and always say, "we need to stop in there sometime" but we're always on our way to somewhere else. Well one rainy day, I was by myself, on my way to Leesburg and it was right around lunch time. I'm sitting at the stoplight and to my right I see the truck. Just sitting there all lonely in the rain. It was calling out to me. So I swung the car into the parking lot, pulled up the hood on my sweatshirt, and went over to order myself a Windy City Red Hot.
I got a Maxwell Street Polish Combo. An all beef polish sausage topped with mustard, grilled onions, sport peppers on a poppy seed bun.I had never heard of sport peppers before. They were kinda small and skinny and looked dangerous to me. I had a couple bites. Not unbearably hot but a few bites was all I could take. I'm kind of a spice wimp. Superking would've liked them, probably even hotter.
The sausage was nice and juicy, the onions crunchy and the mustard and slight heat from the peppers all combined into a savory and tangy and very satisfying meal.
The combo came with fries and a drink. The fries were very freshly cut potatoes and fried right there on the spot. I thought it was interesting that they don't salt their fries. They let the customer do that to their own liking.
They also offer Italian roast beef sandwiches, which look something like a traditional steak and cheese. And also a pizza puff...its like a pizza pocket but the outside is a fried tortilla and the filling is Italian sausage, pizza sauce, and mozarella cheese. Looks yummy! Next time though, I'll have to take Superking and try one of their famous Red Hots.


text:
Today, the Studio AE team is joining up with Ali Edwards to show some of the projects we made with June's Studio AE stamp set.
The new stamp set from Ali and Technique Tuesday is called The Observant Traveler by Ali Edwards. The set consists of 24 clear stamps and works great for scrapbook pages, cards, and mini books.
The set ships to members between the 10th and 15th of the month. Non Studio AE members may also purchase the set for a limited time from the Technique Tuesday website. Some retailers are also now offering Studio AE stamp sets.
Here is a project I worked up with the stamp set:
For this page I used 3 of the stamps from the set. I have also used some of the patterned papers from Ali's Perspectives paper line. This paper is thick, double sided, and has one sheet of just journaling blocks, tabs, and other cut out-able embellishments.
And I have one more:
A Fathers Day card. I know its cutting it close but if your stamps show up in time you could also make a Fathers Day card with them. Here I also used the road sign image (heat embossed), Ali's Perspectives patterned papers, and some other stamps from Technique Tuesday's Dad Rocks stamp set.
Please check the blogs of Ali and all of Technique Tuesday's Studio AE team members taking part in the hop to see more ways to use the new set:


text:
All right, so maybe Paramount isn't so bad to us horror fans, all things considered.
Though originally reported as being bare bones, Davis DVD have learned that the August 18th release of Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth will, in fact, have some extras. Namely, 15 minutes of deleted and unrated scenes, which were re-incorporated into the film on some foreign releases, a featurette called "Clive Barker: The Art of Horror", and some trailers.


text:
After winning their second consecutive home stand, yet dropping their first home series, the Tampa Bay Rays will begin an eight-game, nine day roadtrip. First stop Baltimore, where they'll take on the Orioles over the next three days.
The Rays have been a nice surprise thus far. They are winners of four of their last six, and sit at the .500 mark at 10-10 on the season. The test for them will be to actually win games on this road trip — and moving forward — after going 1-6 on their disastrous trek through New York and Boston a couple of weeks back.
The Orioles have won four of their last five games — including the first two games against Boston this past weekend — after winning the series against the Cincinnati Reds. At 12-5 on the season, Baltimore currently leads the AL East by a game and a half over the Yankees, and seven and a half games over the last place Blue Jays.
The O's have played six series so far in 2017, and they have won five of them; something no one else in the majors can claim. That is, they have yet to lose a series. Interestingly enough though, over the last 14 days, the Rays have outperformed the Orioles in almost every offensive category. It will be interesting to see if Baltimore's pitching staff can contain the Rays, and if Tampa Bay's bullpen can contain the Orioles.
Kevin Cash will lean on Chris Archer (2-0, 3.20 ERA, 1.70 FIP), Erasmo Ramirez (1-0, 1.80 ERA, 3.48 ERA), and Alex Cobb (1-2, 4.88 ERA, 4.59 FIP) over the next three days. Buck Showalter will counter with Ubaldo Jimenez (1-0, 5.51 ERA, 5.45 FIP), Wade Miley (1-0, 1.89 ERA, 3.15 FIP), and Dylan Bundy (3-1, 1.37 ERA, 1.82 FIP).
Pitching matchups
Archer has totaled 10-2/3 innings pitched over his last two starts, compared to 14 2/3 innings pitched over his first two outings. Working in the right-hander's favor, however, Archer has received 21 runs of support, and hasn't allowed a homer this season. The righty threw 104 pitches (67 strikes) to get through his five innings of work in his last outing, as the Tigers routinely pushed Archer into deep counts. Whatever the case, he's still enjoying a strong start to the 2017 season with a 3.20 ERA/1.70 FIP, and a 27:8 strike to walk ratio through 25-1/3 innings.
Jimenez turned in his first quality start of the year on Wednesday against Cincinnati, tossing 7-2/3 scoreless innings. Since joining the Orioles, Jimenez is 7–2 with a 3.12 ERA in interleague games, but 20–29 with a 5.03 ERA against American League ball clubs…but alas, he's 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA against the Rays. He leans primarily on his four-seam fastball (34% of the time) which he uses to coax grounders, his sinker (27% of the time), and his splitter (18% of the time) and slider (14% of the time) when he wants a pop up. Key matchups: Kevin Kiermaier (3-10, 2B, HR, 2 RBI), Evan Longoria (4-16, HR, 3 RBI), Logan Morrison (5-8, 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI, BB), Steven Souza Jr. (2-8, BB), Rickie Weeks Jr. (6-13, 2B, 3B, 3 BB)
Ramirez was superb in his start on 4/20 in place of Jake Odorizzi. He allowed just one run and two hits in five innings against the Tigers. One thing that is concerning, Ramirez has given up three home runs in his past four appearances.
Miley is coming off an excellent start in Cincinnati, where he tossed eight scoreless frames. The outing was the longest by a Baltimore starter this season. Miley tends to rely on his 91 mph sinker (41% of the time) with a lot of arm-side run, his 92 mph four seam fastball (22% of the time) with good "rising action," and his 84 mph slider (22% of the time) — by far his best pitch. He'll also mix in a 77 mph curveball (10% of the time) to coax a fly ball from time to time. Key matchups: Peter Bourjos (1-4, 2B), Kevin Kiermaier (4-11, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI, BB), Derek Norris (3-3, RBI), Rickie Weeks Jr. (4-13, 2B, 2 BB)
Cobb will be try to snap a three-game losing streak and win his first game on the road since September 2016. He's allowed 20 hits over his last two starts, and four earned runs in each of his last three, however, boding in his favor, Cobb rang up seven batters in his last outing — six swinging, and three on the changeup he's been trying to "find."
Bundy has pitched to a 1.37 ERA/1.82 FIP over four quality starts. The right-hander held Boston scoreless over seven-plus innings on Friday, yet was only given two runs of support…although the two runs were plenty. Bundy scattered six base hits in that outing, and has allowed one run or fewer in three of his four starts. The hurler relies regularly on his 92 mph four seam fastball (42% of the time) with good "rising action," and a whiffy 84 mph slider (25% of the time). He also tends to mix in an 84 mph worm-burner changeup (18% of the time), and a 76 mph curveball (13% of the time) with good 12-6 bite. Key matchups: Kevin Kiermaier (2-5, HR, 3 RBI), Evan Longoria (2-5, HR, RBI), Brad Miller (2-5, HR, RBI), Steven Souza Jr. (1-2)


text:
Pope Francis' address to Congress this fall will be broadcast live on the West Front of the Capitol, with the pope likely making an appearance on the steps overlooking the National Mall, officials said.
The overwhelming interest expected for the popular pope's visit led to the decision by congressional leaders to broadcast the speech on jumbo-trons for public viewing, a rare event on par with a presidential inauguration.
The 78-year-old pope's address to a joint meeting of Congress is a first by a leader of the Catholic Church.
"The visit of Pope Francis to the U.S. Capitol is a historic moment for the country," said House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio).
"Given the unprecedented nature of his visit, Pope Francis' address to a joint meeting of Congress will be broadcast live to members of the public on the West Front of the Capitol," he added.
"In addition, Pope Francis has expressed an interest in making a brief appearance on the West Front," said Boehner, a Catholic. "We look forward to welcoming Pope Francis and Americans from all walks of life to our Capitol on Sept. 24."
The pope is scheduled to visit New York and Philadelphia as well as Washington. He is now on a visit to South America, visiting Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay.
For the latest from Congress follow @LisaMascaro


text:
Tim Tebow says he had offers to play other positions but wanted to remain an NFL quarterback.
Tim Tebow is now focused on his professional baseball career with the New York Mets, but he says he had several NFL opportunities at other positions but would not move out of the quarterback slot, he told The Dan Patrick Show.
"For me it's always about pursuing what's in your heart, what you love, what you're passionate about, and I love the game of football but what I really love doing is playing the quarterback position," Tebow said. "I've had a lot of good opportunities to play another position but that just wasn't in my heart. It wasn't something I wanted to do. If I was going to make a change I'd rather make a change to baseball."
He spent six seasons on various NFL rosters, although he has not appeared in an NFL regular season game since 2012, when he was a member of the New York Jets. Tebow said that he has not heard from any NFL teams recently.
• Is the next Carson Wentz hiding in Montana?
Tebow signed a minor league contract with the Mets and also remains on television as a football broadcaster for ESPN. He is expected to report to the Instructional League in Port St. Lucie, Fla., on Sept. 18


text:
October 2016
Hope WeekPublished by chelsie.young on Thu, 10/27/2016 - 08:43
Recently, Landmark's Hope Squad put on Hope Week, a week of activities and information about suicide prevention and student support. It included advisory activities meant to help student see the beauty and joy of life, an informational assembly with a performance from the Landmark Dance Company, and a resilience activity.
Annual Kickball Tournament!!Published by chelsie.young on Tue, 10/18/2016 - 12:53
Mid-September is a special time of year here at Landmark. It is a time when we come together a a Landmark family and compete in perhaps the most important sport of all times: Kickball. Advisory classes compete for the coveted title of This Year's Winner. This year the competition was stiff and the burgers were scrumptious. The champions played the teachers in a final round and inconsiderately made Mark Bailey run after the ball several times. It was a great day to be a dragon!
Winning Advisory: Ben
Runner up: Nacho
3rd: Sue & Cope
What Do I Do When My Child "Self Harms?"Published by jenett.houghton on Mon, 10/10/2016 - 12:02
October Students of the MonthPublished by chelsie.young on Mon, 10/10/2016 - 09:04
Landmark's 5 Vital Behaviors serve as a model for excellent positive behaviors that translate to all areas of students' lives. In order for students to achieve success they must show strength in these areas:
- Attendance
- Positive Attitude
- Be Productive
- Cooperation
- Non-Violence
Each month we will be recognizing 5 students who exemplify these behaviors to their peers and the community.
Attendance: Angel Ramirez
Positive Attitude: Cherikee Kinser


text:
Here is our list of sites offering bitcoins for tasks.
Coinality.com – A job board exclusively for people willing to be paid in bitcoins. Most jobs relate to bitcoin startups.
CoinbyCall.com *** – This was a great website with really quick payouts. If you have unused inclusive minutes on your mobile – or a landline that is free to other landlines then you can take full advantage of this – the current pay rates are displayed on the site. Rates have recently been significantly reduced and this now generates only around $0.04 per hour. Not much to write home about anymore. Also if you are in the UK this doesn't seem to work anymore – we were unable to get our funds out when the service stopped.
Bitcoinget.com *** – Get small amounts of bitcoins for completing small tasks. The videos pay very little but reward quickly. You have to go offsite to complete surveys or tasks etc… which take longer and seem to mostly work. However, I have noticed I haven't been paid for a couple and some links simply do not work. It is still very much worth a go. It is one of the better sites. I can also confirm that I have in the past been paid out by them. They do pay! I would be happy to hear from anyone who had been paid out on the surveys recenty
Cointube.tv ***** – Get paid for watching youtube videos. This site has decent pay rates and pays frequently. Once you have watched all the videos on the site you may find that new videos are a little slow to come around again. I get 3 – 4 new videos to watch each day – and they do pay out.
Bitvisitor.com ***** – Get paid for spending 5 minutes on a website – completing a captcha form and then going to the next. The payouts per site vary wildly but I was able to get around 2 payouts per day by using it regularly. One of the better sites – it does sometimes however run out of videos.
Coinreaper.com *** – a frame based website that offers you a selection of different websites where you can collect bitcoins. A lot of the sites you visit here can also be found on bitvisitor which has a better interface – but there are some different ones and it is worth a go.
Coinad.com **** – another site that pays you for completing tasks, viewing ads and visiting websites. The site is neatly designed, works and does payout. It would be nice if it had more regular things to do. It is well worth a look.
BTCclicks.com – *** You get paid for spending 10 seconds to 2 minutes on a site (varying amounts) there are new sites daily to be visited. However, you must keep the window maximised and be focused on the browser unlike bitvisitor which you can leave for 5 minutes at a time whilst collecting from other sites.
Earnfreebitcoins.com *** – You get paid for spending upto 3 minutes on a wide variety of advertisers sites. I can confirm these guys do pay. Lots of the sites are duplicated but unlike other sites you do not have to keep the window maximised and in focus. Enabling you to earn coins from other sites whilst here.
www.landofbitcoin.com ** – A site with a range of links to both faucets and tasks. I am yet to be paid by this site but this is because most of the sites are duplicates. Worth a look but probably not worth regular visits.
bitcoinaddict.com *** – Once a day payouts – but pays very well. I receive from them regularly and the process is very quick.
If you have or can suggest a site that allows you to earn bitcoins for performing tasks. Please comment below and we will review the link for inclusion.


text:
The set includes one Earth Henna Mini Kit, one Earth Jagua Classic Kit and our brand new White Lace Tattoo kit. We offer 3 different kinds of kits, one with superior quality henna from the fields of Morocco and one with black Jagua. Indigenous people in the Amazon use the jagua fruit to create temporary body art that looks just like real tattoos, without the pain, needles or permanence! And our new White Lace kit, often referred to as "white henna" because of the henna-inspired designs created with the product, they are applied just like henna, but the mixture is made up of FDA-approved body paint and skin-safe adhesive which goes on the skin and dries instantly. Our henna and jagua tattoo kits are all-natural, vegan, organic and dermatologically tested. A portion of the proceeds is donated to the Indian Matsés from the Amazon and Moroccan farmers who provide us with our jagua and henna for their healthcare needs.
Earth Henna Mini Kit includes: - Pre-measured natural henna powder directly from the fields of Morocco - Pre-measured henna mixing solution for making henna paste - 4g of eucalyptus oil for applying stencil designs - Reusable stencil transfers with easy-to-apply designs - Plastic squeeze bottle applicator with fine tip (used by professional henna artists!) - Clear step-by-step instructions on how to mix the solution and apply your Mehndi designs - Plus, invaluable tips & techniques from professional Mehndi artists Earth Jagua Classic kit includes: - Professional applicator bottle and fine tip - Two easy-to-use and reusable stencil transfer sheets featuring some of our most popular tattoo designs (or you can create your own freehand!) - 4g of eucalyptus oil for the stencil transfer - State-of-the-art dropper for adding just the right amount of water to freeze-dried jagua powder - Enough Earth Jagua® Gel for 10–15 tattoos - Clear, illustrated, step-by-step written instructions for foolproof application White Lace Kit includes: - White Lace solution - Applicator tip - Corn starch & silver glitter with cotton balls for dusting - Small brush - Instruction sheet - Design sheet for inspiration
AHAlife is committed to help you live a conscious and inspired life.
Many of the items you discover here are exclusive to AHAlife, which is what makes our community of designers and artisans so special.
If you find one of our products anywhere else for less than it's being sold on our site, we will match it.
Our dedicated Support Team is here to help. Reach out any time at:


text:
Do you know that Singapore Sling, Kopi-O Coffee & Teh Tarik among the top 10 must-try drinks in Singapore? Trip to Singapore does not end until you have tried some of its scrumptious cuisines and drinks. Singaporean cuisine is quite famous but only few are aware of the drinking culture of Singapore. Singaporeans are fond of exotic tastes in drinks and as a tourist; one should not miss the opportunity of adoring these fervors.
Although, the imposition of taxes on drinks and alcoholic beverages is quite high, however; even the locals never miss a chance to have a drink or two whenever they get one. But you can save a lot if you go for traditional and local drinks rather than high priced alcoholic ones.
The local drinks are easily available in thousand of hawker centers found in Singapore. The average price of a drink in hawker center is less then 3 dollars and some of them are open for 24 hours.
Top 10 must-try Drinks in Singapore
Here is a look at some of the non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks that you must try when you are on a trip to Singapore.
1. Kopi-O / Coffee
Kopi-O coffee this is the traditional black coffee with sugar that you may get at every local coffee shop or coffee stalls. Usually it is best taken with breakfast because its strong flavor keeps you active for hours. Therefore; it is suggested that you should not take it before going to bed. You may also find many other coffee chains that will serve you Kopi-O coffee and other varieties of coffee.
2. Teh Tarik / Tea
Tea sounds very ordinary, but when in Singapore don't forget to try "Indian Teh Tarik". If you are not a fan of sweet, then you may find this tea extremely sweet because of the large amount of condensed milk used in its preparation. Also it may be quite fascinating to watch the tea hawkers preparing this tea because to froth it up, it is poured from one pot to another from a great arms length. Ginger Tea is also liked by the locals here and is known as "Ta Halia Tarik". Do not miss out on these teas because you will not find these anywhere else other than Singapore.
3. Singapore Sling
No matter in what weather you visit Singapore, the tropical treat known as Singapore Sling is a must-try. This is a cocktail, first invented by the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore, but soon its popularity reached all over the South-East Asia. Slightly alcoholic, this cocktail is prepared using Gin, Benedictine, Cherry Heering and Pineapple juice. It is available all over Singapore in any bar you visit. However; its origin i.e. Raffles Hotel is the ideal place to try it.
4. Milo Dinosaur
This drink is a malt drink mainly aimed at kids but even adults enjoy this while being in Singapore. A cold glass of Milo Dinosaur will keep your kids engaged while you will be doing your shopping in one of the busiest shopping centers of the world. This drink is made by dissolving some Milo in cold milk and then topping it with powdered Milo also. Sometimes ice cream is used for the topping that makes it even richer and changes its name to Milo Godzilla. This drink was an invention of Singaporeans and has now become a famous drink all over the Asia.
5. Bandung
Another popular drink to try on Singaporean streets is Bandung. This is a pink colored drink. The color mainly comes from the infusion of rose syrup into the milk. This drink is popular in Malaysia as well and it is often served in wedding ceremonies there along with other cuisines.
6. Bubble Tea
Call it tea or call it a drink, this one serves both purposes. Bubble Tea is a slushy drink and it is made by adding crushed fruit pieces into the tea and then adding tapioca balls in it because of which it gained its name "Bubble Tea". This refreshing drink is easily available on streets and can be enjoyed even in summer afternoons.
7. Tiger Beer
If you are a fan of alcoholic drinks then you must not miss the Tiger Beer. This is Singapore's locally brewed beer which is now sold in almost 60 countries all over the world. But it would be unfair if you don't try it in its home country. You can get tiger beer on shops in canned form, bottle and also in bars.
8. Sugarcane Juice
Sugarcane juice is available almost everywhere, but if you are in Singapore, you get to try one of the vibrant green sugarcane juices here. At first you will think that they have added something to make it this green, but when you will actually see them juicing the sugarcanes, you will perceive the rich nutrition you are going to consume in a few seconds. The taste is also very different from sugarcane juices around the world. Singaporean weather is ideal for sugarcane growth and sugarcane juice assures heaven in mouth.
9. Chin Chow Drink
This is cooling drink prepared from Grass Jelly also known as Chin Chow. First look at the Chin Chow will not make you want to have it, but when it is mixed with sugar syrup and water to make a refreshing drink, it tastes exotic! You can have it on a very hot summer day and it will guard you against sunstrokes and heat. You can enjoy this drink at local vendors or you can also make it yourself by buying a packet of Chin Chow available in markets.
10. Barley Water
When shopping in Singapore on a hot summer day, you may feel drained and this is when you can enjoy Singapore's traditional Barley Water. Prepared with boiling pearl barley and rock sugar, this is a famous drink in Singapore. However the texture is quite slimy and won't be welcomed by everyone. The taste is indeed very refreshing and soothing. You can get this drink at hawkers centre and at coffee shops.
The aforementioned drinks confirm specialty in Singapore only as all of them either share Singaporean origin or offer astounding fervors, which are not available anywhere else in the world. Fresh fruit juices are also very common in the country however; you must get information about fruits which are grown nowhere else than Singapore.
Related Readings:
Visit unique Brix Bar in Singapore
Top 10 things to do in Singapore
Top 10 things to buy in Singapore
Top 10 Singapore Attractions


text:
Beer In The Breakers
Release Date
If you've been missing The Wave Pictures since 2009 then...you should go and buy all this other stuff they've done in the interim. However, if you were only to follow their Moshi Moshi releases then Beer In The Breakers would be the follow up to 2009's brilliant but maudlin If You Leave It Alone and from the outset it hits you with an effervescence which was largely absent on their previous effort (just go ahead and compare the aforementioned album's opener which the almost-summertime number you get here). The band have also continued to develop technically without losing any of that DIY subtlety which defines their sound (take David Tattersall's guitar solo on "Now Your Smile Comes Over In Your Voice" or the fast and crisp introduction on the sparkling single "Little Surprise", both of which you suspect would only really work with such a well honed three-piece). On "Walk The Back Stairs Quiet", despite another masterful guitar performance from Tattersall, it's Jonny Helm's fine-spun drumming and Franic Rozycki's meandering bass which really take the band into new levels of astonishing artistic maturity (if you liked Happy For A While then you will love this track). As the record progresses it becomes apparent that some of the eccentric hooks which may have drawn you to the band in the first place have been toned down in favour of a more thoughtful approach which still allows the odd trademark lick or lyric (e.g. "You said you wanted a white wine in red wine weather"). At the end of the day though, all that really matters is that three old mates have come together and recorded not only their best album to-date, but also one of the best albums of the year so far.


text:
Residents of Wroot are invited to celebrate the queen's 90th birthday with a barbecue on Saturday June 11 at 43 Field Lane.
The event is part of the ongoing fundraising for St Pancras Chuch window.
Admission, adults only, is by £10 ticket, phone 01302 772232 or 01302 772731. T
here will be a licensed bar, the event runs 6pm-midnight.
Tiaras optional.


text:
We use cookies to improve your experience of this website. To find out more information about our cookies, please see our cookies policy.
Date advertised: 15 Sep 2017
Location: 5, 7 and 9 Pottingers Entry
Proposal: Change of use to hot food café with odour abatement system and ancillary staff areas (amended description)
Advertisement type: Re-advertisement
View application on NI Planning portal: http://epicpublic.planningni.gov.uk/publicaccess/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=OSB2EISV30000


text:
Apple annual meeting proves entertaining
It is certainly not your average annual meeting that sees shareholders burst into a spontaneous round of "Happy Birthday" for an absent CEO.
That "could only happen at an Apple shareholder meeting, you're not going to get that anywhere else, that's why these meetings are so fun," said Matthew Rafat, a lawyer and shareholder. Still, he acknowledged, "this year it was less lively with the absence of Steve Jobs."
It was up to COO Tim Cook to rouse the faithful. While much of the attention at the annual meeting Wednesday was focused on Jobs – who is on medical leave – Cook found plenty of time to tout the company's products. And although consumer electronics companies around the world have been struggling with a paralyzing economic slowdown, Cook sounded anything but pessimistic.
"We're very confident in the strategy we have, we're very confident in our product pipeline and the future of the company."
He ticked off the Apple's now familiar successes – Mac PCs, the iPod – along with its more recent ones such as the 3G iPhone and the App store, which he called the "envy of the industry."
He also noted that iTunes has become the top music reseller in the U.S., besting a certain retailing behemoth. "Can you believe that Apple sold more of something than Wal-Mart?"
(File picture of Steve Jobs: Reuters)
We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/
[…] Still, one little aside meant that the assembled gang couldn't entirely ignore the fact that their great leader wasn't around: to mark the fact that Jobs turned 54 on Tuesday, one investor by leading in an impromptu rendition of Happy Birthday. […]
[…] the fact that their great leader wasn't around: to mark the fact that Jobs turned 54 on Tuesday, one investor by leading in an impromptu rendition of Happy Birthday. […]


text:
Nestled atop a tree in the Forest Kingdom of Tyto is an ordinary family of barn owls: Mother, Father and their three kids, Soren, Kludd and Eglantine. Soren (voiced by Jim Sturgess), white-faced with a screaky English accent, is the middle child and dreamer of the bunch. While he can't yet fly, he dreams of someday soaring among the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, a mythical band of warriors who, as his father's stories have it, fought an epic battle against the Pure Ones to save all owlkind. His older brother, Kludd (Ryan Kwanten), mocks the notion because he's jealous of Soren and his big ambitions, and he feels neglected by the family. Eglantine, a baby girl, seems to be following in the footsteps of Soren.
Kludd's resentment, alas, has dreadful consequences when he and his brother decide to practice flying late in the night. Flapping their wings from branch to branch, the siblings get in a fight and end up falling from the tree, only to be snatched up by two Pure Ones. They are taken to a desolate orphanage called St. Aegolius Academy, where hundreds of young owls are being "moonblinked" into child soldiers for an army led by Metalbeak (Joel Edgerton) and his queen, Nyra (Helen Mirren). There, Kludd is manipulated by Nyra, who feeds off his envy, into believing that his home is now with the Pure Ones, turning him against his family, while Soren and his new friend Gylfie, a tiny elf owl, hatch a plan to escape.
Once free from the Pure Ones, after flying for the very first time, Soren sees his dreams becoming a reality as he proceeds on a quest to find the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, the home of the Guardians, which lies in the middle of the sea. On the way, he and Gylfie meet two humorous owls who join them on their journey: Digger (David ...1


text:
Saturday, March 27, 2010
NOTD: Purple Lattice (Maybelline Goody Plum Drop + Grape Times) + Tutorial
Although I liked the blue color combination better, I really like the designs I did with this purple version. I actually sat down & sketched out my ideas before I started this mani, picked the ones I liked best, and then did them so that each finger was different, and had a mirror image on the opposite hand. Base color is Maybelline Goody Plum Drop (except the reversed accent nails) and the stripes are done with Maybelline Grape Times:
Here's the tutorial (eventually ... YT is quite slow on a Saturday, unfortunately):
Thanks for reading =)
Labels: Freehand Art, Lavender, Maybelline, Nail Art, NOTD, Purple, Striping, Tutorial, YouTube
8 comments:
How was the application on this color? Any better?ReplyDelete
Nice design ! :)ReplyDelete
Beautiful again! :)ReplyDelete
This is absolutely simple and yet beautiful.
Would you mind if I copied your design and do a post about it please? I'll definitely credit the nail art to you if you agree =)
I love this deign ! It's gorgeous :)ReplyDelete
I like this design a lot! You're very creative :)ReplyDelete
EVERYONE - Thank you!ReplyDelete
LOVERLADA - IIRC, the application on this was better than the blue. At least, it wasn't so bad that I still remember LOL
BERRY T - If you haven't already, definitely feel free to do any of the designs I post =) I'm glad I could inspire you.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Reputation risk is the largest, scariest and least manageable of all operational risks. Boards of many large companies have little confidence that their executives are even aware of what major reputation flare-up is around the corner (let alone hidden deep in social media). Anthony Johndrow is Founder and CEO of Reputation Economy Advisors. Anticipating the panel discussion he will lead at the Strategic Summit, which takes place this May 9-10, we asked Anthony to share strategies to integrate reputation risk management into ongoing crisis mitigation plans.
SUMMIT DIRECTOR: Why is reputation risk getting so much attention?
Anthony Johndrow: Enron, WorldCom, The Big Short, Deepwater Horizon, Toyota, Volkswagen, Wells Fargo, Trump tweets, Uber… We didn't start the fire… Anyway, imagine yourself as CEO (or on the board) of a big, high-profile company right now. You've seen all of these crises (and many more) and are wondering – what could be just around the corner (or under the rug) of this company? Every time you're given a report on the largest risks facing the organization, "Reputation Risk" shows up multiple times, at or near the top. When you ask, "what are we doing about Reputation Risk?" you're shown the crisis communications plan binder. What do you do — nod and smile? Sleep well at night?
SUMMIT DIRECTOR: Who is responsible for reputation risk?
Anthony Johndrow: The trite answer to this question is "everyone," but we all know that's not how companies work. A recent Deloitte study of global companies points to CEOs (36%) or Boards (14%) as being responsible. That adds up to 50% – 100% of which don't want direct responsibility for anything.
Engage with Anthony Johndrow and panelists Todd Van Hoose, President and CEO of The Farm Credit Council, and Charlene Wheeless, Principal Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs at Bechtel Corporation, at the 8th National Summit on Strategic Communications at the Hilton Crystal City at Washington Reagan National Airport, May 9-10.
SUMMIT DIRECTOR: What's wrong with the existing process? Enterprise Risk Management?
Anthony Johndrow: Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) does a great job of identifying, quantifying and prioritizing risks facing the enterprise. In fact, these efforts, implemented at most large companies, have gone a long way toward making even reputation risks numerically tangible. That said, the output of this process is a spreadsheet with some numbers and a one-line description of the risk — it does not "unpack" or describe the risk in such a way that a board member (or really anyone) can understand it, let alone do something about it. EVERY other risk in the ERM output list has a part of the organization (function or business unit) tied to it. Reputation risks typically link over to corporate communications for the corresponding crisis communications plan, but wouldn't it be nice to do something to mitigate these big risks BEFORE they hit?
SUMMIT DIRECTOR: How is reputation risk management different from crisis management?
Anthony Johndrow: One way to think about the difference — crisis management is reputation risk management gone wrong. In reality, both are "management" and are much stronger if done thoroughly in advance of any negative event. Ideally, the two disciplines are integrated from the beginning and support each other — one from the strategic, upstream end, the other from the tactical, downstream aspect. Yet another important way to think about these two disciplines is timing — every organization needs to come to the realization that they need to do something different about reputation risk. Some organizations will get there after a painful crisis for which they were unprepared, and will tend to think about it this way. Others will observe peer companies go through something awful and realize that they have an opportunity to get in front of the issues they face.
SUMMIT DIRECTOR: When will someone come up with a new way to manage reputation risk?
Anthony Johndrow: The structural and organizational challenges of reputation risk are not new, but the urgency (social/digital age) and specificity (ERM analysis infrastructure) have created an opportunity for smart leaders to implement a new approach. At its core, this new approach is a low-tech (minimal spreadsheets), high-touch (very people-driven), cross-functional (true engagement across the major functions and business units of the enterprise) process. In my presentation at the National Summit on Strategic Communications on Tuesday, May 9, I will discuss the new way forward with senior executives from Bechtel and The Farm Credit System.


text:
Associated British Ports unveils Hull's biggest billboard
June 30, 2015
The banner on the silo at the Port of Hull measures 29 metres by eight metres
Motorists heading west along Hedon Road towards the city centre in Hull now have a new landmark to look out for as Associated British Ports (ABP) has unveiled what is rumoured to be Hull's biggest billboard.
The banner, which measures 29 metres by eight metres, has been hung on the eastern side of ABP's rail load-out facility, a purpose-built silo which is used to store biomass and fill wagons bound for Drax with the sustainable wood pellets for electricity generation.
The banner is emblazoned with electricity pylons and the strapline 'Powering the Nation', as well as ABP's logo and slogan 'Keeping Britain Trading'.
ABP Director Humber, John Fitzgerald said: "We wanted to celebrate Hull's vital role in keeping the nation's lights on and a banner provided us with the opportunity to do something eye-catching with this dominating structure.
"This is first installation and we'll look to develop the idea. 2017 City of Culture also gives us an opportunity to be creative with a number of structures on the port."
The silo was built at a cost of £25 million and was officially opened last December. The facility forms part of a £130 million Humber-wide agreement with Drax Power Ltd to supply the company with up to six million tonnes of biomass per year as part of its conversion to low-carbon electricity generation.
Last year Drax produced 7.9TWh of renewable electricity and was the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.


text:
Everyone seems to think that Dallas only gets cool places like Fountain Place, Dallas County Courthouse, Dallas Hall… But guys, Dallas is like a beautiful but timid 18 year-old girl, once you get to know more about her, she will be happy to give you a tour and show you her glamorous and mysterious places!
If you're familiar with downtown Dallas, you're going to have a blast watching this video. This video of a drone flying through the city is going to give you a view like none other. As usual, Charlie Kaye combines his filming magic with the cutting-edge movie editing technology, I sure you will suffer a chill while watching his video!
Just pretend like your eyes are attached to this drone flying through downtown Dallas and you'll really feel like you're flying.And I think 1:29 and onward is my favorite part! It simply Makes Dallas seem extra epic!


text:
Nearby Attractions
Whale Tours | Whale Interpretative Centre | The Cabot Trail | Cape Breton Highlands | Golf Courses |
Enjoy boat tours, whale watching, incredible hiking, golf, wildlife and nature, sightseeing - all while you are here! You'll see why Pleasant Bay is recognized as the 'Jewel of the Island'. Pleasant Bay tips Cape Breton Highland's National Park and is half-way around the Cabot Trail. Our sea-side community remains a natural haven for exploring Cape Breton Island. During your stay, plan a peaceful walk on the Pleasant Bay Harbour Beach at sunset, pick blueberries in the early morning or enjoy a sunset tour on the Skyline.
For generations, along with tourism, the fishing industry has been a main employer in Pleasant Bay. Lobster fishing begins on the first of May and continues through the end of June. Snow crab fisheries start during first half of July (earlier for off-show crab fisherman) and continues until quotas are caught. In Pleasant Bay, go down to "the harbour" for a stroll after supper to catch the sunset or in the morning to watch the lobster boats out on the bay! When in Cheticamp, go for a walk on the Board or Sidewalk and don't forget to look for local music in the evening!
|Breeze Accommodations | Pleasant Bay & Chéticamp, NS
Toll-Free: 1-877-224-2974
Local: (902) 224-2974
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Pleasant Bay: Highland Breeze | Gulf Breeze | North Cottage
Chéticamp: Harbour Breeze | Island Breeze
Halifax Airport
Marine Atlantic Ferry
Northumberland Ferries
Cruise Atlantic Canada
Weather in Pleasant Bay
Weather in Chéticamp
Nova Scotia Tourism
1/2 way around the Cabot Trail.
See the Whales. Hike the Trails.
Booking Software by: Front Desk Booking™
Website Designed by Glacier Cove
© Copyright 2019 Breeze Accommodations


text:
Sarah LeClere
3.5 x 4.25 printable tie on card
There's a reason the bridal shower is thrown by the Bride's loving family and friends. They know how to spoil her the best! Start the shower off right, by ordering these beautiful Wedding Dress Invitations by Sarah LeClere. These invites are shaped like gorgeous, but simple strapless wedding dress on an old-fashioned manikin. A separate invitation card is tied to the manikin's waist with some ribbon. This is where you will put some clever bridal shower wording to jazz up the invite even more. Also, be sure to include the bride's wedding registry on the invite, so guests will know exactly where and what to get the new couple, so they can have everything they need to help them begin a new life together. Shower the bride with love in every aspect of shower planning. Order these exceptional and unique bridal shower invitations today, and give the bride a day that she'll never forget!
Card Type:
Layered Die-cut and Printable Card
Die-Cut 130 lb white cover; card 80 lb white cover
Die-cut invitation, printable tie on card, ribbon and envelope
Printer Compatibility:
Inkjet and Laser friendly
Assembly Instructions:
Thread ribbon through the pre-drilled holes in both the imprintable card and die-cut invitation. Tie a bow to secure the two pieces together.
Ink Color:
view options
view options
Assembly: Let us Assemble them for you. (adds $1.50 each)
Print Envelopes: Print my return address price chart
Personalized Text:
Special Instructions to the Typesetter:


text: TACOMA, WA—Treating the amount of time that had passed since his last appointment as a source of great personal pride, local man Kyle Telford, 25, reportedly bragged to several friends Friday about how infrequently he receives dental care. "I haven't been to the dentist for at least four or five years now," Telford reportedly said aloud in a confident and gloating tone of voice, proudly touting the fact that he had received no professional teeth cleaning over a period of time during which experts recommend seeing a dentist eight to 10 times. "Honestly, I can't even remember the last time I went. I probably haven't gone since freshman year of college, or maybe it was back in high school. My parents are always telling me to make an appointment, but I never do." Telford reportedly followed his show of bravado about his rare dentist visits with a grandiose boast that he has no intention of seeing a doctor even though he's been having frequent unexplained headaches recently.


text:
* Your list is public by default.
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: NGNL Specials
Japanese: ノーゲーム・ノーライフ ミニ
Type: Special
Episodes: 6
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jun 25, 2014 to Nov 26, 2014
Producers: Media Factory
Licensors: Sentai Filmworks
Studios: Madhouse
Source: Light novel
Duration: 3 min. per ep.
Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Score: 6.811 (scored by 53,103 users)
1 indicates a weighted score. Please note that 'Not yet aired' titles are excluded.
Ranked: #44822
2 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity: #963
Members: 106,233
Favorites: 168


text:
This review was written by Michelle Erica Green for a previous incarnation of Green Man Review.
America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past. It reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again.–Terence Mann (James Earl Jones) in Field of Dreams
In the big inning, God created baseball. Or perhaps it was Loki, patron of athletics and other tricks; the origins are shrouded in antiquity. There is also debate about which mortal first received the divine inspiration. Abner Doubleday often gets credit, though some historians claim the game was played in England in the 1700s. What is known is that, in 1845, a team called the New York Knickerbockers adopted the rules of the game we know as baseball. In New Jersey that summer, they played the first organized baseball game, and America acquired its own pantheon.
The mythology of baseball is almost as old as the team. America's great gray poet, Walt Whitman, wrote about the sport as a young reporter in 1846 and later was quoted as saying, "I see great things in baseball…the American game." In 1888, Ernest Thayer penned "Casey at the Bat," the tragic tale of a mighty hero whose weapon fails him at the critical moment. But the real-life stories of players were no less compelling: the pathos of Lou Gehrig, the power of Babe Ruth, the fortitude of Jackie Robinson. Baseball developed its own lingo, its own culture. Ethnic differences in Brooklyn in the 1950s sometimes seemed less divisive than Dodgers-Giants loyalties.
It was inevitable that great writers would see parallels between the quest for the pennant and the Quest for the Holy Grail, just as it was inevitable that Hollywood screenwriters would churn out bio-pics about the tragic greats and comedies about pranksters and pratfalls. Over the past 20 years, several excellent films and television shows have emerged, from Ken Burns' epic documentary Baseball to the moving drama Eight Men Out to the antic underdog comedy Major League. But screenwriters also turned to the literature of the sport for inspiration as well as to the sport itself, creating tales of the human condition in which baseball is the key metaphor.
The Natural, based on Bernard Malamud's novel of the same name, tells the story of Roy Hobbs — a talented pitcher nearly destroyed by a violent woman during his first trip away from home for a tryout. Many years later, he resurfaces as a slugger, using a bat he carved in his youth from the bark of a tree struck by lightning. Hobbes seemingly can't lose; he brings his last-place team, the Knights, into playoff contention, and begins a reconciliation with the childhood sweetheart he abandoned after his dreams went awry.
But he makes powerful enemies and dangerous friends, including men and women who love the game not for itself but as a means to profit and power. Knowing that his time may be short, Hobbs must decide what he stands for and how much the game really means to him. His quest has implications for others — the coach who will lose his team if he loses the pennant, the woman who loves him and the one who wants to possess him, the son he never knew he had. The imagery of the struggle uses unsubtle symbolism. When Hobbs catches a glimpse of his onetime beloved Iris, who is dressed in gauzy white like an angel, he smashes a home run into the stadium clock and "stops time." When Hobbs meets The Judge, the nefarious team owner explains that he prefers to sit in the dark, calling light "infernal"; Hobbs retorts that the only thing he knows about the dark is that you can't see in it.
Where Malamud opts for a tragic ending in the tradition of tales of fallen knights, director Barry Levinson chooses instead the iconography of American triumph — a display of fireworks over a stadium, and the redemption of the hero who retires to play catch with his son. A superb cast, including Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs, Glenn Close as his faithful sweetheart, Kim Basinger and Barbara Hershey as the mysterious seductresses, Wilford Brimley as the crotchety coach, Robert Duvall as the prying reporter and Robert Prosky as the team owner, create characters who are vivid and sympathetic despite the fact that they're archetypes instead of believable people.
Bull Durham, the first of Kevin Costner's triptych of men-and-baseball movies, has characters and icons of a very different sort, yet they also draw on the myths of the sport. Costner plays Crash Davis, a veteran minor league catcher who is ordered to smooth the rough edges of rising star pitcher Nuke LaLoosh. Early in their summer with the Durham Bulls, longtime team groupie Annie Savoy contemplates an affair with one man or the other, assuring them both that no man sleeping with her has ever had less than a stellar season.
Crash takes himself out of the running, proclaiming that he doesn't believe in such manipulation. He believes, among other things, in the soul, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, that there should be a Constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf, and in "long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days." Naturally Annie is smitten, but she commits herself to Nuke, convincing him that listening to poetry in bed and wearing women's underwear when he pitches will help his concentration.
To Crash, the way Nuke pays more attention to cars, girls and money than to the sport is a heresy — his problem isn't that Nuke doesn't respect himself but that Nuke doesn't respect the game. The two elders initiate the rookie into the Church of Baseball, as Annie calls her religion: "I've worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, trees, mushrooms, and Isadora Duncan," she explains ruefully. Crash, the devoted disciple, has been rewarded for his belief with a mere 21 days in the big show. But faith and baseball are bigger than any one man. As Nuke moves up in the sports world and Crash moves on, they both experience the pure joy of being in the game.
Tim Robbins' rough, sometimes animalistic Nuke more than meets his match in Susan Sarandon's wistful, passionate Annie, but this is Costner's movie. He loves the sport with a purity unmatched even by the woman who loves the players; he understands that if the sport demands celibacy, continence, the sacrifice of ego, then that's what a player owes. In the end he allows himself to share his heart with Annie as well as baseball, but it's sort of like marrying a missionary; they both know their first passions and their first obligations. Unlike many sports movies where boys have to prove that they've become men by giving up their baseball dreams, Bull Durham insists that boys become better men if they keep the faith.
Costner's next ball-pic, Field of Dreams, goes a step further; it posits baseball as the glue that holds families and indeed America together. Ray Kinsella, a hapless hippie who owns a farm in Iowa, hears a voice one day in his cornfield: "If you build it, he will come." Though he's not sure he completely understands or even that he completely believes, Kinsella convinces his wife Annie that he must plow under their crop and build a baseball diamond, because if he does, his father's hero, Shoeless Joe Jackson, will get to come back and play ball. Jackson, who was disgraced in the Black Sox scandal of 1919, represents to Ray all the failures he associates with his own father. He builds the field and, sure enough, the Chicago Black Sox arrive, along with a team of dead all-stars of years ago.
But Ray's compulsions are just beginning. Again he hears the voice, "Ease his pain," and comes to understand that he must track down embittered writer Terence Mann to take him to a baseball game. Terry, who was "the East Coast distributor of 'involved' [before] they killed Martin, and Bobby, and they elected Tricky Dick twice," thinks, at first, that Ray is a lunatic, but he agrees to go to Fenway Park. There they both receive a strange message, "Go the distance," which takes them in search of a small-town doctor who once played a single inning in the majors. Ray observes that some men would consider it a tragedy to have come so close to their dream and not touch it, but the humanitarian ghost of Dr. Archibald Graham corrects him: "Son, if I'd only gotten to be a doctor for five minutes, now that would have been a tragedy."
No sooner do Ray and Terry head back to Iowa than they encounter a young Archie Graham by the road, looking for a baseball league that hasn't existed for decades. Taking the younger version of Archie with them, they arrive in Iowa to find Annie trying to hold off the creditors foreclosing on the farm. "People will come," Terence Mann assures the couple, envisioning a parade of cars descending on Iowa to recapture the magical moments when baseball represented family, freedom and the future. A minor miracle redeems the farm. Then Ray experiences a personal redemption he didn't dare to wish for: his father appears, asking whether he's in heaven, the place where dreams come true. Ray looks around, seeing the field where Shoeless Joe has been playing, where his wife and daughter stand, and agrees, "Maybe this is heaven." And people come.
More than one critic has commented on a cornfield as being a very appropriate setting for a movie this corny, and some find it downright reactionary — rejecting the real political struggles of the 60s for a fantasy America of baseball, small towns and hot dogs in the stands. Despite the fact that the reclusive writer has been changed from J.D. Salinger in the source novel Shoeless Joe to a fictional social activist played by James Earl Jones, and that the racist Ty Cobb is rejected as a possible player for the field of dreams because none of the others "could stand the son of a bitch when he was alive," this is certainly a nostalgic view of an era when wives were helpmeets, children cleaved to their parents and social activism remained at the level of P.T.A. debates.
Still, the shared fantasy of baseball as social glue is extremely powerful. When this movie played in theaters, men walked out weeping over the final scene where Ray and his father toss a ball in the twilight as hundreds of cars descend on the newly restored field in the farm. If Bull Durham contains the early testaments of the Church of Baseball, Field of Dreams provides its messianic text.
Costner made a third baseball movie, For Love of the Game, which isn't nearly as ambitious, nor as successful. It tells the story of Billy Chapel, a successful but aging baseball player, who's about to lose his beloved Jane Aubrey to a job overseas and about to lose his pitching job on the Detroit Tigers, because the new owners don't feel they need him. As he pitches the last game of the season, he must make decisions that will alter the course of his life: whether to accept the trade or quit the game, whether to pursue Jane or let her slip away to her own life. As the innings slip by, with the weight of his frustration behind every pitch, Billy does not let a single batter reach base. He is on the verge of finding the Golden Fleece for pitchers; he is on the verge of pitching a perfect game.
But there is no perfection on this imperfect playing field. Jane and Billy have nice chemistry and witty dialogue — when she protests that she needs a regular guy, "not the guy in the Old Spice commercials," he retorts that it was Right Guard, leading her to groan that she was being metaphorical. She resents the kids who own him on baseball cards, resents not being able to fly in the medivac helicopter with him, and deeply resents that the team trainer is more important to him than she is. Billy wants her and the game, but realizes that he could lose both of them if he can't let go of the sport that has defined his life. More a soap opera than a serious reflection on the mythology of baseball, For Love of the Game is nonetheless worth noting because it closes the baseball-movie arc of Kevin Costner, the man most closely associated with the big game on the big screen.
It's not just Americans who love baseball, of course; the sport is played with passion in Japan, in Mexico, and possibly in outer space. The X-Files' finest hour was a baseball episode called "The Unnatural," based loosely on the extraordinary career of a Negro League batter who was once considered likely to become the "first black Negro man of color in the American League," in the words of a white announcer. In the X-Files twist, however, batter Josh Exley has a bigger problem than racism in his quest to play ball. He is an alien.
Agent Fox Mulder, conspiracy theorist and sarcastic skeptic of most received wisdom, sees a newspaper photo of the baseball player standing next to a known alien bounty hunter and begins to research the Roswell Grays, calling on the brother of a onetime acquaintance who insists that he recite from memory Mickey Mantle's 1947 home run statistics before he'll tell the story. Arthur Dales scornfully informs Mulder that if he understood baseball, he could understand the government-alien conspiracy and everything else. Baseball, he claims, keeps you forever young.
Dales recalls sitting beside Exley on the Grays bus, working as the player's bodyguard after a Klan attack, only to see the reflection of an alien face in the window. Mulder makes "E.T. steal home" jokes, but Dales insists that all the great players — Ruth, DiMaggio, Mays, Koufax, — were aliens, who never fit into this world until they stepped on the grass. So the baseball greats had something in common with the disenfranchised African-Americans who were often treated like aliens in their own country. Dales discovered that the real Josh Exley died as a child, and that "Ex" flubbed games when scouts came around, because he couldn't afford any publicity. As a team member, though, Exley got to live in the Church of Baseball, singing the gospel with his teammates: "We'll all be together in that land."
Exley was killed by the alien bounty hunter, who hid behind the disguise of a Klansman. Yet the Roswell Gray kept his human face till the end and died as Josh Exley, who hit the elusive number 61 on the last night of his life. "I got a brother in that land…I got a sister in that land," the gospel music plays as Mulder contemplates the story. He summons his partner Dana Scully to a park to show her how to hit a baseball. "Not a bad piece of ash," he comments to the bat as he presses his hips into hers to show her the correct stance. The baseballs fly off into the night, becoming stars in the sky.
For many X-Files fans, the appeal of this episode is manifest in that last scene: Mulder and Scully hit a home run in the park together after dark, woo hoo! But more importantly, this is the first episode in years to show Mulder as someone capable of feeling great passion for something other than alien conspiracies. Baseball fanatics may not get the same ridicule as Trekkies or X-Philes, but they're all members of pop culture faiths, with their own idealistic images of the world as it could be. To see Fox Mulder, the quintessential alien-hunting geek, in love with America's pastime gives both him and the sport humanity and universality. One doesn't usually perceive sports and utopianism as connected, yet here they are.
The Rookie, the Church of Baseball offering for the summer of 2002, has the charm of being based on a true story, though its opening is more reminiscent of The Milagro Beanfield War than Pride of the Yankees. In a small town in Texas, two nuns invest in a misguided scheme to find oil beneath the barren soil; their priest advises them to pray to St. Rita, the patron of impossible dreams, and sure enough the con man who hatched the scheme sinks a well and finds a gusher. Years later, when the wells have run dry, a boy named Jimmy Morris is dragged to the same small town by his father, who has been sent there by the military. After a tour of duty in Vietnam leaves him scarred, Jimmy settles down in Big Lake and buries his baseball dreams to teach high school.
But in a desperate bid to motivate the slacking school team, Jim makes a bet with his players: if they can win the district championship, he'll try out for a major-league organization. Moving from worst place to first, with some help — locals who conjure grass from the dry soil, for instance — the team makes it to the state championships and forces Jim to pay up, even though he has diapers to change and toddlers to feed on the day of the tryout. To the shock of all, Jim can throw an incredible fastball, and gets an offer from a minor-league team that could eventually send him to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. But to get there, if it's even possible, he will have to leave his wife and his own son behind.
Though based on a real story, The Rookie incorporates more baseball cliches than any of the films mentioned above…the estranged father, the adoring children, the rush of the fastball and the grace of the swing…and that's part of its charm. Jim Morris as played by Dennis Quaid is the genuine article — not a fiction like Crash Davis, but a real person who achieved his baseball dreams. Despite the nuns and St. Rita, there aren't metaphors about finding God or the truth out there, only a pure love for the game in and of itself. The family values don't have the reactionary aspect of Field of Dreams; Jim's wife Lorri has real frustrations and fears, and his kids long for an ordinary father, not a hero. And Jim suffers as the old man of an organization made for youngsters, with little hope of actually moving up despite his phenomenal arm and his work ethic. Yet in the end, the opportunity to stand on the center mound of a major league ballpark, in front of his family, friends and students, more than compensates for all his sacrifices.
Jim Morris isn't Everyman in the same sense as Ray Kinsella, for most of us will never have the talent nor opportunity to realize major-league dreams. Yet for most fans the simple pleasure rests in sitting on the sidelines, eating a hot dog, looking back across the years to when our parents sat in the stadiums with the same young hopes and enthusiasms, through war and peace, famine and plenty. Baseball may or may not not have originated in the United States, but its Grail-like mythology of struggle and redemption alongside greed, scandal and failure is peculiarly American. These films are our Arthurian quests.
The Natural (1984)
Bull Durham (1988)
Field of Dreams (1989)
For Love of the Game (1999)
The X-Files, "The Unnatural" (1999)
The Rookie (2002)
About Cat Eldridge
I'm the publisher of Green Man Review and Sleeping Hedgehog.
My current reading is the Wylding Hall novella by Elizabeth Hand, Simon R. Green's Night Fall, and listening to Rita Mae Brown's Crazy As A Fox.
I'm listening to a whole bunch of new Celtic and Nordic new releases but I'll dip in my music collection for such artists as Blowzabella, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, and Frifot as the weather stays nasty.
- Web |
- More Posts (1)


text:
Parsons wins Purple Chalk Teaching Award
The A&S Student Council recognizes excellence in a faculty member by selecting that faculty member for the Purple Chalk Award. This fall the student council selected Professor Eric Parsons of the Department of Economics to receive the honor. Parsons' research focuses on the economics of education and labor economics.
"It is truly an honor to win the Purple Chalk Teaching Award," Parsons says. "As a former Mizzou student myself, I know firsthand the quality of instruction on campus, making the award even more meaningful. I feel quite fortunate to be in a position to have a positive impact on the next generation of Mizzou students and repay some of the many benefits that I have received from the university. I want to send a huge thank you to all of my teaching role models and mentors, both at Mizzou and from my early days as a college instructor at MCC–Blue River in Independence, Missouri. Most of all, though, I want to thank my students, whose enthusiasm, curiosity, and desire to learn make teaching so enjoyable and worthwhile."


text:
Free Shipping
Orders of $25.00 or more will be shipped our Standard Shipping option and the shipping is completely FREE.
Learn more
|Buy DVD
Customers Who Bought This Product Also Bought
Hatchet Attacks: Live From Red Rocks
This ain't your momma's Live at Red Rocks DVD; this is devastation at high elevation! When the Insane Clown Posse and their Psychopathic Records crew get done with the legendary amphitheater, it's filled with 1,000 gallons of Faygo soda, and 10,000 Juggalos screaming for more!
Hatchet Attacks takes Colorado by storm, with Juggalos flocking from all over the U.S. to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event! All the Psychopathic artists converge in this rare concert collaboration, and this DVD slaps the flavor right across the face, right in your own home, with performances by:
- Twiztid
- Blaze
- Boondox
- Axe Murder Boyz
This Rocky Mountain landmark is known for its acoustics, and the wickedest sounds of the underground put them to the test on this DVD! All audio was carefully mixed in ICP's Lotus Pod Studio, and the picture pastes your peepers with high quality digital video!
- Length
- Rating NR
- Released:
- Added Oct 16 2008
- Empire SKU 1432905
- UPC Code 756504460696
- Studio Red
- Packaging Keep
- Number of Discs 1
- Disc SS-DL
- Secret Hidden Freshness
- Audio
English Dolby Digital Stereo
- Video
Standard 1.33:1 Color


text:
Please contact our Engineering, Works & Services Department on 9780 4209 for any enquiries on the items listed below or you may wish to submit a Maintenance Request Form for maintenance requests. All forms can be found via the Forms page and can be emailed to firstname.lastname@example.com.
To view our Current Shire Works please click here
Council's roadwork section objective is to provide an effective, efficient and safe transport network to the community.
Our Works & Services Department will be able to assist you with the following matters;
- Construction – Roads, Drainage
- Maintenance – Roads, Bridge
- Verges
- Drains
- Driveway and Crossover Application
- Street Trees
- Signs
- Road Safety
- Street Sweeping
- Footpaths and Shared-use Paths
- Street Lighting (new only)
- Traffic Signage
- Restricted Access Vehicles (RAV) Network – Notification and Request for Approval to Use Local Shire Roads
Please report fallen trees on Shire roads immediately by contacting our main switchboard 9780 4200 or Works & Services Department on 9780 4209.
If a tree falls across a main road (as listed below under Agency Responsibilities – Road Faults), please contact Main Roads WA on 138 138
Trees can often fall into properties or across roads. The Shire will remove fallen trees on Shire roads from the carriageway to reopen the roadway to traffic as soon as practicable. Where fallen trees do not present a roadside hazard, they may be left on the verge to encourage native habitat.
Where storms or other natural events cause trees to fall from road verges onto fences or into properties, the Shire may contact the landowner to advise of the damage and carry out any necessary works where the fallen tree presents a hazard to road users. In this case, it's the landowners responsibility to repair the fence and remove and dispose of the tree which has fallen into their land. If however the landowner is not contactable, Shire staff may carry out temporary repairs on the fence if there is stock in the paddock or cut the tree at the fence line.
- Street Light Faults – Western Power can be contacted on 13 13 51 and are responsible for all public street lights (including shades), except for a few owned by the Shire. Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup is responsible for lights in public carparks and the lights on the footpaths along the Donnybrook Main Street.
- Road Faults – where a person sees damage to a road or a dangerous hazard, including fallen trees in the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup, it should be reported to the responsible agency to get if fixed as soon as possible. Main Roads WA can be contacted on 138 138 and are responsible for; South Western Highway, Goodwood Rd, Boyup Brook Rd, Preston Collie Rd and Marmion Street (between S/W Hway & Emerald St). Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup is responsible for all other public roads in the Shire.
- Water & Sewer Mains Faults – Water Corporation can be contacted on 13 13 75 and is responsible for water mains and sewer mains in the road verge and up to the property boundary.
Council's Parks/Gardens and Environmental team are committed to keeping the district aesthetically and environmentally pleasing by carrying out a variety of services by maintaining and upgrading the following;
- Street Planting
- Parks, Gardens & Reserves
- Verge Mowing
- Playground Equipment
- Playing Fields/Ovals
- Cemeteries
- Street Sweeping
- Public Toilet Facilities
- Public Bins-Rubbish Removal
- Annual Roadside Spraying (Rural and Townsite)
- Weed Spraying and Pest Control Programs
- Rehabilitation of Local Waterways & Reserves
- Fence Line Clearing Permits